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A Lesson on Learning about the Solar System	Export Lesson as PDF \| Save As Favorite

	Grade: Grade 4 Subject: English Language Arts Created by: Brittney Crook Lesson Length: 3 hours Keywords/Tags: Reading,Writing,Learning about the Solar System Lesson Description: The goal of this lesson is to give students the opportunity to hone in on their reading and writing skills they have been working on thus far. Students will read the text,Learning about the Solar System, then be able to answer vocabulary and critical thinking questions based of the text and higher order thinking. Students will be asked to display an array of reading and writing techniques through independent and collaborative questions.
Common Core Standards Covered with This Lesson CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.1a: Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

Lesson Content: Reading
Instructions: Please read the following reading passage as many times as needed (aloud and silent) before starting to go through other lesson pages. Understanding the content of this passage is very important since the lesson activities will be all about this content. Feel free to print the passage if needed.

Learning about the Solar System

When scientists looked at the stars long ago, they saw patterns. They did not understand everything about what they saw. So they kept looking to learn more. That is what scientists do. They ask questions and look for information to answer their questions. They are like explorers. They do not travel far the way explorers do. But they do make a kind of journey. They want to learn more. They go from what they know to what they discover.

Scientists have learned about our planet. It is very big. It is very diverse. There are places that are hot. There are places that are freezing. There are mountains and plains. There are hills and valleys. There are deep oceans. There are great rivers and waterfalls. There are rainforests. There are deserts. Those are all parts of our planet. There is much more to learn about what is here on Earth. A scientist dedicates much time to learning. The scientist works hard. The scientist helps us all find out more about our world.

Our planet is in a galaxy called the Milky Way. The sun is a big star in our part of this giant galaxy. Our galaxy holds millions of other stars. The sun is very important to our planet. The sun gives us light during the day. It gives us heat, too. Two other planets are closer to the sun than Earth: Mercury and Venus.

Scientists figured out how the Earth changes. Earth orbits the sun once each year. It travels once around the sun every 365 days. The other eight planets in our solar system also orbit around the sun. All travel in a pattern called an ellipse, which is a kind of oval. So at times Earth is farther from the sun. Scientists figured out that made it cooler on Earth then. But they also figured out that it is the tilt of the Earth’s axis, however, that has the greatest effect on temperatures.

Scientists are still learning about our galaxy. There is much to discover. Today astronauts travel into space. They are explorers. It is dangerous to travel in space, but they are dauntless. They bravely travel thousands of miles to learn.

Task 2: Discussion Activity (30 points)
Instructions: This discussion forum will have questions for students to respond. Read the posted questions, and respond to each. Students are responsible for posting one initial and and two peer responses for each topic.


	Topic Title	Replies

	Scientists Vs. Exploroers Why do you think the author compairs scientists to explorers? Sent on: Oct 8, 2019 by: Brittney Crook	0

	Sun's effects on other planets. In the story the author states "The sun is very important to our planet. The sun gives us light during the day. It gives us heat, too. Two other planets are closer to the sun than Earth: Mercury and Venus." What do you think the effects of the sun are on these two closer plantes? Do you think the sun effects them the same way it effects Earth? Why or Why not? Sent on: Oct 8, 2019 by: Brittney Crook	0

	Earth's path around the sun The author talked about the Earth's orbit around the sun in an elliptical pattern and how this was a reason for temputures on Earth. Why do you think this has on effect on Earths Tempeture? What do you think would happen if we were closer or farther away from the sun? Sent on: Oct 8, 2019 by: Brittney Crook	0

Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.1a,

Task 3: Writing Activity (30 points)

Instructions: Think about what you already know about scientists, the solar system, what we have read, and what we have disscussed in class. In a few paragraphes answer the following questions. How do you think having scientists explore and study the solar system has helped us understand our planet better? Do you think there have been any issues that hindered this process? How does this compare to other planets?

Standards Covered with This Lesson Activity: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2,

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