Verbatim SoW objective: Describe the Sun, Earth and Moon as approximately spherical bodies.
Arrival · 5 min
Sort a coin, paper circle and ball: flat or solid?
Offer a predictable seat or standing spot and the first visual cue. No public test.
Starter · 3 min
Think back. Say, point or write one answer for each question.
- What makes day turn to night at one place?
- What goes around the Sun?
- Name one force you have explored.
Today I will check:
- I can choose a ball to model a round body.
- I can turn it to show more than one side.
- I can name one limit of a model.
Ask three low-stakes retrieval questions; prior coverage must be checked.
I do · 5 min
Watch me turn a ball. I can see another curved side. A paper circle is flat. A ball helps show the shape of the Sun, Earth and Moon, but its size is not exact.
Words: spherical · curve · shadow · model
| Word | It means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| spherical | shaped roughly like a ball | Earth is approximately spherical. |
| curve | a line or surface that bends | The ball has a curved surface. |
| shadow | a dark area where an object blocks light | The ball makes a shadow on the card. |
| model | a simple way to show an object or idea | A ball is a model of Earth’s shape. |
Watch: Ball → turn it → see another curved side → useful for an approximately spherical body; ball sizes and gaps are not to scale.
Show me: Point: which object can I turn to see another curved side?
Model the full reasoning step, pre-teach four words and ask the show-me question.
We do · 7 min
Use a ball and a paper circle. The model and first label are ready. Turn the ball and complete the missing label: new side or the same flat face?
Our turn: Ball → turn it → see ____ → useful because ____.
Talk, then sort.
Ready to sort.
F · help
Point to the ball and the paper edge before you turn the model.
M · say why
Turn the ball and explain what new view it gives.
H · stretch
Explain why one photo can look circular but cannot show the full solid shape.
Try it with kit
Guess first: Predict which object can turn to show a different curved side: ball or paper circle?
Kit: Three safe balls or modelling spheres · Paper circles · Torch with adult-controlled beam · Tray or stable surface
- Compare a ball with a flat circle.
- Turn the ball once and record what new side you see.
- Turn the paper circle and record what it shows.
- Put the torch on the ball; do not point it into eyes.
| Shape model | new curved side seen? |
|---|---|
| Ball | yes/no |
| Paper circle | yes/no |
Risk: Torch beams can dazzle eyes; round models may roll off the table.
Safe: Keep the beam out of eyes. Turn models over the tray and put them back.
Check against the school risk assessment and CLEAPSS guidance. Keep the torch beam out of eyes; use safe, stable kit.
Show the part-done example, then allow paired talk before an answer. One-minute reset inside this stage.
We do 2 · 5 min
Show everyone which shape model lets us turn to see another side.
Choose a step.
All of us: A class models the Moon’s whole shape. Which object is the closest simple shape?
Point. Tell a partner why.
Take one quiet minute to reset.
All pupils answer the four-option hinge; use the decision rule, not a score.
Independent · 8 min
Turn a shape model. Explain one way it helps and one limit. You can show, say or draw.
Talk first. You can plan in any language.
Point, sign, speak, draw, type, write, use a scribe or show a staff-captured photo.
F
Choose a ball rather than a flat circle.
Say first: I choose the ___ to show shape.
M
Turn the ball and explain what new view it gives.
Say first: When I turn it, I see ___ because ___.
H
Explain what a ball model reveals and how its scale may mislead.
Say first: The model helps because ___; its limit is ___.
Go deeper: Compare a ball and a photo. What can each show, and what does each hide?
Model limits: A photo shows Earth as a circle. Choose another observation or model to test its full shape. Explain why one photo is not enough.
One adult supports agreed pupils, the other holds the group; swap across the week. One-minute reset inside this stage.
Review · 4 min
Hear a comment on your model. Change one label or spoken reason and say what changed.
VF: hear one comment. NS(+): name a next step. //: edit one part. ?: ask for a read-back. Take one quiet minute.
Give a specific verbal comment (VF) and invite one self-edit (//) or read-back (?).
Exit · 3 min
Show which shape model helps. Say one way it helps and one thing it cannot show exactly.
? Read it back: show how a ball models the Sun, Earth and Moon.
My feedback was… say what changed. Next I need to… name a fix.
How I know: I can choose a ball to model a round body. I can turn it to show more than one side. I can name one limit of a model.
The adult hears you and chooses our next example. Take one quiet minute.
Hear the answer and name how it changes the next example or support. One-minute reset and handoff.