Elementary Science - The Seasons Lesson Plan

Grade: 3^rd

Time: 35 minutes

Subject/Topic: Science/Seasons

Standard: 3.3.3.1.1 – Observe and describe the daily and seasonal changes in the position of the sun and compare observations.

Objective: Students will understand why seasons change as well as what revolve and rotate mean.

Materials:

·         2 minute video on seasons http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuiQvPLWziQ

·         Globe

·         Chalk

·         Smartboard activity #1 (http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/earth_and_space/eng/Introduction/popup.htm)

·         Smartboard activity #2 (http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/earth_and_space/eng/Introduction/popup2.htm)

·         Provided Worksheet

Introduction: Have the students sit on the floor in front of the smart-board. Ask the students what their favorite season is. Ask them why the seasons change four times a year.

Procedure:

1.      Tell the students that seasons change because the earth is tilted. Show the globe and ask them if they can see the tilt. Have 3 volunteers guess what angle it’s tilted at (23.5).

2.      Ask the students if they know what Earth’s axis is.

3.      Open the first smart-board activity and read the slide. Click on the maroon covered words to get definitions (axis, gravity, the seasons). Play the animation of the earth and sun. (Don’t click on Part 3)

4.      Ask the students to watch Africa and observe which way it faces when going around the sun.

5.      Show the two minute video clip. Ask the students what they observed.

6.      Ask the students why Florida has no snow right now (the sun is shining on the southern hemisphere).

7.      Open the second smart-board activity. Tell the students that they have to fill in the missing words of this paragraph about the earth and the sun.

8.      Have volunteers drag the words to the blank spot. Have the computer sound on as animated students will cheer if they get it right.

9.      Tell students that when Earth rotates, it spins on its axis (creating day and night). Then tell the students that when Earth revolves, it goes around the sun (creating seasons).

10.  Go outside with the students and draw a picture of the Earth with chalk. Have the students get in a big circle around you. Tell them you are the sun and each student will pretend to be the Earth. Then tell them they are going to play Simon says. “When I ask you to rotate, you are going to spin in place. When I ask you to revolve you are going to walk around the sun. Now lets put it together slowly rotate and revolve.”

11.  Ask the students to show you which motion. Which motion causes night and day? Which causes seasons?

12.  Have the class go back inside the classroom. If time permits, have them sit at their desks and complete the provided worksheet.

Closure: Today we learned about why seasons change but next class we will learn about the stars!

Assessment: Ask the students what causes the seasons to change. Ask them what rotating and revolving means. Have the students hand in their completed season worksheet.

Management/Transitions: Students will sit on the floor quietly then transition to their desks. Students will be seated in an appropriate spot, not by their friends to disturb the class. Management techniques will include “Give me five” and clapping.

Considerations:

ELL students will need the teacher or peers to read off the slides of the smart-board lesson.

One student is in a wheelchair so an adult will need to go outside and wheel her around with the other students.  

Adaptations:

Lower level learners will be guided in the class discussion by their peers and partners.

Higher level learners will be introduced to new, higher level vocabulary. 

Moon Phase Lesson Plan

Grade: 3^rd

Time: 30 minutes

Subject/Topic: Science/Moon phases

Standard: 3.3.3.1.2 Recognize the pattern of apparent changes in the moon’s shape and position.

Objective: Students will be able to identify the phases of the moon.

Materials:

·         Moon poem

·         Diagram of moon phase cycle

·         White paper

·         Markers

·         Glitter glue

Introduction: Have the students sit on the floor in front of the smart-board. Read the moon poem to them.

Procedure:

1.      Ask them what the end of the poem means. What does the sunlight have to do with the moon?

2.      Put the moon phase diagram up on the doc cam. Ask them if they know any strategies to memorize what moon phases is what. Ask them if the word “crescent” has another meaning. Show the picture of the crescent bread roll and turn it to the sides. Ask the kids if they can see why the moons are called that (they look alike).

3.      Hand out white pieces of paper to the students and tell them to make a star with their name in the middle. Have a station in the back table for them to add glitter glue when they are done.

4.      Put the stars on the back counter to dry.

5.      For the end of the lesson, put the moon trivia up on the doc cam. Have them guess each question.

Vocabulary:

·         Rotation: turning around on its axis

·         Revolve: orbiting of one heavenly body to another

·         Full Moon: When all the moon is seen

·         Waning Gibbous: When a small section on the right side is dark on the book

·         Third Quarter: The right half of the moon is dark

·         Waning Crescent: Crescent on the left

·         New Moon: No moon is seen

·         Waxing Crescent Moon: Crescent on the right side

·         First Quarter: the right side of the moon is lit

·         Waxing Gibbous: all but left crescent lit

Closure: “Today we finished up learning about the moon but next class we will learn about the sun.”

Assessment: Have students make their own star and turn it in.

Management/Transitions:  Students will sit on the floor quietly then transition to their desks. Students will be seated in an appropriate spot, not by their friends to disturb the class.

Considerations:

Students with disabilities may need extra help on making their star for the bulletin board.

Adaptations:

Lower level learners can be led by their peers in the moon trivia.

Higher level learners will be introduced to new, higher level vocabulary.

Poem:

A Bridge to the Moon

I just finished building
a bridge to the moon.
I started last August
and ended this June.
I used giant branches,
a few million rocks,
unbreakable cables,
and billions of blocks.

The walls on my bridge
are a marvelous sight.
They’re safe and secure
and they light up at night.
The nails are nailed in
and the screws are screwed tight,
but something is wrong here!
This cannot be right!

The moon isn’t orange!
It isn’t that bright!
The moon doesn’t give off
this powerful light!
I have to keep building!
This bridge isn’t done!
For I have just noticed
it leads to the sun!

By Darren Sardelli

Introduction Moon Phases Science Lesson Plan

Grade: 3^rd

Time: 30 minutes

Subject/Topic: Science/the moon

Standard: 3.3.3.1.2 Recognize the pattern of apparent changes in the moon’s shape and position.

Objective: Students will be introduced to the moon and the moon phases.

Materials:

·         The Moon by Ralph Winrich

·         KWL Chart

·         Moon Trivia Q&A Sheet

·         Lunar Eclipse Pictures/ Diagram

·         30 Second Lunar Eclipse Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw960Bmc8uY&feature=player_embedded#at=19

)

Introduction: Have the students sit on the floor in front of the smart-board. Ask the students when the last time they have seen the moon. Ask the students if the moon is always the same shape. Give each student a KWL chart and have them go back to their desks to fill out what they know, and what they want to know about the moon.

Procedure:

1.      Have the students sit on the floor and have 3 volunteers share what they wrote.

2.      Read The Moon to the students.  While reading ask the students to listen for characteristics about the moon.

3.      On page 20, before reading it, ask the students to share with a partner how they think the moon came into existence.  Have 2 groups share their theories, then read the rest of the page.

4.      On page 21 ask the students if they have seen any of the moon phases before. Have them repeat the word “phases” then briefly explain them, showing the pictures.

5.      Put the moon trivia sheet on the doc cam and use a sheet of paper to cover the answer and other questions below.

6.      Ask the students if they have ever heard of or seen a lunar eclipse.  Show the diagram and explain that this occurs when the sun, earth, and moon line up exactly in a line. Show the next picture and explain that this is what it would look like standing from the moon. Tell the students the next lunar eclipse will happen on December 10^th and will only last 51 minutes.

7.      Play the 30 second lunar eclipse video.

Closure: “Today we learned about some characteristics of the moon but next class we will learn more about the moon phases.”

Assessment: Have students write one fact about the moon that they learned in their notebooks, and then turn it in.

Management/Transitions:  Students will sit on the floor quietly then transition to their desks. Students will be seated in an appropriate spot, not by their friends to disturb the class.

Adaptations:

Lower level learners will be guided in the class discussion by their peers and partners.

Higher level learners will be introduced to new, higher level vocabulary.

Adding and Subtracting Four to Five Digit Numbers Lesson Plan

Subject area: Mathematics                                          

Grade level: 3rd

MN math benchmark standard: 3.1.1.3- Find 10,000 more or 10,000 less than a given five-digit number. Find 1000 more or 1000 less than a given four- or five-digit. Find 100 more or 100 less than a given four- or five-digit number.

Objectives: Students will be able to calculate and record numbers adding or subtracting from four to five-digit numbers.

Time to be used: 50 minutes

List of materials: Individual white boards for each students as well as markers and erasers. Access to a computer lab or reserve personal laptops for the whole class (Optional)

Teaching process:

Before the lesson: Teacher should get out the materials needed for the lesson. Start by reviewing up on the whiteboard four/five-digit numbers and their place values such as 1246 (1 is in the thousands, 2 in the hundreds, 4 in the tens, and 6 is in the ones place) Go over the example of 1000+10, lining the place values up on the board  . Have students then get out computers and go to the website: http://www.ixl.com/math/practice/grade-3-place-value-names to practice their place value names for 10 minutes. Students should answer the questions provided on the website until they finish the quiz. Have students put away the computers and sit at their desks.

During the lesson: The teacher will pair students up in partners at their tables and  have them get out two white boards from the front of the room. The teacher should tell the partners that one of them will have to make up a five-digit number while the other one chooses to add 10,000 more or to subtract. The students will agree on the correct answer and then they will switch roles. After10 minutes rotate the students with a new partner and have them try with four-digit numbers together. Have one partner add or subtract 100 from the chosen number. When students are done with the activity have them put the whiteboards away and sit at their original seat for further instruction.

After the lesson: The teacher will ask the students if it’s important to line up the numbers by place value when adding or subtracting. Ask them why it would make a difference if we added them out of place. Show 2 examples with the class on the overhead such as 1000+30 and 30000+90. After the examples have the students start working on the assessment.

Assessment: Have students choose 5 of their own number problems, answering them on a notebook piece of paper and turn it in.

Closure: Today we learned how to add and subtract five-digit numbers but tomorrow we’ll try six digits numbers as a challenge.

Appendix: Place Value Interactive Online: http://www.ixl.com/math/practice/grade-3-place-value-names

Parallel and Perpendicular Lesson Plan

Subject area:  Mathematics

Grade level:  3^rd Grade

MN math standards: 3.3.1.1- Identify parallel and perpendicular lines in various contexts, and use them to describe and create geometric shapes, such as right triangles, rectangles, parallelograms and trapezoids.

Objectives:  For students to identify parallel and perpendicular lines and create geometric shapes to describe them.

Time to be used:  40 minutes

List of materials: 

·         Pencil

·         Smartboard lesson (http://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=xc6bee0f4a0444aaeaf0f0e030dcbe2b4)

·         Notebooks

·         Geometric shapes for each table

Teaching process:

Before the lesson:

·         Align the smartboard and have the lesson open with the screen on mute  (http://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=xc6bee0f4a0444aaeaf0f0e030dcbe2b4)

·         Ask the students what they know about lines and angles.

·         Have students get out their math notebooks and sit in front of the smartboard on the floor.

During the lesson:

·         Put the smartboard screen off mute and skip to page 3 of the lesson.

·         Read off the slides about lines and angles explaining what they are.

·         On page 6 of the smartboard lesson, have students volunteer go up to the board and mark on the pictures the abbreviations provided.

·         Go to page 8 and read off the slide about the different types of lines such as parallel and perpendicular.

·         Ask students if they can think of shapes that have parallel lines and draw them in their notebook.

·         Have the students draw a shape that have perpendicular lines in their notebooks.

·         Finish going through the smartboard slides and then tell the students to go back to their seat.

·         Have students go up to the front of the room and grab a bag of geometric shapes for their tables.

·         Have all groups identify together what kinds of lines are in each shape. Have them draw it in their notebooks and then write what type of line it has next to it.

·         Once the students are all done, have them put away the geometric shapes and sit in their seats quietly.

After the lesson:

·         Ask students what they learned today.

·         Ask them what parallel and perpendicular lines look like.

·         Ask them what shapes have parallel lines and perpendicular lines.

·         Ask the students how we can tell what lines shapes have in them.

Assessment: Draw a picture of a square on the doc camera and ask the students to write on a piece of paper what kind of lines it uses, then turn it in.

Closure: Today we learned what parallel and perpendicular lines are and what shapes use them, but tomorrow we are going to sketch polygons in class.

Appendix: Download smartboard lesson-(http://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=xc6bee0f4a0444aaeaf0f0e030dcbe2b4)

Adding and Subtracting Multi-Digit Numbers Lesson Plan

Subject area:  Mathematics

Grade level:  3^rd Grade

MN math standards: 3.1.2.1-Add and subtract multi-digit numbers, using efficient and generalizable procedures based on knowledge of place value, including standard algorithms.

Objectives:  For students to add and subtract multi-digit numbers using efficient procedures.

Time to be used:  40 minutes

List of materials: 

·         Pencil

·         Smartboard Online game (http://www.learn4good.com/games/kids/double_digits.htm)

·         Notebooks

Teaching process:

Before the lesson:

·         Align the smartboard and have the game open with the screen on mute  (http://www.learn4good.com/games/kids/double_digits.htm)

·         Review with students about adding and subtracting multi-digit numbers; ask them if place value is important when answering these questions.

·         Ask students “When in real life would we need to add or subtract 2 digit numbers?” Examples could be for cooking or measuring, building, etc.

·         Have students get out their math notebooks and open to a blank sheet with their name on it and wait for further instruction.

During the lesson:

·         Have students write an addition story using 2 digit numbers in their math notebooks.

·         When they have finished, have students pass their math notebooks to their right to another next student. They should then write out the addition problem on the paper but only the steps based on place value.

·         After the students have written out the steps, have them pass their notebooks again to the right to another student.

·         This final round, the students should now work out the steps to get the answer. Once completed they should return the notebook back to the original owner.

·         The original notebook owner now has the duty to double check if his group members answered it correctly. The student should answer the problem underneath it with his/her own work.

·         Tell the students to turn to a new sheet of paper in their notebooks and bring it up on the floor in front of the smartboard.

·         Turn on the screen and open up the online game.

·         Split the classroom in two equal teams and pick one spokesperson from each. When a subtraction question is shown up on the smartboard, all members of the team must work out the problem in their notebooks and agree on the answer. When everyone has agreed, the spokesperson can then come up to the board and tap the answer they think is right (ABCD). Whichever team taps the right answer first, they get a point.

·         Continue this game with all the questions and if you have extra time, start the addition game.

·         Once the game is over, tally up all the team’s points and tell them whos the winner.

·         Have the students return to their seats and put their notebooks away in their desks.  

After the lesson:

·         Ask students what they learned today.

·         Ask them why it’s important to practice their subtraction.

·         Ask why place value matters when subtracting and adding 2 digit numbers.

Assessment: Put “56-78=” up on the doc camera and have them answer it on a sheet of paper then turn it in.

Closure: Today we learned how to add and subtract 2 digit numbers but tomorrow we are going to solve real world problems involving whole numbers.

Appendix: Smartboard Online game (http://www.learn4good.com/games/kids/double_digits.htm)