LESSON PLAN FORMAT

CSL 570
SUPERVISED PRACTICUM
SUMMER 2015
NAME: Angela Halversen
LESSON TOPIC: Planets and Solar System Introduction
RATIONALE: In the past the students have been exposed to an introductory solar system
lesson. This lesson will provide the students with introductory knowledge of the planets
in the solar system, and the order of the planets. In the future, the knowledge acquired
from this lesson will be utilized to enhance their prior knowledge about planets and the
solar system throughout the unit plan.
COMMON CORE STANDARD (S):
RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text,
referring explicitly to the text as the basis for answers.
W.3.2: Write informative/explanatory text to examine a topic and convey ideas
and information clearly.
OBJECTIVE: (The student will be able to.)
Determine the order of the planets in our solar system.
Describe various characteristics of planets within their student-made riddle.
ACADEMIC LANGUAGE:
Space, solar system, planets, stars, moon, universe, galaxy, constellation, sun, Mercury,
Venus, Earth, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.
MOTIVATION OR ANTICIPATORY SET: The teacher will place a large bag in front of
the classroom and show the students each object (marble, small rubber bouncy ball, golf
ball, acorn, basketball, soccer ball, softball, small grapefruit, and a picture of the sun on
the SMART Board/projector. The teacher will ask the students Why do you think I have
all of these objects in this bag?, and What do think we will be learning about today?
The teacher will allow the students to Think-Pair-Share their thoughts with a partner.
The teacher will circulate around the room to listen to their partner discussions.
BRIEF PROCEDURE:

The teacher will tell the students that these objects represent the planets in our
solar system, and which objects represent which planet.
The teacher will put the students in groups of 3-4.
The teacher will explain to the students that they will be discussing with their
group members and the rest of their classmates how to organize the planets

using the objects. The teacher will also explain that they will be lining up in order
starting with the sun, which will be displayed on the SMART Board/projector.
Once the groups are in place and the students have an understanding of the given
directions, the teacher will provide each group with an object.
As the students are collaborating in order to sequence the planets, the teacher will
circulate around the room to observe, and assist students who need guidance.
The teacher will then discuss with the students the correct order of the planets and
correct any errors in the solar system sequencing activity.
Once the activity is completed, the teacher will direct the students to the story
time area of the classroom.
The teacher will introduce the book, Theres No Place Like Space!, by pointing to
the title.
The teacher will display a piece of large chart paper and explain that he or she
will be stopping throughout the book to write (on a pieces of chart paper)
important information learned from the read-aloud.
The teacher will begin reading the story aloud to the students.
During the read-aloud the teacher will stop at appropriate pausing points and ask
the students, What important information have we learned about the planets and
our solar system so far? The teacher will scribe the students answers onto the
piece of large chart paper to document their thinking.
The large piece(s) of chart paper will be left for student use during the group
riddle activity.
Upon reading the book the teacher will ask the students, Was there any planet
that you already knew about before reading the story?, What planet did you
enjoy reading about the most?, and Are there any questions about our solar
system that were not mentioned in the story?
The teacher will listen to the students responses and guide the class in a wholegroup discussion.
After the read-aloud, the teacher will direct the students back to their groups.
The teacher will then show the students the riddle page on the SMART
board/projector.
In a guided manner, the teacher and students will solve all five riddles.
The teacher will then explain to the students that in their group, they will be
choosing a planet out of two given planets to construct a riddle.
The teacher will model how to create a riddle, using rhyming through a thinkaloud strategy. The teacher will also model how to construct the project with the
construction paper and planet templates.
Once the teacher has ensured student understanding, he or she will provide the
students with a group version of the story to utilize during their riddle work.
the students will be instructed to begin their group project.
The teacher will circulate around the classroom to observe group work, and to
assist students who need guidance.

Once the students have completed their project, each group will share their riddle,
have the class guess which planet they chose, and they will reveal the hidden
planet.
As a closure activity, the teacher will have the students recall the order of the
planets, by having them complete the planet-sequencing handout in an
independent manner.
The teacher will then collect the planet-sequencing handout.
The teacher will ask the students to take out a piece of paper and pencil to utilize
during their Think-Pair-Write-Share activity.
The teacher will utilize a Think-Write-Pair-Share activity by asking the students
to think about and write what they learned today, and then share their written
thoughts with a partner. The teacher will ask student volunteers to share what
they wrote and shared with their partner.
The teacher will collect the students writing from the Think-Write-Pair-Share
as a form of assessment.

MATERIALS USED:
Household objects (marble, small rubber bouncy ball, golf ball, acorn, basketball,
soccer ball, soft ball, and small grapefruit)
SMART Board/projector
Picture of the sun-displayed on the SMART Board/projector
Riddle handout-displayed on the SMART Board/projector
Pencils
Construction paper
Crayons
Glue
Scissors
Planet sequencing handout (25)
Planet cutouts (25)
Book: Rabe, T. (1999). There's No Place Like Space! New York: Random House
Group copies of Theres No Place Like Space! (6)-for reference purposes
Large chart paper
Markers
ASSESSMENT OF COMMON CORE STANDARD (S)
Formal-The mastery of the objective will be assessed in a formal manner,
throughout the completion of the planet riddle group work, and the Think-WritePair-Share activity.
Informal-The students mastery of the objective will be assessed informally, as the
students participate in the whole-group discussion during the read-aloud, and by
observing student interactions during the group work activities.

ADAPTATIONS:
Student with a Learning Disability-The teacher will group the students in a
heterogeneous manner to allow the struggling student to benefit from peermodeling.
English Language Learner-The teacher will pre-teach the content-related
vocabulary to the student prior to the implantation of the lesson. The teacher will
also include visuals of each planet on the piece of large chart paper, to be utilized
during note taking portion of the read-aloud.
Struggling Reader (Listening Comprehension)-The teacher will sit with the
student and pre-read the story with him or her, to instruct them on the contentrelated vocabulary. This will provide the student with an opportunity to become
familiar with the language within the text.