DeKalb County School System - Ms. Masby



| Stage 1: Desired Results Page 1 |

|Teacher: Malynta Masby, Theresa Williams, Cheryl Jackson Grade: 6 |

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|Time Frame: 3 weeks Theme: Solar System |

|Big Idea(s): (What are the transferable concepts, principals, and theories that should serve as the focal point?) |

|Theories are dynamic and change when new information challenges the premises of a particular theory; this is why the heliocentric model replaced the geocentric model as an acceptable scientific model of the universe. |

|Earth’s features including air and water allow this planet to support life. Other planets compare and contrast to Earth and as a result do not have the necessary conditions to support life. Gravity is vitally important |

|to our solar system. |

|Established Goals (What relevant goals [e.g., content standards, course or program objectives, learning outcomes] will this design address?): |

|S6E1: Students will explore current scientific views of the universe and how those views evolved. |

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|Relate the nature of science to the progression of basic historical scientific models (geocentric, heliocentric) as they describe our solar system. |

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|Compare and contrast the planets in terms of size relative to the earth’s surface and atmospheric features, relative distance from the sun, and ability to support life. |

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|Explain the motion of objects in the day and night sky in terms of relative position. |

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|Explain that gravity is the force that governs the motion in the solar system. |

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|Enduring Understandings (What are the big ideas? What specific understandings about them are desired? What |Essential Question(s) {What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer of |

|misunderstandings are predictable?): |knowledge?}: |

|The students will understand that…: | |

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|Observational evidence of retrograde motion of planets and the phases of Venus caused the geocentric model of |How does earth compare and contrast to other planets within our solar system? |

|the solar system to be replaced with the heliocentric model. | |

| |How can planets be identified in the night sky while looking at the same constellations over several nights? |

|Gravity pulls objects towards the center of the Earth and keeps planets in orbit around the sun in a nearly | |

|circular orbit. |How does the current model of the solar system compare and contrast to previous models? |

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|Earth appears to be the only planet in our solar system that supports life. |Why was the geocentric model of the solar system accepted for so many years despite evidence of the contrary? |

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| |What circumstances and scientific evidence led to the acceptance of the heliocentric model of the solar |

|The planets in our solar system differ in size, composition, surface and atmospheric features, and distance |system? |

|from the sun. | |

| |Do other planets in our solar system have the potential to support life? |

|Planets can be identified by their movement along the background of stars that appear stationary because they | |

|are very distant from Earth. | |

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|Knowledge (What key knowledge and skills will students acquire as a result of this unit? What should they eventually be able to do as a result of such knowledge and skill?): The student will know that…: |

|Scientific theories change when new information and observational evidence is presented. The social, political, and cultural climate must support the new information. |

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|The geocentric model was accepted prior to the 1500s, but Copernicus first introduced the heliocentric model and Galileo later confirmed the validity of the heliocentric model. The heliocentric model explains retrograde |

|motion and the phases of Venus better than the geocentric model. |

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|Seasons are caused by Earth’s tilt on its axes and the direct and indirect angles of radiation on different regions at different times of the year. |

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|Gravity is a force that acts upon the center of the spherical earth and reaches indefinitely into space. |

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|Skill (See above): The student will be able to… |

|Use models |

|Ask quality questions |

|Use technology |

|Records investigations clearly and accurately |

|Analyses data using calculations and inferences |

|Uses scientific tools |

|Interprets graphs, data, tables |

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| Stage 2: Assessment Evidence Page 2 |

|Performance Tasks, Projects (Through what authentic performance tasks will students demonstrate the desired understandings? By what criteria will performances of understanding be judged?) |

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|Students will be required to make a planet passport where they imagine that they have visited each planet and provide descriptions of each in order. A rubric will be used for grading and students will be graded for |

|completion, creativity, accuracy and presentation. |

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|Students will create a planet advertisement. Students will choose any one of the eight planets to live on and try and persuade people to come and live on the planet through the advertisement. Everything advertised must be |

|factual. Students may include the following in their advertisement: how close it is to the sun, how many moons it has, average high and low temperatures, if it has rings, size, length of orbit, and unique characteristics.|

|A rubric will be used for grading and students will be graded for details, spelling and grammar, how colorful the advertisement is, creativity, effort, and presentation. |

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|Students will make a mobile or model of the planets orbiting the sun. A rubric will be used for grading and students will be graded for completion, creativity, accuracy, and presentation. |

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|Quizzes, Tests, Academic Prompts (Through what other evidence {e.g., quizzes, tests, academic prompts, observations, homework, journals} will students demonstrate achievement of the desired results?) |

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|Students will take a diagnostic assessment at the beginning of the unit. Students will take a quiz midway through the unit. Students will also have a summative assessment. Students will maintain interactive journals |

|throughout the unit. Assigned homework will include worksheets and students will be asked to record their observations of constellations and planets in the sky. Clickers will be used during class to assess student |

|learning as well. Students will also complete in class labs including the planetary scale model activity. |

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|Other Evidence (How will students reflect upon and self-assess their learning?) |

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|Students will maintain interactive journals throughout the semester. Within their journal, there will be a section for students to reflect upon their learning. They will also refer to previous assignments and make |

|corrections as they gain more knowledge throughout the unit. This gives students the opportunity to self-assess their learning. |

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|Towards the beginning of the unit, students will create a video recording of their explanation of the reasons for the seasons and will use manipulates (objects and a model) to demonstrate their idea. Prior to the |

|completion of the unit, students will watch their recording and rerecord with any modifications to their initial explanation. |

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|Stage 3: Learning Plan Page 3 |

|It is only after we have determined what we want students to know, understand, and be able to do and how we want them to demonstrate that knowledge, understanding, or skill that we design how we will help our students |

|achieve the desired results. |

|What learning experiences and instruction will enable students to achieve the desired results? |

| Duration | GPS Element(s) | Learning Activities |

| | |Using any and all resources available, plan the daily lessons and activities for your guided reading groups, independent reading, writing, phonics, spelling,, |

| | |read-aloud, and literacy activities that help support the standards, enduring understandings and essential questions |

| |S6E1 |Students will take a diagnostic assessment about the solar system. Afterward, students will complete individual Know-Want to Know-Learned (KWL) charts about the solar |

|1 day | |system and paste them into their interactive journal. A KWL will be completed as a class as well. The chart will be revisited at the end of the unit at which time |

| | |students will complete the Learned column. |

| |S6E1. a | |

| | |The teacher will use a PowerPoint to present the heliocentric and geocentric models of the solar system. Students will use a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the |

|1 day | |heliocentric model and the geocentric model of the solar system. The Venn Diagram will be placed in students’ interactive journals. |

| |S6E1.a | |

| | |Students will research astronomers and scientists to find information about the time period in which they lived; the social, political, and cultural context; their |

| | |theories (heliocentric or geocentric model); and interesting personal facts. Students will present their findings through a Facebook profile page. |

|2 days | | |

| |S6E1.a | |

|1 day | |Quiz |

| | |After the quiz students will formulate an explanation of the seasons and create video recordings of their explanations. |

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|1 day | |Students will be taught the ordinal positions of the planets and students will use the planetary simulation on the computers to explore the planets in the solar system |

| |S6E1. c |using a three-dimensional model. The planet mobile/ model project will be assigned. |

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|2 days |S6E1. c |A Prezi Presentation will be used to present interesting facts about the solar system, classify the planets, and the terms astronomical units and light years will be |

| | |defined. In groups, students will create their own linear scale model of the distance and size of the planets and will convert AU into inches. A video will be shown to|

| | |reemphasize the distances between planets. As a homework project, students will have the option of completing a planet passport or advertisement. |

| | |Students will learn about the elliptical movement of the planets around the sun and will discuss how Earth moves on its axis. Students will learn about the seasons and|

|2 days |S6E1.c |will use a computer simulation to illustrate this concept. Students will revisit their video recording about the seasons to make any adjustments. |

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|1 day |S6E1.d |Students will learn about constellations, how to identify planets against the stationary backdrop of stars, and retrograde motion of planets. Students will use a |

| | |telescope to make observations, and as homework will record their observations of the sky. |

|1 day |S6E1.e | A Prezi Presentation will be used to introduce a more complex understanding of gravity. In pairs, students will complete a kinesthetic activity. Each student will jump|

| | |and the distance will be measured. Students will then perform calculations to determine how far they would jump if they were on the moon which has 1/6 the gravity of |

| | |earth. Students will also watch a demonstration of the feather and book drop on the moon, and performed in class to emphasize the fact they gravity acts equally upon |

| | |all objects. |

|2 days |S6E1.c |Students will present their planetary projects which will be displayed around the classroom. |

|1 day |S6E1 |This will serve as a review session for the upcoming exam, students will also revisit their KWL charts in their interactive notebook and will complete the Learned |

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|1 day |S6E1 |Summative Examination |

|Lesson Title: The Spaces in our System |Subject Area: Earth Science |

|Grade Level: 6th grade |Lesson Length: 60 minutes |

|Developed by: Theresa Williams, Cynthia Jackson and Malynta Masby | |

|THE TEACHING PROCESS | |

|Lesson Overview |

|This lesson is designed to help students solve problems involving measurement and conversion of measurements from a larger unit to a smaller unit using the solar system as a model. |

|Learning Targets: |

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|Students will measure the relative distances of each of the planets from the sun. |

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|Students will make a scale model showing these relative distances. |

|Georgia Learning Standards: |

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|S6E1. Students will explore current scientific views of the universe and how those views evolved. |

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|c. Compare and contrast the planets in terms of |

|Size relative to the earth |

|Surface and atmospheric features |

|Relative distance from the sun |

|Ability to support life |

|Alternative Conceptions (misconceptions) |

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|The stars and the constellations are close together in space. |

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|The gravitational attractions of the planets, either individually or as a group are so small because of the distances between the planets that they cannot possibly have a significant |

|destructive effect on one another. |

|List of Materials |

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|Bulletin Board Paper |

|Meter Tape |

|Planet Pictures |

|Distance Table |

|Glue Sticks |

|Marking Pens |

|Solar System Prezi Presentation |

|INSTRUCTIONAL SEQUENCE |

|Phase One: Elicit Prior Knowledge |

|(Large group/ whole class): |

|Brainstorming Questions |

|List the planets in the order which they orbit the sun. |

|Explain how scientists’ measure distances in space. |

|What’s the teacher doing? |What are the students doing? |

|Asking students questions about planetary motion and distance. | |

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|Phase Two: Engage Interest |

|(Large group/ whole class): Students will read Section 1 pgs. 644-647. Summarize the material. |

|What’s the teacher doing? |What are the students doing? |

|Instructing students to read the blog entry. |Reading the blog entry and discussing in their group what they read. |

|Phase Three: Explore the Concept | |

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|Activity (small group): |

|Students, working in small groups of 3-4 will investigate the distances of planets to the sun by creating a scale model. |

|What’s the teacher doing? |What are the student’s doing? |

|Give students instructions and show them how to create the model. Teacher will also |Viewing and reading the chart information (Planets to distance from Sun). Create the scale model |

|model the poster/chart report for groups and facilitate students in determining what |using the supplies given. Referring to conversion chart to accommodate for measurements. |

|type of information would be important to include on the report. | |

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|Phase Four: Explain the Concept and Define the Terms |

|Astronomical Unit – the average distance between the Earth and the sun; approximately 150 million kilometers (symbol, AU). 1AU=8.3 Light-Minutes |

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|Light-Minute – Light travels about 300,000 km/s in space. For 1 minute = 18,000,000 km. |

|Inner/Terrestrial Planets vs. Outer/Gas Giants |

|What’s the teacher doing? |What are the students doing? |

|Asking questions and listening to students’ responses to asses their understanding of |Sharing their answers and drawing with the class. |

|the key terms. | |

|Phase Five: Elaborate on the Concept |

| (Large group/ whole class discussion) |

|Show students a replica of the solar system in 3D. |

|What’s the teacher doing? |What are the students doing? |

|Facilitating class discussion. |Sharing ideas in small /large groups. |

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|Goldilocks Problem: | |

|Remember the equilibrium temperature of a planet is linked to its distance from the Sun. See | |

|Attachment. | |

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|Phase Six: Evaluate students' Understanding of the Concept |

|Same Groups |

|Connected Learning Worksheet to be filled out by each group |

|What’s the teacher doing? |What are the students doing? |

|Monitoring the groups by walking around and assisting with questions |Completing their observations |

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|Phase Seven: (Completed near the end of the unit) Extend Students' Understanding of the Concept |

|Go over Connected Learning sheets. |

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|Space Travel FYI |

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Solar System Lesson Study Analysis

Cheryl Faye Jackson

Malynta Masby

Theresa Williams

EDCI 6540 Principles of Instruction for Middle Childhood Education

Elizabeth Parker Ph.D., Instructor

Georgia State University

November 14, 2012

Solar System Lesson Study Analysis

This analysis of the lesson on the Solar System is based on a professional development process that teachers use to examine their training to become more effective educators. Cheryl Faye Jackson, Malynta Masby, and Theresa Williams worked collaboratively on a unit lesson on the solar system and while working the three of us drew up a detailed lesson plan, one of us taught the lesson, and two of us observed the lesson as it was being taught. This examination concentrates on a critique of the lesson with the goal being of becoming more effectual teachers. In order to provide focus and direction, our group selected the overarching objective of demonstrating the distance between the planets are in our solar system, as well as the essential questions that we wanted to explore such as, how does the force of gravity change throughout the solar system? How close is our planet to the sun? How many moons does it have? What are the average high and low temperatures? Does it have rings? How big is our planet and what is the length of its orbit? These essential questions served as the guide for our work on the solar system lesson.

After the lesson was taught, we came together as a group to discuss our observations of the lesson. These observations would have provided the necessary analysis for revising and refining the lesson for teaching a second time, however, in this report we have provided our analysis of what the revised lesson would have been as well as what the study of the lesson has taught us particularly with respect to the essential questions for improving the lesson.

Student Data

We carefully studied how the students responded to the lesson including their learning and engagement. The data we collected revealed that one student absolutely loved the Bill Nye video, however, felt the video was rife with inaccuracies due to its age; the student thought that a better format would have been to demonstrate the traditional model that shows the planets all about the same distance apart, then show the Bill Nye video. The lesson could have been followed by a discussion of planetary models and how they are used in science to answer questions like, what are their drawbacks and what are there benefits? In addition, find out if students could identify other models they have seen that might be wrong because it would be better used to identify assumptions and misconceptions. Then, it would have been good to have students create a to-scale model of the universe out in the hall. First, give the students a scale and the actual distances between plants. Next, they would have to convert the numbers and place the planets correctly along the corridor. This activity would have made the students also think about the math. The transition between activities was good but, when placing the model on the whiteboard it would have been better for the model teacher to put students into groups and have multiple groups working the same time so that some students were not left sitting at their desks.

 Two major points of disconnection for another student were the fact that in the video Pluto was presented as a planet and the video used the metric system to represent the distances, scale, and size. The student felt that since the video did not mention the comparative use of scale of AU (astronomical units) to meters or light years, the model teacher should not have included it in the lesson. Also, instead of having one volunteer at a time it would have been more engaging to assign the planets into groups of students and give them the conceptual format to convert AU into inches on the board. More questions could have been asked to engage the students and get them to really think to justify their answers.  Some great key questions could have been asked using the information on the worksheets that were handed out about the distances between the planets but not enough time was spent for the class to thoroughly work on them. On the other hand, asking for student input for the scale model on the board was good and the classroom management was great in that the students remained attentive.

Finally, one student was in awe of our representation of perspective; that our group did a great job putting relativity of distance and space into a perspective that could be comprehended. The student felt also that the relativity of size between the planets and the sun could have been emphasized in a separate segment to give a comprehensive perspective on volume of space and distance; and the presentation was well done and well executed.   

Lesson Revision

Based on our analysis of the collected data, the revised lesson would include a more accurate calculation for measuring the distances of the planets to each other and distance from the sun. In the revised lesson plan the distances would be marked off on butcher paper in advance of asking students to paste the planets. In the new lesson, the model teacher would periodically interject during the Bill Nye video presentation to illustrate the distances in miles because students understand miles more than meters.

Additionally, in the improved lesson the model teacher would ask students about what has changed about the planets since the video was made, referring to the fact that Pluto is no longer a planet. The model teacher also would involve students in the presentation by asking questions about the AU chart. The revised lesson still would not separate the class into smaller groups to scale the model of the solar system because there was not a previous lesson to activate prior knowledge or learn new content on how to convert centimeters to inches. Instead, the model teacher would convert the measurements into non-metric units and have students come to the board to affix the planets to the display and those students who were not volunteering would work on a paste planets activity at their desk.

Finally, other revisions would include having the model teacher pass around a space travel “passport” artifact; say "you" instead of students when sharing objectives; use gender-neutral terms such as being operated by an astronaut or vacant instead of "manning the space shuttle"; use other strategies to get students to reconvene such as "clap your hands twice if you can hear my voice;" ask students to raise their hands before answering questions so that all can be heard.

Conclusion

Students’ learning was assessed by answers received from the connected learning worksheets, which were discussed aloud. Although the volunteers were mostly male, the students were eager to glue the planet cut outs to the imaginary universe paper. Students also attempted to calculate the distances between the planets and distances away from the sun. The model teacher had good timing and kept the presentation within 30 minutes. She was very knowledgeable about the content and presented interesting facts including the example of "putting Saturn in a cup of water". The model teacher’s use of visuals, especially the Prezi presentation, was engaging. Furthermore, the model teacher’s incorporation of technology into the lesson with the use of the Bill Nye video brought in humor, which contributed to the lesson’s success.

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