LESSON PLAN OUTLINE

JMU Elementary Education Program

Kelsey Mercadante
Mrs. Lowery, Paul Munro Elementary School, 1st Grade
Date: Mon. October 5th, 2015. Time: 1:40-2:05

A. TITLE OF LESSON: As the World Turns What Causes Day & Night
B. CONTEXT OF LESSON
During this lesson, students will learn about day and night and what causes each.
C. UNWRAPPING THE VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING
1. Grade Level and Content Area:
First Grade: Science
2. Standard and Indicators:
SOL 1.6 The student will investigate and understand the basic relationships
between the sun and Earth. Key concepts include
a) the sun is the source of energy and light that warms the land,
air, and water; and
b) the suns relative position in the morning is east and in the late
afternoon is west.

Blooms Taxonomy
Levels:
Apply
Analyze
D. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand

Know

Do

U1: Earths rotation makes

day and night.

K1: The sun rises in the East.

K2: The sun sets in the West.
K3: At any given time one
half of the earth will have
sunlight, and one half of the
earth will be in darkness.
K4: Rotate: to go around, or
spin.

D1: Demonstrate how an object

rotates
D2: Differentiate between nigh
and day
D3: Use a model of the Earth
and sun to demonstrate why we
experience day and night.

E. ASSESSING LEARNING
I will assess students by observation, participation and completion of activity.
F. MATERIALS NEEDED
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Smart board
Night and day cards
Earth model
Flashlight
Solar paper doll
24 pieces of clay
24 toothpicks
globe

G. PROCEDURE
Prep:
Collect supplies/materials
Engage:
What is one way that day is different than night?
Do you see different things during the day than you do at night?
Do you hear different things during the day than you do at night?
Do you do different things during the day then you do at night?
Implementation:
Classify Day and Night (Sort)
o Show class each pic and sort pictures as a day pic or a night pic
We have day and night because the earth spins.
o Have a student help you demonstrate what you mean by pin by having her turn
around in a small circle. This is called rotation.
Using Earth model and flashlight, teach your students the poem
o I am the earth (show earth model)
And I am the sun (shine flashlight on earth)
Around I spin (spin model by toothpick)
Im never done!
When I see the sunlight
It is the day!
It is the night
When I turn away!

Get globe, place on table. Place paper doll Solar on VA.

Place globe away from light source. Have the Solar facing the light source.
Turn out the lights. Remind students to follow Solar on the globe.
o Is it day or night where solar is located?
o How do you know?

o Do you think he will keep facing the sun forever? Why not?
Rotate globe until he is darkness
o Is it day or night where solar is located?
o What is it called when the earth spins like this?
Rotate the globe more times, having students say day, night as Solar moves in and out
of the light.
o What did you see when solar faced the light
o When he turned away from the light?
o What caused this to happen?
o How is this like what happens to us?
Return to desks.
You will make a small model of earth using clay. Give each student a small piece of clay,
make shape of earth. What shape did you make the earth? Why?
Pass out a toothpick to each and say CAREFULLY stick the top of toothpick into the
bottom of their models.
Make your earths rotate.
Using a light source, have students rotate their earth.
Repeat poem.
Make X on clay ball and identify when the x is having day or night.

Closure:
What is another word from the word spin? (rotate)
Does the earth rotate?
Is it day or night on the side of the earth that is facing the sun? When facing away from
sun?