The Earth, Sun, and Moon Activities for 5th Grade Science

The Kesler Science Earth, Sun, and Moon 5th Grade Complete 5E Lesson makes lesson planning a breeze with ready-to-use materials that keep students engaged through student-led learning. Designed for minimal prep, this lesson helps students dive deep into exploring the physical characteristics of the Sun, the Moon, and Earth. Students will investigate both similarities and differences in these celestial bodies.

The lesson includes differentiated resources to support all learners and offers maximum flexibility with printable and digital formats. Spanish translations are available for key vocabulary, interactive notebook pages, and station lab reading passages, ensuring accessibility for all students.

Following the proven 5E Model, the lesson covers Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation. Through hands-on activities, video-based learning, and student choice projects, students gain a deeper understanding of the Sun, the Moon, and Earth. Assessments and review materials are included for a comprehensive learning experience, with both in-person and virtual adaptations available.

The Kesler Science Sun, Earth, and Moon Station Lab provides 5th grade students with a modular, student-led learning experience that explores the characteristics of the Sun, the Moon, and Earth. With nine differentiated stations, students work independently or in small groups to discover new concepts while teachers facilitate the process. The station lab saves time and empowers students to drive their own learning.

The stations include a variety of input activities, such as hands-on experiments, research tasks, reading passages, and videos, allowing students to engage with the content in multimodal ways. Output activities, like organizing, illustrating, writing, and assessing, provide students with opportunities to demonstrate their understanding of the Sun, the Moon, and Earth.

With a bonus challenge station for early finishers, this lab encourages deeper exploration and creativity. All materials, including task cards and resources, are ready to use, and the lab can be adapted for both in-person and virtual learning environments.

The Kesler Science Sun, Earth, and Moon Student Choice Projects give 5th grade students the flexibility to choose a project that matches their learning style. With six different project options and a “design your own” choice, students have creative ways to demonstrate their understanding. A customizable rubric allows teachers, peers, or students to assess the work.

These dynamic projects cater to diverse learning needs, with differentiated options for remediation or challenge. Teachers can adjust the rubric and select projects based on student abilities. The activities use standard classroom supplies, and many projects can be completed digitally for a personalized experience.

With nine project options and teacher resources to support implementation, the Student Choice Projects allow students to express their knowledge through various formats. The flexible and multimodal approach helps keep students engaged while providing clear, assessable outcomes.

The Kesler Science 5th Grade Earth Science Interactive Notebook bundle provides 11 essential topics with multiple templates, making science lessons more engaging and accessible. Designed for traditional, 1:1, and distance learning environments, this resource includes both print and digital formats to fit any classroom setting.  

The digital version features unique interactive PowerPoint files, Google Slides compatibility, reflection pages, and modified templates for students needing accommodations. The paper version includes blank and pre-filled templates, plus color photo examples for easy implementation.  

Covering key earth science topics like the water cycle, Earth, Sun, and Moon, weather, and fossil fuels, these interactive notebooks help students organize their learning while giving teachers an adaptable, low-prep resource.