EXEMPLAR SCIENCE LESSON PLAN

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I. OBJECTIVES
The learners demonstrate an understanding of characteristics of comets, meteors
A. Content Standards
and asteroids.
Discuss whether or not beliefs and practices about comets and meteors have
B. Performance Standards
scientific basis.
C. Learning Competencies/ Explain the regular occurrence of meteor showers. (S8ES-Iii-j-24)
Objectives
At the end of the session the learners should be able to:
Write the LC code for
each  Relate the occurrences of Meteor Shower to superstitions

II. CONTENT METEOR SHOWER and SUPERSTITION

III. LEARNING RESOURCES
A. References
1. Teacher’s Guide pages Campo, Pia C., et al. 2013.Science 8 Teacher’s Guide. pp. 110-111
2. Learner’s Materials pages Campo, Pia C., et al. 2013.Science 8 Learner’s Module. pp. 165-166

3. Textbook pages Religioso, T., et al, 2013, You and the Natural World, Pheonix Publishing House
Inc.,927 Quezon Avenue, Quezon City, pp.343-345
4. Additional Materials from
Learning Resource (LR)
portal
Robert Lunsford. "Viewing the Orionids in 2017." Amsmeteors.org. October 14,
B. Other Learning 2017. Accessed November 22, 2017.
Resources https://www.amsmeteors.org/2017/10/viewing-the-orionids-in-2017/.

IV. PROCEDURES
 To familiarize with the annual meteor showers that occurs on Earth,
A. Reviewing previous constructed Timeline can be presented again and ask the learners which
lesson or presenting the Meteor Shower are known to them and when was the last time it exist on
new lesson
the clear night sky.
B. Establishing a purpose Assess learners’ concrete knowledge and understanding about the occurrences of
for the lesson meteor showers by constructing a concept map using the following word/s below.
 Minor members of the solar system
 Asteroids
 Comets
 Meteors
 Meteoroids
 Meteor shower
C. Presenting
 Perseids
examples/instances of
the new lesson  Orionids
 Geminids
 Annual occurrences
 January
 April
D. Discussing new concepts  Present instances when a meteor shower was seen on Earth and ask their
and practicing new skills opinion and point of view about the following superstition/myth in the
#1
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form of a 5min DEBATE for each.

 Learners will develop listening and oratory skills, and think critically.
Debate is open to opposing points of view. A 5-7 min time is allotted for
each debate.
 Use the four corners strategy (label each corner Strongly agree, agree,
E. Discussing new concepts disagree and strongly disagree).
and practicing new skills
#2
 Jesus thought they were stars, and that the stars could fall from the sky.
"...and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from
heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken”

 Let them play the BLUFF or FACT game.

 Choose 3 pairs of learners.
F. Developing mastery  Provide a time of 30 sec to answer the given situation.
(leads to Formative  Whoever get the first 3 correct answers win the game.
Assessment 3)
 Explain the fact about the occurrences of meteors and meteor shower on
Earth. (refer to Teachers’ Hand-out)

Use the GRAFITTI Wall:

G. Finding practical
applications of concepts
and skills in daily living
 Cover a part of a wall with white paper.
 Encourage students to write or draw what they have learned about a
topic.
 Students can jot down facts, write personal opinions and connects the
learning to other areas of study especially to daily living.

Learners need to realize the following:

H. Making generalizations
and abstractions about
the lesson
 There are other members of the Solar system aside from the Sun, Planets
and the Stars.
 The minor members of the Solar System are the meteors, comets and
asteroids.
 The occurrences of comets, meteors and meteor shower as viewed on
Earth are natural phenomenon.

TRUE or FALSE evaluation:

1. A meteor shower is produced when a large number of sporadic meteors
are observed.
2. Meteor occurrences are witchcraft.
I. Evaluating learning 3. A meteor that survives from falling through the atmosphere and strikes
the Earth’s surface is called meteorite.
4. Asteroids are space objects that revolve around the sun and found in the
asteroid belt.
5. A comets’ tail is visible when it moves farther from the sun.

J. Additional activities for  List some scientific basis or facts about the occurrences of meteor and
application or meteor shower on Earth.
remediation
V. REMARKS

VI. REFLECTION
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A. No. of learners who earned 80% in the evaluation

B. No. of learners who require additional activities for remediation
C. Did the remedial lessons work? No. of learners who have caught
up with the lesson
D. No. of learners who continue to require remediation
E. Which of my teaching strategies worked well? Why did these
work?
F. What difficulties did I encounter which my principal or supervisor
can help me solve?
G. What innovation or localized materials did I use/discover which I
wish to share with other teachers?

CITAREN B. BESANA Writer 2 (Blank if none)

Writer/s: Mataas na Paaralang Neptali A. Gonzales School
Mandaluyong City Division

NILO G. SALAZAR MAUREEN FRONDA

Ramon Magsaysay High School (Manila) School
Manila Caloocan

Team Members:
MARY JANE ALVARADO ARVIN AUSTRIA
School School
Las Pinas Valenzuela
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TEACHER HANDOUT

Meteor Showers
Meteor Shower Superstitions & Conspiracy Theories
 Humans have been staring into the vast expanse of nothingness known as space since the dawn of
humankind. Attempting to do everything from predicting fate to navigating during a journey by the stars is
an age-old practice — and today, it's no surprise that the internet is awash with plenty of meteor shower
superstitions. And right now, the sky has plenty in store to entertain and enthrall us: The Leonid meteor
shower peaks tonight, while the Geminid meteor shower will be arriving next month. And the internet? Well
that's always there to spook you out with a seemingly unending set of stories and conspiracy theories.
 According to Space.com, thousands of years ago, any objects in the night sky were easily linked with gods
and religion. But for some reason, misunderstandings about meteors lasted longer than they did about other
celestial objects. So what is a meteor shower, anyway? They occur when particles from asteroids or comets
enter Earth's atmosphere at a super high speed. As Space.com puts it, "When they hit the atmosphere,
meteors rub against air particles and create friction, heating the meteors. The heat vaporizes most meteors,
creating what we call shooting stars." In the case of the Leonid shower, we'll be treated to this sky-show
because of Earth crossing the orbital path of a comet called Temple-Tuttle. This comet will be sprinkling it
with bits of debris that will be visible to us they streak across our sky at a rate of around 10 to 15 meteor per
hour.
 If you want to check out these so-called shooting stars (even though they're not actually stars), make sure
you're looking up tonight. To get you ready for it, here are four of the weirdest meteor superstitions and
conspiracy theories around:

MYTH: Meteors Were Caused By Witches

In 1807, the Weston meteorite shower rained down on Connecticut following a fireball — and it seriously
spooked people out. Logical scientific theory was rejected, with many people linking the shower to witchcraft
instead. Washington Irving at the time said, "The people at large show a keen-ness, cleverness and a profundity of
wisdom that savors strongly of witchcraft".

MYTH: The Tungaska Meteor Event Was Caused By The Government

You probably haven't heard of it, but the Tungaska event of 1908 is one of the world's weirdest meteor
events. It caused a huge explosion that flattened 800 square miles of forrest in Siberia, causing strong vibrations
which reverberated all over Russia and leaving the skies of Europe and Asia illuminated by a mysterious glow for
days afterwards. Scientists now agree Tungaska is linked to a meteor, but back then, several other seriously spooky
theories held. Some put it down to UFOs; others believed it was the state's doing. The event was largely ignored in
Russian media due to the remote location where the explosion happened, but many believed the government was
behind the mystery. Some also believed inventor and engineer Nikola Telsa was responsible, thanks to his
experiments with wireless transmission.

MYTH: Meteors Were Sent By Gods and Angels

Space.com reports that long ago, meteorites were perceived to be gifts from angels;
sometimes, though, people believed meteor showers were sent from gods when they were
angry. Robert Roy Britt wrote, "As late as the 17th century, many believed [meteors] fell
from thunderstorms (they were nicknamed 'thunderstones'). Many scientists were skeptical
that stones could fall from the clouds or the heavens, and often they simply didn't believe
the accounts of people who claimed to have seen such things."
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MYTH: The 2013 Russian Meteorite Was Actually a Weapons Test

What caused all the smoke and fire that trailed the February 2013 Russian meteor?
In 2013, a meteor that exploded over the city of Chelyabinsk spawned a selection of wacky
theories, the scariest of which was center around socio-political thinking on weapons
testing. As Popular Science reports, the state-owned paper Russia Today attributed the
large explosion (the meteor which glowed 30 times brighter than the sun and caused retinal
burns) to a Russian missile. Other theories hold that meteorite itself was evidence of a new
weapon being tested.
For centuries, they were viewed as portents of coming doom. That was without
knowing historic facts regarding earlier epochs beginning and/or ending with meteorite
strikes. The fact that meteor strike had caused Earth-changing events should act as a
caution against saying all beliefs about meteors must be 'superstitious'. Some may well be,
but history testifies to some fairly devastating consequences on Earth with some meteor
strikes.
Thus we get highly intelligent, well-educated mathematicians in the era of Sir Isaac
Newton writing about such things (and comets), attaching portents of imminent doom to
them. However, I know of no purely superstitious ideas about meteors, certainly not in this
day or age.
 Here is a superstitious belief about meteors - Jesus thought they were stars,
and that the stars could fall from the sky. "...and the moon shall not give her
light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall
be shaken" - Matt 24:29.
Note how Jesus also thought the moon was a source of light, and not just reflected
light from the sun. Jesus sure was smart!
 Haley's comet use to make people afraid when it showed up. When it arrived
in the early 1900's, some took advantage of it by selling potions to ward off it
supposed evil effects. You could buy potions for each member of your family
and your pets and livestock. They used to be considered an omen of death and
a portent of doom and so are Comets too.
 Meteor showers are recorded in woodcarvings to coincide with outbreaks of
the plague way back when.
 Mark Twain "came in with Halley's Comet and left with Halley's Comet,"
meaning he was born and he died in years when it was visible from earth.
Most Popular Beliefs and Superstitions about Meteors
The occurrence of unusual natural phenomena would often cause anxiety among
people in ancient times. As with every new thing, they tried to explain away the
phenomena, looking to religion or the experience they had gained over the years. Among
the occurrences that they linked to superstitions were meteors.
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Long ago, meteors were thought to foreshadow different events or that they
themselves were messages sent by higher beings. One of the more common ideas was that
the gods sent these messages. Of course, not all cultures interpreted them the same way.
Some welcomed them, while others saw them as a bad omen because they had angered
the gods.
Ancient man tried to find an explanation for everything. When someone fell sick, he
looked for the cause of this. When he recovered, this too was no accident. The event most
likely had to do with a higher power.
The same thing applied to meteors. The ancients also believed that they were
evidence of spirits coming to visit Earth. But this claim was not accepted by everyone even
then. According to the Native Americans, meteors were indeed evidence of wandering
spirits but these they thought to be the souls of their shamans, who were trying to make
their way to the afterlife.
The appearance of meteors in ancient times would often frighten Earth's denizens.
Some of them stood by the claim that meteors were harbingers of horrible events and
prophesied death, diseases and ruin. But they could not support these claims with real
scientific evidence.
In other cultures, meteors were seen as bringers of good luck and prosperity. According to
the Swabians, meteors a.k.a. falling stars, brought good fortune and success. The only catch
was that the person witness such an event only once per night. If they were to see a falling
star 3 times in one night, nothing good would come of it.
In Chile they have their own views about meteors. There exists the belief that the person
needs to grab a stone whenever a shooting star passes by their field of vision. According to
Philippine legends, as soon as we see a falling star we need to immediately tie our
handkerchief in a knot, before the falling star's light fades.
In some parts of the US, meteors are considered dangerous. They say that you should
never point toward a meteor with your finger. Another very popular belief around the
world is that the person should wish for something when they see a shooting star and that
their wish will always come true. It's also thought that if 2 people look at a meteor shower
together, they'd be forever connected.

Geminids and Beliefs about Meteors

The Geminids are a meteor shower caused by an object known as 3200 Phaethon.
After the celestial body "died" its parts were scattered across its elliptical orbit in the Solar
System. The orbit of planet Earth crossed 3200 Phaethon, the debris fall into Earth's
atmosphere. They travel at a speed of about 22 mi (35 km) per second and ignite. When
seen from Earth, they look like shooting stars that are on fire - something truly beautiful
and mystical. The radiant of the meteors in the shower comes from the Gemini
constellation, which is where it gets its name. The Geminids can be seen every year in
December, although they appear brightest on the night of the 14th going into the 15th. The
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intensity of the meteor shower grows with each passing year, making it easy to spot even
without special equipment. Experts state that the 1st detailed description of the Geminids
was from 150 years ago - not that long ago in comparison to other meteor showers, such as
the Perseids for example. Even so, some amateur astronomers allow that they were
observed much earlier. Back then, people couldn't explain the appearance of the
impressive meteor shower.
What we know is that back in the early centuries, meteor showers were something
quite strange and even terrifying to our ancestors. In ancient times, people would give
meteors all sorts of meanings and see signs in them.
There have even been times when their onset would outright scare everyone,
causing humanity to tremble in terror. They believed that meteors were carriers of sinister
forces and harbingers of wars, diseases and hardship.
In Roman times there originated the claim that meteors were actually candles lit by
angels in the sky. Each of them was designed for a corresponding soul on Earth from the
very angel that guards and watches over that same person.
Meteors were also associated with dragons and other mythical beasts. A falling
meteor was also thought to be a magical event. In fact, in ancient times people believed
that the sky was where they could receive signs and messages from the gods. That was why
they kept a close watch on anything and everything appearing in the sky.

What are the Beliefs and Omens about Seeing a Meteor Shower?

Meteor showers are among the best-known and most commonly witnessed
astronomical phenomena. A meteor shower or shooting stars are actually a large number of
meteors that cross Earth's orbit and burn up when they enter the upper layers of the
atmosphere.

When seen from the Earth, this phenomenon appears as a magnificent "shower" of
falling stars. Before the space age and the advancement of technology, people thought that
the night sky blazing with dozens of lights was a supernatural occurrence.

Earth's orbit frequently crosses the path of groups of meteors. Others we encounter
less often, every few decades, while still others have been observed and documented 2500
years ago.
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In the past humans linked meteor showers with upcoming ill-fortunes. They believed
the illumination of the night sky was an evil omen, linking shooting stars to drought, war or
mass pestilence in the near future.

Nowadays, meteor showers aren't loaded with such ominous signs. Romantics,
lovers, optimists and even skeptics can rejoice, seeing a shooting star in modern time
means you should close your eyes, make a wish and hope that it comes true.

Orionid Meteor Shower to Make All Wishes Come True on Thursday

Early on Thursday morning, October 22, the Orionid meteor shower will make all
wishes come true. The meteor shower will be at its brightest at 2 am GMT, with 20-25
meteors falling per hour then.
The meteors will light up the night sky from midnight to dawn. However, the celestial
objects will be too dim. Plus, they will be traveling at phenomenal speeds - about 150 000
mi (240 000 km) per hour.
"The meteors move so fast that they will be visible for only about a second. Observers need
to keep staring at the sky or they'll miss them, "says astronomer Bob Berman. The shooting
stars will be most clearly visible from outside large populated areas, and due to the
unsuitable meteorological conditions you'd best bring your binoculars.
The Orionids have been lighting up the night sky since October 20. By the end of the
meter shower, an average of about 150 meteors per hour will have burned up in Earth's
atmosphere. The name Orionids comes from their radiant - the constellation Orion.

They are actually parts of Halley's Comet, which we'll be able to observe in the
distant year 2061. It passes by our planet once every 75 years, while the Orionids meteor
shower has its peak every 12 years.
Afterward, their intensity diminishes, and according to astronomers this is all because
of Jupiter's effect on the shooting stars. During the next 2 years, the visibility of the
Orionids will dwindle.
The largest planet in our solar system pulls in the meteorites, which are distributed
unevenly along the orbit of Halley's Comet.
And that's not all - expect another heavenly spectacle at the end of this week. The planets
Mars, Venus and Jupiter will be maximally close to each other in the sign of Virgo.
The scene will be magnificent on the night of Friday going on Saturday, just look toward the
eastern part of the sky before sunrise.