Outer Planets Station Lab - MS

This modular, student-led activity will keep your middle schoolers engaged while exploring the planets of our solar system. With everything included, you’ll save a ton of prep time while empowering students to direct their own learning.

In this interactive lab, students will understand that gravity is the force that governs the motion of our solar system. Designed with flexibility, this resource works perfectly for both in-class and virtual learning.

Texas Teachers: This station lab aligns with the 2017 TEKS (not updated for the 2021 TEKS).

Differentiated, Modular, and Student-Centered

Each station lab includes eight differentiated activities plus a bonus challenge station for early finishers. Students learn independently or in small groups while the teacher facilitates rather than directs, creating a truly student-centered classroom.

All signage, resources, and task cards are provided. The Explore It! station may require a few simple materials you likely already have in your lab.

The Stations

Input Stations – Learn the Concepts

• Explore It! – Hands-on demo or digital drag-and-drop activity in PowerPoint/Google Slides

• Read It! – Differentiated passages (English & Spanish) with comprehension and vocabulary questions

• Research It! – Website-based activities with guiding questions

• Watch It! – Short video with reflection prompts

Output Stations – Show Understanding

• Organize It! – Printable or digital card sorts/manipulatives

• Illustrate It! – Student sketches or diagrams of planets and their features

• Write It! – Open-ended short-answer prompts

• Assess It! – Task cards + vocabulary-in-context activity

Bonus Station – Challenge It!
Fun extension activities for early finishers, including crosswords, games, and mini-projects

Virtual & In-Class Flexibility

This station lab is fully compatible with Google Slides and PowerPoint, making it easy to implement in both classroom and online environments.

Why Teachers Love It:

• Differentiated for a variety of learners

• Multimodal design keeps students engaged

• Flexible in print or digital formats

• Minimal prep required

This resource is also part of the Planets 5E Lesson Plan, which expands into editable presentations, interactive notebooks, student-choice projects, assessments, and more.

This is a finished product; it will be updated with formatting or corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.