Here's the Scoop: The Tech Savvy Teacher

How Do You See the World?

Angie Permann and Rebecca Pike

Do you go outside and look through a telescope to look at the moon? Or do you sleep outside under the stars? Have you ever wondered what the sun looks like up close? What if all these answers and more were available to you with the push of a button and your computer screen. We are here to teach you how this can become reality.

First, we want our students to be able to understand the appearance and the shape of the sun, moon, and earth through their own learning experiences. We want them to see how each play a very important role in providing us with life through light. Google sky and Celestia are the tools that help us to get a view of these three scientific wonders up close and learn what the relationship is that they have with one another.

Our objectives come from the UEN 3rd Grade Science content, Standard and objective #1. Students were to describe the appearance of the Earth and the moon, describe the shape of the earth and the moon as being spherical, explain that the sun is the source of light that lights the moon, and list the differences in the physical appearance of Earth and the moon as viewed from space. The students were to record their findings in a graph using Inspiration 8.

This provides a fun hands on and interactive way of learning about the earth on which they live and the light that they receive from the sun and the moon. This helps them to see their world in a whole new light.