THE SUN, EARTH,
AND MOON
Earth Science Unit – First Grade
Science Standards ES1A, B, & C
Pasco School District #1
EALR 4: Earth and Space Science
Big Idea: Earth in the Universe
Core Content: Observing the Sun and Moon
K-1 ES1A Many things can be seen in the sky. Some change minute by
minute, while others move in patterns that can be seen if they
are observed day after day.
K-1 ES1B The position of the Sun in the sky appears to change during the
day.
K-1 ES1C The Moon can be seen sometimes during the day and sometimes
during the night. The Moon appears to have different shapes on
different days.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION ONE – INTRO TO UNIT
Unit Information & Summary
Lesson Outlines
Decoration / Theme Ideas
Activity Summary
Assessment Summary
Other Subject Incorporation
Classroom Description
SECTION TWO – LESSON DETAILS
Unit Vocabulary
Lesson Plans
SECTION THREE –ACTIVITIES
Activities are arranged in order that they appear in the lesson plans,
with the exception of the Paper-Mache Helmet (back of section)
SECTION FOUR – UNIT ASSESSMENT
Assessment Summary & Standard References
Overall Class Grading Scale / Rubric
Traditional Assessment Details (with Verbal Quiz Questions)
Authentic Assessment Details
Unit Grading Record for Child
Three Optional Work Activity Sheets
Final Unit Test
SECTION FIVE
Space Coloring Pages
UNIT INFORMATION
THE SUN, EARTH, AND MOON
Teacher’s Guide
Grade Level: First Grade
Unit Completion Time: Approx. 305 minutes (5 hours), plus art activities and free time
Science Standards:
Earth and Space Science: Earth in Space: Observing the Sun & MoonK-1 ES1A Many things can be seen in the sky. Some change minute by minute, while others move in patterns that can be seen if they are observed day after day.
K-1 ES1B The position of the Sun in the sky appears to change during the day.
K-1 ES1C The Moon can be seen sometimes during the day and sometimes during the night. The Moon appears to have different shapes on different days.
UNIT SUMMARY
Students will morph into "Jr. Astronauts", and begin by learning vocabulary and a few basics of the Sun, Earth, and Moon (L1). After learning earth basics (L2), we will don our spacesuits (activity) travel upward, beyond the sky! Before we can leave the ground, a lesson (L3) on astronauts and NASA will be taught to introduce students to space travel and then we leave earth on our pretend voyage through space.
As we reach outer space, an overview of what we see (L4) will be given through a narrative first person story, with details of where each object (Sun, Earth, & Moon) is located, distance, and what each looks like to the astronaut. Students will display their view of the 3 objects through a textured art drawing (activity)
First stop - the Sun (L5). They will recall that the sun is huge, very far away, but is able to still provide light and is responsible for our heat. Further details will be given such as relative size and distance. Moving away from the Sun, we learn that objects revolve around the Sun, and our earth is one of those. The earth's tilt when moving around the sun gives us a year and seasons (L6)! A flip book chart of the sun’s path across the sky will tie in with (L7) as we move closer in and learn that the earth also spins on its axis. The spinning earth causes day and night. This movement also makes the sun and moon appear to rise on one side of the sky and set in the other (L8). Shadow drawing throughout the day will give the students a personalized sense of the sun’s movement through the sky. At night, the moon shines!(L9). The sun has objects circling it and the earth does too – just one - our moon. The moon moves around the earth! The moon’s orbit is what causes it to “change shapes” (L10).
Day 11-13 sums up the unit with clay modeling, one-on-one oral quiz (activity), a chance to turn in optional activity work (bonus points), project presentation, test review, and a final test.
Opportunities for learning include journaling, a learning center, textured drawings, writing projects, oral projects, clay modeling, media presentation, outdoor sketching, and a possible field trip to a planetarium.
THEME DECORATION & CONSIDERATIONS
During the unit, to let the child experience astronomy to its fullest, the classroom should be decorated as outer space. Bulletin boards, ceiling-hanging laminates of space objects and rocket ships, labels, wall art, globes, and other models can be utilized. A space on the wall should be reserved to showcase students’ textured art drawings. The Sun/Earth/Moon learning center should remain set up during the entire unit as to be accessed at any point during the day. Black lights & posters, glow in the dark stars, flashlights, and window darkeners will add to the outer space feel, but are optional if unavailable. Enough time (3 days for art projects, 1-2 weeks for optional activities, and 2 weeks for unit project) is given to ensure classroom completion of all activities. Free time can be incorporated any time during the day (recess, breaks) in which children are indoors – not necessarily directly after the lesson. Please allow for at least 4 free time periods of 10-15 minutes in which children can work directly on unit projects / activities. The following are ideas to help you decorate your classroom.
Outer Space Theme
*Fluoro Rockets
Paint cylinders black. When dry, flick fluoro paint onto cylinder. Add cone
made from flouro paper, and stuff tail of cylinder with shredded paper. Hang
and enjoy
*Comet Mural
Cover large sheet of paper with dark blue and purple paint. Flick white paint
over background when dry. Paint medium size circles with paint, when nearly
dry drag cardboard through to form comet tail.
*Sun and Moon
Paint one side of paper plate yellow, one side grey. When dry, add yellow and
orange triangles to the yellow side around the edge. Use cotton reels dipped
in dark blue to print craters on grey side to represent moon.
*Stars
Cover cardboard cut outs with aluminum foil and hang. Stick straws into
glitter balls in a variety of different angles.
*Space Mobile
Use a wire coat-hanger to display the following:
- a moon made from a paper plate. Paint it silver and then add craters by
printing with a cotton reel dipped in black paint
- a comet made from paper squashed into a ball and covered with aluminum foil. Place
in center of two different colored sheets of cellophane. Secure the
cellophane with sticky tape around the ball, leaving a trail of cellophane
for the comet's tail.
- a star made from cardboard. Glue macaroni shapes to the star and paint with
gold spray paint.
- a rocket. Children can design their own using the investigate, design,
produce and appraise approach.
Technology
*Ask children to design a rocket that could take them to the moon, from
small boxes, cylinders, large boxes, etc. Note- they must include all materials
they need ie glue, tape in their plan. Children follow plan to construct
craft. Photograph. Appraise. Were you able to follow your plan? Why? Why not?
Math
*Identify shapes etc used in construction of space craft.
*Track games that require counting 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-Blast Off!
*Construct 3D models of stars using nets.
Language
*Picture talks about astronauts - their special clothes, jobs etc
*Hold a Star viewing night - great for the parents to join in too!
*Teach 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'
*List the names of the different planets - underneath each, list their
characteristics ie: Earth - has water and oxygen *Teach 'Hey Diddle Diddle'
*Make UFO's:
2 cups SR Flour
40g butter
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs water
2 tbs custard powder
2 tbs custard powder
1 tbs sugar
extra 3/4 cup milk
12 small strawberries halved
3 tbs apple gel
Grease two shallow 12 cup patty pan tins. Sift flour, add butter. Rub in
butter until mixture is fine and crumbly. Add sugar, mix. Add water, mix to a
firm dough. Refrigerate dough for 30 mins. Roll out pastry, use 5cm cutter to
cut rounds. press into greased patty pan tins. Bake 15 mins, allow to cool.
Combine custard powder and sugar in small pan, add enough milk to make a
smooth paste. Add remaining milk, stir over low heat until mixture boils and
thickens. When cool, place dollops of custard into each pastry case. Top with
half a strawberry and brush with warm apple gel.
* Make Martian Rock cakes
2 cups SR Flour
1 tsp mixed spice
90g butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup sultanas
2 tbs mixed peel
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar extra
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Sift flour and spice into a bowl. Add sugar
and butter. Rub in until it resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in sultanas and mixed
peel. Make well in center, add combined egg and milk to form a soft dough.
Drop tablespoonsful onto trays, allow room for spreading. Sprinkle lightly
with extra sugar. Bake 10 - 15 mins until golden.
Space is big, dark and cold. There is no air or water in space. Astronauts
explore space in specially designed spacecraft called spaceships. Robots are
also used to explore space. The only place in space that people have been to
is the moon. Some people think that there may be life on other planets.
Planets are in outer space. There are 8 planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars,
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The Sun is in space and is a huge
ball of burning gases.
Astronauts are community helpers. Talk about how astronauts get to the moon
and survive their visits. Talk about what they wear, how they breathe in
space, and what they eat. Discuss why astronauts go to the moon. Ask the
children if an astronaut could bring back a crater. Talk about where the
space shuttles take off and where they land. Show pictures of the moon. Talk
about how there aren't any plants, people, or animals on the moon. Ask the
children what people, plants, and animals need that they can't find on the
moon.
Moon Day is celebrated on July 20th each year because the first people landed
on the moon on that day in 1969. The Journey was made in the spaceship
Columbia by three American astronauts**Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin, Jr. and
Michael Collins, who served as pilot. Neil Armstrong was the first to set
foot on the moon saying, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for
mankind." Then he and Edwin Aldrin walked on the moon for about two hours,
where they planted an American flag, gathered rock samples and took
photographs.
There are many faraway objects in space. Some of these are moon, stars, and
planets. We live on a ball-shaped planet called earth. There are eight other
ball-shaped planets. These nine planets move around the sun and, along with
their moons, make up the solar system.
We learn about space by looking at it through instruments such as telescopes
and by sending specially trained people called astronauts into space to find
out more about it. Space is big, cold and dark. There is no air or water in
space. The only body in space that people have actually visited is the Moon.
Some people think there might be life in other parts of space.
Show the children pictures of the sun, a full moon, a crescent moon, and a
star.
Discuss the shapes of each one. Have the children trace a circle, crescent,
and star shape in the sand. Then have the children try to make these shapes
by gluing thick yam on construction paper.
Astronaut in Space Activity...
Have the children dramatize an astronaut flying to the moon. First they
prepare for their journey by putting on their space suits, goggles, helmets,
and space gloves. Then they hook up their oxygen tanks. They prepare for take-
off by sitting down and fastening their seat belts. Have the children put
their knees up and grab their ankles. 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 -Blast off! The
spaceship has landed on the moon. The children pretend to get out of the ship
to take a moon walk. Gravity's force is weaker on the moon, so it's harder to
walk.
Have the children each find a partner to walk with on the moon. Have them
jump, walk, and give each other a moon hug. Ask them what they see on the
moon plants, animals, aliens? Have them eat their lunches from tubes. Then
have them walk back to the spaceship to return to Earth. 1 ~9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
--Blast off. The space ship slows down, as gravity finally pulls the ship in
closer and close to Earth.
Room Arrangement...
Hang rocket ship in one corner of your area, with two chairs inside for the
astronauts and equipment.
Place ground control panels on either side of an easel, with chairs and
equipment available for those children to use to "communicate" with the rocket.
One Little Astronaut...
Hold onto the end of a long piece of hose or rope. Have one child hold onto
the other end and pretend to explore space while you recite the poem below.
When you finish the first verse, have a second child join the first. Continue
with additional verses until all of the children are holding onto the hose.
One little astronaut floating out from base, Hooked to a hose, exploring
space. He/She thought it was such an amazing trick, He/She called another
astronaut to join her quick.
Moon Walking...
Create a moon landscape for the children by placing pillows all over the
floor. Cover the floor with white or yellow sheets. Attach sponges to the
children's feet with rubber bands for space shoes. Play eerie and dramatic
music as the children walk across the moon landscape.
Floating in space...
Make space suits for the children by wrapping their arms, legs and bodies in
aluminum foil and taping the foil in place with masking tape. Attach sponges
to the children's feet with rubber bands to make space shoes. Play
appropriate music and let the children pretend to float and move around in
space.
Spaceship Trip...
At music and movement time, let the kids wear their helmets, sit in a circle,
and explain that everyone is going on a spaceship trip to other planets.
Countdown, blast off, and pretend to travel through space until you spot a
planet. Announce that this is a "crawling only" planet, and as you begin to
play some music, the kids can crawl around the area until the music stops. At
that time, everyone hops back into the circle to blast off and travel to the
next planet (a hopping only) planet and so on to as many planets as you have
time for before returning to earth.
Trip to the Moon...
Cut square face holes out of the sides of paper bags. Let the children
decorate the bags with crayons to make space helmets. Then have them put on
their helmets and blast off for an imaginary trip to the moon. On the way,
have them float around in their space capsule. When they land on the moon,
have the children leap and float in slow motion, as they pretend to plant a
flag, collect moon rocks and take pictures of their surroundings. Then let
them make the return journey back to earth.
Hot Sun Game...
In this game the children circle around the 'hot sun." Pick one child to be
the sun. The others form a circle with the sun in the center. While the music
plays, the children move in a circle around the hot sun. When the music stops,
the child who is standing in front of the sun moves to the center and is the
hot sun for the next round.
Flannel Board Numbers...
You will need cut from felt:
Large blue circle
10 rocket ships, numbered 1-10
Large yellow circle
Pretend the felt board is outer space. Place the moon on the top part and
place the 10 rocket ships around the board. Ask a child to come to the
board and find rocket ship number 1, take it off the board, fly it around the
room and land it back on the moon. Next have a child find rocket ship number 2
and so on. When all the rockets are on the moon, place the Earth on the
board.
"Blast" the rockets off the moon and have them fly (or throw them) to
different children. When all the rockets are with children call out for
rocket number 1 to "fly back to earth". Continue until all the rockets have
landed safely at home!