Spring 2015

ED 322 Lesson Plan Format

Field Study Teacher: Christa Pete School: Mesa
Grade Level: 4th Grade Number of Students in Class: 20
Unit: The Solar System Lesson Duration: 30 - 35 minutes
Day, Date, and Time of Lesson: Week 1, Day 5

1. Objective(s): Identify and position the planets in order from the sun.

2. Colorado Academic Standards:

Standard: 3. Earth Systems Science
Prepared Graduates:
Describe and interpret how Earth's geologic history and place in space are relevant to our understanding
of the processes that have shaped our planet.
Concepts and skills students master:
1. Earth is part of the solar system, which includes the Sun, Moon, and other bodies that orbit the Sun in
predictable patterns that lead to observable paths of objects in the sky as seen from Earth.
Evidence Outcomes:
a. Gather, analyze, and interpret data about components of the solar system (DOK 1-2)

3. Learning Target(s): I will be able to identify and name the planets in the correct order from the sun.

4. Assessment: Students will be assessed by their participation, their booklet of the order of planets,
and journal entry. Teacher will walk around the classroom to each groups table to make sure that each
of the students is working on their booklet by positioning the planets in the correct order and at the end
of the class make sure the students are writing in their science journals about what they have learned
and will be asked to write the eight planets in the correct order from the sun (exit ticket).

5. Materials: Science notebooks; pencil; color pencils; crayons; worksheets; glue; scissors; PowerPoint;
NASA Website Our Solar System Planets; video - http://youtu.be/LvwrDgId2HY.

6. Essential Questions or Big Picture Statement: What is the order of the planets from the sun? What
are the inner/outer planets of the solar system?

7. Introduction/Anticipatory Set: To get the students attention the teacher will gather the students in
their table groups and have a discussion on the question: What are the names of the eight planets?.
The teacher will then inform the students of their objectives for that day. Before starting the lesson, a
short review will be given on the eight planets the students have previously learned about. In this
activity, the students will be divided into eight groups and each group will be given information on one
of the eight planets. The students will review the information on the planet they are given and will be
asked to write down important facts that they will share with other students outside of their group.
After writing down the information they will share the students will be asked to pair up with another
student that has information on a planet they did not work on. Students will continue to talk to other
students until they have information on all eight planets (Speed Learning). Students will be asked to
return to their seats and will be asked if this review was helpful and to keep the information on the
planets to use on their booklets. Afterwards the teacher will ask the students if they understand what

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they will be doing and if they have any questions. To check if they understand the teacher will ask the
students to give a thumbs up, thumbs down, or a sideways thumb. (10 minutes informal assessment)

8. ****Step-by-Step Lesson Process:****

DAY 1:
Step 1: Gather students in their table groups;
Step 2: Inform students of the lesson they will be working on and work on a brief review exercise. The
Introduction/Anticipatory Set section will be conducted during this time (Speed Learning) (10 minutes
informal assessment);
Step 3: Tell students to grab their science notebooks. Their notebooks will be used to take notes and will
be used for their journal entry at the end of the lesson. With the gathered information the students can
analyze and interpret their notes on the eight planets to help them with their planet notebook that will
show the correct positions of the eight planets from the sun. They will also use the notes from the
lecture to write their journal entries about the eight planets in the solar system. (2 minutes informal
assessment);
Step 4: Lecture, using PowerPoint and NASA website. It will include the information on the eight planets
in the solar system and a short video of The Planets Song that shows the planets in the correct order
from the sun. (5 minutes);
Step 5: Discussion. Will ask students, Who can tell me what the inner/outer planets are? and What
are the names of the eight planets in order from the sun? (3 minutes informal assessment);
Step 6: After discussion, the teacher will give students a blank booklet that includes six pages, the first
page will be a cover page which will have the title My Book of the Planets in Our Solar System and
using the front and back of the other pages to list the sun and the eight planets. In each of the pages the
teacher will ask the students to draw, in order from the sun, a picture of the sun and each of the eight
planets and to include an illustration. The illustration must have the name (sun or the eight planets) and
two facts they have found (using their notes). Students will be encouraged to add color to their booklet
and to glue their booklet in the science journals. If students have not completed their booklet by the end
of the lesson they will be required to take it home for homework (10 minutes informal assessment).
Step 7: At the end of the lesson, the teacher will inform students to write in their science journals about
what they have learned and to name the eight planets in order from the sun. After they have completed
their entry they will share with a partner in their table groups an interesting fact they have found and
afterwards they will share with the class their interesting fact. (Think-Pair-Share) (5 minutes informal
assessment);

Label Assessments: Students will be assessed by their participation, the completion of their booklet of
the order of the planets from the sun, and their journal entry. Teacher will walk around the classroom
checking students booklet to make sure they are listing the order of the planets from the sun correctly.
Teacher will also be looking at the students notebooks making sure they have an entry in their journals
that should include information from their notes that they found interesting and they will be required to
write down the order of the planets. If the students have not followed the directions the teacher will
correct the students to make sure they are on track. Teacher will also be available to answer students
questions and at the end of the day the teacher will check the students journal entries to make sure
they have followed directions.

9. Teacher reflection on Lesson to complete after you have taught:

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