4th Grade exploring stars and the solar system

Scope and sequence

Suggested Time Frame: 4th Grade Science Curriculum Map

• 2nd Nine Weeks- Consult the 4th Grade Science Curriculum Map for specific details.

The 4th Grade Science Curriculum Map outlines the following information:

• 1. Recommended pacing, scope, and sequence for each unit.

  2. Alignment with standards, conceptual understandings, and performance indicators

  3. Links to Unit Concept Storyboard Maps, Content and SEP Support Documents, and Curriculum Guides

  4. Details for Evidence of Understanding, Essential Learning Experiences, and Suggested Learning Engagements

  5. Where appropriate, alignment with specific FOSS, DSM, GEMS, and STC kit Activities and Investigations

Learning goals, skills, and concepts

Learning Goals

• Students will gather information from various sources to develop a model of the Solar System that illustrates the relative size, position, and composition of the planets.

  • It is not essential to go beyond the basic information about the eight planets in the Solar System.

• Students will gather information from various sources to support claims for the role astronomy and astronomical instruments have played in early navigation, exploration, and our understanding of our place in the universe.

  • Social Studies Note- elements of this indicator can be integrated into the 4th grade content on early exploration and navigation (Social Studies Indicator 4-1.3)

• Students will conduct observations of the Moon’s appearance daily for a complete lunar cycle in order to develop a model that can be used to describe the location of the Moon relative to the Earth, the relative motion of the Moon to the Earth, and the changing appearance of the phases of the Moon.

• Students will gather observation and measurement data about the position of the Sun relative to the shadows on the Earth’s surface in order to construct explanations for how the size, shape, and position of shadows results from the Sun’s apparent movement across the sky.

• Students will gather information from various sources to develop models to construct an explanation for5 how day and night result from the rotation of the Earth on its axis.

• Students will gather information from various sources to develop models that illustrate how seasons result from the revolution of the Earth around the Sun, the tilt of the Earth’s axis relative to the Sun, and the angle of sunlight where it strikes the Earth’s curved surface.

• Students will use these models to demonstrate how the positions of constellations appear to change over the course of an evening and with the seasons.

  • Students only need to be able to recognize Orion, Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor. It is recommended, however, to include the following constellations that are best seen during specific seasons to help illustrate how certain constellations are visible at different times of the year.

    • Hercules (Summer)

    • Pegasus (Autumn)

    • Orion (Winter)

    • Leo (Spring)

  • Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are circumpolar constellations that are always visible throughout the year as they are aligned with the Earth’s north pole axis.

Skills and Concepts

• Analyze and Interpret Data- SEP Support Document

• Develop and Use Models- SEP Support Document

• Obtain and Communicate Information- SEP Support Document

• Construct Explanations- SEP Support Document

• Construct Scientific Arguments- SEP Support Document

• Solar System- Essential Knowledge Support Document

• Astronomical Instruments- Essential Knowledge Support Document

• Constellations- Essential Knowledge Support Document

• The Moon- Essential Knowledge Support Document

• Rotation and Day/Night- Essential Knowledge Support Document

• The Sun and Shadows- Essential Knowledge Support Document

• Revolution and Seasons- Essential Knowledge Support Document

Science Concept Storyboard

This link will take you to a print-friendly version of the science concept storyboard.

Lessons and activities

Astronomy Unit Planning Support Doc

Potential Instructional Strategies/Lessons/Examples

• Sun, Moon, and Stars (FOSS Kit) Investigations 1, 2, 3

• Pearson SC Interactive Science Textbook:

  • What is One Cause for the Seasons pg. 94 SE

  • What Star Patterns Can You See pg. 97 SE

  • How does the Sun Cause Shadows pg. 117

  • Make a Sundial pg. 121

  • Moon Patterns pg. 127

  • Sequence of Shadows pg. 134 (follows along with sundial activity/formative assessment)

  • Name that Constellation STEM Activity book activity 5, page 17

• AIMS Activities: 2005 SC Science AIMS 4th Grade Earth Science

  • Facing Up to the Moon

  • Dizzy Spells

  • Spin Cycle

  • Me and My Shadow

  • Pasta Parallels

• Phases of the Moon Activity

• Rotation and Revolution Activity

• Connected Rotation/Revolution lesson from the old curriculum guide: http://www.s2temsc.org/uploads/1/8/8/7/18873120/science_4th_grade_4-3.4_final.doc

• Pearson SC Interactive Science Textbook:

  • Model of the Solar System Quick Lab pg. 105 (here is a link to one of the old curriculum guide lessons, it matches this one pretty well and gives more structure and directions) http://www.s2temsc.org/uploads/1/8/8/7/18873120/science_4th_grade_4-3.1_final.doc

• AIMS Activities: 2005 SC Science AIMS 4th Grade Earth Science

  • Lining Up the Planets

  • Can You Planet?

• Walking Tour of the Solar System

  • Students choose a planet and write a persuasive essay and a poster to “sell” their planet

Additional Resources

• Crash Course Astronomy (4.E.3)

  • This link takes you to the first segment in the Crash Course Astronomy series, a YouTube Channel with a variety of short videos about different topics in Astronomy. This can used as a great way to follow up on explorations and investigations your students conduct to help them make deep connections to the science knowledge they have already begun to develop through their inquiry experiences.

    • TEACHER NOTE: Be sure you use this resource strategically. This should be used as a follow up to explorations and investigations. This SHOULD NOT be used to give students information before they have had a chance to engage in more inquiry-based learning experiences.

• In the Sky Online Planetarium (4.E.3A.2)

  • This is a link to a virtual planetarium and sky chart. This can be used to show students how the position of constellations appear to change over the course of an evening and with the seasons. This should be done in conjunctions with a larger lesson on how the relative position of the constellations change with the seasons.

• Dial-A Moon (NASA Website) (4.E.3B.1)

• The Moon in Your Sky (4.E.3B.1)

  • These two websites let you see the phase of the moon on any given day. These are good resources for teachers to use to show their students the current phase of the Moon when it is not possible for students to directly view the moon on that date (because of an overcast sky or other weather conditions).

    • Teachers should make every effort to support their students in constructing their own Moon journals based on their own direct observations of the phases of the Moon. As part of that, teachers should note that depending on the phase, the Moon may not be visible in the early evening when many students can observe it and may rise later in the night, after bedtime. Many times, the Moon will be visible in the morning, and you may even be able to take your students outside to see the Moon at the beginning of the school day before the Sun gets too high in the sky to block it out.

    • These web resources should only be used as last-resort ways for students to record the current phase of the Moon on a date when sky conditions make it impossible to view and should not be used to look ahead as that would defeat the purpose of the students' personal Moon journals.

• Earth's Moon (4.E.3B.1)

  • This is NASA's Moon Website with links to galleries, images, and other resources related to the Moon.

• The Weather Channel (4.E.3B.1, 4.E.3B.2, 4.E.3B.4)

  • When you look up the hourly weather for a location, in addition to the hourly weather forecast, you can see the timing of Sunrise, Sunset, Moonrise, and Moonset.

• Sunrise and Sunset (4.E.3B.2, 4.E.3B.3, 4.E.3B.4)

• https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/@4597040

• You can use this to see the overall pattern of sunrise and sunset over the course of the year. You should not show this to your class until AFTER they have already charted sunrise and sunset timing (from a source like weather.com) and discussed what they noticed about how it changes

• Songs:

  • Flocabulary - Moon Phases

• Web Resources:

  • Mystery Science (free website) How Can the Sun Tell you the Season?

  • PBS Phases of the Moon online module - http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.eiu.mphase/phases-of-the-moon/

  • http://www.kids.nineplanets.org/

  • NASA website - students use star finders to locate objects in the sky - these are available by month, you could use these as an additional resource students can look at to do observations and formulate reasonings why constellations are in different places in different months, or not seen at all http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/starfinder/en/

  • Nine Planets Solar System Module - http://nineplanets.org/tour/

• Community Resources:

  • Midland Astronomy Club - members will come out for after school activities with their telescopes, email them and see what they are willing to work with your kids on. http://midlandsastronomyclub.org/

• Textbook:

  • Changing Tides Quick Lab Research Project pg. 133

  • Writing Integration/Creative Writing/Assessment Option:

  • Students create their own constellation/map of stars in the night sky see pg. 136 in the textbook - then write a creative piece about how the constellation came to appear in the sky.

• Mentor Texts:

  • Moon Book by Gail Gibbons

  • Various Greek, Roman, and Native American myths related to the seasons and constellations (make sure you pre-read any myths you use to make sure they use age appropriate content - many of the myths contain things we wouldn’t want our 4th graders reading about) http://myths.e2bn.org/mythsandlegends/userstory11030-persephone-and-the-seasons.html

• National Geographic Video Resource:

  • As with any video resource, teachers should carefully preview and vet any videos before showing them to students.