Catharina Jensen

43282512

Lesson 5: Scale and Placement

Year: 3
Prior Learning and Rationale: Students have conducted the research on all the key components of the day and night: the Earth, Moon and
Sun. This lesson will introduce the relationship between the three components to build students understanding of day and night (Kermani &
Aldemir, 2015). This lesson will facilitate students hands-on learning to gain knowledge about the key scientific concepts that cause day and
night (Inan & Inan, 2015).
KLA (s): For links to other KLA areas click on QR code to the right or http://ech430thescienceofnightandday.weebly.com/ksk-and-curriculum-links.html
Science:
ST2-9ES: Describes how relationships between the sun and the Earth cause regular changes. (BOSTES NSW, 2012, p.55)
ST2-5WT: Applies a design process and uses a range of tools, equipment, materials and techniques to produce solutions that
address specific design criteria (BOSTES NSW, 2012, p.52).
Using a range of techniques to access information relevant to the tasks BOSTES NSW, 2012, p.52).
Using creative thinking techniques, including brainstorming, mind-mapping, sketching and modelling (BOSTES NSW, 2012, p.52).
Whole class objective:
For the students to investigate the relationships between the Sun, Earth and Moon by focusing on the scale and placement of these three
components (BOSTES NSW, 2012).
Resources & Equipment:
Classroom
organisation:
Interactive Whiteboard
The class will start
Small batch of play dough
on the floor, then
31 x position model template- https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxvTvf396ZXTVllkck4xQVc1THM
move to a circle on
93 x Split pins
the floor, then the
students will move
31 x Scissors
to their tables.
Scale YouTube video- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjWVtQGwrLU
Distance diagram- http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/tides/media/supp_tide02.html
31 x 20cm long strip of cardboard and 31 x 12cm long strip of cardboard
Introduction: The students will be instructed to come and sit down on the floor. The teacher will tell the students that they will be learning
about the sizes (scale) and placement of the Earth, Moon and Sun, We are going to watch a video that will display the different sizes of the
Moon, Earth and Sun. Lets predict the sizes, stretch your hand up to the sky if you think the component I say is going to be the largest, put
your hand next to your face if you think it is the second largest and put your hand on the floor if you think it is the smallest. The class will do
this quick activity and then watch the size YouTube video.
Body: The students will be instructed to sit in a circle on the floor as a whole class. The teacher will get the play dough and sit down in the
circle with the students. Together the class will represent the scale and placement of the Sun, Earth and Moon. This experience will be child led
in the sense that students will be working together to use the play dough to represent the size of the three components and place them in the
middle of the circle in the correct areas. The teacher will guide this activity by putting up a diagram of the placement of the three components
on the IWB and encouraging discussion about the relationships between the Sun, Earth and Moon. Next, the students will be passed a scale
and size diagram template around the circle. The teacher will explain that in a moment they will go to their desks and cut out the three
different sized circles, use the two different sized strips and three thumb clips each (on their tables) to create a size and placement model of
the Earth, Sun and Moon. The teacher will have a ready-made example on to show them before they move off to their desks.
Conclusion: The students will be instructed to come and sit down on the floor in a circle, with their completed models. The teacher will ask the
students inquiry questions e.g. Do you think the Moon, Earth and Sun move? In what way would they move? or Why do you think they
move? (Inan & Inan, 2015; Zhai, Jocz & Tan, 2013). The teacher will use this concluding activity to spark students wonder about how and how
the components move. Students will also be encouraged to make predictions. The students will be reminded to put their name on the back of
their model and put it in their science folder so they can use later.
Differentiation of learning for individual children
Support:
Extend:
For student/s to investigate the concept of the scale and
For student/s to use science inquiry methods to find out about the scale
placement of the Moon, Earth and Sun by being scaffolded and
and placement of the key components by engaging in hands-on, headsengaging in hands-on experiences (Charlesworth & Lind, 2011;
on, hearts-on science experiences (Inan & Inan, 2015). The teacher will
Appanna, 2011).
encourage students to take the lead in the investigation. The teacher will
The teacher will support ATSI students by using visual and verbal
be there to scaffold the students understanding of the scientific process
communication throughout the lesson (Appanna, 2011).
but the students will take ownership of this scientific process (Inan &
Inan, 2015).