Unit Topic or Theme: Solar System
Grade: 3rd
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Lesson Topic or Theme: The Nine Planets and the Sun
Lesson Objectives:
- The students will be able to correctly name the nine planets and the sun by looking at basic facts about each.
- The students will be able to research information about a planet or the sun that is chosen, using the websites available on the solar system site.
- The students will be able to build an accurate model of their planet or sun and provide information about it to the class, based on their research.
Instructional Techniques: The class will be involved in discussion, individual work on the computer, partnerships, research skills, demonstration, and presentation
Instructional Materials:
- One computer for each student (if possible)
- Worksheet
- Styrofoam balls (large, medium, and small)
- Color paints of many different color and twenty paint brushes (for each student)
- Blank CDs, used to make rings
- String and paperclips (for teacher when hanging the solar system up)
Theoretical Perspective:
It is important for students to understand where the Earth is located and how large our universe is. It is a hard concept to grasp but having each student become an expert on a particular planet or the sun will help the concept become a little clearer for them. The students will be proud of their models and the research that they have done because it is their own work, and they are given the opportunity to teach the class. This lesson will be one that students will always remember, and they will be able to carry their knowledge that they had researched and the knowledge that their classmates have shared with them forever.
ISTE Standards: 1.1- Basic operations and concepts, 2.3- Social, ethical, and human issues, 3.4- Technology productivity tools.
Curriculum Frameworks: Strand 1: Earth and Space Science
Standard 13: Recognize that the Earth is part of a system called the “solar system” that includes the sun (a star), planets, and many moons. The earth is the third planet from the sun in our solar system.
Procedure:
This lesson would be introduced at the end of a unit about the solar system. The students would already have prior knowledge about the planets from previous lessons. This lesson would be a great wrap up lesson to end the unit about the planets and the sun.
Introductory Activity:Day 1- The teacher will ask the students to join her on the carpet. She will then explain what we will be doing for the next four days during our science time. The teacher will open up this time for discussion and questions about the project. After the discussion is over, the students will move to the computers where they will work on the interactive website. The website will be a review of important information about each planet. The students will be in charge of keeping tract on their worksheet, how many attempts it took to get the questions correct (this will be used as an assessment tool). The teacher will also be walking around at this time to observe and assist any students who need help. The teacher will have a monitoring sheet where she will write down any observations about the students that she observes.
Step-by-step:
Day 1- After the students finish the interactive website and handed in their worksheets, the teacher will assign a planet, or the sun, to each student which they will be becoming experts in (each planet or the sun will have two students working on it together).
Day 2- The students will pair up with the other student who is working on the same planet or the sun and they will go back to the interactive website and begin their research using the links that are on this site. The students are in charge of finding the size of the planet or star, the distance the planet or star is from earth, an approximate temperature of the planet, and an interesting fact they found about the planet or star. The students will use the worksheet provided to help assist in the research process (they will answer these research questions on the worksheet). The students will also be researching for pictures and facts about the planet or star that will help them construct it for the next day.
Day 3- Today the partnerships will construct their planet or star. They will use the supplies that are already in the classroom to make it. They will also use the pictures and information that they find on the websites to create an accurate model of their planet or star (color, rings, size to an extent, any distinct features, etc.). The teacher will observe and assist the students as necessary. If there are any students who were unable to finish their model the teacher will allow them to work on it during quiet time, after lunch.
Closure:
Day 4- Today the students will present their models and the information that they had researched to the class. The class will sit on the rug, so that it is less formal and the students feel more relaxed about presenting their models. The students will be allowed to give two comments or questions for every partnership (due to time constraints). The teacher will hang up the planets and the sun to make two solar systems for the classroom at the end of the day.
Adaptations for different learners:
The teacher will pair students up accordingly. If there are English Language Learners in the classroom, the teacher will make sure to pair those students up with another student who is strong in the English language. If there is a student who is a struggling reader or who struggles with researching the teacher will also pair these students up with another student who is strong in this area. The teacher will consciously match children up so that the children’s strengths and weaknesses will correlate together, and they will be able to support each other throughout this project.
Homework:
During this lesson there will be no homework based on this project, because it will be an in class project.
Evaluation:
How/when will you determine if you have met your objectives?
At the end of this lesson the students will be able to name and locate the nine planets and the sun. The students will also be able to provide information about each planet and the sun. The teacher will determine if the students have met her objectives as she assesses them throughout the lesson. The teacher will be observing and monitoring the students throughout the four days. She will be making sure that both members in the partnership our contributing to the project. The teacher will use both worksheets, the interactive website attempts worksheet and the research, questions and answer worksheet to assess how well the students were able to perform on the required tasks. Lastly, the teacher will assess the students’ presentation on the knowledge the partners share with the class (if all required information was told) and their model of their planet or sun. The teacher will not be assessing the model on the artistic ability, but on the accuracy of what it looks like. This lesson incorporates many skills for the teacher to assess. The lesson allows the teacher to observe the students ability to complete the interactive website, ability to cooperate in a partnership, research skills, and presentation skills. This lesson allows a teacher to see where individual students’ strengths and weaknesses are. The teacher has many opportunities throughout this lesson for informal and formal assessment of her students. This lesson allows the students to research information in an enjoying and worthwhile way.
Concerns or questions you have about teaching this lesson?
One major concern about this lesson is the time factor. It is a concern that some partnerships will take much longer to research and create their models compared to other partnerships. The teacher will allow extra time during quiet time to work on research and the model, but it is still a concern that it will not be enough. The teacher will have to make sure to keep all students on task. If students begin to fall off task they may lose time, which will result in not having it done when it needs to be. The teacher will have to have a discussion at the beginning of the lesson about the time factor and the importance of staying on task.
Name: ______
Facts About Your Planet or Sun!!
Using the websites find the facts about your planet or the sun by answering these questions. You and your partner will tell the class what you found! Good Luck!!
1.)Can you find the size of your planet or star?
2.) About how far is your planet or star from Earth?
3.)What is the temperature of your planet or star?
4.)Find a fun fact that you can share with the class about your planet or star.
Teacher’s Checklist…
Name of student: / Could successfully use the computer to work on the interactive website? / Was participating in the partnership: giving ideas, helping research, and helping make the model? / Was using technology in an appropriate and useful way? / Presented the required information during their presentation?Name: ______
Please write the number of tries it took you to get the answer right? (1, 2, 3) I am not grading you on how many tries it took, so…
PLEASE BE HONEST!!!!
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