SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students learn about the role the sun plays in our daily lives and how solar energy can be used.

SCIENTIST NOTES: In this lesson, students learn about the role the sun plays in our daily lives and how solar energy can be used.

POSITIVES:
-Students participate in whole and small group discussions and exploration.
-Students explore topics through hands-on inquiry-based activities.
-Students share information and encourage positive climate action.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-Most required materials are typical classroom items. However, the teacher will need to source some additional materials to complete the mini-lessons and stations, such as pizza boxes, aluminum foil, thermometers, etc.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-This lesson was designed to be used in a kindergarten classroom but can easily be modified for first and second grade. See Station and Mini-Lesson Guide for more information about scaffolding the lesson up or down for students.
-Students work at their own pace in stations.
-Students choose a method of sharing knowledge according to their personal learning.
-Additional or alternative texts:
-Sun! One in a Billion by Stacy McAnulty
-This text focuses on the sun and space, with the sun serving as the narrator.
-The Sun Is My Favorite Star by Frank Asch
-Narrative with beautiful imagery.
-Simple text. It may be appropriate for some students to read independently.
-Running on Sunshine: How Does Solar Energy Work? by Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano
-nonfiction text
-This book can be quite dense, so it may be best to read it in chunks for younger students.

This nonfiction article, written for elementary students, discusses the unique characteristics of the North and South poles. The student article is available as a text-only document, illustrated book, and electronic book. Related lesson plans are included for teacher use.

This nonfiction article, written for students in grades 4-5, explores the relationships between various tundra species: marsh marigolds, bot flies, and caribou. Modified versions are available for students in younger grades.

This article describes robots that are helping scientists explore the Gakkel Ridge deep below the Arctic Ocean and links to informational text about them. Versions are available for students in grades K-1, 2-3 and 4-5. Related science and literacy activities are included.

The activities, assignments, and lessons included here are designed to help students read and write like artists who constantly take apart old ideas and texts in order to repackage them for the sake of contemporary humor, wisdom, and relevance. The activities introduce new vocabulary for discussing how texts work and play, as well as synthesis, analysis, and creativity. 

The course covers British literature and culture during Queen Victoria's long reign, 1837-1901. This was the brilliant age of Charles Dickens, the Brontës, Lewis Carroll, George Eliot, Robert Browning, Oscar Wilde, Arthur Conan Doyle, Rudyard Kipling, Alfred, Lord Tennyson – and many others. It was also the age of urbanization, steam power, class conflict, Darwin, religious crisis, imperial expansion, information explosion, bureaucratization – and much more.

This article discusses the reading comprehension strategy of visualization and how it can be used to enhance students' understanding of content-area text. Templates and links are provided.

SYNOPSIS: This lesson introduces students to renewable and nonrenewable energy resources. Students read about an energy resource, complete a graphic organizer, explain to their classmates why their energy resource is the best, and vote for their favorite type of energy.

SCIENTIST NOTES: It is important for cities to shift to renewable energy. This lesson spotlights the offerings of renewable and nonrenewable sources and allows students to create and pitch a real-life renewable energy product. There are no contradictions in the lesson. Thus, this lesson is hereby approved for classroom use.

POSITIVES:
-Students will have to weigh the pros and cons of different energy resources. This is happening in real life, as policymakers and other leaders decide the best way to rapidly deploy clean energy.
-Students practice their public speaking skills.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-This is lesson 3 of 6 in our 3rd-5th grade Renewable Energy unit.
-It is important for students to understand the advantages and disadvantages of different energy sources. However, it is critical for them to know that burning fossil fuels is causing catastrophic climate and ecological breakdown. The students who are pitching the burning of oil and natural gas, therefore, should most likely "lose" the voting in the town hall. If natural gas or oil "win" in the voting, it's probably best to pivot and spend time teaching about the devastating effects of climate change.
-If your students need to see the clear disadvantages of burning fossil fuels, you can show them this video on the causes and effects of climate change, this video on the sixth mass extinction, or this video explaining how climate change makes extreme weather worse.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-It may be best to choose well-liked or confident students to research the fossil fuels. They will most likely "lose" when your students vote. These students should be good sports and have good humor.
-It may be best to group students of different abilities so stronger students can model good note-taking for weaker students.
-Each student should have at least one speaking part when they give their "pitch" to the rest of the class.

This nonfiction article, written for students in grades 4-5, explores the life of the arctic wolf. Modified versions are available for students in younger grades.

In this lesson, students will hone their investigative skills and form an opinion based on the credible evidence that they uncover. After learning about the decision to deem Pluto a "dwarf planet," students will have time for individual investigation. After using their background knowledge to choose credible sources, they will analyze the information they gather to form their own opinion, which they will support in a video response to a prompt on Flipgrid.