Tennessee Tech University
Lesson Plan Template
Name: Hillary Wilson and Brandy Robinson
Date: March 6, 2013
Lesson Title: Super Solar System
Grade/Level: 3rd
Curriculum Standards
State/Common Core Curriculum Standards
Science Grade 3 : Standard 6 - The Universe - GLE 0307.6.1 Identify and compare the major components
of the solar system. SPI 0307.6.1 Identify the major components of the solar system, i.e., sun, planets and
moons.
Technology Standard: Standard 3.0 Students will use technology productivity tools. Learning Expectations
3.1 Students will use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. b.
Use the computer and technology resources as a learning tool.
Focus Questions/Big Idea/Goal (List all 3)
What question(s), big idea(s), and goals drive your instruction?
Focus Question: What are the major components of our solar system? How are these things related?
Big Idea: Our solar system is made up of suns, planets, and moons that all rotate around the sun.
Goal: Students will be able to identify the major components of the solar system and their orbital location.
Lesson Objective(s)
Objectives are measurable.
Students will correctly order the planets by their position from the sun and identify each planet based on its
characteristics.
Students will navigate through an iPad application to gain information about our solar system and use the
information to complete a chart.
Students will produce a final drawing depicting the solar system.
Vocabulary/ Academic Language
What opportunities will you provide for students to practice content language/vocabulary and develop
fluency?
Students will be required to use the vocabulary in this lesson during discussion and when creating their fact
cards for the culminating activity. Students will also be given vocabulary math worksheet to review their
gained knowledge of vocabulary.
Academic Language
Guided Inquiry
5E Format
Assessment - Graphic Organizer
Tools - iPad & Worlds Apart App
Revised Spring 2011
Vocabulary
solar system - a star with the group of heavenly bodies that revolve around it; especially: the sun with the
planets, moons, asteroids, and comets that orbit it.
planet - a heavenly body other than a comet, asteroid, or satellite that travels in orbit around the sun; also:
such a body orbiting another star
Sun - the star around which the planets revolve, from which they receive heat and light, and which is an
average distance from the earth of about 93,000,000 miles, a diameter of 864,000 miles, and a mass
332,000 times greater than earth
Mercury - the planet nearest the sun
Venus - the planet second in order from the sun
Earth - the planet on which we live; third from the sun
Mars - the planet fourth in order from the sun.
Jupiter - the largest of the planets and fifth in order of distance from the sun.
Saturn - the planet sixth in order from the sun
Uranus - the planet seventh in order from the sun
Neptune - the planet eighth in order from the sun
orbit - (noun) - the path taken by one body circling around another body; also: one complete circle that
makes up such a path. (verb) to move in an orbit around
moon - the earth’s natural satellite that shines by reflecting light from the sun and revolves about the earth in
about 29.5 days
revolve - to move in an orbit around another object
Material/Resources
What do you need for this lesson?
● iPad and Worlds Apart app and/or iLearn Solar System app
● FlipChart presentation
● Styrofoam model of planets
● Black poster board
● Velcro or ‘Sticky Dots’
● Construction paper (black if available)
● Crayons, chalk, or color pencils
● Index cards
● Pencils
● Pre-cut pictures of planets
Assessment/Evaluation
Formative: How will students demonstrate understanding of lesson objective(s)? How will you monitor
and/or give feedback?
Feedback will be given throughout lesson during discussion, flipchart activity, and group and individual
activities.
Summative: What evidence will you collect and how will it document student learning/mastery of lesson
objective(s)
Students will draw and label a diagram of the solar system.
Rubric will be completed by teacher while students work in groups to complete the iPad activity and chart.
The chart created during the iPad activity will be collected and checked for accuracy and completion.
Solar system fact worksheet will be collected and checked for accuracy and completion.
Vocabulary Match worksheet will be completed as homework or in study all to ensure vocabulary is clearly
understood.
Revised Spring 2011
Instruction
(Include a suggested time for each major activity)
Set/Motivator: How will you engage student interest in the content of the
lesson? Use knowledge of students’ academic, social, and cultural
characteristics.
The set will include playing the solar system song from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd_EIdZrvaU. We will then create a
concept map as a whole group on the board with ideas that we already have
about the solar system.
List Questions for higher order
thinking These cannot be
answered by yes or no.
(Identify Bloom’s Level of
Thinking)
Remember - How many
planets are in our solar
system?
Remember-Can you name all
the planets in our solar
system?
The teacher will then verbally divide the students into 9 groups and assign
each group a planet or sun. The teacher will explain that they will be
learning about all of the planets in the solar system, but will be working with
their peers assigned to the same planet to complete a fact card to put on the
class solar system model at the end of the lesson. The teacher will then
assign students numbers 1 through 9. Students assigned the number 1 will
be responsible for completing a fact card about the Sun. Students assigned
the number 2 will be responsible for completing a fact card about Mercury
and so on for each planet. The cards will be placed on the solar system
model during the closing activity.
(8 minutes)
Instructional Procedures/Learning Tasks: Provide specific resources/details
of lesson content and delivery.
Understand - Why is it
important that each planet has
its own orbit?
Activity 1: The teacher will introduce the interactive FlipChart. Students will
be called on using a no-hand-raising strategy to interact with the FlipChart to Analyze - What would happen
discover facts about each planet. Each slide has an interactive component to if the planets did not have
discovering facts. For example, the slide with information about Earth has
specific orbits?
numbers listed with what appears to be blank space beside them. Students
must use the ‘erase’ function of the SmartBoard to reveal the facts about
Earth.
(15 minutes)
Activity 2: Students will then work in table groups to complete iPad activity.
Students will access the Worlds Apart App and tour the solar system. As
they tour the solar system they will complete the attached chart to get an
idea of the size and comparison of each planet. Teacher will walk around to
groups, answer questions, and guide thinking. If students finish the chart
before the allotted time has expired, they may explore the iLearn Solar
System App.
(15 minutes)
Revised Spring 2011
Closure: Verbalize or demonstrate learning or skill one more time. May state Evaluate - What influence
future learning.
does the position and location
of the sun and planets have on
you here on Earth?
Students will be asked to gather in their planet or sun group that was
assigned by number at the beginning of the lesson. Each group will write the
group name (planet or sun) and 3 facts on an index card. Students will then Create - Can you design a
be called by groups and asked to place their planet/sun on the model and
model to show the information
add their fact card. The model will be constructed of a large black poster
you learned about the solar
board and planets made of Styrofoam from local craft store. (Could
system?
alternately have students create planets out of modeling clay or Play-Doh if
time allows) The poster board will have orbits pre-drawn by teacher and one
‘Sticky Dot’ or piece of Velcro on each orbit. The planets will have a
corresponding ‘Sticky Dot’ or piece of Velcro to allow it to be placed on the
poster board to complete the model. Students will add their fact card to their
specified planet and share with the class. Students at their desks will
complete the Solar System Fact worksheet with the facts that their
classmates shared or facts other facts that they have learned during the
lesson.
(15 minutes)
Students will use the information they learned throughout the lesson to
complete their own solar system diagram on construction paper using white
crayons (chalk and white color pencil would work as well), glue sticks, and
pre-cut pictures of the planets and Sun. Students will complete vocabulary
match worksheet at home or during study hall for review.
(10 minutes)
Adaptations to Meet Individual Needs: How will you adapt the instruction to meet the needs of individual
students? Include ELL?; SPED?; Gardner’s Learning Styles - Name and specify what happens in the lesson that uses each
learning style listed; Other individual needs of the students/class you are teaching?
ELL and SPED students would both benefit from the numerous instances of visual aids. The iPad app,
concept map, FlipChart, model, and drawing are all aids that can assist in solidifying knowledge gained.
This lesson appeals to several of Gardner’s learning styles. The lesson frequently uses written and spoken
language during all activities, including the flipchart and iPad activity, which appeals to linguistic
intelligences. The song in the set of the lesson appeals to rhythmic intelligence in students. Kinesthetic
intelligence is recognized through use of the interactive flipchart, iPad activity, and physical model. The
model and drawing activity appeal to learners with spatial intelligence. Intrapersonal and interpersonal
intelligences are appealed to when the students work individually and in groups respectively.
Management/Safety Issues: Are there any management and/or safety issues that need to be considered
when teaching this lesson?
Standard classroom management procedures should be in effect.
Revised Spring 2011
Rationale/Theoretical Reasoning: (** Add at least one of the essential 9**)
The entire lesson focuses on different aspects of Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences as specified
above. Throughout the lesson plan, the modeling and scaffolding used while presenting the concept map is
indicative of the importance of Vygotsky’s research and development involved in the zone of proximal
development. Discussion allows students the opportunity to talk through their ideas and solidify their
understanding of our solar system and the heavenly bodies within. The diagram and chart provide an
effective tool for assessment as a well as a great method for tactile learners and creative students who
connect with pictures more readily than simple words in print.
The chart included on the worksheet also gives students the opportunity to compare and classify items as
described in Marzano’s essential instructional strategy of identifying similarities and differences. The
physical model used in class and the diagram that students create are both representative of Marzano’s fifth
essential instructional strategy of nonlinguistic representations. Marzano’s sixth essential instructional
strategy of cooperative learning is demonstrated by the use of small group work to complete the in-class
model.
References: List the references used in this lesson
Images from http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/gallery-solar-system/en/
Math Standards - http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/3/G/A/2
Science Standards - http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/sci/index.shtml
Technology Standards - http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/computer/index.shtml
Flipchart from http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Solar-System-Adventure
Reflections/Future Modifications: To what extent did the class learn what you intended them to learn? What
will be your next steps instructionally? What did you learn about your students as learners? What have you
learned about yourself as a teacher?
Revised Spring 2011