Saint Joseph's University

Pennsylvania Standards Aligned System

Lesson Plan Format

Candidate Name: Chelsea Mercurio

Course Code: EDU 363
Subject: Science

Grade Level: Grade 3

Duration: 50 min

Lesson Topic: Motion of the Sun and Earth/Day and Night

Essential Questions (Linked to Big Ideas):
Essential Questions:
How does the earth travel around the sun?
How can day and night be modeled?
Big Ideas: The earth orbits around the sun. The Earths rotation around the sun results in day and
night.
Learner Outcomes (Instructional Objectives):
As a result of this lesson, the students will be able to identify how the earths rotation
relative to the position of the sun, produces the cycles of day and night.
As a result of this lesson, the students will be able to describe what it means to rotate and
revolve.
As a result of this lesson, the students will be able to investigate the causes of day and night
in our planet.
As a result of this lesson, students will be able to explain that it takes 365 days for the earth
to go around the sun.

Related Academic Standards:

PA Core Standards:
3.3.3.B1: Relate the rotation of the earth and day/night, to the apparent movement of the
sun, moon, and stars across the sky. Describe the changes that occur in the observable
shape of the moon over the course of a month.
Vocabulary:
Rotation- The spinning of an object.
Revolution- When something is moving in a circle around another object.
Orbit- The path an object travels around another object.
Materials:
Large paper clip
Tennis balls

Colored markers or pencils

Sheet of cardstock (8.5 in. x 11 in.)
2-3 strips of masking or clear tape
Worksheets
Earth and Sun Labels
Resources:
Lesson adaptations from bioedonline.com
Worksheet activity and directions from bioedonline.com
Vocabulary definitions from Dictionary.com
Instructional Procedures(s):
Engage:
If the earth and sun were having a race who would win?
What causes day and night?
The teacher will begin a discussion by asking the students the engage questions. The teacher will
solicit a student discussion and record student answers on the board. The teacher will say we will
be doing two activities to answer these questions.
The teacher will draw a model of the earth's orbit around the sun on the board. The teacher will say
the orbit is the path that the earth travels around the sun. The teacher will have two students
volunteer to display rotating and revolving. The teacher will give one student an earth label and the
second student a sun label. The label will be put onto the students shirt. The student with the sun
label is the sun. The sun will stand on a spot in the room. The student with the earth label is the
earth. The student with the earth label will stand on a spot in the room next to the sun.
Explain/Elaborate:
The teacher will say to students, the sun is at the center of the solar system. The sun rotates every
27 days. Suns please raise your hand. How will you move? (Have a sun demonstrate rotating).
Good rotating! Do you rotate fast or slow? The teacher will have the suns rotate slowly. The

teacher will have the sun stop rotating while he or she explains the earths role. The teacher will
say the earth also rotates in a cycle. The earths rotation is every 24 hours. The teacher will ask the
earth, are you faster or slower than the sun. (The student should reply faster). If you are the earth
rotating and revolving around the sun how should you move? Remember to follow in an orbit
around the sun. Ok, now I want my sun to begin to rotate and my earth to start rotating and
revolving. Remember it is not a race and the sun and the earth should move constant and steady.
The earth should stop revolving and rotating when he or she has gone in a full circle. As the
students are moving the teacher will explain that it takes an entire year for the earth to complete its
orbit around the sun. Ask students, how many times has the earth revolved around the sun since
you were born?
Explore:
The teacher will begin by separating students into small groups (preferably 4 students per group).
The teacher will give each group a piece of card stock, a large paper clip, tape, and a marker. The
teacher will say, you will be conducting an investigation to answer many of our questions about
night and day on earth. You will be building a model of the earth and investigating what happens
when light shines on the model. The teacher will show a teacher made model. You will all be
building a model similar to this one. The teacher will distribute the "Earth's Model" sheet and have
students follow the directions to build the earth model. The teacher will point out how the Earth
models appear slightly tilted. This tilt in Earths axis affects day length throughout the year and
causes the seasons. After students are done building their models the teacher will ask them to label
north and south on their card stock. The student will then shine a flashlight on their model. The
teacher will have one student spin the tennis ball while the other student holds the flashlight. The
teacher will say the earth makes one full rotation every 24 hours. The area of the earth facing the
sun is day and the area facing away from the sun is night.

Evaluate: The teacher will ask the students to recall the definitions of rotate and revolve. The
teacher will ask students to share what they learned while participating in the activity. The teacher
will hand each student an exit ticket to complete individually. As the students are filling out their
exit tickets the teacher will circulate the room. The teacher will make sure students are on task.
After students complete their exit tickets volunteers will share their models with the class.
E-Learning:
http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/solar-system/day-on-earth.htm
Addressing Learners' Diverse Needs:
Accommodations and Adaptions (IEPs, 504 Plans)

The student can work with the teacher's aide on the model. The aide will help facilitate the
students' learning, provide scaffolding, and help the student complete the exit ticket.

Language adjustments made for specific ELP levels:

ELP Level 4- Expanding: For the evaluate part of the lesson the student will work with a partner
who will read the questions on the worksheet aloud. The student will be given the worksheet
questions in their native language and in English.
PA ELP Standards-English Language Proficiency standard 3: Students will understand basic
concepts and be able to use vocabulary in the lesson.
Challenges for advanced learners
Students can choose a planet other than earth and research on its orbit around the sun or the
sun that the planet has.
Formative/Summative Assessment:
Formative Assessment- The teacher will be circulating the room and observing students as they
work on their models. The teacher will be asking questions to make sure the students are on task
and using correct vocabulary. The teacher will ask questions like; can you tell me what your model
represents? Which way is your earth revolving?
Summative Assessment (exit ticket) - The exit tickets from the students will be checked for
completion and accuracy and be graded for a summative assessment.