Universe Cycle
FIRST GRADE
4 week unit

1. Students should recognize several components of the Universe.
2. Students should understand that stars create light and planets reflect light.
3. Students should distinguish a star from a planet.
4. Students should distinguish day and night.
5. Students should recognize that there is motion throughout the Universe.
6. Students should recognize the terms rotates and revolves.
7. Students should distinguish north, south, east and west.
8. Students should be able to read a compass.
9. Students should begin to locate geographic areas on a map. 

UNIVERSE

WEEK 1.
PRE: Describing the Universe.
LAB: Comparing and contrasting bodies that reflect light.
POST: Exploring the meaning of stars.

WEEK 2.
PRE: Differentiating between a star and a planet.
LAB: Discovering the surface of some planets.
POST: Comparing and contrasting the planets of our Solar System.

EARTH

WEEK 3.
PRE: Comparing night and day.
LAB: Exploring rotation on the Earth's axis.
POST: Analyzing evidence that the Earth rotates.

GEOGRAPHY

WEEK 4.
PRE: Discovering a relief map.
LAB: Exploring with a compass.
POST: Comparing geographic locations.