Science+lesson

Science lesson ** Goal: ** Students will name the planets in our solar system with 75% accuracy. ** Target Group: ** Self-contained special education students ** Materials: **  [] **Procedure:** Space is a very abstract thing to teach to students who do far better with “experience”, hands-on learning. However, as our universe is included in the standards, space must be taught. So the question is, how do we make space relevant to our students? We should begin at home, Earth, and make our way to the moon, then beyond. Pictures are the best we can do for most of the planets. Using various websites, one of which is given above, we can teach facts about different objects in space and incorporate these facts into large scale posters, dioramas, about our solar system (and beyond). We can calculate our weights on the various planets, discuss the challenges and advantages of the different weight we’d experience. We can write creative writing pieces as though we were living on one of the planets. Parameters should be the facts of the planet. Does the planet have an atmosphere? What is made up of? What is the weather like? What can humans use to construct living arrangements? Sun exposure? Day/night? The key with special needs learners: make it relevant and review, review, review.