Lesson Plan
Why the Sun appears to move across the sky
1/29/2013
1:00pm – 1:50pm
I.
Pre-Assessment Data
Guiding Questions: What do students already know about this topic? What data (formal or
informal) is available?
Last week we did an experiment in which students measured how shadows changed outside, and made
claims that the shadows moved because the Earth is moving in relation to the Sun.
Last week we also did an experiment in which students learned the angle of the light source directly
impacts the length of shadows. When the Sun is at its heighet position in the sky (around noon) shadows
are the shortest.
II.
Objective *Must be conveyed to students
Guiding Question: What will students be able to do at the end of today’s lesson?
 Describe  Explain  Apply  Analyze  Compare  Evaluate  Defend  Create
Interpret  Formulate

SWBAT explain how the appearance of the Sun moving across the sky is the effect of the Earth
rotating on its axis.
Key
Vocabulary:
Axis, rotational pattern, sun, earth, moon
III.
Rationale * Must be conveyed to students
Guiding Questions: Why is this important? How is this related to unit goals, essential questions,
or relevant standards? How does this connect to students’ real lives and cultures?
What are the patterns of movement for the Sun and Moon across the sky?
What are the patterns of movement for the Earth?
How are models used to explain natural phenomena?
Why do we study the solar system?
IV.
Assessment * Must be conveyed to students
Guiding Questions: How will you measure students’ progress toward the objective? Will the data
you gather allow you to differentiate future instruction?
Written response assessment. At the end of the lesson, students will write a letter to a pen pal on Mars,
explaining why on Earth the Sun appears to be moving across the sky, and what actually causes this
phenomena. Paragraphs can be accompanied by a drawing.
V.
Differentiation
Guiding Questions: Which students will struggle with this content? Which students already
mastered this content? How will you modify your instruction to meet their needs?
There are several ELLs who struggle with writing, as part of the assessment, they will be asked to create
a visual representation of why the sun appears to move across the sky.
VI.
Lesson Components
 Active Engagement
Strategies
 Oral language
development
 Cooperative learning
 Critical thinking
 Strategies to support
ELLs
o Visual supports
o Explicit vocabulary
o Realia
o Native language
support
Component
Time
required
A. Lesson Introduction: ‘Hook’ students into content. Explain objective, rationale, and
5 min
assessment




Checks for understanding
Frequent feedback
Student voice and choice
Scaffolding
Hook: Show time-lapse video of the sun moving across the sky:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crnpS1HoDQw
Then write on chart paper the question of the day: Does the sun move across the sky?
Preview vocabulary: axis, rotational pattern,
B. Body of Lesson: I Do, We Do, You Do.
I Do: After presenting the question: Does the sun move across the sky? , I will create a KWL
chart to document what students already know about the Earth and Sun (drawing from
background knowledge, as well as what we learned as a class last week)
We DO: students give examples of what we already know about the Earth and Sun:
What do we know about the Sun?
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
All planets rotate around the sun – the sun itself does not move
Shadows are the longest mid-day, because that is when the angular height of the sun in relation
to the earth is the greatest
What do we know about the Earth?
40 min
The Earth rotates around the sun, an entire rotation takes 12 months, or a year
The Earth also spins, and makes one complete rotation every 24 hours
It’s the 3rd planet from the Sun
It rotates on its axis
I DO: Show students a globe from the classroom, where I have taped a red schoolhouse on the
state of Colorado. I teach students that models, like the globe, are used to help scientists explain
and predict natural phenomena that cannot be directly observed because they happen over
long periods of time.
WE DO: With 2 class volunteers (one to hold the flashlight: the sun, and one to rotate the globe)
we discuss as a class how the appearance of the sun changes for our little red schoolhouse,
because the earth is rotating on its axis. AH HA! Through this demonstration, students will
observe that the Sun is not moving, but rather, it only looks like it’s moving because the Earth is
rotating (spinning) on its axis!
THEY DO: Students will write a letter to a pen pal on Mars, explaining why on Earth the Sun
appears to be moving across the sky, and what actually causes this phenomena. Paragraphs can
be accompanied by a drawing. (15 min)
C. Closing: Review progress toward objective
5 min
Choose one student to read their letter to the class.
Materials and Resources Needed
Extension of Learning (e.g., homework)
Computer, cord, projector
Globe
Flashlight
Loose-leaf paper for students / pencils
None