Hi Legends! Welcome to another exciting update from our Learning Universe! This July, we’re thrilled to introduce you to the latest additions to our ever-expanding array of Science classroom games, designed to engage while enhancing your students’ test scores. If you missed last month’s new games you can take a look at June’s update here.

New Science Games in July 2024 🧪

Get ready to engage your students with exciting new adventures and hands-on learning experiences.

Games for Grades K-2

• Light Labs: Help our little robot friend find hidden objects using your knowledge of light and its behavior in different materials. 
• Day on the Farm: Join Charlie and learn how chemical reactions are involved in day-to-day tasks. 
• Magic Map: Tiny will teach you how to use the maps to explore, find locations, and help your peers!

Grades 3-5

• Fossil Finders: Collect fossils to reveal Earth’s ancient past!

Grades 6-8

• Angry Birds: Kinetic Power: Join our Angry Birds friends and learn more about the relationship between mass, velocity, and kinetic energy.
• ChemCraft Arranger: Balance the chemical reaction by rearranging its reactants and products!
• Balance Keeper – Earth: Help Jenna to approve or deny action cards to bring balance to our planet!
• Micro Adventure: Travel to the microscopic world and learn about cells and their organelles!
• Camp Star: Play different mini-games and read interesting facts to mimic the movement of the stars and planets.
• Animals in the Ecosystem: Play as an elephant, dolphin, and cheetah to learn and understand how individuals live in an ecosystem.
• Sun School: Prepare your sunglasses! Because this game will illuminate the photosynthesis process!

A Closer Look at Featured Games

Angry Birds: Kinetic Power — Middle Science 

Game description:
Play with Red and Angry Birds in this fun game and learn how they use Kinetic Energy knowledge to defeat the piggies!

Learn how energy moves among the different systems and how to exploit it.

Academically, students will learn concepts in Kinetic Energy with an Angry Birds gameplay experience they will love. 

ChemCraft Arranger — Middle Science

Game Description:

The game focuses on the fascinating concept of chemical reactions and the arrangement of atoms.

Students will intuitively balance chemical equations by adding and subtracting atoms, reinforcing their understanding of molecular structures.

ChemCraft Arranger makes learning about chemical reactions thrilling and accessible, turning complex science into an interactive adventure.

Balance Keeper – Earth — Middle Science

Game Description:

Step into the role of World Keeper in our captivating strategy game, where each decision shapes your planet’s destiny!

Balance population, science, economics, and resources through turns and dynamic cards. Navigate challenges, foresee consequences, and prevent any pillar from collapsing to ensure a prosperous reign.

Will you rise to greatness or succumb to fate? It’s time to rewrite history!

Have you missed last month’s new games? Take a look at May’s update here! And don’t forget to keep an eye out for more exciting game updates coming your way soon.

---

Are you new to Legends of Learning and eager to try these games? Sign up now and embark on an educational adventure!

Have questions? Reach out to us at support@legendsoflearning.com

---

Don’t miss out on our latest posts!

• Understanding Ratios with The Great Rube Goldberg Ratio
• Summer-Ready Classroom: New Science Games in July 2024
• Summer-Ready Classroom: New Math Games in July 2024
• 7 Advantages of Game-Based Learning Strategies
• Introducing Angry Birds: Kinetic Power, Space Tactics, Return Home, and Solar Smash Games!

Hi Legends! Welcome to another exciting update from our Learning Universe! This July, we’re thrilled to introduce you to the latest additions to our ever-expanding array of Math classroom games, designed to engage while enhancing your students’ test scores. If you missed last month’s new games you can take a look at June’s update here.

New Math Games in July 2024

Get ready to engage your students with exciting new adventures and hands-on learning experiences.

Games for Grades K-2

• Numera – Read and write numbers up to 1000: Help Timmy break numbers into ones, tens, and thousands and name them! 
• The Astronaut’s Garden:  You are on a mission on Mars! Solve the word problems to water and protect the space plants, and bring life to the red planet!

Grades 3-5

• Angry Birds: Space Tactics: Join our Angry Birds friends and learn fundamental geometry concepts such as points, lines, line segments, rays, and angles.

Grades 6-8

• Agrimath Crop Challenges: Learn how to read the coordinate plane (X and Y axes) while handling farm production. 

A Closer Look at Featured Games

Numera – Read and write numbers up to 1000  — Elementary Math 

Angry Birds: Space Tactics – Elementary Math

Agrimath Crop Challenges – Middle Math

Game Description:

In Agrimath: Crop Challenges the player will farm for crops and by doing so will learn how to identify each axis (X and Y) and learn to recognize values within them.

When given tasks like watering, planting seeds, and harvesting, the player will have to pay attention to which position is the correct one to do such tasks within the axis.

Have you missed last month’s new games? Take a look at May’s update here! And don’t forget to keep an eye out for more exciting game updates coming your way soon.

---

Are you new to Legends of Learning and eager to try these games? Sign up now and embark on an educational adventure!

Have questions? Reach out to us at support@legendsoflearning.com

---

Don’t miss out on our latest posts!

• Understanding Ratios with The Great Rube Goldberg Ratio
• Summer-Ready Classroom: New Science Games in July 2024
• Summer-Ready Classroom: New Math Games in July 2024
• 7 Advantages of Game-Based Learning Strategies
• Introducing Angry Birds: Kinetic Power, Space Tactics, Return Home, and Solar Smash Games!

Last summer, we announced our exciting partnership with Rovio Entertainment to feature the beloved Angry Birds characters in our Learning Universe. This collaboration was facilitated by our licensing representative, Maximum Orbit.

Today we’re thrilled to introduce the second batch of games addressing three different topics:

• Angry Birds: Kinetic Power for Grades 6-8 over Kinetic Energy  
• Angry Birds: Space Tactics for Grades 3-5 over Linear Geometry
• Angry Birds: Solar Smash! for Grades 3-5 over Earth and the Solar System
• Angry Birds: Return Home for Grades 3-8 over Solar System and Gravitational Force  

Read more below for an overview of these games and the adventures your students will experience!

Joining Forces to Create Impactful Learning Experiences

Three new Angry Birds titles are here to fling students into amazing educational experiences!

The fun, physics-based gameplay, and unforgettable characters make learning about forces, gravity, and projectiles a breeze. Students might not even realize they’re absorbing knowledge while launching birds!

Remember our partnership with Rovio announced a year ago? Well, we’re clucking excitedly to unveil four more educational Angry Birds games, ready to supercharge your classroom! Dive in below to meet the feathered scholars!

Angry Birds: Kinetic Power

Game Description:

Play with our Angry Birds friend in this fun game and learn how they use Kinetic Energy knowledge to defeat the piggies!

Learn how energy moves among the different systems and how to exploit it.

Academically, students will learn concepts in Kinetic Energy with an Angry Birds gameplay experience which your students will love. 

Physics-Based Puzzles: In the classic Angry Birds style, Kinetic Power will help students understand the relationship between mass, velocity, and kinetic energy. The game helps illustrate how a bird’s speed and mass affect the amount of kinetic energy it has.

Practical Application: Players can see how kinetic energy is converted into other forms of energy upon impact, such as when a bird collides with a structure and causes it to collapse. This visual representation helps solidify the concept of energy transfer.

Learning Through Play: Our mission. Kinetic Power is designed to be fun and engaging, with colorful graphics, humorous characters, and a variety of levels that keep players entertained.

With your students on our side, the Angry Birds crew will defeat the evil pigs. Plan, aim, and shoot the Angry Birds to trigger the fun in the classroom!

Reviews

Angry Birds: Space Tactics

Game description:

Join the Angry Birds on a space adventure! Angry Birds: Space Tactics, makes learning geometry fun!

In this cosmic journey, players use strategic bird launches to defeat pigs while picking up basic geometric concepts like points, rays, lines, and angles.

In the same way as before, students will learn concepts about Linear Geometry in a fun and engaging way with the Angry Birds crew!

Engaging Gameplay: The game introduces players to fundamental geometry concepts such as points, lines, line segments, rays, and angles.

Problem Solving: Players are challenged to use their understanding of linear geometry to solve problems. They will need to calculate the correct angle of launch or the exact point of intersection to complete a level.

Students will find a lot of humor and relatability in Space Tactics, making the learning process extra enjoyable.

Get ready to travel across the universe and dive into the world of Linear Geometry with the Angry Birds crew! 

Reviews

Angry Birds: Solar Smash!

Game Description:

Help the Angry Birds rid their planetarium of the Pigs by fixing models of the Earth, Moon, and night sky.

Along the way, learn about how the movements of the Sun, Moon, and Earth work to create complex patterns that we experience every day!

Solar Smash brings to the table a full hands-on experience for our students:

Planetary Features: Players discover various features of the Earth, stars, and moon such as rotation angles, rotation time, constellations, and more! This knowledge is integrated into gameplay, as players must navigate these features to complete levels.

Engaging Gameplay: Students will interact with space environments, launching birds to complete missions that involve defeating the piggies and saving the day.

Each level in Solar Smash presents unique challenges that require players to think critically and use their knowledge of Earth and the Solar System to succeed. This keeps the game interesting and intellectually stimulating.

Reviews

Angry Birds Return Home

Game Description:

Help Ice Bird on his mission to return to his home planet Pluto. To accomplish that, defeat the space pigs belonging to other planets.

Join Red on this awesome trip and help your students learn about the solar system and the concept of gravity.

Return Home brings fun to our elementary and middle schoolers in a way you’ll only find in Legends of Learning!

Understanding Gravity: The game introduces the concept of gravity, explaining it as the force that attracts objects towards one another, particularly towards the center of the Earth or other celestial bodies.

Creative Challenges: Levels include creative puzzles that require players to use their understanding of gravitational force and the unique Angry Birds’ skills.

Return Home illustrates how Gravitational Force varies for different planets and celestial bodies, helping players understand its concept through their challenging and engaging levels.

Reviews

Other titles from the Rovio & Legends of Learning Collection

Angry Birds Eggstraction

In this Angry Birds adventure, players delve into the world of forces and collisions. They’ll strategically guide Red the Bird using the Sproing-O-Matic, a device that controls his launch angle, direction, and force.

Analyzing each level is crucial as players aim to reclaim stolen eggs from the villainous pigs. By carefully adjusting these elements, players must ensure Red avoids obstacles and reaches his target without getting stuck or falling.

This physics-based gameplay serves as a fun and engaging way to learn key scientific concepts.

Angry Birds and the Multiplication Portal

In this game a new twist is thrown into the classic battle between birds and pigs. This time, the pigs have constructed barriers to protect their ill-gotten gains: the birds’ eggs!

Players strategize by launching the birds through special “multiplication portals” that alter their properties. Solving multiplication problems becomes the key to taking down the pigs’ defenses and reclaiming the eggs.

This innovative approach transforms multiplication practice into an engaging and rewarding adventure.

Stay tuned for more Angry Birds games coming to Legends of Learning in topics such as Gravitational Force, the Coordinate Plane, Arithmetic with Decimals, and more! We’ll see you soon in the Learning Universe with Kinetic Power, Space Tactics, and Solar Smash in your queue! 

Are you new to Legends of Learning and want to try out these games? Sign Up Now!

Teacher Reviews: Don’t forget that you earn Rewards Points for every game review you write! So be sure to leave your feedback. By doing so, you are helping other teachers pick the right games and students get the best content available. Talk about saving the day!

---

Read more articles and news!

• Understanding Ratios with The Great Rube Goldberg Ratio
• Summer-Ready Classroom: New Science Games in July 2024
• Summer-Ready Classroom: New Math Games in July 2024
• 7 Advantages of Game-Based Learning Strategies
• Introducing Angry Birds: Kinetic Power, Space Tactics, Return Home, and Solar Smash Games!

We live in a society that idolizes super heroes. Everyone wants to be super, and teachers are no different: They can teach super. An elementary school teacher’s impact on a child surpasses almost anyone else in their life, other than parents and close relatives.

Do you know how important you are to your students?

By sparking curiosity and interest in a subject like science, you can build the foundation for a future career and lifelong passion. But it takes more than just an attentive teacher; it requires making STEM fun and playful.

Just last December, Getting Smart magazine noted how important it is to make science a fun activity. “Implementing a STEM curriculum during the early elementary grades which combines play with direct instruction can lead to long-term interest in these subjects,” writes Tracy Derrell. Maintaining interest from elementary and through middle school requires engagement.

That’s where teaching super comes into play.

The Need for Super Teachers

The need for super teachers is real. Only 34% of 4th grade students achieved a score of “At or Above Proficient” on the science portion of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

The United States needs its youth to take on STEM careers. The country is currently reliant on foreign workers to fulfill its STEM workforce.

So how does an educator make science fun and playful?

For starters, you can make a game of it. That goes well beyond Legends of Learning’s elementary suite of games. There are many ways to make content accessible to students.

For example, consider these eight fun resources we found to help teachers preparing science students for tests. Or find a different way to make science more interesting and applicable to students’ real lives. There are hundreds of such activities across the Internet.

When You Teach Super

Experienced teachers know success often bubbles up as singular breakthrough events that occur during the long march of a school year. Teaching can become a slog, particularly in the winter months when the days are short and the work is long.

But then there’s that student who suddenly comes alive. Or that class that really gets into a lesson. Maybe a former student comes back to visit or reaches out and thanks you for providing that spark.

Consider how these two students fell in love with science as a result of witnessing the total solar eclipse last summer. The experience infused them with a new excitement for science.

So, Legend, every day is a great day to teach super.

Let us know how we can support you.

Legends of Learning is looking for elementary school ambassadors. Grades 3-5 teachers who are willing to review our science for Life, Earth and Space, and Physical sciences. Ambassadors who sign up by February 12 will get early access to games.

This is your opportunity to shape the Legends of Learning platform and games from the ground floor. When you sign up for our community, let your voice be heard and make a difference not only in your classroom, but for educators across America!

Impact how kids learn through games and join forces with like-minded heroes to review and strengthen the Legends of Learning platform and the individual games. Your input helps improve our collective offering.

Earn Rewards

We reward teachers who are active in our network. Participation in our community garners you access to challenges where you can earn more credits to continue playing. You can also earn some crazy rewards, too. Not that a hero needs more motivation, but those whose exploits are truly legendary will receive t-shirts, Pez heads, or other Legends of Learning swag.

So what are you waiting for, Legend? Sign up today, and help make game based learning even better in our community today!

P.S. Interested teachers who are looking for a little lighter interaction with Legendary peers can join our private Facebook group, The Hall of Legends.

With the first month of 2018 wrapping up, let’s check out the top 10 most popular science topics on the Legends of Learning site in January:

1. Effects of Temperature and Pressure on State

 

Summary of concepts covered (8 games): A substance’s state of matter is an extrinsic property, meaning it can be changed by its environment. Physical conditions like temperature and pressure affect state of matter. Both temperature and pressure can be measured, and state changes can be observed.

2. Atoms and Elements

 

Summary of concepts covered (10 games + 1 PhET simulation): Everything in the universe is made up of atoms. Atoms are the smallest units of matter, and the different types of atoms make up different elements. They can exist on their own, or bonded together in molecules.

3. Parts of the Cell

 

Summary of concepts covered (9 games): Cells contain specialized structures, called organelles, that perform specific functions. Prokaryotic cells, like bacteria, do not have many organelles, while eukaryotic cells have defined organelles. All cells have a semi-permeable cell membrane that lets them absorb nutrients and get rid of waste. Nuclei, mitochondria, ribosomes, rough and smooth ER, the Golgi apparatus, and lysosomes are all covered!

4. The Sun, Moon, and Stars: Patterns of Apparent Motion

 

Summary of concepts covered (8 games): From day to day, the sun and stars will not appear in the exact same part of the sky due to the Earth’s revolution around the sun. These patterns of apparent motion allow us to predict where the Sun, Moon, and stars are at any given time, using drawings, 3D models, and computer models.

5. Role of Sunlight and Gravity in the Water Cycle

 

Summary of concepts covered (8 games): On Earth, water can exist as a liquid, a solid (ice), or a gas (water vapor). It changes between these states of matter when it gains or loses energy. In the water cycle, this energy comes from sunlight. While sunlight is the energy source, the greatest force propelling the water cycle is gravity. Gravity is the force of attraction between two objects, and Earth’s gravity pulls matter downward, toward its center. It pulls precipitation down from clouds and pulls water downhill.

6. Conservation of Matter in Chemical Reactions

 

Summary of concepts covered (10 games): During a chemical reaction, atoms are rearranged, but they are not created or destroyed. The substances entering the reaction are called reactants, and the resulting substances, with new chemical formulas, are called products.

7. Temperature, Thermal Energy, and Particle Motion

 

Summary of concepts covered (9 games): Temperature measures the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance. Thermal energy measures the total kinetic energy of the particles in a substance. The greater the motion of particles, the higher a substance’s temperature and thermal energy.

8. Weathering and Erosion

 

Summary of concepts covered (9 games): Aside from plate tectonics, moving water (including ice) causes the most significant change to the earth’s surface. Weathering (including physical and chemical) is the process of breaking down rock that is not moving. Erosion is when water actually transports rock and sediment from one place to another.

9. Sound Waves

 

Summary of concepts covered (10 games): Waves are disturbances that transfer energy from one place to another. Sound waves are a type of mechanical, longitudinal wave. Longitudinal waves cause matter to contract and expand, known as compression and rarefaction. Matter vibrates as sound passes through it.

10. Gene Mutations

 

Summary of concepts covered (10 games): DNA contains the genetic blueprint of all living things. It comes in double helix-shaped strands, which look like twisted ladders. The ladders’ rungs are made up of two kinds of nucleotide pairs: adenine and thymine, and cytosine and guanine. During cell division, DNA replicates itself, but it sometimes makes errors. Most of these errors are fixed during the process, but the ones that aren’t may become gene mutations.

What will be the top 10 in February? Sign in and play to have your say!

Are you looking for content review tips? As the world of standardized testing increases its focus on math and science (hello ACTs), teachers invest more class time on test preparation. Review can be one of the most mundane tasks your class engages in, boring both your students and you, the educator.

That’s why many teachers are looking for content review tips that make test prep fun and meaningful. In fact, many teachers use Legends of Learning’s thousands of games and assessment items for test prep. However, students often need more than one tool to help them lock in and review content day after day.

To help you in your efforts, check out these seven articles filled with tips and tools to strengthen your test prep/content review. Links are in the headlines:

1) Reviving Reviews: Refreshing Ideas Students Can’t Resist – Education World

Looking to end indifference this article asks? Then build a game for your classroom, which of course makes this article our favorite! Education World then links to five resources for teachers to download and use for in class content review.

2) Build Confidence – Edutopia

Did you know that teachers spend as much as 20-50 percent of their class time on test preparation? This article focuses on how to mix up your content review to make that time more useful. Our favorite tip is the last one: Using test preparation to build student confidence.

3) Spaced Learning – Harvard Magazine

You know it’s serious when Harvard is touting a technique. This article details how repeating content over an extended period of time significantly improves learning over the traditional “cram and test” model. Studies show an increase in knowledge by up to 50 percent, and strengthen retention for up to two years. It does take planning your test prep over a period of months instead of a week, but you would improve students’ subject mastery.

4) Turn Review into Play – Edutopia

Want to stop boring the snot out of kids with your test prep? Make it fun and turn exercises into play. We might have a few games for that (Sorry, we couldn’t resist).

5) Five Ways to Make Test Prep Meaningful and Fun – Kathleen Kryza

Don’t miss this article. Besides the usual fun exercises, Kathleen has one very unique tip: Examine your own feelings about the test. If you’re not thrilled about the exam or your class’s potential performance, then you are probably broadcasting negative vibes.

6) Fun In-Class Activities – Apperson

This edtech vendor blog has some great ideas to get students interacting in class during content review. From Jeopardy to a friendly game of Jenga, find fun ways to switch up your test prep.

7) Top 12 Ways to Rev Up Classroom Review Strategies – TeachHub

This is another list article filled with fun ways to mix up content review in class. What caught our eye was letting students serve as teachers and graders. How about a little role reversal to get students engaged?

8) Make Test Prep Meaningful! – Corkboard

This blog post has a singular focus: Have students create their own quizzes. This student-centered activity helps kids master their content while engaging in an authentic, meaningful exercise that has real purpose.

Do you have additional content review tips you would suggest? If so, please add them in the comments section.

One of our most popular learning objectives on the Legends platform is The Sun, Moon, and Stars: Patterns of Apparent Motion. Keep reading to find the Sun, Moon, and Stars lesson plan, and download it for free!

The Sun, Moon, and Stars Lesson Plan

Learning Objective:​ The Sun, Moon & Stars – Patterns Of Apparent Motion

NGSS Standard

MS-ESS1.A-1 ​ Patterns of the apparent motion of the sun, the moon, and stars in the sky can be observed, described, predicted, and explained with models.

Objective

Students will be able to:

1. Explain the locations of the Earth, moon and sun and describe their relationship
2. Explain the movements of the Earth, moon and sun by developing models
3. Explain the different phases of the moon by manipulating models

Time Required

90 minutes

Lesson Getting Ready

Materials Needed:

• Teacher computer with internet access and projector
• Student computers/laptop/tablet with internet access (preferably one per student but at least enough for small groups of 3 -4 students)
• Plastic spoons
• Oreo cookies (or a like substitute)
• Black Sharpie pens and colored magic markers
• Construction paper
• Paper towels

Teacher Preparation

• Create Playlist 1, a 10 minute playlist in Legends of Learning with the following game found in “The Sun, Moon and Stars: patterns of Apparent Motion” objective page: Apparent Motion: Orbital Command
• Create Playlist 2, a 20 minute playlist in Legends of Learning with the following game found in “The Sun, Moon and Stars: patterns of Apparent Motion” objective page: Sun Shooter
• Separate Oreo cookies, Sharpies and plates for each group (at least 8 cookies per group)

Introduce Topic

Engage: 10 min

1. The teacher will play the video “5F Sun, Earth Moon The Science Video”

1. As students watch the video, they will write 3 or more new facts that they learned about the earth, moon, and sun in their science journal
2. The teacher then leads a discussion about the video and the relationship between the sun, moon and Earth
3. The teacher will instruct students to answer 3 questions from the video.

• • How many days does it take for the moon to orbit Earth? (28 days​)
  • How many days does it take Earth to orbit the sun? (365 ¼ days​)
  • How many hours does it take for Earth to complete one rotation on its axis? (24 hours​)

Explore: 10 min

1. Students will sign in to Legends of Learning and enter your teacher code
2. Teacher will launch Playlist 1
3. Students will complete Apparent Motion: Orbital Command as the teacher assists students as needed. Stopping game play to address the questions asked in the game may be needed.

Expand On The Lesson

Explain: 10 min

1. The teacher will demonstrate the orbital and rotational relationship of the Earth, moon and sun by having students in groups of three demonstrate this concept using their bodies to represent each celestial body. If there is limited room in the classroom, the teacher can simply demonstrate this with one group of three students by moving desks enough to clear a space large enough for the demonstration. Optimally, the teacher will be able to use hallway space so several groups can demonstrate this concept. Each group will get a sheet with the following diagram, which demonstrates direction of rotation. (see Appendix A in the lesson plan)
2. As students demonstrate the rotational movements, the teacher assists students as needed as well as pausing the activity to ask questions to assess knowledge.

• • a. In which direction does the Earth rotate on its axis? Does the Earth rotate in the same direction as the Moon? as the Sun? i. The Earth rotates counter-clockwise on its axis. Yes, yes.
  • b. Does the moon orbit around the Sun or the Earth? Why does the moon orbit where it does? i. The Moon orbits around the Earth. This is because of its proximity to the Earth. Although the Sun has a greater gravitational effect due to its size, the moon is close enough to the Earth so that it is caught in its gravitational pull.
  • c. What is a solar eclipse and how does one form? i. A solar eclipse is when the sun is blocked, either partially or fully, by the moon. This occurs when the Moon’s orbit causes it to pass between the Earth and the Sun.

Elaborate & Evaluate

Elaborate: 40 min

1. Students will separate into small groups (three or four)
2. The teacher hands each group a zip-lock bag with at least 8 Oreo cookies and plastic spoon, a blank piece of construction paper and markers.
3. The teacher then hands each group a sheet with the following diagrams: (see Appendix B in the lesson plan
4. Using the information on these sheets, students will construct a moon phase chart on the construction paper using the Oreos with various amounts of icing scraped off to represent the various lunar phases. The cookies are then arranged in a linear fashion on the construction paper to mimic the eight phases of the moon. The markers will be used to draw representations of the sun, Earth, directional arrows and titles of each lunar phase. A student example is provided below.

Evaluate: 20 min

1. 1. Launch Playlist 2 for students
   2. Students will play Sun Shooter and be assessed on their ability to answer the questions provided in the game correctly
   3. The teacher will analyze student results to determine what concepts need to be a focus for reteaching

Download the free lesson plan here! 

 

Possible Extension Activity

Have students participate in the World MOON Project, a globally collaborative project that allows students all over the world to observe and report on lunar phases. http://worldmoonproject.org/

---

Get more Free Lesson Plans for Educators!

• Lesson Plans: Three Clicks and Done!
• Our Solar System Lesson Plan
• The Sun, Moon, and Stars Lesson Plan
• Weather Prediction Lesson Plan

Check out this super Autumn lesson plan covering the science behind seasons! With a captivating explanation of Earth’s tilt and the help of interactive Legends of Learning games, teach your students how the seasons change. Don’t miss out on this free downloadable educational resource. Let’s dive in!

Seasons Change: Autumn Lesson Plan

Autumn is around the corner! Making this a great opportunity to delve into the science of seasons. The tilt of Earth’s axis compared to its orbit around the sun is the key to understanding why we experience winter, spring, summer, and fall.

The following is an abbreviated lesson plan, excerpted from our Eclipses and Seasons learning objective, found on the Legends of Learning platform.

Objective

Students will be able to:
1. Explain why Earth has seasons
2. Draw a model of Earth’s location during various seasons

Teacher Preparation

1) Prepare a short lecture on Earth’s tilt and seasons.

Cross-Cutting Concept Tip: Consider adding a dash of photosynthesis since diminishing autumn light triggers trees to shed their foliage.

2) Create Playlist 1, a 30-minute playlist in Legends of Learning with the following games found in the Eclipses and Seasons learning objective:

• Seasons and Eclipses Adventures
• Science Fair: Eclipse and Seasons
• Temple of Seasons

3) Create Playlist 2, a 10-minute playlist in Legends of Learning with 5 assessment questions from the Eclipses and Seasons learning objective

4) Make copies of Eclipses and Seasons Worksheet

GET THE FREE AUTUMN LESSON PLAN

Deliver A five-minute discussion on Earth’s Tilt and Seasons

Deliver a short lecture on Earth’s tilt. Take any questions before playing the games.

Launch Playlist

Directions

While playing the first game in Legends of Learning called Ms. Rose & Eclipse and Seasons, use what you learn to complete the diagrams and answer the questions below.

Seasons

Label the seasons in the Northern and Southern hemispheres at each location. Circle the correct answer:

• Question 1: It is summer for the hemisphere pointing (away from, towards) the sun.
• Question 2: It is winter for the hemisphere pointing (away from, towards) the sun.
• Question 3: When a hemisphere points towards the sun, its rays are (stronger, weaker) on that part of Earth, making it (hotter, colder).
• Question 4: When a hemisphere is pointing away from the sun, its rays are (stronger, weaker) on that part of Earth, making it (hotter, colder).

Evaluation (10 minutes)

1. Launch Playlist 2 for your students. When they finish the assessment questions, any time left is free to play!
2. Analyze student results to determine what concepts need to be a focus for reteaching.

---

Get more Free Lesson Plans for Educators!

• Lesson Plans: Three Clicks and Done!
• Our Solar System Lesson Plan
• The Sun, Moon, and Stars Lesson Plan
• Weather Prediction Lesson Plan

Weather on the Mind: A Timely Lesson Plan for Your Science Class

With the ever-present threat of extreme events, the topic of weather is likely top of mind for your science students. Use this engaging Weather Prediction lesson plan to address this timely matter and help your students understand weather patterns and how we predict their behavior.

This lesson plan is part of our Weather Prediction learning objective and includes eight exciting games that will engage your students while learning. It’s a perfect opportunity to explore how meteorologists forecast weather events and the impact these predictions can have on our lives.

Let’s turn this moment of heightened awareness into a valuable learning experience. Jump in and explore our Weather Prediction Lesson Plan below!

Learning Objective: Weather Prediction

Objective
Students will be able to:

• Describe the four types of air masses and how they interact to form fronts.
• Explain the causes of weather associated with different fronts.
• Describe how the meeting of certain fronts can cause extreme weather events.

Time Required: 90 minutes

Materials Needed

• Teacher computer with internet access and projector
• Student computers/laptops/tablets with internet access (preferably one per student but at least enough for small groups of 3 -4 students)
• Weather Map Practice handout (attached)

Teacher Preparation

• • Create Playlist 1, a 10-minute playlist in Legends of Learning with the following game found in the Weather Prediction learning objective: Forecaster
  • Create Playlist 2, a 20-minute playlist in Legends of Learning with the following game found in the Weather Prediction learning objective: Sunshine City
  • Make copies of the Weather Map Practice handout.

Download the free Weather Prediction Lesson Plan

Engage: 15 Minutes

• The teacher will play the following videos:
  • Air Masses and Fronts.
  • Weather Information Part 2 – Air Masses and Fronts (below)
• The students will take notes in their science journals on the different types of air masses and fronts described in the two videos.
• The teacher will ask the following questions to prompt discussion in the class:
  • a) Do you ever watch the weather report on the news?
  • b) What kind of information does the reporter show?
  • c) What is the weather today? Tell me your guess about the temperature and the likelihood of rain.

Explore: 10 Minutes

• Students will sign in to Legends of Learning and enter the teacher code.
• The teacher will launch Playlist 1. 
• Students will complete Forecaster as the teacher assists students as needed.
• Stopping gameplay to address the questions asked in the game may be needed.

Explain: 20 Minutes

• 1) Students will be given the Weather Map Practice handout. The teacher should also display the map on a projector/Smartboard so that the students can see the colors on the map.
• 2) Students will answer the following questions:
  • a) What kind of weather conditions do you think are associated with the blue line with triangles on it?
  • b) Based on your observations, which states and regions may be having severe weather on this day? Give your reasons why. Oklahoma, Arizona, and California; all of those states contain an ‘L”’(which designates a low-pressure system) which typically is accompanied by stormy weather. BONUS: Newfoundland (not a state; however it contains an ‘L’)
  • c) What kind of weather would you expect where the warm and cold fronts meet in western Canada? Why? Clear to partly cloudy. Where warm and cold fronts meet is called a stationary front, and weather along a stationary front is typically calm.
• 3) The teacher will discuss the answers to the handout with the students.

Elaborate: 25 Minutes

• 1) Students will log on to The NOAA National Weather Service Just for Kids website.
• 2) The students will first click on the tab labeled Forecast Maps
• 3) The students will describe the national weather on that day by analyzing the “Today’s Forecast” tab. They will do the same for the next two days by clicking on the tabs “Tomorrow’s Forecast” and “Day 3 Forecast”, respectively.
  • a) Students will write their weather forecast for each in their science journal.
• 4) Students will then try to forecast what the weather will be on Day 4.
  • a) Students will write their weather predictions in their science journals.
• 5) Using the “Today’s Forecast” Map, students will make a hypothesis about what the weather will be like in their hometown/city for the next three days.
  • a) Students will write their predictions in their science journals.
• 6) The teacher will discuss student predictions as a whole class.
• 7) Teach will display the NOAA National Weather Service Just for Kids page and will check the accuracy of their forecasts by entering their city name or zip code in the “Customize your Weather.gov” section on the top left of the screen.
• 8) If time allows, students may proceed to the Weather Information Display icon and make their own weather maps by customizing the parameters displayed.

Evaluate: 20 Minutes

• 1) Launch Playlist 2 for students.
• 2) Students will play Sunshine City and be assessed on their ability to answer the questions provided in the game correctly.
• 3) The teacher will analyze student results to determine what concepts need to be a focus for reteaching.

---

Read our latest articles and news!

• Understanding Ratios with The Great Rube Goldberg Ratio
• Summer-Ready Classroom: New Science Games in July 2024
• Summer-Ready Classroom: New Math Games in July 2024
• 7 Advantages of Game-Based Learning Strategies
• Introducing Angry Birds: Kinetic Power, Space Tactics, Return Home, and Solar Smash Games!