Download Campus: Elementary Author(s): Derden, Edmond, Bryant, Spurgers

Campus: Elementary
Author(s): Derden, Edmond, Bryant,
Spurgers, Collins, Ivy
Date Created / Revised: 4-12-2010
Six Weeks Period: 5th
Grade Level & Course: 3rd Science
Timeline: 20 days
Lesson Unit Title: The Solar System
a. Which subject-specific TEKS are going to be addressed in the lesson unit?
(3) Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student knows that information, critical
thinking, scientific problem solving, and the contributions of scientists are used in making
decisions.
3.3C Represent the natural world using models such as volcanoes or Sun, Earth, and Moon
system and identify their limitations, including size, properties, and materials.
(4) Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student knows how to use a variety of tools
and methods to conduct science inquiry.
Stated Objectives:
TEKS Addressed in
the Lesson Unit
3.4A Collect, record, and analyze information using tools, including microscopes, cameras,
computers, hand lenses, metric rulers, Celsius thermometers, wind vanes, rain gauges, pan
balances, graduated cylinders, beakers, spring scales, hot plates, meter sticks, compasses,
magnets, collecting nets, notebooks, sound recorders, and Sun, Earth, and Moon system
models; timing devices including clocks and stopwatches; and materials to support observation
of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums.
(Include TEK
number and (SE)
student expectation
(8) Earth and Space. The student knows there are recognizable patterns in the natural world
and among objects in the sky.
description
3.8A Observe, measure, record, and compare day-to-day weather changes in different locations
at the same time that include air temperature, wind direction, and precipitation.
3.8B Describe and illustrate the Sun as a star composed of gases that provides light and heat
energy for the water cycle.
3.8C Construct models that demonstrate the relationship of the Sun, Earth, and Moon, including
orbits and positions.
3.8D Identify the planets in Earth’s solar system and their position in relation to the Sun.
b. Which specific (TA) Technology Application TEKS are going to be addressed in the lesson
unit? N/A
Clarifiers:
What specific concepts will be included that clarify the content and satisfy the goal of the
TEKS addressed in this lesson unit?
(Specific concepts
to be included to
address the TEKS)
Identify each planet according to its positional in relation to the Sun. Identify
distinguishing characteristics of each individual planet. Identify Inner and Outer Planets.
Identify characteristics of other objects such as moons, asteroids, and comets that are
found in our Solar System. Identify characteristics of the Sun such as size, composition,
effects on planets, temperature, and distance from Earth. Compare our Sun to other
stars found in the galaxy and universe.
What unfamiliar terms will be introduced to the students that will enhance their understanding of
the concept?
Vocabulary
Addressed
Solar system, orbit, planet, asteroid, comet, rotate, atmosphere, galaxy, universe, gravity,
satellite, solar, star, hydrogen, photosphere, chromosphere, corona, convective zone,
radiative zone, eclipse, water cycle, temperature, precipitation
What activity will focus attention on the subject matter of the upcoming lesson unit, establishing a
mental set to pique the students' interest?
Anticipatory Set or
Introduction to
Lesson Unit
Technology Integration:
Teaching
Strategies
What specific teaching strategies are going to be used to teach this lesson unit? What approach
will be used to provide information (explain) the lesson unit to the students?
Streaming Videos: TLC Elementary – The Story of the Solar System OR
The Reason for the Seasons
Guided Reading, Classroom Discussion, Cooperative Learning, KWL, Venn Diagrams,
modeling, model making.
What modeling will take place to demonstrate what the students will do?
The teacher will draw a Venn Diagram on the board and review some possible entries with the
class before allowing them to make their own.
Modeling
The teacher will also demonstrate the process to be followed in conducting the Investigation
detailed in the body of the lesson.
What initial practice of lesson skill will be used under direct supervision of the teacher? What
practice of the skill concept of the lesson, without direct (step-by-step) adult supervision will take
place? (List for each day of the unit: Example: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3).
Activities
(Guided Practice
and Independent
Practice)
(Include: Day 1,
Day 2, etc…)
Day 1
Guided Practice:
Show the streaming video: TLC Elementary – The Story of the Solar System OR
The Reason for the Seasons
These videos last 24 and 26 minutes, respectively. Stop the video as necessary for discussion
or clarification; encourage note taking and student discussion. Points of interest for discussion or
clarification include nuclear fusion, gravity, and orbits/axis/seasons.
Journal Writing: Write what you know about the Solar System.
Day 2
Guided Practice:
Read pages D58 – D65 (guided reading) in class, pre-teach all associated vocabulary words (the
videostreaming clip What Is An Orbit is an excellent resource, stop and discuss each section of
the lesson as your progress through it, cover the lesson review with a Q&A session.
Independent Practice:
SW complete a teacher created, multiple choice quiz (open book – research each question in the
text book).
Hand out Manila paper and have them create Venn Diagrams comparing and contrasting the
nature of stars and our Sun. An examples of some of the things they might come up with is
here: Venn Diagram
Journal Writing: Describe your favorite season.
Day 3
Guided Practice:
Read pages D68 – D73 (guided reading) in class, preteach all associated vocabulary words,
stop and discuss each section of the lesson as your progress through it, cover the lesson review
with a Q&A session.
Conduct the investigation found on pages D66 – D67
For this Investigation, you will need the following materials:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Scotch tape
Graph paper
Large book
Flashlight
Yardstick or Meter stick
Black Marker
Wooden blocks
Red Marker
Independent Practice:
Students should journal their hypothesis and findings regarding the investigation.
SW complete a teacher created, multiple choice quiz (open book – research each question in the
text book).
Journal Writing: Students should journal their hypothesis and findings regarding the
investigation.
Day 4
Guided Practice:
Read pages D76 – D81 (guided reading) in class, pre-teach all associated vocabulary words,
stop and discuss each section of the lesson as your progress through it, cover the lesson review
with a Q&A session.
Independent Practice:
SW complete a teacher created, multiple choice quiz (open book – research each question in the
text book).
Journal Writing: Pick a planet and write what you know about it.
Day 5:
Guided Practice:
Refer the students back to pages D58 – D59 in the science textbook. Carefully review the map of
the Solar System at the bottom of the pages. Discuss the order of the planets in our Solar
System. Discuss relative sizes of the planets. Complete a quick overview of the most obvious
characteristics of each planet. Discuss relative heat and cold on each planet and possible
causes. Discuss gravity on each planet and correlation between gravity and mass.
Independent Practice:
SW design, draw, and label a map of our Solar System. Encourage creativity and artistic
expression. Labels should include planet name, distance from Sun, length of year, length of day,
number of moons, and a fact or two.
Journal Writing: Pick a different planet and write what you know about it.
Day 6:
Guided Practice:
Read pages D84 – D89 (guided reading) in class, pre-teach all associated vocabulary words,
stop and discuss each section of the lesson as your progress through it, cover the lesson review
with a Q&A session. Compare other stars to our own Sun, refer students to page D55 in the
science text book. Show the photos, sun & planets, sun & stars, and giant stars (located at
P:\Share\1LacyElementary\3rdGrade\Science Unit worksheets or pictures\Solar System
Worksheets to allow students to visually compare sizes of our Sun vs. planets and other stars.
Independent Practice:
SW complete a teacher created, multiple choice quiz (open book – research each question in the
text book).
Journal Writing: Write about the sizes of our planets.
Day 7:
Guided Practice: Read pages D30 – D33, Where Weather Happens (guided reading) in class,
pre-teach all associated vocabulary words, stop and discuss each section of the lesson as your
progress through it, cover the lesson review with a Q&A session.
Independent Practice:
Students will journal write chapter vocabulary in Science notebook.
Day 8:
Guided Practice:
Sciencesaurus p. 187-189. Read pages in class and discuss important features of the water
cycle.
Independent Practice:
Students will describe and illustrate the Sun as a star composed of gases that provides light and
heat energy for the water cycle.
Day 9:
Guided Practice:
Read pages D36 – D41, How Weather is Measured (guided reading) in class, pre-teach all
associated vocabulary words, stop and discuss each section of the lesson as your progress
through it, cover the lesson review with a Q&A session.
Independent Practice:
Students will journal write chapter vocabulary in Science notebook.
Day 10:
Guided Practice:
Review characteristics of the Solar System and dominate characteristics of each planet.
Independent Practice:
Design and create a 2 or 3 dimensional model of the Solar System or a favorite planet, prepare
fact cards to go with the model, allow time for each student to “show and tell” their model at
some point during this six week period. Models should include/show key features of their chosen
subject.
Journal Writing: Pick a favorite planet and write why it is your favorite.
Day 11:
Guided Practice:
Read The Planets by Gail Gibbons. Discuss each section as it is read, encourage class
participation with Q&A and note taking.
Independent Practice:
SW complete a teacher created, multiple choice quiz using their notes. Quiz located at
P:\Share\1LacyElementary\3rdGrade\Science Unit worksheets or pictures\Solar System
Worksheets
Journal Writing: Pick a favorite planet and write why it is your favorite.
Day 12:
Guided Practice:
Review characteristics of the planets found in our Solar System, use Q&A to encourage
participation. You may wish to use the PowerPoint presentation Your Solar System.ppt
(P:\Share\1LacyElementary\3rdGrade\Science Unit worksheets or pictures\Solar System
Worksheets) during this review. The ppt has links to some great sites for deeper research if so
desired.
Independent Practice:
SW use the Planet Information Worksheet found at
P:\Share\1LacyElementary\3rdGrade\Science Unit worksheets or pictures\Solar System
Worksheets to record information concerning planets, information can be compiled from the
textbook and from the links found in the solar system PowerPoint. It will take 2 to 3 days to
complete a research project on all 9 planets.
Journal Writing: Pick a favorite planet and write why it is your favorite.
Day 13: Continue researching planet information using print and other resources.
Journal Writing: Pick a favorite planet and write why it is your favorite.
Day 14: Continue researching planet information using print and other resources.
Journal Writing: Pick a favorite planet and write why it is your favorite.
Day 15:
Guided Practice:
Show the streaming video A Closer Look At The Planets. Encourage note taking.
Independent Practice:
SW complete a teacher created multiple choice worksheet using their notes.
Review: Lab safety, and observation and measurement.
Day 16 - 20: This final week of our Solar System unit will culminate in a grade level group activity
which creates a miniature solar system on the playground. This will require coordination among
all third grade teachers and among the student teams responsible for the creation of each
individual part of the Solar System.
Assign students to teams responsible for researching and creating a multi-part two-dimensional
model of their assignment.
Assignments include Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto,
Asteroids, and Comets. You may also want to assign moons of various planets. The models
should consist of multiple parts and will be held together with gravity – which in this
demonstration is third grader muscle power. The Sun being the largest body in the solar system
will require the most team members they will need to work together to design and decorate the
Sun. Use individual sheets of manila construction paper, each student gets 1 sheet they work
together on the color scheme and any additional extras they may want to incorporate (streamers
would make great solar flares!) Each student will need to continue researching, in this instance
the Sun and carefully record statistics and facts regarding the Sun on the reverse side of their
portion of the model. This will need to be done for each planet, asteroid, and comet that is
assigned. Each team will need some time to practice to ensure their “gravity” holds their model
together, especially while rotating or orbiting.
When all the teams are ready the grade level will need to meet on the playground to create the
miniature Solar System. The system should be set up as follows. The Sun is centrally located.
Mercury is 80 CM away from the Sun, Venus 1.5 Meters, Earth 2.0 Meters, Mars 3.0 Meters,
Jupiter 10.4 Meters, Saturn 19 Meters, Uranus 38.4 Meters, Neptune 60 Meters, and Pluto 79
Meters. The largest Asteroid Belt is found between Mars and Jupiter but they can be found
elsewhere, comets range the far reaches of the Solar System and follow a very long elliptical
orbit around the Sun. Each team will need to practice their orbits (counter clockwise) individually
before the entire grade level takes the field. If possible videotape the event, allow the children to
watch and critique and perform again. It might be nice to invite families to view the final
performance.
Technology Integration:
What Is An Orbit
TLC Elementary – The Story of the Solar System
The Reason for the Seasons
A Closer Look At The Planets
Checking for
Understanding
What check(s) will be used to determine if learners have understood the material and activities of
the lesson?
Quizzes and worksheets that follow each guided reading session, notes and worksheets that
follow the video sessions, research worksheets, and student participation.
If necessary, what alternative teaching methods will be used to teach the same information or
skill? Consider teaching methods that address different learning styles, e.g., auditory, visual,
tactile, and kinesthetic.
Opportunities to
Relearn
(Reteach)
This lesson already contains visual, auditory, and kinesthetic modes of learning. Individual
instruction might be necessary for those students who do not understand the information after
presenting it to them in this format. Models of the Earth’s seasonal progressions can be found at
the following link: http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/earth/seasons/EarthSeasons.asp
Technology Integration:
Hyperlink to on-line site (see above)
Accommodations
for Special
Populations
Strategies for
English Language
Learners (ELLs)
What alternative instructional modifications and adaptations that address all learners' needs are
necessary, if any?
Accommodations for instruction will be provided as stated on each student’s (IEP)
Individual Education Plan for special education, 504, at risk, and ESL/Bilingual.
What additional teaching strategies will be used to accommodate the needs of English Language
Learners during this lesson unit?
This lesson already contains visual, auditory, and kinesthetic modes of learning. Individual
instruction might be necessary for those students who do not understand the information after
presenting it to them in this format. Models of the Earth’s seasonal progressions can be found at
the following link: http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/earth/seasons/EarthSeasons.asp
Assessment or
Evaluation
What formal assessment that provides learning criteria and indicators through traditional or
alternative assessment means will be used? State what the learner will do to demonstrate
understanding and mastery of objectives (this should be directly tied to the lesson unit
objectives).
(Formative and
Summative to
Assess Mastery)
Students will create models (drawings) of the Sun, planets, solar system. An end of unit test may
be administered if so desired, using the Harcourt Science Assessment Guide pages AG61AG64.
What challenging instructional activities can be provided for students who demonstrate academic
proficiency of curriculum objectives? Focus on Application and Transference to the "Real World".
Make a connection between past and present.
Enrichment /
Extension
Individual research can be conducted at http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k4/home/index.html
Technology Integration: Internet Research
Closure or Ending
the Lesson Unit
Materials:
Preparation and
What very brief activity will take place that has students state or demonstrate the main
objective(s) of the lesson.
Final Exam: SW draw a map of the Solar System and correctly label the Sun, planets, asteroids
and comets.
What preparation must occur before the lesson is ready?
Resources
Before beginning the lesson assemble the following materials:













Scotch tape
Graph paper
Large book
Flashlight
Yardstick or Meter stick
Black Marker
Wooden blocks
Red Marker
Manila paper
Markers
Construction paper (optional)
Audio visual equipment to view streaming video on
Textbooks sufficient for class
What resources should be available to the instructor and learner to appropriately and
successfully complete the lesson unit’s stated objective(s), purpose(s) or goal(s)?