Observe and describe the sun and stars
I can identify the sun and stars and explain them to others.
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General
In this lesson, students will learn about the stars and that the sun is also a star. They will learn facts about the size, temperature, and distance from the sun. They will be introduced to constellations and in the end, create and name their own constellation with black paper and chalk.
Standards
NGSS:
1-ESS1-1
1-ESS1-2
Learning Objective
Students will be able to describe the features of the sun and other stars.
Introduction
With a partner, students share all of the different things they see in the sky. Ask what they see in the day and what they see at night. Read the description of the sun and ask students if they know the name of what you’re describing.
Instruction
Discuss the importance of the sun and explain that the sun is a star and it’s a star we can see in the daytime. Have students list some words to describe the sun. Explain that the sun seems so big because it is the closest star to Earth. Drag the Earth into the sun on the board to see how many Earths fit inside. Next, go over the temperature of the sun and explain why there are dark spots on the sun. Have students drag the magnifying glass to the dark spots they see in the picture. After this, share some information about other stars besides the sun. Begin by explaining that we can tell the temperature of stars by their color. Red stars are the coolest and blue stars are the hottest. Students can drag the red circle to identify all of the red stars they see in the picture and the blue circle to all of the blue stars. Finally, explain that some groups of stars form a pattern in the sky called a constellation. Have students use the pencil or shape tool to connect the stars on the board to see Ursa Major or The Big Dipper.
Quiz
Students respond to ten multiple-choice and true/false questions.
Closing
Students will create their own constellations. Have them pick a constellation they would like to create. Then on a black piece of paper, students will write the name of the constellation at the top using chalk. Next, they should place star stickers on the paper to create the constellation. Finally, they will use the chalk to connect the stars.
Instruction materials
Students will need the following items for the closing activity:
- Black construction paper
- White chalk
- Star stickers
- Pictures of different constellations
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About Gynzy
Gynzy is an online teaching platform for interactive whiteboards and displays in schools.
With a focus on elementary education, Gynzy’s Whiteboard, digital tools, and activities make it easy for teachers to save time building lessons, increase student engagement, and make classroom management more efficient.