EDUC 342/MAT 632 Science Methods

Inquiry-based Lesson Plan Template (Unobserved)

Mariah Arellano

A: Informational Components

Lesson Title: The Reason for The Seasons Part 1

Grade Level: 1st

State Standards Connection:

Standard, Objective, Indicator –

Standard 2 Earth and Space Science. Students will gain an understanding of Earth and Space
Science through the study of earth materials, celestial movement, and weather.
Objective 3 Compare and contrast seasonal weather changes.

b. Identify characteristics of weather, e.g., types of precipitation, sunny, windy, foggy,

and cloudy. 

Essential Question: What is the relationship between the sun and the earth? Why does it matter?

Specific Lesson Objective: For the first part of the lesson, students will observe how the earth
tilts and rotates everyday while it revolves around the sun.

For the second part of the lesson, students will communicate how the movement effects the
seasons we feel on earth and what that feels like.

Vocabulary Focus: Equator, rotate, revolve, axis or tilt, hemisphere,

Materials: The Reasons for The Seasons book, 13 Styrofoam balls on straws, 13 flashlights, 5
globes, spotlight, labels of months,

Anticipated Time Frame: 35 minutes

B: Instructional Procedures

Engage and Launch: Provide a detailed description. Don’t forget to describe your
transition statements. (7 minutes)
Transition: students will be coming from recess; I will ask them to sit on the rug to read a
story.
Teacher role – Teacher will read the story of The Reasons for The Seasons asking
students questions throughout the story. Reiterate the book by explaining how the earth is
surrounded by a blanket of air. The blanket of air is warmed by the sun. it is the tilt of the earth
as it moves around the sun that causes the seasons. Ask questions, provide info needed for
explore phase.
 Student role – Students are thinking in their heads about the earth in relation to the sun.
Has an interest, calls up prior knowledge, develops a need to know.

Explore: Provide a detailed description. Don’t forget to describe your transition

statements. (10 minutes)
Transition- After reading the book, I will have everyone come stand in the oval shape of
the orbit and give them each a paper that has a month on it. I will give each student a paper with
a month or description on it based on where they are standing.
Teacher role- I will explain how they are the earth at different times of the year, so if
they have January then they are where the earth will be in January. They can tell what time of
year it is by the month they are holding or next to. I will have 4 globes as place holders labeled
winter, spring, summer, and fall. I will be standing in the middle of the orbit holding a light as
the sun. I will ask them to explain what they represent and if they get that then they can start to
think about what season it is where they are standing and why that is? I will give them time to
talk with their partner then I will bring them back and ask them to share. I will be assessing if
they understand that they are the earth that is on a tilt or axis.
I will only focus on rotate and revolve for this lesson so that they can see when the earth
revolves around the sun that is when we experience the seasons. I will then walk around the
circle with an earth explaining that I am the earth and ask them if they know what I am doing? I
am looking for them to say I am revolving or going around the sun. I will ask what happens
when I go around the sun. One time around the sun equals to one year and we will then look at
how the sun is hitting the northern hemisphere, where we live that is why we have the different
seasons. Then I will spin in a circle and walk around the circle to show that I rotate and revolve.
Student role- students are standing, holding their materials. They will be talking with
their partners. They will rotate and revolve their earth so that they can understand those
vocabulary words.

Explain/Summarize: Provide a detailed description. Don’t forget to describe your

transition statements. (5 minutes)
Transition- Students keep the papers, tell them to go back to their desks and explain to
their partner what month they were in on earth in Utah and what was their relationship to the sun.
If they get done, they can discuss what the weather feels like at their month. Have students talk
with their partners.
Teacher role – Walk around and listen to students, watch students demonstrating using
their models. Evaluates student explanations.
Student role – Students are taking turns explaining how the earth revolves around the
sun. Students should be talking about everything discussed during the explore. Clarifies
understandings discovered, shares understandings for feedback, communicates
understanding using models.

Elaborate/Extend: Provide a detailed description. Don’t forget to describe your transition

statements. (3 minutes)
Teacher role – Teacher will ask students multiple questions, students will discuss the
questions in their partnership then share some answers to the whole group. What seasons have
you seen? What does that look like? Have you ever visited or lived anywhere else where the
seasons were different at different times? Why is that? Asks questions, poses new problmes
and issues, evaluates explanations.
Student role – Students are talking with their partners and sharing their response with the
whole class. They are thinking about what the weather looks like. Asks questions, applies new
knowledge by performing related tasks.

Evaluate/Assess: Provide a detailed description. Don’t forget to describe your transition

statements. (7 Minutes)
Transition- Explain that the Styrofoam ball represents the earth, the line is the equator
which splits the earth in half for the northern and southern hemisphere. The earth is not a ball to
be played with or else we will not be able to use it to explore. The flashlight represents the sun,
it is not to be used as a toy. The star represents you on planet earth, in the northern hemisphere,
in the United States, in Utah. The paper you receive is part of our science learning and should be
treated with respect, not to be folded. Hold up each item as I explain. “Remember these
materials are science materials for exploring, not toys so they should be treated with respect.”
Teacher role – Teacher will assess students throughout the lesson but at the end, teacher
will give students will show what they know in partners. “You will be given 5 minutes to
demonstrate or show with your partner, the relationship between the earth and the sun just like
we did as a whole class. Some words you should use are equator, hemisphere, axis or tilt, rotate,
and revolve. Write all the words on the board and demonstrate before letting them do it on their
own. Observe and assess students as they apply new concepts and skills, allow students to
assess their own learning and skills.
Student role – Demonstrates an understanding of a skill or concept, evaluates his or
her own progress and knowledge. Students will be in partners; one partner will hold the
flashlight and point it at the Styrofoam ball that the other student is holding. Students will
observe what happens when the light is pointed at different points of the ball. They will use the
words equator, hemisphere, axis or tilt, rotate, and revolve to explain the relationship between
the sun and the earth.

Adaptations for Gifted/Talented, ELL and Special Education:

ELL: thoughtful partnerships, hands on learning