VIU Lesson Plan Template
Name:
Cassandra Karras
Grade
Date
4/5
March 11, 2020
Topic
Allotted Time
Intro to the Solar System (Science & ELA)
1hr 30min
STAGE 1: Desired Results
Cite sources used to develop this plan:
Video Clip: Exploring Our Solar System: Planets and Space for Kids - FreeSchool
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd6nLM2QlWw
Rationale: How does this lesson fit within the unit being studied? How does this lesson prepare for future
learning? How does this lesson relate to the students’ real life?
This is the first lesson of the larger solar system unit. It will give some context when we talk about the
planets as well as the effects of the positions of the sun, moon and Earth. In relation to students’ real life,
the effects of the sun, moon and Earth impact everyone during every moment of their life. Understanding
how these effect impact students’ will be long lasting.
Curriculum Connections: What Big Ideas (Understand,) Core and Curricular Competencies (Do), Content
Standards (Know) does this lesson develop? What connections if any can be made to First Peoples’ principles
and ways of knowing?
Understand
Big Ideas:
The motions of Earth and the moon cause observable patterns that affect living and non-living systems
(Science, Gr 4).
Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the
world (English Language Arts, Gr 4/5).
Works of art influence and are influenced by the world around us (Arts Education, Gr 5).
Essential or Guiding Questions:
What planets are in our solar system? In what position is the Earth, in relation to the sun and other planets?
What are the colours of the planets?
Do
Core Competencies: Communication - Connect and engage with others (to share and develop ideas)
Curricular Competencies:
Science
 Demonstrate curiosity about the natural world (Gr 4).
 Represent and communicate ideas and findings in a variety of ways, such as diagrams and simple
reports, using digital technologies as appropriate (Gr 4/5).
English Language Arts
 Apply a variety of thinking skills to gain meaning from texts (Gr 4/5).
Arts Education
 Examine relationships between the arts and the wider world (Gr 5).
Know
Content Standards:
Science
 local changes caused by Earth’s axis, rotation, and orbit (Gr 4).

the effects of the relative positions of the sun, moon, and Earth including local First Peoples
perspectives (Gr 4).
English Language Arts
 story/text: evidence (Gr 4)
 oral language and metacognitive strategies (Gr 4/5)
Arts Education
 visual arts: elements of design: colour, shape (Gr. 4/5)
STAGE 2: Assessment Plan
Learning
Intention(s):
What will students
learn?
Science Objectives:
I can identify the planets in the
solar system.
I can put the planets in order from
the closest to the sun, to the
farthest from the sun.
Arts Education Objectives:
I can differentiate the colours and
shapes of the various planets and
replicate them on paper.
I can create my solar system
booklet.
Evidence of
Learning:
How will students
show their learning?
(products,
observations,
conversations)
Students share what they “know”
about the solar system orally
during class discussion (prelearning assessment).
Students share what they observed
and learned during the video clip
(conversation)
Colouring planets based on
colours from the video. Gluing
planet cutouts and planet names
in order in their newly create
planet booklet (product).
Criteria:
What will the
teacher be looking
for in the evidence?
How will you
support L2 learners
to be successful?
Students have arranged their
planets in order from closest to the
sun to farthest from the sun.
Students can work with their desk
neighbours. Visuals are provided
to support meaning making.
Language Objective(s):
I can listen for the new solar system
vocabulary. I can write the new vocabulary in
my solar system booklet.
Vocabulary: orbit, solar system, planet, sun,
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus, Neptune.
Language features: Present tense; simple
descriptions
Text type: Description
Language skills: Listen to and view a video clip
on the solar system. Share ideas orally during
class discussions. Match the names of the
planets to their corresponding planet cutout.
Gluing planet cutouts and planet names in
order in their newly create planet booklet
(product).
Students are able to match the planet cutout
with the correct planet name. Teacher models
the lists planets in order on the board with
colours beside them. Students are
encouraged to provide peer support.
Students are sharing prior
knowledge and new knowledge
related to the solar system. Allow
students to share their ideas in
different ways (e.g., pointing to
pictures). Check in one-on-one
with students.
Students are expressing their ideas. They are
listening to and building off of their peers’
ideas. ELL learners are not required to
contribute to class discussion if they are not
comfortable. Provide extra wait time and use
the think-pair-share technique during class
discussions. Video clip is played again while
students are working on their booklet in
order to generate familiarity with the
vocabulary.
STAGE 3: Learning Plan
Resources, Material and Preparation: What resources, materials and preparation are required?
Large images and words for word wall. Computer & projector set up for playing YouTube clip. Planet
colouring sheet (1 per student), 12x45cm black construction paper strips (3 per student. Strips must be precut before lesson), pencil crayons or felt markers, scissors, and glue.
Organizational/Management Strategies: (anything special to consider?)
Provide movement breaks. Provide clear instructions and modeling at each stage of the lesson so
expectations are clear. Ask students to help hand out the materials.
Planning for diversity (adaptations, extensions, other): In what ways does the lesson meet the needs of diverse
learners? How will you plan for students who have learning/behaviour difficulties or require enrichment?
Students that need assistance with the creation of the booklet can ask their neighbours or the teacher for
assistance. Students will be asked to lie all their planet cutouts and corresponding planet names in order
before they can glue them to their booklet.
Lesson Development
Connect:
How will you introduce this lesson in a manner that engages students and activates their thinking? Activate
or build background knowledge, capture interest, share learning intention.
Lesson hook:
Pacing
Activating background knowledge
To activate background knowledge, ask students what they “know” about the solar system.
Prompting questions: Who has learned about the solar system before? What is the Solar System?
Can anyone explain? What are planets? Which planet do we all live on? Explain key vocabulary
(orbit, solar system, planet, sun, Earth). Draw on the blackboard a diagram of what the solar
system looks like to help define the vocabulary (orbit, solar system, planet). This will help
prepare the students to watch the video.
5 min.
Process: What steps and activities are you going to use to help students interact with new ideas, build
understanding, acquire and practice knowledge, skills and/or attitudes? In what ways have you built in
guided practice?
Watching video (multimodal text)
Tell students that you are going to play a video about the solar system and ask students to listen
and watch for the names and colours of the planets, the order of the planets and an interesting
new fact that were new to the students. Write on the blackboard the things that students need
to focus on while they watch the video (names and colours of planets, planet order interesting
facts). This will act as a reminder for all students, but also help ELL students who missed the
oral instructions. The video has images to support ELL learners to make meaning.
Emphasizing key vocabulary
Ask volunteers to share their responses. To reinforce key vocabulary, line up all the large images
of planets in order. Ask volunteers to name the planets (one student per planet). Once a planet is
named by a student, teacher says the words then asks the students to repeat the name (ex.
“Mercury, please repeat”). Place planet name card under each planet as they are being named.
Brainstorm as a class the colours of each planet. Write the colours under each planet. Ask
student to share any interesting new facts that they learned while watching the video. ELL
learners are not required to contribute to class discussion if they are not comfortable. Provide
extra wait time and use the think-pair-share technique during class discussion.
14 min.
10 min.
10 min.
Transform: How will students apply or practice their learning? Can they show or represent their learning in
personalized ways?
Create/build Planet Booklets
(These booklets will be used later in the unit as students learn more details about each individual
planet).
Instruction on how to make the booklet:
Step 1: Fold each of the black construction paper strips like an ‘accordion’ (there should be four
equal parts per paper strip).
Step 2: Glue the 3 strips together to make a long ‘accordion’. Once glued together there should
be 10 equal parts.
Step 3: Colour the planet colouring sheet based on the colours that were brainstormed as a class
and written on the blackboard.
Step 4: Cut out the planets and the planet names.
Step 5: Place the planets with their corresponding names in order on students’ desks for the
teacher to check.
Step 6: Glue the planets and their names to the booklet. Make sure there is only one planet per
block/page to leave room for planet facts that will be added later.
Show the class an exemplar of what the booklets will look like. Demonstrate to the class steps 1 5 min.
& 2 of how to make the booklets. Ask 3 students to hand out the black construction paper while
all the other students take out their glue sticks.
Walk through steps 1 & 2 again but this time as a class where students can begin to build their
booklets. Wander the class to check that all students are completing steps correctly. Encourage
peers to help each other.
7 min.
Explain to the students steps 3 to 6. Encourage students to work together to determine the
colours required and the order of the planets. While students are working on their booklets,
teacher will play the video clip again quietly for student to watch if their want. This will help
solidify the names, colours and order of the planets as well as help provide repetition of
hearing the vocabulary.
25 min.
Closure: How will you solidify the learning that has taken place and deepen the learning process? Refer back
to the learning intention, connect to next learning.
Class discussion
Gather back together as a class. Ask students to hold up their completed planet booklets. Provide 10 min.
positive reinforcement.
Review the vocabulary of the planets once more as a class in order from closest to the sun to
farthest from the sun.
Ask students to share something that they learned today. Use think-pair-share technique.
Ask students to share something that they are wondering about with regard to the solar system
(think-pair-share). This will help check for understanding as students use the new vocabulary,
but also check to see what students want to learn more about as we continue through the Solar
System unit. Teacher will write the “wonder” questions/statements on the blackboard as a
visual aid.