Florida SC.3.E.5.2
The Standard
Identify the Sun as a star that emits energy; some of it in the form of light.
Florida Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for Science
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students recognize that the Sun is a star. They explain that it gives off energy, including light that reaches Earth.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students identify the Sun as a star when comparing it with planets and moons. They state that sunlight comes from the Sun rather than being reflected by it.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think the Sun is not a star because it looks larger than other stars. They may also think it reflects light like the Moon.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: “Is the Sun a star, planet, or moon? Where does its light come from?”
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Use a flashlight and globe to model light traveling from a source to Earth, then label the Sun as the source.
Ask students to write: “Why does the Sun look different from stars we see at night?”
Sort picture cards into objects that give off light and objects that reflect light, then explain the Sun card.
Cover and uncover a solar calculator, then connect the display change to light energy from the Sun.
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Printable SC.3.E.5.2 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to SC.3.E.5.2, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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Related Standards
- SC.3.P.11.1
Investigate, observe, and explain that things that give off light often also give off heat.
- SC.7.P.10.1
Illustrate that the sun's energy arrives as radiation with a wide range of wavelengths, including infrared, visible, and ultraviolet, and that white light is ma...
- SC.1.E.5.4
Identify the beneficial and harmful properties of the Sun.
- SC.3.E.6.1
Demonstrate that radiant energy from the Sun can heat objects and when the Sun is not present, heat may be lost.
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