Unit:  The Solar System

Lesson 10:  Solar Review

Culminating

Grade:  3

 

 

MST State Standards:

  • Standard 4:  Science

Physical Setting

    1. The Earth and celestial phenomena can be described by principles of relative motion and perspective.

o       1.1a. Natural cycles and patterns include:

ü      Earth spinning around once every 24 hours (rotation), resulting in day and night

ü      Earth moving in a path around the Sun (revolution), resulting in one Earth year

ü      The length of daylight and darkness varying with the seasons

ü      Weather changing from day to day and through the seasons

ü      The appearance of the Moon changing as it moves in a path around Earth to complete a single cycle

o       1.1b. Humans organize time into units based on natural motions of Earth:

ü      Second, minute, hour

ü      Week, month

o       1.1c. The Sun and other stars appear to move in a recognizable pattern both daily and seasonally.

4.      Energy exists in many forms, and when these forms change energy is conserved.

o       4.1a Energy exists in various forms: heat, electric, sound, chemical, mechanical, light.

o       4.1b Energy can be transferred from one place to another.

 

5.      Energy and matter interact through forces that result in changes in motion.

o       5.1a. The position of an object can be described by locating it relative to another object or the background (e.g., on top of, next to, over, under, etc.).

o       5.1c. The force of gravity pulls objects toward the center of Earth.

 

 

Unifying Idea(s) or Dimension(s):

  • Systems
  • Change
  • Cause and Effect
  • Science as Inquiry

 

Objectives:

  • Explain what the solar system is.
  • Name the numerous parts of the solar system.
  • Describe the interaction between celestial bodies.

Aim:

  • You are now leaving the solar system, did you learn a lot?

Materials:

  • ‘I have…Who has…’ game cards
  • Students’ KWL charts from the first lesson

Safety Procedures:

  • No experiment taking place.

Assessment:

  • Students will be assessed based on the completion of the KWL charts, particularly based on what is written in the third column.
  • The teacher will also make an assessment while traveling to each table during the game.  He or she will be able to listen to what students are saying and be able to know what things they do or do not understand.

Procedure (5-E Cycle):

Engage and Explore:

  1. The teacher will begin by explaining to the students that this is the final lesson of our solar system unit, and that we will be reviewing everything we learned.
  2. Today will be fun, and it will also help to prepare for a unit test.
  3. First, we need to make sure we are all prepared to end the unit.  To do so, the teacher will generate a discussion with the students on what they have learned.  “Is there anything that is confused about anything that we have learned?  I will demonstrate anything again.”

Explain:

  1. After the discussion and explanation, students will receive their KWL charts that the teacher had collected and saved from the first day.  They will then complete the final, third, column of the chart.  If needed students can continue onto the back of the paper.
  2. Once these are finished, the teacher will collect them to review.

Expand:

  1. While remaining in their table groups, each table will receive a set of 5 cards in preparation for the ‘I have…Who has…’ game.  Every card will be different.  Once each table has gone through their set of cards, they will rotate the set of cards clockwise around the room to the next table.
  2. This will continue until each table has completed each set.

Evaluate:

  1. During the game the teacher will be walking around to each table, listening to the students to informally assess their knowledge.

 

Key Questions:

  • What was your favorite learning experience?
  • Is there anything that you are still confused about?

 

Adaptations for Special Need & enrichment differentiation:

  • As an extra aid, pictures can be placed on the ‘I have… Who has…’ game cards.  This is helpful for visual learners, as well as any students that may not fully understand some of the definitions.

Follow-up Assignments:

  • Unit test

Reflection and Revision:

  • The lesson with my third grade class went very well.  Students had a lot to write in the third column of the KWL chart.  They also enjoyed the review game.  Some groups, on their own, came up with the idea to switch cards within their own group while they waited for the other tables to finish each round.
  • I have learned that with this particular class of students that we can all be open with each other.  I can ask them if they understand, and they are not afraid to tell me in front of the class that they are confused still.