Essential Information
| Location |
Royal Observatory
|
|---|---|
| Key Stage | GCSE |
| School Subject | Astronomy |
| Resource Type | Classroom activity |
Hello stargazers! On this page you will find free worksheets and coursework guides to help you with GCSE Astronomy, along with suggested videos to watch.
You can download the Edexcel specification from their website here
Worksheets are linked to the topics in the specification. These can be used in class, as homework or as part of your exam revision.
Sun, Earth & Moon (Topic 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10)
Videos to watch
Where does space begin?
Have you ever wondered how far away space is; how far are the different things you see above your head?
Seeing the Invisible
Imagine what it would be like to have super powers and see the invisible - sounds pretty fun doesn't it? Join the Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers as they explore the science behind some seemingly invisible and sneaky forces in space.
Shadows On Other Worlds
Join the astronomers at the Royal Observatory Greenwich as they go on an adventure to discover what shadows look like on other worlds.
Making star trails
<p>A classroom activity with instructions to accompany the video 'Making star trails'.</p>
Planetary systems (Topic 7, 8, 11, 12)
Videos to watch
Newton's Laws of Motion
Join our Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers as they go on an epic journey to find out how Newton's Laws of Motion work in space. Buckle your seatbelts, you're in for an adventure!
Space rocks
There are lots of names associated with space rocks, so what is the difference? Join the Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers to find out.
The Rosetta Mission
The Rosetta Mission has captured the interest and imagination of a generation and it is not over yet! Take a look at our video which explains what Rosetta and Philae have achieved as well as the impact the mission has had on our knowledge of our very own solar system.
Are there aliens?
Life began on the Earth around 3.5 billion years ago. Could life have evolved on other planets and if so where are they? Astronomers at the Royal Observatory Greenwich explain how we might detect them in this video.
Alien worlds and the Doppler effect
In this video, Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomer Radmila demonstrates how the Doppler effect can be applied to finding planets orbiting distant stars in our galaxy called exoplanets. She carries out a short demo from which data can be collected and analysed and explains how these techniques can be applied to light and the hunt for exoplanets.
How did the Solar System form?
<p>We know about the planets, moons and space rocks that make up our Solar System. But where did it all come from? </p>
Mission to Mars
Join Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers as they explore the challenges astronauts would encounter on their long journey to Mars and what it might be like to live and work on the red planet!
What is Gravity?
From Newton’s longstanding ideas to Einstein’s revolutionary theories, Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers explain how our understanding of gravity has changed from looking at how gravity affects us in our daily lives and how it governs what we observe in space.
Exploring moons
Our Moon is just one of many moons in the solar system. Join Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers as they explore some of the different properties and characteristics of a few weird and interesting moons orbiting around the other planets.
Collisions and Explosions in the Universe
On the smallest to the largest scales, collisions and explosions happen all over our Universe.
Observations and stellar evolution (Topic 5, 6, 13, 14)
Videos to watch
How do we know how old the Sun is?
ROG astronomer Brendan explains how we determine the age of our Solar System from space rocks and how we can work out how long the Sun has left before it engulfs the inner planets.
Measuring the Universe
<p>This video explains how we can measure the distance to near and far objects in the universe using parallax, 'standard candles' and the Doppler effect.</p>
What’s inside a black hole?
Royal Observatory astronomer Rad explains where black holes come from, how we know they’re there and the strange effects they have on surrounding matter.
Stars and the H-R Diagram
Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers explain how stars can be categorised and their evolution studied by tracking their movement across a very important graph in stellar evolution - the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram.
What is Light?
Our Universe is a vast and very interesting place and light plays a big part in us being able to understand more about it. To find out how join the Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers as they explore more.
What Makes the Universe Colourful?
Our Universe is a facinating and beautiful place. Join the Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers as they head off on a voyage of discovery to find out just what it is that makes it so colourful.
The Story of Stars
Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered about the stars? What makes them so special? Why are some even different colours? Join the Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers as they explore the science behind the different types of stars in our Universe.
Galaxies and Cosmology (Topic 15, 16)
Videos to watch
How will the universe end?
Our Universe began 13.8 billion years ago and it has been expanding ever since. Is it destined to expand forever or will it suffer a more crushing end? Astronomers at the Royal Observatory Greenwich explain the fate of the Universe in this video.
How big is the Universe?
Royal Observatory astronomer Liz shows us the expanding nature of the Universe and how this affects the light reaching us from distant galaxies, some of which will remain forever hidden from our view.
The Origin of the Elements
The Universe we see today is made from particles arranged in a wide variety of elements, but where did it all come from?
Measuring the Universe
<p>This video explains how we can measure the distance to near and far objects in the universe using parallax, 'standard candles' and the Doppler effect.</p>
Observational astronomy:
The coursework specification of GCSE Astronomy changed in 2017. Two pieces of coursework are required, but not submitted to the exam board. You can find out more via the exam board website by clicking here.
We have an observational astronomy guide, and an observation log you might want to use, here:
Videos to watch
Looking for Jupiter
<p>In this video, Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers Radmila and Brendan use a free computer program called Stellarium to find out where the planet Jupiter is in the night sky. <span style="font-size: 13.008px;">They show how you can take a picture of it using a smartphone camera, what you can see through large binoculars and what details a large telescope can reveal. </span></p>
Moon Watch
Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomer Radmila shows how you can best find the Moon in the daytime sky and how you can demonstrate the changing phases of the Moon in the classroom using hands-on models.