Solar System

Solar System

Author(s):

Ryan Oppy
Our group used this lesson plan in our fifth grade class last semester.

Grade Level:

5th Grade

Timeframe:

This lesson will be done over an hour of time during each day of the week for approximately two to three weeks.

Lesson Description or Explanation

This lesson is over the solar system. I will teach different things about the solar system. The students should be the focus point of the lesson and should be able to choose what they would like to study about from the solar system. The students will be researching about the solar system by using encyclopedias, internet, and books. After the students have researched they will be presenting their information by using technology. The students could make a song, power point, or a transmediation project.

Indiana Curricular Standards


Science:
5.3.1 Explain that telescopes are used to magnify distant objects in the sky, including the moon and the planets.
5.3.2 Observe and describe that stars are like the sun, some being smaller and some being larger, but they are so far away that they look like points of light.
Language Arts:
5.2.1 Use the features of informational texts to find information and support understanding.
5.2.3 Recognize main ideas presented in texts, identifying and assessing evidence that supports those ideas
Music:
5.7.13 Emphasize points in ways that help the listener or viewer follow important ideas and concepts.
Improvise rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic accompaniments to songs using pitched and non-pitched classroom instruments and electronic sound sources.
5.3.4
Independently and cooperatively improvise successive melodic phrases to create a song.


ISTE Standards

Creativity and Innovation-Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students will apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes, create original works as a means of personal or group expression, and use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
Communication and Collaboration-Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students will interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media, communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats, and contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.

Assessments
Formative/Summative

I would test my students through formative by having them produce a song, a skit, a power point, a poster, or a intermediation presentation. This would show to me the students understood the lesson and the information that was involved.
I could test my students through summative by making tests after having them research their specific ideas. This would be no fun and would be boring for the kids. With having a test at the end would eliminate some of the student’s raw talents that are covered up throughout the day.

Prior Knowledge

Curricular Knowledge or Skills: Based on the students prior knowledge I chose this lesson because they were interested in learning how the solar system works. They also find it as a challenge to learn new ideas and present the information in a fun and entertaining way to the class.
Technology Knowledge: The students do work on computers with other subjects. They do not have a lot of experience but with the amount the students have they will be able to do this lesson easily. They will also get the opportunity to learn new skills in technology.

Technology


Internet Resources: (please list URLs) www.nasa.gov, http://www.nmm.ac.uk/explore/astronomy-and-time/astronomy-facts/stars/what-is-a-star, http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/universe_level2/stars.html, http://www.telescope.org/pparc/res3.html, http://www.smm.org/buzz/image/illustration_of_the_life_cycle_of_the_sun, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun, http://wind.cc.whecn.edu/~marquard/astronomy/sunlike.htm,


Hardware: T.V., Computer, CD Player

Software: Internet explorer, Power point, Microsoft Word

Procedure

Day 1- Thinking Starters (poster)- make a web
-What do you know about stars?
-What do you know about telescopes?
-What do you know about the solar system?
Day 2- Opening activity:
Read poem… as introduction to the subject of stars.
What do you think a star is and what does it look like?
Children will illustrate or write about what they think a star is and looks like.
Pass out paper with several different representations of stars.
Ask students what they think of images, discuss if their initial thoughts are different from what they just saw.
How might we see stars more clearly?
Day 3- Explain specific questions group will be exploring. Will all small groups be given the choice to research one or all the questions or will each group do a different one? If so, how is the question assigned or selected?
Discuss resources that are available (i.e. computers, text, reference and trade books) Note that this lesson will probably take two days to make it a meaningful learning experience.
Regroup to discuss 5 main ideas found during research.
Share with large group.
Add fact to Walk of Fame Star Some of the children might have too much information to put on their star. If so, they could write most of their information on paper but put a phrase on the star that represents or summarizes the information.
Day 4- Start researching their questions and make groups of students who have the same questions or would like to learn about the same topic.
Day 5-Continue researching sharing information to group as a whole. Start thinking of how the groups will be presenting their information.
Day 6- Continue research if needed using resources such as books, computers, etc…
Working with teams on presentations using various tools such as music, technology, skits, posters, etc…
Add fact to Walk of Fame Star Some of the children might have too much information to put on their star. If so, they could write most of their information on paper but put a phrase on the star that represents or summarizes the information.
Day 7- Students should be practicing and compiling information for their projects.
Day 8- Students should be wrapping their projects up and start rehearsing.
Day 9- Students are rehearsing and practicing for their projects.
Day 10-Students will be presenting their projects to the class.
Day 11- Final projects are presented.

Differentiated Instruction

ESL
Having ESL students in the classroom is a challenge sometimes. I would allow the students who are ESL learners do this project either in Spanish or English. I think this would be a real confidence booster to these students being able to present their information in this way.

Challenge/Extend

Making this lesson plan more challenging would be interesting. I would first pick more complex questions and more in depth topics. This would invite the students to dig deeper and really pick their brain. I would also challenge them into performing a play this is always a hard task to accomplish but would be a good challenge.

Special Needs

Students who have special needs will fit in with this project just fine. I think it would be just as easy for them to find information as the other students. They could present their information to their group by writing things down if they could not write then they could have somebody write for them. When presenting their project these students could be incorporated in certain roles and still be a part of the group.