LESSON PLAN Unit/Topic:

2 wks prior) Our Place in the Solar System

Date:

2/5/13 (intro lesson

Key Learning Area:

Earth and Space Science

Year Level:

Year 5

Overall Lesson Sequence Outcomes:

By the end of Year 5, students describe the key features of our solar system. Students construct tables to organise data and identify patterns. They use patterns in their data to suggest explanations and refer to data when they report findings. They communicate their ideas and findings using a range of text types. Science Understanding The Earth is part of a system of planets orbiting around a star (the sun) (ACSSU078) Elaborations 1. identifying the planets of the solar system and comparing how long they take to orbit the sun 2. modeling the relative size of and distance between Earth, other planets in the solar system and the sun 3. recognising the role of the sun as a provider of energy for the Earth Science as a Human Endeavour - Use and influence of science Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to solve problems that directly affect peoples lives (ACSHE083) Elaborations

1. 2. 3.

investigating how the development of materials such as plastics and synthetic fabrics have led to the production of useful products describing how technologies developed to aid space exploration have changed the way people live, work and communicate exploring objects and devices that include parts that involve the reflection, absorption or refraction of light such as mirrors, sunglasses and prisms

Science Inquiry Skills Decide which variable should be changed and measured in fair tests and accurately observe, measure and record data, using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS087) Elaborations

1.

discussing in groups how investigations can be made as fair as possible using tools to accurately measure objects and events in investigation and exploring which tools provide the most accurate measurements using familiar units such as grams, seconds and meters and developing the use of standard multipliers such as kilometres and millimetres. Decide which variable should be changed and measured in fair tests and accurately observe, measure and record data, using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS087)

2. 3. 4.

Links to other curriculum areas In the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics at Year 5 Shape Connect three-dimensional objects with their nets and other two-dimensional representations (ACMMG111) Measurement and Geometry Compare 12- and 24-hour time systems and convert between them (ACMMG110) Location and transformation Use a grid reference system to describe locations. Describe routes using landmarks and directional language (ACMMG113) Data representation and interpretation

1. 1. 2. 1. 1. 2. 3.

Choose appropriate units of measurement for length, area, volume, capacity and mass (ACMMG108)

Pose questions and collect categorical or numerical data by observation or survey (ACMSP118) Construct displays, including column graphs, dot plots and tables, appropriate for data type, with and without the use of digital technologies (ACMSP119) Describe and interpret different data sets in context (ACMSP120)

In the Australian Curriculum: English at Year 5 Examining literature 1. Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources. 2. Recognise that ideas in literary texts can be conveyed from different viewpoints, which can lead to different kinds of interpretations and responses 3. Use a range of software including word processing programs with fluency to construct, edit and publish written text, and select, edit and place visual, print and audio elements; power-point.

(Key Knowledge and Skills students should achieve in the lesson taken from relevant curriculum documents.)

(Procedural Knowledge able to do) Create a mnemonic as a device to remember planet names in order from the Sun Identify the different planets of the solar system. Research and record data about the relative size of the planets, distance from each other and distance from the Sun. Identify planets according to scaled down props. Create models that show the relative size of and distance between Earth, the other planets and the Sun Communicate ideas and explanations in a variety of ways (Declarative Knowledge knows or understands) Understand there are eight planets in our solar system. Understand the concept of the vastness of our solar system, the relative distances in space and our place in

LESSON OUTCOME: LESSON STRUCTURE: Time

12.15 pm

Introduction (Set):
Make connections to prior learning on new Science unit: Our Place in the Solar System. Question: What was your on-line research task? Research and Record data about the size of the planets and their distance from each other and from the sun. Ascertain who is still researching that information. Questions: Names of the planets? (not using research notes). Introduce students to mnemonics (as a memory device to learn planet names in order from the sun). Have students come up with one or two examples. Eg My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos PROPS My Mercury (coriander seed) Very Venus (silver marble) Educated Earth (blue marble) Mother Mars (peppercorn) Just Jupiter (grapefruit) Served Saturn (orange) Us Uranus (apple) Noodles Neptune (mandarin) Sun (basketball) Homework: make up your own mnemonic phrase.

Teaching Approaches
Experiencing the known www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/sola r_system/ www.kidsastronomy. com./solar_system.th m).

12.20p m

Experiencing the new | Explore Engagement and teacher led questioning. Hands up to answer, but also involve others. One voice at a time. Record planets on whiteboard Record mnemonics on whiteboard. Incorporate synaesthetic approach as a pedagogical support to switch between modes: visual (written word, props), audial (spoken word), tactile (props), spatial (relative distance of props). Representing and communicating in multimodal ways deepens understanding, caters to diversity and preferred learning styles. Applying functionally | Applying Creatively Applying creatively | Engage Applying critically | Explain Engagement and teacher led questioning. Involve all students.

12.30 pm

Use props (noted above) to illustrate comparisons of relative sizes of planets and to convey that space is a vast concept. Examples of relative distance: Qstn: If this blue marble represents the Earth, how much bigger would the Sun be? Answer: We could fit 1,000,000 earths in the sun. Qstn: Using your research notes what is the diameter of Earth in km? (12,742km). And the Sun? (1,391,900km)? Divide Earths diameter 12,742km into Suns diameter 1,391,900km we can assume that the Suns diameter is 109,000km times the size of Earths Qstn: What is the largest planet in our solar system? Ans: Jupiter. Qstn: How many Earths could fit inside it? Ans: 1,300

12.35 pm

Outside Space Walk Take: calculator, science journal, pencil, rubber, hat, props Use the grassed outdoor area as a scale model of space to take a space walk from the sun to each of the planets to highlight the relative distances (Use scale: 1 metre = 27 million kilometres) From the Sun (basketball) measure distances: (from previous planet) Walk 2.12 metres to Mercury just walked 57,240,000km (coriander seed) Walk 3.94 metres to + 1.82m > Venus just walked 49,140,000km Reference - Solar System Scale Model Analysing Functionally | Applying appropriately | Applying

(silver marble) Walk 5.45 metres to + 1.51m > Earth just 40,770,000 (blue marble) Walk 8.31 metres to + 2.86m > Mars just 77,220,000 (peppercorn) Walk 28.39 metres! +20.08m > Jupiter just 542,160,000 (grapefruit) 1/3rd Walk 52.08 metres to +23.69 > Saturn just 639,630,000 (orange) Walk 104.75 metres to +52.67 > Uranus just walked 1,422,090,000 (apple) Walk 164.23 metres to + 59.48 > Neptune just 1,605,960,000 (mandarin)

walked walked walked walked

creatively | Explore | Explain Multimodal experience: gestural, spatial, visual, audial, tactile Stress that this part of the lesson will help with their assignment and is not free time. Engage students in active participation in activities learn by doing: predictors to estimate distances between planets and from the sun; measurers to measure scaled distances to each planet markers to be planets (hold planet cards) recorders to record scaled distances in metres between planets; coverters > planets to convert scaled metres to kilometres for real distances between planets. coverters > sun to convert scaled metres to kilometres for real distance of each planet from the sun

walked

Distances from the sun: 1.00pm Mercury 57,950,000 Venus 108,110,000 Earth 149,570,000 Mars 227,840,000 Jupiter 778,140,000 Saturn 1,427,000,000 Uranus 2,870,300,000 Neptune 4,499,900,000 Students to record their reflections and new learning from this task in their Science journals before heading back into the classroom. If time before break discuss assessment (or in pm session) Assessment 1 i. Design a rich, informative and colourful double A3 annotated poster/diagram of the solar system and Earths place in it. ii. Convey your understanding of the order of the planets - their relative sizes, their relative distances from the sun, and their relative distance from each other. iii. Use drawings and text annotations (can supplement this with further evidence using ICT) . iv. You will need to scale down the size and distance of planets so they fit on a double A3 poster. v. Discuss above, expected and standard levels. Explain that some students will be using mathematical equations to calculate scaled sizes and distances, and others will be making a very good estimation (show rubric). vi. Some suggested materials: protractor, colouring pencils, paper, compass, calculator, ruler, ICT. vi. Neat handwriting, colourful, detailed vii. Show students criteria sheet for Above, Expected, Below Refer to previous research project on significant Australians to illustrate work samples that conveyed evidence of comprehensive research, knowledge and interesting facts, and creative and impactful ways of highlighting that information variations in the amount of relevant information, images and text.

Assemble in shade in ampitheatre Conceptualising by naming | Evaluate Analysing functionally | Explain Applying appropriately | Applying creatively | Conceptualising by naming | Elaborate

Time

Conclusion: Reflection: Space walk to grasp the concept of the vast distances in space and the relative sizes of the planets. Homework: a mneumonic phrase to remember the planets in order from the sun. Afternoon Session: needed Further research for assessment piece if

Teaching Approaches Consolidation Hand in Science journal in order to ascertain which students need more time for research task.

Extension work: Start A3 poster

RESOURCES
Australian Curriculum Calculators Science books Pencils Rubbers Hats Tape measure Props (+ smaller ones affixed to cards) Planet name cards (paper weights pebble) Solar system scale model Whiteboard I-pads (book) (Include equipment required for class and/or for teacher preparation)

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS/MATERIALS
Usual classroom etiquette will apply. Ensure all children are accounted for during outside activity and stay as a group.

Informal: Contribution to group discussion. Q&A time Participation in activities Mnemonic phrase (homework) Research Formal: Orally identify planets in the solar system Double A3 annotated diagram respresenting the solar system and Earths place in it planet sizes, distance from each other and distance from the sun.

ASSESSMENT

REFLECTION
My mentor introduced the students to a new unit on Our Place in the Solar System (2 weeks prior to this lesson) and I helped to team teach the class by supporting students with their first research project on Earth and Space Science. Students researched information on line to record data about the size of the planets and their distance from each other and from the sun. Varying levels of student ability are evident in this class with some students needing a lot of help to locate relevant websites and information. Some students quite naturally organised their information effectively in columns where others were quite disorganised in the way they recorded their data. It will be interesting to see how effectively their annotated posters reflect their knowledge. I taught a whole group lesson the following fortnight and introduced students to mnemonics as a memory device to learn

planet names in order from the sun. Some students made their own mnemonics up and shared them with the class, others will be completing theirs for homework. In order for students to understand the vast concept of Space I used props to represent the relative sizes of planets (coriander seed for Mercury; silver marble for Venus; blue marble for Earth; peppercorn for Mars; grapefruit for Jupiter; orange for Saturn; apple for Uranus and mandarin for Neptune. Students were amazed by the differences in sizes and astonished to learn that approximately 1,000,000 Earths could fit into the sun. We had a brainstorming session on the largest and smallest planets and I explained to students that much of what they would be learning in todays lesson would be helpful for the first assessment. I took the students outside to participate in a space walk to illustrate the vast distances between the sun, planets and each other by scaling down our solar system to fit into the undercover playground. Each metre the students measured was equivalent to 27,000.000 kilometres and other students placed their planet cards at the relevant scaled distances from the sun. Students predicted in metres the distances between planets, and estimated how many million kilometres we just travelled. Students also measured these distances using their feet as alternative measuring apparatus. It was difficult to keep the students as a cohesive group during our space work, so when we had travelled 77,220,000 kilometres we returned to the classroom for students to record their reflections of the activities in their journals. A few of the students read to us about their learning which gave an overview of the lesson. I finished by giving very specific instructions on the requirements for Assignment 1 about recording their understanding of Earths place in the solar system, their understanding of the order of the planets, their relative sizes and distances from the sun and each other and scaling this down to fit on a double A3 poster/diagram with annotations. I showed and talked about the assessment rubric they would be marked against and suggested materials they could use. Mentor feedback: Remind students about the four non-negotiable school rules with respect to behaviour management, and the class Vision and Virtues devised and valued most by the students (Class motto of Respect is reflected in their theme songs Count on Me Bruno Mars, and The Hall of Fame The Script). Wait for students to be quiet and engaged before proceeding with lesson or transitions. Splitting groups into threes and tripling the resources would have allowed every student to participate in the activity and take on a role. Sitting the students down in a circle would help with cohesiveness when explaining tasks and expectations, or discussing/reflecting on elements of the lesson. Using students as volunteers to locate certain planets and asking them, What do you see? etc would have been a helpful strategy for higher order thinking regarding relative distances, patterns, relationships.