Lesson Plan

Grade/Subject: Grade 2 Social Studies Unit: Canadian Arctic Lesson Duration: 44mins

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES General Learning Outcomes: 2.1 Canadas Dynamic Communities Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how geography, culture, language, heritage, economics and resources shape and change Canadas communities. Specific Learning Outcomes: 2.1.2 investigate the physical geography of an Inuit, an Acadian, and a prairie community in Canada by exploring and reflecting the following questions for inquiry: What are the major geographical regions, landforms and bodies of water in each Community? (LPP) What are the main differences in climate among these communities? (LPP) LEARNING OBJECTIVES Students will: 1. 2. 3. 4. Identify what the Northern Lights are. Recognize how the Northern Lights are formed. Create Northern Lights art. Explain something that they learned about the northern lights.

ASSESSMENTS Observations: Are students listening during the lesson? Key Questions: Does anybody know what the Northern Lights are?

Do students close their eyes when Im reading Has anyone ever seen them? the poems? Whats something that you learned about the Northern Do students successfully complete their Lights? northern lights art?

Written/Performance Assessments:

Discussion on what they learned about the Northern Lights. Exit slip (triangle)

LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED Resource #1 http://theeducatorsspinonit.blogspot.ca/2012/04/exploring-northern-lights-withkids.html -Read the online story to the kids -show a couple minutes of each video on the page Resource #2 http://colourcanada.com/pdf/nun/northern_lights.pdf Sponge Activity- coloring sheet MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT Arctic Northern Lights Print out Videos of the northern lights Online story of northern lights Pastels Black paper Smartboard Northern lights coloring sheet

Introduction (1 min.): Hook/Attention Grabber: Today Grade 2 we are going to start learning about the land in the Canadian Arctic and a part of the land is the Northern Lights! Assessment of Prior Knowledge: Does anybody know what the Northern Lights are? Has anyone ever seen them? Expectations for Learning and Behaviour: Students will respectfully listen to others during class discussion. Students will complete their northern light picture. Students will do an exit slip. Body (3 min.): Learning Activity #1: Explain the northern Lights 1. Explain what the Northern Lights are - The bright dancing lights of the aurora are actually collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth's atmosphere. The lights are seen above the magnetic poles of the north and south. They are known as 'Aurora borealis' in the north Aurora displays appear in many colours although pale green and pink are the most common. Shades of red, yellow, green, blue, and violet have been reported. 2. I will then read an online story about the Northern Light.

- Pick a student from name bucket to sit at computer to change the page on the screen while I read at the smartboard. 3. Check Throughout to make sure students are paying attention (1,2, eyes,stop and look at me) 4. I will then show the students a couple minutes from two videos showing images of the northern light and northern light from space. Learning Activity #2 1. Have handout buddy help me pass out the northern lights sheets. 2. I will tell the students to close their eyes while I read the poems and picture the Northern Lights dancing. 3. They can use these sheets to help them look back for inspiration when drawing their pictures. Learning Activity #3: Northern lights pastel picture 1. I will then explain to students that we will be making our own Northern Lights picture using pastels. 2. Show my picture of the Northern Lights to demonstrate what it may look like 3. Show them how to hold their pastels (kind of on an angle) explain that northern lights arent straight up and down in the sky they flow and dance. 4. When they draw their lights smudge it with their fingers to get the right effect, try not to touch your cloths and when you are all finished please go wash your hands. 5. Im going to call one table at a time to go up and get their supplies remember the northern lights we seen in the videos and the colors they were. Try to get similar colors. 6. Explain that everyones Northern Lights are going to be different just the real Northern Lights they are never the same. 7. Have pastels and black paper set up on the back table, have one table at a time go up for supplies. Sponge Activity: Northern Lights coloring sheet

Closure (1 min.): Consolidation/Assessment of Learning: Have some students come up to the front and show the class their Northern Lights. Review-whats something that you learned about the Northern Lights? Transition To Next Lesson: Next lesson we will be learning more about the land in the Canadian Arctic

Reflection This was my third lesson on the Canadian Arctic. I was introducing the students to the Northern lights a major part of the Arctic landscape. The students really enjoyed this lesson. I showed some videos and read them an online story about the northern lights trying to show them as many examples as possible. I

then read the students a couple poems to give them inspiration for their next activity which was to create their own northern lights using pastels. I got some great feedback from this lesson and that was to slow down and to go over some aspects several times to make sure the students understood it. During the videos the students chattered a little. I need to work on having everyones attention and keeping. Im sure this will come with continued practice and dedication. I then introduced their northern lights picture by showing them my own example and telling them that everyones will look different just like the real northern lights. The students really enjoyed this activity however towards the end I had some difficulty getting the students attention by using Mrs. Harris one two three eyes on me. I feel that now is my time to introduce my own class management techniques and go over my expectations and what is expected of them.