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Sample Lesson Plans
Teaching Elementary School Math and Science
University of Illinois at Chicago College of Education
ED312, Spring 1995; Professor Maria Varelas
Lesson by Denise Supenski and Angela Zambrano
- 2nd grade
The benchmark of the unit covering the Solar System are as follows; by the second grade the students should know that thereare more stars than could ever be counted, they are not scattered evenly, and they vary in color and brightness. The students in second grade should also know the sun can be seen only during the day, but the moon can be seen at night and also sometimes during the day, the celestial bodies appear to move slowly across the sky, and the distance of these bodies affect their appearance in different parts of the world and at different times of the year. For an example the Big Dipper often appears brighter in the northern part of the United States than in the South America.These benchmark are more specific as the student progresses in his/her grade. For an example by the end of fifth grade a student should know the names of all the planets, some stars are larger than the sun but appear smaller due to their distances and that each planet has its own gravitational force. The students should also know that gravity effects weight but not the mass of an object. It is important that the students are slowly introduced to such a complex lesson as this one. There are several different ways to do this. In our paper we will sum up most of the different concepts that we introduced in our class and take in account ideas that were presented to us by our fellow perspective teachers.
A few weeks prior to the lesson form a group of sky observers. Encourage them to draw what they observe and how that may effect the day or night sky. Spark the students interest by group discussions and outside activities.
Make the classroom Solar System friendly by decorating it in many different ways. One way to do this is by making a mobile of the nine planets and the sun. For our mobile we used ten different sized Styrofoam balls, nylon thread (sewing thread works equally as well), paint, two wire coat hangers, and ten needles. First we painted or decorated the balls according to the planet it represented. Next, we formed the two hangers together to make a cross shape and bonded them together with string and tape. Thenwe used the thread or string and threaded the needles. Finally we tied the string to the hangers and then inserted the needles into the planets. Be sure to secure the strings to the hangers to prevent planet mishaps and tangles. The mobile can also be accomplished by using construction paper, decorating the paper according to the planet with markers, crayons, paint, and glitter. This can be done even in the worst financial circumstances. When using construction paper there is no need for the needles. Instead, punch holes in the paper and lace the string through the hole attached to the hanger. It is a good idea to hang some mobiles before starting the unit. Later, once the unit is introduced have the children make their own mobiles. When beginning the unit discuss things that are of interests to the children. Have a day of show and tell allowing children to bring in any toys that pertain to astronomy. For example have children bring in toy rockets, books , posters, trading cards, toy missile launchers, and toy airplanes. Working together the students can organize a table top display for their own pleasure.
Some movies are a great catalyst in sparking students interest in astronomy. For example we suggest Star wars", "E.T.", "Space Camp", "Star Trek", "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", and "Lost in Space". Have children write a short response to these movies. This will gradually ease the children into watching non-fiction documentary movies that can be obtained from NASA or the Adler Planetarium.
As suggested in our lecture have students create their own Solar System bulletin boards. Students can actually see the relative sizes of the planets by making a scale, discussed with us by Dr. Varelas, The Planets in our Solar System by Franklyn M. Branley provides such a scale. Each group of students can be responsible for a specific planet. As the unit progresses they should form t fact sheet for their planet to hang on the bulletin board. These fact sheets can complement their own Solar System books or journals on the completion of the unit.
Another activity to do in the beginning of the unit includes having the children write a response to,"You are taking an imaginary trip to the moon. You are only allowed to pack up a small duffle bag weighing only two pounds. What will you take and why?" These questions are important to the students because it discusses weight, mass, and segeways into a math lesson based on the unit. This lesson can also be expanded on if the students are required to write and illustrate what they expect to see. These reposes can be used to assess what the students know and do not know about Solar System.
This unit also involves many vocabulary words. Some of the words will be orbit, revolve, rotate, shooting stars, meteors, constellations and other words. Do not overwhelmthe students by requiring them to learn and memorize each word. Rather, we suggest using the new words frequently in class discussions. Most children will be able to learn the words more easily after becoming acquainted with the vocabulary. After having heard the words used often, the children will not be as intimidated by vocabulary posters. Now, the posters will be more of use to the children. One of the first lessons should be based on what the children are familiar with. Many children know limited information about the Earth, Sun, Moon, and stars. This is a good area to start the lessons.
Teach the children that some stars are larger than the sun, it is due to their distance that the stars appear smaller than the sun. To allow the children to observe this cut out one large circle. Post this circle somewhere in the classroom in a distant spot. Then cut out several smaller circles (the difference in size should be noticeable up close but not at a distance), pass out these smaller circles to the students. Ask the children which they think is bigger and why. Though most adults are cognitively developed enough to have the right answers most young children are not. This will explain first hand how distance affects the way stars and planets appear to humans.
It is also important that the students learn that the stars are in the night and day sky. It is due to the brightness of the sunlight that the stars can not be seen during the day. In our presentation we included this notion in two experiments. First we darkened the room, shined a flashlight at a specific point, and then shined a larger flashlight at the same point. The class observed that though both lights were still on the smaller beam was lost in the larger beam. This is what occurs with the sun and stars during the day. The closer, more brighter light (the sun) flushes out the weaker light of the distant stars.
Our second experiment included the class writing on black construction paper with chalk, they were able to see what they wrote since there was a contrast in colors. However, the second part consisted of the class writing on white construction paper with the same chalk. This time they could not read what was written since the white paper was brighter than the chalk.
It is important to relate to the children that stars do not move. For example you can have the students make their own constellation box. This can be done by using a cereal box, poking holes in the bottom in the shape of a constellation, and using a flashlight to project the image onto the ceiling. This activity will actually complement the fact that stars do not move. Each student can orbit the room stopping a specific stations to observe the projected constellation image. Later you can discuss how the image remained the same at each station though the pattern shifted from the different directions.
This experiment can also be used to complement writing. Have students research the stars and the constellations along with their mythologies.
The students should also be introduced to the two different types of eclipses. During a lunar eclipse theEarth is directly between the sun and the moon. During this type of eclipse the moon can be Reen. The moon seems to glow an erie orange like color.
The other eclipse is a solar eclipse. This is when the light of the sun is blocked by the moon, causing a shadow to be cast on the Earth. This is observed during the day, best witnessed with an eclipse box as a fellow student commented on. A more detailed activity that can be done in class with the students involves having three students perform an eclipse. One student holding a flashlight will be the sun projecting the light onto the one student standing still who represents the Earth. It is the job of the third student to orbit the Earth. At the teachers direction the 'moon' will halt his/her orbit showing to the rest of students the events of an actual eclipse. If the 'moon' stops between the Earth and sun there will be a shadow on the Earth, this is a solar eclipse. When the 'moon' stops directly on the opposite side of the Earth, in relation to the sun, this is a lunar eclipse.
Encourage students to use mnemonic devices so they can remember the order of the planets. For example the order of planets from the sun is best remembered with, "My very educated mother just served us nine pizzas,". Another example to help remember planets can be the following poem;
"Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, Those are the planets that dwell with the stars. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus too! Neptune and Pluto, they are so cool! I know the planets. How about you?" The Planets disttnce from the sun is usually expressed in milions of kilometers. Use distances that the children are familiar with to help them understand how far a mile is, for an example perhaps from home to school is a mile. Then begin to explain what a million is because children have no real concept of what is a million. Perhaps have children explain their concept of a million, billion, and trillion any way that they can. As a class discussion list things that the students may be able to find using these astronomical numbers at school, at home, or even outside.
One book that helps children start to understand these astronomical numbers may be What is a Million by David M. Schwartz. This book contains several activities that may be helpful to the student for example pose the question that if there is a swimming pool large enough to hold a whale, and the whale is taken out, how many goldfish can now live in the pool. Or perhaps have the children make their own millions, thousands, or hundred jar allowing others to guess how many they think are in the jar. This will lead into place value because it is important to emphasize the number of zeroes in a million. After studying the zeroes in the place value give the children worksheets that will help them put the numbers in order from smallest to largest and vise a versa.
By the children having a grasp of millions they can better understand the distance between each planet. This will make it easier for them to understand how distance effects the appearance and size of a planet as viewed by the naked eye.
Each planet takes a different length of time to revolve around the sun. When discussing this be sure to explain that the Earth's year is 365.3 days. Since we are most familiar with this year length all others are based on the Earth.
This is linked to math as children can learn how many Earth days or years does it take to make one Uranus year. The solution is 84*365.3= one Uranus year. With similar problems children can guess which planets takes the longest, the shortest to revolve around the sun and why. Their explanations should include the distance of the planets.
Another aspect introduced to the children is that of gravity. Provide the different forces of gravity for each planet. Once again be sure to explain that the Earth's gravity is the basis of all others that being one.
After the children are given the different gravitational forces have them guess why each planet has a different force. Be ssure to explain that the planets gravity is based on the objects size not their distance from the sun. Students can write comparison essays to help them better understand the different gravitational forces and their effects.
To conclude the unit have the children perform a play explaininq the different planets and their facts. Also reserve a trip to the Adler's Planetarium but be sure to request a free teacher's packet. This packet includes specific instructions on how to teach the Solar System using the planetarium as a complement and a supplement to your lesson plan.
Some of our references that we found to be very helpful included NASA which can be reached at 301-286-7205 or 301-286-8103. After calling these numbers you leave a simple message asking for any available information, with in three weeks you will receive posters, teacher packets, and other teaching activities also free.
Another resource is the Chicago Teacher Center. There the stafff will help find any sort of materials on a given topic. It is located at 707 North Halsted next to KaBooms night club.
There are also many teacher guides that include transparents and worksheets to help plan your lesson, they can be found at many teacher stores throughout Chicagoland. Our crossword was homemade and meant to conclude our presentation in a fun way. Having students rely on memory and each other to finish and win a small prize.However, we suggest that crosswords for this purpose should be worked not individually but in groups. This will be achieved if one worksheet is passed out per group. Another way to do this is to assign the vertical part to some groups, while other groups do the horizontal part. This way all children will have to work together to finish the crossword. Hopefully this activity will help students understand the importance and rewards of cooperation.
When preparing any thematic unit it is important to plan ahead and look for as many resources as possible. This way teachers will be more ready to answer any questions posed by the children. Also keep in mind the importance of current events in such a case as with Neptune currently being further from the sun than Pluto, which at one point in the future will reverse. That is an example why we as teachers should be aware of any changes in the Solar System.
Bibliography
Franklyn, Branley M. What The Moon Is Like. New York: Thomas Ccrowell, 1963.
Branley F. M. Rockets and Satellites. WY: Tycrowell, 1961.
Greene, Carol. Astronauts. Chicago: Childrens Press, 1984.
Richard, Gregory B. Satellites. CP:1983.
Fradin, Dennis B. Comets Asteroids and Meteors. Chicago: Cp,1984.
Jay, Michael. Space Shuttle. London, NY: Franklin Watts LTD,1984.
Blocksma, Mary. Easy to make Spaceships That Really Fly. NY: Prentice hall books for young Readers, 1983.
Jaspersohn, William. How the Universe began. NY: Frankllin Watts, 1985.
Santry, Lawrence. Discovering the stars.New Jersey: Troll Associates, 1982.
Branley, Franklyn M. The Planets in our Solar System. NY: TYC, 1981.
Gallant, Ray A. Once around the Galaxy. NY: Franklin Watts, 1983.
Behrens, June. Sally Ride Astronaut an American First. Chicago: Childrens Press, 1984.
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