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Under the "Seasonal" Sun......... |
Have you ever tried explaining what causes the seasons and why so many changes occur because of them? It's not an easy task. You can imagine their concern when first grade teachers found out they would be gone to a conference during the time they were to teach this in their classes. A late night call last evening requested that fourth graders help out by "substituting" in their classes to help explain what happens. A little rusty yourself, you say? No problem. Use the following exercise to refresh your memory, jot down important info, design an interesting presentation for the first grade classes.
After viewing videos explaining the sun's role in the changes within the various seasons, students will take on the persona of a plant or animal and describe how the sun affects its changes throughout the four seasons.
Process
Part 1-Research: Use the link on the Online Learning page of the Rhodes Webpage to access the KLRN Connect Sun Playlist. If not at Rhodes or out of the district, see resources below for how to get to the video.
|
1. Go to the Rhodes Webpage.Click on the Online Learning Link on the left. |
| 2. Scroll down to your grade level. Click on the KLRN link. |
| 3. Scroll down. Click on the KLRN connect logo. |
| 4. Enter user name and password. |
| 5. Click on Playlist. Then click on School Playlists. Click on Sun. |
| 6. To view a video, click on the S. Click on the arrow to start. You may pause at anytime to write notes. |
| The attached graphic will help you take organized notes. |
Part 2- Presentation: Using Powerpoint, students will create a presentation from the viewpoint of the changing plant or animal. On each slide, students will describe the seasonal changes that they are going through that have come about from the sun and/or its solar energy. Each season and subtopic (from the graphic organizer) should be used. Students may write in informative or in narrative style, the more creative the better.
Minimum
Presentation Guidelines
1. Your project should include 1 title page, a page for each season, a conclusion
page and a credits page for a total of 7 slides.
2. Each slide should have a graphic (either clip art or self drawn) as well
as the text describing the sun caused changes.
3. The above graphic should be animated. (Text may also be animated, but
not required)
4. The conclusion slide should include a discussion of why that plant/animal
regards the sun as extremely necessary in its life cycle.
5. A credits page should include the citations listed on the video viewing
page.
(Additional suggestions listed in additional intelligences below are
not required, but may be added.)
Intelligences
Within the basic project, students will be the using visual/spatial
intelligence as they layout their presentation. Because they are using the
perspective of a plant or animal in the natural world, they will be automatically
be in the naturalist intelligence (as well as showing changes over time.)
The verbal/linguistic intelligence is evident in the writing portion of
the presentation. Students are collecting information/data off of videos
over the internet and organizing it into charts using the logical/mathematical
intelligence. If students are doing self pace research, authoring, self
and peer evaluations they will be in the intrapersonal intelligence. Because
the videos can be individually manipulated to start and stop, bodily/kinesthetic
intelligence applies here, as well as to the individually added animations,
etc within the powerpoint.
Additional intelligences students
may choose to use:
Students may choose to draw themselves
as a plant or animal (as opposed to clip art) and then animate their movements
(visual/spatial)
Students may use digital pictures of the plant/animal that they have taken
themselves or include a supporting experiment within their presentation
(naturalist)
Students might choose to do a "voice over" or narration.(verbal
linguistic)
Students could be arranged in groups to brainstorm presentation. (interpersonal)
Appropriate music could be added to enhance the presentation or text written
in poetry form.(musical/rhythmic)
"Sun"
playlist, available to all Rhodes Students. Other students can access them
by going to:
http://klrn.unitedstreaming.com.
They are listed under
Subject: Science
Category: Earth and Space
Sub category: Weather and Climate
Grade: 4th
| Seasons
Under the Sun: Summer. United Learning. 2000. unitedstreaming. 18 January
2006 http://www.unitedstreaming.com/
Seasons Under the Sun: Autumn. United Learning. 2000. unitedstreaming. 18 January 2006 http://www.unitedstreaming.com/ Seasons Under the Sun: Spring. United Learning. 2000. unitedstreaming. 18 January 2006 http://www.unitedstreaming.com/ Seasons Under the Sun: Winter. United Learning. 2000. unitedstreaming. 18 January 2006 http://www.unitedstreaming.com/ |
Tippa
Planner
Graphic Organizer
Evaluation
When you think you have
finished your project, use this checklist
to evaluate your own project. Make any changes.
Now ask a friend to use the Peer Evaluation
Tool to check it also.
Your teacher will use
this rubric to grade your
piece.
Wow! Not only did you do a fine job of reviewing the role of the sun in seasonal changes and in supplying solar energy, but your presentations were a hit. First grade teachers send their heartfelt gratitude for your fine job! First graders themselves loved the presentations and thank you for "illuminating" them.
