Waltrina D. Kirkland-Mullins
If we were to travel far beyond our solar system's boundaries and look back, we would see billions of scintillating points of light that comprise our Milky Way galaxy-among them our star, the Sun. Our star has a story all its own, one that reveals it is much more than a simple source of heat and light. What then is this celestial sphere? My curriculum unit explores these concepts and more.
Developed for grade two space explorers (and modifiable for grades two through five), this unit is presented in an easy-to-use question and answer format. It zeroes in on the fascinating characteristics of the Sun and its overall impact on planet Earth. Through interactive activities, related films, select readings and corresponding writing exercises aligned with Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) response-to-text writing strands, students grasp that the Sun impacts our planet in many ways-several often taken for granted. The unit, to be implemented within an eight to ten week period, is interdisciplinary, incorporating Scientific Inquiry, Earth Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts from a whole language/multicultural perspective.
(Developed for Science, Language Arts, and Social Studies, grade 2; recommended for Science, Language Arts, and Social Studies, grades 2-5)
