Bailey Hazelwood

1st grade
Students: 19
Lesson: Solar System Unit
Length: 4 weeks

The student samples that I

have included are highlighted
in red.

Objective:
Students will be able to identify all eight planets by name and by basic
characteristics. Students will be able to recite a rhyme that will help them know the
order of the eight planets from the sun. Students will be able to identify the phase
cycle of the moon and be able to comprehend how the moon orbits the earth.
Lastly, students will know learn how a star forms, what a constellation is, and be
able to identify common known star constellations.

Student Friendly Targets:

Week

Week

Week

1/2: (Planets)
I know what a planet is.
I know the eight planets in our solar system.
I can sing a song to help me remember the order of the eight planets.
I can identify the eight planets by their traits. (Ex: The planet with the red
eye is Jupiter)
3: (Moon)
I know what the moon is.
I know what the phases of the moon are.
I know how the moon orbits around Earth.
4: (Constellations)
I know what a star is.
I know that the Sun is a star
I know what a constellation is.
I know how a star forms.
I know that there are different types of stars.
I can identify common star constellations. (Cassiopeia, Ursa Major/Minor,
Orion, etc.)

State Standards
Next Generation Science Standards
1-ESS1 Earths Place in the Universe
College and Career Ready Standards
CCRA.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make
logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to
support conclusions drawn from the text. CCRA.R.2 Determine central ideas or
themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting
details and ideas
CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and
collaborations with diverse partners, building on others ideas and expressing their
own clearly and persuasively.
CCRA.SL.2 Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and
formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Reading
RL.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

RL.1.2 Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their
central message or lesson. Include stories by and about American Indians.
Writing
W.1.5 5. With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to
questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as
needed.
Speaking and listening
SL.1.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade
1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
SL.1.1.a Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with
care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
SL.1.1.b Build on others talk in conversations by responding to the comments of
others through multiple exchanges.
SL.1.1.c Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts under
discussion.
SL.1.2 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or
information presented orally or through other media.
SL.1.3 Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather
additional information or clarify something that is not understood.
Language
L.1.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and
usage when writing or speaking.
L.1.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing

Lesson Activities
Week 1 (Planets)
Materials:
KWL chart butcher paper
Our solar system planet books
Astronaut Planet Rhyme Sheets
Planet mobile items
o Paper clips
o Planet cut out sheets
Colored pencils/crayons/markers
Glue
Smartboard
YouTube video
Monday: Day 1 30 minutes
1. KWL Chart/Review of what students already know.
Thursday: Day 2 60 minutes
1. Read Our Solar System book
a. After reading the book, students will receive their own planet books
that they will get to color and keep in their book boxes to read for the
duration of the unit.
2. Astronaut Planet Rhyme Sheet
a. Go over the eight planet names in order with the students. Write the
eight names in order on the board. Review them several times.
b. Erase everything except the first letter of each planet. Tell students
that they will learn a rhyme that will help them remember the order of
the planets from the sun.
c. Go over what each planet stands for in the rhyme. Write each rhyme
word next to the first letter of the planet name.
d. Once all the names are written on the board review the rhyme several
times
e. When most students show understanding of the rhyme move on to the
worksheet
i. Model to the students that they will cut each page out. Once the
astronaut page is out, then they cut along the horizontal dotted
lines. After the lines are cut, then they can glue the astronaut
page on top of the planet name page where the instructions say
to. Make sure that their names are on the back.
1. During the model process check for understanding by
calling on students to see if they are listening and know
what they next steps are during the activity.
ii. After the demonstration, hand out materials and monitor the
students progress during the activity, answering question if
needed.
Friday: Day 3 60 minutes
1. Planet Mobiles
a. Students will create a vertical planet mobile
b. Each student will receive 8 planet shapes, paperclips, and coloring
items

c. Explain that they are now going to make a planet mobile that they get
to take home and hang up in their rooms.
i. Model the beginning steps for the students. Students will need
to color their planets first. Pictures of the actual planet colors will
be pulled up on the Smartboard for them to look at. Explain that
the planets need to be colored just like the pictures, because
their colors can sometimes be helpful to look at when they need
to identify them.
ii. Explain that they will also need to write the names on the back
of the each planet so they can remember what each of them is
called.
iii. Cut out a couple of the shapes and quickly color them according
to the Smartboard pictures. Then explain that once they have
colored and cut them all out they will need to ask the teacher(s)
for help to punch holes in the top and bottom of the pictures.
Once the holes are punched, they will begin to hang the pieces
with paperclips.
1. Help students with paperclips as needed
Extensions:
f. Play Outer Space: We are the Planets Song from Youtube
Week 2 (Solar System)
Materials:
Plane paper planet shapes
Shaving cream mixture pre-made
Food coloring
Toothpicks
Popsicle sticks
Tin foil
Breaking News writing sheets
YouTube video
Butcher Paper
Monday: Day 1 30 Minutes
1. 3D planets
a. Students will be making 3D planets with a shaving cream mixture and
food coloring
b. This activity will be direct instruction with step by step
procedures
c. Explain the activity to the students first, with expectations of the
lesson, then hand out material. Student get to create their very own
planets.
i. Each student will get to pick one planet shape (variety of
shapes), one toothpick, one popsicle stick a piece of tin foil, and
choose two food colors
ii. Each student will walk around the desks and stand in line to
collect their materials. Teacher will come around with food
coloring
d. Once all student are sitting down with their materials, tell them to put
their shapes onto the tin foil. Walk around and distribute the shaving
cream mixture on top of the shapes. Students will use the Popsicle

stick to spread around the shaving cream mixture on their shapes.

Then walk around and put a few drops of the food coloring, of their
choosing, into the mixture. They will then use the toothpick to spread
around the food coloring.
e. These will need to dry overnight.
Thursday: Day 2 60 minutes
1. Planet Reports
a. Each student will fill out a My Planet Report page
b. Student may use the KWL charts, books from the library, and their own
planet books to find the information on the planet that they choose to
do the report on.
2. Breaking News Astronaut writing sheet.
a. Today the students will get to write about the new planet that they
made.
b. Each Student will receive one Astronaut writing page
c. Before the activity, sit with the students and go over what great first
hand writing looks like. (Capitols, lower cases, punctuation, finger
spacing, etc.)
d. Show the students an example of what the writing sheet should look
like.
i. Check for understanding by asking students what the sheet
should look like after giving demonstration and instructions.
e. Student have to include 3 of the following items:
i. What is the name of the planet?
ii. What is the color of the planet?
iii. What kind of weather occurs on the planet?
1. Is it hot or cold? Are their hurricanes or storms? Etc.
iv. How big, or small, is the planet?
v. Are their living things on the planet?
1. Animals?
2. Humans?
3. Plants?
Friday: Day 3: 30-60 minutes
1. Summative Assessment (WHO AM I?)
a. Students will each get a Who Am I? worksheet
i. Explain to students that this sheet is like a test. It will tell me
what they have learned about the planets.
b. Read each question one at a time. Allow a few minutes for the students
to think about their answers before moving on.
2. After they have a chance to answer all of the questions, go over each answer
and have the students correct their mistakes.
Extensions:
1. Play the planet song again
2. Re-read the planet book

Week 3 (Moon)
Materials:
My moon books
Phases of the moon books
Pre-made phase cycle sheets
Smartboard (w/moon phases)
YouTube video
Monday: Day 1 30 minutes
1. Read My Moon Book
a. Tell students that they have to listen, because they will be asked for
one important thing that they learned from the book. These facts will
be written on butcher paper during discussion
b. After reading, discuss what they learned and write on the butcher
paper
c. Demonstrate how the moon orbits the Earth. Discuss that the Moon
follows the pattern of the sun in that is appears to be moving from East
to West.
2. Read Phases of the Moon
a. Discuss and write down the important words to know from the phases
of the moon (Phase, Waxing = getting bigger, Wanning = getting
smaller, 1st and 3rd quarter
3. The student will put together each of these book and can leave them in their
book boxes with the planet book so they can read them later on.
a. Each student will receive the pages of the moon book and the phases
of the moon book.
b. They will cut them out and color as they wish
c. When they are ready, they can then staple the pages together
Thursday: Day 2: 60 Minutes
1. Review what students learned about the moon and review what phases they
remember
2. Toady students will be charting the phases of the moon in order starting with
New Moon.
a. Students will do this step by step with the teacher

3. Pull up the Smartboard page that has the phases of the moon in order
starting with New Moon. All the phases should be hidden except for the New
Moon Phases.
4. Model each step with the students.
a. Start with the New Moon phase and color in the first circle on the
sheet. Then write the phase name on the board. Then the students can
write the phase name on their sheet exactly the way you did.
b. Once all students color in and write the name, uncover the next phase
on the smartboard.
c. Repeat steps a and b for the rest of the phases.
Friday: Day 3 60 minutes
1. Finish the phases of the moon sheets
Extension: Show a video panning the phases of the moon off of YouTube.
Week 4 (Constellations)
Materials:
Magic School Bus Episode 46: See Sars
Butcher paper
Connect the dots constellation sheets
Factual books about stars that students can read during independent reading
times
Art supplies
o Long white construction paper
o Blue/purple/black paint and brushes
o Water in cups
Monday: Day 1 30 minutes
1. Watch The Magic School Bus: Seas Stars
a. Beforehand, tell students that have to listen carefully, because they
will be asked to tell two things that they learned from the video about
stars
2. Discuss what they learned and write down some important facts on the board
3. Specially talk about how a star forms and its life span, as well as types of
stars
a. (yellow dwarf stars( the sun), blue stars, red dwarfs, red/blue giants,
etc.)
Thursday: Day 2 60 minutes
1. Today students will be doing an art project with constellations
a. Pre-Project:
i. Make 10 hidden constellation shapes on white construction
paper with a white crayon
ii. Make 10 hidden constellation names that match the 10 shapes
on white construction paper with a white crayon
2. Have student grab a pain smock and stand in front of their spots.
3. Tell students that their job is to cover the entire white paper with two colors
of paint
a. They can choose from purple, blue, and black
4. As students begin to paint their papers they will discover that there are
hidden images on the paper

5. Once all papers are painted, it is their job to try and match up the names with
the shapes
a. There will be an answer key with names and images on the Smartboard
that they can use to get help.
Extension:
1. Star Constellation dot to dot packets
Overall Summative Assessment Piece:
At the end of the Solar System Unit, Students will have the opportunity to take a
field trip to the Planetarium at the College Campus.

Notes: Every day during the writing block, students will get to write a
prompt about the moon, planets, and stars in their Solar System writing
packets.