I’m coming to realize this week that it is pretty difficult to teach a solar system unit. I have to be done teaching space by May 6^th so I am working to get all of the information completed. But there is a multitude of information in the solar system so this week I have tried to incorporate the information in different subject areas as well such as writing. In writing, the students began searching for facts about the moon and constellations. In efforts to make it more student-centered and the goal of it being led by the interests of each student, books were differentiated based on ability level. Groups came up and selected a book on the topic they desired and received a note-taking template for them to record facts and questions (2, 3, or 4) depending on ability.

We spent the first couple days of the week on the planet Mars. The students did a much better job working in their groups to state the main ideas in their own words of their assigned section. Thursday we began planet research. It was awesome to see how excited the students were and how they truly demonstrated a sense of ownership, responsibility, and maturity when beginning their research.