1 Lesson Title: DISAPPEARING SUN? TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN By Krista Bridenthal K. Bridenthal: 40 minutes (portions adapted from Project FIRST: How Can the Little Moon Hide the Giant Sun) Summary: Students will learn about how it is possible for a small moon to hide a giant sun during a solar eclipse. First, students will watch a video illustrating both solar and lunar eclipses and then record their observations. They will also participate in a demonstration of shadows. When in the solar system room, they will explore scale by observing scale models of the planets in relationship to the sun. Next, the students will investigate how a small ball can hide a larger ball. Finally, students will proceed to the planetarium for a spectacular show. Background Knowledge: The moon revolves around the Earth. The Earth revolves around the sun. Shadows are made when light from the sun cannot pass through an object. Science Concepts SCI 3.2.4 Investigate how light travels through the air and tends to maintain its direction until it interacts with some object or material. SCI 3.1.5 Observe and describe how light is absorbed, changes its direction, is reflected back and passes through objects. Observe and describe that a shadow results when light cannot pass through an object. Mathematical Concepts MA 3.5.1 Measure line segments to the nearest half-inch. MA 3.6.1 Analyze problems by identifying relationships, telling relevant from irrelevant information, and observing patterns. Lesson Objectives 1. Students will be able to describe how a shadow is made. 2. Students will be able to identify the positions of the Earth, sun, and moon in a solar eclipse. 3. Students will be able to explain how a small object like the moon can hide a larger object like the sun during an eclipse. Interdisciplinary Objectives 1. Language Arts: Students will be able to write complete sentences correctly. They will be able to answer questions completely and appropriately. 2. Visual Arts: Students will be able to discriminate concepts of space and scale. Assessment Product Name or Assessment Description Informal- teacher observation and class discussion Informal- graphic organizer Informal- Brain Pop Take the Quiz Informal- Brain Pop Activity page Formal- Make an Eclipse! assessment Vocabulary Grade level tier 2 and 3 vocabulary used in lesson Ø Tier 2: revolve, orbit, shadow, eclipse, partial, total Ø Tier 3: lunar, solar, corona, umbra, antumbra, penumbra Lesson Description
2 The Presentation Room (20 minutes) Set purpose: The teacher will ask students, Can the sun disappear? Direct students to take notes and focus in order to find out. Using teacher laptop, show Brain Pop video Eclipse (#1 in Appendix A). During the video, students will use the graphic organizer (Appendix B) to take notes about eclipses. Following the video, ask the students, Based on what you learned, can the sun disappear? How? What do you mean? Is it really gone? Why can t you see it? Discuss. Demonstrate shadows using a flashlight and a paper plate or ball. The light from the flashlight travels in a straight line. When it can t go through an object, a shadow is created. Ask students, How are shadows related to a solar eclipse? Review vocabulary and concepts as a class by using the Take the Quiz section of the Brain Pop Eclipse segment. If there is time, you may also use the Activity section on Brain Pop to match vocabulary and draw solar/lunar eclipses. This may be done as a whole class by typing in the answers on the website. It can also be printed and distributed as a worksheet (Appendix C). The Solar System Room (20 minutes) Transition students to the solar system. Students should be seated in the room. Instruct them to not touch the planet models. The teacher will explain, The room you are sitting in is a model of the sun. Have a student locate the model of the planet Earth. How does Earth s size compare to that of the sun? We do not see the moon in this room, but if we did, would it be bigger or smaller than Earth? The moon is much smaller than the sun! Pose the question, How can the little moon hide the giant sun with its shadow? This lesson is adapted from a Project FIRST lesson called How Can the Little Moon Hide the Giant Sun? (#2 in Appendix A). Investigate: Look at a large object like the model of Jupiter. Have a student stand close, hold up a ruler at arm s length, close one eye, and measure its height to the nearest half inch. Have another student stand back several more feet and repeat. Have another student stand across the room and measure again. What pattern did you notice? Did the object s size really change? Why does it appear to look smaller? Discuss how an object looks smaller the farther away that it is. Explore: Mark a place on the floor. Lay two balls side by side on that mark. One is larger, and the other is smaller. The bigger ball represents the sun, and the smaller ball represents the moon (although sizes are relative, they are not to perfect scale). Explain that a student will lie down so he can see the balls at eye level. You will slowly move the bigger ball back until the balls appear to be the same size. Using a teacher copy of Make an Eclipse (Appendix D), first record students predictions about how far you will need to move the ball. Then perform the exploration. Measure and record using a meter stick or ruler. Measure to the nearest half inch. Let students take turns looking at the balls from eye level as time permits. Assessment: After leaving the Time and Space Discovery Center, students will write their conclusions on the recording sheet called Make an Eclipse! (Appendix D). They will explain why the big sun looks so small to us and how the small moon can cover the big sun. Students should be encouraged to write in complete sentences. Alternatively, these activities may be done orally. Students should be encouraged to answer in complete sentences. The Planetarium (20 minutes) Transition students to the planetarium to watch a selected show about the sun.
3 Fast 5 s 1. Describe how light travels. 2. How is a shadow made? 3. Describe the location of the sun, Earth, and moon during a solar eclipse. 4. Compare and contrast a solar and a lunar eclipse. 5. If the sun is so big and the moon is so small, how can the moon hide the sun? Differentiation The content of all informal and formal assessments may be modified according to student need. For example, the number of questions may be reduced or answer choices may be given. Assessments may be completed digitally, on paper, or orally. Materials Teacher laptop for presentation room Flashlight 2 balls of 2 sizes Ruler or meter stick Brain Pop graphic organizer (appendix B) Brain Pop activity page (appendix C) Make an Eclipse! Assessment (appendix D)
4 APPENDIX A: WEBSITES 1. Eclipse video on Brain Pop http://www.brainpop.com/science/space/eclipse/ 2. Project FIRST How Can the Little Moon Hide the Giant Sun? http://www.eyeonthesky.org/lessonplans/12sun_littlemoon.html 3. NASA Eclipse: How Can the Little Moon Hide the Giant Sun? http://sunearthday.nasa.gov/2007/materials/eclipse_smallmoon_bigsun.pdf
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