PST Names: Amy Kleinsmit & Tess Ennoss

Topic: Earth & space sciences

Year Level: 5
Unit outcomes
AusVELS
Science Understanding: Earth and space sciences
The Earth is part of a system of planets orbiting around a star (the sun) (ACSSU078)
Elaborations:
Identifying the planets of the solar system and comparing how long they take to orbit the sun
Modelling the relative size of and distance between Earth, other planets in the solar system and the sun
Recognising the role of the sun as a provider of energy for the Earth
Science as a Human Endeavour: Nature and development of science
Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena (ACSHE081)
Elaborations:
Researching how scientists were able to develop ideas about the solar system through the gathering of evidence through space exploration
Use and influence of science
Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to solve problems that directly affect peoples lives (ACSHE083)
Elaborations:
Describing how technologies developed to aid space exploration have changed the way people live, work and communicate
Science Inquiry Skills: Communicating
Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (ACSIS093)
Elaborations:
Discussing how models represent scientific ideas and constructing physical models to demonstrate an aspect of scientific understanding
Using labelled diagrams to communicate ideas
Concepts:
The position of the Sun with respect to Earth gives us night and day
Earth rotates, which makes the Moon, Sun and stars appear to move
Earths tilt in orbit causes seasons
There are 9 distinctive planets in the solar system which all orbit the Sun
The planets in the solar system differ in size and are not an equal distance apart
Space travel serves many purposes, including assisting in exploration of the solar system

Unit overview
Phase/ Lesson
Lesson 1
(Engage)

Lesson 2
(Explore)

Science outcomes
Literacy outcomes
Students will be able to:
Students will be able to:
Represent their
Represent their
prior knowledge
prior knowledge
about Space
about Space by
creating a
Understand that
concept map
night and day are
dependent on the
Engage in group
position of the
discussions, and
Sun with respect
share their ideas
to Earth
and work with
their peers
Understand that
Earths orbit
Work in small
causes seasons
groups to
demonstrate
Create a role play
their learning
to demonstrate
about orbits
their
understandings
Use appropriate
of Earth and the
scientific
Moons orbits
terminology
(orbits instead
of spins)
Students will be able to:
Students will be able to:
Identify all 9
Work effectively
planets in the
in a group when
solar system in
completing the
order
matching activity
Understand that
Use images to
all 9 planets orbit
prompt prior
the Sun, but at
knowledge
different rates
Read and
Understand that
summarise
the planets are
information

Lesson Summary
Students will play the game 2 truths and 1 lie
to elicit their prior knowledge about Space.
Students will individually create concept maps
about Space and will be prompted (if
required) using the following words: Sun,
planets, star, Earth, solar system, moon,
galaxy, satellite, atmosphere, gravity, comets,
constellations and Milky Way.
Explicitly explain Earths orbit around the Sun
and the Moons orbit around Earth. Students
to create role plays in groups to demonstrate
their understandings of these concepts and
present to their peers.
Students will visually represent what theyve
learnt as a result of engaging in the role play.

Students will work as a group to match the

names of planets; their images and a fact
about each and will justify their decisions
when working with their peers.
An example of a mnemonic device to
remember the order of the planets will be
modelled to students. After discussing what a
mnemonic device is and should include,
students will create their own mnemonic
devices to help them remember the order of
the planets.

Assessment opportunities
Diagnostic: students
statements and responses
in the game, as well as the
complexity of their
concept maps will
evidence students prior
knowledge.
Formative: students role
plays will demonstrate
what they have learned
and/ or retained about
orbits and will guide
future lessons.

Formative: observations
of the way students
complete (and the
accuracy of) the matching
activity.
Students diagrams on
their graphic organisers as
a representation of what
they have learnt about
their chosen planet.

different sizes
and are not an
equal distance
apart

Lesson 3
(Explain)

Lesson 4
(Elaborate)

Students will be able to:

Physically
represent the size
of and distance
between the
planets
Role play the
planets orbits

Students will be able to:

Identify and
discuss the types
of, and reasons
for space travel

about a specific
planet
Represent their
understanding of
the information
in a graphic
organiser
Discuss features
of their specific
planet, and
similarities and
differences to
other planets
Students will be able to:
Use appropriate
scientific
terminology
when engaging in
the
demonstration of
the size of and
distance between
planets
Work in small
groups to
demonstrate
their
understanding of
the planets
orbits
Students will be able to:
Discuss the
complexities of
space travel,
including benefits
and limitations

Students will be given information about a

planet of their choice (from the NASA
website) and will independently summarise
this information to complete a graphic
organiser template. Students will be informed
that their graphic organisers must include a
visual representation (or diagram) to show
what they understand or have learnt about
their planet.

Using the graphic organisers completed in the

previous lesson, students will create a poster
replicating what theyve learnt about their
chosen planet. Students will share their
posters with their peers to ensure all students
gain an understanding of all the planets.
Students will then go outside to physically
demonstrate the size of and distance between
the planets, using balls of various sizes.
Students will work as a group to position
where the planets (balls) should go, before
teachers adjust and discuss as required.
Students will role play and discuss the planets
orbits using the balls from the previous
activity.

Formative: students
posters as a
representation of what
they have learnt about
their chosen planet.

Students will write down 2 things they would

like to learn about Space travel and will work
together to assist in answering each others
questions. Questions which cannot be
answered will be researched and discussed
further in the next lesson.

Diagnostic: students
questions about Space
travel will guide future
discussions and their
contributions will provide
insight into what they

Observation of students
acting out the size of;
distance between; and
orbits of the planets.

Make and justify

predictions about
the effectiveness
of their created
rocket
Explain what they
observed when
testing their
rocket

Students will be able to:

Consolidate and
bring together
everything
theyve learnt
about Space over
the unit

Students will be able to:

Use appropriate
scientific
terminology
Represent what
theyve learnt
about the solar
system through
the creation of an
accurate model

Students will be able to:

Use activities
from throughout
the unit to
explain what
theyve learnt
about Space to
their peers and
teachers

Students will be able to:

Use appropriate
scientific
terminology to
explain what
theyve learnt
about particular
phenomena over
the unit

Lesson 5
(Evaluate)

Lesson 6
(Evaluate &
Preparation for
Celebration Day)

Create their own

rocket to
demonstrate
their
understandings
of space travel
Make predictions
about the
effectiveness and
efficiency of their
rocket

Students will decorate their own rocket (film

canister) which will be used in an experiment
(using white vinegar and bi-carb soda) to see
which rocket goes the highest.
Students will make predictions about what
will happen before beginning the experiment
and discussion will link students previously
studied planets.
Students will test their rockets outside,
individually and will discuss and write down
their observations.

Revision of the rocket experiment and further

discussion informed by research about Space
travel.
Students will bring together everything
theyve learnt over the unit and will consider
any final questions they may have.
All students will create a model of the planet
theyve researched in previous lessons,
although only half of the group of students
will present the model of the solar system on
Celebration Day.
Students will finalise decorating the models of
their planets.
Students will consider a character (astronaut
or scientist) to increase their confidence when
presenting on Celebration Day and will
create relevant props.
As a group they will prepare what they are
going to present and say on Celebration Day.

already know.
Formative: observations
of students engagement
during the experiment will
provide insight into their
understandings.
Summative: students
verbal and written
observations of what
happened during the
experiment will determine
what theyve learnt.
Formative: discussions
with students as theyre
creating their planets
and/or explaining the
rocket experiment will
ensure potential
misconceptions and/or
inaccuracies have been
addressed.

Summative: preparation
of students presentations
will bring together their
learning over the whole
unit.

Celebration Day

Teachers will briefly explain the topic and all tasks that students completed over the unit, showing a PowerPoint of students work
and involvement in the unit.
Half the group of students will show the model of the solar system, explaining what theyve learnt and using the posters theyve
previously completed to support what theyre saying.
The other half of the group of students will show the rockets theyve created, considering their predictions, observations and
explanations of the experiment, and what theyve learnt.