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Science lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 30 minutes

Day, month and year: spin and orbit times

Space

CCSS NGSS.5-ESS1-2England: KS2 Y5 Earth and space

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Day, month and year: spin and orbit times.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Day and night

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Torch and ball for a Sun-Earth-Moon model, Space images, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Day and night). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Why does the Sun seem to move across the sky? (The wind pushes it / The Earth is rotating / It is falling / The Sun orbits the Earth each day) → The Earth is rotatingPrompt: Think about watching trees from a moving train.
  2. The Sun rises at 08:45 and sets at 17:45. How many hours of daylight are there? Give your answer in hours as a decimal (e.g. 12.5). → 9 hPrompt: Count the whole hours first, then the extra minutes.
  3. Day and night: which statement is NOT true? (The Sun appears to rise in the east and set in the west. / Shadows change length and direction during the day. / The Earth rotates once about every 24 hours. / The Sun travels around the Earth once a day.) → The Sun travels around the Earth once a day.Prompt: Rotation and orbit are different movements.

Hook · 3 min

  • Ask why we see the Moon change shape over a month.
  • Share the objective: Day, month and year: spin and orbit times. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: How long does this take: Earth spinning once on its axis?
  • Step 1: So the answer is: about 24 hours (one day)
  • Answer: about 24 hours (one day)
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. How long does this take: Earth spinning once on its axis? (about 365¼ days (one year) / about 687 Earth days (nearly 2 years) / about 29½ days (about a month) / about 24 hours (one day)) → about 24 hours (one day)Prompt: Day, month or year?
  2. Earth spins once every 24 hours. How many times does it spin in 2 days? → 2Prompt: One spin makes one day.

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • 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.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. How long does this take: Mars travelling once around the Sun? (about 29½ days (about a month) / about 24 hours (one day) / about 687 Earth days (nearly 2 years) / about 365¼ days (one year)) → about 687 Earth days (nearly 2 years)Prompt: Day, month or year?
  2. True or false? Earth takes about one year to orbit the Sun. (True / False) → TruePrompt: Spin = day. Moon's cycle = month. Orbit = year.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Day and night.
  • Use concrete materials: torch and ball for a sun-earth-moon model.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

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

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Day, month and year: spin and orbit times

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    How long does this take: Mars travelling once around the Sun?

    • A. about 24 hours (one day)
    • B. about 687 Earth days (nearly 2 years)
    • C. about 365¼ days (one year)
    • D. about 29½ days (about a month)

  2. Question 2

    A year is 365 days, plus an extra day every 4 years (a leap year) because Earth's orbit takes about 365¼ days. How many days are there in 8 years in a row that include 2 leap years?

    Answer

  3. Question 3

    True or false? Earth takes about one year to orbit the Sun.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  4. Question 4

    A year is 365 days, plus an extra day every 4 years (a leap year) because Earth's orbit takes about 365¼ days. How many days are there in 4 years in a row that include 1 leap year?

    Answer

  5. Question 5

    True or false? Earth spins once about every 24 hours.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  6. Question 6

    How many hours does Earth take to spin 2 times?

    Answerh

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Answer key: Day, month and year: spin and orbit times

  1. 1. B. about 687 Earth days (nearly 2 years)

  2. 2. 2922

  3. 3. A. True

  4. 4. 1461

  5. 5. A. True

  6. 6. 48 h