Earth’s Place in the Universe

from Fall 2020 Technology Integration eBook

Words and Phrases in Text

Contributor: Gracie Oliver Sample NearPod Lesson

In this unit, third grade students will be learning about how to classify planets in the solar system based on their physical properties. Students may not understand how planets are different and what physical properties are. Students will have learning experiences through lectures, online resources, and hands-on construction activities. The diversity in these activities will allow students to demonstrate the knowledge they have gained about how to classify planets based upon their physical properties. Knowledge about the various planets in our solar system will not only help students be able to classify them, but also will provide them with a greater understanding of how their planet, Earth, can sustain life. With this knowledge, students will have a stronger grasp of what makes Earth different than other planets.

Studying and understanding Earth’s Place in the Universe is a learning expectation covered by the Tennessee State Standards for Science 3.ESS1.

Use data to categorize the planets in the solar system as inner or outer planets according to their physical properties.

Name: Gracie Oliver Subject Area(s): ELA/Science Duration of Lesson: 1 class period (55 minutes) Grade Level: 3rd grade

Analyze learners

In the 3rd grade class at Howard Elementary School, there are 19 students, 8 being male and 11 being female. The students are 3rd graders and are between the ages of 8 and 9. Two students have IEP’s for speech. One student is an English Language Learner and spends time outside of the classroom with a speech therapist. There is also one student in the class with a 504. The remainder of the class is proficient in the English language and does not have any additional needs. For this particular lesson, students will have already learned how to write a paragraph, which they will be doing in this lesson. Students also have studied the inner planets and completed an assignment similar to this one, although this particular lesson is studying the outer planets. Students are also knowledgeable in using their Chromebooks, which will be used in this assignment. The students in this class range from Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic, with the class being predominately Caucasian. With having one ELL, I will be sure the student is understanding the directions for the assignment. When grouped, this student will also be grouped with classmates who will be helpful to her. For the most part, this student does well with understanding the English Language. Due to COVID-19 all students receive free breakfast/lunch at least until the end of 2020. This being said, students should have the nutrients they need to stay focused and be ready to learn throughout the day!

Curriculum Competencies

To complete this lesson, students will need to know how to form and write a paragraph after reading an article, which they did with the inner planets. Students also already know about the inner planets and their physical properties.

Technology Competencies

To complete this lesson, students need to know how to operate Chromebooks and access articles to be able to read through their google classroom.

State & NETS*S objectives

SCIENCE:

3.ESS1: Earth’s Place in the Universe Use data to categorize the planets in the solar system as inner or outer planets according to their physical properties.

ELA:

3.RI.KID.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as a basis for the answers.

ISTE Standard

3.a. Plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.

Behavioral Objective:

Given the articles on their Chromebooks and the question handout, the students in the 3rd grade class will research for specific information in the article in order to form a paragraph with the information they found in their research.

WHAT do you want students to think, know understand and/or be able to do

Language Objective:

To express understanding of the lesson, students will be broken into groups and be given specific questions to look for. Each group will be assigned one planet to research. When researching, each group will be responsible for answering a series of questions about their planet. Each group will have these same questions, but just answering them based on the planet they were assigned. After they have found the answers to the questions, the group will compose a paragraph collectively. They will need to include the information from the questions in the paragraph. The paragraph will need to be at least 4-5 sentences. After the paragraph is written, each group will present to the class. After each group presents, the students will be completing a chart to glue in their notebooks. This chart will be teacher guided; after each group presents the teacher will write what information needs to go on the chart and project it on the board. Once each group has presented and the chart has been completed, students will glue the chart in their notebook. To wrap up the lesson, the teacher will give students an exit ticket in regards to the lesson.

Select instructional methods, media, and materials •Sheet of paper for each group to work on

•Outer planets chart handout

•Notebook

Student Materials

•Pencil

•Paper given by teacher

•Outer planets chart handout given by teacher

•Chromebook

•Notebook

Technological Materials

•Chromebooks

•Google classroom – click Mrs. Birdwell’s class – go to classwork – open outer planets article

•Elmo/projector screen for display

•Teachers computer to guide students

Utilize media and materials Preview and Prepare Materials

•Preview the Outer Planets article *previewed and approved*

•Make sure all Chromebooks are charged and ready to go for students

•Make sure projector screen/Elmo is ready to go for the lesson

•Make sure the paper for each group is ready

•Make sure the Outer Planets articles are uploaded to google classroom and are accessible

•Make sure the teacher’s computer is charged and ready to use

•Make sure each student’s notebook is in the bin

•Make sure you have accounted for each student to be placed in a group, and be ready to adjust if groups are uneven due to absences

Prepare the Classroom

•Pull down the projector screen

•Turn the projector and Elmo on

Require learner participation •Introduce the lesson by reviewing inner planets and introducing/reviewing vocabulary

•Put the students into their groups

•Get the students to log into google classroom and show them through the projector which document to click on the access articles

•Assign each group a specific planet

•Explain to each group what they will be doing (reading their article, finding answers to the questions, making a paragraph on their findings and including their answers, presenting paragraph to the class)

•The teacher will walk around to help students with any questions or guidance

•Teacher will keep students on track with time, telling them to wrap it up with 5 minutes left

•Teacher will hand out a chart that students will glue in their notebook when finished

•Teacher will call each group to present

•After each group presents, the teacher will guide students through filling out the chart (each group has 1 planet so they will fill in the information for that particular planet after the group presents). This keeps students from filling out the chart incorrectly and being able to answer questions about each planet

•After finishing the chart, students will glue the chart into their notebooks

Evaluate and revise

Describe how/when artifact presentation, rubric scoring, and discussion of ideas for improvement will occur.

Include the artifact rubric

Formative Assessment

Formative assessments used in this lesson include observation of group participation while reading the articles, finding the answers to questions, composing the paragraph, and presenting the paragraph to the class. The students will be working together to form a paragraph which must include the series of specific questions. Each individual student will be assigned a question they have to answer, which contributes to the group and paragraph. The formative assessment will be written on a piece of paper given by the teacher. One side will have a space for them to write down each of the questions answered, and the other side will have a space for them to write their paragraph. The students will be graded individually based on them finding their answer and contributing to the group paragraph and presentation. I expect all students to participate and collaborate within their group and put effort into finding their answer, helping with the paragraph, and presenting their paragraph to the class. Each student will be expected to read the sentence they helped form in the paragraph, which should include the answer to the question that particular student was looking for. I will provide the students with feedback after they present and as they are working on the project. This may include constructive criticism or/and encouraging words. If the students do not understand the objective after this lesson, the teacher will go over each of these planets with the class during the next lesson to help the students get a better understanding.

Summative Assessment

The summative assessment will be a combination of the group’s effort and correctness of their answers, the quality of their paragraph which must include their answer and be 4-5 sentences, and the presentation of the paragraph to the class. The students will receive a grade for their group effort/participation, correctly answering the question assigned to them, helping form the paragraph written and the accuracy of the paragraph written, and the participation of the individual during the group presentation on their planet. The students work will document the student’s ability to answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as a basis for the answers (TN ELA Standard 3.RI.KID.1), Use data to categorize the planets in the solar system as inner or outer planets according to their physical properties (TN Science Standard 3.ESS1), and plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits (ISTE Standard 3.a.).

Outer Planets Group Project

Teacher Name: Gracie May assigned to them.

Student Name:

CATEGORY Answered Research Questions

Group Participation 3

Students independen tly identify the question assigned to them. 2

Students with help identify the question assigned to them. 1

Students attempt to answer the question assigned to them.

The The The student student student works with works with works with the group the group the group to complete to complete some and the project the project, causes and does but causes many not cause some issues. any issues. issues. I.E. Distraction, arguing with group, not collaboratin g with 0

Students do no participate in any way to help answer the question group

The student never helps the group and continuousl y causes issues.

Group Presentation

Group Paragraph The student reads his/ her part of the presentatio n and takes it seriously.

The student fully answers his/her question in the paragraph. The group paragraph is at least 4-5 sentences long. The student reads his/ her part of the presentatio n, but doesn’t take it completely serious. The student does not fully answer his/ her answer or answers it incorrectly OR the paragraph is not 4-5 sentences in length. The student partially takes part in reading his/her part in the presentatio n and does not take it seriously. The student does not answer the question correctly and the paragraph is not 4-5 sentences in length. The student takes no part in presenting his/her part in the presentatio n and does not take it seriously. The student takes no part in helping form the group paragraph and the paragraph is not 4-5 sentences in length.

Media Share Resources

Gizmos-Solar System

Explore Learning, (2020). Gizmos-Solar System. [Website, Free]. Retrieved on [9/7/2020] from [https://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspDetail&ResourceID=636].

This site features an interactive about the Solar System. In this interactive, students can view planets’ orbits around the Sun and compare the sizes of planets. Students may also click on the Sun or the different planets to learn more about each body in the Solar System. This will provide the students with details about how the planets are similar and different.

3.ESS1 Use categorize the solar system outer planets their physical

Science-Solar

Interactive Education. Science-Solar [Website, Retrieved on from [http:// data to planets in the as inner or according to properties.

System

Sites for (2017). System. Free]. [9/7/2020]

interactivesites.weebly.com/solar-system.html].

This site features a variety of different diagrams and interactives about the Solar System. The diagrams and interactives provide students with valuable information, such as models of the Solar System and information about each planet. This will allow the students to gain a greater understanding of the size of each planet and the characteristics that make each planet unique.