Lesson Plan: Solar System Project (9th Grade)

OBJECTIVES:
1) Students will choose the best approach for their research.
2) Students will critique information found online.
3) Students will correctly cite information in a bibliography.
4) Students will use their research to create a weekly mini solar system blog.
5) Students will use Smartboard equipment to create an interactive presentation.

STANDARDS : Science (By Commencement) http://www.nylearns.org/standards/
Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.

Physical Setting
Key Idea : The Earth and celestial phenomena can be described by principles of relative motion and perspective.

Key Idea Introduction:
People have observed the stars for thousands of years, using them to find direction, note the passage of time, and to express their values and traditions. As our technology has progressed, so has understanding of celestial objects and events.
Theories of the universe have developed over many centuries. Although to a casual observer celestial bodies appeared to orbit a stationary Earth, scientific discoveries led us to the understanding that Earth is one planet that orbits the Sun, a typical star in a vast and ancient universe. We now infer an origin and an age and evolution of the universe, as we speculate about its future.
As we look at Earth, we find clues to its origin and how it has changed through nearly five billion years, as well as the evolution of life on Earth.

Performance Indicator A-->
Students explain complex phenomena, such as tides, variations in day length, solar insolation, apparent motion of the planets, and annual traverse of the constellations.

Performance Indicator B--> Students describe current theories about the origin of the universe and solar system.

PROCEDURES:
1)Identify different features of the solar system like the Sun, the Moon, the planets, comets, and asteroids.

2) Ask each student to choose one solar system feature to research per week. Work with students as they choose their topics to be sure that each feature, including the nine planets, is chosen.

3) Talk about where students might find information about their topics. (books, Internet, magazines, newspapers)

4) Review these steps to doing research:
Question - Ask your students what they would like to know about their solar system topics. Have them record these questions.

Search - Tell students to use the Internet, as well as traditional sources, to find information. Have them think of keywords that would apply to their solar system topic.

Analyze - Remind students to always analyze the sources for anything they read online. They need to make sure the information they are using is accurate.

Compose - Have students organize their information and make a blog on the solar system feature they have chosen each week that tells about the part of the solar system they researched.

Share - Schedule time for students to share their solar system blogs with others once a week.

5) Have students determine what they would like to know about their solar system topic. Help them create questions that express what they want to find out.

6) Students should use both online and traditional sources for their research. Encourage them to
check as many sources as time allows.

7) Limit students' online research to search engines that have been screened for children.

8) Ask students to organize their information and make an interactive Smartboard presentation about their favorite solar system feature that they researched throughout the course.

9) Tell students that when they do research, they need to make a list of the resources they
used, called a bibliography. They can go use the How to Write a Bibliography article to see how
their list of references should look. You may want to print copies of this for each student.

10) Students set up and share their finished work in a "classroom galaxy." (Smartboard presentations)

Blog Guidelines:
Size, Composition, Location in Solar System, Number of Moons, Diameter, Volume, Date of Discovery, Physical Appearance and an interesting fact you found out. Please include graphics in your blogs.

Links that may help in your research:

solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/index.cfm

www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/our_solar_system/solar_system.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTHcUFF8OSg

http://www.solarviews.com/

ASSESSMENT : Use the following rubric for evaluating students’ work.

4 – Exemplary Understanding Student:
investigates different research approaches quickly and efficiently.
critiques online information accurately.
produces a creative, well-organized and complete solar system blog/product.

3 – Competent Understanding Student:
investigates different research approaches with very few problems.
critiques online information with occasional prompting.
develops an accurate solar system blog/product.

2 – Developing :Understanding Student
investigates less than three research approaches.
needs guidance to critique online information.
creates a finished blog/product that is short on detail or poorly organized.

1 – Emerging Understanding Student:
investigates research approaches with assistance.
needs guidance to stay on task.
experiences difficulty completing a solar system blog/product.


ACCOMMODATIONS for special needs students:

Students who have disabilities will be assisted by a teachers aid during this lesson. Their weekly blogs and Smartboard presentation will be created with assistance during class time.