Learning Cycle A

Theme: Space Exploration

Enduring Understanding for the Unit:
I want my students to understand that curiosity can lead to questioning the unknown.
Unit Topic: The History of Moon Landings
Grade Level: 5th Grade
Integrated Subjects:
Social Studies
o This will be integrated as the class researches the history of moon landings from
the United States, as well as other countries. They will be looking at specific dates
in history that has affected our world through space exploration.
Math
o As the students research different moon explorations, they will be required to
address the costs of fuel and the entire venture to space, as well as the length of
the distances travelled.
Technology
o As the students research different moon explorations, they will be required to
address the creation of the space shuttle used. This integration will also include
the process and use of technology that supported this exploration.
Language Arts
o The students will be reinforcing their writing skills as they will be required to
create a presentation to describe their moon explorations to the class. Within these
presentations, they must include proper sentences to present their found
information.
Science
o This lesson will revolve around science as the students investigate the moon
landings that have been explored throughout history.
Standard Strand:
Strand 6: Earth and Space Science
Concept 3: Earth in the Solar System - Understand the relationships of the Earth and other
objects in the solar system
Performance Objectives:
PO 4. Describe the change in position and motion of the following objects in the sky over time:
real motion Moon, planets
apparent motion (due to the motion of the Earth) Sun, Moon, stars
PO 6. Describe efforts to explore space (e.g., Apollo missions, space shuttles, Hubble space
telescope, space probes).

Exploration
Estimated time: 2 days (2 class periods)
Grouping: The students will be working in groups of three to complete this activity.
Materials: Cardboard, plastic bottles, aluminum cans, tape, glue, paint, foam, computers/iPads
Activity:
The students will be separated into groups of three and will research a moon landing exploration
of choice. This moon exploration and grouping of students will be used for the expansion activity
that will be later discussed. To complete this exploration activity, the students will use the
information gathered from their investigations. The students will work together to create a model
to represent the space shuttle used in the exploration in which they have researched. On the final
day of this activity, the class will venture outside to demonstrate a rocket launching activity. Each
group will launch their space shuttles and will have a friendly competition to see how far their
shuttles will travel. This competition will take place as the students throw their paper models as
each yard thrown will represent 100 light years.
Procedure:
1. The teacher will begin to engage the class by implementing a discussion about the Earth's
moon. These questions that will engage the students will include:
1. What do they know about the moon?
2. How did we get to the moon?
3. When was the first moon landing?
b. To continue engaging the students with this new topic of space exploration, the teacher
will show a video from this link:
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMINSD7MmT4
b. Afterwards, the students will be separated into groups of three and will pick, as a group, a
moon exploration of their choice. Options will be shown by a list, but no two groups will
be allowed to research the same moon exploration.
c. The students will then research their chosen moon landings to find what space
shuttle/rocket that was used in their discoveries.
d. Together, the students will draw a sketching of the rocket/space shuttle investigated
before making a 3D model.
e. After the brainstorming and sketching have been completed, the students will make their
3D model using the materials provided.
Concepts: We want our students to understand that
One discovery can lead to others.
There are multiple processes that can be taken to reach the same success.
Curiosity drives innovation.
Expansion
Estimated time: 3 days (3 class periods)
Grouping: The students will be working in groups of three to complete this activity.

Materials: Computers/ipads, art supplies (i.e., poster boards, markers)

Activities:
The students will research a moon landing exploration from any country. The students will work
in groups of three and will investigate their chosen landing. However, each groups' chosen
exploration must differ from the others. After the investigation has been made and the different
facts have been recorded, the students will create a presentation to show their findings to the
class. Their presentations should include the following facts:
What instruments were used in the process of this exploration?
Why is this moon landing famous?
What country does this exploration support?
What were the names of the people involved?
How much did this moon landing exploration cost?
What instruments were created for this moon landing to take place?
Procedure:
Using the same groups that were used in the activity beforehand, the students will
investigate other aspects relating to the chosen moon exploration.
The students will research and cover the topics of:
o What instruments were used in the process of this exploration?
o Why is this moon landing famous?
o What country does this exploration support?
o What were the names of the people involved?
o How much did this moon landing exploration cost?
o What instruments were created for this moon landing to take place?
After the students have investigated their chosen moon landings, they will make a visual
aid to present the found information to the class. This presentation will allow the other
groups to learn about the other moon explorations investigated.
Assessments:
The students will be researching about different moon landings that have occurred overtime. This
will included different countries' moon explorations. In this research project, the students will
choose one moon exploration and investigate the mission, the space shuttles used, and other
interesting facts pertaining to their chosen exploration. Each student will be put into groups of
three to focus on their topic, which will be different from the other groups. They will work
together to create a presentation to discuss their moon landing exploration to the class.
Accommodations:
4 ELL students - The teacher will create direction sheets for these students to use in class
as they are able to see the words rather than hear them spoken aloud. Depending on their
English comprehension skills, the instructional sheets may include instructions that are
presented in their home/first language. Due to the researching process of being online,

these ELL students will be able to use different applications to have the moon landing's
information translated to their first language.
1 Gifted student - The teacher will present the opportunity for the students to create their
own moon landing explorations. These students will be required to incorporate the same
topics as previously researched, but will provide their own imagination in creating an
original plan to travel to the moon.