Michaela Kessinger | Science Lesson #3 | 4th Grade | April 10, 2017

Standard: MS-ESS1-1: Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun
and moon, and seasons.
Focus Question: How do shadows help us to describe patterns of lunar phases?
Objective: Students will make written or drawn observations about areas of light and dark on a sphere.
Student Learning Target: I can make a model to observe areas of light and dark on a sphere.
Time Teacher Action Student Action
12:00-12:03 Ask two students to hand out science notebooks. Give students stickers for their task to wear on Two students pass out science notebooks.
their shirts or put on their notebook.
12:04-12:05 Review learning target and agenda. Students read learning target out loud.
“What is a model?” Call and response.
“What is a sphere?”
12:06-12:07 Recall prior knowledge and review information from KLEWS chart in order to set students up Students read information off of KLEWS
for lesson. chart to recall what they did in the last
class.
12:08-12:12 Inform students of today’s task. Review the different roles that students will have using slide Students learn what role they will take on
from PowerPoint. and ask any clarifying questions about their
“Today we will be looking at what light looks like on a sphere. You will take the flashlight and roles.
illuminate the sphere. I want you to make notes about what is on the board, and also on the
“Questioner’s” question card. If you are the recorder, make sure that you are writing down your
group’s ideas on your paper so that we can share them with the class.”

12:13-12:23 Exploration. Teacher walks around and monitors student groups. Students make a model of the sun and the
moon using their materials. Students follow
What to watch for- roles in order to work together and work
If students are moving the flashlight- “What does that flashlight represent?” “And does the sun efficiently.
move?’
Ensure students are following their roles
12:24-12:26 Ask students to work together to draw a picture or write down observations about the questions Students work together in their small
on the board on a sticky note. groups to make drawn or written
observations about what they notice about
the areas of light and dark on a sphere.
Once they are complete with their post it
they can put it on the “What I Know” chart.
12:27-12:33 Lead students in discussion about what they saw based on their post-it notes. Students express ideas about what they
Goal: Talk about how half of the sphere is illuminated at all times and that your (Earth’s) observed through call and response.
position is what affects how much of the illuminated half of the moon can be seen.
12:34-12:35 Call students up by color to bring up materials.
(ie. blue sticker, bring up science notebooks, green stickers bring up spheres, pink bring up
flashlights, and yellow bring up black cones)