The Space Case
Chad Weinfurter and Jon Albee
Lesson: THE BEGINNING OF
THE SPACE CASE: an introductory lesson using several astronomy learning
stations.
Lesson: STARS AND THE STORY BEHIND THEM: a lesson in
which the students learn about stars and constellations of the solar system.
Lesson: ASTRONOMERS IN ACTION: a lesson in which the
students learn about astronomers and the tools involved.
Lesson: THROUGH A SPACE DWEEB'S EYES: a lesson designed
to get to know people related to astronomy or space exploration.
Lesson: MOON MANIACS: a lesson giving students facts
about the moon.
Lesson: ALIEN INVESTIGATION: this lesson is a research
project about the planets of our solar system.
Lesson: BRINGING THE SOLAR SYSTEM TO LIFE: helps the
students to understand the idea of rotation and revolution as well as the orbits of the
planets.
Culminating Assessment: Create and explain a solar system
Bibliography (annotated)
Lesson 1: The Beginning of the
Space Case
Grade Level: 5th
Rationale:
The purpose of this lesson is to get the students excited to learn about
astronomy. I feel that this introductory lesson will help develop a good attitude about
learning astronomy. By giving them bits and pieces of information , we hope to trigger
their imagination and have them drooling for more information.
Objective/ILO's:
1. To peak the students interest about learning things in astronomy.
2. To introduce the nine planets of our solar system as well as stars,
moon, astronauts, astronomers and the space shuttle.
3. To introduce some astronomy vocabulary and minor astronomy concepts to
the students.
Materials:
Model rockets, stars to put up in the room, model of the solar system,
"moon dust," "moon rock," video such as Star Wars, cartoon
with Marvin the Martian, several books about astronomy (text and picture books), rocks,
sand, flour, cardboard rocket
Procedure:
The students will walk in the door which will be decorated in the form
of a space shuttle or rocket. Once they enter the room they will be told that there is a
special message for them from the government. A video will be played telling them that
they have all been recruited to do research for the government. This study is very
important to the United States of America, so these students, if they accept the mission,
must conduct a thorough, well thought out study of astronomy. (Step 1-10 min.)
The teacher will welcome the students to the classroom and begin by
showing the video from the government agent about the space study. Once that is done the
teacher will explain the stations to the students and tell them what is expected at each
station. During the stations the teacher will be a facilitator and float around the room
to spark interest or answer some questions. At the end of the lesson the teacher will
begin a group discussion about the days events and the future events the students will
encounter. (Step 2-Introduction - 15-20 min)
There will be a moon station, rocket or space ship station, video
station, planet station, star station and an astronomer station. Each station will consist
of one to three activities in which the students can participate. These stations are not
to give the students too much information, but to get them to want to learn more. (Each
student must visit each station).
STATION 1: The moon station will consist of "moon rocks,"
"moon dust," and crater makers. At this station the students will study what
they think moon rocks or moon dust looks like and feels like. Then they will have a chance
to create a crater using flour in a pie tin and dropping rocks in it. They will be asked
to write keep a log of the information they think will be helpful in the study. (Step 3
station 1-10-15 min)
STATION 2: The space ship and astronomer station will be a model space
ship made of cardboard. During this time the students will go on a simulated trip into
outer space. While they are on there trip they will eat like the astronauts. To do this
the teacher will tie doughnuts or apples to a string and the students will have to eat
them without using their hands. The swinging food will represent the food floating in air.
Not using their hands will give them a more realistic affect of not being able to control
the food which is floating. During the mission the students will listen to a countdown to
blast off and also have a two way radio to talk to tower control (a teacher or another
student). The students will use their imagination to tell the control tower where they are
and what they see. Playing music such as the "Star Wars" soundtrack would be
beneficial. (Step 3 station 2-10-15 min)
STATION 3: This is the video station where the students have the
opportunity to watch clips from previous space shuttle missions and movies dealing with
space and space travel. At this station the students should have their logs available to
write down any new astronomy terms they hear and want to define. (Step 3 station 3- 10-15
min)
STATION 4: This is the planet station at which each student will learn the
names of the nine planets and there order in our solar system. There will be books at a
table to look at as well as a model of the solar system. The students will be asked to
make a diagram of the solar system in there logs. It should include the sun and the nine
planets (moons are optional). (Step 3 station 4-10-15 min)
STATION 5: The next station is the star station. It will be here that the
students will be introduced to stars and constellations. The students will be astronomers
who will discover a new constellation and write a story about how it became a
constellation and how it took its shape. There will be several astronomers pictures taped
up at this station with their names under them. ( Step 4 station 5- 10-15 min)
Closure:
To close this lesson I would end the learning stations and bring the
class together for a discussion. We would talk about things they saw and what they liked
as well as what they didn't like. This would lead into me telling them that we will be
going into some more depth about the subject of astronomy for our government study. The
last thing that I would talk about is a short preview of the next class. We would be
talking about stars. I would tell the students to bring their hot star suits (a t-shirt
labeled hot star suit) for exploring the stars next time. (Step 4-10 min)
Considerations:
As far as considerations, the teacher needs to keep things moving
smoothly and quickly. Remember the object of this lesson is to create interest and wonder,
not answer all of their questions. All of the stations will go on throughout the lesson,
however each student should spend the recommended time at each station.
Assessment/Evaluation:
The assessment of this lesson would be primarily informal observation. I
will be looking mostly for participation and completion of the activities at each station.
I feel that if the students participate and complete the activities at each station the
objectives of this lesson would be met.
Extensions:
Have the students write a letter to NASA inquiring about subject
areas that interest them.
Have the students write a diary entry from the perspective of an
astronaut about an important event in the history of space exploration i.e. the first man
on the moon.
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Lesson 2: Stars and the Story
Behind Them
Social Studies
Grade Level: 5th
Rationale:
The purpose of this lesson is to help children understand stars, how they
are formed, what purposes they have served, and how to make their own stars. I feel that
learning about stars is important because various cultures have used them for
storytelling.
Objectives/ILO's:
1. To have the students gain knowledge about how stars are formed and how
long they can last.
2. To have the students gain knowledge about how stars and constellations
were used by different groups of people for storytelling.
3. To have the students make their own constellation and write a myth
about it.
Materials:
Potato chip cans, piece of cardboard, hammer, nail, scissors, pins,
stapler, crayons, black construction paper, white paper, introduction sheet, pictures or
drawings of constellations.
Procedure:
The students will be asked to make their own star out of a white sheet
of paper. The students may make the star different sizes, colors, and shapes, anything to
make it unique. This will give the students an idea of what stars are and how each star is
different. (Step 1 = 15 min.)
The teacher will give the students directions to the star making
activity. Once the children are done with their stars the teacher will read an
introductory sheet on the history of stars. The teacher will show the class a picture of a
constellation called the Big Dipper and explain to the class what a constellation is. The
teacher will then tell the story of the Big Dipper from the eyes of Coeur d'Alene Indians.
The teacher will also serve as a guide when the students are making their own
constellation. (Step 2 = 15 min.)
The students will use a hammer and nail to make a hole in one end of the
potato can. Using the lid as a pattern, they will trace circles on the black paper to fit
on the open end of the can. With the straight pin, the students will punch holes though
the paper for each star in the constellation. The next step is to cut out the circles of
the black paper and place them one at a time inside the lid and fasten to the can. Next
they should look through the hole in the end of the can to view the constellation. They
can also decorate the outside of the can with black paper, label and decorate it, and
write a short myth about it. The students will then present their constellations, tell
it's name, and explain the myth about it. Each student should pass around their
constellation while explaining the myth. That way, the other students can view the
constellation. (Step 3 = 40 min)
Closure:
To close this lesson I would bring the kids back together and ask them a
few questions about constellations and stars. The questions would include:
How are stars formed and how long can they last?
What is a constellation made of?
Why do you think ancient people made up myths about stars and
constellations?
The students could answer these orally back to the teacher. Each question
can have a variety of answers. (Step 4 = 10 min.)
Considerations:
The teacher needs to make sure that the students handle the scissors
and needles with care. Their shouldn't be any "horseplay" when creating their
constellations. The teacher should also make sure the kids are completing their work so
all of them are able to present at the same time. The teacher should also have pictures of
other constellations in case some students finish early and may have to work on an
extension.
Assessment:
The assessment of this lesson occurs throughout the lesson. The teacher
should look at participation and completion of the project. The explanation of their myth
should also be assessed based on how much thought they put into it. The closure activity
is also a good assessment of what the children learned about stars and constellations.
Extensions:
Have the students, either alone or in groups, pick a constellation
draw it and research the history of it.
Have the students make a map of the main constellations and create the
night sky. The students should make the map to scale and label the constellations.
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Lesson 3: Astronomers
in Action
Social Studies
Grade Level: 5th
Rationale:
The importance of this lesson lies in the need for students to learn
who was responsible for discovering new information about astronomy. This can help the
students realize that they too could become a famous astronomer or researcher and find new
information and discoveries. This lesson will also help the students realize that there
have been several incredible technological advancements made which have had an important
impact on their lives.
Objectives/ILO's:
1. The students will be introduced to what an astronomer is and what type
of work their job consists of.
2. The students will be given information about astronomers form the past
and present as well as the tools they work with.
3. Students will use the star guided activity to simulate how early
navigators used the stars to find their way.
Materials:
25-30 pictures of astronomers, Stars the students made in lesson 2,
Books about astronomers of different time periods, Information on the tools used in
astronomy (when they were invented, how they are used)
Procedure:
Place a picture of an astronomer on each students desk. When the
students sit down ask them to think about what they studied in the previous lesson. Then
ask them how we found out all that information about the stars. Who gave us this
information and what is there title? Hopefully this will lead to the topic of
astronomers.
The teacher will first lead a guided discussion about what the class
will be learning about during this lesson. Topics being covered will be famous
astronomers, their tools and how things have changed in astronomy. The teacher will use
questions and brainstorming in the opening discussion to bring up these topics. (Step 1
& 2- 15 min.)
The students will be involved in a whole class discussion about early
astronomers and present astronomers. In this discussion we will talk about what an
astronomer is and what their jobs are. It will also cover the differences and similarities
between astronomers of different times. Another topic will be about how early explorers
and astronomers used the stars for finding their way. Next, the students will be
constructing a time line of people and events in astronomy. It will include famous
astronomers, important discoveries, and the invention of tools used in astronomy. The
students will be using several different resources, such as books on astronomers, their
tools and important discoveries in astronomy, to make the time line. Once the time line is
complete, tape it on the wall somewhere in the room for the students to use as a future
reference. . During the construction of the time line, have two students at a time
do the star guided activity. This activity is done by taping the stars the students
designed previously, up on the ceiling of the school. Make it into a maze throughout the
school and write down directions for the students to follow the stars. (Ex. Walk down the
hall until you are under the blue star. Now turn left and walk until you see a yellow star
with blue spots on it. Etc...). I recommend putting a prize or an award at the end of the
maze so the students know they have completed the maze. Also be sure that each pair of
astronomers was able to go on the guided star activity. (Step 3- 50 min.)
Closure:
To close this lesson bring the students back together and discuss some
of the information they found. Review the time line with the entire class to make sure all
of the students were presented with the information on the time line. Ask the students if
they were surprised at what they found between the early astronomers compared to the more
recent astronomers. Have the students record the definition of an astronomer, four
examples of some astronomers of past and present (include years), and three examples of
important events in space history in their logs. Another topic to discuss is what it was
like to follow the stars to a certain destination. Ask the students if they think it was
hard for the explorers to find their way. (Closure- 10-15 min.)
Considerations:
When working on the time line, you may want to assign each student to
a certain section so everyone has something to do as well as room to work. As far as the
star guided activity, it is very important to have an assistant watch the students as they
do the activity. This will hopefully prevent discipline problems such as wondering around
or interrupting other classes. Set up the stars for the star guided activity before
school.
Assessment/Evaluation:
The assessment of the students will take place by the teacher
collecting their logs and checking for the entries required. The students will also be
asked to write a short story or diary entry from the perspective of an astronomer which
will be collected at the beginning of the next day. It must include a name, the years they
were active, one important finding they are known for and the tools they used to do their
job.
Extensions:
Have the students make an astronomy tool, such as a telescope out of
everyday materials i.e. cardboard tubing.
Have the students get with a partner and pick one astronomer to do an
interview on. One student would interview while the other would be the astronomer.
The students would video tape the interview and show it in class.
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Lesson 4: Through a Space
Dweeb's Eyes
Social Studies
Grade Level: 5th
Rationale:
The purpose of this lesson is to have the students look at space through
the eyes of a person that has been involved with space. I feel that this lesson will help
the students develop a sense of appreciation for the person they have chosen to be. This
lesson will also give the students a positive attitude about the people who have had an
impact on space over the years. This lesson may even make a student want to have a career
in space.
Objectives/ILO's:
1. To give the students a better understanding of the person they selected
and how that person effected the world of space.
2. To give the students an opportunity to improve their speaking skills in
front of an audience and a video camera.
Materials:
Video camera, whatever props the children may need, Tang, freeze-dried
food.
Procedure:
For the anticipatory set I would come in dressed as Galileo (the father
of astronomy) and give a living history of his life and how he affected the world of
space. I would tell the students facts and stories about Galileo to inform the students
about him. I think that the students would enjoy the presentation and learn a lot about
the father of astronomy. This living history would also give the students an idea of what
they have to do.
The teacher has to give the living history the way he/she wants the
students to give theirs. The teacher will provide the students with a list of people who
have had an effect on space. The teacher will also run the video camera while the students
are giving their presentations. The teacher will also give each student an invitation to a
banquet. The teacher will also be responsible for bringing in the Tang and freeze-dried
food. (Steps 1 & 2 = 15 minutes)
The students will pick a person from either the list the teacher has
brought in or another person who has had an effect on space who is not on the list. After
they have selected the person they must do background research on them. The students must
find as many interesting facts as they can about the person. After they have gathered all
of the facts the students must pick at least ten of the most important facts and use them
in their presentation. The students will be writing an exceptance letter from the person
they chose to the banquet they have been invited to. The letter must include the ten facts
about the person and must be written as if the students were really the person they chose.
After the students have completed the letter they are ready to give their presentations.
Each presentation should last at least four minutes. The students should also dress as the
person did and speak from that person's perspective. (Step 3 = 40 min. for each the
research, letter, and presentations)
Closure:
At the end of this lesson the kids would be able to eat some freeze-dried
food and drink some Tang. This would give the kids an idea of what the space program has
brought us and what the astronauts had to eat. The teacher could lead an informal
discussion about the new facts they learned from listening to other presentations and
doing research on their own person. (Step 4 = 15 min.)
Considerations:
The teacher needs to make sure that all of the students will be ready
with their presentations so all of them can get it done in two days. Half of the kids
could go each day so the presentations aren't so drawn out. The students may work in
groups, with no group being larger than four. The presentations should not be too short or
too long. The teacher also should help the students with their research by giving them
library time. Each of the letters should also be typed.
Assessment/Evaluation:
One assessment tool that would used is the letter or report the
students handed in. The teacher could assess on content and number of facts presented. The
oral presentation could be assessed to see if they got the facts across clearly and were
easy to understand. The questions during the closure also provides feedback on how the
activity worked from the students' perspective.
Extensions:
The students could write a diary entry about a day in the life of
the person they chose.
The students could create a time-line of the person's life and include
highlights of the person's life.
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Lesson 5: Moon Maniacs
Science
Grade Level: 5th
Rationale:
There are many reasons that make this lesson about the moon relevant.
For one, the moon is part of our daily or should I say nightly lives. We see it almost
every night and our curiosity about it may stem from that fact alone. Secondly, there may
be students that are in this very class who someday may visit or even live on the moon.
Objectives/ILO's:
1. The students will be introduced to Apollo 11 which was the first
lunar landing.
2. The students will be introduced to several facts about the moon including the
following: Size, Lighting, Moon Surface, Gravity, Orbit around the Earth.
Materials:
Film or video of Apollo 11 landing on the moon, Several resource books
about the moon, Clay.
Procedure:
Set a ball of clay up on the table in front of the class. Tell the
students that they will each have a chance to reshape a ball of clay into the object that
they will be studying. Leave the ball sit in front of the class the entire time.
The teacher will next start the film of the first lunar landing
showing Neil Armstrong stepping on the moon. Without saying anything, stop the film and
give each student a piece of clay and let them shape it in any form they want so it looks
like the moon. (Step 1&2 - 20 min)
Now that the students realize that they will be studying the moon
let them get into groups with several different resource books about the moon. Have each
group make up a list of facts that they find about the moon. After about 15 to 20 minutes
bring the class back together to share the information that they found. Create a class
list of the facts so everyone can copy them into their astronomy logs. At this point have
the students write a story about a trip they took to the moon. They must include at least
five facts about what they saw such as craters, what the gravity was like etc. (Step 3- 50
minutes)
Closure:
To tie things together the students will go back to their desks and
reshape the moons that they previously created. They should try to incorporate some of the
actual characteristics of the moon that they learned about. These moons will be put in a
kiln to dry and be displayed in the classroom or in a display case in the school.
(Closure- 15)
Considerations:
One consideration is to make sure you can get enough clay for the entire
class to work with. You will also need to ask the art teacher if they could have the clay
fired at a local high school. That process may take a few days to complete. Other
considerations are to have available several resources about the moon such as the books: The
Day We Walked On the Moon by George Sullivan and Moonwalk:The First Trip to the
Moon by Judy Donnelly. There is a possibility that this lesson will take more than
one class period to complete so the teacher needs to be able to adjust following lessons
or activities.
Assessment/Evaluation:
To assess the students, I will collect the stories they wrote and check to
see if they included five accurate facts about the moon. I will also observe them in their
groups as well as while they are creating their moon form clay.
Extensions:
Take a simulated trip to the moon and have the students write a journal
entry about the experience.
Have the students work in groups to create a city on the moon in which
people could live. They need to include a detailed description of the city and what would
be needed for the people to survive there.
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Lesson 6: Alien
Investigation
Science
Grade Level: 5th
Rationale:
The students knowledge of the planets and our solar system is of great
importance. The future of human beings is almost unlimited and space exploration may
someday be extended to the planets. These students could quite possibly be the ones who
will be exploring the planets.
Objectives/ILO's:
1. The students will become familiar with the names of the nine
planets and their order in the solar system.
2. The students will complete the fact sheet about each planet during the
presentations with 85% accuracy.
3. The students will use their speaking and listening skills throughout
the lesson.
Materials:
Model of the solar system, Several resource books about the nine
planets, Fact sheets, Large sheet of paper for chart, Construction paper and string for
masks, Markers, Crayons, Paint and brushes.
Procedure:
As the students wait for you to begin the lesson, write on the board
"My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas." Underline the first
letter of each word. Now start to say this phrase outloud. Repeat it over and over
cuing the students to say it also. Ask the students if they ever heard this phrase before.
If someone has, ask them what it stands for. If no one understands what this means, the
teacher should tell the students at this point that it is an acronym that is used to
remember the planet names and order. (Step 1-5 min)
The teacher will tell the students that they will be put into groups to
conduct more research for the government about the planets. The teacher will hand out the
fact sheet which has a list of facts which must be found about each planet. These facts
must be included in the research and presentation. The students also need to be told that
this part of the research must be done undercover. The teacher will next pick the groups
and assign a planet to each group of students. The first thing each group must do is
decide on a costume (mask) that they think will let them fit in during their research of
the planet. At this point the teacher is a facilitator and will float about the room
assessing participation. (Step 2- 10 to 15 min)
Now that the students are in groups, they will start to create a
mask to use for their undercover work. Once the masks are complete the students will give
them to the teacher to put up for display. As the teacher is doing this, the students will
be researching their planet and filling out their fact sheets. Each group must also
include a picture of their planet to model during their presentation. As each group
finishes the research of their planets, they should practice presenting the material they
found so they are prepared when they give the class presentation. Once every group has had
enough time to to practice their presentations, the teacher should gather the students
back together. At this point the teacher should chose a the order of the groups and
presentations should begin. During the presentations the students should be filling in
their fact sheets about the planets which they did not research. The teacher should also
create a large fact sheet about the planets for the students to use for a resource if they
did not get all of the information they needed during the presentations. (Step 3- two 1
hour periods)
Closure:
Once the presentations are done the class will have a short discussion to
answer any questions the students might have as well as to let the students look at the
chart created by the teacher. Then teacher will take the class outside to give them a
perspective of the size of the planets and the distance they are apart. The teacher would
have converted the size of the planets and there distance from the sun into feet so the
students can create a human model of the solar system. To do this have each planet drawn
to its model size and then assign someone to each planet. Write on the picture how many
feet the student needs to walk away from the sun to make the model correct. Have the
students measure this out as accurately as possible and take their places. (Closure- 30 to
45 min)
Considerations:
This lesson will probably take at least two class periods. Write a
list of requirements for the presentation on the board including: Completed fact sheet, a
picture of the planet, and a mask for undercover work. The students must all contribute to
the presentation of their planet. It is important for the teacher to create a large fact
sheet for students with special needs to refer to.
Assessment/Evaluation:
The students will be assessed at different points during this lesson.
First, the teacher will observe if the students are contributing to the research of their
planet. Next, the teacher should look for participation in the presentation as well as
factual information which is given i.e. Did the group cover all of the areas on the fact
sheet? Were they accurate? Did they include a picture of the planet as well as the
undercover mask? I will assess listening by collecting the fact sheets of each student to
see if they were complete as well as 85% accurate.
Extensions:
Have the students write a story about what life would be like on one of
the planets. What would it take to survive there?
Have each student create their own solar system model.
Fact
Sheets
| |
Distance from Sun |
Diameter |
Order In Solar System |
Orbit |
Temp |
| Mercury |
|
|
|
|
|
| Venus |
|
|
|
|
|
| Earth |
92,956,000 mi |
7926 mi |
3rd planet |
365.244 days |
|
| Mars |
|
|
|
|
|
| Jupiter |
|
|
|
|
|
| Saturn |
|
|
|
|
|
| Uranus |
|
|
|
|
|
| Neptune |
|
|
|
|
|
| Pluto |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Moons |
Life |
Make Up |
Other |
| Mercury |
|
|
|
|
| Venus |
|
|
|
|
| Earth |
1 moon |
Yes |
H20, land, crust core mantle |
|
| Mars |
|
|
|
|
| Jupiter |
|
|
|
|
| Saturn |
|
|
|
|
| Uranus |
|
|
|
|
| Neptune |
|
|
|
|
| Pluto |
|
|
|
|
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Lesson 7: Bringing the
Solar System To Life
Science
Grade Level: 5th
Rationale:
The concepts of revolution and rotation can be very confusing to many
students. The purpose of the lesson is to make clear to the students the difference
between these two ideas. This will help the students understand why we have night and day
as well as the seasons.
Objectives/ILO's:
1. The students will use models of the sun and nine planets to demonstrate
revolution and rotation of the planets around the sun.
2. The students will understand the difference between the concepts of
revolutionand rotation.
Materials:
Flashlight, Nine balloons of different colors, Chalk or string to mark
orbits, Resource material to check orbits of the nine planets.
Procedures:
Start out by spinning a globe and walking around the room in a
circle. Ask the students what makes a day? A year? If no one relates the questions to the
Earth's revolving around the sun and it's rotation, the teacher should make this
connection.
The teacher will take the class outside or in the gym and mark nine
paths on the floor or ground. Have one student hold each balloon and one hold the
flashlight to represent the sun. (Steps 1&2- 20 min.)
The "sun" stands in the middle of the circle created by the
paths. The other children take their places on the marked paths. The teacher will need to
give each child the name of his/her planet and direct him/her to the correct place. Begin
the experiment by having the students walk their path or "orbit" around the sun.
Stress that the planets never leave their own orbits. This travel around the sun is called
revolution. After the children have orbited the sun once, bring in the concept of
rotation. While moving around the sun, the children should start to spin around like tops.
(Caution them against becoming dizzy.) This demonstrates rotation. Tell the students that
it takes the earth one year to REVOLVE around the sun, and it takes one day for the earth
to ROTATE on its own axis. Give all the children in the class a chance to do the
experiment. (Step 3- 30 min.)
Closure:
After returning to the class, demonstrate the principle just learned with
the globe. Let someone spin the globe and walk around a "sun" to show rotation
and revolution. For students who may have trouble remembering which word is which, here is
a tip: the middle of rotation has the same vowel sound as day and it takes the earth one
day to rotate.
Considerations:
This concept can be very confusing, so it is important to go slow and
repeat things if necessary. The teacher may want to set up the orbit paths at a prior time
so it is ready to go when the students come in.
Assessment/Evaluation:
The students will create a dictionary page which shows a picture of
the two concepts of rotation and revolution.. They will also write a definition in their
own words which explains the two terms. Informal assessment will take place by observing
cooperation and listening skills during the experiment.
Extensions:
The students will do the same experiment but showing the
relationship between the Earth and moon.
Research why the Leap Year was created and what would change if we
didn't have it.
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Culminating Assessment For Space Case
Rationale:
There are two main purposes for this assessment to take place. First, it
is for the teacher to evaluate and assess if the students have grasped the main ideas
which were presented to them during the entire unit on astronomy. Second, the teacher will
be able to recognize and find areas of their teaching which could use improvement as well
as material that could be changed, omitted or added.
Objectives/ILO's:
1. The students will demonstrate their visual understanding of the solar
system by creating one of their own.
2. The students will demonstrate the astronomy concepts they have
learned throughout the unit plan by writing a one page report about the solar system they
created. The drawing and report must contain a minimum of 10 facts and at least one from
each lesson covered.
3. The students will demonstrate their ability to work in
collaborative groups.
Materials:
Six large sheets of paper (6'x6'), Markers, Paint, Crayons, Paint
Brushes, Time line on astronomers & tools, Planet Fact Sheets, Student astronomy logs,
Living history letters, Constellation cans.
Procedure:
Play another tape of the government agent telling the students that
they have completed their study of astronomy. It is now time to put the knowledge to use
and create their reports in which they will inform the government what they have learned.
The teacher will divide the class into groups of four and give each
group a large sheet of paper. Next, instruct the students that they are to create a solar
system of their own and write a report about it explaining all of the factual information
they decide to include. Hand out the students guideline sheet and explain in detail what
must be included in the solar system and the report to receive full credit. Make sure that
the time line, class planet fact sheet. The teacher must inform the students that the
drawings and reports must all be factual. (Steps 1 & 2- 15 min)
The students will go to an area where they can work undisturbed to
create their solar system (the gymnasium is highly recommended). They will be able to use
all of the materials listed above as resources in the drawing of their solar system and
the report they provide with it. The students may either create their solar system first
or write the report first. Once they have their report written they will be given time to
edit it within their groups only. Once they have edited the report the group of students
will go to the computer lab and type it out using a word processing program. This final
draft will be mounted onto a black piece of paper and then it will be laminated. Once the
students finish both parts of the assessment they will submit their study of astronomy to
the government agent (teacher) for assessment and evaluation. Once the the final project
is assessed, the teacher will put them up through out the school for display. (Step 3- two
50 min periods/ maybe a little more or less).
Closure:
The closure of this unit and assessment will be quite unique, consisting
of a field trip to a planetarium. The only requirement of the students during this closure
will be appropriate behavior and having fun. (Closure- One day field trip)
Considerations:
The students must work in their assigned groups and every one in the
group must contribute to the final product. Having the students work in the gymnasium will
allow them plenty of space and privacy to work on the project.
Student Guidelines For Astronomy Unit Assessment
PROJECT
In your group of four students, you must create a drawing of the solar
system and a one page report explaining and describing it. The information included in
these works is to be completely factual. The following is a list of what
must be included in your projects.
DRAWING
5pts ____ An assortment of stars including one specific constellation
i.e. the Big Dipper
5pts _____A picture of an astronomer (drawn or photocopied) and
labeled
5pts _____One other important person involved in astronomy(drawn or
photocopied). Must be labeled.
5pts _____ A picture of a moon containing one surface
characteristic. (Crater)
10pts_____ All nine planets in order from the sun. (THIS WILL
COUNTS AS TWO FACTS)
One Page Report
10pts____ Must include a description or explanation in paragraph form
of each pictorial fact included in your drawing.
10pts_____ Must incorporate 4 additional facts about astronomy.
5pts _____ Must be typed and edited with no spelling or grammatical
errors.
Description of Assessment
I will check each of the groups projects to see if they contain each
of the following requirements listed below. I will give my feedback on a form similar to
this with written comments on what I liked, what the students could have improved, what
was missing and their point totals.
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Space Case Bibliography
Children's Literature:
Branley, Franklin. (1983). Saturn. New York: Thomas Crowell.
This well illustrated book will aid the students greatly in their search
for information on the Saturn.
Branley, Franklin. (1988). Uranus the Seventh Planet. New York:
Thomas Crowell.
This resource is follows the exact same format as the book about Saturn.
It also was useful and gave great facts about the planet Uranus.
Brewer, Duncan. (1992). Planet Guide: Jupiter. New York: Marshall
Cavendish.
The would be an excellent resource for the students when studying Jupiter.
It tells several useful facts and is very easy to understand. Great illustrations also.
Couper, Heather and Henbest, Nigel. (1994). How the Universe Works.
New York: Readers Digest and Assoc. Inc.
This was another excellent resource fo rmyself and the students.
Information was very easy to find and explained in a way that would make most students
enjoy reading about it.
Daily, Robert. (1994). Earth. New York: Franklin Watts.
This resource gives the reader easy to read information about the Earth.
It includes the several different facts and is laid out in a way that makes the
information quickly accessible.
Dixon, Dougal. (1984). The Planet Earth. Chicago: World Book,
Inc.
A resource that is packed full of detailed information about the Earth. It
could look overwhelming to some students , but none the less it contains the needed
information.
Donnelly, Judy. (1989). Moonwalk: The First Trip to the Moon. New York:
Random House
This book does a nice job showing the students the preparations and
activities that were involved in man's first landing on the moon. It would be a good
resource for the students who have reading disabilities since it includes good pictures.
Eyewitness Visual Dictionaries. (1993). The Visual Dictionary of the
Universe. London: Darling Kindersley.
This was a facinating resource for me to look at and I'm sure that the
students would like it as much. It is very up to date and the illustrations are wonderful.
Information was very easy to find in this book.
Krupp, E.C. (1993). The Moon and You. New York: Macmillan
Publishing Company
This book is useful for the students to learn about the phases of the
moon, the effect on the earth's tides and several other characteristics. It is a wonderful
resource to have for the studnets to use.
Lauber, Patricia. (1990). Seeing Earth From Space. New York:
Orchard Books.
A well illustrated book about the Earth from the perspective of space. It
does a great job of giving information about the planet that is interesting but not
necessarily relevant.
Mote, Lloyd. (1976). On the Planet Venus. New York: Pantheon
books.
A great children's resource about the planet Venus. I found just about all
the information needed for studying the planet that I was looking for.
Simon, Seymour. (1991). Space Words: A Dictionary. New York:
Harper Collins Publishers.
This book is a dictionary of space terms, which includes a easy to
understand definitions for students to understand. The illustrations also help in defining
the terminology. This would be a great resource for students who have trouble in reading.
Simon, Seymour. (1986). The Sun. New York: William Morrow and
Company, Inc.
Once again, theis book was well illustrated and presented many clear and
precise facts about the sun. This book will be a great resource for the students to use
when they study the sun.
Simon, Seymour. (1994). Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids. New York: Morrow
Junior Books.
Illustrated with wonderful real life pictures, this resource does a great
job of defining comets, meteors, and asteroids. The reader can easily tell the differences
and keep from getting the three voyagers from space mixed up.
Sullivan, George. (1990). The Day We Walked on the Moon. New
York: Scholastic.
This was a wonderful resource that gave pictures of weveral events in
space history. The list of important dates in teh back of the book would be very helpful
when students construct the timeline.
Adult Literature:
Moore, Patrick. (1976). The A-Z of Astronomy. New York:
CharlesScribner's Sons.
This resource may be old, but it is full of important information. It will
be a great asset for the students in their search for answers about astronomy and
astronomers. I think it is for adults but parts of it can be used by students.
Moore, Patrick. (1961). History of Astronomy. London. Macdonald
& Co.
This source did a great job of informing me on several astonomers and
astronomical facts. It did go into much more depth that I needed and parts were hard to
understand but I did get the information that I needed.
Pasachoff, Jay M. ( 1978). Astronomy Now. Philadelphia: W.B.
Saunders Company.
Although this resource seems outdated, I felt it still gave relavent
information to me about astronomy. The facts are the facts and as of yet I haven't seen
anything prove this book different.
Pickering, James S. ( 1975). 1001 Questions Answered About Astronomy.
New York: Dodd, Mead & Company.
This book is full of interesting facts about astronomy. Some of them were
useful and others wer totally irrelevant. I would let the students use it to research some
astronomers and other facts, however, it is ver time consuming to find the information
because there is no index.
Ridpath, Ian. ( 1976). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Astronomy and
Space. New York: Thomas Crowell Company.
This was an excellent resource for finding out about astromomers. It is an
adult book but I feel that the short sections that it contains about the astronomers could
be used by the students.
Ridpath, Ian. (1982). Stars and Planets. Windermere: The Rourke
Corporation.
This book gave very brief details about the universe, planets and other
astronomical facts. It would be useful to get a start on research but more resouces may be
needed.
Ronan, Colin. (1984). The Golden Book of Astronomy. New York:
Golden Press./ Racine: Western Publishing Company Inc.
Yet Another resource that is packed full of information about astronomy.
This book is well organized, which will make it easy for the reader to find specific
information about a subject.
Sullivan, Navin. (1964). Pioneer Astronomers. New York:
Scholastic Book Services.
This is an adult literature book, however, I would definitely put it to
use with my students because it contains more information about astronomers than most of
the books I have looked at.
University of Illinois Astronomy Program. (1969). The Universe in
Motion. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers
This resource was not as useful as I thought it would be. However, I did
get bits and pieces of information and some activity ideas from it.
Videos/Films/Internet/Others
Coronet Films & Video. (Date Unknown) Galileo
This would be a good film for a teacher to use for a resource and the
students to get an introduction into astronomers. The one negative about thsi film is that
it does look out of date so the students may not be interested.
Encyclopedia Bitannica Educational Corporation. (1977). Earth and its
Neighbors in Space.
This video was very interesting and contained many useful facts about the
solar system. The only downfall was again the date of publication. It would still be a
very beneficial resource for your room.
Internet. (1996). http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/billa/tnp/nineplanets.html
This address was very helpful on collecting some specific information
about the planets.
Internet. (1996). gopher://ericic.syr.edu:70/ORO-6791-/Lesson/Subject/Astronomy/
Introduction.
Internet. (1996). gopher://ericic.syr.edu:70/ORO-14177-/Lesson/Subject/Astronomy/
week_2_Stars.
Internet. (1996). gopher://ericic.syr.edu:70/ORO-14526-/Lesson/Subject/Astronomy/week_3_Solar
Sysem.
Internet. (1996). gopher://ericic.syr.edu:70/ORO-15918-/Lesson/Subject/Astronomy/
week_4_Research in Space.
Internet. (1996). gopher://ericic.syr.edu:70:/ORO-28786-/Lesson/Subject/Astronomy/
week_5_Project.
Each of the above five internet resources were from the same unit, however
they each had a seperate address. They were very helpful as far as ideas on what to teach
but we used few ideas for activities.
Pomfret House. (1977). What's New in Space?
This film was also a little outdated and I realize that many things have
been introduced to the field of astronomy since this time. However, this film is useful in
showing the students the changes that have occurred over time in this science.
Tennant, Catherine. (1993). The Box of Stars. Boston: A Bulfinch
Press Book/ Little, Brown and Company.
The Box of Stars is a small booklet containing information about the
constellations, as well as several pictures of constellations which can be passed out to
the students to look at for references.
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Unit Plan Index
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