How does the position of Earth create day and night?
Name: ______________________________
Go to the Earth, Sun, and Moon web site and explore. (see Great Links, grade 5) Click on the labels button to learn more!
How big is the moon in relation to the earth? The moon is about ____________________ the size of the earth.
How big is the sun in relation to the earth? The sun is _____________ times bigger than the earth.
Describe how the earth and moon move around the sun.
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What makes day and night?
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In WebBlender, make a web page (of at least 3 pages) to answer the question, “How does the position of Earth create
day and night?”
Danbury Public Schools 3/2006
Teacher Page: How does the position of Earth create day and night?
Grade 5 Learning Guide Objectives:
Initial Understanding
Recognize that the Moon travels around the Earth and that together they travel around the Sun
Use Internet resources to locate information, with supervision
Developing an Interpretation
Recognize that the positions of the Earth and moon relative to the sun explain the cycles of day and night
Take print and/or electronic notes in own words from several sources of information
Making Connections
Construct slide shows, multimedia presentations, web pages, spreadsheets, databases to communicate ideas or data and present
conclusions
Create and use digital images in presentations
Critical Stance
Explain, draw and demonstrate the position and relative size of the Sun, the Moon and the Earth as they pertain to our day and
night cycles
Create and share clear and meaningful presentations that communicate information and new knowledge appropriate for a specific
audience
Process:
1. In the classroom, discuss relationship of moon, earth, and sun. (books, globe, and other
resources)
2. In the lab (or on mobile lab in classroom), students visit the web site Earth, Moon, and Sun
from the Grade 5 Great Links page.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/9_10/earth_sun_moon.shtml Students complete the
student handout, How does the position of Earth create day and night?
3. In the lab, each student uses WebBlender to create a simple web page (at least 3 pages) to
describe what makes day and night. It should include a title page, illustrations of the
relative size of the earth, moon, and sun; and the student’s description of what makes day
and night. They must include a works cited page for any resources used.
4. They may add a link to any web site that helps to explain the relationship between earth, moon, and sun.
5. Present web pages to the class or post them to the web, linked from the teacher’s classroom web site.
Differentiation:
1. Record the student’s voice instead of text (or as an addition to the text).
2. Find photos of earth, moon, and sun to use in illustrations or create drawing in Pixie or Appleworks.
3. Use CoWriter to help with writing in Kidspiration.
Assessment: Use Earth, Moon, Sun Presentation Rubric
Danbury Public Schools 3/2006
Earth, Moon, and Sun Presentation Rubric
Name: _____________________________________________
Content
Design
Images
Spelling
Navigation
Critical Stance
3
2
All the facts are accurate and help
to explain day and night.
All of the pages
• Have same font
• Size of font fits page
• Good choice of color
• All links work correctly
Images are well chosen to help
describe day and night.
Spelling is perfect on every page.
All links to other pages work
correctly.
Includes links to all source material
used.
The question, “How does the position
of Earth create day and night?” is
answered with details and shows a
clear understanding.
Most of the facts are accurate and
help to explain day and night.
Most of the pages
• Have same font
• Size of font fits page
• Good choice of color
• All links work correctly
Images somewhat help describe
the day and night.
There are a few spelling errors.
Most links to other pages work
correctly.
Includes some links to source
materials used.
The question, “How does the
position of Earth create day and
night?” is answered with some
detail and shows some
understanding.
A= 15 to 18 points
B = 10 to 14 points
C = 5 to 9 points
Danbury Public Schools 3/2006
1
Facts are inaccurate or are not
needed to explain day and night.
Only some of the pages
• Have same font
• Size of font fits page
• Good choice of color
• All links work correctly
Images do not help describe the
day and night.
There are many spelling errors
The web site has no links to other
pages in the site.
Includes few links to source
materials used.
The question, “How does the
position of Earth create day and
night?” is answered with little
detail or the question is not
answered.