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Deep Space Exploration

Software: CoSpaces

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This lesson takes learners on an exciting space exploration mission to discover the secrets of our solar system. Using CoSpaces, learners will journey through each planet, encounter challenges, and learn about their unique characteristics. By engaging in interactive activities and puzzles, learners will deepen their understanding of the solar system in a fun way.

Lesson Overview

	Overview	Activity Objectives
Opening Activity	Rocket builder: First-grade students will build their own rockets before going on a virtual space exploration mission.	To engage learners in a fun and interactive way that gets them excited about space exploration.
Main Activity	Learners will use a virtual reality platform called CoSpaces to explore the solar system and different planets. They will navigate through the planets, experience them in a 3D environment, and be presented with challenges to complete along the way.	Increase learners' knowledge of the solar system and its planets.
Closing Activity	Learners will create a poster of the solar system and come up with unique and creative nicknames for each planet.	To reinforce learners' knowledge of the solar system and its planets.

Prior Knowledge

Learners should have:

Basic knowledge of the solar system and the names of the planets.
Understanding of space and ability to identify the Sun, Moon, and stars.

Lesson Objectives

Explore different planets using CoSpaces.
Create their own poster of the solar system.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to:

Demonstrate their understanding of the solar system by accurately naming the planets and explaining their order relative to the Sun.
Define and explain the concepts of rotation and revolution, and differentiate between them by identifying the Earth's rotation and its revolution around the Sun.

Resources

Pre-lesson Preparation

Like all lessons on Eddy, this lesson follows a certain approach. If this is your first time implementing an Eddy lesson, check out our lesson approach for more information.
Prepare necessary technology/hardware in advance
- Devices (tablets/laptops/Chromebooks/computers) - one per team
- A stable wifi connection.
- Access to CoSpaces on each device.

Why do learners learn about the solar system?

Encourages critical thinking: Understanding the Solar System requires learners to analyze information, make connections, and draw conclusions. This helps to build critical thinking skills that will be useful in many areas of life. Enhances scientific literacy: The Solar System is a fascinating subject that provides a hands-on introduction to basic scientific concepts such as rotation and revolution. Fosters curiosity and imagination: The Solar System is full of mysteries and wonders that inspire curiosity and spark the imagination. This encourages learners to continue learning and asking questions.

Slide 3

Introduce the ground rule to the learners. You can check out our lesson approach if it’s your first time conducting an Eddy lesson.

Slide 4

Ask the learners to describe what they see in the sky during the day and at night.

Encourage them to think about the color of the sky, the presence of clouds, and any objects they can see in the sky.

Ask if they notice any difference in the sky during the day and at night.

Ask the students if they know which planet we live on.

Ask the students if they know where the Earth is in the solar system.

Slide 5

Introduce the activity by explaining that learners will be designing and building their own rockets.

Provide access to the online Rocket Builder game.

Note: Teachers may check out this alternate activity.

Why do learners need to learn about the solar system?

Learning about the solar system can help learners develop their scientific inquiry skills, as they learn to observe and analyze phenomena (eclipses,seasons etc), draw conclusions, and communicate their findings

How can I adjust this section for my advanced learners?

They can use the timed option and compete to see who finishes first.

Slides 6, 7	Ask the learners if they have ever heard of CoSpaces. If necessary, provide a brief explanation of what CoSpaces is and what it is used for. Encourage them to think about what kind of virtual scenes they would like to explore. To demostrate, you can use this video tutorial.
Slide 8	Ask the learners if they're excited to go on a journey to outer space. Encourage the learners to get ready to explore and discover. Emphasize the importance of paying attention to the details in the virtual scenes and taking note of what they see and experience.
Slides 9, 10, 11	Explain that QR codes are special codes that can be scanned using a device to access information or browse websites. Ask the learners to access CoSpaces(or go to the CoSpaces app). Explain to them how the different scenes can be viewed.
Slide 12	Explain that the texts provide information/instructions about the virtual scene. Demonstrate how to use the small arrows to move through the texts. Encourage the learners to read through all the text to learn more about the virtual scene. Explain that the learners can use the "close" button to close the texts and return to viewing the virtual scene.
Slides 13, 14E	Explain to the learners how to navigate on different devices.(depending on the device they are using)
Slide 15	Learners need to write a brief report for the researchers about their initial impression of the solar system. Ask the learners to go to the worksheet and reflect on what they have learned so far about the solar system.
Slide 16	Start by defining the solar system and what it consists of. Discuss why the solar system is important to study and its significance in our understanding of the universe.
Slides 17, 18	Start by defining what planets are and how they are different from other objects in the solar system. Ask the learners to name some planets.
Slide 19	Start by defining rotation and giving an example of it, such as the spinning of a top. Ask the learners what happens when the Earth rotates.
Slide 20	Start by explaining the relationship between the Earth's rotation and the changing of day and night.
Slide 21	Begin by explaining the concept of revolution in the context of the solar system. Emphasize the fact that it takes different amounts of time for the different planets to complete their revolutions around the sun.
Slides 22, 23, 24	Begin by introducing the scenario to the learners, Let the learners know that they will encounter challenges and puzzles during their journey, and encourage them to think creatively and use their problem-solving skills to overcome them. Get the learners excited about the adventure game-like experience they will have in CoSpaces as they journey through the solar system. Note: If the learners are having trouble finding the items, remind them that they are hidden behind objects inside wooden boxes.
Slides 25-32	Engage the learners in a discussion about the characteristics of planets. Encourage the learners to think about how the characteristics of each planet differ from one another and what makes each planet unique.
Slide 33	Learners will apply their newfound understanding to fix issues at the space station.

What to do if the CoSpaces Scenes are not loading?

Check your internet connection: Make sure you have a stable internet connection, as a slow or unstable connection can cause CoSpaces to load slowly or not load. Clear your browser cache: Clearing your browser cache can help resolve any issues with loading CoSpaces. Try a different browser: Sometimes, compatibility issues with your browser can cause problems with loading CoSpaces. Try using a different browser to see if that resolves the issue. Restart your device: Sometimes, restarting your device can resolve any temporary glitches that may be causing CoSpaces not to load.

How does using CoSpaces ensure better understanding of the solar system?

Text-based theory can ensure some learning, while visual resources promise a deeper understanding. CoSpaces is a completely simulated environment, letting the students understand and experience the solar system.

How can I guide learners who require more support?

Allow learners to attempt the challenge multiple times. This allows learners to learn from their mistakes and try out different strategies.

Slide 34

Provide the learners with a worksheet that includes the planets in the solar system.

Ask the learners to identify each planet and give them creative nicknames based on their unique characteristics.

Encourage the learners to use their imagination and describe the planet in a fun and imaginative way.

Answer any questions the learners may have and provide support as needed.

Assess the learners' work to ensure that they have a solid understanding of the solar system and the characteristics of each planet.

Slide 35

Ask learners to share something exciting that they learned during the lesson.

How does the activity reinforce learning?

When the students try to come up with creative nicknames, they think hard about the characteristics of the different planets and map the name to the characteristics. This creates a long-lived memory strand in their minds, where they can retain the characteristics for a long time.

For advanced learners:

For advanced learners: Some critical and interesting thinking questions can be discussed 1. Why don't we feel the rotation of the Earth? 2. Possibility of life on other planets.

Knowledge of the Planets

Emerging

The learner can accurately name 3 or fewer planets.

Developing

The learner can accurately name at least 5 planets.

Proficient

The learner can accurately name all the planets and their order in the solar system.

Understanding of Planetary Characteristics

Emerging

The learner can correctly describe 1 characteristic of at least 1 planet.

Developing

The learner can correctly describe 2 unique characteristics of at least 3 planets

Proficient

The learner can correctly describe at least 3 unique characteristics of each planet.

Resolving challenges on CoSpaces

Emerging

The learner requires significant guidance to resolve challenges on CoSpaces and may struggle to navigate the platform.

Developing

The learner can resolve challenges on CoSpaces with minor guidance and can navigate the platform effectively.

Proficient

The learner can resolve challenges independently on CoSpaces with ease and can utilize the advanced features of the platform.

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Subject

Science

Grade

3rd Grade

2nd Grade

Tech Domain

Extended Reality (AR/VR/MR)

ISTE

Empowered Learner 1.1.a

Students articulate and set personal learning goals, develop strategies leveraging technology to achieve them and reflect on the learning process itself to improve learning outcomes.

Topic

Solar System

Deep Space Exploration

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