Katie Abraham

Internship for Teaching and Learning

Spring 2016
Assignment #3

The purpose of the redesign on the following three lessons is because this is
my third year teaching science and I have only reached the lessons on the
stars one other year. My first year teaching about the constellations came
directly from the text book. The lessons were dull with no hands on
experience and only the information students received was information I or
the text book provided. The new lessons have students receiving information
from outside sources and require students to search for information on their
own as well as a hands on opportunity.
Lesson 1:
Lesson Goal(s) / Standards:

5.E.2.2 Students are able to explain how the Earths rotation affects
the appearance of the sky.
o Constellations appear to move as a result of Earths rotation

Common Core Standards

W.5.8 Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant

information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase
information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.
SL.5.3 Summarize the points a speaker makes and explain how each
claim is supported by reasons and evidence.

Lesson Objectives:

Students can identify different types of constellations.

Students know that natural events are often predictable and logical.

Materials Needed:

Student science text books (Scott Foresman The Diamond Edition)

Katie Abraham
Internship for Teaching and Learning
Spring 2016
Assignment #3

Sioux Falls Old Courthouse Museum StarLab

A. The Lesson
1. Introduction
o Getting attention

Ask students to name all of the constellations they know in

two minutes. Write a list of constellations on the board as
student recall them.

o Creating a need to know

On a cloudless night, one can view the stars from Earth.

The stars are grouped together to form constellations.

o Sharing objective, in general terms

Inform students they will learn about how stars are

grouped together and how each of the constellations got
their name.

2. Content Delivery

Read lesson 3 in student text books. Discuss the

information provided in the textbook.
Attend the StarLab in the school gymnasium. The speaker
will provide information on the location of the
constellations, what hemisphere each constellation is
visible in, how each of the constellations received their
names, and when is the best season to see the
constellations.
Go back to the classroom and students need to recall
information the speaker informed them of. Provide private
think time, partner share, and a share time as a class.
When students are finished sharing as a class ask the
following questions:
o Questions for Webb Leveling:
Level 1: What were the constellations talked
about at the StarLab?
Level 1: Draw a circle representing the Earth,
label the Northern and Southern Hemispheres,

Katie Abraham
Internship for Teaching and Learning
Spring 2016
Assignment #3

and label the constellations visible from each

hemisphere.
Level 2: Will you state in your own words how
each of the constellations discussed received
their names?
Level 3: Based on what you know about each of
the constellations, how would you explain to
find each of the constellations in the night sky?

3. Closure

Revisit the list of constellations made at the beginning

of the class. Add to the list if need be.

B. Assessments Used

Have students complete an exit slip on a sheet of paper

o 3 things learned, 2 facts, 1 question

C. Resources
Scott Foresman science. the diamond edition. Vol. 2. Glenview, IL:
Pearson/Scott Foresman, 2010. Print.
Sioux Falls Old Courthouse and Heritage Museum StarLab Outreach Program

The presenter from the Old Courthouse Museum is very knowledgeable on

each of the constellations. The information the presenter provides gives an
opportunity for students to hear from another adult which helps students
expand on their previous knowledge of the constellations. The success of this
lesson is that students are able to expand upon what they previously knew
about the constellations.
Due to the darkness of the StarLab, students are unable to bring in a
notebook and pen to keep notes. When we returned to the classroom,
students had to recall all of the information they heard. For some students,
this task is difficult. Thus the reason of providing students a private think
time, a share time with a partner, and then sharing aloud as a class. I also
keep notes so I am able to help those who need help with note taking skills.

Katie Abraham
Internship for Teaching and Learning
Spring 2016
Assignment #3

As for future implementation, I plan to have the StarLab visit the school
again. The presenters are able to provide students an opportunity to see
where the constellations are located in the night sky. This excites students
because now they have had a chance to practice finding the constellations
instead of someone just providing the information on where to look for them.

Lesson 2:
Lesson Goal(s) / Standards:

5.E.2.2 Students are able to explain how the Earths rotation affects
the appearance of the sky.
o Constellations appear to move as a result of Earths rotation

Common Core Standards

W.5.8 Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant

information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase
information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.

Lesson Objectives:

Students can identify different constellations.

Students can write a report on a constellation of their choice.

Materials Needed:

Student computers
Student notebooks with notes from the previous days presentation

A. The Lesson
1. Introduction
o Getting attention

Have students look at different pictures of the

constellations discussed yesterday on the Promethean
Board. Ask them to recall the names of the constellations
and any information they can remember.

Katie Abraham
Internship for Teaching and Learning
Spring 2016
Assignment #3

o Creating a need to know

The information from yesterdays presentation will help in

todays assignment.

o Sharing objective, in general terms

Students are going to use the information from yesterday

and complete some research on their own if need be to
write a report on one of the constellations.

2. Content Delivery
o Have students review their notes from yesterdays class.
Show the pictures of the constellations again to see if any
information can be added to each of the constellations.
o On their own computers, students need to go to
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/astroskymap/constellation_hun
t.htm and play the game to locate the constellations. If
students have a difficult time, place them with a partner. Once
theyve located the constellations, have students go back to
their seats.
o Inform students they will need to pick a constellation to write
a report on. The report should include:
o What is a constellation (in your own words)?
o What is the name of the constellation you chose?
o How did the constellation get its name?
o How many stars make up the constellation?
o Is the constellation located in the northern hemisphere
or southern hemisphere?
o When students are finished writing their report, they will share
it with the class.
3. Closure
o Show the pictures of the constellations on the Promethean Board.
o Questions for Webb Leveling (ask students on each
constellation):
Level 3: How would you prove where this
constellation is located?
Level 3: What facts can you give about this
constellation and where did you hear/find the fact?

Katie Abraham
Internship for Teaching and Learning
Spring 2016
Assignment #3

B. Assessments Used
o Have students fill out a Tweet slip stating what theyve learned
about their constellation theyre researching. Their hashtag
should include the name of their constellation.
C. Resources
http://www.solarsystemquick.com/universe/star-constellations.htm

One success of this lesson was that students were able to gain more
information about the different constellations through their research.
The limitation to this lesson was the lack of resources. I should have checked
out books from the library because the only resource students used was the
internet. Had the students had more resources, their reports probably would
have more information.
In the future I am going to gather more materials for students to use for
research. I would also put more questions students need to answer so their
reports included more information. Also, I needed to allow for more time.
Some students were not complete by the end of class therefore they had to
share their information the following day.

Lesson 3:
Lesson Goal(s) / Standards:

5.E.2.2 Students are able to explain how the Earths rotation affects
the appearance of the sky.

Lesson Objectives:

Students can construct a constellation

Materials Needed:

Black construction paper

Toothpicks

Katie Abraham
Internship for Teaching and Learning
Spring 2016
Assignment #3

Skewer sticks
Mini marshmallows
Large marshmallows
White colored pencil

A. The Lesson
1. Introduction
o Getting attention

Review pictures of the constellations. Have students use

their ActivExpressions to text what constellation is
appearing.

o Creating a need to know

On a cloudless night, one can view the stars from Earth.

Using what students have learned thus far, students should
be able to locate different constellations.

o Sharing objective, in general terms

Today, youre going to use what you know about your

constellation to construct your constellation.

2. Content Delivery
o (Webb Leveling Level 4) - Based on what you know about your
constellation, number of stars and how they connect, construct a
model of your constellation using marshmallows as the stars and
toothpicks or skewer sticks to connect them. Once constructed,
students will leave their models out to dry and harden overnight.
o On black construction paper, students need to use white colored
pencil to draw some stars and write the name of their
constellation.
o On the following day students will glue their models to the black
construction paper for display.
B. Closure
o Take a gallery walk around the classroom to check out each of
the constellations.

Katie Abraham
Internship for Teaching and Learning
Spring 2016
Assignment #3

A success to this lesson is that students were able to apply what they knew
about their constellation. Show the pictures each day was beneficial as well
as writing a report. Students gained an understanding of where the
constellations were located and how to look for them.
One limitation to this lesson is that there was no information on the final
project besides the constellation name.
In the future I plan on combining lesson 2 and lesson 3 together. I may not
have students write a report, but have them write the facts about a
constellation and attach the information to their constructed constellation.