Sun-Earth-Moon2nd cycle of primary school

Pedagogical intention

The learning situation aims to use two types of texts, literary and informative, to lead the students to understand astronomical phenomena related to the movements between the Sun, the Earth and the Moon.

Using the materials put at their disposal, the students will model the cycles of day and night as well as the phases of the Moon.

And progression?

Activity 1Previous knowledge

Discussion to bring forth the students’ previous knowledge about the Sun – Earth – Moon system.

Distinction between three types of celestial bodies: Star Planet Satellite

Activity 2Previous knowledge and story

“Stella princess of the sky” by Marie-Louise Gay published by Groundwood

Activity 2 - continuedPrevious knowledge and story

Reading the story with strategic stops at pages 4, 6 and 12.

Answers to Stella’s questions by the students.

Sharing various responses in a group discussion.

Activity 2 - continued Student traces … Why is the sky so red?

« When it goes down, red rays cross the sky»«Because the Sun is further on the horizon »«Because we see the lava in fusion on the Sun because it is closer »«Because the Sun is a big ball of fire and when it goes down, it is redder than usual »

Activity 2 - continued Student traces … Where does the Sun sleep?

« When the Sun goes down, it goes to the other side of the Earth.»« In the east, behind the mountains.»« It doesn’t sleep! It goes around the Earth»« The Sun doesn’t sleep, it turns to another country and another country. The Sun only sleeps when it rains because the rain creates clouds that cover the Sun.»

Activity 2 - continued Student traces … What is the Moon doing in the sky?

« The Moon makes a little light at night»« It light us up a bit at night»« The Moon hides the Sun so that we can sleep»« When the Sun disappears, the Moon replaces it, but to light up the Earth, the Sun helps it out.»

Activity 3Relationships between the Sun, the Earth and the Moon

For teachers.

Living models: 3 students with blue, grey and yellow shirts.

Demonstration about the basic principles of diagramming.

Diagramming these relationships.

Activity 3 - continuedStudent traces

Activity 3 - continuedStudent traces

Activity 3 - continuedStudent traces

Activity 4Two astronomical phenomena

Reading informative texts to answer Sam’s questions

Diagramming the two phenomena explained in the texts

DAY AND NIGHT AND THE PHASES OF THE MOON

Activity 4 - continuedStudent traces – Day and night

Activity 4 - continuedStudent traces– The phases of the Moon

Activity 5Modeling these two phenomena

Reading informative texts: day and night, as well as the phases of the Moon

Modeling these two phenomena

Group discussion review

Activity 5 - continuedStudent traces

Activity 5 - continuedStudent traces

Activity 5 - continuedStudent traces

The Sun moves …

A beautiful silent assembly

A high assembly

Activity 6Demonstration « Why is the sky so red? »

Presentation of a demonstration to explain why the sky becomes red

Reading texts that confirm this demonstration

Resuming their comprehension

Activity 6Demonstration « Why is the sky so red? »

Activity 7Review of the initial questions

Picking one of Sam’s questions

Answer to this question

Review what was learned: gapped text and list of acquired knowledge

Activity 7Review of the initial questions

« Because in the light there are the seven colours of the rainbow. And at night, only the red colour makes it through the atmosphere.»« No, Sam, it doesn’t sleep in a bed. When the sun goes down, it has to cross a greater quantity of gas.»« The atmosphere only lets in the red; that’s why the sky is red  »

Activity 7Review of the initial questions

« No, Sam, the Sun doesn’t sleep. The Sun doesn’t turn in space, it stays put. It is the Earth that turns around the Sun and the Moon turns around the Earth, and that’s why when the Sun is hidden, it is on the other side of the Earth.  »

« No, it doesn’t sleep in a bed: the Sun never sleeps, it lights up another place.»

Activity 7Review of the initial questions

«The Moon does not live under the water and it can’t swim. It turns around the Earth. The Sun lights up the Moon and that’s why it changes shape.»

« No, Sam. The Moon does not live on the water, nor does it know how to swim. The Moon lives in the sky and at night it is lit up by the Sun, that’s why we see it at night.»

To go a little further …

Writing poems on the Sun, the Earth and the Moon

Writing – text in the manner of Marie-Louise Gay

Reading and writing legends about the Moon

Writing and art – invent an extraterrestrial, draw it, describe it, have it be the character in a story

Grammar - work on pronouns with Stella

To go a little further …

ST – Sun as an energy source, natural sources of energy, renewable energy, light

ST – Planetarium activity sheets (calendar for Moon phases…)

ITC/mathematics – web based research on daily hours of sunshine or number of sunny days, creation of graphs

Thank you!

Thanks to Audrey Cantin and her students at école Saint-Joseph (1985) Inc.

Thanks to Jimmy Sawyer and his students at école Fernand-Seguin

Thanks to Maria Cristi and her students at école La Mennais.