After we finished our jigsaw assessment, the next concept up was to learn about the sun. In my state curriculum (GA) learning about the sun, it’s parts, and how it works is an extension. Personally, I think knowing about the sun is important.
One of the lesson styles I had to use for my gifted endorsement class was new metaphorical. This seemed liked a great fit for learning about the sun. I centered this lesson around the evocative question – How is the sun like a factory? In the first step of the lesson, I asked students to brainstorm ways that the sun is like a factory. We then shared the ideas with the class. I was amazed with some of the ideas that the students had about the sun. They made some fantastic connections that I had not even realized.
I then provided some material for the students to read and extract information from about the sun, the core, the photosphere, the chromosphere, and the corona. For our next step, I asked students to refine the statement, “The sun is like a factory because. . .” Students then wrote their own analogies about the sun, core, photosphoere, chromosphere, and corona. Finally, I asked students to create a personal analogy about the sun. They had to choose which part of the sun is the most like their personality and why.
As a synthesizing activity, students created children’s books with two direct analogies about the sun, the core, the photosphere, the chromosphere, and the corona. They books are incredible!
I loved the lesson. I have used jigsaw groups. They are very successful. I have tried children’s books as a culminating activity, but I have a problem with every group finishing. I think I did better the last time we tried, because I gave templates and prompts fro those who needed, but maybe I did not give enough time to finish. I do remember a few groups wanted to give more than I asked for, but ran out of time.
So wished my own kids had teachers who were interactive and creative.
Thanks, Tia! The way I did this children’s book was pretty simple, and we made them relatively small. Each student made their own, and it had to have two direct analogies about the sun, two direct analogies about the core, two direct anaologies about the photosphere, two direct analogies about the chromosphere, two direct analogies about the corona, and five full color illustrations. I gave the students some time to work on them in class, and then they could take it home to work on for homework if they didn’t finish. They turned out really nicely – and very creative. I’ll have to upload some photos of them later so everyone can see the final product.