5-E Lesson Plan Template
Your Name: Casey Evans
Grade Level: 6
Lesson Title: Discovering the Universe
THE TEACHING PROCESS
Lesson Overview
Your E-mail Address: cevans100210@troy.edu
Subject Area: Science
Lesson Length: 50 minutes
Students will be discovering the universe and the different planets, galaxies, comets, etc that the universe is
composed of. They will be exploring a web quest, creating a Wordle, writing a poem and illustrating a part of the
universe, and reviewing with a game of jeopardy.
Unit Objectives:
TSW identify the different parts of the universe
TSW describe the universe using information from their Web Quest
TSW navigate their computers with ease
TSW explain facts about the different components of the universe.
TSW write a poem explaining different relationships in the universe.
TSW illustrate one component of the universe.
TSW answer questions in the game jeopardy.
Standards addressed (AL COS)
Science 6.10 Describe components of the universe and their relationships to each other, including stars, planets,
and their moons, solar systems, and galaxies.
List of Materials
Computers
Smartboard
Discovering the Universe handout
Colored pencils
Large paper
Markers
Crayons
Glue
Printers
INSTRUCTIONAL SEQUENCE
Phase One: Engage the Learner
Activity:
The teacher will go through a youtube video that shows the size of the planets and stars in
comparison with each other. The teacher will then create a KWL chart with the students.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEheh1BH34Q
What’s the teacher doing?
What are the students doing?
The teacher is hooking the student’s interest about
the universe through the use of a youtube video
showing how big the planets and stars are in
comparison to each other.
The teacher will ask questions about what the
students saw in the video.
The teacher will create a KWL chart with the
students.
The teacher will ask the students what they already
know about the universe.
The teacher will allow the student who answered to
come to the board and write their piece of
information on the board.
The teacher will ask the students what they want to
know about the universe and have the students fill
out this part of the chart in the same way.
The teacher will have the students fill out this chart
at their desks as well.
The teacher is facilitating at the front and also
walking around the room to make sure students stay
on track.
The students are watching the video at their desks.
The students are participating in telling what they know
and what they want to know about the universe as a
class and at their desks.
Phase Two: Explore the Concept
Activity:
The students will be given a journey through the web. On their journey, they will be
discovering many different aspects that make up the universe. While they click through the
site, they will be answering questions about each part of the universe they discover.
http://www.history.com/interactives/interactive-universe
What’s the teacher doing?
What are the student’s doing?
The teacher will have all the students turn their
monitors off and look at the board.
The teacher will have the “Discovering the
Universe” site pulled up to show the students what is
expected of them during their web journey.
The teacher will show them how to pull up the site
and navigate the site.
The teacher will pass out the handout where the
students will record their information found on their
journey through the universe.
The teacher will briefly go over the requirements for
the handout (ie: bullets are acceptable, answer
completely).
The teacher will instruct the students to turn their
monitors on and begin their web search.
The teacher will walk around the room making sure
all students are on task and answering any questions.
The students are listening to instructions and have their
monitors off.
The students are working independently on their journey
through the universe.
The students are answering the questions on their
handout in the appropriate manner.
The students are engaged in the learning process and
engaged in the “Discovering the Universe” site.
Phase Three: Explain the Concept and Define the Terms
Activity:
The teacher will use the website Wordle to help the students define what makes up the
universe. Each student will have to give the teacher one word that describes the universe or
one word of something in the universe. Once they give their word to the class, they must
explain why they chose their word. As the teacher is doing this on the smartboard, the
students are following along and creating their Wordle at their desks.
What’s the teacher doing?
What are the students doing?
The teacher will have all the students turn their
monitors off and face the board after everyone has
completed their journey through the universe.
The teacher will have a few students share some of
the interesting facts they learned about the universe
and add them to the KWL chart.
The teacher will open Wordle and give directions for
their next activity.
The teacher will call on students one by one for their
word and explanation.
The teacher will be demonstrating what the students
should be doing at their desks on the board.
The students will be participating in giving their word
and explanation.
The students will be following along on Wordle at the
speed the teacher is going.
The students will not be anywhere else on their
computers.
The students will only put on their Wordle what is on
the smartboard.
The students will have the opportunity to personalize
their theme for their Wordle in the last five minutes.
Phase Four: Elaborate on the Concept
Activity:
The students will pick one component of the universe and illustrate it using whatever they
would like. Some of their choices would be pencil, crayons, markers, and colored pencils…
They will be given a larger sheet of paper and instructed to leave room for them to write a
poem. This poem must be typed and glued to their illustration. The poem will describe that
specific component and its relationship to the universe as a whole. The students will have to
think back to their journey through the universe quest for this information.
What’s the teacher doing?
What are the students doing?
The teacher will instruct the students to clear their
desks.
The teacher will give the students instructions for
this activity.
The teacher will walk around with a bowl and
individual slips of paper in it each containing one
component of the universe. Students will choose
one component to do their activity on.
The teacher will pass out the necessary materials.
The teacher will walk around the room making
sure all students are on task and to answer any
questions.
The students are following instructions.
The students are illustrating their universe component to
the best of their ability.
The students are typing their poems and gluing them to
their illustrations.
The students are keeping the noise to low voice level.
Phase Five: Evaluate students' Understanding of the Concept
Activity:
The students are split into two teams to play a game of jeopardy. The teacher will have
created the game on a powerpoint that reviews all the material from the three previous
activities. Each student will be required to turn in a sheet of notebook paper with their own
guesses and answers on it. The teacher will also use the web quest handout, the informal
Wordle assessment, and the illustration with the poem to assess the students’ comprehension.
What’s the teacher doing?
What are the students doing?
The teacher is facilitating a game of jeopardy.
The teacher will split the class in two groups.
The teacher will allow time for the students to
create group names.
The teacher will explain the rules. (each team will
take turns back and forth. The team whose turn it is
can discuss as a team. If a team misses it, the
teacher will call on a random student from the
other team to read the answer they have on their
paper at their desk. If his or her answer is wrong
nobody gets the point. Points will also be taken
away from students who gloat, brag, call out of
turn, and disregard rules.)
The students are participating at their desks and
cooperatively with their teams.
The students are taking turns calling out the answer.
The students are encouraging one another and being good
sports.