Third Grade AstronomyThird Grade AstronomyEarth/Sun/MoonEarth/Sun/Moon

John Heffernan, Ronen John Heffernan, Ronen Plesser, and Kitty RutherfordPlesser, and Kitty Rutherford

Lead Teacher Development Lead Teacher Development InstituteInstitute

June 27, 2006 June 27, 2006

Session GoalsSession Goals Explore activities for the Earth/Sun/Moon( ESM) 3rd Explore activities for the Earth/Sun/Moon( ESM) 3rd

Grade science goal using materials from TRACS Grade science goal using materials from TRACS Investigating Objects in the Sky (IOBS)Investigating Objects in the Sky (IOBS) kit and an kit and an online ESM Unit online ESM Unit

Learn inquiry process and additional content of the Learn inquiry process and additional content of the ESM Unit to help teach additional activities to enhance ESM Unit to help teach additional activities to enhance the IOBS kit, with more active recording and modeling the IOBS kit, with more active recording and modeling of the observable patterns in our sky.of the observable patterns in our sky.

Share ideas for integrating science notebooking, Share ideas for integrating science notebooking, literacy, technology and mathliteracy, technology and math

Doing Science and the Doing Science and the Scientific MethodScientific Method

Five Science Misconceptions:Five Science Misconceptions:1.1. There is one scientific method.There is one scientific method.2.2. Inquiry is only when the student generates the Inquiry is only when the student generates the

question.question.3.3. The process is what’s important not the content.The process is what’s important not the content.4.4. Inquiry based instruction is the only method to Inquiry based instruction is the only method to

teach science.teach science.5.5. Using kits and hands-on materials makes inquiry Using kits and hands-on materials makes inquiry

teaching easy.teaching easy.

From From http://science-education.nih.gov/supplements/nihhttp://science-education.nih.gov/supplements/nih6/Inquiry/guide/info_process-b.htm#features6/Inquiry/guide/info_process-b.htm#features

Inquiry Problem-based Learning CycleInquiry Problem-based Learning Cycle

National Science National Science Content StandardsContent Standards

1.1. Science as Inquiry:Science as Inquiry: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiryAbilities necessary to do scientific inquiry Understandings about Scientific inquiryUnderstandings about Scientific inquiry

2. Science & Technology:2. Science & Technology: Abilities of technological designAbilities of technological design Understandings about science and Understandings about science and

technologytechnology

National Science National Science Content StandardsContent Standards

3. History and Nature of Science:3. History and Nature of Science: Science as a human endeavorScience as a human endeavor

4. Unifying Concepts and Processes4. Unifying Concepts and Processes Systems, order, and organizationSystems, order, and organization Evidence, models, and explanationEvidence, models, and explanation Constancy, change, and measurementConstancy, change, and measurement Form and functionForm and function

National Science Education National Science Education Content Standards and Content Standards and

BenchmarksBenchmarks Objects in the Sky have patterns of movement. The Sun, for Objects in the Sky have patterns of movement. The Sun, for

example, appears to move across the sky in the same way example, appears to move across the sky in the same way everyday, but its path changes slowly over the seasons. The everyday, but its path changes slowly over the seasons. The moon moves across the sky on a daily basis much like the Sun. moon moves across the sky on a daily basis much like the Sun.

The Sun, Moon and stars all have properties, locations and The Sun, Moon and stars all have properties, locations and movements that can be observed and described.movements that can be observed and described.

The observable shape of the Moon changes from day to day in a The observable shape of the Moon changes from day to day in a cycle that lasts about a month. cycle that lasts about a month.

The patterns of the stars stay the same although they appear to The patterns of the stars stay the same although they appear to move across the sky nightly.move across the sky nightly.

The Earth is one of several planets that orbit the Sun and the The Earth is one of several planets that orbit the Sun and the Moon orbits the Earth. Moon orbits the Earth.

NC Standard Course of NC Standard Course of StudyStudy

StandardsStandards Competency Goal 3: The learner will make observations and use appropriate technology to build an understanding of the earth/moon/sun system.

Objectives 3.01 Observe that light travels in a straight line until it strikes an object and is reflected and/or absorbed.

3.02 Observe that objects in the sky have patterns of movement including:

Sun. Moon. Stars.

3.03 Using shadows, follow and record the apparent movement of the sun in the sky during the day.

3.04 Use appropriate tools to make observations of the moon. 3.05 Observe and record the change in the apparent shape of the moon

from day to day over several months and describe the pattern of changes.

3.06 Observe that patterns of stars in the sky stay the same, although they appear to move across the sky nightly.

Astro Unit Lesson SequenceAstro Unit Lesson Sequence Sun Moves in the SkySun Moves in the Sky Light and Shadows Part 1 & 2Light and Shadows Part 1 & 2 Pinhole ViewersPinhole Viewers Changes in ShadowsChanges in Shadows Day and Night on a Spinning Day and Night on a Spinning

PlatePlate Earth is RoundEarth is Round Day and Night on a Spinning Day and Night on a Spinning

GlobeGlobe Tilting the GlobeTilting the Globe Seasons and the OrbitSeasons and the Orbit Phases of the MoonPhases of the Moon Dance of the Earth and the Dance of the Earth and the

MoonMoon EclipsesEclipses The Full DanceThe Full Dance

TRACS Unit Lesson TRACS Unit Lesson SequenceSequence

Sky WildernessSky Wilderness Moon WatchingMoon Watching Changes in ShadowsChanges in Shadows Star GazingStar Gazing Star GuidesStar Guides Moon MoviesMoon Movies Patterns in the SkyPatterns in the Sky Movement in the Sky…Movement in the Sky…

Why?Why? Other objects in the SkyOther objects in the Sky Confusion in Sky WildernessConfusion in Sky Wilderness

Fundamental Elements our Fundamental Elements our Astro Inquiry LessonsAstro Inquiry Lessons

Teamwork & PartnershipTeamwork & Partnership Science NotebooksScience Notebooks Motivation/Challenge: Pre & Post AssessmentMotivation/Challenge: Pre & Post Assessment Observable PhenomenaObservable Phenomena Sequential LearningSequential Learning Year-long Project LearningYear-long Project Learning Developing the ability to compare and Developing the ability to compare and

integrate appearance of same phenomenon integrate appearance of same phenomenon from different points of viewfrom different points of view

Day 1: Three Lessons:Day 1: Three Lessons:

Day and Night Day and Night on a Spinning on a Spinning PlatePlate

Earth is RoundEarth is Round

Day and Night Day and Night on a Spinning on a Spinning GlobeGlobe

Day and Night on a Spinning PlateDay and Night on a Spinning Plate

Follows lessons on Sun’s Follows lessons on Sun’s apparent motion in the sky apparent motion in the sky and on the properties of and on the properties of light, including a study of the light, including a study of the properties (shape, size) of properties (shape, size) of shadows.shadows.

Use a rotating plate with Use a rotating plate with tees attached to integrate tees attached to integrate these into an understanding these into an understanding of how the orientation of the of how the orientation of the Earth can create the Earth can create the conditions observed conditions observed throughout a day: morning, throughout a day: morning, noon, evening, night.noon, evening, night.

This is the students’ first This is the students’ first experience with a view from experience with a view from off Earth.off Earth.

By rotating the plate, By rotating the plate, students manage to cause students manage to cause the tee’s shadow to the tee’s shadow to reproduce the behavior of reproduce the behavior of their shadows over the their shadows over the course of a day on Earth.course of a day on Earth.

Challenge: what would a Challenge: what would a person in the tee’s position person in the tee’s position see – integrate with see – integrate with previous activities.previous activities.

Challenge: Our shadows do Challenge: Our shadows do not vanish at noon (they not vanish at noon (they never do). How to modify never do). How to modify plate’s motion to reproduce plate’s motion to reproduce this – this – tilttilt..

Earth is RoundEarth is Round

Actual experience differs Actual experience differs from the rotating plate from the rotating plate because Earth is round.because Earth is round.

Modeling Earth with a Modeling Earth with a styrofoam ball, study the styrofoam ball, study the effect of Earth’s effect of Earth’s curvature on our curvature on our experience.experience.

Emphasize points of Emphasize points of view: the classroom view: the classroom models outer space.models outer space.

On a round Earth, On a round Earth, upup is a different direction is a different direction at different locations.at different locations.

As Earth rotates, the As Earth rotates, the part of space visible at part of space visible at a given location a given location changes.changes.

Once more, classroom Once more, classroom is outer space looking is outer space looking down down on Earthon Earth

Challenge: find the Challenge: find the part of space part of space alwaysalways visible from some visible from some location, and the part location, and the part of space of space never never visible.visible.

Day and Night on a Spinning Day and Night on a Spinning GlobeGlobe

Integrate previous Integrate previous activities to understand activities to understand how a rotating round how a rotating round Earth explains the Earth explains the alternations of day and alternations of day and night we observe.night we observe.

Investigate the Investigate the apparent motion of apparent motion of objects in the sky at objects in the sky at various latitudesvarious latitudes

Why do we use time Why do we use time zones?zones?

As a round Earth turns As a round Earth turns to the East, objects in to the East, objects in space appear to rotate space appear to rotate around us from East to around us from East to West.West.

The axis of apparent The axis of apparent rotation is the Earth’s rotation is the Earth’s axis. This is vertical at axis. This is vertical at the poles, horizontal at the poles, horizontal at the equator, and tilted the equator, and tilted in between.in between.

The part of the sky The part of the sky always visible includes always visible includes circumpolarcircumpolar stars. stars.

Review Day 1Review Day 1 How does tilting How does tilting

and rotating effect and rotating effect a shadow’s size a shadow’s size and shape?and shape?

If you are standing If you are standing on the Earth where on the Earth where is up and down? is up and down?

Where on the world Where on the world is sunset, sunrise, is sunset, sunrise, noon and midnight? noon and midnight?

National Standards National Standards vs. vs.

Traditional Teaching Traditional Teaching MethodsMethods

The Five-minute UniversityThe Five-minute University offers a offers a proposal based on what students proposal based on what students retain from traditional teachingretain from traditional teaching

Day 2:Day 2:Changing Changing

Emphases:Emphases:

Less:Less: Treating everyone alike & Treating everyone alike &

only responding to the only responding to the whole groupwhole group

Only focus on student Only focus on student acquiring infoacquiring info

Assess only facts learnedAssess only facts learned

MoreMore Responding to individual Responding to individual

students’ strengths & students’ strengths & needsneeds

Focus on student Focus on student understandingunderstanding

Providing opportunities for Providing opportunities for discussion and debatediscussion and debate

3 Lessons3 Lessons

Seasons and the Orbit

Phases of the Moon

Dance of the Earth and the Moon

Seasons and the OrbitSeasons and the Orbit Why do we have the Why do we have the

seasons?seasons? Model an Earth Model an Earth orbitingorbiting

the Sun while the Sun while rotating rotating about a about a tilted tilted axis to axis to understand seasonal understand seasonal changes.changes.

Northern and Southern Northern and Southern Hemisphere, angles, Hemisphere, angles, length of days and length of days and shadows shadows

Marking the Change of Marking the Change of Season: Solstices and Season: Solstices and EquinoxesEquinoxes

Distance from the Sun?Distance from the Sun?

As the Earth orbits the As the Earth orbits the Sun, the Earth’s tilt Sun, the Earth’s tilt causes sunlight to fall causes sunlight to fall differently on Earth at differently on Earth at different times of year.different times of year.

What seasonal What seasonal changes would you changes would you expect at the equator?expect at the equator?

Why are the stars we Why are the stars we see in summer see in summer different from those different from those visible in winter?visible in winter?

Challenge: Earth’s Challenge: Earth’s rotation takes less rotation takes less than 24hrs?than 24hrs?

Phases of the MoonPhases of the Moon

What causes the What causes the changing shape of the changing shape of the Moon in the sky?Moon in the sky?

Moon is a rocky ball. Moon is a rocky ball. Why does it shine in Why does it shine in the sky at all?the sky at all?

Model the Model the moonmoon with a with a styrofoam ball; here styrofoam ball; here student’s head models student’s head models EarthEarth

Describing the phases: Describing the phases: New, crescent, New, crescent, waxing, quarter, waxing, quarter, gibbous, full, waninggibbous, full, waning

Moon shines by Moon shines by reflecting sunlight.reflecting sunlight.

As Moon orbits Earth, As Moon orbits Earth, fraction of visible side of fraction of visible side of Moon illuminated by Sun Moon illuminated by Sun varies, causing phases.varies, causing phases.

Does Earth exhibit Does Earth exhibit phases as seen from phases as seen from Moon? How are these Moon? How are these related to Moon phase?related to Moon phase?

Crescent Moon often Crescent Moon often shows a faint shows a faint completion: optical completion: optical illusion?illusion?

Dance of the Earth and Dance of the Earth and MoonMoon

Integrate all the Integrate all the motions in motions in Earth/Sun/Moon Earth/Sun/Moon system in a kinetic system in a kinetic exerciseexercise

Students play role Students play role of Earth and Moonof Earth and Moon

Explain the missing Explain the missing four minutesfour minutes

Replacing ESM Replacing ESM MisconceptionsMisconceptions

The Private UniverseThe Private Universe illustrates illustrates misconceptions that survive (or are misconceptions that survive (or are aided) by instructionaided) by instruction