Primary Subject Resources Science - open. · PDF filePrimary Subject Resources Science Module 3 Section 5 From Earth to the stars - using models 1 Using models to explore night and

Primary Subject Resources

Science Module 3 Section 5 From Earth to the stars - using models 1 Using models to explore night and day 2 Using stories and observation to think about the moon 3 Representing the solar system

ENGLISH – GHANA

TESSA (Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa) aims to improve the classroom practices of primary teachers and secondary science teachers in Africa through the provision of Open Educational Resources (OERs) to support teachers in developing student-centred, participatory approaches. The TESSA OERs provide teachers with a companion to the school

textbook. They offer activities for teachers to try out in their classrooms with their students, together with case studies showing how other teachers have taught the topic, and linked resources to support teachers in developing their lesson plans and subject knowledge.

TESSA OERs have been collaboratively written by African and international authors to address the curriculum and contexts. They are available for online and print use (http://www.tessafrica.net). The Primary OERs are available in several versions and languages (English, French, Arabic and Swahili). Initially, the OER were produced in English and made relevant across Africa. These OER have been versioned by TESSA partners for Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, and translated by partners in Sudan (Arabic), Togo (French) and Tanzania (Swahili) Secondary Science OER are available in English and have been versioned for Zambia, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. We welcome feedback from those who read and make use of these resources. The Creative Commons License enables users to adapt and localise the OERs further to meet local needs and contexts.

TESSA is led by The Open University, UK, and currently funded by charitable grants from The Allan and Nesta Ferguson Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and Open University Alumni. A complete list of funders is available on the TESSA website (http://www.tessafrica.net).

As well as the main body of pedagogic resources to support teaching in particular subject areas, there are a selection of additional resources including audio, key resources which describe specific practices, handbooks and toolkits.

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Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike - www.tessafrica.net TESSA ENGLISH – GHANA, Science, Module 3, Section 5

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Contents • Section 5: From Earth to the stars - using models

• 1. Using models to explore night and day • 2: Using stories and observation to think about the moon • 3. Representing the solar system • Resource 1: Modelling night and day • Resource 2: Day and night questionnaire • Resource 3: Sun, Moon and Water • Resource 4: The moon and its relationship to the Earth and the sun –

background for the teacher • Resource 5: Solar system – facts and figures • Resource 6: A scale model of the solar system


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Section 5: From Earth to the stars - using models Key Focus Question: How can you use models to help pupils develop their understanding of the universe?

Keywords: models; storytelling; stimulation; sun; moon; solar system

Learning outcomes

By the end of this section, you will have:

• used different models to help pupils develop their understanding of the Earth in space;

• used brainstorming, observation and model building to explore pupils’ own ideas about the universe;

• explored storytelling as a way of encouraging pupils in the study of space.

Introduction

What is meant by a year? What shape is the Earth? What do we mean by ‘the sun rising’?

Helping pupils understand how their home, the Earth, fits into the wider environment of our solar system is not easy because hands-on experiences and visits are not possible. But we can use models to help our pupils understand the key scientific ideas.

This section aims to develop your skills in using models to explore night and day, the phases of the moon and our solar system. These teaching models include physical models (built out of everyday materials), diagrams and computer simulations to help your pupils understand the relative sizes, positions and movements of bodies in our solar system.


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1. Using models to explore night and day

Pupils have their own ideas about the difference between night and day based on their experiences. These ideas do not always agree with the scientific understanding. For example, in everyday life, we talk about the sun rising or setting, which implies that it is the sun that moves and not the Earth. However, by using a simple model, it is possible to challenge and extend pupils’ ideas and help them answer the question: ‘Why do we have night and day?’

Activity 1 provides a simple way of modelling night and day and Case Study 1 explores further ideas. You might like to try the activity with your colleagues first, before trying it with pupils. This will test your understanding and help you decide the best way to use the model in your classroom.

Case Study 1: Modelling night and day

Mrs Abdul, who works with Grade 6 pupils in a small rural school in North Sudan, was exploring her pupils’ ideas about night and day. For homework, she asked them to note down the answers they got when they asked friends, carers and other community members the following questions:

• Why does it get dark? • How does night and day happen? • How could you show this to others?

The next day, pupils reported back what they had found out. Mrs Abdul showed them her way of modelling day and night. She used a candle as the sun and asked several pupils, in turn, to come up and be the Earth and turn round slowly. As they turned, she asked them when they could see the candle. Next, as they turned a second time, she asked them which was day and night and when was it dawn and sunset.

They talked about their ways of showing night and day and compared these with Mrs Abdul’s day and night model and discussed how much their ideas matched.

Mrs Abdul was surprised at the number of questions the pupils asked about night and day, but also how the model helped them to understand what was happening. Activity 1: Night and day Working with the whole class, ask them to tell you what they know about how night and day happens. Accept and record each different idea and alongside each suggestion put the name of the person who suggested it. Once all the ideas are listed, ask the rest of the class to show, by raising their hands, which idea they support and put the number by the side.

Using Resource 1: Modelling night and day to help you, model day and night for the class.

Ask pupils to talk with their neighbour about how they would now explain night and day, and record their ideas.

To assess their understanding, use Resource 2: Day and night questionnaire. You might read out the questions or ask one pupil in each group to read out the questions to their group. Ask pupils to record their answers and then share the answers with them at the end.


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2: Using stories and observation to think about the moon

People sometimes refer to the moon when writing or speaking: they use expressions like ‘once in a blue moon’, ‘moonstruck’ and ‘harvest moon’. What expressions do you know that use the word ‘moon’? What expressions do your pupils know? You might make links with literacy work here.

In Activity 2, your pupils observe in detail the shape of the moon over several weeks. You then build on these observations by using everyday objects to model the changes in the moon shape. This will help pupils to understand the pattern in the phases of the moon. Try the model part of the activity yourself before using it with the class.

Using traditional tales about the sun and moon is another way to stimulate pupils’ interest. You could use your own traditional tale instead of the one used in Case Study 2.

Case Study 2: Science, the moon and storytelling

Mr Ametefe Agyeman-Dua decided to read a story to his Primary 2 class about the sun and moon to stimulate their interest before studying the moon as a science topic. He used the story in Resource 3: Sun, Moon and Water , which talks about the sun and moon as being man and wife and living on Earth. His class enjoyed the story, especially as Mr Ametefe read it in a lively way, using different voices for the characters.

After discussing the story, Mr Ametefe asked his class to tell him what the moon looks like in the sky. (He reminded the pupils never to look straight at the sun as it could damage their eyes.)

He drew their ideas and then showed them a model he had made of the phases of the moon to help them understand why the moon has different phases. Activity 2: Phases of the moon Ask your class, if they can, to look at the moon in the evening when they go home and pay particular attention to its shape. The next day, pupils draw the shape of the moon. Ask them if the moon is always this shape? If not, why not? If not, what other shapes does it take? Are they always the same? Is there a pattern to the shapes?

Set up a roster of pupils to look at the moon each night over several weeks and record its shape on the chart you have prepared for this task (see the template towards the end of Resource 4: The moon and its relationship to the Earth and the sun).

After a month, ask pupils to discuss and answer the following questions:

• How does the moon’s shape change in a week? • How would you describe the shape(s) of the moon? • Why does the shape change?

Next, help the pupils develop their understanding by modelling the phases of the moon using the approach in Resource 1 using balls or mud to see how the moon appears to change shape. Resource 4 gives you further information on the moon.


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3. Representing the solar system

People have always been fascinated by space. Most pupils are interested in space, and the night sky is their first realisation that there is more beyond our world.

Exploring the solar system cannot be done through school visits. But by using books, telescopes, computers, the Internet and models, you can show the vastness and detail of the solar system to your pupils. The size is something pupils find hard to grasp, but making a scale model of the solar system will help.

In Case Study 3, a teacher uses a simulation on the computer, one kind of model, to help develop pupils’ understanding. If you have access to a computer to do this, try the web link listed at the end of Resource 4. The case study shows how the teacher allowed each group of pupils a turn on the computer and the rest of the class worked on a different but related activity.

In the Key Activity, your pupils use models to show the arrangement of the planets. You could extend the model of the solar system by asking pupils to find out how long it takes for each planet to orbit the sun and to turn on its axis (day and night).

Afterwards, reflect on the activity. How did your pupils react to building models? Do you think the models helped them to understand more about the solar system? Could you use models in another topic –what about building models to show particles?

Case Study 3: Using a simulation of the solar system

Mrs Nyarkoa Esenam was working with her Primary 5 class of 46 pupils in University Practice Primary School (South campus), Winneba, exploring the solar system. She had downloaded from the Internet onto the school computer a simulation model of the orbits of the sun, Earth and moon (see Resource 4 for an example). She wanted her pupils to find answers for some of the questions that they had asked about the sun, Earth, moon and other planets. The questions were listed on a sheet by the side of the computer and the groups of four/five pupils had to try and answer these as they looked at the simulation.

The rest of the class were writing poems about their feelings about being part of the solar system, which they had discussed as a whole class at the beginning of the lesson.


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Key Activity: Modelling the solar system Start with a class brainstorm on the solar system. (See Key Resource: Using mind maps and brainstorming to explore ideas). Record all their ideas and questions about the planets, sun, moons and so on.

Share with your pupils the detailed information on the planets in Resource 5: Solar system –facts and figures. Ask the pupils to work in pairs to draw a diagram showing each planet in order, giving some indication of the size of each planet. Each pair then shares their diagram with another pair to check their answers.

Ask each group of four pupils to make a model, using clay and mud, of one planet. If you have access to books and/or the Internet use these to give more information. Try to make sure the models are all to the same scale.

Then, use these model planets to build a model of the solar system. You will need to go outside to place their models in order. (See Resource 6: A scale model of the solar system for hints on the sizes and positions of the planets in the mode l).

Finally, plan an assembly with your class. They should show their model and tell the rest of the school what they have found out about the solar system.

http://www.open.edu/openlearnworks/mod/oucontent/olinkremote.php?website=TESSA_GHA&targetdoc=Key%20Resource:%20Using%20mind%20maps%20and%20brainstorming%20to%20explore%20ideas

http://www.open.edu/openlearnworks/mod/oucontent/olinkremote.php?website=TESSA_GHA&targetdoc=Key%20Resource:%20Using%20mind%20maps%20and%20brainstorming%20to%20explore%20ideas


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Resource 1: Modelling night and day

Teacher resource for planning or adapting to use with pupils

Why do we get night and day?

You can use a simple model to help you find out the answer to this question.

You will need:

• a large ball to show the Earth • a torch to show the sun

Investigate

• Use the ball and torch to investigate why we get night and day – see below • Explain how your model shows the difference between night and day.

Original source: Oxford Science Programme 2 – 1991 Oxford University Press


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Resource 2: Day and night questionnaire


What do you think about the statements below?

Score each one according to the following scale. Then discuss your scoring with others.

I know it is true 1

I think it is true 2

I am not sure 3

I think it is false 4

I know it is false 5

1. At night, the moon blocks out the sun.

2. The sun revolves around the Earth every 24 hours to give day and night.

3. The atmosphere blocks the sun at night.

4. At night, the planets get in the way of the sun.

5. One half of the Earth has day, while the other half has night.

6. The day and night cycle has something to do with the movement of the Earth.

7. The Earth moves around the sun every 24 hours to give day and night.

8. When we are facing the sun it is day and when we are facing away from the sun it is night.

9. It is dark at night because clouds cover the sun.

10. The Earth spins round once every 24 hours to give day and night.

11. The moon is in a part of the sky where it is always night.

12. The Earth turns around an imaginary line from the North to the South Pole once every day.

13. The Earth spins on a line through the equator once every day.

14. At night, the Earth turns to face the moon.

ANSWERS to Day and night questionnaire


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1. False 2. False 3. False 4. False 5. True 6. True 7. False 8. True 9. False 10. True 11. False 12. True 13. False 14. False


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Resource 3: Sun, Moon and Water


Original source: Nevin T (1995), Fire’s Wild Dance


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Resource 4: The moon and its relationship to the Earth and the sun – background for the teacher

Background information / subject knowledge for teacher

The moon is a spherical body that is illuminated by the sun and reflects some of its light. But how is the moon placed in relation to the sun and the Earth, and how does it move?

We know that:

• the moon is visible at different times during the day and/or night; • the time at which the moon is visible is closely related to the shape and size of its

bright part (phases); • the moon is much less bright than the sun and emits a negligible amount of heat; • the complete cycle of lunar phases has a period of about 29.5 solar days; • the moon is visible, albeit at different times, for some part of each solar day

(provided that it is not hidden by clouds); • the moon shows the same face to the Earth at all times; • the moon is always of the same apparent size; • the apparent size of the moon is about the same as that of the sun; • eclipses of the moon occur relatively rarely (no more than twice a year).

Commentary

The diagram on the next page will help you to make sense of how the moon moves around the Earth. It shows how we only see different-sized bits of the moon at different stages in its orbit. It shows how the phases of the moon arise from its orbit around the Earth. The time between occurrences of the same phase (e.g. full) is, on average, 29.5 days.

You will see that the moon always presents the same face to the Earth: the moon rotates on its axis in the same time that it orbits the Earth, and in the same direction. Moreover, whenever you see a full moon, everyone else on the same side of the Earth will also see a full moon. This applies to a new moon and to every other phase of the moon as well.

Please note: You will need to reverse the sequence in the diagram for the southern hemisphere.


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Person on earth sees everything inside the circle Moon number 1 = New Moon

Part of the moon illuminated by the sun

Part of the moon in darkness

Template for pupils to record the shape of the moon

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5


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Useful web link

If you are able to access the Internet, the link below gives your pupils a chance to take part in an interactive tour of the southern hemisphere and has a wonderful animation of moon rotation.

http://www.learningmedia.co.nz/staticactivities/dayandnight/dswmedia/index.html

Original source: Primary Science, Developing Subject Knowledge, Jane Devereux


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Resource 5: Solar system – facts and figures


Axial rotation

Time in orbit

Diameter in km

Km from sun

(in millions)

Miles from sun (in

millions)

Gravity

(Earth

=1)

Mass

(Earth

=1)

Density

(Water

=1) Mercury 56 days 88 days 4,878 57.9 36 0.38 0.555 5.4 Many craters on the surface make Mercury look like our moon. Because there is no atmosphere to keep temperatures steady, they fall from 425 °C at midday to 180 °C before dawn. It is made of rock with no water. Venus 243 days 225

days 12,103 108.2 67.2 0.9 0.81 5.2

The white clouds prevent us seeing the surface but make it the brightest planet in our sky. It is sometimes called the morning star or evening star. It is made of rock and very hot with an atmosphere of carbon dioxide (CO2). Earth 23h

56m

365.25 days

12,756 149.6 93 1 1 5.5

Two-thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, which gives it its blue colour. It is the only planet known to support life. It has an atmosphere containing oxygen. Mars 23h

37m

687 days

6,786 227.9 141.6 0.38 0.11 3.9

It is the fourth planet from the sun and is commonly referred to as the red planet. The rocks, soil and sky have a red or pink hue. Jupiter 9h

50m

11.86 yrs

142,984 778 483.6 2.6 318 1.3

The atmosphere has a stripy appearance with a giant red spot. It is a huge ball of the gases hydrogen and helium. Saturn 10h

14m

29.45 yrs

120,536 1,426 886.7 0.9 95 0.7

A set of rings can be seen round Saturn, caused by millions of circling ice, dust and rock particles. Another gas giant made of hydrogen and helium. Uranus 10h

49m

84.01 yrs

51,118 2,871 1,783 0.8 15 1.3

It appears bluish-green because of the methane gas reflecting sunlight. It has a small ring


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system and has an axis of rotation at right angles to other planets. Another gas giant. Neptune

15h

40m

165.79 yrs

49,528 4,497 2,794 1.1 17 1.6

It appears bluish and has a small ring system. It is sometimes called the twin of Uranus. The last gas giant. Pluto 16h 248.43

yrs 2,284 5,913 3,666 0.04 0.002 2

Pluto is primarily composed of rock and ice. It has three moons – Charon, Nix and Hydra.

On 24 August 2006, the International Astronomical Union defined the term ‘planet’ for the first time. This definition excluded Pluto, and so Pluto was added to the list of minor planets. Adapted from: Primary Science, Developing Subject Knowledge, Jane Devereux


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Resource 6: A scale model of the solar system


PLANET REPRESENTED BY DISTANCE FROM ‘SUN’ FOR YOUR MODEL* MERCURY 1 mm poppy seed 12 metres 12 centimetres VENUS 3 mm pinhead 23 metres 23 centimetres EARTH 3 mm pinhead 30 metres 30 centimetres MARS 1.5 mm mustard seed 50 metres 50 centimetres JUPITER 30 mm ball 167 metres 1.67 metres SATURN 30 mm ball 300 metres 3 metres URANUS 10 mm marble 600 metres 6 metres NEPTUNE 10 mm marble 900 metres 9 metres PLUTO 1 mm poppy seed 1.25 kilometres 12.5 metres

N.B: On this scale, our moon would be slightly smaller than a poppy seed and would be 8 cm from the Earth.

All the sizes and distances are approximations.

For practical reasons, you may wish to use this ‘shortened’ distance scale for your pupils’ model, but you will need to point out that the size of the planets is now disproportionately large.

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Primary Subject Resources Science - open. · PDF filePrimary Subject Resources Science Module 3 Section 5 From Earth to the stars - using models 1 Using models to explore night and