- Grade Focus
- Grade 4
- Age Level
- 9
- Subject
- Science
- Technology Integration Activity
- Webpage Creation
- Estimated Time of Completion
- Five days for 45 mins and two days 90 minutes
Introduction
By the end of these 7 days of lessons students will understand that the solar system has changed from an Earth-Centered model of Aristotle and Ptolemy to the sun-centered model of Copernicus and Galileo (SCIVBO4.8.1.7). They will also analyze what influenced the conclusions of Aristotle, Ptolemy, Copernicus, and Galileo (SCIVBO4.8.1.8).
Students will each have a laptop in the library and the lesson will be taught by the LMS with the classroom teacher assisting. Students collaboratively work in teams to research one of four astronomers and fill in a Lotus and share what they found out about each astronomer. The class will not conduct the research in pairs.
This has to take place because of time constraints. Students will participate in a "One Stray Kagan" Activity. 1. Student #1 stands up. The remaining three teammates remain seated but raise their hands and try to get the stray to come to them. 2. Teacher calls, "Stray" 3. Student #1 strays to a team which had their hands up. 4. Teams lower their hands when a new member joins them. 5. Students work in their new teams to share and gather new information. (*These directions are taken from our Kagan Structures binder p.37).
As the students got their information they will write it down on their Lotus (see below).
Students will report back to their teams of four and present what they discovered.
Prerequisite Experience
Integration Activity: Journaling collaboratively on laptops C/T 3-5.5Teacher Prep Time
6½ hours (to make the Lotus template, find the websites, and save to the desktop) and find age and grade-level appropriate web sites for students.
*Teacher also researches appropriate sites for students to go on and design the graphic organizers.
Project
The sites are now provided by the teacher.
Students will use the internet and power point software to gather and record information about the astronomers.
* While searching the Internet for the astronomers, students will need to follow and use the guidelines given to them by the LMS from several previous lessons. In the past, they have used Destiny to show how to get the important information from a website.
Students will create a power point on the laptops in the classroom and computer lab. Students will have to present the information on their own scientist to their team of four. This will assure that each student will come away with the necessary information for the VBOs.
Assessment/Grading
Using a rubric, the Lotus and video presentations will be evaluated on their content, communicate new ideas to each other (LA4.1f). They will also be evaluated on listening to and recording information (LA4.2b).Time Management Tips
This project is designed for teams of four and in some cases five.
Lesson Plan Details
Engage
There are 2different types of solar system models. They are heliocentric and geocentric. What does each of these words mean? What does it have to do with the Earth, Sun, and Moon?
Discuss your thoughts with your partner.
The two of your will look on the Google website and type in definitions on your power point for each vocabulary word.
You will also research four important astronomers of the past, and report back to your team what you have discovered. Use your time wisely and make sure that you have accurate information because you are responsible for passing along important information to you team members.
Applying what I know-
After the students Google the above vocabulary words of heliocentric and geocentric, they will go onto unitedstreaming.com
and type in "astronomers". They will watch the 20 minute video on Galileo while taking motes. They can take this and add any pertinent information to the graphic organizer about the astronomers.
Explore
What did you find out about your astronomer? You and your partner will research the astronomers and record your findings in the chart below.
| Astronomer | Observations | Conclusions or beliefs of Astronomer | Solar System Model (Heliocentric or Geocentric) |
| Aristotle
|
|
|
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| Ptolemy
|
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| Copernicus
|
|
|
|
| Galileo
|
|
|
|
Do any of the astronomers have similar beliefs on how the sun and Earth are positioned on the solar system? ______________________________________________________________________________________
If so, which ones share the same thoughts? __________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Explain
1. You will type your observations into the chart above as your partner reads what you type in to check for errors.
2. As a pair share with your team the information you found out about your astronomers.
3. You will need to record the information on the paper copy of the above chart. When it is complete you will type it into
your chart.
Elaborate
1. Use the large chart paper to show everyone what you found out.
2. What observations were made by most of the groups? Create a list of observations that were repeated most often.
3. Identify observations made by just a few groups.
4. As a class, decide what observations are most important when trying to decide what contributions the astronomers
gave us?
Evaluate
| Criteria | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Observations
| Details hand written in the chart in all correct boxes | Details hand written in the chart in most of the correct boxes | Details hand written in the chart in one or two of the correct boxes | No details are hand written in the chart |
| Content
| All the necessary details about astronomer and solar system model | Some details about astronomer and solar system model | One or two details about astronomer and solar system model | No details about astronomer and solar system model |
| Technology Use to Demonstrate Understanding | Power point was easy to understand | Power point was hard to understand | Missing parts of the power point | Power point not fill in |
| Collaboration- (How well partners worked together) | Worked well and passed along information to team | Worked ok together and passed along only some information to team | Worked well but didn’t share information with team | Did not work well together and no information was passed to team |
| Accurate Information of Astronomer | All four Astronomers named with correct Solar System model | Three Astronomers named with correct Solar System model | Two Astronomers named with correct Solar System model | One Astronomers named with correct Solar System model |
Partner evaluation: What did each of you contribute to the task?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
How did you share the work? _______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Self-evaluation: What did you learn?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
What do you know about the astronomers that you did not already know? _______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Extend
- What other scientists have contributed to the knowledge of the solar system?
- How do they compare to the astromers you just learned about?
- Applying what I know: Go to www.unitedstreaming.com and scroll down to the bottom for Teacher Resources. Click on "Puzzlemaker" and click on "Criss-Cross". Students can make their own "Criss-Cross" puzzles.