Name Alexis Turner

Class ELED 3221-003

Date October 27, 2014
edTPA Indirect Instruction Lesson Plan Template
The moon: Phase by phase.
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Central Focus/Big Idea: The moon phases-What are they?
Subject of this lesson: Science-Moon Phases
Grade Level: Fourth Grade
NC Essential Standard(s): 4.E.1.2 Explain the monthly changes in the appearance of the moon,
based on the moons orbit around the Earth.
Next Generation Science Standard(s): 5-ESS1-2..
21st Century Skills: Creativity- The Moon Assignment
Collaboration- The Moon Assignment by working with classmates
Academic Language Demand
Language Function: In the table below highlight the one most important language
function for your lesson. Explain why you chose these.
Analyze
Interpret

Argue
Predict

Categorize
Question

Compare/contrast Describe
Retell
Summarize

Explain

Scientific Vocabulary:
New Moon
Waxing Crescent
First Quarter
Waxing Gibbous
Full Moon
Waning Gibbous
Last Quarter
Waning Crescent

Instructional Objective:
Students will complete the Moon Assignment based on the phases of the moon and earn at least 3
out of 5 points for creativity, collaboration, and completion.

Prior Knowledge (student):

The moon orbits around the earth.
The Earth rotates on its axis.
The Earth revolves around the sun.
The appearance of the moon changes each night.
Content Knowledge (teacher): What background knowledge does the teacher need to have?
Provide enough content here so that a novice colleague could teach this lesson.
The size of the moon does not change.
The appearance of the moon changes; based on the reflection of the sun on the moon.
There are 8 phases.
The 8 phases are New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon,
Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, and Waning Crescent.
The lunar cycle is approximately 29 days.
The Earth rotates on its axis.
The rotation of the Earth on its axis takes 24 hours and causes day and night.
The Earth revolves around the Sun.
One revolution of the Earth around the sun takes 365 days and causes the changes in the seasons.
Accommodations for special needs (individual and/or small group): During the Moon
Assignment students may choose an additional medium to show their creativity.
Materials and Technology requirements:
Science notebooks
Computer
Projector
Internet
http://www.e-learningforkids.org/science/lesson/lunar-cycle/
Moon Assignment worksheets

Total Estimated Time: 2-3 science class periods.

Source of lesson: My CT and Pinterest.
Safety considerations: Students will be completing work at their desks and in various places
around the room. There should not be a safety hazard. Students will follow school policy and
procedure in the event of an emergency.

Content and Strategies (Procedure)

In your procedure, be sure to include all of the following 5 Es. Your procedure should be
detailed enough for a colleague to follow. If you will be relying on technology (e.g., a YouTube
video), describe your back up plan thoroughly. Imagine your most novice colleague needing to
teach from your plan. Dont just answer the questions. Additionally, I expect you to include
possible questions you could ask for each section. This needs to include higher-order questions.
Engage: (10 minutes)
Rhyme or song to introduce the difference between waxing and waning phases.
Moon on the right, getting bigger every night (Waxing). When the moon is waning, it is fading
to the left until theres no moon remaining.
Have students copy this into their science notebooks. Repeat several times with students and
have them come up with a tune to help remember.
Explore: (30 minutes)
Students will watch interactive video on the phases of the moon. Students will draw the phases
of the moon in their science journals as we go through the video. Students will complete the quiz
at the end of the video. There is a matching section for the phases and the students will need to
come up to the computer to match the right phase.
How many days are in the lunar cycle?
What phase does the lunar cycle start on?
How many phases are there total in the lunar cycle?
Explanation: (40 minutes)
Students will be given the Moon Assignment. There are three options for the students to choose
from.
Choice One: Draw and color a cartoon strip involving the moon and its 8 phases. You can be as
creative as you want, but be sure to explain the moon and its phases as much as possible.
Choice Two: Write a song, poem, or rap about the moon and its 8 different phases. You can even
include other information about the moon that we have learned throughout this unit.
Choice Three: Write a story about the moon, sun, and Earth. Be sure to include their interactions
with each other and again, be as creative as you would like. Feel free to include additional sun,
moon, and Earth facts as well.
Allow students thirty minutes to work individually or as a group to complete the assignment. At
the end of the time allotted have the students share their work and creativity with the class.
Teacher may video tape the students sharing their work.
Elaborate: (a few minutes after each group has shared)
Students can give a comment after each group had shared their work. This comment should be
about how they liked how that student incorporated the content in their work. This is also the
time for students to be encouraging to one another.
Evaluate:
Students will be evaluated on the amount of content that was put into the choice that they chose.
Their completed work should be creative and incorporating the content. There will be an
informal assessment by the teacher as the students complete their work.

To be complete after the lesson is taught as appropriate

Assessment Results of all objectives/skills:
Reflection on lesson:
CT signature/confirmation: _________________________________ Date: ________________