Solar System 3 Grade Earth Science Teaching Sample Project ...
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Solar System 3 rd Grade Earth Science Teaching Sample Project Spring 2012
Transcript of Solar System 3 Grade Earth Science Teaching Sample Project ...
Solar System 3rd Grade Earth Science
Teaching Sample Project Spring 2012
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Table of Contents
Addendum: Students in Context………………………………………………………... 2
Students in Context……………………………………………………………………... 3
Content Analysis and Learning Outcomes……………………………………………… 7
Assessment Plan………………………………………………………………………… 11
Design for Instruction…………………………………………………………………... 16
Instructional Decision-Making…………………………………………………………..28
Analysis of Student Learning…………………………………………………………… 30
Reflection and Self-Evaluation…………………………………………………………. 36
References and Credits...……………………………………………………………….. 40
Appendix A: Pre and Summative Assessment Learning Outcome 2…………………... 41
Appendix B: Phases of the Moon Answer Key…………………………………………43
Appendix C: Pre and Summative Assessment Learning Outcome 3……………………44
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Addendum: Students in Context
THE SCHOOL
Grade levels in school K-6 Number of students enrolled 518
Percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunch 60% Percentage of students with IEPs 4.5%
Percentage of students identified as English learners 16%
Level and type of parent involvement (e.g. Parent association/group, Parent conferences, volunteers, assistance with homework): The amount of parent involvement is mixed. There are many parents that volunteer in classrooms, assist with homework, attend parent conferences and are engaged with the school activities. However, there are many that are not as involved due to work or other reasons. The school continues to hold events, send flyers and reach out to these parents to try to connect and keep them informed.
THE STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM
Grade level(s): 3rd Age range: 8-9 Number of students enrolled: Males 12 Females 11 Number of students typically present: 23 Ethnicity of students (give percentage):
African American or Black 0 American Indian/Alaskan Native 0
Asian or Pacific Islander 3 European American or white 13
Hispanic or Latino 7 Other (specify) 0 Language proficiency of students:
# of Fluent English proficient speakers (including native English speakers) 21
# of English learners (limited English proficiency) 2
# of Non-English Speakers 0 Languages spoken (list all that apply): Spanish and Hmong Description of reading ability (such as “above grade level” ‘at grade level” and “below grade level”): 43% above grade level (10) / 43% at grade level (10) / 13% below grade level (3) Description of writing ability: 87% at grade level (20) / 13% below grade level (3) Description of other student factors related to learning, such as interests, learning modalities, etc.: Students enjoy cursive handwriting, reading time, art, science, and social studies. Number of students on IEPs (or formally identified with special needs) 1
List specific categories and number of each student in each category. Speech Services
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Description of special needs of students not on IEPs (e.g. gifted and talented, health issues, discipline problems): Discipline problems: 3 to 4 students who need a lot of redirection, off-task, talking, fidgeting, walking around Gifted: 3 students who are above proficient levels academically
STUDENTS IN CONTEXT
Implications for Instruction
Based on the Students in Context Addendum, I have identified three factors that will have
the most significant impact on instruction. First, there are two students in the class identified as
English Language Learners. One student is a native Spanish speaker and the other is a native
Hmong speaker. They are both at moderate levels of English speaking proficiency. However,
these students will need some extra support with the vocabulary and language, especially for the
specific text and topic focused language in this science unit. The other student that is below
reading level should also benefit from these strategies. I will frontload the vocabulary with
visuals including pictures and when possible realia. I will also have a word wall with pictures
for the students to use for reference to continue to develop the students understanding of the
vocabulary. During the lessons, I will use animated videos and demonstrations to provide
contextual development with the concepts being presented. I will also show actual examples of
the projects for the students to refer to as a model. For writing, organizing information, or
discussion I will try to provide the students with a sentence template to assist with the language
demands.
Next, there are three or four students in the class who have behavior problems and are
easily distracted, off-task, and fidgeting. These students have a short attention span and seem to
need constant redirection. Because they are kinesthetic and visual learners, I will be able to help
meet their learning needs by including movement activities, hands-on learning tools, and
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experiments. I plan on using body movements and physical model demonstrations to assist with
learning the rotation, revolution, and orbits of our solar system. I also plan on including hands-
on learning tools and experiments to practice scientific methods. I will also be including group
discussion and a group project in which these students can pick a job that suits them. This peer
interaction and group activities will provide experiential learning that should play to their
strengths and keep the students engaged in the lessons. Of course, there will also be guidance,
structure, and behavior expectations set up to be able to continue participation with these
activities.
Finally, there are three students in the class who are gifted and above proficient levels
academically. These students will need a challenge to keep them engaged and to explore more
learning opportunities. I will provide higher reading level resource books and provide them with
an internet challenge to help with gathering more information for the group projects. I will be
sure to ask inquiry questions and provide higher level problem solving questions within
discussions and activities. I will also give specific opportunities for these students to apply and
share their knowledge with peers. The inquiry lessons and scientific experiments in this unit will
allow the students to use critical thinking and problem solving skills to explore without as much
guidance as needed for others.
Classroom Management Plan
Expectations and Interventions
The expectations for my students behavior are based on responsibility, respect, and
safety, all of which support academic learning. I want to encourage my students to take
responsibility for their actions and their learning. In doing so, I expect my students to stay
focused on completing their own independent work during class as well as turning in their
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homework completed the next day. If students are not being responsible by staying on task and
they do not complete their work, they must finish during free time and/or take it to complete for
homework. If students do not turn in their homework completed, then I will discuss this issue
with them privately and give them a Personal Accountability Check (PA Check). The PA Check
goes home for the parent to sign and in the student’s record to show where the student needs to
improve behaviorally. If the student receives more than four in a quarter then they lose a reward
from the principal.
I place the utmost importance on being respectful to yourself and others. I expect my
students to show respect. In supporting academic learning, my students know that this means
they are to be quiet and have their eyes on the person who is supposed to be talking, the teacher
and or a student who is sharing. In doing so, they are to be listening to this person so that they
can learn a new idea or understand each other. Students are also expected to have their “eyes
forward, backs straight” sitting up so that they are showing that they are respectfully paying
attention and learning more. During group discussions or activities, students should know that
they are to take turns, share, and cooperate in completing the task. If students do not show
respect, they will get a warning and then their name will be written on the board, followed by PA
checks if necessary. Depending on the action, students will also be moved to the front of the
class to make it easier to pay attention with less distractions.
I also expect my students to be safe in the classroom. If they are not safe, this takes away
academic learning time as it needs to be addressed. Therefore, depending on what the action is I
will either give a warning, take the item away while continuing lesson, or write their name on the
board followed by PA checks. If a student is unsafe during an activity, I will pull them out and
have them observe until ready to meet this expectation.
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Classroom Routines
During the morning routine, students will come in quietly, write their homework in their
planner, put their new homework in their take home folder, and put their last night’s homework
on the desk. Then the students complete their Mountain Language tasks independently. At this
time I will come around to check planners and completed homework. This routine makes the
student responsible for his/her homework. It also teaches them organization and planning in
their daily schedule. This makes the student accountable for their learning. The students are
then working on language tasks while I support their academic learning by checking for
completed homework.
For transitions, I will have a bell that I will use to start the routine. The bell will have
two purposes. When I ring the bell once, the students are to stop what they are doing, be quiet,
and listen for my instructions. This will be used when I need to add an extra step to their regular
transition routine, provide them with a specific transition time (i.e., you have 5 more minutes to
finish your task), and / or make a quick announcement. When I ring the bell twice, this will
signal for them to start the transition routine. This will start with the students putting all of their
materials away, clearing their desk, and sitting up straight with hands folded, waiting quietly for
the next set of instructions. I may also have their next task written on the board, so that when
they are done clearing their desks the students can follow the instructions on the board. This
routine will make transitions smoother as the students will know what to do when given the
signal.
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CONTENT ANALYSIS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES
Content Outline
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Topic: Solar System, Earth Science
What is the Sun?
• The sun is a star, a huge ball of glowing gases.
• The sun is about 5,500 degrees Celsius on the surface.
• The sun is the only star in our solar system and is brighter than other stars because it is
closer to Earth.
• The sun causes Earth and other objects to move around it.
What are some patterns that repeat every day?
• The Earth turns counterclockwise constantly.
o To turn or spin is called rotate
o One rotation for Earth is one complete spin every 24 hours = one day
o The imaginary line around which Earth spins is its axis
• The Earth’s rotation creates day and night.
o The sun shines only on half of the Earth facing the sun which creates day. The
other half is dark and has night.
o The sun seems to move across the sky, but it is really the Earth’s rotation that
causes this to happen.
• Shadow Patterns
o Shadows form when sunlight strikes objects.
o The length and direction of shadows changes during the day.
Morning: Sun rises in the East and shadows stretch away from the Sun
toward the west. Shadows are very long.
Noon: Sun appears to move to the highest point in sky as Earth rotates on
its axis. Shadows become shorter and shortest at noon.
Afternoon: Sun appears to move lower in sky toward the west. Shadows
become longer stretching toward the east away from Sun.
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What patterns repeat every year?
• Earth moves around the Sun
o A revolution is one complete trip an object makes around another object
o One revolution for Earth around the Sun = 1 year or 365 days
• Earth’s axis always tilts in the same direction.
• Earth’s tilt and revolution around Sun is what causes seasons.
o The seasons change depending on the amount of sunlight.
o Summer in Northern half and Winter in Southern half: the North Pole is tilted
toward the sun and the South Pole is tilted away from the sun
o Winter in Northern half and Summer in Southern half: the North Pole is tilted
away from sun and the South Pole is tilted toward the sun
o Spring and Fall: Earth’s axis does not tilt toward or away from the sun.
Moon Phases
• The Moon rotates on its axis and revolves around Earth.
• As the Moon revolves around Earth, different amounts of lit half can be seen.
• Phases of the Moon: changes in the way the Moon looks; repeats every 4 weeks
o New Moon: none of the Moon is lit as the Sun casts shadow on this side
o Waxing Crescent Moon: when less than half is lit as more light appears
o First Quarter Moon: looks like a half circle
o Waxing Gibbous Moon: more than half is lit as more light appears
o Full Moon: the half of the Moon is lit
o Waning Gibbous Moon: more than half is lit, less light appears each night
o Last Quarter Moon: looks like a half circle as less light appears
o Waning Crescent Moon: less than half is lit as less light appears
Solar System
• The Sun, the planets and their moons, and other objects that orbit the Sun make up the
solar system.
o The Sun is the center of the solar system.
o Planet: a large, ball shaped object that orbits the Sun.
Inner Planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars are made of rock
Outer Planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune are made of gas
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Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet, small round object.
o Asteroid: a large piece of rock; Comet: a ball of ice and rock
o The asteroid belt, where most of the asteroids are located, is in between Mars and
Jupiter.
• The closer to the sun the hotter the planet, except for Venus which is the hottest planet
due to the clouds that trap in the heat. The farther from the sun, the colder the planet.
• The closer to the sun the faster the revolution for the planet.
• The inner planets are closer together and the outer planets are farther apart.
Learning Outcomes
UNIT LEARNING OUTCOMES RELATED STANDARD(S)
Outcome 1: Students will know how and what causes the position of the Sun in the sky, shadows, and seasons to change.
Science (3rd grade), Earth Science 4. Objects in the sky move in regular and predictable patterns. As a basis for understanding this concept: 4e. Students know the position of the Sun in the sky changes during the course of the day and from season to season.
Outcome 2: Students will be able to draw the Phases of the Moon in order and explain why the pattern occurs.
Science (3rd grade) Earth Science 4b. Students know the way in which the Moon’s appearance changes during the four-week lunar cycle. 4d. Students know that Earth is one of several planets that orbit the Sun and that the Moon orbits Earth. 5d. Predict the outcome of a simple investigation and compare the result with the prediction.
Outcome 3: Students will know the order of the planets and be able to provide general knowledge about each planet.
Science (3rd grade) Earth Science 4d. Students know that Earth is one of several planets that orbit the Sun and that the Moon orbits the Earth. 4c. Students know telescopes magnify the appearance of some distant objects in the sky, including the Moon and the planets. The number of stars that can be seen through telescopes is dramatically greater than the number that can be seen by the unaided eye.
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Rationale
The learning outcomes are appropriate for third grade students as they are directly related
to the science content standards. Learning Outcome 1 introduces the sun and concepts that the
students have more experience and background knowledge such as what causes day and night
and the seasons. This will help build on their personal experience and background knowledge.
Learning Outcome 2 introduces the Phases of the Moon, another concept that students are
somewhat familiar with as they have seen the moon change shape in the sky. This learning
outcome challenges the students to learn the complete pattern of the moon changes and
understand what causes these phases. Rather than focus on the more complex names of each
moon phase, students will learn how to draw the changes in the moon which is more
developmentally appropriate. Learning Outcome 3 then focuses on the solar system and the
planets and other objects in it. Learning the order and names of the planets is appropriate for
third grade students as is starting to learn about basic facts regarding each of the planets.
This solar system unit will be the first introduction of these concepts to these students.
Therefore, I feel that the order and content of these learning outcomes is appropriate based on
their life experience and developmental abilities to categorize, list, and use visuals to represent
and understand patterns in the sky and space.
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ASSESSMENT PLAN
Learning Outcome 2: Students will be able to draw the Phases of the Moon in order and explain
why the pattern occurs.
Pre-Assessment
• Annotated Copy of Pre-Assessment (see Appendix A)
o Multiple Choice Section: Written Directions (see Appendix A)
o Phases of the Moon: Oral Directions
Using your pencil, draw the appearance of the moon correctly for each
phase. Remember the white part is the lit moon.
• Adaptations for English Learners
o I will read the multiple choice questions to students.
o I will read the phases of the moon labels to students.
• Adaptations for Students with Special Needs
o Student with learning disability reads and writes at 2nd grade level
Student will be able to draw the phases of the moon on the diagram
provided in assessment
The multiple choice questions will be read to the student out loud.
o Student with cerebral palsy who has limited control over hand and arm movement
and is nonverbal
Student will be provided with large visual cards of the different phases of
the moon. These cards will be velcroed onto a board in random order.
There will be labels of each phase posted on the board for him/her to
match the card to the correct phase. The student will signal with eyes or
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hand which card to pick up and I will assist with hand over hand. The
student will then place the card under the correct phase label. I will ask is
this correct and the student can use his/her own yes or no signal, which is
usually moving the head, arm, or eyes to the left or right for yes or no.
• Criteria for Scoring (point system)
o Multiple Choice Section: 4 points possible
1 point for each correct answer
Answer Key: 1. a 2. b 3. a 4. c
o Phases of the Moon Section: 8 points possible
1 point for each correctly drawn moon matched with phase label
Answer Key (see Appendix B)
o Total Score = 4 points + 8 points = 12 points possible
• Learning Outcome Met
o Students will demonstrate understanding by scoring 75% or higher on the test (at
least 9 out of 12 points).
Summative Assessment
• Same as Pre-Assessment (see Appendix A)
Learning Outcome 3: Students will know the order of the planets and be able to provide general
knowledge about each planet.
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Pre-Assessment
I will use a KWL chart to capture the knowledge base of the whole range of the students
in the class. I will provide each student with an individual KWL sheet to fill out the “What do I
Know?” and “What do I Want to know?” sections (see Appendix C). Then, I will have the
students share in a whole group discussion. I will record this information on a KWL chart as the
students share and post it in the classroom.
I want to determine what each student knows individually prior to having the class
discussion. This way I will be able to more accurately determine each student’s knowledge base
to focus on certain content or provide more strategies for other students. The individual KWL
sheets will also allow each student time to think of what they know and what they want to know.
Therefore, the students will provide a clearer picture of what they actually know. Each student
will then have at least some things written down to be able to share during the whole class
discussion. The classroom KWL chart will serve as a way to share information with peers, ask
questions that the class wants to know by the end of the unit, and represent visually how much
the class has learned by the end of the unit.
Summative Assessment
I will use two methods for the summative assessment. First I will use the individual
KWL sheet and the classroom KWL chart as discussed above except filling out the “What did I
Learn?” section this time. The students will share what they learned and I will record on the
class chart. I will also review the “What do I Want to know?” section to make sure all of the
questions were answered during our unit.
The second method will be a research project that I will review to determine the extent to
which each student achieved the learning outcome. Each student will create a travel poster for a
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planet they are assigned to. This travel poster must include basic facts such as temperature, size,
and distance from the sun, as well as interesting, fun facts they learned about the planet while
doing research.
I will use the individual and class KWL chart to determine what each student and the
class as a whole has learned including the order of the planets. This will be helpful to make sure
they have learned some facts about all of the planets and objects in the solar system. The travel
poster research project will help me determine if each student was able to provide accurate
information about another planet in order to meet the learning outcome in a more in depth
fashion.
Formative Assessment
One of the formative assessments I will use is a Moon Chart. I will create a Moon Chart
calendar for one month, for each student. This will be a daily homework assignment and each
student will need to look at the moon each night and draw what they see or think they might see
if it was cloudy. The next day, I will check each student’s moon chart and then review the Phase
of the Moon with the whole class. There will be a large class sized Moon Chart Calendar that I
will draw in the correct moon phase after having discussed with the class what they saw and
predicting what will come next. This assignment is directly related to Learning Outcome 2 of
being able to draw the phases of the moon in order and understanding why the pattern occurs.
This will provide fun practice for the students in drawing the moon each night. It will also
provide important evidence to me on whether the students are learning how the moon changes
and the order of the phases. I will be able to use this daily information to provide a more
detailed instruction and more visual media or activities if necessary to help scaffold the students’
learning if they are having difficulties. I will know who is learning the phases of the moon
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accurately and who may need more support in doing so. I will be able to plan my instruction
according to the needs of my individual students, allowing more time for those who may be
struggling.
Another formative assessment I will use is for Learning Outcome 3 in being able to list
the planets in order and knowing some general information about each planet. I will observe the
students in an outside kinesthetic activity in which they must line themselves up in the correct
planet order. There will be three teams and each student will be randomly given a planet card.
The students must then work together to line up in the correct order and then shout out the
mneumonic device and the planets in order. I will also have the students line up according to
planet size. I will be checking to see if the students are in order. The students will also do this
with their own set of planet cards individually, so that I can determine which students may still
need more assistance in learning the order of the planets. This evidence will be important to
collect so that I can plan further instruction according to the outcome of the students’ success. I
will know if they need more practice with the mneumonic device, with ordering the planets, or if
they have mastered this and are ready to progress.
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DESIGN FOR INSTRUCTION
Summary of Pre-Assessment
Learning Outcome 2
Table 1. Results of Pre-Assessment
Students Multiple Choice Score
(out of 4)
Phases of Moon Score (out of 8)
Total Score (out of 12)
Percentage
1 1 1 2 17% 2 2 1 3 25% 3 1 1 2 17% 4 1 1 2 17% 5 1 1 2 17% 6 0 2 2 17% 7 3 1 4 33% 8 1 1 2 17% 9 3 2 5 42% 10 3 1 4 33% 11 1 1 2 17% 12 1 1 2 17% 13 1 1 2 17% 14 0 1 1 8% 15 1 1 2 17% 16 1 1 2 17% 17 0 1 1 8% 18 0 1 1 8% 19 2 1 3 25%
Out of the 23 students that were in the class, 3 students were not present during my
lessons due to a pull-out program and 1 student left the school to be home schooled. Therefore,
there were 19 students who took the pre-assessment. All of the students received a low
percentage and did not meet the criterion for passing this outcome. This seems accurate as this
will be their first academic exposure to the phases of the moon. For the multiple choice, students
did not have a consistent pattern of items that were correct or incorrect, except for the last item
(What causes the phases of the moon?). Most of the students were incorrect and chose the
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moon’s rotation. This suggests that students need concept development of what causes the moon
to change how it appears. On the phases of the moon drawing diagram, students did not know
how any phases of the moon appeared except for the crescent and the full moon. All of the
students knew that a full moon was completely lit and were able to verbally explain this to me as
I probed them to see what they knew. Only two of the students were able to draw a crescent
moon accurately.
Learning Outcome 3
For the KWL chart, students did not know very much about the solar system for Learning
Outcome 3 and struggled with trying to come up with things to write down individually. All of
the students knew that there were other planets besides Earth and could name a few. Some of the
students were able to list the planets although not in order from the sun. When sharing as a class,
they were able to list all of the planets but not in order. A few students knew some general
visual facts about other planets, such as Jupiter is the largest planet and Saturn has rings around
it. When a student tried to list Pluto as a planet, a couple of the high students were able to
explain that Pluto is no longer a planet and is now a dwarf planet.
Implications for Planning
Based on the pre-assessment results, the learning outcomes are certainly appropriate and
needed as all of the students were incapable of understanding or drawing the phases of the moon,
and could not list the planets in order or provide very much detail about the other planets and
objects in the solar system. As this will be their first introduction to these concepts, I will be
sure to provide a variety of visuals including media, pictures, and a vocabulary sheet to scaffold
the students’ learning. I will also spend a portion of the time carefully reviewing the vocabulary
with the students using their textbook, videos, and pictures to complete their own vocabulary
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sheet as a class. Their will also be an informational wall with the phases of the moon visuals, the
class moon chart calendar, planet facts and books, and all of the planets posted in order. I will
plan to review the moon chart on a daily basis for consistent review throughout the unit and
provide plenty of practice in placing their cards in the correct order. I will also be sure to
provide a variety of learning strategies to assist in Learning Outcome 3 including a visual travel
poster research project and kinesthetic activities to remember the order of the planets and facts
about each planet. The solar system is a more abstract concept as it is not directly related to their
daily life such as the sun and moon. Therefore, I will spend the most time on Learning Outcome
3 in order to allow the students enough time to research, process, practice, and internalize the
facts about the planets and other objects in the solar system.
Unit Overview
Day 1: Sun / Earth (day/night); What patterns repeat every day? Learning Outcome 1 Lesson Intent: Students will learn about the sun and what causes day and night Activities:
• Sun Fact Sheet • BrainPop Jr. (Sun) • Watch Student DVD Sun: Add to Sun Facts • When the Earth Moves Mini Booklet • Demo of sun/earth rotation and orbit (globe, flashlight) • Outside: Sun Casts and Sun Spots with Binoculars
Day 2: Sun / Earth (shadows); What patterns repeat every year? (seasons) Learning Outcome 1 Lesson Intent: Students will learn how the position of the sun changes in the sky to create shadows and what causes seasons to occur. Activities:
• Book Reading (Shadows/Position of Sun) • Complete When the Earth Moves Mini Booklet (seasons) • Demo of sun/earth rotation and orbit (globe, flashlight) • Outside: Shadows
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Day 3: Moon / Earth; Intro to what causes the phases of the moon Learning Outcome 2 Lesson Intent: Students will learn that the moon revolves around Earth which causes the phases of the moon. Activities:
• Pearson CA Science Student DVD: Moon • Demo of sun, moon, earth rotation
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es2503/es2503page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization
• Create Class Moon Calendar and Students’ Moon Chart o Example: http://www.moonconnection.com/moon_phases_calendar.phtml
Day 4: Phases of the Moon Learning Outcome 2 Lesson Intent: Students will use guided inquiry to become more familiar with how the moon’s appearance changes during the lunar cycle. Activities:
• BrainPop Jr Video: Moon for Vocabulary • Guided Inquiry: Lunar phases in a box (pg.248) Observe, predict, record • Phases of the Moon: cut out and sort
Day 5: Solar System Learning Outcome 3 Lesson Intent: Students will learn about the objects in the solar system and the order of the planets. Activities:
• Read parts of Ch.6 and Vocabulary Sheet • Virtual Tour of Solar System http://archive.planet-science.com/randomise/index.html?page=/planet10/index.html • Mneumonic Device: My Very Educated Mother Served Us Nachos • Outside Kinisthetic: Planet Distance and Planet Order/Size Relays
Day 6: Planet Travel Poster Project Learning Outcome 3 Lesson Intent: Students will research a planet to provide basic, interesting, and creative facts for a planet travel poster. Activities:
• Introduce Travel Poster Project on Planets: Why you should visit this planet? Resources Available: Encyclopedia, Textbook, Space Facts, Internet Assign groups and explain the process
Day 7: Planet Fair Learning Outcome 3 Lesson Intent: Students will review planet posters to learn more about other planets. Activities:
• Complete the poster
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• Students will rotate to the different planet posters • Complete their survey card (facts, opinions, would they want to go why or why not?)
Day 8: Solar System Learning Outcome 3 Lesson Intent: Students will use creative writing to learn and share information about other planets. Activities:
• Creative Writing: Take a trip to any one planet. Be sure to include problem and solution as well as using real facts about the planet to write your story.
• Graphic Organizer: First, Then, Next, After That, Finally • Unit Review
Day 9: Solar System Learning Outcome 3 Lesson Intent: Students will use creative writing to learn and share information about other planets. Activities:
• Meetings for Rough Draft of Writing • Revise and complete final draft on space paper • Read Alouds of stories as time permits during week
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LESSON PLAN A
Subject Area: Science Academic Content Standard Grade Three: Earth Science 4b. Students know the way in which the Moon’s appearance changes during the four-week lunar cycle. 4d. Students know that Earth is one of several planets that orbit the Sun and that the Moon orbits Earth. California Standards for the Teaching Profession: 1.4 Using a variety of instructional strategies, resources, and technologies to meet student's
diverse learning needs 2.1 Promoting social development and responsibility within a caring community where each
student is treated fairly and respectfully Materials: Pearson CA Science Student DVD: Moon Sun, Moon, Earth Model Phases of the Moon visual cards Class Calendar for Moon Charting Moon Charts (one per student) Workbook Pages: We See Our Moon / Planet Earth Internet Vocabulary: astronomer satellite gravity Objective Students will be able to make observations of the moon and draw its appearance on a moon chart for a month to know the way the moon’s appearance changes during the four-week lunar cycle. Set (10 mins) Give expectations to sit quietly, listen, and raise hands. Introduce learning about the moon. Play the Student DVD on the moon. Ask questions for discussion. Input/Procedures (15 mins)
• Demonstration: Use sun, moon, Earth model to show how all of these objects move and how the sun lights up half the moon while the other side is dark in the shadow.
• I will then introduce the Phases of the Moon visuals on the information wall while asking students to describe its shape and how it changed from one phase to the next.
• Explain Moon Charting and show an example on http://www.moonconnection.com/moon_phases_calendar.phtml
• I will explain to student’s that they will be charting the moon by looking at the moon every night and drawing what they see in their Moon Chart. This will be a daily homework assignment that needs to come back to class every day.
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• I will pass out the students Moon Charts and model how to number the days of the month as they all copy this onto their own chart.
How to Moon Chart?
I Do – I will model how to draw two nights ago moon on the overhead in a Student Moon Chart as if I had looked outside and made an actual observation as an example. We Do – The class will then assist in finding the next night’s moon and drawing the moon on the empty square on their moon chart as I model on board. You Do – Students will then predict what tonight’s moon will look like and draw this on their Moon Chart for practice. Guided Practice (15 mins) Students will draw each phase of the moon on a guided sheet with the names of the phases. Then cut them out to do a sort at a later time. Assessment Plan/Independent Practice
• Students will work on Solar System Packet Independent Workbook Pages: We See Our Moon and Planet Earth if waiting on others to finish.
• Student moon charts will be checked on a daily basis every morning and marked with correct, good effort, or did not complete. This will serve as a formative assessment and will be reviewed on the Class Moon Chart accordingly.
Rationale:
This lesson serves as the introduction to the Learning Outcome 2: Students will be able to draw the Phases of the Moon in order and explain why the pattern occurs. Students were shown visuals of the phases of the moon and demonstrations to begin to understand why the moon’s appearance changes. Because this was the first time the students were introduced to the phases of the moon and for some that the moon revolves around Earth, I made sure to ease them into the concepts with visual media and brief discussion. Then moving on to visual demonstrations to continue scaffolding. With all of the visuals, demos, and modeling, this lesson was appropriate for EL students. It was also appropriate for special needs students with the scaffolding, visual media, and having a moon chart activity for the active students to work on.
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LESSON PLAN B
California Science Content Standard: Grade 3: Earth Science 4b. Students know the way in which the Moon’s appearance changes during the four-week lunar cycle. 5d. Predict the outcome of a simple investigation and compare the result with the prediction. Learning Goal: The students will learn about the phases of the Moon. Objective: Using the results of the Moon model, students will be able to draw and independently arrange the Moon phases in the correct order with at least 75% accuracy. Inquiry Prompt: How does the Moon’s appearance change during the lunar cycle? Materials: Internet – BrainPop Jr “Moon” Video Vocabulary Sheets (per student) Sun, Earth, Moon Model Scott Foresman CA Science Study Notebook Graphic Organizer (pg.91) Moon Box Models (6): shoebox with holes, flashlight, table tennis ball, black construction paper, black thread, tape Phases of the Moon worksheet Scissors (per student) Scott Foresman CA Science Textbook (per student) Key Vocabulary: Phases of the Moon – the changes in the way the Moon looks waxing Moon – when more of the lit Moon appears each night waning Moon – when less of the lit Moon appears each night prediction – what you think will happen observation – use your senses to find out about objects or events Procedure: Guided Inquiry – Introduce vocabulary with BrainPop Jr Video (10 mins)
• Use Vocabulary Sheet to discuss and model examples of vocabulary words as students complete their own
Demonstration (5 mins): Use the sun, earth, moon model to demonstrate the concepts of the earth revolving the sun, the moon revolving the earth, and the phases of the moon.
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Investigation (20 mins): Moon Model (Pg. 248-249 textbook) • Explain to students that they will be predicting and observing the changes in the moon’s
appearance with the Moon Box. There will be one Moon Box per table group that will stay on that desk.
• Hand out the Science Study Notebook Graphic Organizer (pg.91) to each student. Review the vocabulary words: prediction and observation
• Read directions and model with the whole class. o Step 1: Look through holes A and B and record your observations. Let the next
person look. o Step 2: Make and record predictions about what you will observe through hole C.
Be sure to do a drawing and record name of your prediction. o Step 3: Look through hole C and record your observation. Let the next person
look. o Step 4: Compare with your prediction for hole C. Then make and record
prediction about what you will observe through hole D. o Step 5: Look through hole D and record your observation. Let the next person
look. o Step 6: Compare with your predictions. Complete the “Explain Your Results”
questions independently. • Walk around class while students are exploring.
Whole Class Discussion (5 mins): Review observations and results with class. Practice Activity: (10 mins)
• Draw each of the moon’s appearance on the Phases of the Moon worksheet • Cut out each phase with label. Mix them up. Try to arrange them in the correct order.
Assessment: (10 mins)
1. Teacher’s informal observation of student’s responses during whole class discussion and graphic organizer during exploration.
2. Student’s will arrange the Phases of the Moon in the correct order with at least 75% accuracy which is 6 out of the 8 phases.
Specific Performance Criteria: Student work of the graphic organizer will include:
1. Predictions and observations of the moon phases. 2. Results questions completed.
Student’s organization of the Phases of the Moon Assessment will include: 1. All phases of the moon will be represented with accurate drawings 2. At least 6 out of the 8 phases will be in the correct placement of cycle
Rationale: This lesson is directly related to extending thinking on Learning Outcome 2: Students will be able to draw the Phases of the Moon in order and explain why the pattern occurs. For my EL students and other students, I am frontloading the vocabulary using media, visual demonstrations, and the vocabulary worksheet. The graphic organizer allows students to draw the moon phase and label it. The class moon phase chart on the board and science book can be used for reference to the phase terms. The guided inquiry activity provides an experiential
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component for the students, especially for EL students, to relate to these more abstract terms. The phases will be labeled with visuals of the moon which will assist the students in placing them in the correct order for the assessment. For my gifted students, this lesson has visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities that will allow them to explore further. The guided inquiry activity has critical thinking and problem solving questions for them to produce a plan to show more phases in the Moon Box Model. I will allow them to share their plan during the whole class discussion. I will also ask them to practice arranging the moon phases and the phase labels separately.
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LESSON PLAN C
Subject Area: Science Academic Content Standard Grade Three: Earth Science 4d. Students know that Earth is one of several planets that orbit the Sun and that the Moon orbits the Earth. Materials: Large Planet Visuals with Labels Whistle Cones (9) Planets on Index Cards with Mneumonic Device: (one set for each team of 8 or 9) My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos Vocabulary: Revolve Rotate Orbit Objective Students will know the order of the planets and as a class be able to demonstrate their knowledge of general information about planets learned from kinesthetic activities. Set (5 mins) I will review the vocabulary previously learned with students by having them show me the action of turning (rotate), walking around an object (revolve), or following the same path (orbit). Students will also say the Planet Mneumonic and the planet names together as a brief review. Input/Procedures (30 mins) Distance/Orbit Activity Explain distance activity to students. They will be revolving on their orbit around the sun (walking normal pace counterclockwise). Model this speed and signal to start and stop (whistle).
- Model the distance between planets by passing out the cutouts of the Sun and 8 planets, plus dwarf planet to 10 students.
- Place the “Sun” in the center and use Mneumonic for class to place students in correct order
- Ask students to mark off distances in a line from sun with a cone: o Mercury – 1 foot, Venus – 2 ft, Earth – 3 ft, Mars – 4 ft, Jupiter – 5 paces, Saturn
– 8 paces, Uranus – 17 paces, Neptune – 26 paces, Pluto – 34 paces - Blow whistle to start revolution of planets - With other students observing, ask which planets take longer to make a complete
revolution/orbit and why. Explore the gravitational pull of the sun causing the inner planets to orbit faster than the outer planets.
- Switch students and repeat.
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Planet Order / Size Activity Explain that students will be doing relays in groups and need to work together to get in the correct order. Model an example of working cooperatively (vs) uncooperative.
- Place students in 3 groups of 8 (count off 1, 2, 3) - Use 3 sets of the Mneumonic Device Planet Cards - Randomly deal out a card to each person in group - Give directions: get in the correct order or line up by size - Blow whistle to start and groups will relay to get in correct order - Students will raise cards when they think they are in correct order - Teacher will check and start groups again
Assessment Plan/Independent Practice
• Students will be observed in their teams for the planet order/size relays and with their partners for the Planet Distance / Orbit Activity.
• Students need to demonstrate cooperation and the ability to get in the correct order or make the right movements for the orbit activity.
• I will check to see if teams are correct to determine what they still need to practice. • I will also checking their understanding with the higher level questions regarding drawing
conclusions and making generalizations about planets and the solar system. Rationale:
This lesson focuses on kinesthetic activities in order to provide the students with an experience to practice the Learning Outcome 3: Students will know the order of the planets and be able to provide general knowledge about each planet. The mneumonic device for the planets names and the index cards were put together in a previous lesson. The vocabulary had also been previously presented. Therefore I used these strategies and the kinesthetic activities to provide context for the students. These activities are developmentally appropriate to assist students in learning and remembering more abstract concepts. They were especially helpful and appropriate for my special-needs students, who are more active, kinesthetic learners. The visual cards, planets, and body movement demonstrations were also appropriate for the EL students.
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INSTRUCTIONAL DECISION-MAKING
Instructional Decision A
At the end of the lesson on Day 2, I had a whole class discussion review about shadows
and seasons. Students were still having difficulties with understanding the location of the sun in
the sky at different times of day and year. Therefore, I decided to extend Learning Outcome 1 by
adding an experiential hands-on art/science project. The next day, the students were shown a
seasons model that I made. I spent more time on showing how the tilt and revolution of the
Earth around the sun caused the seasons. Then I had the students create their own trees and glue
on the right colored tissue paper for the leaves in each season with dates. The most important
part of this project was the location of the sun in each season and the shadows. When modeling,
I emphasized the placement of the sun in each season and had the students answer questions. I
also again emphasized the placement of the shadows depending on where the sun was. I used
visual pictures, a demonstration, and the project to reinforce this concept. While the students
were working on placing their suns and drawing their shadows, I walked around and asked the
students questions to check for understanding. Most of the students were able to place them in
the correct position and explain why. Those that didn’t, I quickly reviewed the visuals and asked
questions until they were able to explain the correct position of the sun and the shadows
depending on the season and time of day. I felt that spending more time reviewing the concept
with a variety of visuals and an experiential project would improve the students’ progress toward
Learning Outcome 1. The success of the projects and the students responses when checking for
understanding individually showed that the students’ had made significant progress in
understanding these concepts.
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Instructional Decision B
As the students were researching information for their travel planet posters for Learning
Outcome 3, it seemed as though the students were really interested, engaged, and eager to learn
about their assigned planet from a variety of resources provided. There were books, internet
printouts, encyclopedias, and an internet website that took students on a virtual tour of the planet.
The students were learning facts and writing them down on their research paper. However, the
time period was ending and the students were not ready to start their final draft on the posters.
Therefore, I extended this research process another day so that the students could gather all of
the information needed and have the time to really become an expert on their planet. Because of
this, I decided to not do the planet fair where the students were going to share their planet
posters. Instead, the students would continue making progress on Learning Outcome 3 by
proceeding with the creative writing stories using their peers’ planet posters displayed on the
wall to get facts and ideas to write about their trip to another planet. This way the students were
still able to learn about all the other planets from their peers. I also had the students (if
comfortable) do a read aloud of their creative story to the class so that more information could be
shared and they could take pride in their finished work. I felt that extending the lessons for
Learning Outcome 3 provided the students with more independent research practice, more
accurate information on their planet posters, and the ability to share this information with their
peers so the whole class could improve their progress towards Learning Outcome 3 in gaining
knowledge about the other planets.
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ANALYSIS OF STUDENT LEARNING
Whole Class Analysis Data: Table 2. Pre/Post Assessment
Students Multiple Choice Score
(out of 4)
Phases of Moon Score (out of 8)
Total Score (out of 12)
Percentage
Pre Post 1 1 2 1 Pre
Post 3 8 11 17%
92% 2 1 3 2 3 7 10
25% 83%
1 1 2 3 (G) 4 8 12
17% 100%
1 1 2 4 3 6 9
17% 75%
1 1 2 5 (EL) 3 6 9
17% 75%
0 2 2 6 4 6 10
17% 83%
3 1 4 7 3 7 10
33% 83%
1 1 2 8 2 8 10
17% 83%
3 2 5 9 3 7 10
42% 83%
3 1 4 10 3 8 11
33% 92%
1 1 2 11 3 7 10
17% 83%
1 1 2 12 2 8 10
17% 83%
1 1 2 13 2 8 10
17% 83%
0 1 1 14 3 8 11
8% 92%
1 1 2 15 2 8 10
17% 83%
1 1 2 16 (G) 4 8 12
17% 100%
0 1 1 17 (G) 3 8 11
8% 92%
0 1 1 18 4 6 10
8% 83%
2 1 3 19 (EL) 2 6 8
25% 67%
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Table 3. Class Percentages Based on Levels
A Level (90 – 100%) 6/19 = 32% of class
B Level (80 -89%) 10/19 = 53% of class
C Level (70 – 79%) 2/19 = 10% of class
Below Level (< 70%) 1/19 = 5% of class
Class Average = 85%
Analysis of Learning
Out of 19 students, 18 of them (95% of the class) met the learning criterion for Learning
Outcome 2 in which students were required to score a 9 or higher in order to pass at 70% or
higher. As shown in Table 3, six students (32% of the class) were above level at an A, 10
students (53% of the class) were at a B, 2 students (10% of class) were at a C, and 1 student (5%
of class) was below at a 67%. All of the students made significant progress overall as shown in
Table 2.
The multiple choice section and the Phases of the Moon diagram section showed a
variation in students’ growth and progress toward the learning criterion. For the four multiple
choice questions, students 7, 9, 10, and 19 were the only students who showed no progress.
Most students correctly answered 3 out of the 4 multiple choice questions showing progress.
However, for the Phases of the Moon diagram section, all of the students showed at least a 5
point or more increase from pre to post-assessment.
The formative assessments such as the moon charts, the Guided Inquiry page, the moon
phase sort, and daily discussions, all assisted in showing the students’ misunderstandings and
their eventual growth and progress toward the learning criterion. The students’ daily moon
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charts were a good indicator of those who were understanding the pattern of the changes in the
moon and those who were understanding the shapes but flipping the light onto the wrong side. I
would try to address this in our daily class moon chart and as I checked more of the students
were charting the correct pattern. The moon phase sort during the lesson and then again at the
unit review showed significant growth in being able to place the phases of the moon in the
correct order.
Conclusions
There were some detectable patterns in the content knowledge students gained. Most of
the students were able to answer 3 out of the 4 multiple choice questions which showed progress.
The one multiple choice question that most students had difficulty with was the same as pre-
assessement, “What causes the phases of the Moon?”. Students may have misplaced one word
by choosing “the revolution of Earth around the Sun” rather than “the revolution of the Moon
around Earth” or they may have just needed a better understanding of the concept. However, all
of the students showed significant improvement in the Phases of the Moon diagram section. This
suggests that the students know how the moon changes appearance during the lunar cycle, but
some may still need more instruction on what causes the moon to change its appearance.
Another pattern was that the incorrect drawings of the moon in this section were almost all due
to inversion of the correct shape, such as the crescent light being on the left side when it should
be on the right for the waxing crescent moon. This also suggests that these students know the
changes in shapes, but may need more practice with the side that waxes or wanes.
All of the students showed significant progress and all but one met the learning criterion
for Learning Outcome 2. The one student did not learn the same things to the same degree, but
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this is more due to the fact that this student was also in pull out for part of the time during the
science lessons.
Subgroup Analysis
Data
Table 4. Gifted and EL Subgroups (Extracted from Table 2)
Students Multiple Choice Score
(out of 4)
Phases of Moon Score (out of 8)
Total Score (out of 12)
Percentage
Pre Post 1 1 2 3 (G) 4 8 12
17% 100%
1 1 2 16 (G) 4 8 12
17% 100%
0 1 1 17 (G) 3 8 11
8% 92%
1 1 2 5 (EL) 3 6 9
17% 75%
2 1 3 19 (EL) 2 6 8
25% 67%
Analysis of Learning
Gifted/Talented
All of the gifted/talented students scored in the ‘A’ level range. As shown in Table 3, six
students in the class were in this range. Therefore, there were three other students besides the
gifted/advanced students who also earned an A. Two of the three gifted students achieved the
highest score possible and were the only students in class to do so. Student 17 earned a 92%
along with three other students in the class. The gifted students scored low on the pre-
assessment along with all the other students as this was their first academic exposure to this
science content as well. These three students also showed similar improvements to the rest of
the class in the Phases of the Moon diagram section as 10 students out of 19 received all of the
moon phases correct and everyone improved by at least 5 points. The two gifted students who
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received 100% improved more than most of the other students in the multiple choice section
suggesting they were able to understand what causes the changes in the moon.
English Learners
The two EL students improved similarly to all the other students in the class but to a
slightly lesser extent, missing a few more questions. Student 5, an EL student, progressed from
17% to 75% similar to one other student in the class (Student 4). These were the only two
students to get a 75%. Student 5 improved in the multiple choice and the Phases of the Moon
section just like the rest of the class. The other EL Student 19 received the lowest score in the
class at 67%. Student 19 was one of the three other students whose score remained the same
from pre to post-assessment on the multiple choice section. However, Student 19 did improve
his score by 5 points on the Phases of the Moon section as did many other students in class.
Conclusions
I was able to plan for, deliver instruction, and assess all of my students based on their
learning needs to the best of my ability. All of the students scored low on the pre-assessment
suggesting very little background knowledge. Because this would be all of the students first
academic exposure to this content, I was able to scaffold their learning together as a class. I was
able to focus more on building vocabulary with visuals, especially for the EL students and
include a lot of visual contexts, demonstrations, and hands on kinesthetic activities for
experiential learning so the students could learn the content. I also included higher level
questioning, guided inquiry lesson, and opportunities for the gifted students to challenge
themselves such as with the travel planet poster and the creative story.
These conclusions of success are based on the analysis of the assessments used which
show that all of the students made significant improvements towards meeting the criterion of the
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learning outcome. The formative assessments also provide evidence as to the higher level
questions, explanations, and discussions that the gifted students were able to share with their
peers and the visual drawings and practice that the EL students had in demonstrating their
knowledge with the class.
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REFLECTION AND SELF-EVALUATION
Reflection on Instruction
Effective Instruction
There were some effective instructional strategies and activities that contributed the most
to student learning. The first is visual aides including visual media: science DVD’s and
BrainPop Jr. internet videos, textbook and book pictures, phases of the moon cards, planet cards,
the word wall, vocabulary sheet, and informational wall. These strategies assisted in scaffolding
the students’ learning as they were introduced to the concepts and vocabulary and guided to a
more deeper understanding of what causes the changes in the sky and space throughout the unit.
Every student had their own solar system folder which included their vocabulary sheet with
word, definition, and picture that they created, their phases of the moon cards, planet cards, and
information packet. There was also similar materials accessible and visible throughout the class
room. This allowed the students to have constant access and reinforcement of the concepts being
learned. Graphic organizers, such as those used for the planet poster and creative story were also
very helpful in assisting the students with organizing their research and ideas. Another
instructional strategy that I used at the beginning and end of each lesson was a whole class
discussion/review of the concepts learned so far. If I had finished a lesson the day before, I
would then review the concepts by asking the students questions about what they learned and
constantly checking in to make sure the students understanding was accurate. If there were
misunderstandings, I took the time to show visual demonstrations of how objects move and
cause the patterns in the sky or solar system and review vocabulary. This strategy was important
and made a huge impact on students’ progress in learning as I was able to encourage, reinforce,
and provide further support in developing the concepts as needed. The hands-on experiential
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activities, such as the seasons/shadows project and the guided inquiry lunar cycle box, also
contributed the most to student learning by extending the students’ thinking through application
of the concepts. The students had to apply their knowledge and use critical thinking in order to
complete these activities. The kinesthetic solar system activities were also extremely beneficial
to the students, especially for the kinesthetic learners, as they were able to move and create an
experiential context for the concepts being learned such as the order and size of the planets relays
and the distance from the sun revolution activity.
I was able to ensure that all of my students had appropriate opportunities to learn the
content of the unit as I used the information from my pre-assessment to design my lesson plans
and unit structure. I made a conscious effort to plan for and address how I was going to
differentiate for the EL students, gifted students, and students with special needs for every lesson
as previously discussed in my lesson plans and design for instruction. For my EL students, I
included a lot of visual aides for the class and experiential activities. I also brought in realia such
as a telescope and binoculars. For my gifted students, I always had something extra to challenge
and extend their thinking within the activities. For example with the travel poster project, they
were able to do their own research at their level and were always given opportunities to share
their reasoning with the class. For those with special needs, the discipline problems and active
students, I made sure to include kinesthetic activities and hands-on learning opportunities during
the unit. I used a variety of instructional strategies and activities to address every students’
learning style both in whole class, small groups, and one-on-one approaches.
Subject-Matter Knowledge
I think that my level of subject-matter knowledge definitely influenced the success of this
unit. I was able to become knowledgeable about the sun and moon patterns, and the solar system
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with my research in preparation for this unit. This allowed me to get a firm understanding of
what causes the seasons and moon phases, as well as the movement of the objects in the solar
system in order to accurately demonstrate these concepts visually for the students. This also
helped me pinpoint the vocabulary that I needed to focus on and provide visuals for. My
research also provided several resources such as visual internet demos of the sun and moon
patterns, a virtual tour of the solar system, and differentiated levels of solar system books that
were available to the students during the unit. These resources aided in the progression of the
students learning.
Changes
Based on the analysis of student learning, next time I would want to include more
opportunities to visually display and demonstrate what causes the phases of the moon as those
scores were lower than the actual moon phases. I would want to display the placement of the
moon based on its location between the sun and the Earth and then provide opportunities for the
students to then do the same in partners. I think this would give the students an experiential
activity in which the students could then more easily understand and explain the causes of the
moon phases.
Another important change I would make would be to make Learning Outcome 1 a
separate unit that I do prior to the solar system unit. This way I could break the concepts down
further and not feel as rushed. I think the students were probably overloaded by so many new
concepts to understand so next time I would break up the unit.
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Reflection on Professional Development
Professional Learning Goals
I would like to improve upon making the content even more accessible to my EL
students. I believe that I tried to put a lot of strategies that would assist my EL students in this
unit. However, I know that I could have done more, especially in making a point to go to these
students and check in more often than I did this time. I want to find ways that I can make sure to
integrate other strategies and execute them during the lessons.
My other professional learning goal is to continue working on time management in lesson
planning. There were times during this unit where I had to extend the lesson to the next day so
my students could grasp the material. I would like to become more exact in how much time it
will take for students to do various activities, learn new content, or review previous content.
This way I can be better prepared ahead of time, rather than having to modify my lessons due to
time constraints.
Next Steps
To improve upon my EL strategies and execution during lessons, I will thoroughly read
and review my English Language Learners textbook. I will then create a strategies and activities
table that I can have on hand when I am planning and teaching my lessons. I will also find and
attend a seminar regarding teaching to EL students.
To improve my time management in lesson planning, I will ask an observer to take notes
on the time it takes for my lesson activities and provide feedback so that I can learn and be more
aware of how long a certain activity will take the next time. I will also try to ask other teachers
to review my time frames on my lesson plans to see if they are reasonable prior to the lesson.
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REFERENCES AND CREDITS
Cooney, T., Cummins, J., Flood, J., Foots, Barbara, & Goldstan, J. (2008). California Science
(Grade 3, Unit C). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
California Department of Education. (2006). Science Content Standards for California public
schools, kindergarten through grade twelve. Sacramento, CA: Author. Retrieved from
http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/
Exploring Earth: Visualization. McDougal Littell
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es2503/es2503pag
e01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization
Moon Phases Calendar. http://www.moonconnection.com/moon_phases_calendar.phtml
Planet 10 Interactive Solar System. http://archive.planet-
science.com/randomise/index.html?page=/planet10/index.html
Rogers, K., Howell, L., & Smith, A. (2011). The Usborne Science Encyclopedia. Usborne
Books.
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APPENDIX A: Pre and Summative Assessment Outcome 2
Name________________________ Read each question and choose the best answer. Then circle the correct answer.
1. Why do people on Earth always see the same side of the Moon? a. The Moon rotates and orbits Earth in the same amount of
time. b. The Moon does not rotate around its axis. c. Earth does not rotate around its axis. d. Earth rotates and orbits the Moon in the same amount of
time.
2. How much of the Moon is lit by the Sun at any one time? a. all of it b. half of it c. one-fourth of it d. three-fourths of it
3. How much time is between each full moon? a. about four weeks b. about one week c. about eight weeks d. about two weeks
4. What causes the phases of the Moon? a. the revolution of Earth around the Sun b. Earth’s rotation c. the revolution of the Moon around Earth d. the Moon’s rotation
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APPENDIX B: Phases of the Moon Answer Key
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APPENDIX C: Pre and Summative Assessment Learning Outcome 3
45
Teacher Candidate: _________Student #2______________________
ID Number: _______________________________________________
Phase 3 Supervisor: _________________________________________ 1=Does Not Meet Expectations; 2=Meets Expectations; 3=Meets Expectations at a High Level; 4=Exceeds Expectations. Teacher candidates must receive passing score of 2 or more on each section of this project. Teacher Candidates may retake and submit for evaluation any section on which they earn a score of “1.” (See FAST Manual for appropriate policies and procedures.)
Teaching Sample Project, FAST v. 1.2 SECTION SCORE COMMENTS
Students in Context (TPEs 8, 10, & 11)
3
Content Analysis & Learning Outcomes (TPEs 1 & 9)
3
Assessment Plan (TPEs 2 & 3)
3
Design for Instruction (TPEs 7, 8, & 9)
3
Instructional Decision Making (TPEs 2, 4, & 9)
3
Analysis of Student Learning (TPEs 3 & 12)
3
Reflection and Self-Evaluation (TPEs 12 & 13)
3
Fresno Assessment of Student Teachers (FAST) REPORT OF SCORES:
TEACHING SAMPLE PROJECT
