Download Planets Unit Plan

EDCP 349
Unit Plan: Our Solar System
Key Questions:
Central Topic
Rationale
What is a planet?
Why is our solar system important?
What characteristics does each
planet have?
Unit Goals
The purpose of this unit is to act as an introduction to our
solar system. Students will be learning this unit more in
depth in the later years so it is to provide them with a
foundation for this. The unit focuses on the movement and
characteristics of objects in space including the planets and
their moons, stars, and the sun. This unit will also address
other perspectives on these celestial objects including a
First Nations perspective.
How do planets orbit the Sun?
Students will demonstrate knowledge of the
What is the significance of celestial characteristics of all 8 planets and the
movements that affect them.
objects for Aboriginal peoples?
What is a star?
Students will recognize the characteristics of a
star and specifically our closest star; the sun
What is a constellation?
What are some familiar
constellations?
Students will become familiar with the
constellations of the Northern hemisphere
Students will demonstrate awareness of the
special significance of celestial objects for
Aboriginal peoples
Grade 3 Science
The science PLO's this unit will be addressing are:
Ask questions that foster investigation and explorations
relevant to the content
Demonstrate awareness of special significance of celestial
objects for Aboriginal peoples
Compare familiar constellations in seasonal skies
Describe characteristics and movements of objects in our
Students will learn other perspectives, including
solar system
of Aboriginal descent, of how these celestial
objects were formed.
Some other PLO's include:
Language arts:C3, C4, C2
Visual Arts: A3, A4
EDCP 349
Unit Plan: Our Solar System
Topic
1. Our Solar System
Objectives/Assessment Tool
Grade 3 Science
Activities
Objectives
Read: Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar
System
Identify objects in our solar system ( sun,
stars, nine planets, and their moons)
Intro: Students draw what they think the Solar
Identify astronomer, astronomy
System looks like, labelling what they know. A few
key terms will be given for scaffolding (stars,
planets, sun, moons, constellations)
Assessment
Activity: Acting Out a Story: Kinaesthetic Journey
into the Solar System
Assessment for learning:
Activity: Draw a picture of what you think our
Student drawings
solar system looks like
I will be looking for what students already
know about the solar system
Strategy: My Very Educated Mother Just Served
Us Noodles
observations during story
I will be asking students questions
Cross-Curricular Link: Ask students what
throughout the story that pertain to the
shapes we can see in space
solar system so I can access their
knowledge
EDCP 349
Unit Plan: Our Solar System
2. The Sun
Objectives
Grade 3 Science
Hook: Poem Star Light Star Bright-Students
make a Wish
Define star
Read: Sun in First Big Book of Space
Identify characteristics of the sun
Activity: Create fact sheet for the sun in large
group
Assessment
Read Stars in First Big Book of Space
Assessment for learning: Observations
during group creation of fact sheet,
model of the sun in iPad, Journal entry
During my observations I will be looking
for student understanding on the
characteristics of the sun and definition
of a star. The journal entry will let me
know what characteristics the students
understand. The iPad drawing will let me
know if students understand the physical
characteristics of the sun
Read: The Night Stella Hid the Stars
Activity: Students create model of the sun with
modelling clay and label with Skitch on iPad
Journal Entry:
What is a star?
What is our sun like?
EDCP 349
Unit Plan: Our Solar System
3. Constellations
Objectives
Grade 3 Science
Read: Constellations in First Big Book of Space
Name and identify familiar constellations Read: Stars
Assessment
Research: Students research one constellation in
pairs with guiding worksheet
Student worksheet will allow me to see if
students are able to research and name Activity: Students create individual constellations
a constellation
drawing with black paper and white crayons
Art creation of constellation will illustrate
if students are able to represent their
understanding of what a constellation
looks like
4. Constellations
Objective
Read: Sky All Around (Clarion Books)
Identify and name familiar constellations Activity: Starry Slide Show in The Jumbo Book of
Space
Assessment
Activity: Students complete map of familiar
Assessment for learning: student map, constellations using black paper and white
observations during story
crayons
These will allow me to see if students
can identify some constellations. The
constellations map will allow me to see if
students are able to name and map
these constellations.
EDCP 349
Unit Plan: Our Solar System
5. Orbit and Gravity
Objectives
Grade 3 Science
Demonstration: Distance of planets from the sun
Describe what makes night and day
Describe how planets orbit the sun
Define gravity, orbit, axis, weight,
weightlessness
Assessment
Assessment for learning:
Journal entry
Observation sheet
These will allow me to see if students
understand the forces that affect the
planets.
Activity: student observation sheet
Journal Entry: What have you learned about the
movements of the planets around the sun?
EDCP 349
6. The Inner Planets:
Mercury & Venus
Unit Plan: Our Solar System
Objectives
Grade 3 Science
Read: Planets by Jennifer Dussling
List attributes of Inner Planets: small Research: Students research Mercury or Venus
and rocky, “inside” the asteroid in pairs using worksheet
belt
Extended: Whole group creates T-chart
List specific attributes of Mercury & comparing the two planets
Venus
Experiment: How hot is Venus?
Assessment
Assessment for learning:
T-chart
I will be able to observe student
contributions to the T-chart to see if
they are able to list attributes of
Mercury and Venus
7. The Inner Planets:
Earth & Mars
Objectives
Read: Somewhere in the Universe
List specific attributes of Earth and Mars Read: Mars in The Jumbo Book of Space
Assessment
Discuss: Living on Mars?
Assessment for learning:
Activity: Create T-chart comparing planets
Class discussion during T-chart creation Activity: Make models of these planets with
modelling clay and label characteristics with
Pictures of clay models
Skitch on iPad
Journal entry
Journal Entry: If you could move to the planet
Mars would you? Why or why not?
EDCP 349
8. The Outer Planets:
Jupiter & Saturn
Unit Plan: Our Solar System
Grade 3 Science
Objectives
Read: The Gas Giants
List attributes of outer planets "outside"
the asteroid belt: large and gassy
Activity: Use Venn diagram to compare planets
List specific attributes of Jupiter and
Saturn
Activity: Use modelling clay to depict
characteristics of planets and label with Skitch on
IPad
Assessment
Journal Entry: What are some similarities
between Jupiter and Saturn?
Journal entry
Class discussion during creation of Venn
diagram as a class
Clay model pictures
9. The Outer Planets:
Neptune & Uranus
Objectives
List specific attributes of Neptune and
Uranus
Assessment
Read: Neptune and Uranus in The Jumbo Book
of Space
Acting out a story: A Visit to Neptune and Uranus
Activity: Make T-Chart comparing the planets
with whole class
Journal entry
Class T-chart discussion
Journal Entry: What are three things you have
learned about each planet?
EDCP 349
Unit Plan: Our Solar System
10. Aboriginal Views on
Celestial Objects
Objectives
Grade 3 Science
Read: The Earth under Sky Bear's Feet
Demonstrate knowledge of celestial objects Read: Space Stories from The Jumbo Book of Space
(stars) significance for Aboriginal peoples
Read: The Man in the Moon
Assessment
Read: The Scattered Stars
Student creation story
Audio: Constellations
http://.Ipi.usra.edu/education/skytellers/constellations/p
review.shtml
Activity: Students write own creation story of how the
stars came to be in the sky or another celestial object
11. Fine Arts: Beauty of Space Objectives
‘Blue Marble’ painting
Illustrate physical characteristics of each
planet with watercolours
Assessment
Student painting
12. Model of the Planets
Objectives
Illustrate physical characteristics of each
planet using a model
Assessment
Student model
None
EDCP 349
Unit Plan: Our Solar System
Key Visuals
1.
KWL Chart
2. Clay model of sun
Vocabulary
Grade 3 Science
Literature & Non-fiction Resources
Planet, star, solar system,telescope, The Magic School Bus: Our Solar System
astronomy, astronomer, moon, sun
Sun, star, sunspot, solar flare,
First Big Book of Space
Proxima Centauri, hydrogen, helium The Night Stella Hid the Stars
Poem: Star Light, Star Bright
3. None
Constellation, Northern Hemisphere Stars
Leo the lion, Orion, Ursa Major, Ursa Jumbo Book of Space
Minor, Polaris, (The North Star)
Cassiopeia,
4. Starry Slide Show Demonstration
Pegasus, Taurus, Cygnus, Perseus, Sky All Around
Gemini
Jumbo Book of Space
5. Distance Between Planets
Demonstration
Gravity, orbit, axis, weight,
6. T-chart
Craters, Caloris Basin, poisonous
Planets
atmosphere, asteroid belt, asteroids, Jumbo Book of Space
canyon
7. T-chart
Oceans, canyons, Mariner Valley,
The red planet, volcanoes
8. Venn Diagram
Ringlets, rings, wind zone, Great Red The Gas Giants
Spot, Ganymede, clouds, invisible
rings
weightlessness
Mercury 5 inch
Venus 9 inch
Earth 1 foot
Mars 1 foot 6 inches
Jupiter 5 feet 2 inches
Saturn 9 feet 6 inches
Uranus 19 feet
Neptune 30 feet
Somewhere in the Universe
EDCP 349
Unit Plan: Our Solar System
9.T-Chart
Moons, smog planets, electro glow,
diamonds, rings,
Grade 3 Science
Jumbo Book of Space
10. Audio: Constellations
Aboriginals, First Nations,
http://.Ipi.usra.edu/education/skytellers/c Creation Stories
onstellations/preview.shtml
Space Stories
The Man in the Moon
11. Teacher's model of project
Perspective
website: thatartistwoman.org
12. Teacher's model of project
Model
None
Annotated Bibliography
Blue Marble in thatartistwoman.org
This resource is a website that depicts a lesson plan on how to create a watercolour painting of the planets using the idea
of marbles. This resource is helpful as it allows student to demonstrate the physical characteristics of each planet using
watercolours.
Gas Giants
This resource is a big book that is large enough so that students are able to see what the outer planets are like. The book
goes into detail on the physical characteristics of the gas giants. This resource is perfect for introducing students to the
outer planets and informing them about what the planets are like.
Jumbo Book of Space
This resource is an introductory book to space for kids. It goes through all of the planets as well as stars and offers very
basic information on each of these. Students will be able to understand the characteristics that make up the solar system
in an easy format without much teacher instruction. I will be using this resource in many of my lessons to introduce the
planets to the students.
The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System
EDCP 349
Unit Plan: Our Solar System
Grade 3 Science
This book is part of the Magic School Bus series with the familiar characters of Ms. Frizzle, Arnold and the whole gang. It
is a great resource for an introduction to the solar system as it goes through all of the planets and has funny commentary
throughout the book.
Somewhere in the Universe
This book is a good resource for introducing students to planet Earth as it illustrates the earth in the context of where we
live. The book goes from Earth in outer space, to a map of the world, and to a neighbourhood street so students can see
planet Earth in context of Earth the way they know it.
The Night Stella Hid the Stars
This book is a nice introduction to Aboriginal beliefs about the celestial objects. The story depicts a lady who puts the
stars out every night for everyone to see. One night Stella doesn't put out the stars and people are upset by this. This
book is a good resource for showing other perspectives about celestial bodies.
Audio: Constellations
http://.Ipi.usra.edu/education/skytellers/constellations/preview.shtml
This resource is a creation story about the constellations and describes how the stars came to be in the sky. I will be
playing this audio with my students to provide them with an example of a creation story.
Exploring the Solar System
This resource is a collection of non-coloured drawings of the planets. I chose this resource because reproduced copies of
these pages can serve as an excellent tool for students to show the physical characteristics of the planets.
Astronomy by Usborne Discovery
This resource is amazing for teaching content as it goes through everything in astronomy. From descriptions on the
planets to the movement of the constellations month to month, it is an excellent resource for introducing students to any
concept of astronomy.
Astronomy For Every Kid
EDCP 349
Unit Plan: Our Solar System
Grade 3 Science
This book outlines experiments to do with students that demonstrate some of the processes that occur in space. An
activity that I am interested in is an experiment that shows the movement in Jupiter's red spot.
The Night Sky
This book goes into detail on the constellations and descriptions of each. It will be a good resource for students to use
when they are doing their inquiry on constellations as well as assist me the teacher with providing enough information
about each constellation.
Key Vocabulary:
Process:
Describe
Visualize
Refine
Attributes
Observe
Classify
Focus
Compare
discovery
Content:
Planet
Star
Gravity
Orbit
Moon
Crater
Galaxy
Atmosphere
Telescope
Astronomy
Volcano
Asteroid
Eclipse
Twinkle
Revolve