Learning Cycle A 321
Learning Cycle A 321
Learning Cycle A 321
Exploration
Estimated time: 2 days (2 class periods)
Grouping: The students will be working in groups of three to complete this activity.
Materials: Cardboard, plastic bottles, aluminum cans, tape, glue, paint, foam, computers/iPads
Activity:
The students will be separated into groups of three and will research a moon landing exploration
of choice. This moon exploration and grouping of students will be used for the expansion activity
that will be later discussed. To complete this exploration activity, the students will use the
information gathered from their investigations. The students will work together to create a model
to represent the space shuttle used in the exploration in which they have researched. On the final
day of this activity, the class will venture outside to demonstrate a rocket launching activity. Each
group will launch their space shuttles and will have a friendly competition to see how far their
shuttles will travel. This competition will take place as the students throw their paper models as
each yard thrown will represent 100 light years.
Procedure:
1. The teacher will begin to engage the class by implementing a discussion about the Earth's
moon. These questions that will engage the students will include:
1. What do they know about the moon?
2. How did we get to the moon?
3. When was the first moon landing?
b. To continue engaging the students with this new topic of space exploration, the teacher
will show a video from this link:
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMINSD7MmT4
b. Afterwards, the students will be separated into groups of three and will pick, as a group, a
moon exploration of their choice. Options will be shown by a list, but no two groups will
be allowed to research the same moon exploration.
c. The students will then research their chosen moon landings to find what space
shuttle/rocket that was used in their discoveries.
d. Together, the students will draw a sketching of the rocket/space shuttle investigated
before making a 3D model.
e. After the brainstorming and sketching have been completed, the students will make their
3D model using the materials provided.
Concepts: We want our students to understand that
One discovery can lead to others.
There are multiple processes that can be taken to reach the same success.
Curiosity drives innovation.
Expansion
Estimated time: 3 days (3 class periods)
Grouping: The students will be working in groups of three to complete this activity.
these ELL students will be able to use different applications to have the moon landing's
information translated to their first language.
1 Gifted student - The teacher will present the opportunity for the students to create their
own moon landing explorations. These students will be required to incorporate the same
topics as previously researched, but will provide their own imagination in creating an
original plan to travel to the moon.