KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Candidate: Cooperating Teacher: Group Size: 18

Olya Dumyak

Date: 03/10/2013 Coop. Initials

Allotted Time

1hr

Grade Level

3rd

Subject or Topic:

Seasons

Section

STANDARD: 3.3.3.B1: Relate the rotation of the earth and day/night, to the apparent movement of the sun, moon, and stars across the sky. Describe the changes that occur in the observable shape of the moon over the course of a month. I. Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes): Third grade students will examine the reason for Earths seasons, day and night, and the effects it has on humans and the animals around us by being able to identify their actions in the season Instructional Materials Science Explorer/ Astronomy Prentice Hall, Teacher Edition. http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/activity/the-reason-for-theseasons/?ar_a=1 - Reason for the Season Inquiry http://www.brainpop.com/science/weather/seasons/ Forest Bright Forest Night Book Season Booklet Flash light Foam ball Marker Pushpins Pencil Inquiry Sheet Paints (green, brown, red, orange) Large white paper

II. -

III.

Subject Matter/Content (prerequisite skills, key vocabulary, big idea) 1) Prerequisites 1) Fine motor skills 2) Understand earth and its movement with moon and sun

2) Key Vocabulary/ Content What creates seasons? - Latitude- is a measurement of distance from the equator expressed in degrees North to South. - Equator- an imaginary line around the Earth forming the great circle that is equidistant (equal distance) from the North and South. - Hemisphere- half of the earth, divided by North/ South. - Tilt- to cause to lean. Four Seasons - Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter - Hibernation- for animals spending the winter sleeping or resting. Example: bears, snakes, bees, woodchucks, bats, chipmunks - Sun- whichever part of the Earth facing the sun feels warmth. Long days = most sun & warmth Short days = no warmth from sun 3) Big Idea 1) What affects the seasons and how do the seasons affect us? IV. Implementation A. Introduction 1. To introduce this lesson the teacher will have the Smart Board set up and divided into 4 categories by seasons. 2. Smart Board Four Seasons and icons of different activities and representations of the seasons. 3. As the students prepare for the lesson, whoever is ready will come up and sort the icons to the appropriate seasons. B. Development 1. Teacher and student will go through a brief review discussion about the previous lesson on earths positioning in space and how it will tie to todays lesson. 2. Teacher will go through the season sort the students came up with on the Smart board. 3. Teacher will introduce the cause of the seasons through a brain pop video. http://www.brainpop.com/science/weather/seasons/ 4. Teacher will provide student with booklet outlining the information discussed in the brain pop video. 5. Students will complete the two last pages of the booklet, answering and matching any of the questions provided. 6. Students will transition into groups of 3 to complete the inquiry on Reason for the Season 7. One student will hold and position the flashlight (sun) on a pile of books about 15cm high. 8. Students will draw a black line around the foam ball to represent the equator, push pencil under the foam ball representing South Pole.

9. Have the third group member place a pushpin, representing a person, midway between the Equator and the North Pole, and another between the Equator and South Pole. 10. Have the students representing the Earth and sun in each group stand approximately 5-7 feet apart. Dim or turn off the lights. 11. While the sun is still shining directly overhead of the pushpin/person in the Southern Hemisphere, have students locate where in the classroom, such as a wall or ceiling, the North Pole points to. Tape a black circle to the wall at that location to help students keep the axis pointed in one direction. Next, ask the Earth to resume orbiting the sun, while keeping the North Pole pointed at the black circle. Remind students to keep the sun stationary and pointed at Earth. Have the rest of the group help to make sure the Earths tilt doesn't change. Explain to students that the Earth is tilted one way and stays tilted the same way all the time. Have students stop the Earth after one-half of an orbit so that it is opposite of where it started. Then ask one group member to make it daytime for the top and bottom people. It should be night for them if the Earth has orbited correctly, so the student will have to spin the Earth. Finally, ask groups to move the Earth half an orbit around the sun again, making sure to keep the North Pole pointed at the black circle. Make sure the sun does not move. Also, ensure as the Earth orbits the sun, the axis does not change orientation and continues pointing to the black circle. Have a group member make it daytime for the top and bottom people. Ask: Does the sun shine more directly on the person on the top half of the Earth, or the person on the bottom half? (bottom half, or Southern Hemisphere) Which person feels warmer temperatures? (the person in the Southern Hemisphere) Which person is experiencing summer? (the person in the Southern Hemisphere) Winter? (the person in the Northern Hemisphere) How do you know? (The person in the Southern Hemisphere is receiving more direct sunlight, so it is warmer there and is the summer season.) Is the sun brighter or more concentrated for the person in summer or the person in winter? (the person in summer) 12. Teacher will walk around after giving the instructions of the inquiry for any additional help or support of the groups. 13. Teacher will call the class over to the class calendar and students will sit on the rug. 14. Teacher will ask questions such as: What is the job of the calendar? How many days in a week? How many days does each month have? How many days in a year? How often does a leap year happen? What is the meaning of hibernation?

15. Teacher will read the Forest Bright Forest Night book. 16. Teacher will discuss with the students the nighttime and daytime animals, and the reason for the differences. C. Closure 1. Teacher will give students large rectangular pieces of thick construction paper and different colored paints. 2. Students will divide the paper into four by folding it. 3. Students will use their fingers to paint in a representation of a tree and its leaves in each season.

D. Accommodations/Differentiation To accommodate Sally who has ADHD teacher will give her a written instruction sheet for the inquiry. E. Assessment/Evaluation Plan 1. Formative -Students will fill out the final 2 pages of the booklet matching seasons according to the equator positioning. (attached) -Teacher will go around the room taking notes and verbally assessing students during the inquiry project. -Students will participate in closure by drawing the picture representing the trees. 2. Summative

V.

Reflective Response 1) Report of Students Performance in Terms of Stated Objectives (after lesson is taught) Remediation Plan 2) Personal Reflection

VI.

Resources Brainpop.com http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/activity/the-reason-for-theseasons/?ar_a=1 Science Explorer/Astronomy Prentice Hall, teacher edition