Moon

Name: Chelsea Alley

Grade Level:

3rd

Lesson Length: 45 min.

What Taught (Information for the Teacher)

Learning Objective and Performance of Understanding:
By the end of this 45-minute lesson, students will be able to demonstrate the difference between the earth/moon
rotation and revolution through physical movement. Students will also be able to differentiate between axial and
locomotor movement.
Utah Core Science Standard 1:
Objective 2: Describe the movement of Earth and the moon and the apparent movement of other bodies in the sky.
a. Describe the motions of Earth (i.e. the rotation [spinning] of Earth on its axis, the revolution [orbit] of Earth around the
sun)
b. Show that the moon orbits Earth approximately every 28 days.

How Evaluated (Information given to Students)

Learning Targets:
I can distinguish between axial and locomotor movement.
I can clearly show the difference between revolution and rotation.

How Taught
Warm Up (5 minutes)
Dance Map on board follow pathways with interesting movement choices. Return to stairs and watch peers finish.
EXPERIENCE/IDENTIFY
(12 minutes)

Instructional Strategies
Turn to your partner and see if you can remember
the definition of Axial movement (any kind of
movement that can be done without traveling
through the space.) Why do I use a globe to help
us remember the word Axial? (Look at the prefix
can you think of another word that has that same
beginning?) When we think of Axial movement,
we should think of an axis (an imaginary line
around which something rotates) Imagine your
axis as you explore movement that can be done
even if your axis was glued to the ground. You
have 10 beats of the drum to go out in the space
and find your very own place. It cannot be close
enough to anyone else that you can touch them.
When you hear the music, try any kind of Axial
movement you can think of.
Find someone spinning or turning and
prompt the entire class to try Axial turns. Remind
students of the trick that will get them un-dizzy.

Student Formation and Task

Sitting in a close, but not
touching, group.

If you remember what Locomotor movement is,

but your hand on your head. Locomotor
movement does travel. It has to move from Point
A to Point B it can be pretty much anything, but
it has to move through the space and create a floor
pathway, not just a floor dot (use whiteboard to
demonstrate).. Label this spot Point A. Now ask
them to try locomotor movement that travels in a
huge circle and ends up back at the exact same
Point A.

Close but not touching group,

seated.

Stand up, spread out and explore

AXIAL movement.

Have students line up on one side

of the room. They are starting at
Point A and the other side of the
room is Point B. They can try

anything they want (within safety

and reason) to get across the
space. Send them across a few at
a time. Send students back out to
their original personal space
spots label this the new Point
A.

EXPLORE/INVESTIGATE
(12 minutes)

Ask the students what the earth does once each

day. It rotates on its invisible axis. Is this
movement locomotor or axial? (Axial.)
Think through what you just did. How many of
you turned to the right, towards your right
shoulder? What kind of circle do we call this?
(clockwise) Did anyone turn to the left, toward
their left shoulder? What kind of circle is this
called? (counter-clockwise.)

What does the Earth do once every year in

relation to the sun? It revolves.
Is this movement axial or locomotor?
Whose revolution was clockwise? Whose was
counter-clockwise? Which way does the Earth
revolve around the sun? Counter-clockwise!

Now, students must do locomotor

movement that travels in a huge
circle and ends up back at the
exact same Point A.
Seated, at whiteboard.
When students hear the snap,
they must stand up, turn in place
and sit right back down.

Students again listen for the

snap, but this time, they must all
complete a counter-clockwise, or
left, turn.
Stand up, take five steps away
from everyone around you and
show me a small revolution.
(Locomotor beginning and
ending at Point A)
Repeat a counter-clockwise
revolution.
Students spread out even more.
They must try a counterclockwise revolution while also
rotating counter-clockwise.

If you think the moon rotates, hold up your right

hand. If you think it revolves, hold up your left
hand. Both hands should be up! It rotates on its
axis and it revolves around the earth. Can you
guess in which direction it does these movements?
Counter-clockwise!
Now the moons rotation and revolution is on
different timing than the Earths. If you were on
the moon, how long would your day be? How
long would your year be? About 28 days for both.
A year and a day are the same there! We always
see the same side of the moon because the moon

Whiteboard, seated.

is rotating much slower than Earth is and because

it is also revolving around earth at the same time.

So we have the moon, which is rotating counterclockwise as it revolves counter-clockwise around

the Earth, which is also rotating counter-clockwise
as IT revolves counter-clockwise around the Sun!
Now if you want to get really crazy, the Sun
ALSO rotates counterclockwise as it revolves
around the galaxy counterclockwise!

CREATE/PERFORM
(10 minutes)

You will begin creating a solo that has both axial

rotation and locomotor revolution in it. This dance
will be based on your musigraph from last class.
Look at your musigraph and decide where you
want to put your rotation and revolution.

CONNECT/ANALYZE
(5 minutes)

Possible Questions:
Do you enjoy axial or locomotor
movement more?
What is the difference between
revolution and rotation?
Can you think of anything else that
rotates?
Anything else that revolves?
What direction do you think the other
planets rotate in?

If time may need to wait until

next week to discuss during
choreography day, or use these
as journal prompts for later
reflection

Have students try this with their

hands. The thumbnail of one is
the side of the moon that we
always see. Make it rotate and
revolve around your other hand,
so the thumbnail is always facing
their other hand.

Students stand up and find a

partner. The taller partner starts
as the Earth and does only Axial
rotation. The shorter partner is
the moon and must revolve
around their Earth while rotating
as such a pace that their face is
always towards their Earth.
Switch roles.
Students work throughout the
space.

Accommodations
Write new words/symbols/concepts on board as well as have students repeat them verbally. Have students review the
word by moving. Demonstrate movement physically and verbally. If needed, an injured or otherwise inhibited student
may use a chair.
Resources
Music and speakers; drum or other signal; Whiteboard
Teacher Reflection
Step 1: Instruction and management
What went well?

Step 2: Student Learning

Did the students meet the objective?

What should be improved?

How do you know?