Gwynedd-Mercy College

School of Education
The Phases of the Moon

Name: Deborah Givens

Date: November 10, 2010

School: Gwynedd-Mercy College

Grade/Topic: 2nd/ Science

Standard:
PA Academic Standards for Science
3.1 Unifying Themes
PA Academic Standards for Approaches to Learning
AL 2 Demonstrate Engagement and Persistence
PA Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
1.6 Speaking and Listening
Performance Expectation: The students will review and learn about the moon and its
phases by physical observations and classroom discussions. The students will listen to
identify and learn the related vocabulary and concepts. Students will identify observable
patterns that occur in nature, such as the phases of the moon. The students will follow
through and complete the project of charting the moons phases at home and will share
their findings.
I.

Planning and Preparation:

1. Briefly describe the students in your class, including those with special needs,
explain how you will meet the needs of all learners.
The second grade class contains twenty-one students, no IEPs have been
issued. Students will be evaluated and assessed to ensure their proper
level of engagement and inclusion. Adjustments to the lesson will be
provided if necessary.

2. What are your expectations for this lesson? What do you want students to
learn and be able to do with the knowledge?
1

Students will understand the Earth orbits the Sun and the Moon orbits the
Earth. They will learn the same side of the moon always faces the Earth
due to the synchronous rotation. They will learn the moon may appear to
change its shape, but this is only due to the different visual angles.
Students will learn the different phases of the moon and will follow the
repetitive monthly pattern. Students will share their findings from their
home observations and compare them with the graphic illustration. .

3. Why are these expectations suitable for this group of students?

Expansion: All the children are able to participate in the observation
project. Children will create and demonstrate various phases of the moon
in their art project.
Equalization: Students may participate in the classroom discussion or may
listen and observe. The art project will be modeled and they may follow
other students around them.
Progressive-Challenges: Students can create four moon phases in their art
project, or they may challenge themselves by creating all eight phases.
Interactive-Challenge: Children often learn by example and help one
another by modeling and observing each other.
4. How do these expectations support the school districts curriculum, state
standards, and content standards?
PA Academic Standards for Science
Standard 3.1.C states students should illustrate patterns tat
regularly occur and reoccur in nature. Students should identify
observable patterns that occur in nature.
PA Academic Standards for Approaches to Learning
Standard AL 2 states students should demonstrate ability to
complete a variety of tasks, activities, projects and experiences.
PA Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
Standard 1.6 states students should apply listening and
speaking strategies effectively.
5. Explain the psychological principles/theories you used in construction of this
lesson.

I chose Albert Banduras theory of Social Cognitive Modeling, as he

believed children learn from modeling the behavior of others. Areas of
learning include 1. Attention 2. Retention 3. Motor Reproduction and 4.
Motivation. Students will need to focus and direct their attention when
they listen to the description of each phase of the moon. Students will
need to process and retain the information gathered and use this
information when reproducing these phases during their art project. They
will be motivated to complete the project, as they will get to snack on the
remains.
I.

Classroom Environment:
6. Describe the effective classroom routines and procedures resulting in little or
no loss of instructional time.
Posters would be hung and the graph of the moon would be displayed.
Art project supplies would be gathered together and arranged for
distribution prior to the lesson.
Cookies would be sorted (four to a bag) into Baggies for the number of
students participating. Eight circles would be drawn on the plates (or on a
worksheet) with the shapes pre-drawn and labeled with a B for
identifying the black areas to be colored by students. A completed model
would be posted for reference. A laminated chart would be available for
each table group, so they may label their moon phases.
Rules for classroom behavior will be previously displayed and will be
reviewed prior to the lesson.
Children would sit and listen to a brief review and lesson about the phases
of the moon. Parts of three stories will be shared with the students where
they will learn the related vocabulary.
Students will move to their desks where they will complete a short art
project.

7. Identify what you will do to set clear standards of conduct and behavior
management of student behavior.

Listen carefully to the instructions

Raise your hand to ask a question
Be quiet when someone is speaking
Keep your hands and feet to yourself

If any behavioral issue arises, the student will receive only one warning.
If the student must be removed from the activity, they will need to sit
quietly and observe the other students. Once they regain their composure
they may be allowed back to the activity.
8. Identify what you will do to establish expectations for student achievement.
I will explain the rules of conduct to the children and then begin the
lesson. A poster will illustrate the phases of the moon and will be used
during the presentation and will remain for students to reference. Students
will be asked to focus, participate and share their observations of the moon
phases with the class.

II.

Instruction:

9. What will you do to motivate the students?

I will bring in a musical cd that will have lunar type music. We will
review the moon phases they have been observing and I will read passages
from three books about this topic to reinforce the vocabulary and related
information. I will ask them to listen closely to the story and see if they
have observed any of the moon phases. I will announce our yummy art
project, where they can create their own lunar phase cookies.

10. What will you do to activate prior knowledge?

We will discuss the effects of weather on people and our environment.
Questions will initiate review of prior related material such as:
Knowledge: Does the moon generate light?
-The moon reflects the light from the sun
Knowledge: Do you think the moon revolves around the earth or the
sun?
-The moon revolves around the earth.
Knowledge: Do we see both sides of the moon?
-No, we only see one side
Knowledge: Do you see a pattern? Do the phases repeat? How often?
-The pattern repeats every 29.5 days
11. How do you plan to engage students in the content? What will you do? What
will your students do?
I will read from three books, The Phases of the Moon by Suzanne Slade,
The Lunar Cycle: Phases of the Moon by Genevieve OMara, and Comets,
Stars, the Moon, and Mars, by Douglas Florian. We will discuss the
phases of the moon in the books and will have a short related discussion.
Students will answer questions and will share their lunar observations
during our discussion. Students will listen to instructions for the art
project and will then complete the project at their own comfort level.
-During the lesson the following material will be needed:
-Poster of classroom rules
-Phases of the Moon Chart
-Book The Phases of the Moon by Suzanne Slade
-Book Comets, Stars, the Moon and Mars by Douglas Florian
-Book The Lunar Cycle: Phases of the Moon by Genevieve OMara
-Book Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars by Douglas Florian
-Baseball for illustration
-100 Vanilla Wafers
-21 paper plates
-Crayons
-To begin the lesson I will:

-Gather the students to the circle time area for a short lesson about the
phases of the moon.
-Read parts of the book, The Phases of the Moon and a page from the
book, Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars allowing time for questions or
comments.
-Review knowledge questions to ensure the students understand the
information presented.
-Introducing the art project:
-I will introduce the project by explaining they will create their own
phases of the moon with cookies. I will model the steps needed to
complete their project. They will then be allowed to complete the project
to their own comfort level by either completing four moon phases or all
eight phases.
-Closure:
-I will review the topics and related questions (from section #10).
Students will
This will end the lesson. (Re: Closure #15).

12. Describe the use of questioning and discussion strategies that will encourage
students to participate in class.
-Students will access their prior knowledge base while listening to the
story.
-Questions will be asked using Blooms Taxonomy levels, allowing for
different levels of cognitive thinking (see question #10).
-Students will share their prior knowledge and ideas within the group.
- Students will be asked to remember the phases of the moon, as they will
be exploring this further with their weekly observations.

13. What difficulties do students typically experience in this area, and how do you
plan to adapt/modify to meet their needs?
The students will be asked to listen closely and to focus on the information
presented. They will need to show restraint while working on their art
project, not to eat the cookies! (I will have extra cookies). They will be
reminded to observe the phase chart if they forget the phases and also to
observe their peers if the feel lost or unsure of just what to do. I will be
happy to answer questions and to help if needed.

14. Identify what informal and/or formal assessments you will use to monitor
student learning.
I will observe the behaviors of each student while conducting the lesson to
informally assess each of them. Their response to knowledge-based
questions may indicate weak areas in need of attention and also may show
areas of strength, allowing for future curriculum planning.
Formal assessment will be produced by the creation of their artwork, as
they create their lunar cookies. I will check each student's work before
they eat their snack.
What will you do to bring closure to the lesson?
See Closure in question #11.