H-R Diagram Complete Lesson Plan - MS

Everything you need for an engaging, ready-to-teach unit on classifying stars with the Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) Diagram is included in this resource! Students will explore the purpose of the H-R Diagram and learn how astronomers use it to classify stars by luminosity, temperature, and size. With editable presentations, worksheets, student-choice projects, and assessments, this multiday lesson is comprehensive yet low-prep.

Through differentiated, student-led learning, your middle schoolers stay engaged while you focus on supporting their success.

Essential Questions

• What is the H-R Diagram?

• How is the H-R Diagram used to classify stars?

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

Why Teachers Love This Lesson

• Differentiated materials for learners who need additional support

• Multimodal activities to engage a variety of learning styles

• Maximum flexibility—printable and digital resources included

• Editable PowerPoints to customize instruction

• Spanish translations of vocabulary, reading passages, and interactive notebook pages

This lesson is built around the 5E Instructional Model (Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, Evaluation), giving you both structure and flexibility in your classroom.

What’s Included

Engagement

• Lesson objectives and Word Wall Cards (English & Spanish)

• Teacher guide with class discussion prompts, activities, and common misconceptions

Exploration – Student-Led Station Lab
Nine differentiated stations allow students to engage with the H-R Diagram in multiple ways:

Input Stations (absorb content)

• Explore It! – Hands-on demo or experiment

• Read It! – Differentiated passages (English & Spanish) with comprehension checks

• Research It! – Online investigation with guiding questions

• Watch It! – Short video with student reflection prompts

Output Stations (show understanding)

• Organize It! – Printable or digital card sorts

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

• Illustrate It! – Sketches or diagrams of the H-R Diagram

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

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

Explanation

• Editable PowerPoints (standard & interactive versions)

• Interactive notebook templates (digital & print, English & Spanish)

• Guided note-taking templates

Elaboration

• Student-choice projects on the H-R Diagram for in-class or at-home extension

Evaluation

• STAAR 2.0–style assessments (standard & modified versions)

• Review questions and a worksheet for practice, homework, or test prep

Flexible for Any Classroom

This lesson works seamlessly in both in-person and virtual learning environments. Station labs, interactive notebooks, and presentations are fully compatible with Google Slides and PowerPoint.

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.