Unit Plan 31 (Grade 5 Science): Sunlight & Earth Patterns
Graph sunlight, shadows, and temperature to reveal seasonal patterns—longer summer days and shorter winter days explain changes in weather and warmth.
Focus: Use observations, data tables, and graphs to connect changes in sunlight (length of day, apparent path, and shadows) to temperature patterns and seasonal weather.
Grade Level: 5
Subject Area: Science (Earth & Space Science — Space Systems & Earth’s Systems)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students connect what they see and feel every day—sunlight, shadows, and temperature—to seasonal weather patterns. They observe how the length of daylight and shadow length/direction change over days and seasons, and they compare these to temperature data. Using graphs and simple models, students describe patterns such as longer days in summer, shorter days in winter, and how these relate to warmer or colder conditions. They then explain how these patterns help us understand seasonal changes in weather.
Essential Questions
- How do sunlight patterns (day length, shadow length/direction) change over days and seasons?
- What patterns do we see when we graph sunlight and temperature across different times of year?
- How are seasonal weather patterns (warmer/cooler, more/less daylight) connected to Earth–Sun relationships?
- How can data, graphs, and models help us describe and explain sunlight and Earth patterns?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Make and record observations of shadows (length and direction) at different times of day and compare them across days or seasons.
- Use data tables (class-collected or provided) showing day length and temperature in different seasons to identify patterns.
- Create graphs (line graphs/bar charts) that show how day length and/or shadow length change over time.
- Describe and explain patterns in the data, such as longer days and higher temperatures in summer vs. shorter days and lower temperatures in winter.
- Use a simple Earth–Sun model plus their graphs to explain how changing sunlight patterns relate to seasonal weather.
Standards Alignment — 5th Grade (NGSS-Aligned)
- 5-ESS1-2 — Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
- In this unit, emphasis is on shadows, day length, and their connection to seasonal temperature/weather patterns.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can measure and record the length and direction of shadows at different times.
- I can use tables and graphs to show how day length or shadow length changes over days and seasons.
- I can describe patterns such as “longer days in summer and shorter days in winter” and connect them to warmer or cooler temperatures.
- I can explain how Earth’s movement and sunlight patterns help create seasonal weather.
- I can use my graph and model as evidence when I explain sunlight and Earth patterns to someone else.