DAY & NIGHT

PROJECT
YEAR 3
INTRODUCTION
After our ‘Save the Town’ activity last week, you, the Year 3’s, have been
chosen to figure out how to restore day and night on Earth! The civilians need
your help to educate them on how the Earth can see both daytime and
nighttime in one day.

BRIEF
Your task is to plan and build a replica Earth, Sun and Moon out of recyclable
materials. You also need to write a summary that demonstrates how the Earth
orbits the Sun so that it can receive daylight for only half of the day. Your Solar
System design will be left at the classroom windows for other students to view,
however, the Year 3 students will be the designers for this initiative.

GENERATING DESIGNS
You must plan your Solar System design by firstly drawing it on an A3 sheet of
paper. Your plan needs to include the Sun, Earth and Moon, and show how the
Earth should be rotating around the Sun to receive the correct amount of
daylight. In your summary, include words and science terms that we have been
using to give the civilians a better understanding of your design.

PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS

You may use up to 10 different recyclable materials to create your Solar

System design. Your summary must be at least one paragraph and include
words that we have been using frequently in Science. Consider the shape and
size of the Sun, Earth and Moon. You might like to do some research to get the
exact measurements, and to add accuracy to your colour scheme.
 PROJECT MANAGEMENT
1. Plan your design. Draw a labelled diagram of what you are going to create
and write a draft summary.
2. Select what recyclable materials you are going to be using when creating
your design.
3. Gather your materials. Your teacher will assist you in this step.
4. Construct your design, with help from your teacher.
5. Write a summary that explains what you have used in your design and how
the Earth will now be able to receive daylight for only half of the day.

EVALUATION
You must consider:
Does your Solar System design include several recyclable materials?
Have I included the Sun, Earth and Moon?
Does my Solar System design clearly show how the Earth would receive
daylight for only half of the day?
Does my Solar System design clearly show how the Earth orbits and what it
orbits around?
Is my summary at least one paragraph?
Does my summary include words that we have been using in Science such as
'rotate' or 'orbit'?

PRESENTATION
As part of our schools STEM learning program, each of the Year 3 students
will be allocated a few students from other year levels. You will explain to them
the task you needed to complete, and the process of planning and creating
your Solar System design. You need to explain what recyclable materials you
used in your design and if you thought a hands-on project was enjoyable.

TIME
You will have 6 lessons to plan and construct your Solar System design. 2
lessons will be spent in class learning about what makes a shadow, and the
relationships that shadows have with the Sun, Earth and Moon. 4 lessons will
be spent on constructing your Solar System design and writing your summary.