Topic: Planets
Class: 1st Class
Lesson One Introduction:
Circle time to discuss and assess children’s prior knowledge of the solar system.
Trigger Question: ‘What is the name of the town where we live?’ Do they know what country this town is in? And what planet this country is on? On Earth. Can they name any other planets? Briefly talk about the names of the eight planets in our solar system. The children find out what planets there are and that they orbit the Sun.
Using interactive whiteboard: Address misunderstandings by using diagrams, images, simulations and video clips of space, making models and role play.
Play Planet Song
Each child gets a copy of the Tiny Planets Book to reinforce the language of the song. While the Music plays teacher circulates and discusses the children’s favourite planet, while the children colour and create the Tiny Planet Book.
Home School Link: Tiny Planet goes home for chat with family about what the child’s favourite planet is and why.
Lesson Two (Visual Art)
Using higher and lower order questions, recap on the song and what the children recall about each planet. E.g. Would you like to travel to … ? Why? Why not?
Ask the children to write on a card their favourite / or their families favourite planet based on home school link using the book as a prompt.
Stations are set up:
1. Art Table in groups to paint their favourite planet.
2. Play dough table to form the planets from play dough
3. Magnet Board table to write make the words of each planet
4. Ipad Station to watch Family of the Sun Moon Phases video / Paxi and our Moon (youtube)