This lesson looks at the solar system with a song, story and projects.

Space
Author
Rachael Ro

In this lesson, learners will look at the planets in the solar system and features of planets. They will listen to and sing a song, then watch a story about features of different planets. They will practise describing planets using 'there is/are', and as an extension activity can work together to invent their own planet. 

Learning outcomes

Develop and practise:

  • vocabulary: words connected with the solar system
  • structure: there is/are
  • curricular work: the solar system
  • integrated skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing

Age/ Level

Aged 9–12  (CEFR A2)

Time

55-85 minutes

Materials

  • Lesson plan
  • Presentation
  • Worksheet

 

Downloads
Lesson plan203.79 KB
Presentation730.73 KB
Worksheet 110.65 KB
Language Level

Comments

Submitted by Jason Jixun M… on Mon, 09/05/2016 - 13:08

1. Comparing the distances among those planets in solar system with the real distances among some objects which they can see, hear and even touch - this point would give them a true feelings about the multiple. 'If the Sun–Neptune distance is scaled to 100 metres, then the Sun would be about 3 cm in diameter (roughly two-thirds the diameter of a golf ball), the giant planets would be all smaller than about 3 mm, and Earth's diameter along with that of the other terrestrial planets would be smaller than a flea (0.3 mm) at this scale' (Referenced from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_System ) I think: if teachers made out this kind of sentences, then integrating it with their body language, and making some similes such as: My children, if Sun–Neptune distance can be compared with the distance from you family to our piano room, then the diameter of sun itself is only half of my palm, you can see - here ... and some others as ... After the information processing, children would get a practical senses of the distances 2. Then, it comes to mass, I think the direct visual senses of what they looked like would give children a imagery impression. Thanks goodness! I have found this picture for us - commons and our children, in Wikimedia commons - ( Referenced from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Planets_and_sun_size_comparison.jpg ) Meanwhile, I heard that: if we compared sun with a huge Sport stadium, then earth would be compared with a lemon in hand. In my opinion, this type of descriptions would give children , in their age, the senses of definition and ratio, which are very important for the cultivation of their multiple-intelligence. Natural sciences need it, while, music and painting also need it. 3. Yes, this plan has also given some good points for multiple-intelligence's' exploitation - language-training, such as 'there is, or there are' ; team-working& operational abilities, such as drawing planets together and matching names with their images in pairs In my opinion, if we join the three points together - keeping the original part, meanwhile, making the new development - growing the scientific seeds for cultivating creative thinking patterns. This course plan would be all-inclusive and leave a 'can be touched and can be seen' impression in children's minds. This is the new developmental tendency in our education in the globalization.

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