Design Topic The Solar System Subject(s) __Science____ Grade(s) __4th_____ Designer(s) _Niyoria Bean_______

Understanding by Design

Unit Cover Page

Unit Title: _ Earth, Moon, Sun Relationships Grade Levels: _4th Grade__

Topic/Subject Areas: __Science_______________________________________

Key Words: _The Solar System______________________________________________

Designed By: __Niyoria Bean_____________ Time Frame: _4 weeks___________

School District: Regent University School: Teacher Ed & IDS Dept.

Brief Summary of Unit (including curricular context and unit goals):

This unit focuses on the Earth and its surrounding planets. The Earth is part of a changing
system. The content of this unit involves the solar system, planets, moons, and the seasons.
The different types of lessons will meet the different learning styles of my classroom. Each
lesson has visual or hands on materials to meet the needs of our visual learners. I have also
incorporated books and videos as well. We will also be using technology, such as the
internet to research our planets. The students will learn the order of the planets as well as
general characteristics of each. The students will have one major task to complete at the end
of the unit. They will be able to create a 3D model of the solar system and incorporate a
brochure to go along with their project. Also in this unit the students will be able to present
two pieces of work. The students will gain understanding of each planet because we will
learn the planets in two sections: terrestrial planets and gas giants. Unit was self-created.

Unit design status: x Completed template pages stages 1, 2, 3

Completed blueprint for each performance task x Completed rubrics

Directions to students and teacher Materials and resources listed

x Suggested accommodations x Suggested extensions

Status: Initial draft (date: ___________) Revised draft (date: ______)

Peer Reviewed Content Reviewed Field Tested Validated Anchored

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 1

Design Topic The Solar System Subject(s) __Science____ Grade(s) __4th_____ Designer(s) _Niyoria Bean_______

STAGE 1 DESIRED RESULTS

Unit Title: Earth, Moon, Sun Relationships

Established Goals:
4.7 - The student will investigate and understand the organization of the solar system. Key concepts include:
a) The planets in the solar system
b) The order of the planets in the solar system
c) The relative sizes of the and be able to put them in order based on size
Students will identify that the sun is the central star in our solar system.
Students will construct a model of the eight planets in our solar system from the sun.
Students will identify the difference between planets, moons, comets and asteroids.
Students will describe whether a planet is terrestrial or a gas giant.
Source: Science Standards of Learning VDOE

Understandings: Students will understand that Essential Questions:

Students will understand why each planet has
unique and identifiable features that sets them apart
Students will understand how some planets have
some common features.
Students will understand why people travel into
space to look for discover new things.
Students will understand why you have to examine
all the unique features of a planet
Students will understand and recognize important
information and key facts about the solar system.
Students will understand how there is a difference in
terrestrial planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars)
and gas giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and
Neptune)
Students will understand why there is a certain
makeup of our universe. They will also understand
why things are not just placed anywhere.
Students will understand how everything in our
universe are constantly moving but we cannot feel it
Students will know:
What kind of order does our universe have?
What is our solar system and why is it important?
How would you explain Earths location to someone
who has no idea about the solar system?
When you hear the word dwarf planet what comes to
mind?
If you were in space how many stars can you find?
How big is space?
What shapes can you find in the sky?
What can the solar system be compared to?
(Example: family).
Students will be able to:

Students will know the order of our planets
Students will know that the sun is the star in the
center of the universe and other planets orbit around
the dun
Students will know at least 1 characteristic about
each planet
Students will know that each of the 8 planets orbiting
the sun vary in size, structure, appearance and
distance from the sun
Students will know the eight planets in order by size:
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Earth, Venus,
Mars, and Mercury.
Students will know Pluto is no longer considered a
planet
Demonstrate understanding of the characteristics of
the planets in our solar system
Become familiar with the orbit of the moon around
the Earth
Recognize the names of the planets in the solar
system by repeating a rhyme/ song by repeating it
daily before a lesson
Remember the plants in the solar system by learning
an acronym to the correct order of the planets
Recognize characteristics of planets by identifying
which planet of the solar system each object
represents
Measure and estimate how far each planet is away
from one another
Investigate relationships between the Earth and the
moon and sun
Teach others how to explore the solar system using
technology in the classroom

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 2

Design Topic The Solar System Subject(s) __Science____ Grade(s) __4th_____ Designer(s) _Niyoria Bean_______

STAGE 2 ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Tasks: Other Evidence:

Summative authentic assessment- GRASPS Students will be given a pre-assessment

Assignment- Students are to construct a before the start of the unit to assess their
model to demonstrate the size of each prior knowledge.
planet and distance away from the Sun in Formative Assessment- Multiple choice
the solar system. They will also construct a quiz on the solar system- 10 question quiz.
brochure to go along with the model. Students will be able to cut out, paste and
Students will create a graphic organizer to color the planets in order beginning with
compare and contrast two planets which the planet closest to the sun.
they learned. They have to have at least 3 How many planets can you name activity?
details for each and at least 2 similarities in Show picture and have them use a white
the middle. board to write their answer.
Students will create a flyer of their favorite Homework: vocabulary of the solar system.
planet and include why someone should
visit their favorite planet. Students will use
facts from classroom discussions and
research to help create a flyer to convince
classmates to visit.
Have the students pick one planet in the
solar system and have them write a
paragraph describing characteristics that
they know about that certain planet.
Partner poster project- Have the students
draw the planet and write everything they
know about it.

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection

Self-assess the model and brochure about the solar system they made
Students will create a KWL chart about the solar system.
Students will complete journal entries on what they learned each day after each lesson.
Students will be given a name of one of the eight planets on their backs and they must arrange
themselves in order. 9 students at a time.
Exit slips at end of class to see what they learned or entry slips as they enter the classroom
Reflection at the end of the unit on: How would you explain Earths location to someone who has
no idea about the solar system?

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 3

Design Topic The Solar System Subject(s) __Science____ Grade(s) __4th_____ Designer(s) _Niyoria Bean_______

STAGE 3 LEARNING PLAN

Summary of Learning Activities:
(list by number here and then complete the week-by-week planning calendar below using the same
information)

1. Students will be given a pre-assessment before the start of the unit to assess their prior
knowledge.
2. Bring out the space rocket for classroom blastoff into space! Introductory Lesson- Beginning the
journey into outer space. Teaching a song/rhyme for the entire unit.
3. Use K-W-L to assess students prior knowledge and identify learning goals for the unit.
4. Watch a space launch & complete a journal entry
5. The students will be able to create astronauts as they begin this great space exploration
6. Students complete an exit slip what students learned
7. Introduce planet research project to the class: GRASP
8. Students will make a foldable for the vocabulary of the solar system.
9. Go through the Sun and Earth lessons with the students.
10. Play the video Bill Nye explains Seasons from YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=KUU7IyfR34o This 4 minute clip explains why the earth has the seasons and how the earth is
tilted.
11. After the clip, we will discuss as a group that seasons are caused by the tilt of Earth and the
distance from the sun
12. Students will identify the sun as a source of energy and will be able to explain the importance of
the sun in their everyday lives in a writing journal
13. We will begin our lesson on learning an acronym to remember the order of the planets. (My Very
Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos)
14. Group activity- Use balls to represent each of the planets to show the order and size of each
planet.
15. Students will be able to cut out, paste and color the planets in order beginning with the planet
closest to the sun.
16. Students will be given a name of one of the eight planets on their backs and they must arrange
themselves in order. 9 students at a time.
17. Quiz on the order of the planets in the solar system
18. Each student will start creating a book on the planets in the solar system for them to work write
things in during the whole unit.
19. Review Quiz. We will begin talking about the first 4 planets of the solar system called the Inner
Planets or terrestrial planets (Mercury Venus, Earth, Mars)
20. Watch a YouTube video on terrestrial planets. Explore the Solar System: The Rocky Planets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joq-IUFNkrw Have a video worksheet
21. Students will be able to organize their learning and questions on terrestrial planets by writing in
their daily discovery journal.
22. Short Quiz on terrestrial planets of the solar system. Fill in the blank
23. Have the students pick one terrestrial planets in the solar system and have them write a
paragraph describing characteristics that they know about that certain planet.
24. Have students write in planet foldable for the first four planets they learned
25. We will begin talking about the next 4 planets of the solar system called the outer planets or Gas
Giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune).
26. Review short quiz. Watch a YouTube video on Gas Giants. Explore the Solar System: The Gas
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 4
Design Topic The Solar System Subject(s) __Science____ Grade(s) __4th_____ Designer(s) _Niyoria Bean_______

Giants https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeC22-94PMw Have a video worksheet

27. Students will be able to organize their learning and questions on Gas Giants by writing in their
daily discovery journal.
28. Short Quiz on Gas Giants planets. Fill in the blank
29. Have the students pick on Gas Giant plane in the solar system and have them write a paragraph
describing characterizes they know about he certain planet.
30. Have students write in planet foldable for the last four planets they learned
31. Review short quiz. Solar System cut and glue activity- Have students cut out the definitions and
glue them next to the corresponding solar system object.
32. Students will create a graphic organizer to compare and contrast two planets which they learned.
They have to have at least 3 details for each and at least 2 similarities in the middle.
33. Solar System Game- game that the whole class can play at once. Students move around to each
desk in the classroom and answer questions about the planets and the sun.
34. Students will create a flyer of their favorite planet and include why someone should visit their
favorite planet. Students will use facts from classroom discussions and research to help create a
flyer to convince classmates to visit.
35. How many planets can you name activity? Show picture and have them use a white board to
write their answer.
36. Formative Assessment- Multiple choice quiz on the solar system- 10 question quiz.

37. Solar System Scavenger Hunt- Students hunt for planet and solar system facts hidden around
your classroom.

38. Partner poster project introduction. Have students fill out the K and W section of the KWL chart

39. Video: Magic School Bus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_LbsSqSjMk -Discuss things

that they talked about in the video as a class
40. Split the class into pairs and give each pair a planet that they will be doing research on.
41. Have the students go onto their laptops individually to research the planet they were assigned.
Having them sit beside their partners to work together to gather different information. Then have
them come together to share information and create a poster describing everything they know
about their planet.
42. Write ten things about our solar system, plus one thing you would like to change
43. Partner poster presentations. Have students peer review each partners work to give feedback.
44. GRASPS Assignment Due- Students are to construct a model to demonstrate the size of each
planet and distance away from the Sun in the solar system. They will also construct a brochure to
go along with the model. Self-evaluation before presenting
45. Student Presentations on GRASPS Assignment. Classmates review each classmates presentation
46. Students write in the L section of KWL chart
47. Reflection at the end of the unit on: How would you explain Earths location to someone who has
no idea about the solar system?

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 5

 Design Topic The Solar System Subject(s) __Science____ Grade(s) __4th_____ Designer(s) _Niyoria Bean_______

Consider the WHERETO elements. You must include enough instruction for 20 lessons.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

1. Students will be 5. The students will 9. Go through the 13. We will begin 16. Students will be
given a pre- be able to create Sun and Earth our lesson on given a name of one
assessment astronauts as they lessons with the learning an acronym of the eight planets
before the start of begin this great students. to remember the on their backs and
the unit to assess space exploration 10. Play the video order of the planets. they must arrange
their prior 6. Students Bill Nye explains (My Very Educated themselves in order. 9
knowledge. complete an exit Seasons from Mother Just Served students at a time.
2. Bring out the slip what students YouTube, Us Nachos) 17. Quiz on the order
space rocket for learned https://www.youtube. 14. Group activity- of the planets in the
classroom blastoff 7. Introduce planet com/watch? Use balls to solar system
into space! research project to v=KUU7IyfR34o This represent each of 18. Each student will
Introductory the class: GRASP 4 minute clip explains the planets to show start creating a book
Lesson- Beginning 8. Students will why the earth has the the order and size of on the planets in the
the journey into make a foldable for seasons and how the each planet. solar system for them
outer space. the vocabulary of earth is tilted. 15. Students will be to work write things in
Teaching a the solar system 11. After the clip, we able to cut out, during the whole unit.
song/rhyme for the will discuss as a paste and color the
entire unit. group that seasons planets in order
3. Use K-W-L to are caused by the tilt beginning with the
assess students of Earth and the planet closest to the
prior knowledge distance from the sun sun.
and identify 12. Students will
learning goals for identify the sun as a
the unit. source of energy and
4. Watch a space will be able to explain
launch & complete the importance of the
a journal entry sun in their everyday
lives in a writing
journal
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

19. Review Quiz. 22. Short Quiz on 26. Review Quiz. 28. Short Quiz on 31. Review short quiz
We will begin terrestrial planets of Watch a YouTube Gas Giants planets. Solar System cut and
talking about the the solar system. video on Gas Giants. Fill in the blank glue activity- Have
first 4 planets of Fill in the blank Explore the Solar 29. Have the students cut out the
the solar system 23. Have the System: The Gas students pick on definitions and glue
called the Inner students pick one Giants Gas Giant plane in them next to the
Planets or terrestrial planets in https://www.youtube. the solar system and corresponding solar
terrestrial planets the solar system com/watch? have them write a system object.
(Mercury Venus, and have them v=SeC22-94PMw paragraph 32. Students will
Earth, Mars) write a paragraph Have a video describing create a graphic
20. Watch a describing worksheet characterizes they organizer to compare
YouTube video on characteristics that 27. Students will be know about he and contrast two
terrestrial planets. they know about able to organize their certain planet. planets which they
Explore the Solar that certain planet. learning and 30. Have students learned. They have to
System: The 24. Have students questions on Gas write in planet have at least 3 details
Rocky Planets write in planet Giants by writing in foldable for the last for each and at least
https://www.youtub foldable for the first their daily discovery four planets they 2 similarities in the
e.com/watch? four planets they journal. learned middle.
v=joq-IUFNkrw learned
Have a video
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 6
Design Topic The Solar System Subject(s) __Science____ Grade(s) __4th_____ Designer(s) _Niyoria Bean_______
worksheet
21. Students
will be able to
organize their
learning and
questions on
terrestrial planets
by writing in their
daily discovery
journal.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

33. Solar System 35. How many 37. Solar System 38. Partner poster 40. Split the class into
Game- game that planets can you Scavenger Hunt- project introduction. pairs and give each
the whole class name activity? Students hunt for Have students fill pair a planet that they
can play at once. Show picture and planet and solar out the K and W will be doing research
Students move have them use a system facts hidden section of the KWL on.
around to each white board to write around your chart 41. Have the students
desk in the their answer. classroom. go onto their laptops
classroom and 36. Formative 39. Video: Magic individually to
answer questions Assessment- School Bus: research the planet
about the planets Multiple choice quiz https://www.youtube. they were assigned.
and the sun. on the solar com/watch? Having them sit
34. Students will system- 10 v=Z_LbsSqSjMk beside their partners
create a flyer of question quiz. -Discuss things that to work together to
their favorite they talked about in gather different
planet and include the video as a class information. Then
why someone have them come
should visit their together to share
favorite planet. information and
Students will use create a poster
facts from describing everything
classroom they know about their
discussions and planet.
research to help
create a flyer to
convince
classmates to visit.
16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

41. Have the 42. Write ten things 44. GRASPS 45. Student 46. Students write in
students go onto about our solar Assignment Due- Presentations- the L section of KWL
their laptops system, plus one Students are to classmates review chart
individually to thing you would like construct a model to each classmates 47. Reflection at the
research the to change demonstrate the size presentation. end of the unit on:
planet they were 43. Partner poster of each planet and How would you
assigned. Having presentations. distance away from explain Earths
them sit beside Have students peer the Sun in the solar location to someone
their partners to review each system. They will who has no idea
work together to partners work to also construct a about the solar
gather different give feedback. brochure to go along system?
information. Then with the model. Self-
have them come evaluation before
together to share presenting
information and 45. Student
create a poster Presentations.
describing Classmates review
everything they each classmates
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 7
Design Topic The Solar System Subject(s) __Science____ Grade(s) __4th_____ Designer(s) _Niyoria Bean_______
know about their presentation
planet.

Grading Rubric for Solar System 4th grade

NASA 3D Model/ Brochure Performance Task

Task: You will create a 3D model illustrating and labeling the position of each planet in our solar system from the
sun and making a brochure to go along with it. This is to allow these astronauts to learn as much as they need to
know before traveling into space. . The brochure should have a creative design and should fully state all
characteristics as well as being labeled. You will work individually on this task.

Criteria 4 3 2 1
The student: Exceeds the Meets the Approaching Below the
Standard Standard the Standard
Standard
Recognizes the Illustrates and Illustrates and Illustrates and Illustrates and
planets of the labels all 8 labels 6-8 planets labels 3-5 planets labels 0-2 planets
solar system planets in the in the solar in the solar in the solar
solar system system system system
____/4

Student Constructs a 3D Constructs a 3D Constructs a 3D Constructs a 3D

recognizes the model showing model showing model showing model showing
relative size of the size the size the size the size
the planets and difference in all 8 difference in 7-8 differences in 4-6 differences in 0-3
their order from planets in order planets in order planets in order planets in order
the sun from the Sun from the Sun. from the sun room the sun

____/4

Student Lists 5 or more Lists 4-5 Lists 2-3 Lists 0-1

demonstrates important important important characteristic of
understanding characteristics of characteristics of characteristics of each planet in the
of each planets each planet in the each planet in the each planet in the brochure
characteristics brochure brochure brochure

____/4

Appearance of Writing is neat Writing is neat Writing is legible Writing is not

brochure/ 3D and legible, 3D and legible, 3D and 3D model is legible or no
Model model are neat, model are neat accurate. brochure at all.
creative and and accurate, and 3D model need
____/4 accurate, and brochure is improvement
brochure
Source: Understanding by Design, is Planningorganized
Unit Design and
Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 8
organized and well thought out.
creative and well
thought out.
Design Topic The Solar System Subject(s) __Science____ Grade(s) __4th_____ Designer(s) _Niyoria Bean_______

Total: _____/16

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 9