Lesson Plan : The Sun

Teacher Name:
 Dina Bahhur
Grade:
 Grade 3
Subject:
 Science

Topic:
 The Sun
Content:
 The sun is a star. The sun is the closest star to our planet and the largest, hottest, and brightest object in the solar system.
Goals:
 1. View the sun without looking at it. 2. Learn the importance of the sun.
Objectives:
 1. Safe "Sun" Glasses experiment. Although the sun may be a fun subject to experiment with, it may also be very dangerous. No one should ever look directly at the sun, doing so may cause damagae to eye sight. We are going to use our Safe "sun" glasses experiment to view the sun but not actually look directly at it.
Materials:
 Cardboard, White Paper, Pen, Scissors, Tape, Binoculars, Stool or Ladder
Introduction:
 Viewing the sun without looking directly at the sun.
Development:
 
Practice:
 1. Place the binoculars' eyepieces on the cardboard and draw around them. Cut out the circles you have drawn to make two holes in the cardboard. 2. Push the binoculars' eyepieces through the holes in the cardboard. Tape the board in place, if needed. 3. Cover one of the large lenses(at the opposite end of the binoculars) with a peice of cardboard and tape it in place. 4. Go outside. Tape a sheet of white paper on a wall that is receiving plenty of sunlight. This paper is your viewing screen. 5. Stand about 3 feet away from the white paper screen. Hold the binoculars so sunlight shines through the one exposed large lens. Tilt and turn the binoculars until you see sunlight on your screen. You may need to reposition your screen if the sunlight shows up on another part of the wall. 6. Set the binoculars on a stool or a ladder once you get them in position. Closely observe the Sun's image on the white paper screen. 7. Place a piece of paper on your screen and draw what you see.
Accommodations:
 
Checking For Understanding:
 
Closure:
 Explain that the sun mainly contains hydrogen gas. Atoms(tiny particles) of hydrogen at the Sun's core may reach temperatures of up to 27 million degrees Fahrenheit. The higher the temperature, the more quickly atoms move. Fast- moving hydrogen atoms constantly crash into each other and form another gas known as helium. When this happens, energy is released. This energy warms the Sun and causes it to shine.
Evaluation:
 After experiment is completed, we will have a classroom discussion and elaborate on what they saw and whether they saw any sunspots.
Teacher Reflections:
 1. How do the binoculars allow you to view the Sun safely? 2. Why do you think it is dangerous to look directly at the sun? 3. If you saw dark spots on the screen, what do you think they were?

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