Sun and Moon in Motion
Timeline
- Lesson 6A: 1.5 hours + repeated in a different season to compare day length
- Lesson 6B: 2 hours
- Lesson 6C: 2 hours (Recommended timeframe: This lesson will require 4–5 weeks to complete, allowing students to make observations of 1 lunar cycle, or 2–3 weeks if observing half of a lunar cycle. It might be helpful for students’ understanding to begin nighttime observations on a full or new moon night.)
- Lesson 6D: 2 hours
- Unit 6 Review
- Summative Assessment: 10 minutes
- Putting It All Together: 20 minutes
Essential Statements
- I can observe the position of the sun during different times of the day.
- I can recognize patterns of daylight.
- I can determine what time of day the stars are visible.
- I can recognize phases of the moon.
- I can explain what diurnal and nocturnal means.
- I can describe daytime animals and give examples in Missouri.
- I can describe nighttime animals and give examples in Missouri.
Essential Questions
- Why does the flower of a sunflower move throughout the day?
- When is sunlight the strongest?
- When is the best time to see stars?
- Why do I come out in the day and bats come out at night?
Unit
6
Vocabulary
- Diurnal – active during the day (Lesson 6D)
- Earth – the planet we live on; the world (Lesson 6A)
- Full moon – a moon where all parts visible from Earth are reflecting sunlight (Lesson 6C)
- Globe – a model of Earth (Lesson 6A)
- Habitat – the home of a plant or animal; includes food, water, shelter, space (Lesson 6D)
- Heat rays – energy from the sun that you cannot see but you feel with your body temperature (Lesson 6B)
- Illuminate – made bright by light shining on it or by making light (Lesson 6C)
- Light Rays – energy from the sun that you cannot see but will make your skin burn (Lesson 6B)
- Moon – a natural satellite of Earth (Lesson 6C)
- New moon – a moon where all parts visible from Earth are shaded (Lesson 6C)
- Nocturnal – active at night (Lesson 6D)
- Pattern – repeating, goes again and again (Lesson 6C)
- Rays – energy from the sun (Lesson 6B)
- Stars – a giant ball of gas seen at night and makes its own light and heat (Lesson 6C)
- Sun – Earth’s nearest star around which Earth orbits (Lesson 6A)
Essential Reading
Lesson 6A
- Summer Sun Risin' ; ; Lesson 6A
Lesson 6B
- Summer Sun Risin' ; ; Lesson 6B