Earth and Space — Year 5 Lesson Plan
National Curriculum: Science — Earth and Space: Year 5
Overview
Pupils investigate the solar system, exploring the relative sizes and positions of planets and their movement. They learn how the Earth's rotation causes day and night and how the Earth's orbit of the Sun — and the Moon's orbit of the Earth — create the patterns of night, day, and lunar phases. The heliocentric model is compared with historical geocentric ideas.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the relative sizes and positions of the planets in the solar system.
- Explain how the Earth's rotation on its axis causes day and night.
- Describe the movement of the Moon relative to the Earth.
- Understand why the Sun appears to move across the sky throughout the day.
Key Vocabulary
Suggested Lesson Structure
Ask: why does the Sun rise in the east and set in the west? Does the Sun actually move? Collect ideas and address prior conceptions before teaching the correct model.
Introduce the heliocentric model and the eight planets in order. Explain that Earth rotates on its axis every 24 hours, causing day and night — the side facing the Sun has day. Describe the Moon's orbit (approximately 28 days). Contrast with the historical geocentric model and discuss why scientists changed their minds.
Pupils create a model or diagram showing Earth's rotation and day/night. Then in groups, use a lamp (Sun) and a globe to model how day and night change as the Earth rotates.
Pupils write an explanation of day and night from the perspective of a scientist, using diagrams and correct vocabulary. Challenge: explain why it is daytime in the UK when it is night in Australia.
Ask: if Earth's orbit takes 365¼ days, why do we only have 365 days in a year? Discuss leap years and the concept of accumulating a day every four years.
Common Misconceptions
- Pupils often believe the Sun moves around the Earth — explicitly address and correct this using the heliocentric model.
- Thinking the seasons are caused by the Earth's distance from the Sun — they are caused by the tilt of the Earth's axis.
Prior Knowledge
Pupils should already be able to:
- Awareness that the Earth is a planet and the Sun is a star.
- Basic understanding that day and night exist.
- Knowledge of the concept of gravity.
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