The Sun and the Stars
Learning Sequence
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Introduction With Gavin
In this engaging short course, students will have a hands-on learning experience centered around the sun. They will explore the structure, properties, and historical significance of our closest star. Through interactive activities, students will have the opportunity to observe and investigate the sun’s features, such as sunspots and solar flares.
They will also engage in experiments to understand the effects of sunlight and explore the concept of solar energy. Additionally, students will have the chance to participate in a sunflower-growing project, fostering a sense of responsibility and connection to the natural world. This hands-on approach will cultivate curiosity and deepen their understanding of the sun’s importance in our daily lives.
In this short course, we’re going to learn all about the sun! The sun is a big, glowing ball in the sky that gives us light and keeps us alive. We’ll start by exploring the different parts of the sun and why it’s so important for us.
Then, we’ll take a trip back in time to discover how ancient civilizations worshipped and admired the sun. After that, we’ll talk about the benefits of using solar power and try to convince more people to switch to it.
Finally, we’ll have a fun math activity where you can grow your own sunflower and see if you can beat our record of 60cm tall with 15 leaves in just 30 days! It’s going to be an exciting week of learning about the incredible sun!
Key Quote - Sally Ride
Students are asked to critically analyze and interpret the following quote to gain a deeper understanding of the message conveyed by the astronaut.
Students may also choose to conduct independent research on the astronaut or the particular space mission they were a part of, and record their findings in a notebook. To further enhance their engagement with the quote, students are encouraged to create an artistic representation, such as a drawing or visual art piece, that captures the essence of the message being conveyed.
Please read this quote and try to figure out what the astronaut meant by saying it.
You can do some research to learn more about the astronaut or the space mission they were a part of, and write down your findings in your notebook. To make things even more fun, you can also create a drawing or artwork that shows what you think the quote is all about. This will help you engage with the quote and understand it better.
Course Keywords
Introduce the spelling word list and choose from this list of tasks that can be repeated and expanded upon if necessary.
Copy the words into a spelling list/Vocabulary book for later reference.
Put each of the new words into a sentence and underline the new vocabulary in red pencil
Place the words in alphabetical order in a list.
Use a dictionary to define each of the words and place them into a vocabulary book.
Try to represent each of the words using a picture or a symbol and play the guessing game. (which image is matched to which word)
Write a paragraph containing all of the new vocabulary.
Make a vocabulary wall containing all of the new words.
Use a thesaurus to find synonyms for the words and create a synonym list.
These words will help you during this short course. You may already know some of these words however practice makes perfect!
First, read the words and then try to define them as simply as possible.
An example has been completed for you. You can write these into your books, and draw a picture to match or simply complete the task card.
Comprehension Activity - The Sun and Stars
We have provided you and your class with a reading comprehension activity. This can be done independently or tackled as a guided reading activity with your students.
Once the children have read the relevant information, they can then work through the comprehension questions until they become too hard.
The four levels of questions allow for your students to push themselves until they become too difficult. They may wish to use classroom resources to solve the questions they find too hard or they can be used as extension activities to be completed in free time or at home.
Read the information opposite on Asteroids, Meteors and Comets and use the information gained from the video above and attempt to answer as many of the comprehension questions as possible.
You may talk to the people in the classroom and use any resources available in the classroom to get the answers. You may even wish to continue your research at home on the questions that you could not solve.
We have made the questions range in difficulty, see how far you can get! Remember to answer the questions in full sentences and make notes of any diagrams or amazing facts that may help you remember the information later.
The Sun's Structure
In this research-focused lesson, teachers will guide students in investigating the structure of the Sun. Students will explore the Sun’s layers, each with distinct qualities, by conducting research and uncovering information about their characteristics and composition.
The activity encourages students to delve deeper into the topic, promoting scientific inquiry and understanding. The provided diagram serves as a starting point, prompting students to research and fill in missing information before proceeding with the remaining tasks of the week. It’s an exciting opportunity for students to unravel the secrets of the Sun’s structure through independent research and exploration.
In this activity, you’ll explore the structure of the Sun, which has various layers with unique qualities. Your task is to delve deeper into each part and discover more about its characteristics and composition.
By researching and labeling the different layers, you’ll gain a better understanding of how the Sun is organized and the fascinating science behind it. Get ready to uncover the secrets of the Sun’s structure!
Take a look at the diagram opposite and research the missing information before you move onto the rest of this short course’s tasks.
Bringing Mathematics To Life - Plant a Sunflower Graph
During this hands-on science lesson, students will engage in an exciting sunflower-growing experiment. The focus is on experiential learning and data gathering/recording. Students will plant their own sunflowers and measure their growth over a period of time. They will record data such as height and number of leaves, and plot this information on a graph. Through this activity, students will learn the importance of providing optimal conditions for plant growth and develop skills in data collection and graphing. It encourages active participation, observation, and critical thinking while fostering an understanding of the scientific process in a fun and practical way.
With the sun as the theme of this science lesson, we encourage you to embark on a sunflower-growing experiment. Over the past 30 days, we have successfully grown our own sunflowers, as shown in the graph provided.
Your task is to plant your own sunflower and aim to match or surpass the growth rate demonstrated in the graph.
Remember, providing optimal conditions for growth is essential. Choose a suitable location and carefully monitor your seed’s progress, recording the data and plotting it on your personal graph.
Your goal is to achieve a height of 60cm with 30 leaves. Let’s witness the amazing growth of your sunflower seeds!
Sun Worship - What History Tells Us
In this activity, students will explore the historical significance of the sun across civilizations. They will understand its role as a provider of heat and light and its influence on human life. Students will examine how different ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians, Aztecs, and Greeks, worshipped the sun and considered it a divine entity.
They will learn about rituals, ceremonies, and myths associated with sun worship. By using a book template, students will engage in creative expression and research, culminating in their own “A Brief History of Sun Worship” booklet. This lesson will foster a deeper understanding of history and cultural practices related to the sun.
The sun has always been important to the people who have lived on Earth, not only as a provider of heat and light but also for various other reasons.
In this activity, we want you to take a look back in time at history and how various civilizations looked at the sun differently.
We have created a book template for you to use, redesign, and remodel to create your very own ‘A Brief History of Sun Worship’ booklet, to use as inspiration for others to get more involved in history and nature.
Use the template opposite, harness your creative skills, and journey back in time!
Let’s Create with Jordan - Starry Skyscrape
Activity: Starry Skyscape
Core Curriculum Connection: Science, Mathematics
Elemental Foci: Color, Space, Texture
Principle Foci: Emphasis, Rhythm, Movement
Goal: Students will be able to create a composition with the Emphasis in the negative space and a recognizable sense of depth.
Criteria:
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Establish your Emphasis in a point in the background..
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Create a sense of Movement around your emphasis by repeating pointilism marks that go around your emphasis, spreading throughout your negative space..
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Create a foreground landscape based on the area around you – include mountains, trees, whatever you can see.
Relevance: Through this project, students will understand Emphasis and Movement, and how to create a contrasting foreground.
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We have provided you with an art activity related to what we’ve been learning about in class. It’s an opportunity for you to enhance your artistic abilities and learn more about the Solar System and Space!
Jordan will be joining us to brainstorm creative ways to showcase what we’ve learned about Space while also doing some good for the world.
Take a look at the video on the other side and then do your best to follow Jordan’s guidance to make the world a better place with your creative skills.
To fully understand what we will be creating this week, you may wish to watch the full video below before starting.
Let’s get creative!
Let's Create With Jordan - Full Video
Watch the video with your class and support them as they use the skills demonstrated in the video in their own work tasks.
Watch Jordan’s full video here before starting your creative art project and remember that your work does not need to match Jordan’s exactly. Use it as a guide and try to make your work unique and be as creative as you like!
Let's Use Solar Energy - Persuasive Info Pamphlet
We are challenging your students to create persuasive information pamphlets, urging their families and community to switch to solar power.
Encourage careful research, emphasizing the four key advantages. Empower them to design impactful materials that reach decision-makers. Unleash their creative potential and make a positive impact!
Now that you’ve discovered the amazing power of the sun, we have an exciting task for you! Imagine persuading people in your community to switch to solar energy. Energy is vital for our homes, powering everything from TVs to heaters and lights. But what are the four biggest advantages of moving to solar power?
In this activity, we want you to design an information pamphlet, just like the one provided, to convince your family and community members to embrace solar energy. Let the example guide you and ensure that your finished design reaches the decision-makers—your families!
Good luck! Remember to research the facts carefully and let your creativity shine!
