Exploring Space (an overview of the unit)

Dzenana Tahmiscic
Generaloutcomes

Essentialquestions:

EarlyLiteracy:
ELA1.1.Discoverand
explore
ELA2.1.Usestrategies
andcues
ELA3.3.Organize,
RecordandEvaluate

WhatisSolarSystemandhow Studentsstarttodevelop
arewepartofit?
understandingofSolar
System.Theydevelop
Studentsgeneratedquestions, appreciationforplanet
e.g.:
Earth,astheylearnabout
universe,theSunandthe
Whatplanetsdowehavein
Moon.Students begin
ourSolarSystem?
to understand how to
gather information
Whydopeoplegotothe
about space using a
Moonandbringrocks?
variety of materials,
and how to express
Whydoastronautswearsuits?
what they have
WhydoesSaturnhavearing? learned through
literacy, numeracy
Whydopeoplefloatinspace? and art assignments.

EarlyNumeracy:
Use direct and
indirect
measurement to
solve problems
SocialStudies
K.2.IBelong

Rationale

Creativeexpression
(AlbertaKindergarten
Program
Statement):Experimen
ts with a variety of
art materials to
create two and
three dimensional
forms
Specificoutcomes:
ELA: Determines
information needs
(asks questions to
satisfy personal
curiosity)
-Evaluates
information (shares
new learning with

Lessons:
Week1:StudentsgeneratequestionsaboutSpace
Lesson12:Studentsposethequestionsaboutspace,
togetherwediscussthequestions.
Week2:Studentscreatebulletinboardofsolarsystem
Lesson34:StudentsexploreMercuryandVenusthrough
MeGeniusvideosanddifferentvisualsbroughttoclass.

others)
-Records
information
(represents and
talks about ideas
and information;
dictates to a scribe.
Math: Uses direct
comparison to
compare 2 objects
based on a single
attribute
Social Studies:
Developanawarenessof
theimportanceof
sharingthe
responsibilityforcaring
forthe
environment

Assessment
Samples of journal
entries,
observation, work
samples, participation

Studentsrecordnewinformationintheirjournals
Week3:StudentslearnaboutourpreciousEarthandthe
Moon
Lesson56:KWLchartaboutEarth.Introductionaboutthe
Moonandstudentsapplynewknowledgewhilemaking
theirownMoon.TheylearnhowtouseShowMeApp.
Week4:StudentslearnaboutWantandNeeds
Lesson67:Throughseriesofpicturesaboutastronautsand
theirneedsinspacestudentsdevelopunderstandingabout
ourneedsonEarth.Theymakerocketshipsandpresent
theirownwantsandneedsinspace(ShowmeApp).
Week6:StudentslearnaboutotherplanetsofourSolar
SystemandcompareittoEarth.
Lesson89:StudentsareintroducedtoVenndiagramand
withpicturesportraydifferencesandsimilaritiesbetween
EarthandotherplanetsinourSolarSystem.
Week7:SpacePortFieldTrip
ThroughhandsonactivitiesandexplorationofSpacePort
studentsdeepentheirunderstandingofSolarSystem,stars,
andtheMoon.

HomeSchoolLink:
Parentsareinformedabout
spaceinquiryandthefieldtrip
andinvitedtocomeandshare
theirexpertiseonspace.
Studentsareencouragedto
observethemoonphasesat
homewiththeirparents.

Technology:
IPads:ShowMeApp,
PlanetFinder,Solar
System,