Lesson Plan:

Nature During a Solar Eclipse

MS-ESS1-1: Develop and use a model of the Earth-Sun-Moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons. (Clarification Statement: Examples of models can be physical, graphical, or conceptual.)

Predict
Students will be able to predict the sounds and sights in their location during the solar eclipse.

Essential / Academic Vocabulary: diurnal, nocturnal, camouflage

Do Now: “Multi-Sensory Eclipse Observations” Watch the two linked videos and answer the following questions. 

1. How would you observe animals or your environment during a solar eclipse using all of your senses? 
   • What would you listen for?
   • What would you look for?
   • What would you try to feel/touch?
2. Recording the information you gather during your observations is important. How or where would you record your information during scientific investigation?

• Click Multi-sensory Eclipse Observations Do Now for videos.
• Lesson Slides provided in Lesson Resources below.

Review the objectives with the students.

Do Now:

• Provide word bank and sentence starters for students who need it.
  I would listen for …
  I would look for…
  I would try to feel/touch…

Reference: WIDA can-do descriptors

I Do: Review the Do Now in detail going over what happens during an eclipse with the animals and why.  Discuss the answers to the questions, what the students learned, and what animals and insects were in the video. (slide 2)

We Do: Thinking about the Do Now videos, brainstorm together how the behavior of the animals changed before, during, after the eclipse on the board. (slide 3)

We Do: Using the Graphic Organizer Handout, Brainstorm with the students the “insects” they know live in the area in which they will be experiencing the eclipse and add which of those they might be able to hear or see. (slide 4)

• Graphic Organizer provided in Lesson Resources below. 

You Do (Pairs/Groups): Have students spend 5 minutes with a partner brainstorming and filling out the rest of the graphic organizer. After 5 minutes, have students meet with another pair to talk about their ideas and add more to their brainstorm worksheet. (slide 5)

I Do: Teacher explains the “research and predict” project directions. Handout with directions in Lesson Resources below. (slide 6)

• Research & Predict Handout provided in Lesson Resources below. 

We Do:  Research the 1st animal and answer animal and prediction questions together as a class with the teacher eliciting what to write from the students and modeling how to write answers. Students should also fill-in on their papers. Use  iNaturalist  map search directions on handout to model how to search. (slide 7)

Your Do (pairs): With partners, have students complete the research & predict handout by researching and writing about 3 more animals iNaturalist . (slide 8)

Pairing strategy

• Partner earlier proficient ELs with later proficient ELs or native English speakers.

Graphic Organizer Modification

• have students draw a picture of each animal and plant and label/list what they see.

Research Handout Modification

• Provide Sentence Starters 

1. The ___ has ___ ___ , ___ ___, and ___ ___.
2. It sounds like a ______ .
   Yes, it surprised me. OR No, it didn’t surprise me.
3. I think it would be easy to see a ___ because _______________ OR I don’t think it would be easy to see  a ___ because _____________________ . I think it would be easy to hear a ___ because __________ OR I don’t think it would be easy to hear a ___ because __________ .
4. During the eclipse I think a ___ might __________ .

Reference: WIDA can-do descriptors

You Do (Exit Ticket): Have students write a prediction of which animals they think will change their behavior during the eclipse and why.

Exit Ticket Modification

• Provide Sentence Starter
  I think a ___ will _______ because _______ .

Reference: WIDA can-do descriptors

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