Sun and Stars

Grade: 3

Lesson Plan Theme/Topic: The sun and other stars.

Standards Addressed: SC.3.E.5.1, SC.E.5.2, and SC.3.E.5.3

Goals: (What do you expect the students to be able to know and do?)

The students are expected to be able to identify the sun as a star, and that it appears bigger than other stars because it is close to us. They should be able to identify different types of stars (at the very least," some are red, some are blue, some are bigger or smaller than others," and other similar traits). Additionally, students should be able to name the two types of energy the sun emits: light and heat.

Formative Assessments: (How will your students demonstrate that they have met the goals? How will they assess themselves?)

Students will fill out a worksheet as they watch the YouTube video and we will go over it together as a class to make sure they understand the material. Students will answer questions throughout the lesson as informal knowledge checks. Students will make a craft choosing one of the types of stars they learned about to demonstrate they can tell basic differences between stars, such as size and color.

Key Content: (What key elements will be learned or practiced?)

Vocabulary: Sol/Sun, Star, Nebula.

Skills: Critical thinking (Why does the sun look bigger than other stars? Why do some stars look different? Etc.); writing (fill in worksheet); Craft skills (using glue, matching certain colors, etc.)

Resources, Instructional Materials, Technology:

YouTube videos, craft materials, photo, PowerPoint, worksheet.

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Anticipatory Set: By a raise of hands, how many of you know the sun is actually a star? Does that blow your mind? Well, why does the sun look so big and the stars look so small? *Encourage kids to guess*

A: The sun is really close to us and the stars are far away. When something is really close to us, it looks bigger, but when it's far away, it looks really small.

For example, look at this picture. Which car looks the biggest?

A: The black car; the cars look smaller the further away they are. It is the same for the sun and the stars.

Found on Google images. Image is likely copyrighted. DO NOT REPRODUCE FOR MARKETING PURPOSES. This image is being used in my lesson plan for educational purposes ONLY.

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Here is a video on what we talked about and more. Please answer the questions on this worksheet while you watch the video. We will go over it after you finish. (This worksheet will be collected and used as a knowledge check).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FB0rDsR_rc

Worksheet Title: Here_Comes_Sun.docx

Optional video on different types of stars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrS3Ye8p61Y

PowerPoint on different types of stars under: All_About_Stars.pptx

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Star Ornament Craft

Materials:

1. Red, orange, yellow, blue, white, brown, and black tissue paper cut up

2. Pre-cut cardstock circles of different sizes (could also use any hard paper-like material such as white cardboard)

3. Glue sticks

4. Hole punch (teacher does this)

5. String

Instructions:

The students will be making stars of their own. They can pick any of the different types of stars talked about in class, such as the red giants or the white dwarfs. Explain to them that they have to pick one of the stars talked about, they cannot make one up. Maybe write a list on the board so they can reference it.

1. Have the students come and choose the size of their star, or hand them out at random.

2. Give the students at each table a lot of tissue paper in all different colors, and make sure there are enough glue sticks for each child or for every other child. They will be using the glue sticks for the entire craft.

3. Instruct the students to glue on the tissue paper on both sides to make a star. For example, a student with a medium-sized cut-out might make a yellow dwarf, and use yellow and orange tissue paper. A student with a small cut-out might make a brown or white dwarf, and use black and brown or blue and white tissue paper.

4. As students finish, have them bring their creations up to your desk. Make a hole punch in the top of their craft so they can attach the string.

5. Either help the children attach the strings or show them how to do it once their creation is hole punched.

6. Have the students leave the stars on the corners of their desks or a common area to finish drying. If they are putting them in a common area, be sure to have them write their name in pen or sharpie somewhere on the star.

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Closure (Reflect or Cool-Down Set): Ask if the students have any questions. Have them write down something new they learned on a slip of paper with their name and turn it in. Do the activity.

Adaptations (For Students With Learning Disabilities): For students with ADHD, ask them what star they would like to make and let them pick out their cut-out, then give them limited colors of tissue paper to nudge them in the right direction. Let them put a ridiculous amount on if they want, as long as they understand the purpose of the craft. For students with auditory processing, give them a vocab printout to look over and keep in their folder. For students who may have trouble hearing or following information in the videos, print out a rough transcript of the videos shown in class for them to follow along with. Alternatively, you can pull them up on the classroom computers and let them watch with headphones on their own while the class uses the projector.

Extensions (For Gifted and Curious Students): Prepare videos on some cool stars and/or nebulas to show any interested kids after they finish their crafts on the classroom computers. Maybe even play them on the projector if most of the kids show an interest in the topic so they can informally watch, like a movie, as they do their craft.

Possible connection to other subjects: Art with the craft, other areas of science with temperature, math with sizes of stars and their other qualities.