Developmental Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Rachel Serfass Date: 11/5/2020

Group Size: Whole Class (20) Allotted Time: 40 minutes Grade Level: 4

Subject or Topic: Sun Affects the Seasons

Common Core/PA Standard(s):

Standard - 3.3.4.B2
SCALES

Know the basic characteristics and uses of telescopes.

PATTERNS/PHASES

Identify major lunar phases.

PATTERNS

Explain time (days, seasons) using solar system motions.

Learning Targets/Objectives:
The students will be able to explain how the sun causes the changes in seasons by modeling
with an orange and a flashlight.

Assessment Approaches: Evidence:

1. Orange activity powerpoint 1. Seasons are modeled and labeled
2. What season is it now in _______ 2. worksheet is filled out and handed in.
worksheet …
….
Assessment Scale:
Rubric for Orange Activity Assignment

Criteria 100% 80% 60%

Models All 4 2-3 1 or less

models models models
__/5 accuratel accuratel accuratel
y show y show y show
the tilt of the tilt of the tilt of
the Earth the Earth the Earth
and have and have and have
the Earth the Earth the Earth
in an in an in an
appropri appropri appropri
ate ate ate
position position position
relative relative relative
to the to the to the
sun. sun. sun.

Labels All 4 2-3 1 or less

models models models
__/5 are are are
labeled labeled labeled
with the with the with the
correct correct correct
seasons. seasons. seasons.

Subject Matter/Content:
Prerequisites:
- the earth revolves around the sun
- light gives off heat
- understand the area of shapes (geometry)
Key Vocabulary:
- Northern hemisphere - half of the Earth north of the equator
- Southern hemisphere - half of the Earth south of the equator
- equator - an imaginary circle around the middle of the Earth that is the same distance
from the North Pole and the South Pole
Content/Facts:
- There are four seasons: spring, summer, autumn (fall), and winter
- The tilt of the earth and the revolution around the sun cause the seasons
- when the Northern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, it receives direct
sunlight and it is hotter -- summer
- When the Northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, it receives
- When neither is facing directly towards the sun, it is more moderate weather
-- fall and spring.
- Seasons on opposite hemispheres are opposite
- Winter in North is Summer in South and vice versa
- Fall in North is Spring in South and vice versa

Introduction/Activating/Launch Strategies:
- Read the book “Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors” by Joyce Sidman, to set the
tone and theme for the day as talking about seasons.
- Ask: “What do you think causes the seasons to change?” Have the students turn and
talk to a partner, and then have a short discussion with the whole class.
- Establish that the sun is in part responsible for the seasons, but there is more to it.
Say: “Let’s find out what other factors change the seasons!”
Development/Teaching Approaches
- Show the Crash Course video.
- Pause the video at 2:31 and use a flashlight to demonstrate the angles of light on the
chalkboard. Point the flashlight directly at the board, so it’s a circle of light. Have one
of the students trace the circle with a piece of chalk. Then tilt the flashlight so that it
creates an oval of light, and have a student trace this figure with the chalk. Finally tilt
the flashlight on it’s side, against the board, and have a student trace the shape that
the light makes. Ask the students to compare the shapes of the light. Ask: “Which
shape has the largest area?” Answer: the shape when the flashlight was positioned
parallel to the board. Ask: “Which shape has the smallest area?” Answer: The shape
when the light was pointed directly at the board. Ask: “Which shape do you think
would produce the most heat?” Answer: the circle.
- Play the video again and finish it.
- Split the class into groups of two students and out the supplies for the orange and
flashlight experiment to students. Each group gets one orange, one skewer, a
flashlight, a marker, and an iPad.
- Demonstrate how to set up “the earth”, which is the orange, and have the students
follow along doin the same to their orange. Poke the skewer through the orange to
represent the Earth’s axis. Help the students poke it through if they need help. Draw a
circle around the orange halfway between the poles. Explain that this line represents
the equator. At one pole, write the letter “N” to represent the Northern Hemisphere,
and at the other end, write the letter “S” to represent the Southern Hemisphere. Have
the students circle the “N” so that they keep in mind that we are in the Northern
 Hemisphere.
- Assign the students to pick a job, holding the orange and flashlight in position or
taking the picture on the iPad. Remind the student who is holding the Earth that the
earth has to be tilted slightly.
- Tell the students that their assignment is to use the orange and the flashlight to
model how the Earth is positioned in reference to the sun during each season in the
Northern Hemisphere, and take a picture. They will then put these pictures into a
powerpoint, one picture per slide, and label each picture. They will send this
powerpoint to me to check their work.
- Invite the class back together, and introduce the idea that the seasons are the
opposite in opposing hemispheres. When it is summer in the north, it is winter in the
south and vice versa. When it is fall in the north, it is spring in the south and vice
versa.
- Have students do “What season is it now in ______” worksheet using the globe as a
reference point, and knowing that it is currently autumn in the northern hemisphere.
- When the students have finished this worksheet, they will hand it in to check for
understanding.
Closure/Summarizing Strategies:
- Say: “The sun is our light source during the day, but what about at night time? Do we
have a light source at night?” Answer: Yes, the moon!
- Ask: “Did you know that the sun is still indirectly our light source at night? Tomorrow,
we’re going to find out how!”

Accommodations/Differentiation:
- Student with slight visual impairment
- seated in the front of the class for the video
- working with other students on powerpoint
- Using tactile globe or map

Materials/Resources:
- Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman
- Seasons video
- flashlight
- oranges
- skewers
- iPads
- What Season is it Now in __________

References
Argo, Megan. “Science Activity: Seasons – We Share the Same Moon.”
wesharethesamemoon.org, 13 Sept. 209AD, www.wesharethesamemoon.org/?
p=1981. Accessed 21 Nov. 2020.
Crash Course Kids. “Seasons and the Sun: Crash Course Kids 11.1.” YouTube, 21 May 2015,
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=b25g4nZTHvM. Accessed 29 May 2019.
Sidman, Joyce, et al. Red Sings from Treetops : A Year in Colors. Solon, Ohio, Findaway World,
Llc, 2020.

Reflective Response:
Report of Student Learning Target/Objectives Proficiency Levels

Remediation Plan (if applicable)

Personal Reflection Questions

Additional reflection/thoughts