Elementary Science Lesson Plan Document
Lesson Identification & Learning Goal
Prepared by: Joletta Lee
Name of CT:Mrs. Scheetz
Date (lesson planned): November 10, 2010
Date(To be taught): November 18, 2010
Lesson Title:
Rotation and Revolution
Grade Level: 5
Learning Goals
Earth Systems
K-7 Standard E.ES: Develop an understanding of the warming of the Earth by the sun as the major source of energy for phenomenon on Earth and how the sun’s warming relates to weather, climate,seasons, and the water cycle. Understand how human interaction and use of natural resources affects the environment.
E.ES.05.62 Explain how the revolution of the Earth around the
sun defines a year.
Central Question For Your Lesson:
What are rotation and revolution in terms of the Earth and sun? How do both affect us?
Lesson Objective(s):
Students will learn about the Earth’s invisible axis, what rotation and revolution are, and the difference between the two.
Assessment
Task:
Students will be asked to write a letter to someone from a different planet that is moving to Earth very soon. They will need to welcome them to our planet and help explain what rotation and revolution are as well as how it affects life on Earth.
Diagnostic Features:
Students will describe rotation and revolution in terms of days and years, and explain that the Earth is the one that travels around the sun.
Knowing Your Students
- Commonly Held Ideas:
-Earth, moon, stars, and sun are in the sky
-The sun comes out during the day
-The moon and stars come out at night
-Sun is brighter on some days that others
-Sometimes both moon and sun are in the sky at the same time
These commonly held ideas are taken from the Science Talk conducted prior to the lesson.
- Previous Experiences and Funds of Knowledge:
The students have had relevant experience with the idea that we experience day and night, as well as different seasons. Students have had prior experience and observation of the sun, the moon, and the stars. In the lesson, students will learn about why we have day and night, and how it is affected by rotation of the Earth in terms of the sun. This lesson will lead to learning about how the rotation and revolution of the sun affects the changes in seasons that we experience here in Michigan.
- Linguistic, social and academic challenges, resources and supports:
For this lesson, we will start by making a KWL chart as a class – this KWL chart will serve as a visual representation for what students already know and want to know. At the end of the lesson, we will come together to discuss what we’ve learned, and compare how much we’ve added to what they already knew before we started.
Two students will be asked to volunteer to come to the front of the room – one to represent the sun, and one to represent the Earth and how it rotates and revolves around the sun. This will serve as a visual aid of the process.
Directions for the task following the lesson will be presented on the overhead projector, and their assessment involves writing a letter, to integrate literacy into the science lesson. Students also have the option to create lyrics and melody to a song and record/share with the class both assessments toallow students to express what they’ve learned creatively in their own words.
Total time for lesson: __25___ minutes
Materials Needed:
- Overhead projector and markers
- Two volunteer students from the class
- Globe
- Paper/pencil
Lesson Procedures Table
Learning Goals: Students will learn about the Earth’s movement around the sun and understand the concepts of rotation and revolution.
Objective: Students will be able to describe rotation and revolution, and apply to the concept of day(s) and year(s).
Activity Element& Time / Procedures and management / Students / Academic, social & linguistic resources and support
Activity 1
(5 minutes) /
- Introduce lesson
- Ask questions about features of the sun and Earth
- Inquire about why we have day/night, share observations
- Create KWL chart to record experiences/observations
- Students recall and share their experiences and observations
Transition
(1 minute) /
- Ask students to think about the terms “rotation” and “revolution”
- Write terms on overhead projector
- Pick two volunteers to come to the front of the classroom
- Students think about new (or not new) vocabulary words, draw on previous knowledge or contexts of words
Activity 2
(5-7 minutes) /
- Keep one student in the center (sun), spin other student in place (Earth)
- Explain Earth’s invisible axis – rotation, 1 spin = 24 hours
- Assume student’s face represents Lansing – what happens when Earth rotates? How do we get day and night?
- Spin Earth student around while traveling around the sun student
- Explain how Earth travels (orbits) around the sun, one orbit = ~365 days
- Inquire: what do you notice about the sun student?
- Inquire: what do you notice about the tilt of the sun? How does that affect us?
- Students will connect that rotation of the Earth takes 24 hours
- Students will connect that 24 hours = 1 day
- Students will see that day and night is affected by rotation
- Students will see that it is the Earth that travels around the sun, not vice versa
Transition (30 seconds) /
- Have volunteer students return to their seats
Activity 3
(15 minutes) /
- Ask students to tell me the difference between rotation and revolution
- Inquire in relation to globe: when it is daytime here, it is nighttime in China – why?
- Collectively complete “L” on KWL chart
- Ask students how they think rotation and revolution affect the seasons on Earth
- Introduce assessment activity:
-Why? People from other planets have different experiences since they may be closer or farther from the sun /
- Students can verbally explain the difference between the two concepts taught
- Students can use what they’ve learned today to connect and think about the changes of season that we all experience here in Michigan, get them thinking about the next lesson
- Students can apply to what they just saw and explain that different parts of the Earth face the sun at different times based on location
Conclusion: /
- Ask if there are any questions