Blended Learning Lesson Plan

Lesson Title:

Objectives:

Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the universe and the predictable
patterns caused by Earth’s movement in the solar system.

Students will be able to explain the motions of Earth and the Moon and the effects of these motions
as they orbit the Sun.

State Standards:

8.E.4: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the universe and the predictable patterns
caused by Earth’s movement in the solar system.

8.E.4A.1 Obtain and communicate information to model the position of the Sun in the universe,
the shapes and composition of galaxies, and the measurement unit needed to identify star and
galaxy locations

8.E.4A.2 Construct and analyze scientific arguments to support claims that the universe began
with a period of extreme and rapid expansion using evidence from the composition of stars and
gases and the motion of galaxies in the universe.

8-4.4 Explain the motions of Earth and the Moon and the effects of these motions as they orbit
the Sun (including day, year, phases of the Moon, eclipses, and tides).

Context: this lesson helps with the understanding of our solar system. I am teaching this
because it is a part of the science curriculum. Before this lesson is waves and physical science.
Students will bring some knowledge into this lesson, knowing that the sun is in the center of the
solar system and that the earth has a moon. Earth science and resources come after this lesson.
How the sun and the earth are at a certain distance from each other and it makes it perfect for
living is what I will be teaching to prepare for the next lesson.
Data: Today, students will be grouped according to their performance in last week’s rotation.
Students who did poorly on performance wise last week will be grouped with students who have
done good work. This will allow the higher educated student to help their peers with the lesson.
This will show me how well the students work together on problem solving and how well they
can communicate.
Materials: computers and apps, worksheets, pencils, diagrams, crayons, video.

Detailed paragraphs from here on down.

Procedures:
Introduction (10 minutes): I will start by explaining how we previously done the groups
and we will have new groups today. I will show some diagrams to get the comfortable with the
topics their about to do on the white board. After that I will explain to them what apps we are
going to use and how to use them and where to find them. We will do blended learning grouping;
I will then tell the class their groups and have them break off into them.

Teacher Directed (15 minutes): I will start by having my group watch and pay attention
to the video (https://youtu.be/79M2lSVZiY4) on the smartboard, after they have finished
watching the video I will have them fill out a blank chart of moons with the correct phases
colored in with the corresponding words under them. I will then have them watch and read
(https://scetv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.eiu.moonorbit/why-doesnt-the-moon-fall-
down/).

Collaborative (15 minutes): In this grouping the students will map out where they thing
the planets are in the solar system, once they have their models they will go to
(https://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-resources/smallest-and-largest-planets-in-our-solar-
system/) and see how they did, they will compare their answers with one another to see.

Independent Digital (15 minutes): In this grouping students will collaborate about what
the moon phases do to the tides. They will pull a tide chart up from (https://www.tide-
forecast.com/locations/Myrtle-Beach-South-Carolina/tides/latest) and see what the tide is on a specific
day, they will then go back to (https://www.moongiant.com/phase/today/) and see what the moon
phase will be on that day picked and then put together the phases of the moon with the tides. They will
do this for 4 dates.
 Closure (15 minutes): The class will return to their seats and we will discuss everything
they learned and if they have any questions, they will ask them. I will then ask the students
which part they really enjoyed and why they enjoyed that and what part they didn’t find so
interesting and why. I will then hand a worksheet out with the tides and the moon phases that
they will have to fill out the correct way along with another one of the solar system. This will
help me see who has retained what parts of the lesson and who could use some extra work with
them.

Rationale:
Phases of the moon song: this gives students insight on what they are learning and in a
fun way it gives them a catchy theme to cling on to like a state farm commercial and it is
proven to enhance memory.

Pbs Kids learning: this shows the relation to the gravity of the earth and the moon and
how they keep one another in a floating balance, it challenges them to listen carefully and
read thoroughly.

Largest to smallest planets: this allows the students to see what they have done wrong
in their models and compare them with other students, it challenges them to get it right
and motivates them to keep doing that.