ND Curriculum Initiative

Subject & Standards

Needs Assessment/Rational

I chose this unit of study because next year Parshall Elementary School in Parshall, ND will be including “science” in the CTBS Standardized Tests. Third graders have not taken the “science” section of the CTBS tests in recent years. I used the first nine week’s report card. The third grade class’s average in science was “2.9”. This was based on the following points scale: 5 = “A” to 1 = “F”. During this unit of study, the students will acquire knowledge and skills that can increase performance. This unit’s content will not only be expected to be known for the test, but also for future grades. The intention of this unit is to spark elementary scientific minds to grow, to be inspired, to search, and to explore beyond the school years.

Understandings & Goals

Enduring Understanding: 1. I want the students to understand the planets and the sun are a huge science lab waiting for them to explore. 2. I want them to increase their factual space learning. 3. Planets have special characteristics and an order from the sun. 4. Successful missions have opened space frontiers; some mysteries still exist. 5. Students can gather useful information from web sources. 6. Most of all, students enjoy and appreciate the world’s scientific awesome mysterious features and happenings throughout life.
Goal(s): 1. To learn the names and the characteristics of the nine planets.  2. To draw a picture of their planet or the sun.  3. To create a clay model of their planet or sun, figuring size proportions in comparison to other planets.  4. To obtain useful information from various web sites.  5. To organize , write, and present findings to their classmates.

Questions Answered

Essential questions: 1. Why is the sun important on Earth and in space?  2. How did space explorations help in understanding planets better?  3. How do you think scientists will reach or come close to a particular planet or the sun?  4. Why is ___________ (student’s choice) the most unusual planet and why?
Objectives: 1. The students will identify the names of the nine planets using “My very excellent mother just sent us nine pizzas.” to spark their memory of the planet’s first letter (90-95% class efficiency). 2. The students use a computer to obtain the information needed from more than one web site with (90-95% proficiency). 3. Student pairs will be ambassadors for their planet or sun, teaching their findings to the class in a video presentation with (90% accuracy). 4. Students will draw a picture of their planet or sun to be used on the overhead projector at (90-95ïficiency). 5. Students will create clay planet or sun models figuring the size proportions using a calculator. (85% accuracy). 6. Students devise trading cards of their planets or the sun depicting a picture and facts working at (85% accuracy). 7. The students gather their notes, organize, and write their report at (80% efficiency). 8. Students brainstorm and speculate about the future exploration of their selected planet or sun. (80% proficiency).

Assessment

What quiz and test items (e.g. simple content-focused questions that require a single, best answer) will provide evidence of understanding?
Students will complete short answer questions independently. “Mind Jogger”, a video quiz game that complements McGraw Hill Science Book, will introduce the unit.
What academic prompts (e.g. open-ended questions or problems that require students to think critically and then to prepare a response / product / performance) will provide evidence of understanding?
Students will prepare a hypothesis of future scientific research to successfully explore or land on their planet or the sun.
What performance tasks and projects (e.g. complex challenges that are authentic, mirror the real world and require a performance or product) will you include that will provide evidence of student understanding?
Students will give a planet or sun presentation to their classmates, complete with trading cards representing their work.
What other evidence (e.g. observations, work samples, dialogues, student self-assessment) of understanding will you collect?
1. A camcorder will record the students’ presentations. 2. The presentations will share information using their visual models, along with the use of the overhead projector. 3. The student audience will observe, listen, and learn from the presentations. 4. The class discussed what would make a good presentation. 5. This is the rubric scale the third graders thought of: POOR / NEEDS TO BE BETTER / OK / GOOD / EXCELLENT 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Circle the number that fits the group’s presentation: (a) Science information is right. 1 2 3 4 5 (b) The overhead pictures and models helped. 1 2 3 4 5 (c) The pictures and clay models are neat. 1 2 3 4 5 (d) I could hear and understand the group talking. 1 2 3 4 5 (e) It was interesting, and I learned something. 1 2 3 4 5 (f) The partners had equal parts. 1 2 3 4 5.

Instructional Strategies

This project based learning, “Ambassadors of the Planets and the Sun”, will result in student cooperation, working together using computer technology. It is a combination of inquiry and problem - based strategies. It will promote understanding and develop vocabulary, writing, and speaking skills. Using created visual aids, in an oral presentation, students will teach peers about the planet and sun’s facts with their speculations of future space explorations.