5-ESS1-2
The standard
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.
Next Generation Science Standards
What this standard means
Students need to collect or use data about shadows, daylight, nighttime, and visible stars, then turn that data into simple graphs, charts, or diagrams. They are looking for patterns, such as shadows changing length and direction during the day, daylight changing across months, and some stars appearing in certain seasons.
Mastery looks like a student choosing a clear display, labeling it well, and using it to make a claim about a pattern. Common trouble spots are mixing up shadow length and direction, graphing time poorly, and trying to explain seasons instead of describing patterns in the data.
Ways to teach it
- Have students trace a stick's shadow on sidewalk chalk every hour, then measure and graph the shadow length and direction.
- Ask students to write: What pattern do you notice in our shadow data, and what evidence from the graph supports it?
- Give students a small daylight-hours table for four months and ask them to choose the best graph and state one pattern.
- Show a local sunrise-sunset calendar and ask students how it could help plan sports practices or evening events.
Plan a lesson for 5-ESS1-2
Generate a complete lesson plan aligned to this standard, with objectives, activities, and materials. Free, no account needed.
Related standards
- MS-ESS1-1
Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and seasons.
- 1-ESS1-1
Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.
- 3-ESS2-1
Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.
- 1-ESS1-2
Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year.