Astronomy Unit



Technology LessonThe Sun and the PlanetsStandardsLearning ObjectivesAssessment CriteriaNational Science education StandardsEarth and Space Science Standards, levels 5-8The earth is the third planet from the sun in a system that includes the moon, the sun, eight other planets and their moons. The sun, an average star, is the central and largest body in the solar system.Identify defining characteristics about the 8 planets and the sunMaterial in presentations is accurate and in-depthThrough research and creating presentations, students demonstrate knowledge that there is only one sun and eight planets in the solar system (and the planets revolve around the sun)AAAS BenchmarksBenchmark 4 (The Physical Setting), Part A (The Universe) Grades 6-8The sun is a medium-sized starNine planets of very different size, composition, and surface features move around the sun; Some planets have a variety of moons and even flat rings of rock and ice particles orbiting around them. Identify features about the sun and the planets, including any materials orbiting each massive bodyPresentations include accurate information on size, composition, surface features, and any orbiting particles of the sun and planetsIllinois State StandardsStandard F, Middle SchoolDescribe the organization and physical characteristics of the solar system (e.g., sun, planets, etc).Name and describe physical characteristics for all eight planets and the sunResearch should include information relating to the introductory material (flipped-classroom videos) and be apparent in the presentation Prior Knowledge:The solar system contains the sun and the planets (number of suns and planets may be prior misconceptions)We live on Earth, which is a part of the solar systemPrior Conceptions:There are nine (or any number other than 8) planets in the solar system/Pluto is currently considered to be a planetThere is more than one sun in the solar systemMiscellaneous misinformation about the sun and the 9 planets (such as man has been to Venus; there is life on Mars; you can stand on Neptune; etc). Instructional Strategies:Flipped-classroom video introductionHands-on technology-based research projectHands-on technology-based presentation creation (may include creating a video or a digital presentation using various web-based presentation creators such as (see “Resources” at ericalynneportfolio.)Student oral/visual presentations in front of the class and teacherInstructional Resources Used:Websites from the “Resources” page at ericalynneportfolio.Videos from the web:The Solar System: watch?v=IBzmz1Adg2oThe Solar System (optional): watch?v=7xO7s0n6vAoThe Sun: : : : : : : : : access to the internet or technology (ipod, ipad, etc) checked out from the teacher containing the flipped-classroom videosIn-class access to the internet (computers; one per group is optimal) Access to video cameras (in classroom or may be checked out from the teacher)Time Required:Three to four ~50 minute class periodsCautions:None, but a demonstration of the proper way to handle technology (computers, ipods/ipads, video cameras, etc) is necessary Instructional Sequence:IntroductionFlipped ClassroomI will begin the lesson using a flipped-classroom technique. I will assign two videos for the students to watch at home/outside of class before the lesson. The students will also be pre-assigned to a group: The Sun; Mercury; Venus; Earth; Mars; Jupiter; Saturn; Uranus; or Neptune. The students will be asked to watch an introductory video on the solar system (watch?v=IBzmz1Adg2o) as well as the video relating to their assigned groups (see “Instructional Resources Used” above). I will also provide an optional video (watch?v=7xO7s0n6vAo), also an introduction to the solar system, that the students may watch if they choose. Rationale for Flipped ClassroomThis is an example of a flipped classroom because I am choosing to give an introductory lesson before class rather than during class. The videos serve as a brief introduction to the sun and the eight planets of the solar system. This integrates into my unit plan as the content introductory lesson (following an introductory demonstration/activity) to the solar system, or more specifically the sun and the nine planets. Each video relays basic/common facts about each massive body. Rather than giving a lecture or lesson containing the same material, I decided to present the material in the form of videos; rather than using class time to do so, I decided to have the students watch the videos outside of class. This is what the flipped classroom is all about: have the students learn the basics outside of class, then come in to class to further explore the topic in class.After the students watch their assigned videos, the idea is that they come into class with a small amount of background knowledge on the sun and all of the planets, as well as increased background knowledge on the massive body that they have been assigned to as a group. Once the students come into class, they will get together with their groups and use various technology-based resources to research their assigned topic in further depth. I selected these videos because they have accurate information about each topic. However, each video is short, no more than 10 minutes. This was intentional, and is used as a way to keep students engaged for the duration of the video. Students may lose track after a handful of minutes, so keeping each video short gives a better chance that the students will pay attention for the duration of the video. The videos are also engaging because there is a sort of mystery to space (which on its own keeps the students engaged), and each short video relays interesting, but not commonly known, facts about the different planets and the sun. These facts can keep students engaged in the video, watching to learn more “cool” things. This also means that they can promote inquiry, because the students will want to learn and find out about more “cool” facts. This lesson is based around the standards found in the new framework (see “Standards” above), especially the call for inquiry-based learning and lessons that are more student-centered (less teacher-centered). The flipped-classroom technique helps meet the learning goals by providing information related to each of the standards addressed in this activity. The videos teach basic, key characteristics about the sun and the planets, including: size, composition, surface features, orbiting particles, physical characteristics, and organization of the solar system (names of planets and other materials found in space). Body of the LessonOnce the students come into class, after watching the flipped-classroom video assignments, I will introduce the project for which the groups were created. I will make sure that all of the students know what group they are assigned to, then I will explain the project. I will tell the students that, in their groups, they are going to used technology-based research to further explore the planet (or the sun) that they have been assigned to. I will give the students a “kid-talk” rubric that clearly explains the learning goals (see “Learning Goals” above) for the assignment. This will help them focus on what they should be learning for the activity. I will explain that after the groups gather research about their topic, they will need to create a technology-based presentation. I will tell them that they will be orally (and visually) presenting their projects to the class once they are finished. In order to scaffold the class, I will first review examples of appropriate and reputable web sources that they can use as a part of their research. I will also give the class a list of possible web sources to use (such as , , national geographic astronomy webpages, and various .org or .gov websites). I will also show them how to access online scientific databases containing published journals on astronomy topics. As another means of scaffolding, I will also give the students a brief introduction on how to use various technology-based presentation creators, such as video cameras and websites like and . I will give the students a list of appropriate sources to use to create their presentations, including the websites from the “Resources” page of my e-portfolio (ericalynneportfolio.): Resources for Video in the Classroom, Resources for Pictures in the Classroom, and Resources for Audio in the classroom. The first day of the lesson will be mostly spent reviewing the various web sources described above (which sources to use as well as how to use them). The remainder of the first day and the rest of the second and third day will be spent allowing the groups to research and create their presentations. The students will be at liberty to create a presentation in any format they choose and will have creative freedom in how they want to organize and present the information they obtained from their research (as long as the final presentation is technology-based). The fourth day will be spent as the groups present what they have created. As the groups are researching, I will make sure that each group is on-task and is collecting information related to the learning goals of the assignment (for example, an article about an alien abduction would not be relevant). I will also ask the students questions about the types of websites they have selected to obtain research material. This will allow me to assess if they are following the guidelines for selecting reputable sources. Additionally, I will inquire about the presentations that each group decides to create; what technology they choose to use (a video camera, a particular website) and ask them why they chose it. This will help me assess both the engagement of the students as well as their understanding on how to incorporate what they found in their research with the technology-based presentation creators. Wrapping up the Lesson and Evaluating LearningOn the fourth day, I will watch each group give their presentation. Using the “kid-talk” rubric, I will grade the presentations based on the reputability of the sources they used to find their research as well as the accuracy of the information that their presentations contain. This will also serve as an assessment as to whether or not the learning goals were met. I will also grade the presentations on the amount of effort that was put into each (this will be observed while the students are creating their presentations as well as after reviewing the final products). This will also serve as an assessment to the engagement level of the students (more engaged students will put more effort into their presentations). I will allow the students to peer-review each group’s presentation and self-assess their own presentation using the same “kid-talk” rubric. This will allow the students to have input on their projects (give them a voice and allow them to be involved in the assessment process) and will also help them to reflect on their own understanding of how well they met the learning goals. All three assessments will be taken into consideration when determining the final grade for the assignment. In the days following this activity, I will review the material presented by the students and incorporate various assessments to discover whether all of the students were able to obtain the necessary information (do they know facts about every topic, or just the topic that they researched?). This will assess how well the flipped-classroom introduction and the subsequent in-depth classroom exploration worked to achieve the learning goals. Miscellaneous DifferentiationUse of video; internet resources; incorporation of reading, pictures, and audio into research and presentations; group work; creative license to create presentation in a way meaningful to each student/group; in-class research and creation of presentation (for students who do not have out-of-school access to the necessary technology)AssessmentTeacher observations during group research; “kid-talk” rubric; peer review of videos/presentations; student self-assessment; teacher assessment of presentationDiscipline literacyPictures and video to explain concepts; presentation in "student talk" (their own explanations in their own words); flipped classroom to explain core concepts about each group assignment topic ................
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