Earth & Space Science

A year of high school Earth and space science: the Big Bang and star life cycles, plate tectonics and Earth's history, climate and Earth's systems, and natural hazards, with plenty of math. New topics fill roughly the first 40 days; the rest is applied projects and practice.

← Physics

180 lessons

One a day for a school year

10 units

Each opens to its lessons

35 applied projects

Real-world planning problems with numbers

Standards

NGSS high school science

What's taught, unit by unit

1
The universe & Earth's historyDays 1–10
The Big Bang, how stars make the elements, how the solar system formed, radioactive decay as a geologic clock, what powers plate tectonics, measuring plate motion, and reading Earth's history in rock layers.
- 1 · Welcome to Earth & Space Science: Synthesizing Your Science Journey
- 2 · The Big Bang and the Origin of the Universe
- 3 · Stellar Nucleosynthesis: How Stars Make Elements
- 4 · Solar System Formation
- 6 · Radioactive Decay and Geologic Time
- 7 · Plate Tectonics: The Radioactive-Decay-Driven Engine
- 8 · Quantitative Plate Tectonics: Measuring Plate Motion
- 9 · Evidence for Earth's History in Rock Strata
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
2
Earth's systems & climateDays 11–20
Feedback loops among Earth's spheres, the carbon cycle, climate factors, how life and Earth shaped each other, cost-benefit analysis of resources, climate modeling, sustainable design, and the causes of global climate change.
- 11 · Earth's System Feedback Loops
- 12 · The Carbon Cycle
- 13 · Climate Factors
- 14 · Earth-Life Co-Evolution Evidence
- 16 · Quantitative Resource Cost-Benefit Analysis
- 17 · Quantitative Climate Modeling
- 18 · Sustainability Design
- 19 · Global Climate Change: Causal Mechanisms
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
3
Stars, galaxies & Earth hazardsDays 21–30
The sun's layers, how a star's mass decides its life and fate, galaxy types, redshift and Hubble's law, then El Niño and La Niña, forecasting natural hazards, and monitoring Earth from satellites.
- 21 · The Structure of the Sun
- 22 · Stellar Life Cycles and Mass
- 23 · Galaxies, Their Types, and the Scale Between Them
- 24 · Redshift, Hubble’s Law, and an Expanding Universe
- 26 · Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions: El Niño and La Niña
- 27 · Natural Hazard Forecasting: The Magnitude Scale
- 28 · Human Monitoring of Earth Systems
- 29 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
4
Rocks, water & other worldsDays 31–40
Rock-cycle rates, how volcanic eruptions affect climate, groundwater and aquifers, ocean circulation, exoplanets and the habitable zone, the history of human spaceflight, and a mixed review set.
- 31 · The Rock Cycle Revisited: Quantitative Rates
- 32 · Volcanic Activity and Its Global Effects
- 33 · Groundwater Systems and Aquifers
- 34 · Ocean Circulation and Global Heat Distribution
- 36 · Extrasolar Planets and the Search for Life
- 37 · The Habitable Zone
- 38 · Human Space Exploration History
- 39 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 2
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
5
Applied projects & practice, part 1Days 41–80
No new topics: projects applying earth science to renewable energy siting, disasters, space missions, farming, cities, insurance, water, mining and fisheries, plus explainers, error-checking lessons, mixed review sets and timed tests.
- 41 · Explainer Project: Teaching the Big Bang and Nucleosynthesis
- 42 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Renewable Energy Siting
- 43 · Reviewing Common Errors in Plate Tectonics Reasoning
- 44 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 3
- 46 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Disaster Preparedness
- 47 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Space Mission Planning
- 48 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 4
- 49 · Timed Practice Assessment: A Full-Year Mixed Set
- 51 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Agriculture
- 52 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Urban Planning
- 53 · Reviewing Common Errors in Climate Modeling Interpretation
- 54 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 5
- 56 · Explainer Project: Teaching the Carbon Cycle
- 57 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Insurance and Risk Assessment
- 58 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 6
- 59 · Timed Practice Assessment: A Full-Year Mixed Set 2
- 61 · Reviewing Common Errors in Stellar Evolution Reasoning
- 62 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 7
- 63 · Explainer Project: Teaching Plate Tectonics
- 64 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Water Resource Management
- 66 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Mining and Resource Extraction
- 67 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 8
- 68 · Timed Practice Assessment: A Full-Year Mixed Set 3
- 69 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Ecotourism
- 71 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Climate-Resilient Infrastructure
- 72 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Wildlife Conservation
- 73 · Explainer Project: Teaching the Habitable Zone and Exoplanets
- 74 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 9
- 76 · Timed Practice Assessment: A Full-Year Mixed Set 4
- 77 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Fisheries Management
- 78 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 10
- 79 · Explainer Project: Teaching Quantitative Climate Modeling
Plus 8 review days, not listed.
6
Halfway reviewDays 81–85
Three cumulative review days covering the first half of the year, a timed halfway assessment, and a growth reflection.
- 81 · Cumulative Review Part 1: Origins of the Universe and Solar System
- 82 · Cumulative Review Part 2: Plate Tectonics and Earth-System Feedback
- 83 · Cumulative Review Part 3: Climate Modeling, Sustainability, and Space
- 84 · Timed Practice Assessment: The Halfway Comprehensive
- 85 · Halfway-Year Growth Reflection
7
Capstone project & practiceDays 86–100
A capstone project (a solar-array design in the example): set criteria, research credible sources, solve applied problems, draw diagrams, write it up and present. Also an explainer on the Sun-Earth-Moon system and practice sets.
- 86 · Capstone: Choosing a Field and Writing Precise Criteria and Constraints
- 87 · Capstone: Researching Foundations with Credible Sources
- 88 · Comprehensive Mixed Review Set 11: Stars, Dating, Hubble’s Law, Feedback, and Capacity Factor
- 89 · Comprehensive Mixed Review Set 12: Nucleosynthesis Energy, Plate Motion, CO₂ Data, Transit Depth, and Payback
- 90 · Week 13 Review: Halfway Through the Year!
- 91 · Capstone: Solving Applied Problems
- 92 · Capstone: Building Diagrams
- 93 · Capstone: Writing Up the Project
- 94 · Capstone: Presentation Prep
- 96 · Capstone: Presentation Delivery
- 97 · Explainer Project: Teaching the Sun-Earth-Moon System
- 98 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 13
- 99 · Timed Practice Assessment: A Full-Year Mixed Set 5
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
8
Applied projects & practice, part 2Days 101–130
More projects on aerospace careers, environmental consulting, parks, outdoor sports, astrophotography and historic storms, plus explainers, a three-part cumulative review, timed practice, and a lunar research base plan.
- 101 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Aerospace Careers
- 102 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Environmental Consulting
- 103 · Reviewing Common Errors in Cost-Benefit Analysis
- 104 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 14
- 106 · Applied Project: Earth Science in National Park Management
- 107 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 15
- 108 · Timed Practice Assessment: A Full-Year Mixed Set 6
- 109 · Explainer Project: Teaching Sustainable Design Principles
- 111 · Explainer Project: Teaching the Expanding Universe
- 112 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Sports and Outdoor Recreation
- 113 · Reviewing Common Errors in Habitable Zone Reasoning
- 114 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 16
- 116 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Astrophotography
- 117 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 17
- 118 · Timed Practice Assessment: A Full-Year Mixed Set 7
- 119 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Historical Weather Events
- 121 · Full-Year Earth & Space Science Cumulative Review, Part 1
- 122 · Full-Year Earth & Space Science Cumulative Review, Part 2
- 123 · Full-Year Earth & Space Science Cumulative Review, Part 3
- 124 · Timed Practice Assessment: The Comprehensive Final
- 126 · Explainer Project: Teaching Earth’s Place in the Universe
- 127 · Full-Year Earth & Space Science Growth Reflection
- 128 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 18
- 129 · Applied Project: A Final Earth & Space Science Synthesis
Plus 6 review days, not listed.
9
Applied projects & practice, part 3Days 131–170
More projects: energy storage, deep-sea exploration, volcano hazard maps, city water, flight routes, ski resorts, coastal erosion, space-crew supplies, urban heat, eclipses and wildfires, with explainers and mixed and timed practice.
- 131 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Renewable Energy Storage
- 132 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Deep-Sea Exploration
- 133 · Reviewing Common Errors in Stellar Life Cycle Reasoning
- 134 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 19
- 136 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Volcanic Hazard Mapping
- 137 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 20
- 138 · Timed Practice Assessment: A Full-Year Mixed Set 8
- 139 · Applied Project: Earth Science in City Water Systems
- 141 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Airline Route Planning
- 142 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Wine and Agriculture Regions
- 143 · Explainer Project: Teaching the Carbon Cycle Revisited
- 144 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 21
- 146 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Ski Resort Site Selection
- 147 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 22
- 148 · Timed Practice Assessment: A Full-Year Mixed Set 9
- 149 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Coastal Erosion Management
- 151 · Applied Project: Budgeting Water and Food for a Space Crew
- 152 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Urban Heat Island Mitigation
- 153 · Explainer Project: Teaching Radiometric Dating Revisited
- 154 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 23
- 156 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Solar Eclipse Prediction
- 157 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 24
- 158 · Timed Practice Assessment: A Full-Year Mixed Set 10
- 159 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Wildfire Risk Mapping
- 161 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Volcanic Eruption Response Planning
- 162 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Fisheries Management (Bycatch Reduction)
- 163 · Explainer Project: Teaching Earth-Life Co-Evolution — The Great Oxidation Event
- 164 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 25
- 166 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Groundwater Resource Management
- 167 · Practicing a Comprehensive Mixed Earth & Space Science Review Set 26
- 168 · Timed Practice Assessment: A Full-Year Mixed Set 11
- 169 · Applied Project: Earth Science in Sustainable City Design
Plus 8 review days, not listed.
10
Final review & celebrationDays 171–180
Final reviews of astronomy, Earth systems and climate, a capstone-style presentation, a reflection on the year, a scavenger hunt for earth science in everyday life, and a look ahead beyond high school science.
- 171 · Final Review: Astronomy and the Solar System
- 172 · Final Review: Earth Systems and Plate Tectonics
- 173 · Final Review: Climate, Sustainability, and Human Impact
- 174 · Preparing a Capstone Presentation: A Year of Earth & Space Science
- 175 · Delivering Your Capstone Presentation
- 176 · Reflecting on a Year of Earth & Space Science
- 177 · Earth Science Scavenger Hunt: The Planet All Around You
- 178 · Previewing What's Next: Science Beyond High School
- 179 · Final Reflection: My Earth & Space Science Journey
- 180 · Congratulations! You completed Earth & Space Science!

By the end of the year, your child can

Explain how stars form, live and die, and what the expanding universe tells us
Use evidence such as rock layers and radiometric dating to explain Earth's history
Explain how plate tectonics, the carbon cycle and feedback loops shape Earth's systems
Use formulas like Hubble's law and decay rates to solve science problems
Plan, write up and present a researched project applying earth science to a real problem

Try the first 10 days free

No card needed to start.

Start free

Other 12th Grade subjects: Precalculus · English 12: Literature · English 12: Composition & Grammar · Economics & Personal Finance