Solar System Lesson Plan: Earth’s Place in the Universe
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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Solar System, and supports the standard of explaining that the solar system consists of the Sun and a collection of objects that are held in orbit by the Sun’s gravitational pull. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.
Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
Ask students:
- What planets make up our solar system?
- Why do you think planets stay in orbit?
Step 2: BUILD BACKGROUND
- Read the description on the Solar System topic page.
- Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding.
- Have students read one of the following Related Reading articles: “Famous Faces” or “In Depth.” Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.
Step 3: ENGAGE
Students express what they learned about [topic] while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.
- Make-a-Movie: Produce a travelog describing a journey through the solar system from the Sun to Neptune. Describe the planets and smaller bodies you encounter. (Essential Literacy Skill: Summarize key ideas)
- Make-a-Map: Identify the positions of the planets relative to the Sun, and analyze the role gravity plays in their orbits. (Essential Literacy Skill: Determine central ideas)
- Creative Coding: Code a sorting game challenging players to determine whether information describes inner planets, outer planets, dwarf planets, moons, or comets. (Essential Skill: Acquire and use domain-specific words and phrases)
Step 4: APPLY & ASSESS
Apply: Students take the Solar System Challenge, applying essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.
Assess: Wrap up the lesson with the Solar System Quiz.
Step 5: EXTEND LEARNING
Sortify: Celestial Bodies: Play a sorting game to deepen understanding of the solar system.
Space Unit: Learn more about Earth’s place in the universe with these related BrainPOP topics.
Additional Support Resources:
- Pause Point Overview: Video tutorial showing how BrainPOP Pause Points actively engage students to stop, think, and express ideas.
- Modifications for BrainPOP Tools and Features: Strategies to meet ELL and other instructional and student needs.
- BrainPOP Tools and Features Support: Resources for best practices using BrainPOP.