works cited page

Books

Florian, D. (2007). Comets, Stars, The Moon, and Mars. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Books.
Green, D. (2009). Astronomy Out of This World! New York,NY: Kingfisher. Gibbons, G. (2007). Galaxies, Galaxies! New York, NY: Holiday House.
Gibbons, G. (1998). Moon Book. New York, NY: Holiday House.
Gibbons, G. (2008). The Planets. New York, NY: Holiday House.
Lassieur, A. (2007). The Moon Exposed. Chicago, IL: Raintree
Mitton, J. & Balit, C. (2003). Once Upon A Starry Night: A Book of Constellations. Washington, DC: Francis Lincoln Limted.
Olivers, J. (2007). The Way Back Home. New York, NY: Philomel Books.
Rabe, T. (1999). There’s No Place Like Space! All About Our Solar System. New York, NY: Dr Suess Enterprises LP.
Seymour, S. (1998). Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids. Logan, IA: Perfection Learning.
Whitehouse, P. (2004). The Stars. Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library.
Whitehouse, P. (2004). Working in Space. Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library.

Comets, Meteors, and Astroids by Seymour Simon

Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids

by Seymour Simon

Summary: Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids presents basic information about comets, meteors, and asteroids. The author explains each space object, what it is made of, and where it can be found. The book contains full size illustrations. The text is great to use as reference guide.

SC Science Standard: 4-3 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties, movements, and locations of objects in the solar system. (Earth Science)

SC ELA Standard: 4-2 The student will read and comprehend a variety of informational texts in print and nonprint formats.

Indicator: 4-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety of methods (for example, drawings, written works, and oral presentations).

Activity/Lesson: The teacher will break the class into three groups. Each group will be provided with a copy of the text. Each group will be assigned one of the three topics: Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids. The group will read their section on their assigned topic. The groups will be provided with additional research tools such as computer time and other reference books on space. The students will prepare a presentation to the class.

Objectives:

• The student will demonstrate an understanding that there are other celestial objects other than the sun and the planets in our solar system.
• The student will identify the characteristics of the following: comets, asteroids, and meteors.
• The student will create a 5 min presentation on their assigned topic

Materials:

• Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids
• Poster board
• Markers
• additional reference materials (science texts, articles, computer time, magazines, encyclopedias)

Procedures:

1. The teacher will talk about the night sky. What kinds of objects do we see in the night sky? What kinds of things exist in our galaxy? In our solar system?
2. The teacher will do a picture walk through Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids, highlighting important facts and captions.
3. The teacher will break the class into three groups. Each group will be assigned one of the three topics: asteroids, comets, and meteors.
4. Each group will read the section on their topic in Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids.
5. Each group will be given additional time to further research their topic.
6. Each group will prepare a presentation (min 5 minutes) for the class. They must illustrate their topic on a poster board.
7. The following questions must be addressed in their presentations: What is the celestial object researched? What does this celestial object look like? How big or small can this celestial object be? When and how did we discover this celestial object's presence in our solar system? Where in the galaxy is this celestial object typically found and/or how can we detect this object in the night sky? How does this celestial object affect life on Earth?
8. The groups will present their presentations to class
9. After the presentations the teacher will review what was presented on each topic.

The Stars by Patricia Whitehouse

The Stars

by Patricia Whitehouse

Summary: The Stars takes the reader on a journey through space to learn more about stars. The book includes explanatory diagrams, facts, NASA photography, and a glossary. The book explains what stars are, their composition, the life of a star, their color and size, and many other interesting facts.

SC Science Standard: 4-3 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties, movements, and locations of objects in the solar system. (Earth Science)

SC ELA Standard: 4-2 The student will read and comprehend a variety of informational texts in print and nonprint formats.

Indicator: 4-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety of methods (for example, drawings, written works, and oral presentations).

Activity/Lesson: The teacher will read The Stars aloud to the class to introduce to the lesson on stars. The text will be used to engage and provide information. The students will create a flip book of their chosen star.

Objectives:

• The student will describe the life cycle of a small, medium, and large star using correct vocabulary.
• The student will make a flip book "movie" detailing the life of the star
• The student will compare the life cycle of small, medium, and large stars.

Materials:

• The Stars
• white paper for flip books
• markers, pencils, pens
• 1 completed flip book to show to class
• stapler
• additional resources for research on stars
• computers

Procedures:

1. The teacher will read The Stars
2. After reading the book, the teacher will talk about different types of stars found in the universe, What are stars, What are stars made of, how is a red star different from a blue star, and the life cycle of small, medium, and large stars.
3. The teacher will explain to the students that they will be making a flip book "movie" of a star.
4. Show the students a completed flip book and how when you flip the pages it looks animated.
5. The students can choose to make a movie of the life of either a small, medium, or large star.
6. The flip book must include the different stages of the life cycle.
7. The teacher will call on volunteers to share their "movies" and explain the different cycles of the star.

Comets, Stars, The Moon and Mars by Douglas Florian

Comets, Stars, The Moon, and Mars

by Douglas Florian

Summary: The author uses poetry to explore the earth, the moon, the sun, stars, planets, comets, galaxies, the universe, black holes, and the great beyond. The book contains 20 entertaining yet informational poems about space. The book is a great text to start off a unit on astronomy. The text briefly covers many topic in fun and interesting way.

SC Science Standard: 4-3 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties, movements, and locations of objects in the solar system. (Earth Science)

Indicator: 4-3.1 Recall that Earth is one of many planets in the solar system that orbit the Sun. 4-3.2 Compare the properties (including the type of surface and atmosphere) and the location of Earth to the Sun, which is a star, and the Moon.

SC ELA Standards: 4-2 The student will read and comprehend a variety of informational texts in print and nonprint formats.

Indicator: 4-2.2 Analyze informational texts to draw conclusions and make inferences.

Activity/Lesson: The teacher will use this text at the beginning of the Astronomy Unit. The teacher will read Comets, Stars, The Moon, and Mars. As the teacher reads aloud the text, the students will write down in their journals things they found interesting, things they didn't understand, comments, and what they want to learn from the unit on Astronomy. The text will activate the students' prior knowledge, bring any misconeptions to the teacher's attention, and get the students interested in learning Astronomy. The picture and wording are both very catchy.

Objectives:

• The student will identify important facts about the solar system
  

Materials:

• Journals
• Comets, Stars, The Moon, and Mars

Procedures:

1. The teacher will tell the students that we are about to start a new unit on Astronomy.
2. The teacher will read the text Comets, Stars, The Moon, and Mars.
3. While reading the text, the students will write in their journals they found interesting, things they didn't understand, comments, and what they want to learn from the unit on Astronomy.
4. The teacher will collect the journals and alter her next lesson based on the responses of the students. The teacher will address all questions and misconceptions listed in the students' journals.

The Moon Exposed by Allison Lassieur

The Moon Exposed

by Allison Lassieur

Summary: The Moon Exposed explains different properties of the moon. The book is broken down into 10 sections: old myths about the moon, what the moon is, how the moon moves, why the moon stays near the earth, the relationship between the moon and earth and tides, what is on the moon, seas on the moon, weather on the moon, light on the moon, phases, why the moon disappears, walking on the moon, and moon tourists. Each page the author lists difficult relevant vocabulary words at the bottom of the page with a definition. The author provides diagrams and descriptive illustrations. In addition to the vocabuarly words, the author also addresses common myths about each section.

SC Science Standard: 4-3 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties, movements, and locations of objects in the solar system. (Earth Science)

Indicator: 4-3.3 Illustrate the phases of the Moon and the Moon’s effect on ocean tides.

SC ELA Standard: 4-2 The student will read and comprehend a variety of informational texts in print and nonprint formats.

Indicator: 4-2.6 Use graphic features (including illustrations, graphs, charts, maps, diagrams, and graphic organizers) as sources of information.

Activity/Lesson: The teacher will use the text to introduce a lesson on the moon. The student will create a graphic organizer to explain what they have learned about the moon. As the teacher reads aloud the text, the students will jot down notes to use on their graphic organizer. The students also have sticky notes to write down questions about anything they did not understand. After the reading, the students will place their sticky notes on the front board and the class will discuss the questions. The teacher will also model how the moon moves around the earth and different parts of the moon face the sun.

Objectives:

• The student will identify the important attributes of the moon
• The student will create an accurate graphic organizer about the moon

Materials:

• The Moon Exposed
• Moon graphic organizer
• model of the earth- blue ball
• model of the sun- a light without a lamp shade
• model of the moon -tennis ball
• phases of the moon worksheet

Procedure:

1. The teacher will ask the students what they know about the moon.
2. Next the teacher will read The Moon Exposed
3. As the teacher reads aloud, the students will jot down notes on their graphic organizers and any questions on sticky notes.
4. After reading the text the students will place the sticky notes on the front board and the class will discuss the questions
5. Next the teacher will ask for 2 volunteers to hold the sun (light) and the earth(blue ball). The teacher will model how the moon moves around the earth and the phases.
6. The teacher will start by telling the students that the light represents the sun, the blue ball the earth, and the tennis ball the moon.
7. The students will complete a worksheet labeling all of the phases of the moon.

Working in Space by Patricia Whitehouse

Working in Space

Patricia Whitehouse

Summary: Working in Space explains how astronauts work in space. The author clarifies why astronauts float in space, the clothing they wear in space, training, taking photos in space, fixing satellites, and many other interesting facts about their job. The book begins with an explanation of the different types of astronauts and their jobs. Next the author details the training that is required to go on a space mission and the types of experiments astronauts conduct in space. The book covers the clothing and equipment that they use. The author provides additional space facts and a glossary at the end of the text.

SC Science Standard: 4-3 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties, movements, and locations of objects in the solar system. (Earth Science)

SC ELA Standard: 4-5 The student will write for a variety of purposes and audiences.

Indicator: 4-5.3 Create written descriptions using language that appeals to the readers’ senses.

Activity/Lesson: The teacher will read Working in Space to the students. After reading the text, the student will keep a week long journal of their life as an astronaut. The students will pretend that they are on a space mission to a planet that they choose. Each day the student will write about their day in space in their journal.

Objectives:

• The student will identify the main job responsibilities of an astronaut.
• The student will identify how an astronaut works in space

Materials:

• Working In Space
• journals

Procedures:

1. The teacher will ask the students if they know any careers for those you study space (astronauts, astronomers, space craft engineers, planetarium director, and astrogeologist)
2. The teacher will then read the book, Working in Space.
3. The teacher will allow the students to ask any questions that they may have about working in space.
4. The students will pretend that they are going on a mission to any planet of their choice. The students will write in their daily journal for a week about their life as an astronaut.
5. The students will share their journal entries with the teacher each day.

The Planets by Gail Gibbons

The Planets

by Gail Gibbons

Summary: The Planets discusses the movements, location, and characteristics of the planets in our solar system. The book also discusses the following topics/concepts: day and night, orbit, rotation, year, and astronomy. The book is well laid out and easy to read. The book provides a good overview of each of the planets in the solar system. The book however does still address Pluto as a planet so the teacher must address the fact that Pluto is no longer classified as a planet.

SC Science Standard: 4-3 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties, movements, and locations of objects in the solar system. (Earth Science

Indicator: 4-3.2 Compare the properties (including the type of surface and atmosphere) and the location of Earth to the Sun, which is a star, and the Moon.

SC ELA Standard: 4-5 The student will write for a variety of purposes and audiences.

Indicator: 4-5.1 Create informational pieces (for example, postcards, flyers, letters, and e-mails) that use language appropriate for the specific audience.

Activity/Lesson: The teacher will use this book to begin an activity on planets. The students will break into break of 8. Each group will be assigned a planet. The groups will not tell the other groups what planet they have been assigned. The groups will construct a brochure about their planet. The groups will present their brochure to the class and the class must guess their planet.

Objectives:

• The student will identify the main properties of an assigned planet
• The student will create a brochure for an assigned planet
  

Materials:

• The Planets
• Computers
• Additional reference books for the groups to use for research
• construction paper
• glue
• markers
• other art supplies

Procedures:

1. The teacher will read The Planets aloud.
2. The teacher will split the class into eight groups and quietly assign a planet to each group. (The group will be instructed to not tell the other groups what planet they have been assigned.)
3. Each group will design a brochure for their planet describing the different properties.
4. Each group will present their brochure to the class without telling what planet they were assigned.
5. The class must guess what planet each group is presenting
6. The teacher will write on the board important facts about each planet as they are presented by the groups.