What the Sky Does Next
A 50-minute Grade 1 lesson on using observations of the sun, moon and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.
What the Sky Does Next is a free 50-minute Grade 1 science lesson plan for Common Core standard 1-ESS1-1 — use what the sun, moon and stars do to say what will happen next. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 1
- Length:
- 50 minutes
- Standard:
- 1-ESS1-1
Grade 1 · Earth and Space Science
1-ESS1-1
Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.
Objective
Students will be able to put sky observations in order and use the pattern to predict what comes next.
Students are successful when they can
- Puts observations in the right order.
- Names the pattern.
- Predicts the next observation from the pattern.
What you need
- The class moon diary, four weeks of drawings
- Sequence cards for the sun's path and a day's shadows
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — where will the sun be at lunch?
5 min- Ask where the sun was when the class arrived and where it is now.
- Ask where it will be at home time, and how they know.
Teach — order, pattern, prediction
13 min- Lay the sun cards in order: rises in the east, highest at midday, sets in the west.
- Name the pattern: it does the same thing every day.
- Predict tomorrow from it, and say why the prediction is safe.
- Lay the moon diary in order: thin curve, half, full, half again.
- Ask what week 5 will look like, and what the prediction rests on.
- Say the difference from a guess: a prediction from a pattern has a reason behind it.
“What has it done every time? Then what will it do next?”
Investigate — three sequences
17 min- Groups order three sets of cards: the sun's day, a shadow's day, the moon's month.
- For each they write the pattern in one sentence.
- For each they write what comes next and why.
- They check the moon prediction against the real moon that night if possible.
Independent practice
12 min- Students complete the 'What the Sky Does Next' page.
- Check the reasoning, not only the order.
Close
3 min- Take one prediction and agree how the class will check it.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Says the sun moves round the classroom.
Why: That is what it looks like.
Fix: Stay with what is observed: it appears low, then high, then low. The pattern is the finding.
Predicts without naming the pattern.
Why: The answer feels obvious.
Fix: Ask why. A prediction with no pattern behind it is a guess.
Thinks the moon changes shape because clouds cover it.
Why: Clouds do hide the moon.
Fix: The diary was drawn on clear nights. The shape itself changed.
If they are not there yet
- Three cards rather than four.
- The pattern given, with only the prediction to make.
If they finish early
- Predict the moon three weeks ahead.
- Say which pattern is quickest to check and which is slowest.
- Find a sky pattern that takes a year.
Exit ticket
Our moon diary shows a thin curve, then half, then full, then half again. What will week 5 look like, and why?
What to look for: A thin curve again, because the shape is shrinking after the full circle. A prediction with no pattern named means the reasoning step is missing.
Printable practice for 1-ESS1-1
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- What the Sky Does NextNumber the steps from 1 to 4.
Questions about What the Sky Does Next
How long does the What the Sky Does Next lesson take?
50 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, investigate 17 min, independent practice 12 min, close 3 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does What the Sky Does Next teach?
1-ESS1-1 — 1-ESS1-1, Earth and Space Science for Grade 1: “Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.” In plain terms, use what the sun, moon and stars do to say what will happen next.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
The class moon diary, four weeks of drawings, sequence cards for the sun's path and a day's shadows and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: says the sun moves round the classroom; predicts without naming the pattern and thinks the moon changes shape because clouds cover it. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “Our moon diary shows a thin curve, then half, then full, then half again. What will week 5 look like, and why?.” A thin curve again, because the shape is shrinking after the full circle. A prediction with no pattern named means the reasoning step is missing. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with What the Sky Does Next?
Yes — 1 printable 1-ESS1-1 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is What the Sky Does Next free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 8 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-08. Aligned to 1-ESS1-1 of the Next Generation Science Standards.