1. Our Classroom
Group 5: Savannah Smith and Callie
Miller
This newsletter is to keep you informed
and up-to-date on the new material we are
learning and important events going on at
our school!

2. What are we learning?
O This week, we are starting a
new lesson on our solar
system. We will be spending
time learning about the
planets, the sun, the moon,
and key events involving
space travel.
O During this unit, your child
will learn the order of the
planets as well as facts
about each, how our solar
system works together, the
different phases of the
moon, and the key people
and events that occurred
during space travel.

3. Our Objectives
O Essential Question:
O How do the moon, sun, and other planets work
together in our solar system?
O Unit Questions:
O Why does the moon appear to change its shape
over the course of the month?
O Why does the moon appear larger in certain
phases than in other phases?
O Content Questions:
O How do solar and lunar eclipses occur?
O Why do not have a lunar or solar eclipse every
month?

4. What your child will be doing
O During this unit, your 2nd grader will be reading, writing,
constructing, and learning about our solar system. With
this, they will be reading books about the planets, the
sun, the moon, and our solar system and then write in a
reflective journal. This journal will document what they
thought was the most interesting thing about that topic
and what they want to know more about. Students will
be engaged in many different activities during this
lesson that are hands-on and require some creativity
and help. One activity has the student go outside at
night and draw the moon phases each night to see the
change. The other activity will be done in class and it is
called the Oreo Moon activity. We will be constructing
the different phases of the moon by using the Oreo
cookie/crème parts.

5. How can you help?
O We have found that the
students participate more
and do better when the
parents are involved and
interested in what they are
learning. So during this
lesson, we suggest that you:
O Ask your student what they
are learning
O How you can help them
O Keep a moon phase journal
with them and discuss it
each night after drawing
O Have them show you the
activities, like the Oreo
Moon activity, at home

6. Our Role:
O During this lesson, we are here to guide the
students to:
O Read about all the planets
O Keep a neat and organized journal for later
use
O Draw the moon phases each night and check
off that they have done so
O Take them to infinity and beyond with
learning!

7. Project Based Learning
O In our school, we are leaning more towards a project
based learning experience for the students. This
means that the students will be engaged in more
projects and collaborative work to learn rather than
lecturing the information everyday.
O In our experience, students have enjoyed this process
and learn more efficiently and effectively because of
the hands-on experience and collaborative work.
O The students will be comparing their moon drawings
and working together to create a story for our
language arts work as well.

8. Contact Info
O If you have any further questions, comments, or
concerns about this lesson please feel free to
contact us!
O Our emails:
O Ms. Smith: sasmith13@crimson.ua.edu
O Ms. Miller: crmiller5@crimson.ua.edu
O You can also contact us during our planning
period by calling the school. Our planning
periods are:
O Ms. Smith: 12:45-1:15
O Ms. Miller: 10:30-11:45

9. O We enjoy having each and every
single student in our class! We love
watching them grow into such brilliant
learners everyday! Thank you so much
for all your help!