Foundation of Spring

Foundation of Spring

Author:
Brittany Lazzell.
Grade Level:

5th
Timeframe:
2 days (45min -1 hr each day)
Lesson Description or Explanation

This lesson would be taught in a series of lessons with a repeating format. This would be the first lesson in the season of spring; the first lesson of each unit (one unit would consist of exploring the why we have seasons, the phenomenon we experience during that season, and the final lesson would be how to stay safe during that season). This lesson will only deal with the reason why we have the season spring.

Indiana Curricular Standards


Math Standard: Geometry 5.4.1 (specifically protractors and compasses)
Science Standards:
Unifying Concepts
Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

ISTE Standards

Communication and Collaboration
Research and Information Fluency

Prior Knowledge
Pre-Assessment

Students and teachers will brainstorm what the students know about spring and the information will be written down on a large paper or on the chalk board. We will also brain storm why the students think we experience different weather during different parts of the year.
Assessments:
Formative/Summative

Formative assessment: The first assessment for day two will be based on the disposition they display during the group presentation and during the congress where we determine how to position the earth. The second type of assessment for day two will be determined on the second drawing done by the students. The students need to be able to demonstrate an educated understanding of the appropriate use of protractor and the compass. The students will not be given a letter grade on this skill until the final season unit to allow ample time for the student to become familiar and accurate with the protractor.

Summative assessment: The students will put all their information in a powerpoint presentation that will be sent home to all parents who have provided the teacher with an email address. If the parents have not provided the teacher with an email the teacher will upload the finished powerpoint to the class website. The powerpoint will display the information the students have compiled along with digital pictures of the projects and the students working on the project. The students will be in charge of putting the powerpoint together and the teacher will review the project before posting the final powerpoint.

Technology and Other Materials


List everything, including “computers with internet access” if needed.
Internet Resources: (please list specific URLs)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taHTA7S_JGk&feature=relate


Materials:
1. Large paper
2. Markers, crayons, colored pencils, etc
3. Protractors
4. Paper mashie materials
5. Pipe cleaners
6. Hot glue gun
7. String/wire
8. Computer with internet access
9. Projector
10. screen

Procedure


· . The students will be divided into groups and will be given a particular task to explore and then present their findings to the class.
Over view: As a class we will explore the position of the earth in relation to the sun during the spring equinox. They will watch several YouTube videos starting with the one listed below (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taHTA7S_JGk&feature=related). Once the first video has been watched the first video the class is welcome to watch other videos of the student’s choosing. After completing the videos we will create a 3D diagram of the Earth’s position in relation to the sun and how that determines the season we experience.

Day 1: The students will take turns helping the teacher create a paper mashie Earth and Sun that will later be used to make a model explaining why the Earth experiences summer. While the students are waiting their turn to help out they will be working in groups to create a visual diagram explaining the reason behind the season change. The students will also have to draw and explain why there is a summer solstices. The students will be creating a book where they will put all the information pertaining to summer. All of the Information is covered in the video.

Special note: The groups should be determined based on how well each student understood how to use the protractor from previous lessons on the use of a protractor. Make sure that students who have a “working knowledge” are in a group with students who are struggling. The students need to learn to help their classmates in areas where they are experts.

As the students are creating their representation the teacher and students who finish early will take pictures to post to a powerpoint presentation later.

Day 2: After the paper mashie objects are done drying the teacher will paint the objects in preparation for the next day. Before we position our 3D representations we will have each group of students share their drawings. This is where as a class we will talk about the importance of using the appropriate angle of the earth to the sun to give the seasons. We will review the proper use a protractor to determine the angle of objects. We will also introduce the use of a compass to create a more perfect circle (we want to introduce the use of these math concepts in a non-threatening, non-graded atmosphere to help ease the students into using the instruments.) The students will be given a chance to correct their drawings after we have positioned the paper mashie objects. After we have discussed how to use the protractor we will use that knowledge to position our objects accordingly.

Once the objects are ready to be positioned the class will come together and talk about how we are going to position the Earth so that it is an exact representation that allows us to experience summer. This is where we will use our protractor knowledge to determine the correct position for the sun and the earth. After we have agreed upon and positioned the Earth accordingly we will use pipe cleaners to represent the rays of the sun and how that determines our season. We will use different colored pipe cleaners to represent the rays on the sun in the spring and a different colored pipe cleaner to represent the unique position of the sun’s rays during the spring equinox.


Differentiated Instruction
Leave this gray area blank – it’s a divider. J

ESL
If I had students in my class I would use a translator to the main points of the topic to support their learning. As we were talking about the season I would incorporate the home countries of any student from a different country. If the student was from China we might discuss whether China would be experiencing the same season as the United States. I also am using videos to support the visual learner which might help support the ESL students as well.

Challenge/Extend

I would have the students who were mastering this skill to help students who might be struggling to understand the topic. I might also have them work with the ESL students.

Special Needs

The students can be paired into partners to help support the child who has special needs. I would also find supporting websites or software to help make the learning process better for the students. The adaptations would depend on the needs of my students.