SETON HILL UNIVERSITY

Lesson Plan Template

Name Kelcey Miller

Subject Science

Grade Level 4

Date/Duration 1 class period

RATIONALE Standards (SAS and PA Keys)

Standard 3.3.4.B1: Identify planets in our solar system and their basic characteristics.

Standard 3.3.4.B1: Describe the earth’s place in the solar system that includes the sun (a star),
planets, and many moons.

Big Idea Statement

The inner and outer planets of the solar system are divided by the asteroid belt and have many
different characteristics.

Essential Question Statement

 Which planets make up the inner planets? (Bloom’s Level 1)

 Which planets make up the outer planets? (Bloom’s Level 1)
 Contrast the inner planets with the outer planets. (Bloom’s Level 4)
 What is the asteroid belt and where is it located? (Bloom’s Level 1)
 What is the order of the planets in the solar system? (Bloom’s Level 1)

Objective Statement (Audience, Behavior, Condition, Degree)

During a sorting activity, all fourth grade students will sort and glue fourteen characteristics
into the categories of inner planets or outer planets.

Vocabulary

Solar system, sun, inner planets, outer planets, asteroid belt

LESSON PROCEDURE Activating Prior Knowledge

 Teacher reminds students that in the previous lesson, they learned about the planets of
the solar system.
 Teacher asks students:
o What are the eight planets of the solar system? (Bloom’s Level 1)
o What are some of the characteristic of the planets? (Bloom’s Level 1)
 Teacher informs students that the planets are divided into two groups: the inner
planets and the outer planets. In today’s lesson, they will classify the planets as inner or
outer. They will also learn about the asteroid belt and its location in the solar system.

Pre-Assessment of Students

 To see what students already know, they will attempt to place the planets and the
asteroid belt in the correct order from the sun.
 Teacher gives each student a partner.
 Teacher distributes cards containing pictures of the sun, the planets, and the asteroid
belt to each group.
  Teacher instructs the students to find the card with the sun and place it on the left side
of their desk.
 Teacher explains that the sun is the center of the solar system. All the planets revolve
around it. The sun will act as their starting point.
 Students are given time to place the remaining cards in order.
 After each group has arranged their cards, the teacher brings the class back together.
 Groups volunteer to share their work.

Hook/Lead-In/Anticipatory Set

Teacher reads “Going Around the Sun: Some Planetary Fun” by Marianne Berkes.

Modeling the Concept

 Teacher presents a Pear Deck with information about the inner and outer planets and
the asteroid belt.
 Students enter a code on their devices to follow along with the presentation and
respond to a variety of questions, including:
o Which of the following is not an inner planet? (Bloom’s Level 1)
o True or False: The inner planets are the larger planets. (Bloom’s Level 1)
o How many moons does Mars have? (Bloom’s Level 1)
o Drag a number beside each planet to place the outer planets in the order of their
distance from the Sun (closest to furthest). (Bloom’s Level 1)
o Contrast the outer planets with the inner planets. (Bloom’s Level 4)
o Create a labeled model of the solar system including the eight planets (in the correct
order) and the asteroid belt. (Bloom’s Level 6)
 Teacher distributes a foldable to each student.
 Teacher places a blank foldable under the projector so that all the students can see it.
 Teacher models how the students will cut around the outside edge and then on the
dotted line.
 Teacher shows students how to fold the flaps back to the solid line and then glue the
foldable into their interactive notebook, making sure to only put glue on the part that
says “Inner vs. Outer Planets.”
 Teacher explains that on the left side of the foldable, they will write the characteristics
of the inner planets and on the right side of the foldable, they will write the
characteristics of the outer planets.
 Teacher folds back the left side of the foldable and the class brainstorms a list of
characteristics of the inner planets. Teacher writes the notes on the example and the
students copy them.
 Teacher folds back the right side of the foldable and the class brainstorms a list of
characteristics of the outer planets. Teacher writes the notes on the example and the
students copy them.
 Teacher passes out the Inner and Outer Planets Sort, explains the directions, and
models how students will cut out the characteristics and glue them under the correct
category (either inner planets or outer planets).

Guiding the Practice

 Teacher gives students time to cut out the characteristics.

 Teacher asks students to find the characteristic that says “Large planets.”
 During a Think-Pair-Share, students discuss whether “Large planets” is a characteristic
of the inner or outer planets.
 Once it has been determined that this is a characteristic of the outer planets, students
place it in the first spot under “Outer Planets.” At this point, students are not gluing the
characteristics; they are just placing them in the correct category.

Providing Independent Practice

 Students work independently to sort the characteristics into the correct categories.
  Students raise their hand when they are finished and teacher gives them a glue stick to
glue the characteristics.

Closure/Summary/Review of Learning

 Teacher reviews the answers for the Inner and Outer Planets Sort with the class.
 Students check their answers and make corrections as necessary.

READING MATERIALS,  Cards with pictures of the sun, the planets, and the asteroid belt
TECHNOLOGY, AND  “Going Around the Sun: Some Planetary Fun” by Marianne Berkes
SUPPLIES  Pear Deck presentation
(https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1T5NgCa3rTVF720oHKM2b1atMyo7Yw8fe
Wn6xl-34mrA/edit?usp=sharing)
 Inner and Outer Planets Foldable
 Scissors
 Glue sticks
 Interactive notebooks
 Inner and Outer Planets Sort

EVALUATION OF THE Formative Evaluation

LEARNING/MASTERY
OF THE CONCEPT  The questions that the teacher asks the students at the beginning of the lesson are used
as a formative evaluation. These questions will inform the teacher if the students
understood the concept from the previous lesson and if anything needs to be retaught
or clarified.
 The Pear Deck presentation is also a formative evaluation. The teacher can view the
students’ responses in real time. This will allow the teacher to see if the students are
understanding the information in the presentation. The teacher can then use this data
to determine if she needs to go back and reteach or if she can proceed with the lesson.
 The Inner and Outer Planets Sort is another formative evaluation for the lesson. This
will be collected at the end of the class period. The teacher will look over the
corrections that the students made and determine any areas of confusion that need to
be clarified in the following lesson.

Summative Evaluation

There is no summative evaluation for this lesson.

INDIVIDUALIZED Accommodations
STUDENT SUPPORTS
When completing the Inner and Outer Planets Sort, students with limited fine motor skills will
be given planet characteristics that have already been cut out.

Modifications

Students who require modifications will sort and glue eight characteristics into the categories of
inner planets or outer planets.

Enrichment

Students who are gifted will be permitted to demonstrate their knowledge of the inner and
outer planets in a different way other than the sort. For example, they could create a Google
Slides presentation, make a small poster, or write a song.

REFLECTION