Overview

This collection of investigations addresses several elements of the Washington State Science Learning Standards. It is designed to help the students begin noticing things in their environment. Specifically, they focus on the Sun and a few of the ways it directly impacts them and the Earth.

In Investigation 1, they talk about what they know about – and might want to learn about – the Sun. This allows you to talk about making observations, and using their senses to make observations. It also introduces the K-W-L Chart (Know, Wonder and Learned) as a way to track their learning and making sense of things. Aesop’s fable “The North Wind and the Sun,” helps connect science to literature, and also provides a way for students to start using evidence (parts of the story) to support their claims. Finally, the Sun Song video introduces and reinforces a lot of ideas about the Sun.

Investigation 2 introduces some of the effects that Sunlight has on the Earth’s surface. Students should be able to determine that different things warm up at different rates. (They may able to conclude that dark things warm up faster, but they may not make this connection.) They experience how some things change color when placed in sunlight by using Sun Print paper.

In Investigation 3 they use the color-changing phenomenon to explore ways to protect critters (and ourselves) from the Sun. UV-reactive bead creatures that change color when in the Sun are used to show how different materials block sunlight and some let it pass. (A fun extension is to try using various Sun Screen lotions on clear acetate to see how well it works.) Students are given a chance to act as “engineers” by solving a problem: How to build a house that protects their creature(s).

Investigation 4 introduces Weather. For most adults, weather logically follows from the idea that the Sun heats elements of the environment and changes the way they interact. For this grade level, we are more concerned with the idea that sunlight is part of what makes weather, and that weather changes. By using a calendar to track weather for a couple of weeks, students get practice with using a calendar and should be able to determine simple patterns in the weather. E.g., It only rains on cloudy days, or It is usually warmer on sunny days.

Investigation 5 concludes the unit by helping students understand that they can take action to prepare for severe weather.

The documents below have been created to help consider the FOSS materials in the context of the Next Generation Science Standards. We recommend you review, at the very least, the following documents:

• Unit Guide - A summary of materials, sequencing and content for the module.

• Storyline - An overview of the sequencing and reasons for the various activities

• Assessment - A collection of assessment tools including what to look for as students work on the activities.