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Regents Skills/Content: ​relative position of Earth and

Sun, angle of​ I​ nsolation, spread of sunlight, conduction ,
5E Instructional Model Plan: seasons Lab Minutes: Time: 5-6
Insolation and Seasons 45 Days
NGSS Performance Expectation Cluster
MS-ESS1-1

5Es - CONCEPTUAL FLOW

Engage: ​What do students know about why we experience seasons?

The teacher learns what students know and care about related to​ insolation and seasons​ by asking students develop a ​model of the Earth-Sun system​ that
explains how and why​ we experience seasons. Students become invested in the content and in their own learning. Doing this well saves time later on!

Explore:​ Students model angle of insolation and resulting temperature within the Earth-Sun system
Students learn about​ differences in solar insolation across the Earth​ by ​collecting and graphing data ​from two ​angle of insolation​ models and​ identifying
patterns in the data​. The teacher’s role is to confer with students around their learning, but not offer formal explanations yet.

Explain: ​Students explain seasonal temperature patterns at various latitudes across the Earth
Students ​use patterns​ from the explore phase ​to identify cause and effect relationships​ in the Earth-Sun system in order to ​explain why​ ​NYC and Melbourne
are experiencing different seasons in June/July and Dec/Jan​. Students read a text and/or video about​ insolation and seasons​ in order to ​revise their
explanations​ about the difference in Seasons in NYC and Melbourne and ​construct a general explanation ​for Seasons.

Elaborate: ​Students test out their explanations for seasons by applying them in a new context
Students test out their ideas about ​seasons and insolation​ by ​applying their explanations​ for seasons to a new problem: Why does Quito, Ecuador, which is at
the Equator, ​show a pattern​ of stable temperature throughout the year? This task connects to prior learning and extends students’ thinking.

Evaluate: ​How does this connect to the Performance Task?

The teacher and students evaluate student learning by making connections to the unit performance task, Modeling Celestial Phenomena and Making
Predictions.

And/Or

Responding to regents like questions and evaluating responses.

Science and Engineering Practices ​Crosscutting Concepts ​Disciplinary Core Ideas

Creative Commons License Earth Science​ | Unit 5 - Insolation and Seasons 5E Plan
This 5E Instructional Sequence Demonstrates Partial Alignment to the Following Performance Expectations:

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.

Aspects of Three-Dimensional Learning in This Plan:

Science and Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts

Developing and Using Models
● Develop and use a model to describe
phenomena.
ESS1.A: The Universe and Its Stars Patterns
● Patterns of the apparent motion of the sun, the
● Patterns can be used to identify
moon, and stars in the sky can be observed,
cause-and-effect relationships.
described, predicted, and explained with
models.

ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System

● This model of the solar system can explain
eclipses of the sun and the moon. Earth’s spin
axis is fixed in direction over the short-term but
tilted relative to its orbit around the sun. The
seasons are a result of that tilt and are caused
by the differential intensity of sunlight on
different areas of Earth across the year.
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Insolation and Seasons ​Teacher Notes

Performance Task Connections

How does the Insolation and Seasons 5E connect to the performance task?

During the Evaluate phase of this 5E, return to the performance task and prompt students to reflect upon what they have learned in relation
to the performance task prompts.

 
ENGAGE ​Teacher Notes

What do students know about why we experience seasons?

The teacher learns what students know and care about related to​ insolation and seasons​ by asking students develop
a ​model of the Earth-Sun system​ that ​explains how and why​ we experience seasons. Students become invested in the
content and in their own learning. Doing this well saves time later on!

Materials Handouts Supplies Lab Materials Technology

❏ Seasons Assessment ❏ post-its ❏ None for this phase ❏ None for this phase
Probe

Pre-Work Student Grouping Differentiation Classroom Set-Up Group Learning Routine

❏ Independent for ❏ All student ideas are ❏ Ensure that there is ❏ Slides for all Group
assessment probe encouraged, allowing enough space for for Learning Routines in
❏ Whole class for Rumors for different entry students to circulate this 5E
routine points around the room and ❏ Rumors Directions
talk to each other
Instructional Sequence

Have students complete this seasons assessment probe individually.

1
Teacher sets up the group learning routine ​RUMORS ​to elicit student ideas. Students use this group learning routine to voice and exchange
2 their ideas about density and sinking/floating.

Say:

“Let’s share some ideas about the why we experience seasons. On a Post-It note, write down the statement that you are most confident about
and explain your thinking.”

Students write down one statement from the probe and an explanation of their thinking.

Then say:

“Now it is your job to share your rumor with as many people as you can in one minute. You must SAY your rumor out loud to a partner, LISTEN
as they read you their rumor, and then EXCHANGE your Post-It with them. When you share with your next partner, you will share the rumor
IN YOUR HAND, not your original rumor. Ready...go!”

Once students have spent one minute sharing their rumors, collect and sort rumors based on their similarities. You may choose to discuss the
3 rumors now, or to leave all rumors up for the duration of this 5E, returning periodically to see if student ideas have changed over the course of
the lessons.

Reflect on student ideas and plan forward based on student understandings, incomplete ideas, and misconceptions.
4
EXPLORE ​Teacher Notes

Students model angle of insolation and resulting temperature within the Earth-Sun system

Students learn about​ differences in solar insolation across the Earth​ by ​collecting and graphing data ​from two ​angle
of insolation​ models and​ identifying patterns in the data​. The teacher’s role is to confer with students around their
learning, but not offer formal explanations yet.

Materials Handouts Supplies Lab Materials Technology

❏ Student Explore Guide
❏ See-Think-Wonder
❏ ❏ Heal lamp ❏ Seasons and Ecliptic
❏ Inflatable globe Simulator
❏ 3 thermometers
❏ Tape Note: ​To use the simulator
❏ Large square grid paper embedded in this 5E, you must
❏ Markers enable flash on your browser by
❏ Stopwatch clicking ​here​ and clicking and
clicking “get flash here” near the
top of the page. It’s easy and
worth it!

Pre-Work Student Grouping Differentiation Classroom Set-Up Group Learning Routine

❏ Groups of 3-4 ❏ ❏ Clear space on desks or ❏ Elbow Share + Domino
tables for students to set up Discover
models ❏ Random Reporter
❏ Create a supplies station for
students to gather supplies
needed for modeling tasks

Instructional Sequence
 Launch students into exploring insolation and season by having them complete this modeling and data collection task, using the student
1 explore guide as guidance.

Confer with students as they work in collaborative group.

2 Suggested conferring questions (these should push students’ thinking around establishing relationships, observing patterns, identifying
variables, and questioning events):
Part A
● Where on the globe is the temperature highest and where is it lowest?
Part B
● Where is the light most spread? Where is it least spread?
● How do you think spread of light affects heating of the Earth’s surface?
Part C
● How did the angle of the Sun’s rays change throughout the year? How do you think this relates to seasons?
● How did the Earth’s revolution around the Sun affect its position in relation to the Sun?

Have each student complete 2-3 rows of the See-Think-Wonder at the end of their Student Explore Guide to help them articulate their ideas
3 so far. Elicit student ideas through the Group Learning Routine, Elbow Exchange + Domino Discover with Random Reporter.

Plan forward based on the various understandings that students or student groups have articulated. It is appropriate to go on to the next
4 phase once students have had a chance to make sense of the data

EXPLAIN ​Teacher Notes

Students explain seasonal temperature patterns at various latitudes across the Earth

Students ​use patterns​ from the explore phase ​to identify cause and effect relationships​ in the Earth-Sun system in
order to ​explain why​ ​NYC and Melbourne are experiencing different seasons in June/July and Dec/Jan​. Students
read a text and/or video about​ insolation and seasons​ in order to ​revise their explanations​ about the difference in
Seasons in NYC and Melbourne and ​construct a general explanation ​for Seasons.
 Materials Handouts Supplies Lab Materials Technology
❏ Student Explain Guide ❏ Poster paper and ❏ None for this phase ❏ Video: Reason for the
❏ Text: The Seasons markers Seasons
❏ Student Notetaker

Pre-Work Student Grouping Differentiation Classroom Set-Up Group Learning Routine

❏ Pairs ❏ ❏ Ensure that there is ❏ Slides for Idea Carousel
❏ Groups of 3-4 for Idea enough room for ❏ Random Reporter
Carousel students walk around
the room and annotate
other group posters

Instructional Sequence

1 Put students into pairs and have them respond to ‘question 1’ and ‘question 2’ on the first two pages of the Student Explain Guide.

Have students read the text, ​The Seasons,​ and/or watch the video, ​Reason for the Seasons​, while taking notes in the student notetaker around
2 the following:
● Ideas from the text or video that confirm their thinking about the reason there are seasons.
● Ideas from the text or video that contradict their thinking about the reason there are seasons.
● Ideas from the text or video that they have questions about.

Solicit students ideas and questions from the their notes about the video and/or text. Lead direct instruction around formal terms for the
concepts students have been exploring.

Put students in groups of 3-4 to collaboratively complete a poster version of their response to ‘Question 3’ on the third page of the Student
3 Explain Guide.

4 Use the Group Learning Routine, Idea Carousel, to help students articulate and share their ideas.
 5 Confer with students as they independently or in pairs complete ‘Question 3’ from the third page of the explain guide.

Put students into groups to re-engage around misconceptions that surface in the Explain phase:
6 ● vocabulary group
● concept group
● writing group

ELABORATE ​Teacher Notes

Students test out their explanations for seasons by applying them in a new context

Students test out their ideas about ​seasons and insolation​ by ​applying their explanations​ for seasons to a new
problems: Why does Quito, Ecuador, which is at the Equator, ​show a pattern​ of stable temperature throughout the
year? This task connects to prior learning and extends students’ thinking.

Materials Handouts Supplies Lab Materials Technology

❏ Read-Generate-Sort-Solve ❏ ❏ ❏

Pre-Work Student Grouping Differentiation Classroom Set-Up Group Learning Routine

❏ Independent initial ❏ ❏ Make sure class is set up so ❏ Read-Generate-Sort-Solve
response that students can sit in
❏ Groups of three for groups of 3 for
Read-Generate-Sort-Solve Read-Generate-Sort-Solve

Instructional Sequence
 Use Read-Generate-Sort-Solve to have students work in groups of three to apply their thinking to a new problem:
1
● Why doesn’t Quito, Ecuador, which is at the Equator, experience a wide range in temperature throughout the year like NYC and
Melbourne?

If necessary, provide instruction to address student misconceptions or incomplete ideas. The two questions below can be used to further
2 assess student understanding.

● Although the North Pole is tilted toward the Sun in the summer, its average temperature during that time is 32°F very cold! How can
you explain this?
● What would happen if the Earth rotated around the Sun but it was never tilted?

Note:​ Allowing students use the model and simulator at this stage might be helpful.

EVALUATE ​Teacher Notes

How does this connect to the Performance Task?

The teacher and students evaluate student learning by making connections to the unit performance task, Modeling
Celestial Phenomena and Making Predictions.

And/Or

Responding to regents like questions and evaluating responses.

Materials Handouts Supplies Lab Materials Technology

❏ Performance Task - ❏ ❏ ❏
Student Version
 Pre-Work Student Grouping Differentiation Classroom Set-Up Group Learning Routine
❏ Independent or in pairs ❏ ❏ ❏ Idea Carousel

Instructional Sequence

Have students participate in the Group Learning Routine, Idea Carousel using regents like problems that include diagrams.
1
AND/OR

Guide students to work on the unit Performance Task.