Basic

 Productivity  Tools  (BPT)  

Lesson  Idea  Name:      Solar  System  
Content  Area:  Science  
Grade  Level(s):  4th  Grade  
Content  Standard  Addressed:      S4E1.  Obtain,  evaluate,  and  communicate  information  to  compare  and  
contrast  the  physical  attributes  of  stars  and  planets.  
d. Evaluate strengths and limitations of models of our solar system in describing relative size, order,
appearance and composition of planets and the sun.

 
Technology  Standard  Addressed:  3.  Knowledge  Constructor  
3c.  Students  curate  information  from  digital  resources  using  a  variety  of  tools  and  methods  to  create  
collections  of  artifacts  that  demonstrate  meaningful  connections  or  conclusions  
 
Selected  Technology  Tool:  PowerPoint    
 
URL(s)  to  support  the  lesson  (if  applicable):        
 
Bloom’s  Taxonomy  Level(s):        
 

☐    Remembering            ☐    Understanding            ☒    Applying              ☐    Analyzing                ☐    Evaluating              ☒    Creating  

 
Levels  of  Technology  Integration  (LoTi  Level):    
 

☐    Level  1:  Awareness                ☐    Level  2:  Exploration          ☐    Level  3:  Infusion            ☒    Level  4:  Integration  
 

☐    Level  5:  Expansion                  ☐    Level  6:  Refinement            

 
Universal  Design  for  Learning  (UDL):    I  planned  this  activity  for  students  to  be  able  to  learn  and  share  their  
knowledge  about  our  solar  system  using  a  software  (power  point).  The  purpose  of  this  lesson  was  for  
students  to  be  able  to  gather  and  obtain  information,  and  use  this  tool  to  model  the  planets  in  the  solar  
system.  Students  are  to  organize  the  planets  by  order,  size,  appearance,  and  composition  as  well  as  include  
facts  about  the  certain  planet.  This  type  of  lesson  encourages  students  to  share  their  knowledge  through  
visuals  that  could  include  sounds  and  videos  as  well.  By  using  PowerPoint,  students  can  choose  how  they  
want  their  information  to  be  shared:  what  format,  how  fast,  how  much  or  how  little  information  they  choose  
to  add  onto  slides  is  up  to  them.  PowerPoint  is  a  great  way  for  students  to  express  all  types  of  projects  of  
whatever  subject.    
 
Lesson  idea  implementation:    For  this  lesson,  the  teacher  will  start  by  having  a  class  discussion  on  the  solar  
system.  The  teacher  will  start  by  asking  the  students  what  the  smallest  and  largest  planet  is  as  an  
introduction.  Then,  the  teacher  will  demonstrate  to  the  student’s  pictures  of  the  planets  (printed  out)  and  ask  
the  students  to  take  a  close  look  at  the  details  of  the  picture,  especially  the  color.  The  teacher  will  then  
continue  the  lesson  with  reading  short  book  about  the  solar  system  and  ask  the  students  to  guess  the  planet’s  
name  as  she  reads.  The  teacher  will  label  the  planets  based  on  the  student’s  responses.  After  reading  the  
short  story,  the  teacher  will  instruct  the  students  to  create  a  PowerPoint  based  on  the  solar  system  they  
previously  read  about  in  class  that  day.  The  students  are  to  use  PowerPoint  that  includes  one  title  page  and  
one  slide  per  planet  for  a  total  of  10  slides.  The  slides  on  the  PowerPoint  must  be  organized  in  any  order  the  
student  choses  (either  from  largest  to  smallest  or  smallest  to  largest),  include  at  least  one  image  of  the  
planet,  and  have  at  least  three  facts  about  that  planet.    
The  teacher  will  be  roaming  the  class  accessing  student  learning  and  making  sure  everyone  is  aware  of  how  to  
use  PowerPoint  and  to  answer  any  questions  the  students  may  have.  The  teacher  should  also  encourage  the  
Spring  2018_SJB  
 Basic  Productivity  Tools  (BPT)  
students  to  show  creativeness  in  their  work.  Overall,  this  project  supports  differentiated  learning  through  
allowing  the  students  to  choose  the  way  their  work  on  PowerPoint  is  expressed.  Students  choose  how  they  
present  the  information  about  the  solar  system,  in  what  order,  and  choose  which  every  pictures  and  facts  
that  is  appropriate  to  that  specific  planet.  It  is  important  that  teachers  provide  encouraging,  kind,  and  positive  
feedback  to  every  student  acknowledging  their  hard  work.  To  extend  learning  to  a  higher  level,  each  student  
could  submit  their  work  online  to  share.      
 
 
 
 
Reflective  Practice:  I  feel  that  this  activity  could  impact  student  learning  because  it  allows  them  to  take  in  
information  learned,  explore  their  research  skills,  and  create  their  own  unique  project.  Students  were  
introduced  to  a  topic  and  given  instructions  on  what  was  expected,  but  students  decided  on  their  own  how  
they  could  put  their  information  together  into  a  PowerPoint.  I  think  this  is  a  great  tool  for  students  as  well  as  
teachers  to  organize  and  present  material.  To  further  extend  this  lesson,  students  could  create  a  3D  
representation  of  the  solar  system  from  any  materials  they  choose.    
 

           

   

Spring  2018_SJB