TITLE: The Earth, Sun Mood and Stars Unit (Planets too!)
AUTHOR: Mrs. Lauren Tanner; 466 N. 200 West, Payson, UT 84651
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: 5th
I. Initiatory Activities. ( Original )
A. Write letters to NASA and other Space Centers (Lang. Arts).
B. View films/videos about the Cosmos.
C. Read A Wrinkle in Time, (Children's Literature).
D. Make a collage of Space pictures for a class bulletin board. (Art)
E. Keep a Science Journal throughout the entire unit. (Lang. Arts,
creative writing, art and handwriting.)
II. Introduce Learning Center Activities, Rules, requirements, etc.
A. Each student must complete at least 5 projects from the L.C.
during the unit.
B. Projects may be worked on in school during "free" time or at home.
C. Each student will "show" their projects through display, oral
report, class presentation etc.
D. Choose from the following activities: (Original)
l. Make a space shuttle model.
2. Make a solar system mobile.
3. Make a satellite from junk.
4. Do a creative writing project about Space.
5. Read 2 books about Space, the Earth, the Sun, The Moon or The Stars.
6. Design a model rocket.
7. Make a constellation map and use it.
8. Do one or more "Food For Thought" Activities (problem solving).
9. Write a report (include illustrations).
10. Complete at least 4 of the Computer Programs from NASA.
III. Lesson 1. The Earth, Conservation of our Resources.
A. Obj. The Students will understand the need to protect our Earth and
will practice energy saving skills and conduct an energy
survey.
1. Through Teacher demonstration and Co-Op activities such as
"round-robin", Bloomin' worksheets on ecology and "pair and share
"activities the students will learn that our Earth is fragile.
2. Game- Energy trip tickets will go on throughout the unit to
emphasize energy conservation.
B. Students will be evaluated by showing that they understand
energy conservation as they don't spend their tickets. A drawing
will be held with remaining tickets. Prizes will be given to those
who still have tickets. (original)
IV. Lesson 2. Ideas about the Earth
A. Objective: The students will learn about the ancient models
of the earth and create their own models of the earth. They will
show and tell about their individual models.
1. Class discussion of the motion of the sun and stars.
2. Jigsaw method of learning the four ancient models.
3. Quiz.
4. Create your own model with explanation on back.
5. Share with the class.
B. Evaluate students work.
V. Lesson 3. The Earth's Shape and Gravity.
A. Objective 1: Each child will work in a co-op group to
discover about earth's shape and gravity using a globe and a set of
questions.
B. Objective 2: Each student will fill out the survey sheet individually.
l. Class discussion.
2. Individual and group work.
3. Teacher tally the results of the worksheets and discuss the class
level of understanding. Clear-up any misconceptions.
VI. Lesson 4. Movements of the Earth, Moon, and Sun.
A. Objective : Define the terms: rotate, revolve and orbit.
B. Objective 2: Demonstrate what motion of the earth causes
night and day.
C. Objective 3: Describe how the length of the year on the
earth is determined.
D. Objective 4: Describe how changes in the position of the
earth's orbit and tilt of the axis produces the four seasons.
1. Co-op learning groups work together to solve these
problems and present the solutions to the class by
demonstration. (use globes and other materials).
2. Class discussion.
3. Evaluation by quiz.
4. Do an art project to explain one of the above projects.
VII. Lesson 5. The Moon Our Closest Neighbor.
A. Objective 1: The students will explain what causes the
moon to appear in different phases(shapes).
B. Objective 2: The students will be able to chart the
phases of the moon for one month both individually and in class.
C. Objective 3: The students will learn the history of the moon.
1. Show a model of the moon and earth and demonstrate
why the shapes change.
2. Class discussion.
3. Show pictures of the moon and discuss it's history.
4. View a video about the moon.
5. Place the correct shape of the moon on chart each day
(one child is responsible for this.)
6. Evaluate each child's "mooning chart".
VIII. Lesson 6. Solar and Lunar Eclipses
A. Objective: Identify factors creating solar and lunar eclipses.
1. Show model using slide projector(light source) basketball,
golf ball, and string.
2. Questions and discussion.
3. Have the children draw a solar and a lunar eclipse.
4. Worksheets about eclipses.
B. Evaluate the children's work.
IX. Lesson 7. The Sun, our nearest Star.
A. Objective 1: Each Student will be able to tell about the
physical properties of the Sun and other stars.(color, temp.
life size etc.)
B. Objective 2: Each student will learn about the distances
of the stars including our own nearest star.
C. Objective 3: Each student will learn the history of the Sun.
1. Demonstrate how scientists can tell the temperature of
a star by using a candle in a dark room.
2. Class discussion.
3. Have students discover how to tell the distance of stars.
Do Gems Activity "Beyond the Blue".(outside)
4. Discuss the sun's history. How do we use the sun?
5. Build solar houses or solar ovens and use them to cook a
hotdog.
X. Lesson 8. Celestial Objects-Black Holes, Galaxies and Nebulas etc.
A. Objective: The students will learn that certain celestial
objects give off radiation other than visible light and must be
studied in other energy ranges.
B. Objective: The students will learn about some of the
more popular celestial objects in the sky and be able to
recognize them on overheads.
1. Demonstrate using the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram on overhead.
2. Discuss magnitude, color, temp, x-ray, ultraviolet, etc.
3. Each student will color their own charts.
4. Evaluate understanding by examining children's work and by quiz.
XI. Lesson 9. The Stars and Constellations.
A. Objective: Each student sill gain an appreciation for the way
the constellations were named by different ancient people.
B. Each student will build a star clock and learn how to use it.
C. Each student will be able to recognize the more familiar
constellations in the night sky.
1. Read the stories about how constellations were named.
2. Class discussion.
3. Show the constellation book and discuss.
4. Have the children make their favorite constellations on
black paper with push pins and have them display them on the
overhead. Use the best ones for a quiz later.
5. Ouiz on the constellations.
6. Have the children build a star clock.
7. Have the children write their own story about a
constellation (how they would give it a name.)
XII. Lesson 10. The Planets.
A. Objective 1: Each student will be able to name the 9 planets
of the Solar System and know basic important characteristics that
make each one different from the other.
B. Objective 2: The students will complete the test about the
planets with 80% class average or better after studying in Co-Op
Groups and class presentations.
1. The students will receive information folders about the
planets and be divided into Jigsaw co-op learning groups to
study the materials. They will then return to their own
group and teach all the information they learned(as experts).
They will make up five different styles of questions about
their planet to submit to the teacher( styles should include,
multiple choice, true/false, short answer, essay, fill in,
etc. and should include the most important information that
distinguishes the planet from the others.)
2. Each co-op group will then give a class presentation
about one of the planets. Presenting the questions to the
class and the answers.
3. Students will take notes during the presentations.
4. Students will evaluate each other's presentations and their own.
5. The teacher will collect the questions and form a test.
6. The students will take the test after a study period
with their co-op group.
XII. Culminating Activities: (Original)
A. Sky Watch project: invite members of the Utah
Astronomical Society To give a "star party" at the school one
evening. (I have done this for two years and it has been very
popular with the parents as well as the students.) Have a slide
presentation and discussion before going outside to see the real thing.
B. Field trip to Hansen Planetarium.
C. Day trip to Christa McAuliffe Space Ed. Center for whole class.
D. Overnight trip to Christa McAuliffe Space Ed. Center for the top
24 Math and Science Students in the fifth grade
E. We did both C. and D. this year and found it to be the most wonderful
experience the kids could ever have. It was also a great motivator
for kids to "go the extra mile" in both science and math work.
CLASSROOM ORGANIZATION: Co-Operative Learning Groups.
INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH: Class Discussion, co-op activities, group
discussions, demonstrations, inquiry learning presentations by teacher
and students, lecture, Children's Literature, video and film presentations,
computer programs, field trips and many "hands-on" activities through
Learning Center and class activities.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT: Intermittent quizzes throughout the unit, student
-made test on planets. Evaluation of reports and projects as they are
done. Self-evaluation by students on presentations. Evaluation of co-op
group projects. Evaluation of class demonstrations(visual).
SOURCES: Project Wild, "Learning Magazine", Earth, Sun, Moon, and
Stars, Teacher's Guide, Utah State Core Skill guide, Utah Geographic
Alliance, Seeing in a New Light, NASA Ed. Affairs Book. Popular
Science Books, World Book and Childcraft Books. The Universe, Planets
and Stars, A Book about Planets and Stars, Space Shuttles. Fifth Grade
Science Text Books.
ACTIVITY 1: Building a Solar Oven.
Materials: 1-gallon plastic milk container
aluminum foil
coat hanger
hot dog
plastic wrap
1. Cut away one side of the plastic milk container(the side
with the handle.)
2. Carefully line the insides of the container with aluminum
foil so that the foil is as smooth as possible-try to avoid
crinkles. You need only line the sides, not the bottom or
around the mouth.
3. Untwist the coat hanger and cut off a one-foot piece.
4. Place the container on its back, then push one end of the
wire through the container, opposite the mouth.
5. Skewer a hot dog, then bring the wire out through the mouth of
the container.
6. Put plastic wrap around the open part of the oven, and you are
ready to cook!
7. Place your oven in a spot that receives a lot of sunlight.
You'll need to prop the oven so that it is at an angle
perpendicular to the rays of the sun. In this way the sun
will hit the oven head on, and not at an angle. As the sun's
rays hit the curved, reflective surfaces inside the oven,
they will be deflected and concentrated on the hotdog.
8. Depending on where you live and the time of year, the hotdog
should be ready in about 10-30 minutes. (Don't forget the bun
and the mustard!)
ACTIVITY 2: MAKE A STAR CLOCK
MATERIALS:
One large sheet of black construction paper
One box of large gold stars or round yellow labels.
One box of small gold stars or round yellow labels.
One roll of masking tape.
One single hole paper punch.
One copy of the "instruction Sheet" for each student
One paper fastener for each student
Scissors for each student or share.
One star clock already made for demonstration.
1. Introduce this activity by asking your students how people could
tell time before clocks were invented. Discuss. Explain pouring
sand, slow-burning candles, etc. Explain that a long time ago,
people discovered that the stars slowly changed position, so they
could also use the stars to tell time. After this activity, your
students will know how to tell time using the stars.
2. Give an "Instruction Sheet" and scissors to each student.
3. Show the students how to cut out the two circles and the notch in
the smaller circle. Help individuals as needed.
4. Punch holes only in the center of the small circles. The punch
will reach the center if inserted at the notch. You can punch the
holes for the students or assign the job to a student who finishes
cutting circles early.
5. When the students have their circles cut out and a hole punched in
the center of the small circle, show the students how to insert the
fastener from the front of the Star Clock. Spread open the fastener
on the back.
6. Give each student one paper fastener, and help individuals as needed.
ACTIVITY 3: COLOR AND TEMPERATURE
MATERIALS: wax candle and matches.
l. Turn room lights down or off.
2. Light the candle. Without getting too close look carefully at the
candle flame.
3. Questions:
What colors do you see there?
Where are the different colors found?
Describe their location in the flames.
Where would you guess that the hottest part of the flame would be?
What color would the hottest stars probably be?
The cooler stars?
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John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org