Intel Teach Program

Essentials Course

Unit Plan Template

Unit Author
First and Last Name

Hanan Alzamil

School District

Missouri

School Name

MSU

School City, State

Springfield, MO

Unit Overview
Unit Title
Earth, Sun, Moon
Unit Summary
The aim of this unit is for students to learn about the natural world through science, and to satisfy
some of their own curiosities through scientific exploration. Along with the in-class portions of the
unit, the students will maintain a journal containing their observations of the moon outside of class.
Along with their observations, they will be instructed to write any questions they encounter during
their observations. The students will be encouraged to find the answers to their questions by
researching, with parental supervision, on certain websites provided by the teacher. During the next
in-class meeting, the students will share their curiosities and answers with the class. This will enable
the students to not only learn from the teacher, but to learn collaboratively from their classmates and
peers. Throughout the unit, students will work in smaller groups to create a cohesive final class
project consisting of a Spring festival, hopefully landing on the full moon.
Subject Area
Science,
Grade Level
3rd Grade
Approximate Time Needed
5 weeks of 9 40-50 minute class periods
Unit Foundation
Habits of Learning Taxonomy
ISTE Standards
Research and Information Fluency
Students will use technology to gather, evaluate, and use information. They will locate,
organize, analyze, and evaluate information from internet sources. The evaluation of
information is based in its appropriateness to the specific unit and questions. The students will
also report their results.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
The students will use critical thinking skills to conduct their research, manage projects
throughout the unit, and use appropriate technology to solve their curiosities.
Communication and Collaboration
By using technology to solve their curiosities ans sharing their results as a class, the students
will be engaging in individual learning and contributing to the learning of others through

Intel Teach Program

Essentials Course

communicating their information and collaborating with their peers.

Targeted Content Standards and Benchmarks
Missouri DESE
3rd grade Science Grade Level Expectations
Composition and Structure of the Universe and the Motion of the Objects Within It
1.A. The Earth, Sun and Moon are part of a larger system that includes other planets and
smaller celestial bodies.
a. Describe the sun as a star that provides light energy to the solar system.
b. Observe and identify the Moon as a reflection of the Suns light.
2.A. The position of the Sun and other stars seen from Earth change in observable patterns.
a. Illustrate and describe how the Sun appears to move across the sky from east to west
during the day.
2.B. The position of the Moon seen from earth changes in observable patterns.
a. Illustrate and describe how the Moon slowly moves across the sky from east to west
during the night.
b. Describe the change in the Moons appearance during the month.
2.C. The motions of the Earth and Moon relative to the Sun are regular and predictable. It
explains the day, month, year, shadows, moon phases, tides, and seasons.
a. Observe and identify that there is a day/night cycle of 24 hours.
b. Describe the length and position of shadows at different times during the day.
c. Describe how the Suns position in the sky changes the length and position of shadows.
Student Objectives/Learning Outcomes
Understand how the Earth, Sun, and Moon are all connected in the solar system.
Develop critical thinking skills.
Be able to illustrate and communicate observations made of the sun, moon, and shadows.
Be able to effectively and appropriately use technology to answer questions.
Curriculum-Framing Questions
Essential
How are predictions made about the world?
Question
Unit
Questions
Content
Questions
Assessment Plan
Assessment Timeline

How are the Earth, Sun, and Moon all connected in our solar system?

What are similarities and differences between the Earth, Sun, and Moon?

What are things the Sun affects on Earth?

What causes the Moon to change appearance during a month?

Intel Teach Program

Essentials Course

Before project work begins

Students work on projects

and complete tasks

Class

Have the
As a

Student
discussion in
students
class, we will
s share with
order to
answer the
observe the
the class their
understand
Unit Questions
position of the
curiosities and
what existing
and Content
sun, and its
how the solved
knowledge the
Questions in
effect on
their
students have
their notebook
shadows at
curiosities
of the Earth,
in order to
different times
about the
Sun, and
compare and
throughout
Earth, Sun,
Moon.
contrast
the day.
and Moon in
answers at the
through
Student
end of the unit.
technology.
s decide which

Student
night to best
have the
s work in their
festival.
small groups
to come up
with plans for
their
designated
areas of the
festival.

After project work is

completed

Student
s will create a
picture of either
the changes in
the moon, or
how the sun
changes
shadows as it
moves across
the sky.

Answer Unit
and Content
Questions and
compare
answers with
those given at
the beginning of
the Unit.

Students will
demonstrate
the knowledge
they have
gained
throughout the
unit through
their
presentations at
the festival.

Assessment Summary
At the beginning of the unit assessment the prior knowledge of the students will be determined by
them answering journal prompt questions in their journals and by a class discussion lead by the
teacher. During the designated class time for Science, students will present their questions and how
they found the answers through technology. There will also be teacher-led conversation during that
time. Students will be able to meet in their smaller groups to discuss plans for the final class project,
and at the closing of the designated class time, the teacher will give instructions for students to make
observations at home. Also, at various times throughout the day students will observe the suns
movement through the sky, and how it affects shadows. After all observations have been made, the
students will make a diagram depicting either the changes of the moon, or how the sun affects
shadows. The students will also answer the same questions they answered at the beginning of the unit,
and be able to see how their knowledge has increased. The teacher will also monitor their progress
throughout the unit by looking at their daily journal entries. For a final assessment students will host a
community Spring festival where they will demonstrate the knowledge they gained during the unit, and
they will use knowledge gained in class and independent research to determine the best evening to
have the festival based on when the full moon will appear.
Unit Details
Prerequisite Skills
Students should have basic knowledge that we live on Earth, and have basic knowledge of what the
Sun and moon look like. Even though students will have parental guidance and assistance with their
research, hopefully they will also have the basic understanding of technology.
Instructional Procedures
Week 1, Day 1:

During the first class period of the unit, the students will write their responses to the unit and

Intel Teach Program

Essentials Course

content questions in their journals. These answers will serve as a form of hypothesis that after
the month of observation, they will be able to see if their hypotheses were correct. Afterwards,
there will be a discussion about their answers to the questions, led by the teacher, in order to
determine the students pre-existing knowledge of the subject.

After the discussion, there will be a lesson describing how the sun is a star, and how, as a star,
the sun provides light energy to the rest of the solar system.

Week 2, Day 2:

The second lesson of the unit will be about the moon being a reflection of the suns light. The
way the moon as a reflection of the suns light changes the moons appearance through the
month will also be discussed during the lesson. The students will also turn in their journals for
the teacher to evaluate their first entry. Also, after the discussion, students will be instructed to
use what they learned in class to research at home what night they think the Spring festival
should be.

Week 2, Day3:

At the beginning of the lesson, the teacher will return the students journals. A vote will also be
taken to see what day the students think the best day to host the Spring festival will be. The
third lesson will be an observation of how the sun moves across the sky from east to west
throughout the day. During the morning and afternoon, the class will go outside to observe the
position of the sun. The students should also bring their lunch this day so the class can have a
picnic outside during lunchtime to observe the sun. Each time they make an observation the
students will make notes in their journals.

The students will also make journal notes of observations they make of the moon that night at
home. They will be informed that this will be the first observation entry that they will share with
the class, in order to be prepared for the next weeks lesson day. Students will also be
encouraged to use technology in the form of a camera to document their observations, and
include the photos in their journal entry.

Along with determining the day the class will host the festival, the students will also be divided
into groups, each with a different responsibility for the festival. Some areas include: publicity,
explanation of the changes of the moon throughout the month, why the earth has a 24 hr day,
changes the sun has on shadows, and how the sun and moon move across the sky in similar
patterns, one group of 3 demonstrating how the earth orbits the sun and the moon orbits the
earth who also help people determine how many times they have been around the sun based
on their age, and determining materials needed for the festival.

Week 3, Day 4:

Students will present their at-home observations to the class, including questions that arose
and how they answered them on their own. Once, their small presentations have been made,
they will turn in their journals for evaluation.

Similarities will be drawn between the moon and the sun during the fourth lesson of the unit.
Students will study how the moon also moves from east to west during the night, just as the
sun does during the day.

Students will be allotted time to work in their small groups to brainstorm ideas for their area of
the festival.

Week 3, Day 5:

Journals are returned to the students in order for them to make evening observations of the

Intel Teach Program

Essentials Course

moon.

The fifth lesson expands on the similar movements of the sun and moon across the sky by
explaining the 24 hour day and night cycle.

Class time to work in small groups brainstorming ideas for the final festival project.

Week 4, Day 6:

Students will present their at-home observations to the class, including questions that arose
and how they answered them on their own.

The sixth lesson of the unit involves the observation of the length and position of shadows
throughout the day. Similar to the unit where the students observed the movement of the sun
across the sky at various times throughout the day, as a class or small group activity, students
will also look outside and observe the change in length and change in position of shadows
throughout the day.

After observation of the way shadows change throughout the day, the students will leave their
journals with the teacher for evaluation.

Again, class time will be allotted to plan for the festival.

Week 4, Day 7:

Journals are returned to the students in order for them to make evening observations of the
moon.

To expand upon the lesson earlier in the week about the length and position of shadows
throughout the day, the seventh lesson of the unit will study how the Sun and its position in the
sky is what changes the length and position of the shadows throughout the day.

Students small groups should have their plans nearly completed for their individual parts of the
festival. The plans will be shared with the rest of the class in order to share input and
collaborate as a class.

Week 5, Day 8:

Students will present their at-home observations to the class, including questions that arose
and how they answered them on their own. However, students will keep their journals after
presenting to use as a reference for todays diagram activity.

The students will spend the eighth class period creating a diagram depicting either the changes
in the mood throughout their month of observation, the changes in shadows throughout the
day they have observed, why the earth has a 24 hour day, and how the sun and moon follow
similar patterns across the sky. Here I can make a diagram + the journal sheets.

If students are not able to complete the diagram in class, they will be permitted to take it home
and finish. The diagrams will be on display at the festival.

Week 5, Day 9:

Students will present the diagrams they spent the previous class period working on, and will be
graded on their diagrams and the quality of their public speaking.

Students will answer the same questions the answered the first day of the unit. The final
answers to the questions should be compared to their original answers in order for the students
to assess how much they have learned during the month of observation. They will then turn in
their journals for a final evaluation.

Students will begin setting up for the Spring Festival.

Intel Teach Program

Essentials Course

SPRING FESTIVAL NIGHT!

During the day, final preparations will be made for the festival that night.

Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction

Special Needs
Students

Nonnative
Speakers

Gifted/Talented
Students

One of the benefits of the at-home observations, is that students with special
needs will not feel pressure from time constraints during class. However, during
the designated class time for the science lesson, they will have extra time for the
completion of in class activities. Special needs students will also have support
from specialists employed by the school. Also, depending on the severity of the
students special needs, certain learning objectives could be adjusted, such as
with severe public speaking anxiety due to autism, a student could be more
heavily graded on their journal entries than their participation in class discussion.
Being a non-native speaker can make learning difficult. If there are bilingual
teachers within the school, the teacher should try to set up tutoring for the nonnative student. If there are no bilingual teachers, the next step would be to find
bilingual community members willing to tutor the student. The teacher should
also have in-class resources for the student such as dual language dictionaries.
Because of the amount of at-home work that takes place with the lesson, the
teacher would also provide web addresses for translation sites.
Because students are able to come up with their own questions while doing athome observations, this allows more gifted students to participate in a degree of
independent study. They are able to think more in-depth about the relationship
between the Earth, Moon, and Sun. If a gifted student intends to develop more
in-depth questions during their observations, higher level website resources can
be given to the students to solve their questions.

Materials and Resources Required For Unit

Technology Hardware (Click boxes of all equipment needed)
Camera

Laser Disk

VCR

Computer(s)

Printer

Video Camera

Digital Camera

Projection System

Video Conferencing Equip.

DVD Player

Scanner

Other

Internet Connection

Television

Technology Software (Click boxes of all software needed.)

Database/Spreadsheet

Image Processing

Web Page Development

Desktop Publishing

Internet Web Browser

Word Processing

E-mail Software

Multimedia

Other

Encyclopedia on CD-ROM
Printed Materials

School approved science textbook and other age appropriate resources found
online on the relationship between the Earth, Sun, and Moon.

Supplies

Notebook specifically for Earth, Sun, Moon unit.

Intel Teach Program

Essentials Course

The following are the list of websites that will be provided for the students to
research the curiosities and questions they encounter during their at-home
observations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oDvWrvVktQ
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level1/solar_syst
em.html

Internet Resources

http://utahscience.oremjr.alpine.k12.ut.us/Sciber06/6th/moon/html/rotate.h
tm
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/
http://kidespace.com/KidsAstronomy.htm
http://kids.nineplanets.org/moon.htm
http://nineplanets.org/news/moon-calendar/

Other Resources

Parents: help to motivate students for out of class work, and to supervise
use of computer and internet.