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Lesson Title: The Sensational Sun and Seasons

By: Christina Meissen

Description: Students will learn what causes day and night and the patterns of the seasons through literature, experiments, observations, data collection, and video animations provided on the Journey North website. They will observe and record in their logs (that were adapted from the Journey North website) how the sun appears to be at different places in the sky at different times throughout the day and throughout the year. While students are making observations outside, they need to be careful not to look directly at the sun and the teacher should be mindful of any weather conditions that may make it unsafe. They will also record the patterns of the seasons in comparison to the weather data collected through a Kestrel device and the observation of a tree and its shadows. They will then make predictions, answer questions, and develop graphs using the data they collected and turn their packets in to be used as a formative assessment.

Throughout the lesson the students will participate in small and large group conversations about new learning acquired from the read-aloud of Somewhere in the World Right Now by Stacey Schuett, and The Reason for the Seasons by Gail Gibbons. They will also complete a formative assessment with a partner using Scott Forseman's leveled reader The Earth and Its Neighbors by Donna Latham. The class will create a running record of their new learning by adding it to a chart in the classroom. At the end of the lesson the students will complete a test to be used as a summative assessment.

Grade level(s):

Grades 4-5

Essential questions

• How does the sun rise and set (what causes day and night)?

• How can it be day and night at the same time?

• Why do the seasons change?

• How does Earth’s rotation affect our shadows?

• How does Earth’s revolution affect our shadows?

• Why does the sun look smaller than the moon?

• Why do shadows change throughout the day?

Student learner objective – connections to the GLE’s

• The student will be able to explain the difference between rotating and revolving through modeling and writing. They will also be able to explain what we experience as a result of each action.

• The student will be able to explain what causes the changes in the seasons.

• The student will be able to perform a fair test and collect and record data about the changes in a tree’s shadow throughout the year. They will communicate this data through the use of diagrams and graphs comparing the changes in the seasons with the length of the shadows recorded.

• The student will be able to recognize that Earth is one of eight planets that orbit the sun, and that the distance of other planets affect the length of their years.

• The student will be able to apply reading comprehension strategies to make inferences and draw conclusions about what causes day and night and seasons.

Strand 6.1.A: Recognize that the Earth, Sun, and Moon are part of a larger system that includes other planets and smaller celestial bodies

Strand 6.2.C: a. Recognize the Earth rotates once every 24 hours

b. Relate changes in the length and position of a shadow to the time of day and apparent position of the Sun in the sky, as determined by Earth’s rotation

c. Relate the apparent motion of the Sun, moon, and stars in the sky to the rotation of the Earth (Do not assess apparent motion of polar constellations)

Strand 7.1.E: Communicate the procedures and results of investigations and explanations through:

⇛ oral presentations

⇛ drawings and maps

⇛ data tables

⇛ graphs (bar, single line, pictograph)

Featured Scott Foresman’s textbook:

Fifth Grade Leveled Reader: The Earth and Its Neighbors by Donna Latham (level 5.17) pp. 4-9

Featured picture books:

Somewhere in the World Right Now By Stacey Schuett (1997, Dragonfly Books)

The Reason for the Seasons By Gail Gibbons

Time needed Four 45-minute lessons in a row and two more spaced throughout the year on the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.

Academic vocabulary words (with definitions):

Rotation: One complete spin of an object on its axis.

Revolution: One complete orbit.

Season: One of the four natural periods in a year that is divided by the equinoxes, solstices, and atmospheric conditions.

Orbit: A path that an object makes around another object while under the influence of a force such as gravity.

Equinox: Either of the two times in the year when the sun crosses the plane of the Earth’s equator and day and night are of equal length.

Solstice: Either of the two times a year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the equator.

Axis: The imaginary line on which Earth rotates, or spins.

Direct rays: Light from the sun that hits the Earth in places that are tilted toward the sun, resulting in more concentrated rays.

Indirect rays: Light from the sun that hits the Earth in places that are tilted away from the sun, resulting in the rays becoming more spread out and not as hot.

Depth of knowledge level:

Level One: The students will recall facts, represent in words and diagrams a relationship, and perform a clearly designed set of steps

Level Two: The students will make observations and collect, organize, represent, and compare data.

Level Three: The students will use reasoning and justify a response

Materials needed

Computer with projector 5 globes

Internet Access 5 lamps

Chart Paper 5 flashlights

Markers Meter Sticks

Book: Somewhere in the World Right Now Class set of clipboards

Somewhere in the World Right Now worksheets Shadow books

Book: The Reasons for the Seasons Sensational Sun worksheet

The Reasons for the Seasons anticipation guide Sensational Sun Test

Lesson narrative:

Engage- Day 1

1) The students discuss with a partner what life would be like without the sun and share with the class.

2) The class gathers on the reading carpet and the teacher reads Somewhere in the World Right Now modeling questioning strategies by thinking aloud:

a. Is it true it is already tomorrow somewhere in the world?

b. How can the sun rise and set at the same time?

c. Does the sun really “rise” and “set”?

d. How can all of these things be happening right now?

3) The teacher prompts the students to share connections they have to the book by asking:

a. Have you ever been somewhere where you have had to change the time on your watch?

b. Do you know somebody who lives in another part of the world?

4) As a class create a T-W-L chart on large paper.

Explore- Day 2

1) Divide students into small learning groups (4-5 students) and pass out a lamp and a globe. Explain that the lamp will represent the sun and the globe will represent the Earth. Model where to hold the lamp for the students.

2) Before beginning, ask the students:

a. How does the Earth move? (Rotates on axis and revolves around sun)

b. Does the sun move?

c. What do the movements of the Earth do for us? (one rotation= I day (24 hours), one revolution= one year, tilt creates seasons)

3) Give the students some time to explore the models and discuss their observations with their groups.

4) Pass out the Somewhere in the World Right Now pages. (Picture Perfect Science p.270-271) and tell the students to try and answer the questions using the tools they have.

5) Discuss the correct answers to the questions as a whole class.

6) Ask the students if they think the placement of the Earth (being the 3rd planet from the sun) affects our day and night or seasons. Would we experience any differences if we lived on Mars or Neptune?

7) Have four volunteers model how walking around an object at different distances increases their total orbiting time. Ask the students what they thing is affected by the increased orbiting time (length of the planets’ years).

8) Ask the students what they think causes the different seasons. Give them a couple of minutes to explore with their tools.

9) Wrap up the lesson by asking each student to write one or two things they learned from today’s lesson on a sticky note and put it under the L on the TWL chart.

Explain – Day Three

1) The class reviews the TWL chart and adds any new wonderings they may have.

2) The students gather on the carpet and the teacher reads The Reasons for the Seasons by Gail Gibbons while modeling think-aloud strategies for making connections and determining importance.

3) The teacher models with a globe and lamp how the Earth’s tilt and revolution affect the seasonal changes in the world.

4) The teacher then models with a flashlight the difference between direct and indirect light by shining a flashlight on a piece of black paper and bringing attention to the concentrated light in the middle.

5) Students return to their seats and complete their anticipation guides based on their new learning.

6) Students watch the animations of the sun’s cycles and the seasons on the Journey North website:

   (Season simulator)

    (Sun’s daily cycle)

     (Sun’s yearly cycle)

     (Sun and poles)

After viewing each one, they discuss the similarities, differences, and other observations as a class.

7) Students partner read The Earth and Its Neighbors pages 6-9 and answer Sensational Sun worksheet. They will complete these at home if necessary and turn them in the next day as a formative assessment.

8) The students will write at least one piece of new learning on a post it note and put it under the L on the TWL chart.

Elaborate Day Four (Plus 2 more days throughout year on Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox.)

1) Ask the class to list the things that they notice changing throughout the seasons. If shadows are not mentioned, ask the students if they think it would make a difference what time of day or what time of the year their shadows were observed and measured.

2) Pass out the shadow record books to the students and tell them that they are going to choose their own tree to observe throughout the school year to discover the answers to those questions.

3) Ask the students what they will need to do in order to keep the test fair throughout the year

a. measure at the same time

b. measure from the same place

c. measure with the same tool

4) Give each student a meter stick and clipboard and ask them to bring a pencil and their packets out to the courtyard (or other area of the school that has different trees to choose from and that receives a lot of sunlight.)

5) When they get outside, students will make observations about the weather using their senses and information from a Kestrel. They will record this information in their packets before measuring a tree.

6) Each student will choose a tree to observe and collect the data in their journals.

7) Have the students record their data and predictions in their journals.

8) At two set times throughout the same day, the students should return to the same tree and record the measurement again.

9) Steps 6 and 7 should be repeated on the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox, though measurements should be taken one hour later because of Daylight Savings Time.

10) After the Spring Equinox, the teacher should facilitate a class discussion by asking questions such as:

a. What patterns did you notice?

b. How would you explain them?

c. What conclusions can you draw from your data?

d. What questions do you still have?

11) Students will turn in their journals when their observations are finalized to be recorded as a formative assessment.

Evaluate (Day Five)

Summative Assessment:

Students will complete the Sensational Sun and Seasons Test individually as a summative assessment.

Formative Assessments: (Completed throughout lessons)

- Sensational Sun worksheets

- Tree Shadows record logs and data analysis she

Misconceptions:

The sun moves around the earth to cause day and night.

Earth’s orbit overlaps itself causing seasons.

Earth is the only planet that has day and night or seasons.

The earth gets closer and farther from the sun.

The sun rises and sets each day by moving across the sky.

Shadows are the same throughout the year.

The Earth’s tilt changes throughout the year to cause seasons.

Safety

Don’t look directly at the sun.

Be mindful of temperature and weather dangers when going outside.

Reading comprehensive strategies

Questioning

Making Connections

Determining Importance

General suggestions for students and teachers

Since this lesson will be spread out through the year, it may be best to give the summative evaluation closer to the time when the content is delivered (close to day 4) rather than waiting until after the Spring Equinox.

Bibliography

  

   

    

    

 



Picture Perfect Science Lessons: Using Children’s Books to Guide Inquiry, 3-6. Ansberry, Karen, and Morgan, Emily. 2010. National Science Teachers Association.

Student pages continued on next page

(including pre and post assessments; including answer sheets except for the data sheet and data analysis sheets for the tree shadows as all answers will vary.)

|Name __________________________ Date_______________ |

|Data Sheet: Exploring Seasonal Shadows and Sunlight |

| |

|Event/Date |

|Length of Shadow |

|Observations of the Tree/ Kestrel Data |

| |

|Fall Equinox |

|____________ |

| A.M.: |

| |

|Noon: |

| |

|P.M: |

|  |

| |

|Winter Solstice |

|____________ |

| A.M.: |

| |

|Noon: |

| |

|P.M: |

|  |

| |

|Spring Equinox |

|____________ |

| A.M.: |

| |

|Noon: |

| |

|P.M: |

|  |

| |

|My prediction |

| |

|I predict the shadow will be this long _____________ and look like this on the Summer Solstice: |

| |

| |

|Because: |

| |

|Questions I still have |

| |

| |

|  |

| |

Create a bar graph depicting the length of the tree’s shadow each time you measured it.

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Questions About Your Graph:

Name__________________________________

1) Which month was the shadow the longest? Why?

2) Which month was the shadow the shortest? Why?

3) What time of day was the shadow the longest? Why?

4) What time of day was the shadow the shortest? Why?

5) What time of day was the shadow the shortest? Why?

6) Using what you know about Earth’s rotation on its axis and revolution around the sun, what conclusions can you draw from this data?

[pic]

Our Sensational Sun

(20 points)

Name________________________________ Date______________

Read pages 6-9 in Earth and its Neighbors.

Use the word bank below to complete the sentences.

1) Earth rotates on its _________which is always tilted sideways a bit.

2) Earth’s _________ causes the length of day and night to change.

3) It takes 24 hours to complete one _____________ which is why our days are 24 hours long.

4) Earth’s ________________ protects it from getting too hot from the sun.

5) Places near the ____________ experience more of a change than places near the _____________.

Decide whether the statements below are true or false. If they are false, rewrite them so they are correct.

6) __________ The Earth’s tilt never changes.

7) __________ All four seasons have the same number of daylight hours.

8) __________ As Earth travels around the sun, the distance from the sun changes and causes the seasons.

9) __________ Earth’s tilt causes the changing seasons.

10) __________ Earth is closest to the sun in July, which is why it is so hot in the summer.

In your own words describe what causes day and night using complete sentences and correct punctuation. (5 points)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In your own words describe what causes the seasons to change using complete sentences and correct punctuation. (5 points)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Our Sensational Sun (Key)

(20 points)

Name________________________________ Date______________

Read pages 6-9 in Earth and its Neighbors.

Use the word bank below to complete the sentences.

1) Earth rotates on its __axis_____ which is always tilted sideways a bit.

2) Earth’s __tilt___ causes the length of day and night to change.

3) It takes 24 hours to complete one ___rotation__ which is why our days are 24 hours long.

4) Earth’s ___atmosphere__ protects it from getting too hot from the sun.

5) Places near the ____poles____ experience more of a change than places near the ___equator____.

Decide whether the statements below are true or false. If they are false, rewrite them so they are correct.

6) ___True_______ The Earth’s tilt never changes.

7) ____False______ All four seasons have the same number of daylight hours.

The number of daylight hours is shorter in the winter and longer in the summer.

8) __False________ As Earth travels around the sun, the distance from the sun changes and causes the seasons.

The tilt of the Earth and it’s revolution causes the different seasons.

9) ___True___ Earth’s tilt causes the changing seasons.

10) ____False____ Earth is closest to the sun in July, which is why it is so hot in the summer.

Earth is closest to the sun in January; we are tilted toward the sun in July which is what makes it so hot.

In your own words describe what causes day and night using complete sentences and correct punctuation. (5 points)

Answers will vary, but should contain a description of Earth rotating on its axis causing the half of the world that is lit by the sun to slowly change.

In your own words describe what causes the seasons to change using complete sentences and correct punctuation. (5 points)

Answers will vary, but should include a description of how the tilt of the Earth never changes, so as it revolves around the sun, different hemispheres are tilted toward or away from the sun depending on where it is at in its revolution.

Sensational Sun and Seasons Test:

Name________________________ Homeroom teacher:_____________

Circle the best answer the following questions. (2 points each)

1. What do we call the movement of Earth around the Sun?

a. Axis

b. Rotation

c. Revolution

d. Seasonal

2. What causes seasons?

a. The tilt of the Earth on its axis.

b. Earth revolving around the sun getting closer and farther through the year.

c. The sun moving closer and farther to Earth through the year.

d. The Earth’s atmosphere changing on its own.

3. What does the Earth rotate on?

a. Rotation

b. Axis

c. Poles

d. Equator

Answer the following questions in complete sentences. (3 points each unless noted)

4. How long does one complete revolution take?

5. How long does it take for the Earth to make one full rotation?

6. Describe the differences and similarities between rotating and revolving.

7. Why do shadows change throughout the year?

8. Why do shadows change throughout the day?

In the picture to the left, is the X experiencing day or night? Is it experiencing summer or winter? How do you know? (5 points)

9. Compare the length of Earth’s orbit to the orbit of Neptune by drawing a picture and writing a description of the similarities and differences. (5 points)

Sensational Sun and Seasons Test: (Key)

Name________________________ Homeroom teacher:_____________

Circle the best answer the following questions. (2 points each)

1. What do we call the movement of Earth around the Sun?

a. Axis

b. Rotation

c. Revolution

d. Seasonal

2. What causes seasons?

a. The tilt of the Earth on its axis.

b. Earth revolving around the sun getting closer and farther through the year.

c. The sun moving closer and farther to Earth through the year.

d. The Earth’s atmosphere changing on its own.

3. What does the Earth rotate on?

a. Rotation

b. Axis

c. Poles

d. Equator

Answer the following questions in complete sentences. (3 points each unless noted)

4. How long does one complete revolution around the sun take?

One complete revolution around the sun takes 365 days, or one year.

5. How long does it take for the Earth to make one full rotation?

It takes Earth 24 hours, or one day, to make one complete rotation.

6. Describe the differences and similarities between rotating and revolving.

Both actions have an effect on Earth and its life, however, to revolve is to move in an orbit around another object, and to rotate is to spin on an axis.

7. Why do shadows change throughout the year?

Shadows change throughout the year because as Earth revolves around the sun, the direction of the sun's light changes from direct to indirect, causing the shadows to be different lengths

8. Why do shadows change throughout the day?

Shadows change throughout the day because as Earth rotates on its axis, the amount of sunlight slowly changes, which affects the size of the shadows.

9. In the picture to the left, is the X experiencing day or night? Is it experiencing summer or winter? How do you know? (5 points)

The X is currently experiencing night because it is in the half of the world that is not currently lit by the sun. It is also experiencing winter because the tilt of the Earth causes the Northern Hemisphere to lean away from the sun and its light.

10. Compare the length of Earth’s orbit to the orbit of Neptune by drawing a picture and writing a description of the similarities and differences. (5 points)

Pictures will vary, but should depict Earth's orbit being closer to the sun and considerably shorter than that of Neptune. A description could possibly include that both planets orbit around the sun, though at different differences which causes Neptune's year to be longer than that of Earth. They may also mention that the distance of Neptune's orbit creates a difference in the weather that it experiences.

-----------------------

Word Bank

Atmosphere Axis Rotation Revolution

Equator Night Poles Tilt

Word Bank

Atmosphere Axis Rotation Revolution

Equator Night Poles Tilt

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