Instructional Activities: Grade 6 Space Unit

Lesson 1 Our place in the world Instructional Activities Activate prior knowledge: Word Wall to familiarize student with space vocabulary Worksheet, have students share their answers with the class Our solar system: Watch Bill Nye the science guy video on planets Human solar system: Use balls of different size to demonstrate the relative distance and size of each planet. Investigation on the planets or the sun Students are assigned one element from the solar system and have to present characteristics, distance from the sun etc. using anchor chart Gallery walk to record information on graphic organizers Students will use their observations from the previous day to build a model of our solar system using Styrofoam balls, plasticine, paint and popsicle sticks- in groups of 4-5. Identify the different layers of the earth using hardboiled eggs (models of the Earth) Demonstration of night and day using a globe Demonstration of the seasons Lab: Reasons for the seasons Activity sheet reasons for the seasons Orbits: An Internet video or a model will be shown to examine the rotation of planets and the sun and how light is involved. Lab: What keeps satellites up Lab: The beautiful Auroras Group discussion about the moons appearance. Does it always look the same? Why not? Have a discussion about hypothetical reasons for this. Students participate in a visual demonstration of the moon's phases. Lab: Oreo Moon Phase Show the students the applet and have the students work in groups to fill out the worksheet Extension: students who finish early Assessment Teacher will observe prior knowledge by going through the answers on the worksheet. Resources http://sciencenetlinks.com/interact ives/messenger/psc/PlanetSize.ht ml http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planet s/profile.cfm?Object=SolarSys Bill Nye video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =BdAqq-wEQV0

2 Our solar system

Students will be evaluated on their ability to properly scale the planets, convey their correct distance from the sun. Assess anchor charts Teacher assesses students participation & engagement throughout Check activity sheets for completion Visual arts mark for Auroras

http://education.nationalgeographi c.com/education/activity/planetary -size-and-distancecomparison/?ar_a=1

3 The Earth

Science & Technology 6 p. 15-16 http://www.asccsa.gc.ca/eng/educators/resources /astronomy/module3/lesson1.asp

4 The moon

Teacher will evaluate the students accurateness of the lunar phases they present, including their visual representation of the phase.

Applet: http://www.asccsa.gc.ca/eng/educators/resources /astronomy/multimedia/module3/ phases_moon/phases_moon.swf Worksheet: http://www.asccsa.gc.ca/pdf/edu_astrophases_handout.pdf

5 The sun and stars

6 Galaxy & Black Holes

can investigate (if time: present) 1 of the 8 lunar phases to the class. Stars: Lab: why do stars twinkle? Graphic organizer on stars Consolidate their findings and discuss the properties of stars, different categories of stars, the life cycle, and its impact on the solar system through graphic organizers Sun: Our sun is a star that is very close to us Similarity and difference chart between the sun and other stars (Think-Pair-Share) Lab: Make sun observation goggles or sundial Properties of the Sun Power point Lab: Papier mach: Create a 3 dimensional sun demonstrating each of the 6 layers Black Holes Timeline of a black hole (Where does it come from) Black hole board game: - Build a model spaceship out of recycled materials and tape - Fill out the profile page for each spaceship. Play black hole board game Light Years: Concept of light years to measure distance between stars and our solar system Galaxy Galaxy sorting activity

Rubric for Sun papier mach project Written/oral feedback on graphic organizer Rubric for sun observation goggles or sundial Observation for lab

Sundial information: http://www.sciencetech.technomu ses.ca/english/whatson/pdf/astron omyresources/artifactsheet/artifactshe et-1-sundials.pdf Make your own Sundial http://www.sciencetech.technomu ses.ca/english/whatson/pdf/astron omy-resources/paper-platesundial.pdf

Teacher will walk around and make sure that all students are participating

7 Telescopes & Observation

History of Telescopes through a fill in the blank sheet Graphic organizer to compare different tools to observe the night sky Read a constellation story Lab: Make your own Star finder Brainstorm with students about the origins of constellations Have students write their own legend about a constellation (Cross curricular L/A) Presentation from the Ottawa Astronomy on telescopes Offer astronomy night to parents and students

Student fill out sky journal activity during 1 week this is combined with their moon observation diary Students can also demonstrate on their star finder which constellations they saw at night.

Spaceship Profile Page PDF http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/seufo rum/einstein/resources/BHE_ship. pdf Game Rules PDF http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/seufo rum/einstein/resources/BHE_rules. pdf Gameboard PDF http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/seufo rum/einstein/resources/BHE_game board2.pdf Entire Game http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/seufo rum/einstein/resource_BHExplorer .htm Galaxy sorting activity: http://www.pbs.org/seeingintheda rk/pdfs/galaxy_sorting_activity.pdf Zenith telescope: http://www.sciencetech.technomu ses.ca/english/whatson/pdf/astron omyresources/artifactsheet/artifactshe et-2-zenith-telescope.pdf Refracting telescope: http://www.sciencetech.technomu ses.ca/english/whatson/pdf/astron omyresources/artifactsheet/artifactshe et-3-15-inch-refractingtelescope.pdf Constellation story: Science Is Teacher Manual p.

8 Canadian Space Agency & Astronauts

Astronaut Training Show a video of Astronauts in training Lab: Moving and working in space Presentation by one of the astronauts of the Canadian Space Agency Workbooks: Need for Spacesuit activity package Mission of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA): Students create graphic organizer describing the mission and vision statements of the CSA Students draw their own badge for the CSA Fearless Felix video

Journal entry on the presentation by one of the astronauts of the space agency Student will do a mini research on one of the space missions (Apollo, Soyouz, shuttle missions, mission to the International space station) then gallery walk of their missions Completeness of Spacesuit activity packages

Make your own star finder: http://www.sciencetech.technomu ses.ca/english/whatson/pdf/astron omy-resources/star-finder.pdf Sky journal: Science and Technology 6 Teachers Guide p.78 Ottawa Valley Astronomy Observers Group (AVAOG) http://www.oaog.ca/about.htm Guest speaker astronaut http://www.asccsa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/invited.as p Astronaut training http://www.asccsa.gc.ca/eng/educators/resources /training.asp Moving and working in Space : http://www.asccsa.gc.ca/pdf/educatorworking.pdf Space suit: http://www.asccsa.gc.ca/pdf/educator-emu.pdf Fearless Felix: http://www.ctvnews.ca/scitech/space-skydiver-felixbaumgartner-fell-faster-than-firstthought-1.1142517 http://www.sciencetech.technomu ses.ca/english/schoolzone/schoolp rograms4-8.cfm#ProbingTheSkies Cost is 7$ per student + Transportation Canadarm: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=20UcC1knT6k

9 Field Trip

10 Discovering Outerspace

11

Field Trip to the Museum of Science and Technology Visit the telescope Mars simulator Museum Quest Other activities at the museum Make bottle Rocket activity Launch of rockets: measure what angle makes the rocket go farther Show a Canadarm video Have students make their own Canadarm (Lego conex) and accomplish task International Space Station Show life of the space shuttle Presentation of Outer space projects End of Unit test

Reflection on their trip to the Museum. What did you learn from the museum?

Rubric to assess final assignment presentations