• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (The Sun, Moon and stars). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Why does the Sun look bigger and brighter than other stars? (It is much closer to us / It is a different kind of light / Other stars are not real / It is the biggest star in the universe) → It is much closer to usPrompt: Things far away look smaller and dimmer.
2. Sun, Moon and stars: which statement is true? (You can only see the Moon at night. / The Moon reflects light from the Sun. / The Moon makes its own light. / The Sun goes round the Earth.) → The Moon reflects light from the Sun.Prompt: Which objects make their own light?
3. Sun, Moon and stars: which statement is NOT true? (Stars are still in the sky during the day. / The Sun appears to move across the sky during the day. / You can only see the Moon at night. / The Sun is a star.) → You can only see the Moon at night.Prompt: Does the Sun really move round us?

• Ask why we see the Moon change shape over a month.
• Share the objective: The Sun is a star: why it looks bigger and brighter than others. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: About how long does sunlight take to reach Earth?
• Step 1: Sunlight travels about 150 million km in roughly 8 minutes.
• Step 2: So the answer is: about 8 minutes
• Answer: about 8 minutes
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
• Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

1. Why does the Sun look so much bigger and brighter than other stars? (It is the biggest star in the universe. / It is much closer to us than any other star. / It is not a star. / Other stars are switched off.) → It is much closer to us than any other star.Prompt: How does a streetlight look close up compared with one far away?
2. The Sun and other stars: which statement is true? (A star that looks dim must be small. / The Sun is a planet. / The Sun is the biggest star in space. / Stars at different distances can look equally bright.) → Stars at different distances can look equally bright.Prompt: Brightness depends on size and distance.

• Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
• Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. Two identical lamps are switched on in a dark field. Lamp A is 2 m away and lamp B is 10 m away. Which looks brighter? (lamp A / lamp B / they look the same) → lamp APrompt: The lamps give out the same amount of light.
2. About how long does sunlight take to reach Earth? (less than a second / about 8 minutes / about a day / about a year) → about 8 minutesPrompt: Light is very fast, but the Sun is about 150 million km away.

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-5.