Lesson Planning Guide
Guided Inquiry (WebQuest Model)
Names: Kylee Anderson and Mallory Scott
Lesson length: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Grade Level: 6th Grade Science
I. Standards
A. Utah State Core Curriculum Standard(s)
Utah State Core Curriculum Standard(s):
Strand 1:
The solar system consists of the Sun, planets, and other objects within Sun's gravitational influence. Gravity is the force of attraction between masses. The Sun-Earth-Moon system provides an opportunity to study interactions between objects in the solar system that influence phenomena observed from Earth. Scientists use data from many sources to determine the scale and properties of objects in our solar system.
Objective 3:
Use computational thinking to analyze data and determine the scale and properties of objects in the solar system. Examples of scale could include size and distance. Examples of properties could include layers, temperature, surface features, and orbital radius. Types of data could include graphs, data tables, drawings, photographs, and models.
Utah Educational Technology Grades 6-8:
Standard 8:
Select and use appropriate tools and technology resources to accomplish a variety of tasks and solve problems.
ISTE Standard:
Knowledge Constructor: Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
UDL Principle(s):
III. Provide Multiple Meaning of Engagement: recruiting interest, sustaining effort and persistence, and self regulation
B. Central Focus: Using technology to analyze and interpret data; to determine the scale and properties of objects in the Solar System.
a. Unit Summative Assessment: Science test at the end of the unit.
II. Intended Learning Outcomes
A. Lesson Objective
What do you want students to know?
Students will know how to analyze different types of information (photographs, models, etc.) to determine the scale and properties of objects in the Solar System.
B. Learning Target/Indicator (Bloom)
What will students do to show what they know?
Students will analyze data about the Solar System and take notes about what they’ve learned. They will then create a Thinglink to summarize and interpret their knowledge about the subject.
III. Assessment of Student Progress
A. Pre-assessment. Students will begin the lesson reflecting on what they have already learned about the solar system. They are to write a paragraph in their travel journals.
B. Ongoing Formative assessment(s). Students will keep a constant travel journal, writing down important information and drawing pictures. One tool covers the information for one planet, and each tool includes tasks that the students must perform. Record of these tasks will be cataloged in their journal.
C. Final Formative assessment. (as needed). At the end of the webquest, students will create a ThingLink that will include information that they have written in their travel journals. They will discuss what they have learned about all 7 planets (excluding Earth). This will confirm that the students participated, that they understand, and that a travel journal was kept throughout the webquest.
IV. Preparation
A. Student prior knowledge and skills.
Students will be tested for any prior knowledge of the solar system. A basic knowledge of the solar system would be beneficial, but not required. An introduction to the solar system will be provided at the beginning of their journey.
B. Teacher preparation.
The teacher will need to make sure that students have access to the WebQuest via a computer or iPad, and work with any accommodations that have been made.
a. Materials
C. Plan differentiation - The webquest along with the articles from tools and website would be provided and printed out in the case of technology failure. Learning about the planets would take place through reading and researching through these articles. This also would benefit children who may not have access to a computer or the internet at home. In this case the final project would be altered to drawing a map of the solar system with information about each planet attached.
The Webquest is already designed to allow students to work at their own pace. So, students who work faster may do so. Students who work slower or struggle have the option to work at their own pace, and take as much time as needed.
D Academic Language
a. Language Function: Analyze
b. Language Demand
i. Syntax: Words will be defined for students in various technologies, they will also
be given a tutorial on how to complete their formative assessment assignment.
ii. Vocabulary: Solar System, scale, properties, planets, kilometer, atmosphere,
retrograde, proximity
iii. Discourse: N/A
c. Language support: The teacher will model how to analyze and interpret
information by providing an example of a completed Thinglink assignment
C. Technology Use and purpose
Webquest: https://mallorylscott7.wixsite.com/yourtriptospace
Voki (introduction): http://www.voki.com/site/pickup?scid=14389057&chsm=c80e5832a7eed1e1710fd1ae2a6df872
YouTube Playlist (Understand Page): http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjy7QUwN52ClX28NmUgfXVb1GoIztto-8
Emaze (Mercury): https://www.emaze.com/@AORZCCWWW/tour-of-the-planets---mercury
Other site for Mercury: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/mercury
Brochure (Venus): http://pub.lucidpress.com/249683c2-a7c7-400b-80bc-4a3a92f53154/
Other sites for Venus: http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/weight/
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-system/venus/
Podcast (Mars): https://soundcloud.com/user-373057732/a-day-on-mars
Other site for Mars: https://www.universetoday.com/14702/what-is-mars-made-of/
Google Slide (Jupiter): https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1sTRCyfRi0rOlU5Ez9s1bWV3H1kEPx_iTHPvvNmao-_A/edit? usp=sharing
Animoto (Saturn): https://animoto.com/play/S5CaarN15ZGNsbe5tyXwEw
Other sites for Saturn: http://www.astronomy.com/observing/astro-for-kids/2008/03/saturn
http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/ask/116-What-is-Saturn-made-of
Facebook Group Page (Uranus): https://www.facebook.com/groups/118801258789893/
(Neptune): https://youtu.be/EmUvTH7sveg
Other sites for Neptune: http://phillips.seti.org/kids/neptune.html
https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/neptune
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ThingLink (Final Project Example): https://www.thinglink.com/scene/921047995049312258
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Sites on Analysis page: https://www.solarsystemscope.com/, https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/kids/index.cfm,
https://www.brainpop.com/games/buildasolarsystem
D. Student preparation (if applicable)
Students will need to have access to a computer that has internet access. Students will need to have a journal or notebook ready to go as they work through the webquest. They will also need pens, pencils, markers, colored pencils, crayons, etc.
V. Instructional Procedures (including differentiation)
Step 1: Teacher selected problem and preliminary research
Explain the problem that you will pose and where you found the resources to support the task that you designed.
This WebQuest is focused on gathering information about the Solar System. Because of the advancement of technology, travel agencies are now offering trips to space. Students will participate in the first journey through the solar system. They are to collect information and data in their travel journal, which will help them create a final project that will offer feedback and information to the travel agency that will greatly benefit future explorers/travelers.
Step 2: Presentation of problem within WebQuest
Explain how you will capture your students’ interests (This is the Introduction & the Task).
Introduction Page :
“Welcome to our Space WebQuest! Through this experience we're going to step into the shoes of galactic explorers and adventure through the Solar System! Along the way we're going to learn more about the eight planets that make up this expansive territory. Care to join us? Click the button below and fasten your seat belts!”
Task Page: (Voki)
“Congratulations! You've been hired by a galactic travel agency to gather information about the planets! Intergalactic travel is new in the year 2117, so they need your help to know what fabulous new places people can explore on their next vacation”. Students then will click on and view the Voki. “Using your spiral notebooks, be sure to take lots of notes along your journey. Your end task will be to create a presentation to report your findings.”
Step 3: Student gather data and information to solve problem
Explain the process that the students will go through and the resources they will use to gather information and complete the task (This is the Process).
Process:
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Knowledge (Step 1): Students will reflect on the knowledge they already have regarding the Solar System.
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What do you already know about the Solar System?
Pull out your science journals and write a paragraph about what you've learned in the past.
Some examples to note would be:
-What is the Solar System?
-How many planets does the Solar System have?
-What is the order of the planets?
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Understanding (Step 2): (Youtube Playlist)
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Students will pick two videos to review and fill in the gaps of their knowledge of the Solar System. Students will then summarize each of the videos with 2-3 sentences.
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Apply (Step 3): (Emaze, brochure, podcast, Google Slides, Animoto, and Facebook)
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Students will apply their previous knowledge of the Solar System to dive a little deeper. Students will use tools to discover more about the Solar System. Each tool requires the student to participate in different tasks. Students are to keep a travel journal to write about their travels through the Solar System; record of these tasks will be written in their journal. The students work through the Solar System, learning about each planet starting with Mercury all the way to Neptune.
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Analyze (Step 4):
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Students will get to apply all the knowledge they have gained through their tour of the planets. This will be done through an interactive, online game that allows them to “build the solar system”. There are also engaging models of the solar system for students to discover information.
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Evaluate/Creation (Step 5): (ThingLink)
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Students will create an ThingLink, based off the example provided. The idea is that students will be providing information to the travel agency that will help them with future travel plans for explorers. The ThingLink will be used as both the creation and evaluation stages. Students will demonstrate that they have learned about the characteristics of each planet. They will include the information that they gathered in their travel journal.
Step 4: Students develop and verify solutions
Explain how student will demonstrate what they learned and how they will reflect on the process of completing the WebQuest (This is the evaluation & the conclusion).
Evaluation Page:
This page includes a rubric for their final project.
Conclusion:
“You did it!! The agency loved your presentation! Because of your help, many people have taken the leap to explore the Solar System! Well done!”
IV. Accommodations.
-Students with reading or writing impairments such as dyslexia may be allowed to work with a more advanced student to complete the webquest. They would work together and collaborate to turn in one final project and one travel journal. Student may also use a parent or tutor at home to complete assignment. Student will also be allowed to record snippets that would be attached to the thinglink instead of written text.
-Students with blindness or severe reading impairments would be provided with articles that include a braille translation. The teacher would record themselves reading slides of presentations or reading other information as part of the WebQuest that the student would listen to. An aid would help student to complete tasks. The student would be provided with a physical model of the solar system that they would feel and touch as they learn about the solar system. Their final project would include them putting the planets in order according to the size that they have observed through the journey.