UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE (adapted from Thompson Rivers University)

Unit Title: Space Exploration

Name:

Emily Steeves, Amy MacLaren, Jennie

Niles, Cara Rossiter

Number of Lessons: 6
Subject(s): Science

Time: (in weeks)

Grade(s):

Rationale:
This unit will give students a greater understanding of the solar system, exploration, and technology in space. Consequently, students will
learn the importance of these structures and advancements to life on earth.
Overview and Concept Map:
Prescribed Learning Outcomes:
Describe how astronauts are able to meet their basic needs in space (301-21)
Describe examples of improvements to the tools and techniques of exploring the solar system that have led to discoveries and scientific
information (106-3)
Identify examples of scientific questions and technological problems about space and space exploration that are currently being studied (1051)
Describe scientific/ technological achievements in space science that are the result of contributions by people from around the world (107-15)
Describe the physical characteristics of components of the solar system (104-8, 300-23)
Select and use tools in building models of the solar system that show approximate relative size of the planets and sun, and the approximate
relative orbits of the planets around the sun (205-2)
301-20 observe and explain how the relative positions of Earth, the moon, and the sun are responsible for the moon phases, eclipses, and
tides
Prerequisite Concepts and Skills: Students will expand on their knowledge of daily and seasonal cycles, which they learned in elementary
school, using their new learning to account for these cycles.
Teacher Preparation Required: Before starting this unit, the teacher must research websites, articles, and textbooks to review information
on solar systems and any new discoveries in technology to share with the class. The teacher must also contact and arrange a time with guest
speaker, and gather all materials for lesson plans.
Cross-Curricular Connections:
Visual arts, English language arts, Mathematics
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Extensions to Unit: Constellation mapping and field trip to planetarium; Planets and People: How Space has Affected Life Throughout
History; Flight Unit: describe and justify the differences in design between aircraft and spacecraft
Universal Design for Learning (UDL):
1.1: Options that customize the display of information we will provide options for hard copies of any projected information
2.1: Options that define vocabulary and symbols we will provide opportunities to review vocabulary through activities as well as providing
them with a vocabulary sheet.
3.2: Options that highlight critical features, big ideas, and relationships we will highlight big ideas through providing students with hands on
materials such as planet creation which will help solidify the students understanding of the planets in our solar system.
4.3: Options for accessing tools and assistive technology we will provide students with videos to help understand the concepts presented in
class, as well as offer them opportunity to submit assignments electronically.
5.1: Options in the media for communication students will have the opportunity to use technology to create their good copies of any
information that is handed in for assessment.
6.3: Options that facilitate managing information and resources students will be provided with a duotang where they can put any of the
information given for this unit
7.2: Options that enhance relevance, value, and authenticity students will be given the opportunity to create and handle planets which will
make the information relevant and authentic to the students by demonstrating their relative size and distance from the Sun.
Students will be given the opportunity to talk with Chris Hadfield following their "If I was an astronaut" assignment to help
authenticate their experiences.
8.3: Options that foster collaboration and communication students may work in groups to demonstrate the phases of the Moon.
9.3: Options that develop self-assessment and reflection students will be writing journal entries throughout the unit reflecting on what they
learned.
Differentiated Instruction (DI):
Naturalistic: The students will be provided with the opportunity to learn more about the solar system and discover potentially work in the
environment they are studying
Bodily- Kinesthetic: The students will be provided with the opportunity to create and handle replicas of the planets which will allow them to
develop a further understanding their relative size and distance from the Sun.
Interpersonal: The students will be provided with opportunities to work in groups on their phases of the Moon assignment, which they will
present.
Verbal-Linguistic: The students will be presented with information verbally from the teacher in regards to the outcomes to be covered.
Visual-Spatial: The students will be presented with visual representations of planets, and the solar system as a whole which are relevant to
the lessons.
Logical-Mathematical: The students will be provided with planet sizes and distances from the Sun. They must then calculate how many
squares of toilet paper are necessary to demonstrate the relative distance between all planets and the Sun.
Intrapersonal: The students will be provided with the opportunity to reflect on what they have learnt through journal entries at the end of each
lesson.
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Resources:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/jpl/education/moonphases-20100913.html
http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/biohadfield.asp
http://www.college.columbia.edu/academics/integrity-sourcecredibility

Overview of Lessons:
Lesson #
and Title
(time in minutes)

Outcomes in
lesson

Lesson #1:
If I was an
astronaut
1-2 lessons

Describe how
astronauts are
able to meet
their basic
needs in space
(301-21)

SWBAT understand how

astronauts meet their basic
needs while in space.

Describe
examples of
improvements
to the tools and
techniques of
exploring the
solar system
that have led to
discoveries and
scientific
information
(106-3)

SWBAT show their

knowledge of tools and
exploration techniques that are
used in space. They will
understand how these have
improved and have led to
more discoveries.

Identify
examples of
scientific
questions and
technological
problems about
space and
space
exploration that

(a) Outcomes in Student

Friendly Terms
(b) Teaching Strategies

SWBAT ask questions about

space and recognize the
problems that could arise that
are currently being studied.

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Assessment Strategies

Students will be
assessed for learning
through an APK
activity with the
KWL chart.
Students will be
assessed formatively
through showing
their learnings
through their
journals.

Lesson Activities

Teacher will make a

KWL chart on the
board. As an entrance
ticket, students will be
asked what they
know/what they think
that they know about
astronauts and space.
This activity will lead
into a discussion at
table groups and then
whole group about
various space and
astronaut related
information such as;
-Basic needs in space
-Different
technologies in space
-Possible problems
that could arise.

Materials
(Specific to This Lesson)

Paper journals or loose

leaf for notebooks.
Pens/pencils
Pencil crayons
Markers
Post-it notes

Students will be asked

to respond to the
learnings at the
end/after class as if
they were astronauts.
They will be asked to
recognize key
learnings throughout
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are currently
being studied
(105-1)
Describe
scientific/
technological
achievements
in space
science that are
the result of
contributions
by people from
around the
world (107-15)
Lesson #2
301-20
Moon Phases
Observe and
Demonstration
explain how
the relative
positions of
(Students may
Earth, the
complete the
moon, and the
activity
sun are
independently on responsible
in groups, at the for the moon
teacher's
phases.
discretion)
205-2 select
and use tools in
manipulating
materials and
in
building
models

the class and show this

through their journals.
Students will be
encouraged to draw
their journal entries if
they so choose.

SWBAT show their

knowledge of technological
achievements that have been
discovered by people around
the world.

(Intrapersonal,
interpersonal, logicalmathematical,
linguistic, visual
spatial)

Teaching strategies:
Journaling, KWL chart, Table
group work.

SWBAT name and describe

the phases of the moon.

Students will be
assessed formatively
upon their ability to
correctly manipulate
the physical models
of the moon
Students will be
assessed
summatively through
an individual
drawing
representation of the
moon's phases.

SWBAT use a physical model

to demonstrate the phases of
the moon.

Teaching strategies: create

physical model, manipulate
model to demonstrate and
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Begin by having
students watch video
https://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=w35Qx4
VwXg8
Teacher will
demonstrate the
activity, have students
complete a journal of
each phase of the
moon during the
activity.

One light-colored sphere and

one pencil, per student
(styrofoam balls)
One larger white sphere (for
teacher to use as
demonstration) and one pencil
Light source (lamp, large
flashlight)
Incandescent bulb (100 watts
or higher)

Prep work:

Dark room

-- Place the lamp in

the middle of the
room.
-- Have each student
poke a hole into their
sphere with their
pencil and hold the
pencil, with sphere

Drawing supplies (paper,

pencils, pencil crayons)

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name moon phases

attached, in their left

hand. They should be
holding what looks
like a spherical
lollipop.
-- Explain to students
that the bulb is the sun,
each of their spheres is
the moon and each
student is Earth.
Directions:
Step 1: New Moon: To
begin, students should
face the lamp and
extend the sphere
directly in front of
them, raising the
sphere enough so they
can also see the lamp.
This view simulates a
new moon. As
students look at their
moon, they will see
that the sunlight is
shining on the far side,
opposite their view of
the moon. From
Earth, the new moon is
not seen.
Crescent Moon:
Keeping their arms
extended in front of
their bodies, have
students turn their
body and extended
arm counterclockwise

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about 45 degrees.
They should face their
balls and observe what
they now see. They
should see the righthand edge of the
sphere illuminated as a
crescent. The crescent
starts out very thin and
fattens up as the moon
moves farther away
from the sun (as the
student begins to turn
in a circle).
Step 2: First Quarter:
Have students
continue turning left
so their moon and
body are now 90
degrees to the left of
their original position.
The right half of the
moon should now be
illuminated. This
phase is called the first
quarter.
Step 3: Full Moon:
When students move
their moon so it is
directly opposite the
sun, as viewed from
Earth, the half viewed
from Earth is fully
illuminated. (Make
sure they hold their
moon high enough so
the "sunlight" is not
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blocked by their head.)

Step 4: Third or Last
Quarter: Keep students
turning, with arms
extended, so they are
now three-quarters of
the way around from
their original position.
This is the third, or
last, quarter. They
should observe that the
opposite side from the
first quarter moon is
now illuminated.
Step 5: Return to New
Moon: The continued
counterclockwise
movement brings a
thinning crescent and
finally a return to a
new moon.

Lesson #3
Q&A with Chris
Hadfield

Describe how
astronauts are
able to meet
their basic
needs in space
(301-21)

SWBAT understand how

astronauts meet their basic
needs while in space.

Identify
examples of

SWBAT ask questions about

space and recognize the

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Students will be
assessed on evidence
of engagement by
monitoring during
Chris Hadfield's
presentation and on
learning through
journals at the end of
class.

After the activity,

students will complete
a drawing with
explanation of each
phase of the moon for
assessment.
As Science class
begins, play "Across
the Universe" by the
Beatles. Fade music
once students have
settled.

Laptop or CD player with

audio of "Across the Universe"
Chris Hadfield
Class set of journals

Introduce Chris
Hadfield with brief
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scientific
questions and
technological
problems about
space and
space
exploration that
are currently
being studied
(105-1)

problems that could arise that

are currently being studied.
Teaching Strategies: Guest
speaker, journals

biography. Outline
expectations of
behaviour for a guest
speaker presentation
(ie. not talking with
friends, alertness,
taking notes,
developing meaningful
questions) and explain
that there will be time
for questions at the
end of the
presentation. Ask
students to think of
questions they might
have based on the last
lesson.
Chris Hadfield speaks
on his space
experiences and takes
questions from
students.
Ask students to give
Hadfield a big thankyou. Explain that they
have the remainder of
class to write a journal
response about Chris
Hadfield's experiences
in space, how he
describes meeting his
basic needs, the
problems he has
encountered in space
and possible solutions,
and any other
questions they may

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still have after the

presentation and Q&A
period.

Lesson #4
Research
Methods

Identify and
use a variety of
sources and
technologies to
gather pertinent
information
about a planet,
moon, asteroid,
or comet, and
display their
findings using
diagrams,
pictures and/or
descriptions
from recent
explorations
(105-1, 205-8,
207-2)

SWBAT find and use different

sources and technologies to
gather information about a
planet, moon, asteroid, or
comet, and display their
findings using diagrams,
pictures, and/or descriptions.

Evaluate the
usefulness of
different
information
sources when
getting
information
about the
components of
the solar
system (206-4,
204-6)

SWBAT evaluate the

usefulness of different sources
when gathering information
about the solar system.
Teaching Strategies:
Questioning, Think-PairShare, Rubrics, Intentional
Grouping

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In this lesson,
students will be
conducting their own
assessment of
different websites
using a rubric and a
short written
component.

At beginning of class,
teacher will ask
students how they
normally conduct
research and what
types of websites they
use. Allow ample
time for responses.

The teacher will then

assess these rubrics
and written
components to
determine if students
are prepared to begin
next project.

In small groups, have

students discuss how
they know a source is
reputable. Allow
small groups to share
with whole group.

Class set of laptops

Smart Board
Class set of website list

Use this discussion to

develop a rubric for
evaluating websites
with class. Show an
example of a website
and how one might
evaluate it on the
Smart Board.
Place students in
intentional pairs and
have one member
from each group
retrieve a list of solar
system websites and
laptop from teacher.
They will choose three
websites from the list
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and evaluate each site

using the rubric,
including 2-3
sentences about why
they would or would
not recommend this
website for research.

Lesson #5
Planet
construction Part
I
(1-2 lessons)

Describe the
physical
characteristics
of components
of the solar
system (104-8,
300-23)

SWABT describe what planets

are made of, what they look
like, and what their
atmosphere is like.

Select and use

tools in
building
models of the
solar system
that show
approximate
relative size of
the planets and
sun, and the
approximate
relative orbits

SWBAT use a variety of craft

supplies to show models of
planets in the solar system and
their approximate size.
SWBAT show an
understanding of planets orbits
around the sun.
Teaching strategies:
Journals, research,
presentations of personal

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Students will be
assessed
summatively through
their presentations of
their planets.
Students will be
assessed formatively
through their journals
about other students'
presentations.

At the end of class,

students and teacher
will work together as a
class to rank the list
from best website to
worst website.
Teacher will explain
that they will use the
tope five websites to
complete an upcoming
project.
Students will research
their given planet.
With their research
they will carefully
select their materials
in the making of their
planet.
Students will create
their planet and write a
short description of
their planet in their
own words.
Students will present
their planets to the
class.
While other students
are presenting their
planets their peers are
expected to take notes
about other

Styrofoam balls in a
variety of sizes
Pipe cleaners
Paint in a variety of
colours
Paint brushes
Construction paper
Glitter
Markers
Access to computers/
books about space and
planets.
Paper
Pencils/pens
Journals/notebooks

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Lesson #6
Planet
Construction
Part II Toilet paper
activity

of the planets
around the sun
(205-2)

work)

Select and use

tools in
building
models of the
solar system
that show
approximate
relative size of
the planets and
sun, and the
approximate
relative orbits
of the planets
around the sun
(205-2)

Students will be able to infer

conclusions about the qualities
of each planet due to their
distances from the sun, i.e.,
planets that are closer to the
sun have a higher temperature,
etc.
Students will use toilet paper
strips to represent the
approximate relative distances
of the planets from the sun.

C:\Users\weststewart\Documents\UDL Materials\UDL Unit Plan August 2014.doc

Students will be
assessed
summatively through
the presentations of
their planets and
through the
appropriate distances
of planets from the
sun.

presentations in their
journals.
(Interpersonal,
intrapersonal,
kinesthetic, visualspatial, linguistic,
naturalist, logicalmathematical)
Using their models
from the previous
class, students will
demonstrate the
distances of the
planets from the sun
using squares of toilet
paper.
One piece of toilet
paper will equal 50
000 000 km. Have
students determine
how many squares of
toilet paper will be
needed to represent
their planet's distance
from the sun at
furthest orbit.
Have students line up
their planets one at a
time and lay their
planet out along with
their toilet paper
representations.
Students may choose
to take pictures of this
once all planets are
arranged, or create a
sketch.
Teacher is encouraged
to asked questions

Approximately 12 rolls of
toilet paper - squared toilet
paper works best for
measuring.
Student's planet models from
prior lesson
Physical representation of the
sun (person dressed in yellow,
pair of sunglasses)
Large space to lay down the
planets (gymnasium/long
hallway)

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about the distances of

the planets to the sun:
How does the distance
to the sun affect the
planet's temperature?
How does the distance
from each planet to the
sun affect the
lightime/nightime of
the planets?
Did you expect each to
be further or closer to
the sun relative to the
other planets? Etc.
Students will be
expected to complete
an individual model of
the solar system
individually using the
toilet paper model as a
reference.
Reflections/Revisions (if necessary, continue on separate sheet):

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Unit Plan Template

The unit plan template is designed as a guide to use when planning units. The plan may be adapted to specific
subject areas and modified as you gain experience. The attached sample template should be used as a basic outline.
The space required for each heading in the template will vary and should be adjusted as needed. The template is
available on the Intranet entitled Unit Plan Template. It is important that all areas required in the template are
completed and that the unit plan be sufficiently clear and detailed so that another teacher could use the plan to teach
the unit.
Rationale: Why are you teaching this unit?
Overview: Include a brief statement of the context and structure of the unit describing the major concepts, skills
and/or understandings. You should also include a concept map/graphic organizer/web for this unit.
Prescribed Learning Outcomes: The Curriculum Documents define what students should learn in each curricular
subject by describing what students should be able to do. These statements are the prescribed learning outcomes of
the curricula of New Brunswick. Your unit plan should state the prescribed learning outcomes to be taught and
assessed in the unit and on which the specific lessons are based.
Prerequisite Concepts and Skills: Concepts to be covered and skills to be taught before the unit can begin.
Teacher Preparation Required: Describe the preparations you need to make prior to presenting the unit. Do you
need to involve other people in the planning, such as the librarian? Are there materials to be gathered and websites to
check?
Cross-Curricular Connections: What other curricular areas will be addressed in the unit? If prescribed learning
outcomes from other subjects are specifically assessed, include these outcomes in this part of your unit plan.
Extensions to Unit: Consider the following questions: What activities might you add to the unit to extend and/or
enrich student understanding? Do you have more than one method available as a Plan B?
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiated Instruction (DI): UDL includes: Multiple means of
representation; Multiple means of expression; and, Multiple means of engagement. DI is the process of ensuring that
a students readiness level, interests, and preferred mode of learning are recognized. Teachers can differentiate
instruction in four ways: content, process, product, and, learning environment based on the individual learner.
How will you accommodate your diverse learners? What are the individual needs within this classroom and how will
you accommodate them? Consider learning styles, multiple intelligences, Aboriginal and cultural influences. What
are the adaptations and modifications needed for students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs)?
Resources: List resources used in the unit/lessons and, if necessary, where they can be obtained. Also list the
technology required.
Overview of Lessons: Describe the key elements of each lesson in a way that is easily expanded into a detailed
lesson plan. If using the Unit Plan Template (electronic version) add as many rows as there are lessons and expand
the size of the boxes as needed. First record the lesson number, title and length of the lesson in minutes, then list, by
number, the Learning Outcomes that are specifically addressed in the lesson. Briefly outline the major Instructional
Objectives (SWBATin student friendly terms), Teaching Strategies (a few words), Lesson Activities (sufficient
detail to enable another teacher to teach the unit), Assessment Strategies (include the strategy - the How and the
What you will be assessing), and Materials needed for the lesson.
Reflections and Revisions: As you teach and work through the unit with the students, record any changes you make
as work progresses. At the end of the unit reflect and record successes and any modifications you might make when
you teach the unit again.

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