Day/Date



Elizabeth Fried

EDTEP 587

8th grade Science Unit Plan

March 14, 2003

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SUBJECT AREA DESCRIPTION

We are studying the earth, the moon, and the oceans so that some basic science concepts can be understood in the context of everyday experiences. I am teaching 8th grade science at College Place Middle School in Edmonds. The year is divided up, so that the first trimester is earth science, the second trimester is physical science, and the last trimester is a life science class on plants and genetics. I am working at a middle school that is primarily middle to upper-class Caucasian students. I have only a few minority students in my classroom, which are Asian American or African American. Quite a few of my students are on IEPs or 504s, so there seems to be a need for special learning style accommodations. My classroom setup has heterogeneous ability grouping.

Students will have completed two other earth science units before this unit, in which they have learning how to work with inquiry. They have learned how to develop scientifically testable questions and how to design and conduct experiments. Before this unit on celestial phenomena, the students will have covered some material on the different planets of our solar system and our sun. They will have completed a big project on the different planets, where they research a planet and make a visitor’s guide brochure (as in interplanetary tourism). They will have conducted an inquiry centered around the electromagnetic spectrum, where they have experimented with different kinds of radiation on its effect on biological systems. After this unit on celestial phenomena, we will work on earth science topics that include the tides, plate tectonics, weather, and ocean water currents.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

1. Does Jupiter have a summertime or winter?

To answer this EQ, students must master the inquiry skills related to tilt and the seasons from completing the lab activity. They will also have to understand the general context of the mechanics of our solar system (revolutions, rotations, tilt). By having these skills, students will be able to research this EQ and be able to reason whether or not Jupiter has seasons based on using evidence to think critically.

2. How do the phases of Jupiter’s moons change?

In order to answer this EQ, students must first understand why our moon has phases that change in a regular and predictable fashion. After constructing a model for our moon, they will be able to begin to look at the moons of other planets to answer this EQ. This EQ is answered through the culminating project where students design a model for the moons of Jupiter and then revise the model based on their research and the computer based simulation in the Starry Night software. By answering this EQ, students will reveal that they can transfer their knowledge of a known system to apply it to a new situation or challenge (which is an EALR objective).

LEARNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

1) Social-Presentational- Students will present and defend their reasons why there are seasons to the class. They will also present their ideas about why the moon has phases as seen from Earth.

Objectives:

1.1. The students will defend their ideas in front of a panel of fellow students.

1.2. The students will communicate scientific explanations orally and in writing ( EALR 3.3 Expressing science ideas)

1.3. The students will use evidence to think critically to describe and explain phenomena. (EALR 2.2 Applying science knowledge)

1.4. The students will learn to work individually as well as in groups.

2) Content Based-Students will be able to explain why the seasons change on Earth.

Objectives:

2.1. The students will be able to explain why the seasons are impacted by the Earth’s tilt on its axis (EALR Benchmark 2-Interations in the Solar System).

2.2. The students will design and conduct a science inquiry project that will test for variations on earth’s tilt and its impact on the seasons. (EALR 3.1 Scientific inquiry)

2.3. The students will provide multiple explanations for the phenomenon, and then defend or refute the explanations through using evidence. (EALR 2.1 Developing abilities to do inquiry)

3) Procedural-Students will design a model of the phases of the moon.

Objectives:

3.1. The students will design a model for various scientific phenomena (EALR 3.3 Skills to organize and express science ideas).

3.2. The students will work in groups to create a model of the phases of Jupiter’s moons as seen from the surface of Jupiter (EALR 2.2 Applying knowledge to meet challenges).

3.3. The students will describe the relationship of the earth to the moon and other planets and their moons. (EALR 1.3 on system interactions, Atlas on Solar System (6-8th grade))

4) Conceptual/ Thinking Skills- The students will create a model of the earth without a tilted axis and they will explain how the seasons would be radically different with no tilt.

Objectives:

4.1. The students will hypothesize what the will be like without rotation of the Earth or a tilt of the Earth’s axis (EALR 2.1 Developing inquiry skills).

4.2. The students will describe how the regular and predictable motions of the objects in the solar system account for our everyday phenomena: days, years, phases of the moon, and seasons. (EALR 1.3 on system interactions, Atlas on Solar System (6-8th grade))

4.3. The students will test models by predicting and observing actual processes. (EALR 2.1 Testing models)

5)Values- The students will understand that the process of science is a dynamic one, where new ideas and insight change how we view the way the world works. Students will know that science has a process of revision and has an ever changing evolution of theories and inventions.( EALR 3.1 Evolution of scientific ideas)

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 1: Monday

First day of the new unit

Introduction to Celestial Phenomena

What are some cool things that you’ve seen in the night sky?

Students will write some questions about the night time sky that they have. Students will then take some notes on what celestial phenomena are. Students will work in groups to create a list of astronomical events. They will also work in groups to determine how astronomical events impact their lives.

1. Students will know what celestial phenomena are, and will understand that moon phase changes and the seasons are two kinds of celestial phenomena.

2. Students will create a list of astronomical events and occurrences.

Students must first understand why it is important to study astronomical events before they can begin the unit on seasons and phases of the moon. By working in small groups, student misconceptions about the night time sky and astronomical events will surface, aiding me as an informal pre-assessment.

Group work is a good way to begin this topic, as it allows for student-oriented activity. In this activity, I will also get to interact will the students in a small group format, which will help me more accurately pre-assess their background knowledge and misconceptions.

I will collect the lists that groups create of astronomical events and occurrences, which will provide me with evidence that students understand the concept of celestial phenomena. I will also have students write their ideas of how astronomical events impact their lives in their notebooks, which I would check later during notebook grading time.

Worksheets on kinds of celestial events and occurrences, student notebooks, and overhead transparency on celestial phenomena with examples.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 2: Tuesday

N/A

Seasons: Regular and Predictable Occurrences

Review: What are some examples of astronomical events?

Students will work on these questions in groups : Why is it that the moon only faces us on one side? How long does it take the moon to go around the Earth? Etc.

1. Students will understand that the moon phases are regular and predictable events.

2. Students will know that the moon orbit the Earth, and the Earth rotates around the sun. INQUIRY STAGE 1

A context of the seasons and the phases of the moon must be established for students. This will help review for most students some planetary geology, and will provide some basic information for students that are learning this material for the first time.

Students will serve to help each other out in answering these questions. Some students feel more comfortable talking to other students than answering these questions in a large group discussion. I will summarize the main ideas in the form of a direct instruction towards the end of class to make sure everyone has a foundation of knowledge.

Evidence will be collected informally by observing small groups work on the worksheet on the questions about the mechanics of orbit, etc.

Student group worksheets with some questions for students to answer on the mechanics of orbit, etc. An overhead on the solar system, and a Styrofoam model of the moon, Earth, and the sun will be needed.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 3: Wednesday

N/A

Reasons for the Seasons

What are some possible ideas about what causes the seasons?

Students will brainstorm for ideas on what causes the seasons. They will take some notes on the tilt of the Earth’s axis in their notebooks. They will also learn about direct and indirect light through direct instruction. Students will then work independently to create a convincing argument on how indirect/direct light can be related to the seasons and the tilt.

1. Students will know that the seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth’s axis. INQUIRY STAGE 1

2. Students will support the tilt effect on seasons by using direct and indirect light examples. INQUIRY STAGE 1

Students need to learn about the cause of the seasons at this point (after celestial occurrences and orbits have been discussed.) Students will work independently on a one page written argument relating indirect and direct light to the tilt and the seasons to really help them work out a solid foundation on this topic.

Students are first asked to give out some of their own ideas to get them thinking. Then, I give some direct instruction to clarify the reason why the seasons occur. Using some visuals, I will explain the different between direct and indirect light. Lastly, students will be asked to synthesize an argument in writing relating the tilt to the evidence of direct and indirect light. This is to help them better understand the system on their own.

I will be collecting student essays on the seasons, tilt, and direct/indirect light. This will help me pinpoint students that are having difficulty with the topic before we continue as a class.

A light bulb, a globe- for the demo of tilt and indirect and direct light. Overhead transparency on direct and indirect light, and tilt. Student notebooks.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 4: Thursday

Seasons and geography, Day/Night

Will someone in Antarctica experience the seasons that same way that we do here in the Pacific Northwest? How about a person in Hawaii?

Students will participate in a large group discussion about the impact of geography on how the seasons are experienced. Students will work on an activity that has questions about people on different parts of the globe, and the corresponding seasons that they are experiencing.

1. Students will analyze images of locations on the globe in relation to the sun to determine which season will be occurring at different locations.

2. Students will know that geography plays a big part in the experience of seasons. INQUIRY STAGE 1

3. Students will understand how day and night is affected by the seasons.

Students will relate the seasons to their lives, and will relate the geography of a person to the seasons that the person experiences. Students will also be able to tie in how day and night are related to seasonal changes. This builds on their knowledge from the previous days.

A large group discussion was used to allow us to quickly go over ideas before launching into the activity. I will be providing some background information on the overhead before having students begin the geography and seasons worksheet. The worksheets will help students realize the connection between location on the globe and the seasons we experience due to tilt.

I will collect the worksheets on the geography and day and night changes as homework for the week. This will be the main piece of evidence of student understanding and reasoning.

Homeworks on the geography and tilt, overhead transparency on day and night, equinoxes, and solstices.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 5: Friday

First day of inquiry project

Inquiry on Seasons: Guided Exploration

Ask if students have questions on homework.

Students will work on an inquiry project that tests for either heat or light that acts to investigate a hypothesis about tilt. Students will first create a working hypothesis and design an experiment to test it that can collect data in the lab.

1. Students will create a hypothesis that relates tilt to a testable variable (heat, light). INQUIRY STAGE 2

2. Students will design an experiment to test their hypotheses in class using the materials provided. INQUIRY STAGE 3

Students have enough background knowledge on this topic to be successful at this inquiry lab. This will also help to answer some of the questions they have about how tilt could effect the seasons.

This guided inquiry was chosen because it allows students to work in pairs to create their own experiment. It also scales down a celestial phenomenon into a model size that they can actually see and work with.

I will be looking at their inquiry journals that they write in their lab notebooks to see that they have successfully gone through these two first steps of inquiry.

Styrofoam balls, light bulbs, heat lamps, reptile terrarium/ fish aquarium peel and stick thermometers, light sensitive paper or photosensors, stopwatches, meter sticks, protractors. Lab notebooks, handouts on lab activity of inquiry.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 6: Monday

2nd day of inquiry project

Inquiry on Seasons: Guided Exploration

What is a dependent variable? What is an independent variable?

Students will collect data from their inquiry projects. Students will then analyze their data to come up with a relationship between their dependent and independent variables. Students will write up some conclusions on the lab that include whether or not their original hypothesis was supported by their data.

1. Students will analyze data collected from the inquiry to come up with some relationships between tilt and their testable variable. INQUIRY STAGE 4

2. Students will compare their class lab results to actual processes and factors that determine seasonal temperature and climate on Earth. INQUIRY STAGE 5

Students are able to carry out the inquiry project that they have constructed the previous day in this activity. It naturally follows the pre-planning steps of creating the experimental setup and the scientifically testable question.

Students will be working in pairs for most of the class period to get through the collection of data and analysis of the results. Two students can work in a group to minimize complicated larger group dynamics that would serve to slow down the process of conducting the experiment. Small groups also work well because I can monitor students in a more personalized way than having large group projects.

The evidence of the inquiry project will be the data collected (in chart or table form) in their notebook, as well as notebook evidence of the lab analysis, graphing, and the conclusions of the lab. Some of this lab write up would be homework for students.

Styrofoam balls, light bulbs, heat lamps, reptile terrarium/ fish aquarium peel and stick thermometers, light sensitive paper or photosensors, stopwatches, meter sticks, protractors. Lab notebooks, handouts on lab activity of inquiry with directions on graphing and lab analysis questions.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 7: Tuesday

Students might need more time for inquiry lab….

Tilt and Rotation-The world without it

Do you need some more time working with your partner on your lab? Review necessary info for the lab write up. Does Jupiter have a summertime or a winter?

Students will finish up their inquiry projects with their partners. Then, students will come together as a large class to discuss the lab and relate it to the Earth.

-What would the Earth be like with a really drastic tilt? What if it had no tilt? How does are orbit affect our seasons? Etc.

1. Students will theorize on the result of having no tilt or a drastic tilt on our Earth with relation to the seasons. INQUIRY STAGE 2

2. Students will generalize relationships between tilt and the seasons, based on the data collected from lab as well as their text material on the topic. INQUIRY STAGE 5

This thought experiment class is a good follow up to the inquiry based lab activity. Some of what students have learned in the laboratory can be applied to the larger scale phenomenon of the seasons.

A large group discussion was chosen because it allows the whole class to benefit from the results of each group’s work from the lab activity. The thought-experiment format is engaging because it employs that students use their imagination to understand the impact of tilt on the seasons.

Students will write their generalizations on tilt and the seasons in their notebooks, which will be assessed to obtain evidence of student knowledge and for skills of knowledge transfer to a new situation.

Some pictures of different climates, different planets, etc. to try to illustrate the point of seasons and climate based on the tilt. Overhead transparency for notes on the thought-experiment questions.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 8: Wednesday

First day of a new concept- Moon phases

Introduction to the Moon

Why is it that the same side of the moon faces us always?

Students will work in groups for a few minutes to try to answer the warm-up question. Then students will take some notes on the moon and the Earth. Rotation, revolutions, and orbits will be discussed. Lastly, we’ll go outside (or to the cafeteria) to do a solar system simulation with students moving as planets and moons.

1. Students will describe the relationship of the earth to the moon.

2. Students should understand that the moon rotates around the Earth every month, and that the Earth revolves around the sun at a periodicity of a year. INQUIRY STAGE 1

Students should have an introduction to the mechanics of the solar system before the specifics of the moon phases are brought in to the class discussion. This provides all students with a foundation of how the solar system operates.

I chose this instructional activity because it is very student-oriented. My grandmother said that she did this activity with her elementary school kids and it was really engaging for her students. You can also introduce some math into this lesson by having students calculate times of rotations and revolutions by using ratios and converting different scientific units.

I will only be collected information by informal assessment. I will be answering students’ questions and helping students with their calculations before we complete the solar system physical simulation.

Calculators, rulers, measuring tape, and rope will be needed for the math calculations and physical simulations. An overhead that shows the universe drawn to scale will help aid students in getting ready for the simulation activity.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 9: Thursday

Two day lab

Flashlight and Styrofoam Lab

How many times Earths could fit into the sun if the sun was a hollow sphere?

Students will verify that the moon phases are caused by the light shining on the moon’s surface given off by the sun. The change in the moon phases can be seen by completing this lab activity. Students will work in pairs to “discover” moon phases on their own with some teacher guidance when needed.

1. Students will verify that the phases of the moon are caused by changes in the moon’s position as it revolves around the Earth. INQUIRY STAGE 1

2. Students will understand that the moon rotates once every 28 days, and revolves around the earth every 28 days. INQUIRY STAGE 1

The students are familiar with the lab materials from the inquiry lab. However, with this lab, students will be performing the lab to discover for themselves what causes moon phases. This is the right time to introduce the phases of the moon now that students have some background information on the solar system’s mechanics.

It is more powerful for students to learn on their own through working on a lab activity than to be told a fact by direct instruction alone. The students are more involved in solving questions in small groups and in pairs than by a larger class discussion format.

Students will be drawing some pictures of their “moons” in their lab books at different phases (new, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent). This is the major piece of evidence that I will collect from them in their notebooks as proof of them successfully completing the activity.

Styrofoam balls, pencils, fifteen working light fixtures, extension cords, colored pencils for lab drawings, handouts on the lab activity.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 10: Friday

2nd day of lab

Flashlight and Styrofoam Lab

What was the moon phase last night?

Students will work in pairs to finish their lab on moon phases. Students will draw the phases of the moon into their science lab notebooks. Students will take notes on my lab wrap-up, and will complete lab summaries and analysis questions in their notebooks.

1. Students will verify that the phases of the moon are caused by changes in the moon’s position as it revolves around the Earth.

2. Students will learn the terminology of the different phases of the moon. (gibbous, crescent, quarter, full, new moon, etc.) INQUIRY PHASE 1

The students are familiar with the lab materials from the inquiry lab. However, with this lab, students will be performing the lab to discover for themselves what causes moon phases. The terminology of the moon phases is introduced so that it will be familiar to the students when they work on their next unit, which encompasses tides, weather systems, and ocean currents.

It is more powerful for students to learn on their own through working on a lab activity than to be told a fact by direct instruction alone. The students are more involved in solving questions in small groups and in pairs than by a larger class discussion format. I decided to finish the class with some terminology on moon phases so that the students would be ready to create their moon posters in the next week.

Student notebooks would have analysis of lab and summary paragraphs on the lab that I would gather as evidence of student knowledge and as evidence of scientific writing skills.

Styrofoam balls, pencils, fifteen working light fixtures, extension cords, colored pencils for lab drawings, handouts on the lab activity.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 11: Monday

Poster of the Moon Phases- Construction

What was the moon phase last night?

Students will work in groups of 4 to make a poster of the phases of the moon. They will need to include several different phases, the Sun, and the Earth in their model. The phases of the moon will be explained through students’ written explanation of how the moon phases work.

1. Students will construct a model of the phases of the moon on a poster.

INQUIRY STAGE 2

2. Students will use evidence to think critically to describe and explain phenomena. INQUIRY STAGE 4

Students are constructing a poster of the phases of the moon to prepare them for their culminating project, where they will work with an unfamiliar moon of another planet.

Since the posters that students will come up with will be similar, it made more sense to save time and have students work in larger groups of 4. Individual work will be collected in their science notebooks when they write up their explanations of the moon phase system. I will be circulating the class to help groups out with any difficulties they might have.

Informal assessment will be performed as I walk from group to group to see how each group is progressing and to answer any lingering questions. I will check student notebooks to see that they have written a reasonable explanation for their models.

Poster board, pens, colored pencils, glue, string, scissors, markers, different colored pieces of construction paper, circle stencil, glitter glue, pencils, blank paper, masking tape and magic tape.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 12: Tuesday

Students might need additional time to finish their posters.

Poster of the Moon Phases- Presentations

What are some adaptations that animals make that are related to the seasons?

Students will work in groups of four to finish their poster of the phases of the moon. They will then figure out as a group how to creatively present their poster and ideas to their fellow classmates. They will practice their presentations to get ready to present them the following day.

1. Students will present their models to the class. INQUIRY STAGE 5

2. Students will learn to work individually as well as in groups.

3. Students will create an oral and/or written format that will communicate their ideas effectively to the class.

The students are working on the phases of the moon in a familiar setting to prepare them for their culminating project where they will be working with a moon they know nothing about of a different planet’s moon system.

The students will be learning how to work as a group, which can be a difficult task for 8th grade students. They will be able to finish their models, as well as have time to work on their presentation format of their project. I will be supplying the students with a basic overview on what I’m expecting in the class presentations the following day. This combination of explicit instructions and student project time should be the most effective in accomplishing the completion of the poster projects.

The class will be informally assessed as I walk around the class to monitor student groups’ progress. I will be giving out group work evaluations to students at the end of the project so that they can give some feedback as to the dynamics of their group.

Handouts on the presentation requirements. Poster board, pens, colored pencils, glue, string, scissors, markers, different colored pieces of construction paper, circle stencil, glitter glue, pencils, blank paper, masking tape and magic tape. Also, a cassette recorder and some planetary orb props might be necessary for the presentation component, depending on what the students come up with for a presentation idea.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 13: Wednesday

Make sure that everything is set up for student presentations.

Poster Presentations, continued

T.B.D.

Students will have 5 minutes to get together with their groups for any last minute planning. Then students will be presenting for 5-6 minutes to the class their posters and explanations in any creative format that they choose (within reason for the constraints of the class.)

1. Students will present and defend their models to the class. INQUIRY STAGE 5

2. Students will learn to work individually as well as in groups.

3. Students will create an oral and/or written format that will communicate their ideas effectively to the class.

The students are ready and prepared to give a presentation on their posters on the phases of the moon at this point in the instruction. This concludes their in-class activities before the beginning of their culminating project.

I will be a facilitator of the student presentations during this class. For mostly logistical reasons, I will give a fellow student a timer to have the presentations in the time allotted. They will hold up a 1 minute remaining sign and a time’s up sign to help the presenters gauge when their time is coming to an end. I will be using classroom management to keep the other students respectful and quiet when other groups are presenting.

I will be formally scoring their presentations based on a criteria sheet that I have explained to the students. This will be each group’s grade, and there will be an individual score for presentation as well as a group work evaluation score for this poster project.

Also, a cassette recorder and some planetary orb props might be necessary for the presentation component, depending on what the students come up with for a presentation idea. Scoring sheets for student presentations. Group work evaluation sheets will also be needed. Timer, student time cards for 1 minute and time’s up.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 14: Thursday

Culminating project launch

Starry Night project- Researching moons of Jupiter

How do the phases of Jupiter’s moons change?

Students will be assigned into groups to begin research on the Jupiter moon of their choice. They will have to work on their information sheet to collect necessary data on their moon and on Jupiter. They will begin to think about how the phases of the moon would change and over what time period during this class period.

1. Students will collect information necessary to create a model of the phases of their moon. INQUIRY STAGE 1

2. Students will interpret data and scientific writing in their research packets to obtain relevant and concise material for their model.

INQUIRY STAGE 1

Students must first be able to collect relevant scientific information so that they can create a good model of their chosen moon. This is similar to the processes that scientists and researchers go through when conducting a science investigation, so it is an authentic activity.

I will be guiding students through this process, but I want them to struggle a bit with their models. They won’t be spoon-fed all of the information that they need. It is a better learning experience if students are held responsible and accountable for their own research. I will be circulating from group to group to problem solve with the specific research dilemmas.

I will be checking students’ fact sheets on their moons before they can begin to create their models of their moons.

Internet access, research packets on each moon (Ganymede, Callisto, Io, and Europa) and on Jupiter. Books on planetary geology can be checked out from the library and placed on a resource cart. Moon information sheets will be needed.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 15: Friday

Students may need additional research time at the beginning of class.

Starry Night- Creating a model of the phases of the moon

Name the planets of our solar system from outside orbit in toward the sun.

Students will use a variety of evidence to create a model of the phases of the moon of their chosen moon. They will first need to brainstorm several possible kinds of ideas before coming to a consensus based on their research evidence on which way they will model their system. They will then create a model of their moon as a group.

1. Students will provide multiple explanations for phenomenon, and then defend or refute the explanations through using evidence. INQUIRY STAGE 4

2. Students will work in groups to create a model of the phases of a moon as seen from the surface of Jupiter. INQUIRY STAGE 2

The students need to have some discussion in their groups about how they are going to accurately construct a model on their moon. This idea was introduced so that students could be communicating before constructing an original model.

I chose to have students working in small groups so that I could informally assess them more effectively. I plan to address the class to make the day’s objectives clear for the students before letting them work. Student-oriented activities get the students moving and busy, which excites them and makes them enjoy science class. I also plan on allowing for clean up time of materials before dismissal.

I will informally be assessing students to monitor their progress on the development of their model ideas and on the construction of their models.

Internet access, research packets on each moon (Ganymede, Callisto, Io, and Europa) and on Jupiter. Books on planetary geology can be checked out from the library and placed on a resource cart. For the models: Poster board, pens, colored pencils, glue, string, scissors, markers, different colored pieces of construction paper, circle stencil, glitter glue, pencils, blank paper, play-do, cardboard boxes, box cutters, styrofoam balls, coat hangers, masking tape and magic tape.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 16: Monday

Starry Night- Computer simulation and model revisions

Name the moons of Jupiter. Which one has the longest revolution time around the planet?

Students will finish their model rough drafts on paper. Then, we will go as a class to the library to work with the Starry Night program simulation. Students will run the moon phase simulation of their moon as seen from Jupiter. Students will write about how the simulation supported or refuted their original model.

1. Students will work in groups to create a model of the phases of a moon as seen from the surface of Jupiter. INQUIRY STAGE 2

2. Students will provide multiple explanations for the phenomenon, and then will defend or refute the explanations through using evidence and by testing their models. INQUIRY STAGE 3

The students have generated their own ideas about how to construct a model of the moon phases. Now they are ready to examine the current scientific model of the moon to see if it supports or refutes their model.

This lesson has a hard transition, because part of the class is spent in the science classroom working on rough drafts of models and the other part of the class is spent in the library/ computer room. This is because there are no computer resources in my room. As far as instruction goes, I will begin the lesson on how to use the simulation by direct instruction. Then, I will be mostly monitoring small group progress and helping students that are having difficulty with their models or the computer program simulation.

I will be monitoring small groups and their progress on creating their models. I will be moving from computer to computer to help groups with the Starry Night software. I will be collecting their written work on revising their models after using the Starry Night program as part of the culminating project grade.

Starry Night program, computers in the computer lab, Starry Night worksheets on revised models.

For the models: Poster board, pens, colored pencils, glue, string, scissors, markers, different colored pieces of construction paper, circle stencil, glitter glue, pencils, blank paper, play-do, cardboard boxes, box cutters, styrofoam balls, coat hangers, masking tape and magic tape.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 17: Tuesday

Students might need extra time to revise their models before presentations

Starry Night: Revise moon phase models/ Presentations

What moon phase did you seen in the sky last night?

Students will finish revising their models of the moon phases now that they have worked with the Starry Night simulation so that it accurately portrays the moon phases seen of their moon of Jupiter. They will then prepare to present their revised models to the class.

1. Students will revise their models based on the evidence that they have collected from their research and experiences. INQUIRY STAGE 5

2. Students will present their models of the movements and resulting moon phases of their chosen moon for one entire cycle. INQUIRY STAGE 5

Students should be able to critique their original models and create a revised model based on their evidence now that they have completed the computer simulation activity. They will then revise their rough draft of the moon phases to make the finished draft of their models.

I will be guiding students that are having trouble trying to revise their models by giving them some leading questions on the topic. I will be moving from group to group to check on the progress of the construction of the revised models. I will be giving some direct instruction on how the presentations of the models will go the following day to give them some clear ideas on what is expected of them.

I will be grading their revised models based on the criteria that I have set up for the culminating project. I will be collecting their revised poster or 3 dimensional models as evidence of their knowledge. I will be evaluating their group work through self-evaluation and peer evaluation sheets. I will be evaluating their project presentations of their models as a group grade.

Directions on presentation handouts, self evaluation and peer evaluations for group work.

For the models: Poster board, pens, colored pencils, glue, string, scissors, markers, different colored pieces of construction paper, circle stencil, glitter glue, pencils, blank paper, play-do, cardboard boxes, box cutters, styrofoam balls, coat hangers, masking tape and magic tape.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 18: Wednesday

Give students 5 minutes to get prepared in their groups before the presentations begin.

Present moon phase models

T.B.D.

Students will be presenting their moon phase models to the class. They should be presenting their models in 5 minute segments, with a brief 1 minute Q and A section where they have to further answer student questions regarding their models. The other students will be taking notes on each moon of Jupiter in their notebooks.

1. Students will present their models of the movements and resulting moon phases of their chosen moon for one entire cycle. INQUIRY STAGE 5

2. The students will defend their ideas using evidence in front of a panel of students.

This presentation gives students a chance to share their model ideas on their chosen moon in front of the class. They are also well- versed in how their moon phase system works, so they are prepared to answer questions from fellow classmates on the topic.

I will be facilitating the presentations today so that they run smoothly and so that intermission time is trimmed between presentations. I will also be grading student presentations. Most of the strategy will be classroom management oriented to keep the class “on task.” I chose these instructional strategies to allow for the maximum amount of student presentations to occur.

I will be grading their revised models based on the criteria that I have set up for the culminating project. I will be collecting their revised poster or 3 dimensional models as evidence of their knowledge. I will be evaluating their project presentations of their models as a group grade.

Scoring sheets for student presentations. Timer (stopwatch), student time cards for 1 minute and time’s up.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 19: Thursday

There may be a few groups that will still need to present their models.

Unit wrap-up: Science Jeopardy

Stretch and relaxation exercise- for before the competitive science trivia game.

Students will be on teams of four to compete in this fun review activity for the unit exam. Prizes will be given out to the team with the highest score at the end of class. Students will review for their test through this in-class activity.

1. Students will apply their knowledge in a game of skill and speed to review for their test.

2. Students will learn to work effectively in groups as well as individually.

This activity is a fun way for students to review the necessary concepts of the unit to insure them success in the test. It also gets them excited about the material, so that they are encouraged to study at home for the exam.

I really enjoyed playing science trivia games like Biology Bingo and Chemistry Jeopardy when I was in school. My positive teenage memories of those activities prompted me to come up with this activity for my students. It is also more engaging for the students by being in a game format than a lecture review would be.

Evidence of student understanding will be clear from the informal assessment of how the groups answer questions in the science review game. Formal evidence of their understanding of the unit material will be collected from the unit exam.

Pre-made unit trivia questions in jeopardy format, buzzers for each team (optional), dry erase boards for the final round question of jeopardy, dry erase markers, pencils, and scrap paper.

Day/Date

Special notes

Topic

Warm-up

1. What will students do?

2. What are the student learning objectives for this class period?

3. Why is this idea introduced at this time?

4. Why was this instructional strategy chosen?

5. What evidence of student understanding, knowledge or skill will be collected?

6. What special resources will be needed for this lesson?

Day 20: Friday

Unit Exam

Last minute review questions will be answered.

Students will take a 45 minute exam that will include concepts from the entire unit. Most of the test will be in a short answer or essay format where students will display reasoning skills and mastery of the concepts underlying the celestial phenomena.

1. Students will communicate scientific explanations in writing.

2. Students will use evidence to think critically to describe and explain phenomena.

This is the final assessment of student understanding and knowledge on the topics covered for the unit, so it came last in the unit plan.

I chose a short answer and essay test to allow students to explain their reasoning behind their ideas. This format was chosen over a more traditional assessment of multiple choice or true and false, because those kinds of assessment often only test the students’ wrote memorization skills for terms and facts. My exam will ask students to apply what they have learned to new situations, and will include though experiment questions that they will have to reason out to solve.

I will be collecting their unit exams and grading them based on the completeness of their reasoning and their solid understanding of the major concepts covered in this unit.

Unit exams, pencils.

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