Classroom Activities
Charting the Stars: The STEM Planning Process
Objectives
The students will complete the planning process for creating their star model.
Materials
- STEM Scientist Notebook
- My Star Planning Document
- The class Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
Procedures
During this activity, students will be using their knowledge about stars and their characteristics in class, to gradually plan out the different characteristics of their star. One of the first things students will do, will be to pick a star color. This will then determine the rest of their characteristics. Students will plan out these characteristics of their STAR on a Planning Document. This will be the first draft of their star planning. Once students have completed the planning document, they will use a class size
Classifying our Stars: Using Interactive Notes and Organizers
Objectives
The students will use interactive notes and a graphic organizer to plan their Star Model Classification Display.
Materials
- STEM Scientist Notebook
- My Star Classification Graphic Organizer
Procedures
This activity will be ongoing throughout the implementation of the curriculum unit. Students will use their STEM Scientist Notebook to keep detailed notes on the information we learn about the universe, galaxy and the solar system. Most importantly, students will keep detailed information about stars, their classification and characteristics. This information that the students collect in their notebooks about star classification, will be used as a guide for them during their project. The students will then use a graphic organizer, that will be used as a second draft of their star classification planning. Students will use this graphic organizer to make their final Star Classification Chart for their culminating project.
Creating a Star: Makerspace Learning
Objectives:
The students will use a classroom makerspace, to build their model of a star.
Materials:
- Makerspace Center
- Simple Circuit colored light bulb
- Varying Sized Tinted Translucent Plastic Orbs
- Small Cardboard box
- Small Cardboard trifold
- Galaxy Paper
- Light switch
- Tissue Paper
- Small Letter Stickers
Procedures:
This stage of the curriculum unit will be when students begin to create their models of stars. Students will use their planning documents for their star to assemble a star out of the items above in the makerspace. The teacher will model for students how each item can be used. The colored bulbs, varying sized plastic orbs for around the bulbs and the switch will be used to make the actual star center that glows. The colored tissue paper that will correspond with star color, will be used to show varying degrees of brightness. The cardboard box, small cardboard trifold, galaxy paper, small letter stickers will be used to create the backdrop and base for the star.
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