GRADE:2nd/3rd                                           CONTENT FOCUS: Locomotor skills
                                                        SUPPORT/INTEGRATION: Solar System
LESSON:         Solar System Shuffle

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:To review locomotor skills, safe movement and include the Solar System. 

SOCIAL SKILLS:  Interpersonal, following directions, teamwork, cooperation

EQUIPMENT:      1.  Lesson plan  2. 10 cones 3. Planet/Sun picture cards(30-1 ea Planet+Sun)  
                4. Colored poly spots 5. Planet Information cards  6. Music & machine

INTRODUCTION/FOCUS:     Warm up:  
1.  Describe to the students that they have just entered the solar system.  It contains 9 planets and a sun.
2.  Give each student a planet picture card.
3.  Using cues on their card they find matching planet and then read the information card.
4.  Once all students have read the information card start  with Mercury, and have the students walk their planets orbit by following the matching poly spots.
5.  Each orbit of spots corresponds to the color of the planet information card; for example, Earth has a green card and follows the orbit of green poly spots.
6.  If you do not have 9 colors simply use construction paper and attach.
7.  Next have all students walk their own orbit at the same time.
8.  One set of students is the Sun and stand in the center.  I have them do ski jumpers or low jumpers to warm up.
ACTIVITY PROCEDURE:     
1.  On each planet fact card there is also a method of movement.
2.  On command (or music), the students move in their orbit using the specified method; for example, skipping in Mars’ orbit.
3.  When the music stops, the students move out to the next biggest orbit.  They read the new planet fact card and means of movement
 (Sun moves to Mercury & Pluto moves to the Sun)
4.  Continue, allowing each set of students 1 ½  to 2 minutes per orbit..
5.  Students should read the new fact card each time they move to a new orbit. 
6.  Once all the student have completed each orbit plus the Sun, stop.
7.  Note Pluto has a rectangle orbit, for safety(basketball lines), and also it allows for mentioning the unusual orbit it is in.
8.  Collect materials.
FOLLOW UP/CLOSURE:      
1.  What was it like to be the Sun?
2.  Which orbit was the fastest? Slowest?
3.  Which planet went around the sun the least?
4.  Review random facts from the cards.

Joseph Gallo 1996 copyright This material may not be used or duplicated for any profit driven enterprise.