Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Central Idea: The solar system relates to life on Earth. Proposed duration: 60 hours over 5 weeks
• How does the motion of the Moon and the Earth around the Sun create
the phases of the moon. (causation)
3. How might we know what we have learned? 4. How best might we learn?
This column should be used in conjunction with “How best might we learn?” What are the learning experiences suggested by the teacher and/or students to encourage the
students to engage with the inquiries and address the driving questions?
What are the possible ways of assessing students’ prior knowledge and skills?
Discovery Works, Unit B, Sun, Moon and Earth.
What evidence will we look for?
• B34 Sun Dial; B36 Star Clock; B72 Homemade Eclipses
Pre-assessment: • Draw or recreate the different phases of the moon
• Students draw a picture of what they think the solar system looks like. • Draw or recreate the solar system
• Students draw a mind map of the solar system and/or list anything they • Keep a Moon Journal – draw and write about observations of the moon.
know about the solar system. • Describe and explain about tides, and gravity.
• Brainstorm ideas after watching a video (basics about space from the • Read and record facts about the different planets and other celestial bodies.
library) • Learn about other celestial bodies such as asteroids and comets.
• Students are grouped and named after the planets in the solar system • Complete a table of planet distances and facts.
• Reading: Tommy Tales Parts 1 and 2 Goes to Mars (life on other planets and and
conditions for humans to live there).
• Discuss Science fiction fantasy genres of reading and writing.
• Writing: Read Postcards from Pluto and Magic School Bus Children write a
postcard home, including 2 facts about their planet that they “visited”.
• Writing Prompt: Write a speech for the presentation using a Guided Writing
model.
• Math: Time and Calendar, Geometry (refer to math overview for the year)
• Art: Sketching; Marbleize Paper; Oobleck (cornstarch, water and food coloring)
What are the possible ways of assessing student learning in the context of the • Music: Movement in Direct and Indirect Paths
lines of inquiry? What evidence will we look for? • P.E.: Vocabulary – revolve, rotate, revolution, gravity, paths, orbit, impact,
• Children will keep a Moon Journal and draw and write about their collision
observations of the phases of the moon. • Arabic: The importance of the moon to Islam; the Islamic lunar calendar; name
• Complete a booklet that describes the differences between the planets in the planets and the moon in Arabic.
our Solar System. (a drawing of the planet and at least one fact for each • Moon Journal, (kept) for 1 month or lunar cycle)
planet)
• Vocabulary Test of the Main Bodies in the Solar System. 08/09:
• Write the Speech for the presentation. • Bulletin boards to be completed by students
• Read stories focused on past, present and future of our solar system, make
connections in order to come to some understanding of the journey made by
humankind
• draw what you think space looks like, then research planets, prepare an info
poster using info from Simple Machine unit)
What opportunities will occur for transdisciplinary skills development and for the development of
the attributes of the learner profile?
Inquirers:
Knowledgeable:
5. What resources need to be gathered?
What people, places, audio-visual materials, related literature, music, art, computer software, etc, will be available?
• Cornstarch MUST be ordered for Ooblick. (try Lulu at al Whada or Abella supermarket)
• AISA Library for books and videos about the solar system (see attached list).
• Internet sources and interactive sites i.e. NASA
• Children’s own books to share with the class
• Scott and Foresman Text, Reading A-Z books and Enchanted Learning booklets to be made
• Moon Journals to be made or bought (Science books with 1 page lined to write on and 1 page blank to draw on).
• Materials needed for the children to make and participate in the various activities
• Discovery Works, Unit B, Sun, Moon and Earth.
• Scotts Foreman: Story: Floating house
How will the classroom environment, local environment, and/or the community be used to facilitate the inquiry?
• Word Wall
• Books on display
• Images of the solar system
6. To what extent did we achieve our purpose? 7. To what extent did we include the elements of the PYP?
Assess the outcome of the inquiry by providing evidence of students’ What were the learning experiences that enabled students to:
understanding of the central idea. The reflections of all teachers involved in the
In each case, explain your selection.
planning and teaching of the inquiry should be included. (successful)
• develop an understanding of the concepts identified in “What do we want to
• The response of the students inquiry and presentation showed knowledge
learn?”
of the central idea.