Lesson Overview

1. Context and Learning Environment for this Lesson:

Interns name: Becca Bolerjack School: Village Elementary
Mentor teacher: Sarah Hill Subject: Science, Constellations
Grade level: 5 Tentative date to be taught: March 3, 2017 Time: 8:10-8:40

The setting:
Class Description:
Number of students: 18
Grade level: 5
Numbers by gender: Male 9, Female 9
Numbers by ethnicity:
Caucasian: 8
Hispanic: 8
African American: 1
Other: 1
Identified special needs (list specific needs such as ELL, IEP needs): 6 students have modified
assignments and 4 students are SPED
Other needs that may place a student at risk:
Classroom Physical Setting:
Village Elementary school is located in Emporia, Kansas in Lyon County. The accredited school has a
current enrollment rate of 469 students enrolled. The male to female ratio consists of 54.8% males and
45.2% females. The enrollment rate of males has greatly increased over the rate of enrollment for
females. There are far more males than females in the school than the past few years. The ethnicity
makeup of Village Elementary School consists of 51.39% White, 39.66% Hispanic, 1.49% African
American, and 7.46% other ethnicities. For demographics on ELL (English Language Learners) students,
Village Elementary has 33.91% ELL students and 66.09% non-ELL students. For the school, there are
60.55% of students who are economically disadvantaged and 39.45% of students who are non-
economically disadvantaged. There are 88.74% of students who do not have disabilities and 11.26% of
students who do have disabilities.
This class has 18 students. They sit at desks in groups of 4 (There are 2 groups of 3). There are 5
groups total. There is a Smart Board, ELMO, and a white board in the room. The students each
have a chrome book.

Materials
For the teacher:
Smart board
Smart board doc
Tape
Interactive Star Map
Constellation Location: Crash Course Kids #31.2 video
Pictures of Constellations
For the student(s):
Science notebook
Exit Slip
Pencil
2. Lesson Goals, Outcomes, Objectives:
2.1 Instructional Objectives: -
The student will be able to describe constellations and their seasonal appearances in writing on
an exit slip with 3 out of 3 for mastery.
2.2 Relevant local district/state/common core standard(s) - (ksde.org)
5-ESS1-2: Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and
direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
ESS1.B: The orbits of the Earth around the sun and of the moon around the Earth, together with
the rotation of Earth about an axis between its North and South poles, cause observable patterns.
These include day and night; daily changes in the length and directions of shadows; and different
positions of the sun, moon, and stars at different times of the day, month, and year.

3. Assessment:
I will know the students can describe constellations and their seasonal appearances when they
write accurate descriptions on an exit slip with 3 out of 3 mastery.

1/3 2/3 3/3

The student answered one The student answered two The student answered three
question correctly on the exit questions correctly on the exit questions correctly on the exit
slip. slip. slip.

Exit Slip questions:

1. What is a constellation?

2. Do the constellations appear to move throughout the year? Why?

3. How does the Earth revolving around the sun impact people on Earth?

4. Adaptations:
4.1 Gearing down
To gear down the lesson for all students to understand, the students will be getting up and
represent the Earth revolving around the sun. This will be an interactive visual for all students to
see how when the Earth revolves around the sun, the constellations we can see change during
different seasons.

Gearing up
To gear up the lesson, I will ask students What do you think the purpose of naming
constellations was? after we cover what a constellation is. I will also ask the students Why
does it look like the stars are moving? Are they actually moving? at the end of the lesson. They
should reply by saying The stars look like they are moving, however they are not actually
moving. The stars look like they are moving because the Earth is moving.
5. Integration:
Across: Writing is integrated with science when the students write descriptions of constellations
and their seasonal appearances on an exit slip.
Within: Applications of science is integrated with Earth and space science when they students
problem solve to discover that stars appear to move throughout the night and year and why this
happens.

6. References/Resources Used:
www.oxforddictionaries.com
https://neave.com/planetarium/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbzCA0Lgf3Y

7. Instructional Design Teaching Plan

7.1 Introduction
a. Anticipatory Set
The students will discuss with their group what they know about the Earths revolution
around the sun. Students will share out what they discussed.
Then, I will ask students What is a constellation?. Students will share what they
think.
b. Communication of Objectives:
Todays objective is I can describe constellations and their seasonal appearances.
First, we will review what we know about the Earths revolution around the sun. Then,
we will discuss what a constellation is. Next, we are going to get up and imagine we are
the Earth at different times of the years to see different stars. We will also look at an
interactive star map to see what stars we can see at different times of the year. Then, we
will review what we have learned by watching a video. Lastly, we will complete an exit
slip writing what we know about constellations and their seasonal appearances.

*7.2. Input
Before this lesson, the student will need to know that the Earth rotates on an axis daily and
that it revolves around the sun every year. We will review this at the beginning of the
lesson in table groups and share out what we know. I will tell the students Talk with your
group about what you know about the Earth rotating. I will have students share out. I
expect them to say the Earth rotates every day. If they do not say this, I will ask How
often does the Earth rotate? and expect someone to say every day. On the white board,
I will draw a circle with a vertical line through the middle. I will say The Earth is on an
axis and rotates around this axis every day. This is why we have day and night.
I will then tell the students Talk with your group about what you know about the Earth
revolving around the sun. I will have the students share out and expect them to say The
Earth revolves around the sun every year. If students do not share this I will ask How
long does it take for the Earth to revolve around the sun and expect them to answer with
one year. On the white board, I will draw a circle representing the sun and a circle
representing the Earth. I will draw arrows showing that the Earth revolves around the sun.
I will say The Earth revolves around the sun once every year. This also gives us seasons.

*7.3 Modeling
I will model what a constellation is by giving the students the definition and examples of
constellations.
I will I will have motions for what a constellation is and say A constellation is a group of
stars that is named after the shape the stars create.
I will have motions and say As the Earth moves around the sun, the stars stay where they
are. Since the Earth is moving, the stars look like they are moving.
This is important for students to understand because from the Earth it appears as though
the stars are moving. Many may believe that the stars are moving because we cannot feel
the Earth moving every day and every year. Once the students understand that the Earth is
moving they can see the effects that this has for us on Earth, that the stars appear to move.
For both of these, I will do mirror/teach and have the students redo the saying and motions
to each other. During this time I will be walking around the room to ensure that students
have the correct understanding of these concepts.
The students will write both of the concepts in their science notebook.

I will model, with an interactive star map, that stars appear to move throughout the night
and throughout the year by looking in one direction at different times throughout a night
and different days throughout the year.

*7.4 Guided Practice

In groups, the students will stand in different locations around the room. The middle of the
room will represent the sun. The four locations around the room will represent summer,
fall, winter, and spring. The students will stand at their locations facing away from the
sun (since stars can be seen at night time). Group 1 will be at spring, Group 2 will be at
summer, Group 3 will be at autumn, and Group 4 will be at winter. There will be different
constellations posted at each location. I will say Each group represents the Earth at a
season. The middle of the room represents to sun. Groups will face the wall to look at
constellations. This is because if you were facing the sun, it would be day and you could
not see the stars. Look at the stars at your season. The students will then rotate to the next
season (spring to summer, summer to autumn, autumn to winter, and winter to spring). At
each location, the students will observe the constellations that are on the wall in their
view. I will tell students Talk with your group about the constellations you see on your
wall.. The students will rotate through each location. Once students are at their last
rotation and have discussed what constellations they have, I will ask Group 1 What
constellations can you see?, then I will ask Group 2. I will ask Are these the same
constellations? (no). Then, I will ask Group 3 What constellations can you see? and
ask Group 3 Can you see these constellations while looking at your season? (no).
I will say So during different seasons we cannot see the same constellations.
I will ask Why do you think this happen? and expect someone to say because the Earth
is moving around the sun. I will ask Are the stars moving? (no) and Is the Earth
moving? (yes).
I will explain once again that since the stars are staying still but the Earth is moving, it
looks like the stars move. This impacts us on Earth by being able to see different
constellations at different times of the year.

Groups:
1: Table Group 1 and A
 2: Table Group 2 and M
3: Table Group 3 and C
4: Table Group 5

*7.5 Checks for Understanding

To check for understanding I will ask questions such as What is a constellation? after
modeling constellations. During the guided practice and modeling with the interactive star
map I will ask questions such as, How do stars appear during this season?, How do
they look compared to this season?, Why do the stars appear to be moving?, and How
does this impact people on Earth?
I will have motions for what a constellation is and say A constellation is a group of stars
that is named after the shape the stars create.
I will have motions and say As the Earth moves around the sun, the stars stay where they
are. Since the Earth is moving, the stars look like they are moving
For both of these, I will do mirror/teach and have the students redo the saying and motions
to each other. During this time, I will be walking around the room to ensure that students
have the correct understanding of these concepts.

7.6 Independent Practice/Assignment

The students will complete an independent practice exit slip at the end of the lesson. The
exit slip will have 3 questions on it, each worth one point.

ESS 1-2: Constellations Exit Slip Name:___________________

4. What is a constellation?

5. Do the constellations appear to move throughout the year? Why?

6. How does the Earth revolving around the sun impact people on Earth?

7.7. Closure, wrap-up

To wrap up the lesson and review, we will be watching the YouTube video Constellation
Location: Crash Course Kids #31.2. This video summarizes the concepts that we covered
throughout the lesson of what a constellation is and how they appear to move throughout the year
based on the Earths point of rotation around the sun (or the season).