No Child Left Inside (NCLI)

Science Lesson Plan

Date: 10-25-14
Lesson Title: How the Sun Warms the Earth
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs):
K-PS3-1: Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earths surface. [Clarification
Statement: Examples of Earths surface could include sand, soil, rocks, and water] [Assessment
Boundary: Assessment of temperature is limited to relative measures such as warmer/cooler.]
ISTE-T Standards:
3D. manage student learning activities in a technology-enhanced environment.
4B. use technology resources to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings to improve
instructional practice and maximize student learning.
Driving Question for Lesson: How does the sun affect the surface of the Earth?
Content:
The sun warms the Earths surface; it also warms the air and the water.
The sun provides the heat for the world.
You can notice how the sun affects the surface of the Earth through different experiences.
Practices:
Students will begin the day by taking two buckets/shallow pans of water outside, placing
one in an open sunny area and the other in a shaded, darker area. Note the time and
placement of the water buckets; this will be done together in the classroom science
journal. (Students will explain what has happened and the teacher will write it down in
the classroom science journal. At the end of the lesson the notes/observations from the
journal will be used to create a Word Document as a whole class detailing their
experience).
Students will make predictions about what will happen to the different buckets of water
through the day. Some possible suggestions include: Do they think they will warm up at
the same rate? Will one warm slower than the other? Will one not warm up at all?
Students will make observations of the weather and take the outside temperature
throughout the day and the teacher will record the data in the classroom science
journal. (This can happen every thirty minutes or hour, whatever your schedule can
accommodate).
Students will spend time outside doing various activities, jump rope, tag, jumping jacks,
etc. They will begin these activities in the shade and describe how they feel. Students
will then do the activities in the sun and describe how it was the same or different,
teacher will record this in the journal.
At the end of the lesson the observations and recording will be put into a Word
Document. You can create a chart or graph for plotting the temperature data so that
students have a visual.
Example 1:

Example 2:
Activity In the Sun In the Shade
Jump Rope I was hot
I was sweating
I needed more water
I needed a break
I wasnt very hot
I could jump faster
I didnt need a lot of water
Took a short break
Tag Didnt want to run as fast
Needed a lot of water
Really sweaty
Really tired
Could run really fast
Didnt get very hot
Not very sweaty

Assessment:
Assessing student learning should be limited to measures such as warmer/cooler. Possible
assessment:


Warmer

Cooler
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
9am 10am 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm
Sun
Shade


Warmer

Cooler


Warmer

Cooler


Warmer

Cooler

Ensure that students know the difference between the two words (warmer/cooler) and
understand the images so they can accurately complete the assessment.