### Lesson Plan: Earth and Space (Sun, Moon, Stars)
**Grade Level:** 1st Grade
**Subject:** Science
**Duration:** 45-60 minutes
**Topic:** Earth and Space - Sun, Moon, Stars
**Objective:**
- Students will be able to identify and describe the basic characteristics of the sun, moon, and stars.
- Students will understand the concept of day and night and how the sun influences this cycle.
- Students will explore the phases of the moon.
### Materials Needed:
- Picture of the sun, moon, and stars
- Flashlight
- Globe
- Styrofoam ball on a stick (to represent the moon)
- Construction paper, glue, scissors, and crayons
- Chart paper and marker
- Children's book about space (e.g., "There's No Place Like Space" by Tish Rabe)
- Multimedia resources like a short educational video about the sun, moon, and stars
### Introduction (10 minutes):
1. **Greeting and Warm-up:**
- Begin by greeting the students and discussing what they already know about the sun, moon, and stars. Write their responses on the chart paper.
- Show pictures of the sun, moon, and stars and briefly describe each.
2. **Reading Time:**
- Read a children's book about space, such as "There's No Place Like Space!" by Tish Rabe, to introduce the topic.
### Direct Instruction (15 minutes):
1. **Sun:**
- Explain that the sun is a star that gives us light and heat.
- Discuss the importance of the sun for life on Earth.
- Use the flashlight and globe to demonstrate how the Earth rotates and causes day and night.
2. **Moon:**
- Explain that the moon is Earth’s natural satellite.
- Discuss how the moon looks different at different times of the month (phases of the moon).
- Use the Styrofoam ball on a stick and the flashlight to show the phases of the moon.
3. **Stars:**
- Explain that stars are like the sun but very far away.
- Discuss how stars are visible at night and form constellations.
### Guided Practice (10 minutes):
1. **Day and Night Activity:**
- Have students work in pairs with a globe and flashlight to practice demonstrating day and night.
- Guide them to spin the globe and observe which parts of the Earth are in daylight and which parts are in darkness.
2. **Moon Phases Craft:**
- Provide students with construction paper, glue, scissors, and crayons.
- Have them cut out shapes to represent the different phases of the moon and arrange them in sequence on a sheet.
### Independent Practice (10 minutes):
1. **Sun, Moon, Stars Sorting Activity:**
- Provide students with cut-out pictures of the sun, moon, and stars.
- Ask them to sort and glue these pictures under the correct categories on a worksheet.
### Closure (10 minutes):
1. **Review and Discussion:**
- Gather the students and review what they have learned about the sun, moon, and stars.
- Ask questions like:
- What does the sun give us?
- What are the phases of the moon?
- When can we see the stars?
2. **Sharing Time:**
- Allow a few students to share their moon phases craft and explain one of the phases they learned about.
### Assessment:
- Observe students during activities to check for understanding and participation.
- Use their crafts and sorting worksheets as a formative assessment to gauge their comprehension of the day's lesson.
### Extension Activities:
- Watch a short educational video about the solar system.
- Use a planetarium app to explore constellations and stars.
### Homework:
- Ask students to observe the moon for a week and draw what they see each night. They can bring their drawings to class to discuss the changes they observed.
By the end of this lesson, 1st-grade students should have a foundational understanding of the sun, moon, and stars, and their roles in our daily lives.