This document provides an overview of a 5-lesson unit on the solar system for elementary school students. In the unit, students will learn about the sun, moon, stars, and planets through research online and class discussions. They will create a KWL chart to track their prior knowledge and questions. Students will also complete a webquest and outlines to research facts about different objects in the solar system. Their final assignment will be to write short reports about the sun, moon, stars, and planets using the information they learned.

1. Our Solar System Unit created by Rachel Niland EDT 514 2007

2. Introduction Welcome to the solar system project for Ms. Niland's second grade class. We are about to explore the solar system. We live on earth and earth is just a tiny part of the solar system. The object of this project is to explore and learn about the world around us and to learn that we are just a very small part of it. Students will learn about the moon, the sun, the stars and the planets. These are all parts of our solar system. They will learn the differences between these different parts of our solar system. While students research about the sun, the moon, the planets, and the stars in our solar system they should be looking for interesting facts that can be assembled in a final report. Students will be given a list of websites to use to research these facts. The solar system is a fascinating place with many interesting things to report on.

4. Lesson 1 - What is the Solar System? Objectives : Students will be able to pull from their prior knowledge to discuss the solar system . They will be able to tell what they would li ke to learn about the solar system . CT Content Standards: Students in grades K-4 will demonstrate attentive and purposeful listening and viewing skills. Materials/Resources: overhead projector and screen KWL chart paper and pencils Learning Activities Students will be at their desks. Teacher will draw from student’s prior knowledge about solar system by asking them to turn and talk to a neighbor about what they know about the solar system. Teacher will give students two minutes to do this. Teacher will listen while students discuss what they know with a neighbor and after two minutes ask students to raise their hands and share what they know. If students sound confused or off track teacher will explain that the solar system is up in the sky and give them another two minutes to talk. Students will discuss what they already know while the teacher writes the answers under the K on the KWL chart shown on the overhead screen. Teacher will explain that students will get into groups and make a list of things they would like to learn about the solar system. Teacher will ask students to get into their groups at their usual places and begin brainstorming. Students will have at least five things they want to learn. Students will be given ten minutes to make their list. Teacher will get students bac k to their desks and students will share what they want to learn about the solar system. Teacher will write what students want to learn under the W on the KWL chart. Closure: Students will be as ked what they learned while discussing what they know and want to learn about the solar system. Explain that we are only a tiny part of our solar system.

5. Our Solar System K W L

6. Lesson 2 - Solar System Webquest Objectives : Students will learn about and how to use a webquest to research topics. Students will operate and use computers to research and learn facts about the solar system. CT Content Standards: Students in grades K-4 will demonstrate attentive and purposeful listening and viewing skills. Students in grades K-4 will identify, locate, and use appropriate electronic resources available through their school computer lab with assistance. Materials/Resources: Computers/Solar System Webquest, internet http://TeacherWeb.com/CT/CPulaskiElementarySchool/SolarSystem/ Learning Activities Students sit at their own computer in the school computer lab. Teacher will use Vision to share the Webquest with the students by taking control of their computers. Teacher will explain the webquest and what it is used for. Students will be navigated to the introduction and asked to read it silently to themselves. Teacher will navigate to and read the task, then the process which explains what they will be looking for. Students will then be given back control of their computers and allowed to surf the websites to become familiar with the sites. Closure: When bac k in the classroom s tudents will be as ked to assemble in the rug area to discuss what they learned. Teacher will ask if any one has any questions.

7. Lesson 3 – Ma k e a Web of the Solar System Objectives : Students will be able to complete a web of the solar system using the information they have researched and from listening to The Planets in Our Solar System by Fran klyn M. Branley. CT Content Standards: Students in grades K-4 will demonstrate attentive and purposeful listening and viewing skills. Materials/Resources: The Planets in Our Solar System by Fran klyn M. Branley, o verhead projector/screen Learning Activities Students will assemble in the rug area. Teacher will read The Planets in Our Solar System by Fran klyn M. Branley to students. Students will listen attentively to be able to share details of the boo k. While reading teacher will complete a web of the solar system by as king students to share details from the boo k. Closure: Teacher will ask students what they learned today. Students will share important details. Teacher will display the web in the classroom.

8. Lesson 4 – Webquest continued Objectives : Students will learn more about and how to use a webquest and outline to research topics. Students will operate and use computers to research and learn facts about the solar system. CT Content Standards: Students in grades K-4 will demonstrate attentive and purposeful listening and viewing skills. Students in grades K-4 will identify, locate, and use appropriate electronic resources available through their school computer lab with assistance. Materials/Resources: Computers/Solar System Webquest, internet Outline for report Learning Activities Students will assemble in the computer lab. Teacher will take control of students computers. Teacher will share a copy of the outlines they will be expected to complete before writing their final reports. The first outline will be complete by everyone and teacher will explain that this is for facts only not in sentence form. The second outline will be completed in sentence form as a rough draft. Teacher will navigate students to solar system webquest to share the evaluation with students to explain what is expected in their reports. Students will be given an outline to assist them in their research, a modified outline will be given to certain students. Students will have time to begin their research. Closure: When bac k in the classroom s tudents will be as ked to assemble in the rug area to discuss what they learned. Teacher will ask if any one has any questions.

10. Outline for Solar System Report Name____________________________________________ Directions - using the webquest, research and complete this outline. You need to find at least two facts about each of the following subjects. 1.Read about and then write about two facts you learned about the sun. a. Fact one - ______________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ b. Fact one - ______________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Read about and then write about two facts you learned about the moon. a. Fact one - ______________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ b. Fact two - ______________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Read about and then write about two facts you learned about the stars. a. Fact one - ______________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ b. Fact two - _____________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Read about and then write about two facts you learned about the planets. a. Fact one - _____________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ b. Fact two - ____________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Read about and then write about two facts you learned about the earth. a. Fact one - ____________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ b. Fact two - ____________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________

11. Lesson 5 – Complete KWL chart and reports Objectives : Students will be able to define what our solar system consists of and give facts about the different parts of it (stars, moon, sun, and planets). CT Content Standards: Students in grades K-4 will demonstrate attentive and purposeful listening and viewing skills. Materials/Resources: overhead projector and screen KWL chart Learning Activities Students will be at their desks. Teacher will ask students to turn and talk to a neighbor about what they learned about the solar system. Teacher will give students two minutes to do this. Teacher will listen while students discuss what they learned with a neighbor and after two minutes ask students to raise their hands and share what they learned. Students will discuss what they learned while the teacher writes the answers under the L on the KWL chart shown on the overhead screen. Teacher will initiate a discussion about what students wanted to learn and did learn. Closure: Ask students why they think it is important to learn about he Solar System and how this knowledge has enhanced their lives.

12. Resources The Planets in Our Solar System, by Fran k lyn M. Branley http://www.kidsastronomy.com/solar_system.htm http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/solar_system_level1/solar_syste m.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/solarsystem/ http://www.brainpop.com/science/space/solarsystem/index.weml http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_System http://www.solarviews.com/eng/solarsys.htm