In this lesson, students learn to observe and describe what the sky looks like at different times; to identify objects in the sky and recognize changes over time; and to look for objects that are common to the daytime and nighttime sky.
1-ESS1-1 Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted. Clarification Statement: Examples of patterns could include that the sun and moon appear to rise in one part of the sky, move across the sky, and set; and stars other than our sun are visible at night but not during the day. Assessment Boundary: Assessment of star patterns is limited to stars being seen at night and not during the day.
This resource is explicitly designed to build towards this performance expectation.
Comments about Including the Performance Expectation This lesson has students observing and documenting observations of the daytime and nighttime sky. Suggestion is made for these observations be made regularly to identify sequences of change and to look for patterns in these changes. Learning about objects in the sky should be entirely observational and qualitative. The instructor is encouraged to get students noticing and describing what objects in the sky look like at different times. If the student lives in an urban setting use of pictures or video may enhance nighttime sky understandings.
This resource is explicitly designed to build towards this science and engineering practice.
Comments about Including the Science and Engineering Practice The teacher should discuss sun safety when making observations in the sky. The teacher should also model how to make observations of things in the sky as this grade level is not familiar with making observations of things that are far away. For example, students may be encouraged to document how far from the horizon line an object is located.
Comments about Including the Science and Engineering Practice In this lesson students are encouraged to make individual observations of objects in the sky. They should notice each objects distinguishing features, position, movement, and if the student thinks it can be seen in the night sky. An observation student sheet is provided. Observations can be recorded as a whole class, on individual students sheets/notebooks, or stated in class discussions.
This resource is explicitly designed to build towards this disciplinary core idea.
Comments about Including the Disciplinary Core Idea This lesson directly addresses the Core Idea. The learning can be enhanced if the student is encouraged to make predictions of the observations made over time.
This resource is explicitly designed to build towards this crosscutting concept.
Comments about Including the Crosscutting Concept To fully address this Crosscutting Concept, students need to be encouraged to make observations of the night sky at home. They should also be given lots of time to discuss their observations, making comparisons between each students' observations.