Teacher Candidate's Name:

Heather Freytag

Cooperating Teachers Name: Suzi Ring

Lesson Plan Template: Backward Planning

Learning Outcomes Assessment of Learning Instructional Plan
Unit Title: Astrobiology

Lesson Title: Intro to astrobiology

Subject Area: Science

Grade/Level: 8
minutes

Date of Lesson: 8 October 2015

Length of lesson: 1 class-45

Alignment
to
Objectives

MLR:
D1a.
Universe
and Solar
System
NGSS:
ESS1.A:
The
universe
and its
stars
NGSS
ESS1.B:
Earth and
the Solar
System

MLR and Next Gen Science

D1: Universe and Solar System: a: describe the different kinds of objects in the solar
system including planets, sun, moons, asteroids, and comets.
ESS1: Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic
patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons.
A: Patters of the apparent motion of the sun, the moon, and stars in the sky can be
observed, described, predicted, and explained with models. Earth and its solar system are
part of the Milky Way galaxy, which is one of many galaxies in the universe.
ESS1: Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic
patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons.
B: The solar system consists of the sun and a collection of objects including planets, their
moons, and asteroids that are held in orbit around the sun by its gravitational pull on
them. The solar system appears to have formed from a disk of dust and gas, drawn
together by gravity.

Essential Question(s)
Is there life on other planets? In other solar systems? (This is our big picture question throughout
the year, we begin addressing it in this unit.)
What celestial bodies make up our solar system?
What are the different galaxies?

Objectiv
e

Objectives and Assessments

Objective(s) (Number each objective.)

Assessment(s) for Each

Number

1.
2.

Students will identify the various celestial bodies in our

solar system.
Students will reflect on the various celestial bodies in our
solar system.

Objective (In parentheses,

mark each I for informal or
F for formal.)
Planet games (I)
Class discussion/exit ticket (I)

Necessary Prior Knowledge/Skills (Describe where/when/how each has been learned.):

Students have a basic understanding of the celestial bodies we will be learning about. They began this
knowledge yesterday. We have only begun learning about our solar system and therefore should only
have a basic working knowledge of moons, stars, and planets. They will acquire the new information
as we go along, and the basic knowledge will give them something to attach the new data they
acquire. During yesterdays class, the students built a game called set, where they had information
about the various planets and moons in our solar system. Next, they began making matches of the
various planets and moons as they played the game. This let the students become familiar with various
characteristics they will be looking at as they do the assessment at the end of the unit. The assessment
is to develop their own solar system. The game allowed everyone to be on the same page; having the
same working knowledge of our solar system.

Alignme
nt to
Objective
s

Instructional Components
What Teacher Does

Displays the homework and classwork

on the projector.
It says:
Thursday, October 8, 2015-Day 3-No
School on Friday

NA
(2-5
minutes)

Extra help is available most third

periods, during a working lunch, or
after school on Fridays, until 3:30.
Science: Homework: -No HW
In Class:
-Play 20
Questions/SET
-Discussion/exit ticket
On board: student objectives: I can
identify celestial bodies that make up
our solar system.
If student has IEP for it: check students
assignments that are written in their
notebooks.

What Students Do

Take out assignment notebooks and write down

what the in class and homework assignments
are.
Take out textbook and get ready for classwork.

Students read and understand what is expected

of them during the class.
Affected students allow teacher to see and
initial their assignment notebooks.

Lesson introduction:
1.
(2-5
minutes)

Instructs students to turn to page 41in

their textbooks.
Read aloud, How well do you know
the worlds in our solar system?

Students follow along in their textbooks.

We did this yesterday. So I am going to move
right into the games.

Instruction through games (breaks down

overwhelming amount of knowledge about
planets and moons):

1.
(20 -25
minutes)

2.

-Instructs students to refer to their

planetary information sheets located in
their books appendix.
-We will be playing twenty questions.
Rules: Each table will pick one planet
or moon. The rest of the class will take
turns asking yes-no questions. The table
that guesses correctly gets one point.
The group with the most points wins.
1. Group 1 picks a moon or planet.
2. Other groups ask yes-no questions.
3. Questions are asked by each group in
turn until a group can correctly guess
the planet or moon.
4. Group 2 goes next and so-forth, until
all groups have had a chance to pick a
planet/moon.
-If this goes quickly (which I imagine it
will for some classes) we will play SET.
They were playing this game yesterday
but not everyone made it to the game.
SET is played by having a group share a
category, or set, with the rest of their
group. (The categories were prepared by
them the previous class). For this they
put moons and planets into categories of
their own making. If someone has a
matching category they say whether
they have the same set or if they have a
different planet/moon in their set. If
they have a planet/moon that the other
players do not have, they win a point.

Each group will pick a planet or moon secretly.

Each group will get a turn at asking questions.
When a group gets the correct answer they win
a point. Each group will get a turn to answer the
yes-no questions for their chosen planet/moon.
All students should participate

Students will work in small groups. They will

share their categories that they prepared the
previous class. If they have a moon or planet in
their set that was not mentioned they get a
point. If they have a category that no one else
has they also receive points. The person at the
end with the most points wins.

Informal assessment and closure:

If time: class discussion: page 45 in

Think and Reflect section
1. If you could actually travel to another
planet or moon, which one would you
visit, and why?
2. What does the diversity of planet types
in our solar system suggest about other
planets in the universe?

(10-15
minutes)

Students will think about what they are

interested about other moons and planets, and
communicate this with the teacher.
Students will communicate what they still have
questions about.

3. If planets and moons are each so

different, why do astrobiologists still
want to learn all they can about the
planets and moons in our solar system?
If not a lot of time is left assign an exit
ticket in google classroom.
1. If you could actually travel to another
planet or moon, which one would you
visit, and why? (List three reasons.)
2. What questions do you still have about
the various moons and planets of our
solar system?
(Give at least two questions.)
3. Why do astrobiologists want to learn all
they can about the planets and moons in
our solar system?

Students will think about why we study planets

and moons and communicate this with the
teacher.

Students will think about what we have learned

and answer the questions.
This assignment is turned in via google
classrooms for each student. They are due by
end of the evening. While not assigned as
homework, if they do not finish they can use
time at home to complete it.

Links to Technology:
-Utilization of google classrooms. Exit ticket will be assigned through google classroom, and students
will turn in work via the same. If necessary they can also access the textbook via online connection.
Materials and Supplies:
Assignment notebooks- Students are instructed to have them at all times.
Class set of textbooks- use of chapter 2 and appendix section on Planetary Information Sheets (Books
are kept in the classroom at the tables. There is also internet access for the text online.)
School assigned laptops (Students are instructed to bring them to every class, fully charged. There are
places to plug laptops in safely if necessary.)
Accommodations/Adaptations/Differentiation:
I am reading the text so that students with lower reading ability can follow along without getting
behind. This will allow all abilities to be at the same place. Students will be mixed ability grouped for
the Twenty Questions game. For absent students I am available for third period help, working lunch,
flex Fridays, and after school. To help them learn the material they may come in and play the game
with me. This will help familiarize themselves with the material. They will then be asked to complete
the exit ticket. Students may have more time to complete the exit ticket if they need it.
Maine Common Core Teaching Standards (MCCTS) (Check those that are part of this lesson.):
Check only those that are part of the lesson plan, not those that are part of lesson implementation.
X
X
X

The Learner and Learning

S1 Learner Development
S2 Learning Differences
S3 Learning Environments
Content

S4 Content Knowledge

Instructional Practices
X
X
X

S6 Assessment
S7 Planning for Instruction
S8 Instructional Strategies
Professional Responsibility

S9 Professional Learning and Ethical

Practice

S5 Application of Content

S10 Leadership and Collaboration

Technology
X

S11 ISTE Standards.T

Reflection about teaching of lesson: (What went well? What would you change and why? What evidence do you
have that students learned?)

Overall the lesson went well. The students need to become familiar with the planets and moons
in our solar system. This is a lot of information, especially if they have little background knowledge. I
decided that the games in the book were a great way to get the students thinking about the information.
The students were highly engaged during the lesson and were having fun using the new knowledge.
The discussion afterwards got the students thinking about the new information. Most students
participated and were eager to share their thoughts. Since not everyone spoke during the discussion I
could look to the exit tickets to see more information. On first glance at the exit tickets, students are
using new information they learned to give reasoning about why they would like to visit another planet,
or moon.
If I did this lesson again, I would have another activity for students to engage in as they finish
their exit tickets. Some classes have a large variation of ability. This results in some students needing
very little time and others needing more. I would have one last game for them to play until the bell
rings; perhaps one that is online, and completed individually. This will continue the theme of our
lesson, but allow those that need more time to have it. Also, I need to become better at leading
discussions. I noticed that a few students like to share but are extremely introverted. I need to repeat
what the students are saying if others cannot hear them. It would also be a good idea to have the
students themselves repeat what their peer said before answering themselves. This would teach better
listening skills. Finally I would make sure that all students are listening before beginning with my
instructions. I did not do this the first class and had a lot of clarifying questions. The second class went
better.
My first evidence that students learned was my assessment as I walked around the class. I
stopped at each group several times. As the class continued they didnt need their informational
appendix as often. They also chose characteristics of the various planets and moons to narrow down
their guess. (Not all every time but many.) They also had an exit ticket to complete as they left the
room. The answers they give for wanting to explore other planets shows they have an understanding of
the new information. Based on the questions they asked in the second question, they have an interest.
They also have a way to go in order to understand the ramifications of what they are learning.
However, the exit ticket shows that we have begun the conversation and that students are beginning to
internalize the information.