The Seasons and the Solar System Unit Grid

Elizabeth Sabin
Unit Learning Objectives:
Science: 1. Students will understand and give a breakdown of why the Earth has seasons.
2. Students will construct a mini model of the solar system demonstrating their understanding of all
of its parts.
Literacy: 1. Students will further develop their ability to comprehend, understand and determine the main
ideas of a text.
2. Students will collaborate with their peers and their teacher to create and understand meaning.
Unit Standards:
Science: E.ES.M.6 Seasons- Seasons result from annual variations in the intensity of sunlight and length of
day due to the tilt of the axis of
the Earth relative to the plane of its yearly orbit around the sun.
E.ST.M.1 Solar System- The sun is the central and largest body in our solar system. Earth is the
third planet from the sun in a
system that includes other planets and their moons, as well as smaller objects, such as asteroids and
comets.
Literacy: RI.5.2 - Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key
details; summarize the text.
SL.5.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher led) with diverse partners
on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Unit Rationale: A science unit on the seasons and the solar system which integrates literacy fits into the overall
year of instruction my students receive because it covers curriculum not only in science but in literacy. Students in
fifth grade are very eager to learn about the world around them this includes the solar systems and the seasons.
What student wouldnt be curious to learn why its warmer in the summer and colder in winter and what the planets
that make up our solar system look like?
Table Key:

Technology

Learning Journal

Read Alouds

Writing

Vocabulary

Poetry

TOPIC:

Week 1

Lesson

Into &
Revolution =
1 Year

Standards

Objectives

S=Science,
L=Literacy

S=Science,
L=Literacy

S- E.ES.05.62 Explain
how the revolution of
the Earth around the
sun defines a year.
L- RI.5.8-Explain how
an author uses reasons
and evidence
to support particular
points in a text,
identifying
which reasons and
evidence support which
point(s).

S- Students
will organize
their
understanding
of how the
earth revolves
around the sun
in a conclusion
paragraph.
L- Students
will interpret
the authors
reasons and
evidences to
help them
further
understand
the concept.

Activities

Assessment

Reflection
notes:
Did each student
meet the lesson
objectives How
will
this
data
guide my next
lesson?

-Get to know
you
game/interest
inventory.
-Give students
journals.
-Make KWL
chart with
students.
(Maybe use
Looking
Down Book).
-Article about
the earth
revolving
around the
sun.
-Video about
earth revolving
around the
sun.
-Student
demonstration
of earth
revolving
around the
sun.

-Students and I
will discuss the
authors
reasons and
evidence.
Then students
will be asked
to write one
paragraph in
their learning
journals about
the earth
revolving
around the
sun.

Week 2

Model the
seasons

S- E.ES.05.61
Demonstrate and
explain seasons using a
model.
L- Rl.5.2- Determine
two or more main ideas
of a text and explain
how they are supported
by key details;
summarize the text.
W.5.2-Write
informative/explanatory
texts to examine a
topic and convey ideas
and information clearly.

Week 3

The Sun and

the Planets

S-E.ST.M.1 Solar
System- The sun is the
central and
largest body in our
solar system. Earth is
the third planet from
the sun in a system
that includes other
planets and their
moons, as well as
smaller objects, such as
asteroids and comets.

L- RF.5.3- Know and

apply grade-level
phonics and word
analysis skills in
decoding words.

S- Students
will validate
their
understanding
of the seasons
through the
writing of an
informative
letter.
L- Students
will justify the
main ideas
they learned
from the text
when writing
an informative
letter including
those main
ideas.
S-Students will
analyze all
information
about the
planets and
the sun in
order to
choose one
planet to write
a poem about.
L- Students
will
incorporate all
they know
about grade
level phonics
and word
analysis to
decode words

-Review last
weeks topic
-Read aloud
about the
seasons have
students
discuss main
ideas after.
-Video or the
like about why
the seasons
occur.
-Students will
examine and
further
understand
the seasons
with a model I
bring.
-Review last
weeks topic.
-As a group
read a book or
article about
the sun and
our plants.
- Students will
view a power
point on the
planets.

-Students
write a short
letter to a
family member
or a friend
telling them
the science
behind the
seasons.

-Students will
choose 1
planet to write
a poem about
and will
include 3
things they
just learned
about it in
their learning
Journal. Then
students will
read aloud
their poems to
the rest of the
group.

and read out

loud.

Week 4

The Moons,
asteroids and
comets.

S- E.ST.M.1 Solar
System- The sun is the
central and largest
body in our solar
system. Earth is the
third planet from the
sun in a system that
includes other planets
and
their moons, as well as
smaller objects, such as
asteroids and comets.
L- RI.5.4 -Determine
the meaning of general
academic and domainspecific words and
phrases in a text
relevant to a grade 5
topic or subject area.

S- Students
will compile
previous and
new
knowledge
about moons
asteroids and
comets to take
a group test.
L- Students
will formulate
the meaning
of academic
words based
on prior
knowledge
context clues
and the like.

-Review last
weeks topic.
-As a group we
will read from
a textbook
about moons
asteroids and
comets.
- We will
discuss the
meanings of
new words
that we come
across.
-Students will
watch a short
video about
the topic.

-As a group
will take
textbook like
mini test about
moons
asteroids and
comets.

Week 5

Research and
Designing

S- E.ST.05.11 Design a
model that of the solar
system that shows
the relative order and
scale of the planets,
dwarf planets, comets,
and asteroids to the
sun.
L-RI.5.6- Analyze
multiple accounts of the
same event or topic,
noting important
similarities and

S- Students
will discover
more about a
few specific
aspects of the
solar system
through
research.
L- Students
will attempt to
distinguish
between the
similarities

-Review last
weeks topic.
- Explain the
project of
creating a
model of the
solar system
to the
students.
-Tell them to
start we will
research Pluto
together and

-Formatively
assess
students as
they research
to see how
well they
understand
the final goal
of the model of
the solar
system.
Explain to
them that their

Week 6

Finalize
Designing
and wrap up

differences in the point

of view they represent.

and
differences in
their research
in order to
hypothesize
which source
is most valid.

analyze
multiple
sources to
form an
opinion of
whether to be
a planet or
not. All using a
Venn Diagram.
- Let each
student have
about 2 things
to become the
expert on for
the model.
Then give
students time
to research.

final
assessment
will be their
final model
and if they
have any
questions to
not hesitate to
ask.

S- E.ST.05.11 Design a
model that of the solar
system that shows
the relative order and
scale of the planets,
dwarf
planets, comets, and
asteroids to the sun.
L- SL.5.4 Report on a
topic or text or present
an opinion, sequencing
ideas logically and
using appropriate
facts and relevant,
descriptive details to
support main ideas or
themes; speak clearly
at an understandable
pace.

S-Students will
organize all
that they have
learned and
researched
about the
solar system
into one final
model.
L- Students
will defend
their research
with a brief
report.
Students will
also argue
their opinion
of the unit and
a short written

-Review how
far each
student is on
their research.
-Give students
more time to
finalize their
research.

-We will have

our final model
together by
the students.
Each student
will give a brief
report about
the topic or
topics that
they
researched.
Then well
have a wrap
up discussion
is a class and
students will
write a
paragraph on
their opinion of

W.5.1-Write opinion
pieces on topics or
texts, supporting a
point of view with
reasons and
information.

piece.

the whole unit

experience.