5-Ess1-2. Represent Data In Graphical Displays To Reveal Patterns Of Daily Changes In Length And Direction Of Shadows, Day And Night, And The Seasonal Appearance Of Some Stars In The Night Sky. Lesson Plan for 5th Grade Students

Topic:Shadows, day and night, seasonal appearance of stars

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of how shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of stars are related to each other.
• Students will be able to create a simple graphical display of data related to shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of stars.

Materials

• Calculator
• Graph paper
• Pencils
• Shadow instrument (e.g. a simple device for casting a shadow, such as a stick or pencil)
• Timers or clocks for measuring the length of day and night
• Star charts or books for class discussion and independent research

Warm-up

• Begin the lesson by asking the students to think about a time when they saw a really long or really short shadow. What were they doing at the time? What were they standing next to? Why do you think the shadow was so long or so short?
• Next, ask the students to think about a time when they saw a really short day or really long night. What were they doing at the time? What were they standing next to? Why do you think the day or night was so short or long?
• Finally, ask the students to think about a time when they saw a star in the night sky that they hadn't seen before. What were they doing at the time? What did the star look like? Why do you think the star appeared in the night sky at that time?

Direct Instruction

• Introduce the concept of the daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
• Explain that these changes are caused by the movement of the sun across the sky, and that they are related to the seasons.
• Use the handout to review the concepts, and then demonstrate how to use a shadow meter to measure the length of a shadow and how to use a star chart to identify stars in the night sky.

Guided Practice

• Divide the class into small groups and have them work together to measure the length of their own shadows and identify stars in the night sky using the star chart.
• Have each group share their findings and discuss the patterns they observed.

Independent Practice

• Have students choose one of the topics covered in the lesson (e.g. the length of their own shadows, the appearance of stars in the night sky, day and night) and create a brief presentation (e.g. a poster, a video, a slide show) to share with the class.
• Encourage students to use their own observations and measurements to support their presentation.

Closure:

• Review the key concepts from the lesson (e.g. shadows get shorter during the day and longer at night, stars can only be seen in the night sky, different seasons have different lengths).
• Ask students to share their own observations and thoughts on the topics covered in the lesson.

Assessment:

• Observe students during the independent practice activity to assess their understanding of the concepts covered in the lesson.
• Collect and review the written reports from the independent practice activity to assess student's ability to apply their understanding of the concepts in a real-world context.