McDonalds Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.

Revised August 2015

Teacher: Jaimee Hadley

Date: 10/1/15

Title of Lesson: Famous Astronomers

Cooperating Teacher: Amanda McDonough

Core Components
Subject, Content Area, or Topic
Science, Earth, Moon, Sun Relationships
Student Population

A.M. Class: 21 4th grade students, inclusion (7 SPED)

P.M. Class: 21 4th grade students, inclusion (7 SPED)
Learning Objectives

Students will review facts about famous Astronomers Aristotle, Ptolemy, Copernicus and
Galileo
Students will learn vocabulary:
Heliocentric Sun centered (Aristotle & Ptolemy)
Geocentric Earth centered (Copernicus & Galileo)

Virginia Essential Knowledge and Skills (SOL)

SCI.4.1.1 Analyze scientific discoveries that have changed our understanding of the sun, moon,
and solar system
SCI.SS.4.0 The student will demonstrate an understanding of inquiry, using knowledge gained to
analyze data and make reasoned conclusions.
Materials/Resources
Sheet with information on Astronomer
Scissors
Glue
Content Notebook
Construction Paper
Dry Erase Board, Marker
Safety (if applicable)
Time
(min.)

5 min

Process Components
*Anticipatory Set
Students need content notebook (Science)
Tell students that we will be talking more today about some of the famous
astronomers.
Ask: Who can remember what an astronomer is? (A person who studies
stars, planets, moons, comets, and galaxies.)
Ask: Why are astronomers important? (They discover new things about the solar
system which helps us to be more familiar with it.)

McDonalds Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015

10
min

10
min

5-10
min

*State the Objectives (grade-level terms)

Students will review and learn new facts about Astronomers and work
in table groups to create a poster to showcase information about each
Astronomer. (Aristotle, Ptolemy, Copernicus, and Galileo)
*Instructional Input or Procedure
Explain to students that as we learned about the Astronomers the other
day, we learned that 2 of them had a theory and the other 2 had another
theory.
Ask: Two of the astronomers thought that what was in the center?
Earth-Centered Model Ptolemy and Aristotle
Sun-Centered Model Copernicus and Galileo
New WORDS: (New Vocabulary)
Earth Centered Geocentric (Geo means earth and centric means
center)
Sun Centered Heliocentric (Helio means sun and centric means
center)
Explain that those are important words to remember and may be seen on
an assessment in the future
*Modeling
Today I will be giving each table a piece of construction paper and information
about one of these astronomers. As a team, you will make a poster about the
astronomer that you are assigned. On the poster, you may put a picture of the
Astronomer in the middle and around the picture, I want you to fill out index cards
with information about this particular person.
You will be getting you answers from a paper that I will give you that discusses
interesting facts about each Astronomer or you are welcome to look in your
content notebook.
Please be neat because we are going to present these to the class when they are
complete and we will probably hang them in the hallway.
Work as a group and whoever is a strong reader in the group might be the one to
volunteer to read aloud the information. Others may want to write down the
information on the cards. Either way, just work as a team and do your best.
Students will need glue and scissors.
*Check for Understanding
Teacher will walk around room and make sure that everyone is correctly
completing posters.
Guided Practice
If students are having a difficult time, guide them as to where information can be
found.
*Independent Practice
Students will complete Astronomer Posters.

5 min

Assessment
Students will correctly complete Poster on Astronomer.

McDonalds Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015

*Closure
Tell me 1 things about your Astronomer and an important fact about him.
5 min
Differentiation Strategies (enrichment, accommodations, remediation, or by learning style).
Make sure to check on SPED students who may need the information read to them,
so as to provide assistance, if necessary.
Classroom Management Issues (optional)
Do not go forward with lesson until everyone is quiet
Lesson Critique. To be completed following the lesson. Did your students meet the objective(s)? What part
of the lesson would you change? Why?

*Denotes Madeline Hunter lesson plan elements.

Intern Signature

Cooperating Teacher Signature

McDonalds Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015

Date