Science unit planner- Essex Heights

Year: 5/6 Topic: Space

Teaching strategy: 5E Instructional Model and Representational Model

Phase/ Science Lesson Summary Assessment opportunities

Lesson outcomes

Lesson 1 Earth is part Students will be completing a planet poster to identify Diagnostic assessment:
(Engage) of a system their current knowledge regarding space and planets. The poster that the students
of planets They will also need to state one thing that they would like complete examines what their
orbiting to learn in this unit on the back of their poster. Each current understanding is and
around a week, time at the end of the lesson will be provided what needs to be
star (the where they can add to their posters, including the new implemented throughout the
Sun) knowledge that they have gained. (This poster will also be unit.
(VCSSU078) viewed in the celebration day at the end of the unit)

Acronym: Students can create an acronym to remind

them of the order of the planets. M - V - E - M - J - S - U -
N

Students will be placed into 2 groups (agree and

disagree), which will form teams for two different debate
topics. Before beginning each topic, a short video will be
viewed to introduce the debate topic to the students in
order for them to gain an opinion about the topic

Topic One: Is the world flat?

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4WjyTV98lg

Topic Two: Should we land on Mars or the Moon?

Video One: First Moon Landing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMINSD7MmT4

Video Two: Landing on Mars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Alq08Poqb0

Extension activity: Students will be given a planet each.

When outside, they will need to get in order of planets
closest to the moon (this will be reflecting back on the
acronym they created)

Lesson 2 Earth is part In pairs students will draw a planet out of a hat for their Diagnostic and formative
(Engage) of a system focus for the lesson. (5 minutes) assessment
of planets
orbiting Students will then begin watching this YouTube clip,
around a students will listen and simultaneously write down new
star (the notes. Students will make connections and build on their
 Sun) previous knowledge. (5-10 minutes)
(VCSSU078) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDYP9AW3v
zA

Initiate conversation with students based on the clip,

discussing anything they found interesting and new ideas
learnt. Allow students to add to their planet posters with
the new knowledge that they have gained.

Teachers will demonstrate an example of a rap song

based on the sun. Teachers will also provide resources to
the students.
Based on the resources and their findings, students will
produce a rap verse based on their specific planet.
Students are encouraged to go back on their resources.
With the aid of the teachers all the rap verses that the
students have created will be performed as a rap song.

Extension: Students can begin creating true/false

questions to test their classmates next lesson

Lesson 3 Earth is part Students will begin class with a true/false quiz True/False - Formative
(Explore) of a system activity. Assessment
of planets
True/False, orbiting Students individually brainstorm some possible true
Distances around a or false questions that they think their classmates
from sun star (the may have trouble with (minimum 5)
Sun)
(VCSSU078) Students will then pair up and ask their partner their
questions. Students will be learning off each other.

Students will then be taken outside onto the oval

where they will complete hands-on practical task
where they measure distances from each planet to
the sun.

Students will work in pairs and take on the role of

one planet and with scaffolding from the teacher
distance themselves in relation to the sun.

Students will also be given the opportunity to

demonstrate an orbit of each planet around the sun.

The teacher will demonstrate the sun and each pair

will rotate and orbit around the sun in relation to
their planets specifics.

The lesson will commence with adding what they

have learnt to their posters from week one.
Lesson 4 Earth is part The teacher will begin this lesson by handing out Model that they have created
(Explore) of a system students design briefs on 5 hands-on tasks. Students - Formative Assessment
of planets will then get to choose which task they would like to
Hands on orbiting complete and from there be grouped accordingly.
tasks (5 around a
tasks) star (the Each task has a mission to get from either a planet to
Sun)
another planet, create a liveable environment on a
(VCSSU078)
planet other than earth, create a space craft that can
get from earth to the sun without melting, etc.

Students are given appropriate materials for tasks.

Teacher scaffolds the learning by asking probing
questions in order to gage the understandings.

Students keep tasks for celebration day.

Finishing the lesson with adding what they have learnt to

their posters from week one

Lesson 5 Earth is part Students are given another design brief with multiple Observations - Formative
(Explain) of a system options to create.
of planets Students can work in individually or in pairs.
orbiting
around a The overall aim of the design brief is to create either a
star (the brochure, news report, speech, advertisement, etc. about
Sun) how they have travelled to another planet.
(VCSSU078) Students will have to give reason as to why they could get
to the planet, how they got there, the distance, what the
planet is like, etc.

Students are to start brainstorming and preparing to

create their design for next lesson.

Finishing the lesson with adding what they have learnt to

their posters from week one

Lesson 6 Earth is part Students start creating their designs with scaffolding Summative - Brochure/ Tv
(Evaluate) of a system from teachers. Students can work individually or in AD/Newspaper article
of planets pairs.
orbiting
around a
Students will be given appropriate materials and
star (the
scaffolding from teachers.
Sun)
(VCSSU078)
Commencement of the lesson will be a class show
and tell setting where students will demonstrate
their learning.