Need help teaching sun, Earth, moon unit

[Kristy]

I am in a fourth grade class and our next science unit is on the sun, the Earth and the moon. I am having a hard time deciding what order to teach the topics. Also if anyone has any ideas to make this fun for the students I would appreciate it. Thank you.

 

[SC]

Some ideas

I started with the earth, since students are probably more familiar with then. Then I taught the moon, then the sun. Here are the activities we did:
- After learning characteristics of the layers of the earth, students had to write a story as if they were traveling to the center of the earth. They had to describe what they saw in each layer, and they also illustrated it.
- For the sun, we made a model and labeled the corona, etc.
- We studied the phases of the moon, and I had them complete a worksheet to label the phases. (dull, I know, but I was out of ideas) Before doing the labels, I did a demonstration with a beach ball and a flashlight.

 

[bette d.]

model of the earth

You can use a Hostess cupcake to demonstrate the layers of the earth.

 

[bette d.]

model of the earth

You can use a Hostess cupcake to demonstrate the layers of the earth.

 

[Marlene]

You could use an oreo type cookie to do phases of the moon. Take off the top cookie. Remove the right amount of frosting for the phase you are demonstrating.

 

[jourdansmom]

Idea for the moon

I teach 3rd grade science. I helped my students create a calendar for 30 days. Each night as a homework assignment, they had to go outside (or look out the window) and draw the phase of the moon that they saw. We would discuss it each morning and go online to verify if what we saw was correct. The kids loved it! Especially when the clouds covered the moon and no one could see it!

 

[TANIA]

The Moon Crust

Get A Pie And Tell Them That The Crust Of The Pie Is The Crust Of The Earth

 

[Jozef]

I got model for sale ( clearly visible day and nighte 23.5 degris tilt solar and lunar eclipse, polar nighte and polar day and High tide and low tide), Designed and registred in New Zealand, Australia and Europe union.
Where are you?? regards,
Jozef


jtot@ORCON.NET.NZ