LESSON PLAN FORMAT

CSL 570
SUPERVISED PRACTICUM
SPRING 2015
NAME: Christopher Muhs
LESSON TOPIC: Solar System: Characteristics of the eight planets
RATIONALE: This lesson will help the students learn about the solar system, specifically the
planets. The students will learn about what is unique about each of the eight different planets
and in what order they go.
COMMON CORE STANDARD (S):

RI.3.7: Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the
words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and
how key events occur).

W.3.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a project.

OBJECTIVE: (The student will be able to.

Identify varying characteristics of that are unique to all eight planets based on pictures
Name planets based on these different characteristics
Explain that all the planets orbit around the Sun, which is at the center of the solar system

ACADEMIC LANGUAGE: Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,
Neptune, planets, space, solar system, gravity, temperature, Fahrenheit, Celsius, moon,
terrestrial, gas giants, Martian soil, red, craters, Great Red Spot, orbit, icy, atmosphere, rings,
weather, color, rotate, revolution
MOTIVATION OR ANTICIPATORY SET: Tell the students that we will be talking about the
planets in the solar system. The teacher will have the names of the various vocabulary words
that will be discussed in the lesson in a paper bag. Each student will pick a word from the bag
and the student will be that word for the remainder of the solar system lesson.
BRIEF PROCEDURE:

The students will be given a KWL chart to complete during the lesson.
The students will brainstorm ideas about what they already know about the planets in the
K section and will write at least three things they want to learn as the lesson is being
taught in the W section on the chart.
The teacher will show the students a short YouTube video describing the planets.
After the video, the teacher will read the book, The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar
System with the students on the carpet.

After every two planets, the teacher will stop to see what the students are learning from
the story up to that point.
The teacher will make a Planets Chart, similar to the one found in the back of the story,
on poster paper to display for the class, describing various characteristics of the planets.
Students will be asked to go back to their seats to fill in the L on their chart, describing
three or more things they learned during the lesson about the different planet
characteristics.
The students will go back to their seats and work with one or two partners to do research
on a given planet using the Google Chrome books.
The students will fill in their Planet Research worksheet using the information they
find on the following two websites: http://www.bestteacherusa.net/solarsys/ and
http://space-facts.com/planets/
The teacher will hang each groups worksheet on a poster in front of the classroom for all
to see and refer to.
As a closure for the lesson, the teacher will put the students in groups and give them the
opportunity to name, describe, and draw a new planet.

MATERIALS USED:
Cole, J. (1990). The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System. New York:
Scholastic Inc.
SmartBoard
YouTube
Google Chrome books
KWL chart
Planet research worksheet
Pencils
Poster paper
Crayons
TECHNOLOGY COMPONENT (IF APPLICABLE): YouTube video on SmartBoard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ2bQWH6GCM
ASSESSMENT OF COMMON CORE STANDARD (S):

Formal: The students will complete the planet research worksheet. The teacher
will assess the students based on their ability to fill out the worksheet.

Informal: The teacher will assess the students by putting a checkmark into the
proper to show what work each student is completing in the lesson. This will help
the teacher make sure that all students in the group are equally participating in the
lesson.

ADAPTATIONS:

Student with special needs: The teacher will wear a microphone for a student who is
hearing impaired when talking to the whole class.

English Language Learner: Provide as many picture cues as possible that describe
what is being read aloud by the teacher.

Struggling Reader: The student will be given an audiotape version of the story to
listen to as the teacher is reading so he/she can keep up and better understand what is
happening in the story.

Name:
Planet Research
Name of planet: _____________________________________
Number order from the Sun: ___________________________
Named after: _______________________________________
Size of the planet: ___________________________________
Distance away from the sun: ___________________________
Number of moons: ___________________________________
Facts about the planet:
1. _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________