Author: Gayles E. Evans
e-mail gevans@csu.edu
|
Theme: Exploring the Solar System |
Broad Concept: Survival |
Grades: 7-8
Integrated Subjects
Language Arts
Art
Science
Unit Goals: As a result of studying this unit, students will become knowledgeable about the nine planets and where they are located in our solar systems. Through their understanding, students will develop an appreciation of the importance of the solar system in their lives.
Time Frame: 2 weeks
Objectives:
- Students will demonstrate the ability to use a variety of online searching tools to locate information about the solar system.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to identify and locate the nine planets in the solar system.
- Students will become familiar with different types of planet surfaces.
- Students will become familiar with the rotation of the solar system.
- Students will become familiar with a variety of print resources relating to the solar system.
Materials:
Computers
Internet NASA program
Internet Model of Planets
On-line Reference Books
Videos
Microsoft Word Journal
KidPix software program
Art
and Poetry Software
State Standards Addressed
by This Unit:
Language Arts
Illinois
State Goal 1 Read with understanding and fluency
State Goal 3 Write to communicate for a variety of purposes
State Goal 4 Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations
Content Standard
2K Select and use a wide range of instructional resources and
technologies to support reading, writing, and research
Science
State Goal 12 Have a working knowledge of the fundamental concepts and principles
of the life, physical, and earth/space sciences and their connections.
Earth and Space Science
3A Understand the physical and chemical atmospheric and geologic
characteristics and orbit factors of the sun and its planets
3 C Understand the scientific basis for understanding various atmospheric
solar, and celestial phenomena, such as eclipses, seasons, phases,
apparent motion of objects, auroras, etc.
Library Information Specialist
2A Teaches and directs students and staff use of information resources
available within the library resource area, to include print, non-print
electronic retrieval storage systems, the Internet, on-line databases,
and access to the local and regional library collection holdings for
possible inter-library loan requests
Technology
NETS S-1
NETS-1-A Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature an operations of technology systems
NETS-S-3.A Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
NETS-S-5.B Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
Student and Teacher
Activities:
Teacher will act as a facilitator to promote engaged learning
Teacher Strategies
Lesson 1
The teacher will develop and provide handouts for the students relating to the assignments on the historical development of the solar system
The teacher will group the students in groups of 4 by using an alternate number process. Each student will count off by four. All of the ones will be one group, all of the two’s will be the second group, all of the threes will be one group, and all of the fours will be one group.
The teacher will play portions of the CD-Rom the “The planets”. The group will discuss the CD-Rom.
Lesson 2
The teacher will develop a handout to distribute to the students to do research using On-line resources NASA relating to the PLANETS to find out information on the solar system and why and how the planets received their names.
Lesson 3
The students will be grouped by using selected birthday months in four groups. All of the students born in the months of January through March will be group one, April to June will be group two, August to September will be group three, and October to December will be group four.
The teacher will direct students to write in their journal their findings about an assigned planet using Microsoft Word on the following: Size, atmosphere, distance from earth, and number of moons
Student will be guided in an oral discussion comparing their selected planets on the new discoveries. The teacher will show the students Web Quest sites relating to the solar system.
Lesson 4
The teacher will provide NASA’s web address so students individually will engage in communication with an individual in NASA.
The teacher will act as a guide to make sure the conversations are logical and related to the topic of finding out more information on their assigned planet.
Lesson 5
The teacher will act as a guide to lead students in a discussion on issues relating to how
technology can assist scientist on tracking old and new moons.
Lesson 6
Teacher will show a video about the nine planets.
Teacher will ask the question, “ How do you locate the planets in the solar system?”
The teacher will ask the students how do the planets as it relates to the rotation and the
effects on the solar system.
Lesson 7
Teacher have students record in their journals their findings on the planets. Teacher will
have students create different designs in their journals.
Lesson 8
Teacher will guide students into websites of different forms poetry. The teacher will install Art and Poetry software.
Lesson 9
The teacher will assist students in the design of their KidPix presentation based on print and on-line research. The teacher will provide a rubric for the evaluation of the project. Students will use the information obtained to write a 5 page reports in a journal in Microsoft word and create a five-slide presentation in KidPix.
Lesson 10
The teacher will act as a facilitator and guide to assist students in publishing their
creative design of their journal entries on the planets, the poetry, and their Kid Pix
presentations. The teacher will ask the library media specialist if the presentations can be
cataloged and put On-line in the school library media center.
Student Activities
Lesson 1
SA: The students will write in their journal how the CD-Rom selections of “The
Planets” changed their mood. Students will discuss the composition in their group:
Is the composition joyful, sad, represent war, or peace?
Lesson 2
SA: Students will search a virtual library for a 30-minute research using the Internet
and print resources to find out information about the planets and how they were
named.
Lesson 3
SA: Student will discuss in groups using e-mail about: the similar and different things about their selected planets in the following:
Size, atmosphere, distance from earth, and number of moons.
Students will watch a Web Quest presentation about the solar system and record
information in their journal using Microsoft Word. In their group the students
will evaluate the Web Quest site for the following issues: color, font, text,
assignment, and assessment.
Lesson 4
SA: The students will e-mail a scientist in NASA five questions relating to their planet.
Student will be asked to compare their selected planets in the following:
Size, atmosphere, distance from earth, and number of moons
Lesson 5
SA: Students will respond to the instructor and their classmates in class by using e-
mail in a list-serve about the rotation of the planets. The students will provide
three URL addresses in the e-mail message.
Lesson 6
SA: Students will record their findings in their journal using Microsoft Word. The
students will use different colors of the letters, fonts, font sizes, and pictures
relating to the planet using Clip Art and the Internet.
Lesson 7
SA: Students in their group will critique each other’s journal and make
suggestions about grammatical errors. The students will
return to their individual writing and they will use the computers’
spell check and make the necessary corrections.
Students will create art designs using Clip Art or the Internet.
Lesson 8
SA Students will individually create on Microsoft Word a five-line poem about the
selected planet. The poem can be a concrete, haiku, shape poem, or lyric.
Student will use the software program Art and Poetry.
Lesson 9
SA: Students will create in their group a model of their planets using KidPix.
Students will alternate using the KidPix Program to design each planet and the
surrounding moons
Students will design a 5-slide presentation using KidPix on an assigned planet.
Each student will give an oral presentation on his or her assigned planet.
Lesson 10
SA: Students will print their creative journal entries and the KidPix
presentation. The documents will be published and place in the school
library media center.
Ideas:
Students will design a presentation using KidPix on a planet.
Students will use the Internet to research authentic information on the planets
Assessment:
RUBRIC
KidPix PRESENTATION
Criteria
Student will create five slides in KidPix on the
selected planet.
Slide one will be your name, the planet name, and date.
Slide two must provide information on name of the planet.
Slide two will include five lines of information about the planet.
Slide two must have a picture of the planet.
Slide three must have a picture and the name of the closest planet.
Slide four must have a picture and name of the fastest planet
Slide five must have your bibliography
of where you found the information
5 POINTS
Purpose:
Addresses nine of the central theme of the selected planet
Mechanically free of errors
Construction
Excellent choice of background
Excellent choice of sound
Excellent choice of font
Slides will be shown in order of presentation
Well organized
Extremely creative
2 Points
Purpose:
Addresses five of the central theme of the selected planet
Relatively free of mechanical errors
Construction
Good choice of background
Good choice of sound
Good choice of font
Slides shown in order of presentation
Some what organized
Some what creative
1 Point
Purpose
Addresses only two central themes of the selected planet
Poor mechanics
Construction
Poor choice of background
Poor choice of sound
Poor choice of font
Slides not shown in order of presentation
Not organized
Not creative
0 Point
Did not complete the Kidpix presentation
Journal Rubric
4 points
1.Students will address all four of
the central themes on the assigned planet
Name of the planet, size, moons, distance from earth
2. No grammatical errors
3. Student will have a variety of five different colors, size of letters, different fonts, different font sizes, and pictures from Clip Art and/or the Internet.
3 points
1. Students will address three of the central themes
2. Students will have some grammatical errors
3. Students will have three different colors, size of letters, three font sizes, and three clip art pictures
2 points
1. Students will address two of the central themes
2. Students will have several grammatical errors
3. Students will have two different colors, size of letters, three font sizes, and three clip art pictures
1 point
1. Students will address one of the central themes
2. Students will have many grammatical errors
3. Students will have one different colors, size of letters, one-font sizes, and two clip art pictures
0 point
Student did not complete
the assignment
Poem
3 points
1, Student will create five-line poem about their selected planet
The poem can be a concrete, haiku, shape poem or a lyric poem
2, Student will use Clip Art or the Internet to include Art
2 points
1, Student will create a four-line poem about their selected planet
The poem can be a concrete, haiku, shape poem or a lyric poem
2, Student will use Clip Art or the Internet to include Art
1 point
1, Student will create a two-line poem about their selected planet
The poem that is not a concrete, haiku, shape poem or a lyric poem
2, Student will not use Clip Art or the Internet to include Art
0 point
Student will not complete the assignment
NASA e-Mail Assignment Rubric
3 points
Student will e-mail
NASA the following five questions relating to their assigned planet:
Name of the planet, size, moons, distance from earth, technology benefits of tracking planet’s moons.
2 points
Student will e-mail
NASA and ask less than three of following five questions relating to their
assigned planet:
Name of the planet, size, moons, distance from earth, technology benefits of tracking planet’s moons.
1 point
Student will e-mail
NASA and ask less than two the following five questions relating to their
assigned planet:
Name of the planet, size, moons, distance from earth, technology benefits of tracking planet’s moons.
0 point
Student will not complete
the e-mail assignment.
Instructor and Classmate list-serve
3 points
Student will use a list-serve to provide
classmates and instructor three URL addresses relating to their selected
planet rotation information.
2 points
Student will use a list serve to provide
classmates and instructor two URL addresses relating to their selected planet
rotation information.
1 point
Student will use a list serve to provide classmates and instructor one or less URL addresses relating to their selected planet rotation information.
0 point
Student will not complete the assignment
Word List
Sun
Moon
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Planets
Asteroids
Comets
Gravity
Rotate
Orbit
Space
Revolution
Reference
Fradin, D. B. (1997). The planet hunters: The search for other worlds. New York:
Margaret K. McElderry Books.
Greeley, R. (1997). The NASA Atlas of the solar system. New York: Cambridge
University Press.
McGraw-Hill. (2000). Encyclopedia of science and technology. New York
McGraw Hill.
Word Book Encyclopedia. (2003). Chicago: Word Book Encyclopedia
Bibliography
Books
Cadigan, P. (2002). Lost in space promised land.
Engdaht, S. (1994). Space
and human survival: My view on the importance of colonizing
space.
Ethier, B (2002). Fly
me to the mood lost in space with the mercury generation.
Fowler, A. (1992). The
Sun’s family of planets. Chicago: Childrens Press.
Morrison, D. (1993). Exploring planetary worlds. New York: Scientific American
Library
NASA Liftoff to Learning (2002). {Video Series}. NASA’s Educational Division
National Geographic, (1996). Orbit: NASA Astronauts photograph the earth. National
Geographic
National Geographic, (1998). Discover Mars.
Seymour,S. (1992). Our solar system. New York: Morrow Junior Books
Web Sites
History of Space Flight. (?) [On-line]
Available: http://mirkwood,ocs.indiana.edu/space/space.htm
Laughlin, (?). (1998). Do you have the right stuff: A trip to NASA [On-line] Available:
http://www. Bersiu.k12pa.us/webquest/Laughlin/index.htm
Marshall Space Flight Center.(?).
NASA Kids: Space Science-Pioneers and Astronauts)
[On-line}.Available: http://kids.msfc.nasa,gov/Pioneers
Marshall Space Flight Center
(?). NASA Kids: Space Science/Stars. [On-line].
Available: http//kids. Msfc.nasa.gov/Space/Stars
National Geographic.(?).DestinationSpace..[On-line].
Available: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/destinationspace/ Star Journey:
Hubble Images and A Star Map
NASA. (2002). The Planets.
[On-line]. Available: http://solarsystem.NASA.gov/planet
NASA. (2002). Planets. [On-line]. Available:http://teachspacescience.stsci.edu.cgi