ALL ABOUT

SPACE
5th Grade Science Unit Plan
By: Kim Butler

Overview:
This science unit on All About Space I feel is very important for students to learn because
it is part of our world that we all find fascinating, but do we really know what all it is made
up of and how it all works together? I am truly fascinated by the Solar System and I feel
this will be a great unit for the students to explore and have answered some of the
questions they have about this massive part of their lives. This unit will teach the students
how to learn and how to make connections. They will be able to compare with what we
learn about space with what they already know. This system we live in just proves there
is a greater power amongst us that has the ability to create something so amazingly
intriguing and beautiful that I want to be a part of my students learning and exploring an
area so deep that I am sure there are still parts that scientist have not discovered yet
because they are beyond reach. I am including lessons on the sun, planets, moon, space
shuttles, and telescopes to help tie everything together, so the students get an idea of the
big picture. At the end of the unit the students will build their own rocket and the class
will have a Flight Day to launch all the rockets.

Science Circus Activities

Space Bubbles
We have gravity on Earth, but in space there isn't any gravity and everything floats. Blow
bubbles in this station, the bubbles are what it would be like to be in space.
Why will the bubbles float?
What do you think is inside the bubble?
What state of matter is in the bubbles?

Moon Rocks
Look at the rocks and then sort and classify them.
1) Why do you think the rocks look different from each other?
2) What do you think could change the looks of the rocks?
3) Do you think the rocks on the Moon look the same as rocks on Earth? Why?
Creating Craters
Using the equipment provided in the box, you are going to create craters. Experiment with
the variables to see the crater size and how the size and depth changes.
Do the features you created look like any on the surface of the moon?
How are they the same? Different?
How did the weight affect the size and depth of the crater?
How did the size of the object affect the size and depth of the crater?
What do you think creates craters on the moon?

Science Corner
All About Space Science Unit
Solar System Posters
Telescope
Inflatable Solar System Set
Laptop to view the World Wide Telescope
Sand to act as Moon dust
Solar System Floor Puzzle
Rulers
Yardsticks
Mirrors
Books:
The Magic School Bus: Gets Lost in Space by Joanna Cole
Saturn: All New, All True by Elaine Landau
Earth: All New, All True by Elaine Landau
Magic Tree House Research/Space: A Nonfiction
Midnight on the Moon by Will &
Osborne

Companion to

**Students will be asked to explore and use their science journal to take notes to be used to
help with their report at the end of the unit on a planet they chose.

Our Amazing Solar System

Subject: Science

Grade: 5th

Goals:
This lesson is to help the students to learn about our solar system and to be able to
understand how the galaxy and universe work.
Science Ideas:
The students will apply and create the major parts of the solar system, and demonstrate
their knowledge by completing the project and unit.
SCI.5.2 2010 - Earth Science
Observe, describe and ask questions about patterns in the sun-moon-earth system.
SCI.5.2.1 2010
Recognize that our earth is part of the solar system in which the sun, an average star, is the
central and largest body. Observe that our solar system includes the sun, moon, seven other
planets and their moons, and many other smaller objects like asteroids and comets.
Procedures:
Engage:
This will be the introductory lesson to the unit. The students are going to learn about the
solar system, we will start by watching a video about the Solar System. We will then
discuss what we learned and then the students will be broken into groups and assigned a
different part of the solar system to research. The group will produce a poster board on
their assigned part of the solar system to present to the class. These will then be hung in
the science corner for the remainder of the unit. My hook for this lesson will be show them
the movie Our Amazing Solar System to help spark their interest.

Explore:
The students will work as a group to do about a half hour of research on their assigned part
of the solar system. The will be using a graphic organizer to organize their information. I
will have 4 different organizers and they will choose which one will work best for their
group and the information they are gathering. They will then produce a poster board to
present to the class on what they have learned about their topic.
Explain:
The students will take what they already know based on what they can see in the night sky
and what they know already exists in the galaxy and they will build on their knowledge by
researching in books and on the internet to learn more about the part of the galaxy their
group is working on. Then when each group presents their project the students will be
learning from their peers based on what they learned from their research. Students will
also be taking notes in their science journal to be used later in the unit.
Elaborate:
We will have just finished a lesson on gravity, so this unit will help pull that concept
together to associate the solar system and how gravity plays a role. This lesson will show
the students how amazing our solar system is to our daily lives and the realization that we
are on a planet so big and be able to start thinking and comparing Earth to the other
planets.
Evaluate:
I will assess their learning on this lesson based on observation and also from the
presentations to the class from their group work. I will be able to tell a lot on the
conversations they will be having in their groups while working on their posters.
Adaptations/Modifications:
There will not be any adaptations made since the projects will be done in a group, the other
students will be able to help those that need explanation.

Materials:
*Our Amazing Solar System DVD
*Crayons and colored pencils
*Encyclopedias, Science magazines, Science textbooks
*Science Journals
*Graphic Organizers
*Glue
*Poster board (one per group)

Movement in the Sky

Subject: Science

Grade: 5th

Goals:
This lesson will teach the students that there is movement amongst the sun, moon, earth,
and the stars. I would like for the students to understand the difference between the
rotations, revolving, and tilts in the solar system.
Science Ideas:
The idea behind this lesson is for the students to understand that how the solar system is in
constant motion and how the motion also affects our daily lives.
SCI.5.2 2010 - Earth Science
Observe, describe and ask questions about patterns in the sun-moon-earth system.
SCI.5.2.1 2010
Recognize that our earth is part of the solar system in which the sun, an average star, is the
central and largest body. Observe that our solar system includes the sun, moon, seven other
planets and their moons, and many other smaller objects like asteroids and comets.
SCI.5.2.2 2010
Observe and use pictures to record how the sun appears to move across the sky in the same
general way every day but rises and sets in different places as the seasons change.

Procedures:
Engage:

I will explain to the students that we will focus on the Earth, Moon, and Sun to help them
understand the movements. I will have a poster of the Moon and Sun, and the globe will
represent the Earth. So I will spin the globe so they understand how fast the Earth is
constantly moving.
Explore:
The students will be given a piece of construction paper and dividing into groups of 3.
They will decide which student will be the Earth, Sun, and Moon. They will draw on the
paper which of the objects they are. We will first start with the Earth and Sun, the students
will work together to show how the Earth revolves around the Sun. So the students should
be moving around each other to show this. Then once they understand, they will add the
Moon into the mix to add nighttime. The Moon will need to be revolving around the Earth.
Explain:
Once the students understand how the revolving and rotation cycles work they will then
explain in their journals what they have done and what they learned. Then as a group they
will use a half sheet of poster board to draw what they were demonstrating.
Elaborate:
Once the students have mastered this demonstration, we will then talk about the Earths tilt
and how that affects our lives along with the rotation and revolving. I will explain to the
students that this is where we get our seasons, is based on the tilt of the Earth.
Evaluate:
I will assess this lesson based on the journal entries and poster board diagrams for this
lesson to get a basis for the students understanding of this lesson.
Adaptations/Modifications:
I will make a vocabulary word list and attach a picture to the vocabulary word along with
the definition and also partner that student with a strong student that I know will be able
to help that student understand.

Materials:
*Poster board
*Crayons/markers
*Science journals
*Pencils
*Construction paper

Moon
Subject: Science

Grade: 5th

Goals:
The students are going to learn more about the Moon and how the Craters are formed on
the Moon.
Science Ideas:
The student will learn that craters are formed when asteroids and meteors hit any body in
the sky. They will observe and predict what happens when a meteor hits the Moon.
SCI.5.2 2010 - Earth Science
Observe, describe and ask questions about patterns in the sun-moon-earth system.
SCI.5.2.1 2010
Recognize that our earth is part of the solar system in which the sun, an average star, is the
central and largest body. Observe that our solar system includes the sun, moon, seven other
planets and their moons, and many other smaller objects like asteroids and comets.
Procedures:
Engage:
I will engage the students by asking them what they think a crater is and how they believed
they are formed. We will chart their predictions on the board and they will also write them
in their science journal. After the discussion, I will show them pictures of the Moon that
you can see the craters.

Explore:
Student will each be given a pie pan with flour in it and a layer of chocolate pudding mix on
the top. With the chocolate pudding mix on the top the students will be able to see the
craters better. The students will be making a model of the Moons surface. We will
discuss how they believe they will be able to make their pie pan look like the Moon with the
craters. After a discussion I will give each students a marble and explain they will be softly
dropping the marble into their pie pan to make craters. They will be dropping the marble
in from various heights and will chart the difference in the diameter of the crater. They will
make 6 craters in their pie pan and then in their science journal they will make a chart like
the one I have on the board and they will need a ruler to measure the height from where
they are dropping and then also the diameter of the crater.
Explain:
The students will need to measure the diameter of the craters sizes for all six craters along
with the height from which they dropped the marble and record in a chart in their science
journal like the one below, which will be on the board for them to make in their journals.
Craters

Height Dropped From (in.) Diameter of Crater (in.)

Crater 1
Crater 2
Crater 3
Crater 4
Crater 5
Crater 6

Elaborate:
After the students have completed this activity, we will use various sizes of balls to see the
different sizes in the craters from the same heights, they will once again make the chart
above in their journals.

Evaluate:
We will discuss the differences from the heights dropped from and also the size of the balls
dropped versus the size of the craters made, I will also use observation during the activity
and the science journal for assessment of this activity.
Adaptations/Modifications:
The adaptation will be to partner up the student for this activity.
Materials:
*Science journal
*Pie pan
*Flour
*Chocolate pudding mix
*Marbles
*Balls of various sizes
*Ruler
*Pencil

Pictures in the Sky

Subject: Science

Grade: 5th

Goals:
I am hoping the students will understand that the constellations are made up of the stars
and that they look like they are continuously moving because of the Earths rotation.
Science Ideas:
Students will make discs of a constellation and will spin the disk to show the students that
the Earth is what is moving and the stars look like they are moving but it is really us that
are moving on the Earth.
SCI.5.2 2010 - Earth Science
Observe, describe and ask questions about patterns in the sun-moon-earth system.
SCI.5.2.1 2010
Recognize that our earth is part of the solar system in which the sun, an average star, is the
central and largest body. Observe that our solar system includes the sun, moon, seven other
planets and their moons, and many other smaller objects like asteroids and comets.
Procedures:
Engage:
We will start by reading a book about constellations, Constellations: A Glow-in-the-Dark
Guide to the Night Sky by Chris Sasaki and Zoo in the Sky by Christina Balit.
Explore:

Students will trace a circle with a 15cm diameter (we will use a coffee can lid) and cut it out
on black construction paper. The students will use a white crayon to draw 10 dots all
around the circle, but on the same side. They will poke a hole in the center with their pencil
and use their pencil to spin the circle.
Explain:
When the students spin their disks it will look like it has rings, this happens because our
minds keep the image of the disk. This is like the Astronomers taking time lapse pictures of
the stars, it looks like the stars are moving but it is the Earth spinning.
Elaborate:
The planets appear to be stars at night because they reflect the suns light the same as the
moon. We will discuss how any planet can appear as a bright star in the sky at night.
Evaluate:
I will use observation to assess this lesson as the students work on their constellation disks
and ask and answer questions.
Adaptations/Modifications:
I will assist those students who need extra support on this lesson and help them make their
constellation disks.
Materials:
*Coffee cans lids
*Black construction paper
*White crayons
*Pencil
*Scissors

Flight Day
Subject: Science

Grade: 5th

Goals:
I am hoping for the students to learn about the Laws of Motion and how they relate to the
Solar System and how gravity plays a role in this unit by the students making their own
rockets. This rocket will be the students culminating activity and also used for assessment
of this lesson.
Science Ideas:
The science idea of this lesson for the students to learn Sir Isaac Newtons Laws of Motion
and to have fun building a rocket and launching it.
SCI.5.2 2010 - Earth Science
Observe, describe and ask questions about patterns in the sun-moon-earth system.
SCI.5.2.1 2010
Recognize that our earth is part of the solar system in which the sun, an average star, is the
central and largest body. Observe that our solar system includes the sun, moon, seven other
planets and their moons, and many other smaller objects like asteroids and comets.
Procedures:
Engage:

I will grab the students attention by telling them we will be building and launching a rocket
at the end of this lesson. We will discuss Newtons Laws of Motion and how they pertain to
rocket flight.
Explore:
The students will do some research on the Internet about rockets and what they are made
up of and the parts that go into making one. Then we will begin building our own rockets.
Each student will make a rocket but they may work in pairs in order to help each other.
The students will be using 16 oz. water bottles, file folders and antacid tablets. The
students will decorate the file folder to go around their bottle to make the outside of the
rocket. They will research what parts need to be on their rocket. Once all the rockets are
done, we will move the class outside and begin to launch the rockets. The rockets will be
launched by the teacher.
Explain:
Students will take what they have already learned from the previous lessons and what they
are learning about the Laws of Motion, to understand how the Solar System works and
what happens when a rocket is launched into space.
Elaborate:
The students will be able to use their science journals with all the notes they have taken
during this unit and add to it about the Laws of Motion, and then in their journals they will
write a one-page paper about what they have learned and what they learned from
launching their rocket.
Evaluate:
This will be the culminating activity that I will use as my assessment tool, which will be the
rocket, itself and the one-page paper in the students science journals and I will assess this
to ensure the students have understood this science unit on the Solar System.
Adaptations/Modifications:

Students will have a partner to help them build their rocket, but they will work on their
own to write their paper. I will not set a one-page requirement for the students who need
adaptations, but will assess from what they are able to write to better understand what
they have grasped from this unit.
Materials:
*Water bottles
*File folders
*Crayons/markers
*Scissors
*Antacid tablets
*Water
*Launching pad made to hold bottles
*Tape

Criteria
Organizati
on &
Presentation on
Rocket and
Paper

Exemplary-4
Creative with
presentation of
rocket and
paper. Done
very nicely and
good
explanations in
paper.

Completeness of
Rocket

Rocket
complete.

Proficient-3
Rocket was
done, but
not with
much
creativity
and paper
could use
more
details.
Rocket not
totally
complete.

Basic-2
Not
thorough in
paper with
what was
learned and
rocket was
given very
good effort

Rocket
needed to
have all
parts
Content of Notes from
Most notes Includes
paper
lesson taken are are detailed brief,
based on
complete,
and
partially
notes from detailed, and
descriptive. complete
Journal
descriptive. Well Paper was notes-some
written paper.
written
notes used.
from notes.
Mechanics There are no
There are
There are 3/Grammar spelling,
1-2 spelling, 4 spelling,
capitalization, or capitalizatio capitalizatio
punctuation
n, or
n, or
errors in the
punctuation punctuation
paper.
errors in
errors in the
the paper.
paper.

Unsatisfactor-1
Paper wasnt one-page in
length and rocket not
complete.

Rocket not
completed.
Incomplete notes and
explanations-unable to
write complete
paper from notes.
Paper not complete.
There are 5 or more
spelling, capitalization, or
punctuation errors in the
paper.