Michelle Nitchman

EDEC 421

Family Engagement Plan

Family and Community Resources

● NASA Virtual Field Trip- exploration of the moon

● Trip through Space Simulation-exploration of the sun, Earth, and moon in space

● Carolina Forest Library- exploration of fictional and nonfiction texts about the Sun

Family Communication

Communicating with the students’ families throughout the unit is critical to the success of

the field trips and activities, but also contributes to the connections that the child is able to make

outside of the classroom. This communication back and forth with the families sets the

expectations and gets them involved in Science with the child! I will introduce the unit through a

newsletter that will be sent home with the child on the Friday before the unit begins. In this

newsletter I am introducing the topics of the Earth, sun, and moon to the family. I provide a brief

overview of what the children will be exploring such as the Earth, sun, and moon themselves, as

well as seasons, day and night, rotation, and orbiting. The newsletter also includes important

dates for field trips throughout the unit and a simulation that will occur in a spare modular

classroom on the school’s campus. Next, I will use the Bloomz app to share more details with the

families. In this app I can post sign up sheets for parents to volunteer at the events or even donate

supplies. This app will also be used to post daily updates and photographs as students learn

about the Earth, sun, and moon, showing what they are learning in order to prepare for our fun

trips and activities with the families. This app allows for two-way communication as the parents

and myself can make posts or privately message each other. Any questions, ideas, and concerns
can be shared with the entire group of families! Lastly, I will use Remind to send text and online

reminders to the families. Though trip and assignment details will be posted in Bloomz, Remind

will allow me to send urgent reminders as deadlines and trip dates approach. This will help keep

myself and families on track and up to date as we get caught up in our daily lives and other

obligations. These three communication methods allow for the unit to be previewed, details to be

shared, student work to be shown off, the ability for parents to communicate back and forth, and

the opportunity for urgent reminders to be sent out. These all contribute to the success of the unit,

activities, and student and family engagement.

Family Involvement: School-Based

This Science unit provides several opportunities for the families to be involved outside of

their home. First, families can volunteer as chaperones for the trip to the library or for the

simulation in the modular classroom. These volunteers can join and spend the day with their

child as we explore space and texts about the sun and moon. Another way for parents to get

involved in these activities without being present is to donate supplies or materials. For parents

who are wanting extra ways to get involved they can donate rocks, baby powder (moon dust),

dried fruit (space snacks), astronaut helmets (paper mache), and books about the sun or moon. If

unable to donate items, I would be more than welcoming if they donate their time to help set up.

The simulation in the modular classroom requires moon rocks to be laid out, a flag to be set up

for a picture opportunity, seats to be organized like a spaceship, a projector being set up to

display videos of us traveling through space, and helmets being made for the children to wear. A

third way families can get involved is by volunteering to come to the classroom and read a book

aloud, teaching the class about sun or moon facts. The story could be informational for the

beginning of the unit, but may become more silly and make believe for enjoyment at the end of
the unit. The children always love a good read aloud and get the chance to incorporate reading

with Science! The last way families can get involved with this science unit in the school

environment is by joining us on the last day of the unit, as the students read their booklets that

were created throughout the two weeks. At the end of each day’s science lesson, the students

complete a related page in their booklet where they may fill in the blanks, provide examples,

draw what they see, or draw diagrams to showcase their knowledge of various sun and moon

topics. On the last day, they can present these books to their parents, and then allow the families

the opportunity to question them and let the children show off their scientist-level knowledge!

Family Involvement: Home Activity

Home Activity

Moon Phase Flip Book

Standard 1.E.3: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the patterns of the Sun and

the Moon and the Sun’s effect on Earth.

1.E.3A.2 Use data from personal observations to describe, predict, and develop models to

exemplify how the appearance of the moon changes over time in a predictable pattern.

Purpose: Student will be able to summarize that the moon’s appearance changes shape in a

predictable pattern called phases

 Miss Nitchman

First Grade Class

Home Activity

Hello students and families!

I hope that you all had a great weekend and got to enjoy this cooler weather! In class, your child

has been learning about the moon and its phases. We have explored diagrams, learned new

vocabulary words, and have seen models of the Earth’s rotation to determine how it affects the

moon’s phases. We’ve been very busy scientists in first grade! Now that your child knows the

eight moon phases and their corresponding terms, I would love for you to join them in observing

the moon each night from home! Please navigate the links and directions attached below to

complete this home activity. All necessary materials have been provided in Ziploc bags that

were sent home with students. Please have your student return their flipbook on Monday

morning.

YouTube link for read aloud:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVW6P-sKKNU

Moon phases chart:

https://www.spaceracers.com/pdf/moon-phases-cards.pdf

Materials:

-black construction paper (already cut and stapled into flipbook)

-white crayon

-The Night Sky by Alice Pernick (YouTube link above)

-Moon phases chart

-index card

-pencil

Moon Phase Flip Book Directions: (blue: student, red: parent, purple: both)

1. Watch the YouTube video read aloud to refresh your student’s memory and set the tone

for nightly moon observing!

2. Once the sun sets, join your student outside with their flip book and crayon handy.

3. Look up at the sky to locate the moon.

4. Draw a model of the moon and its current phase on the left side of the flipbook page.

5. Label the moon phase on the right side of the flipbook page.

6. Verbally explain what you observed in the night sky (moon phase, what this means for

the Earth’s rotation, predict what phase comes next, etc).

 7. Use the chart (above) to check your student's vocabulary.

8. Repeat steps 2 through 6 for the rest of the week (7 days total)

9. Write on an index card one thing your child taught you about the moon and moon phases

this week. Also, write your favorite part about enjoying these moments together with

your child each night, sitting out under the stars.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone’s drawings of the moon and sharing with your

child about your special time together as a positive way to end each day!

hogar

Fase lunar Libro

Giratorio Estándar 1.E.3: El estudiante demostrará una comprensión de los patrones del Sol y

la Luna y el efecto del Sol en la Tierra.

1.E.3A.2 Usar datos de observaciones personales para describir, predecir y desarrollar modelos

para ejemplificar cómo la apariencia de la luna cambia con el tiempo en un patrón predecible.

Propósito: El estudiante podrá resumir que la apariencia de la luna cambia de forma en un patrón

predecible llamado fases

 Miss Nitchman

clase de primer grado de

Actividad para el hogar de la

¡Hola estudiantes y familias!

¡Espero que todos hayan tenido un gran fin de semana y hayan disfrutado de este clima más

fresco! En clase, su hijo ha estado aprendiendo sobre la luna y sus fases. Hemos explorado

diagramas, aprendido nuevas palabras de vocabulario y hemos visto modelos de la rotación de la

Tierra para determinar cómo afecta las fases de la luna. ¡Hemos estado muy ocupados como

científicos en primer grado! Ahora que su hijo conoce las ocho fases lunares y sus términos

correspondientes, ¡me encantaría que se uniera a ellos para observar la luna cada noche desde

casa! Navegue por los enlaces y las instrucciones que se adjuntan a continuación para completar

esta actividad en el hogar. Todos los materiales necesarios se han proporcionado en bolsas Ziploc

que se enviaron a casa con los estudiantes. Por favor, pídale a su estudiante que devuelva su

flipbook el lunes por la mañana.

Enlace de YouTube para leer en voz alta:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVW6P-sKKNU

Gráfico de fases lunares:

https://www.spaceracers.com/pdf/moon-phases-cards.pdf
Materiales:

-negro papel de construcción (ya cortado y grapado en flipbook)

lápices de colores -blanco

-El cielo nocturno de Alice Pernick (enlace YouTube arriba)

fases -Moon trazar

tarjeta -índice

-pencil

fase de la luna de Bolsillo llegar: (azul: estudiante, rojo: padre, morado: ambos) ¡

1. Mire el video de YouTube leído en voz alta para refrescar la memoria de su estudiante y

establecer el tono para la observación nocturna de la luna!

2. Una vez que se ponga el sol, únase a su estudiante afuera con su libro y crayón a la mano.

3. Mire hacia el cielo para localizar la luna.

4. Dibuja un modelo de la luna y su fase actual en el lado izquierdo de la página del libro

animado.

5. Rotula la fase lunar en el lado derecho de la página del flipbook.

6. Explique verbalmente lo que observó en el cielo nocturno (fase lunar, lo que esto

significa para la rotación de la Tierra, predice qué fase viene a continuación, etc.).

7. Use la tabla (arriba) para verificar el vocabulario de su estudiante.

8. Repita los pasos 2 a 6 durante el resto de la semana (7 días en total)

 9. Escriba en una tarjeta de índice una cosa que su hijo le enseñó sobre la luna y las fases

lunares esta semana. Además, escriba su parte favorita sobre cómo disfrutar de estos

momentos junto con su hijo cada noche, sentados bajo las estrellas.

¡Espero ver los dibujos de la luna de todos y compartir con su hijo sobre su tiempo especial

juntos como una manera positiva de terminar cada día!