Lesson Planning

Waynesburg University

Writing the lesson plan:

Translating thoughts into a plan of action
_____________________________________________
Pennsylvania Academic Standard(s) addressed during this lesson:
(Provide Standard number and statement)

Science Standard 3.4.4 D. D. Describe the composition and structure of the universe and the earth’s place in it.

Lesson Objective(s)
(Stated in observable and measurable terms)

Given access to books and internet students will be able to work in groups to locate images and information on
10 constellations.

After locating images and information and given access to the Photo Story application the groups will be able to
create photo slideshow of the constellations that they will present to the class. The photo slideshow and
presentation must contain no more than 1 inaccuracy as measured by teacher review using a rubric.

Assessment Plan
(What will be done to determine if lesson objectives have been met?)

Using information obtained from books and/or the internet the groups will create photo slideshow that includes
10 different constellations, and present them to the class to be reviewed by the teacher using a rubric.

Materials:

Books, computers, internet access, Photo Story application, paper, pencils

Inclusion Techniques for Students with Special Needs:

Possible inclusion techniques may include: special seating near teacher, having a peer partner to aid the student
or others depending on the special need of the particular student.

Enrichment Techniques:

Possible enrichment techniques may include: having guest speaker come in to discuss astronomy with the class,
having students use sky map and “discover” their own constellation and create a story to go with it, or going on a
class field trip to a local science museum or observatory.

Lesson Differentiation (What modifications/accommodations will be made to ensure that ALL students have access to and are able
to participate in the lesson):

Students have the option of choosing their preferred method of obtaining the required information, be it through
a book or various online sources. Students can be assigned a specific role within the group specific to their
personal strengths (i.e. note-taker, speaker, leader, computer manager)

Lesson Presentation
Introduction/Motivational Activities/Anticipatory Set:

Take class outside on a day with a lot of cumulus clouds. Have them look at the clouds and try to find pictures
or images in them.

“Did you ever look up at the clouds and notice that sometimes they seem to create pictures. Maybe you saw one
that looks like a rabbit, or a boat, or maybe a flower. Well, since ancient times people have been doing the same
thing with the stars. They would look up into the sky at night and notice that a group of stars would look like a
picture or image. They would give that group of stars a name, and often they had stories to go along with them
as well. ”

Detailed Teaching Sequence:

(Provide sufficient detail that would enable a substitute to effectively present this lesson. Bulleted statements are preferred)

-Introduce the objective to the students

- Depending on class size divide students into groups of about 4 or 5
-Allow students to use internet/book resources to locate the required information
-After they have located the information they will create a slideshow of their images using Photo Story.
-Students will be familiar with Photo Story application from a previous lesson
-Students will also write down the information that they will say about each slide
-Once slideshow is complete it will be submitted along with notes to teacher for review (see rubric)
-Students will present slideshows to the class during next class period, after they have been reviewed by the
teacher.

Guided Practice/Independent Practice/Assessment Activities

Teacher will go around the room monitoring student work. Students will be working in groups to locate
information, then to create Photo Story slide show.

Closure:

“Today you got the chance to discover different constellations and find out how they were discovered and
named. Tomorrow we will view each other’s slideshows so that we can all learn about some more constellations
and the stories that go with them.”