'Xplodable': The Sun

# Age Range The primary target age range for this experience is ages 9 to 11; however, the model is easily adaptable for the 11 to 14 age group (see *Framework Adaptations*). # Curriculum Summary* ## Science: Earth and Space – Ages 9 to 11 Students should be taught to: - Recognize the sun, Earth, and moon as spherical bodies within the solar system. - Use models to explore the structure of planets and moons, including layers beneath their surfaces. - Compare the roles and relationships of the sun, Earth, and moon as part of a wider solar system. # Learning Objectives - Recognize that the sun is a spherical star at the center of the solar system. - Identify and name the main internal layers of the sun. - Rebuild an explodable model of the sun to show how its layers fit together. # Key Vocabulary - **Corona:** The sun’s outer atmosphere stretching far into space and is very hot. - **Chromosphere:** A thin layer of hot gases above the sun’s visible surface. - **Photosphere:** The sun’s surface that we can see, where light comes from. - **Convective zone:** The layer under the surface where hot gases rise and cooler gases sink, moving energy. - **Radiative zone:** The layer where energy from the core moves slowly outwards through the sun. - **Core:** The center of the sun where energy is made by nuclear reactions. # Equipment - **VR headsets:** Enough for the planned groups (minimum four recommended; ideally one per student). Ensure the sun Xplodable is loaded and ready for use. - **Sun diagram:** A suitable diagram of the sun for display on the interactive white board. - **Whiteboards or books (optional):** For note-taking, drawing, labeling, or reflection activities. - **Worksheet (optional):** Printout of the sun for the labeling exercise (see *Extended Learning*). **Note: If a full class set of headsets is unavailable, use the Optional Activities in the During the Experience section to create a class rotation, with students taking turns in the VR experience.** **Our Curriculum Summary offers a simplified and progressive best-fit framework derived from a thorough analysis of multiple curricula worldwide, including those from the US, UK, and the rest of the world. By identifying key common strands, we create curriculum statements that align and map smoothly across all territories, ensuring relevance and consistency in diverse educational contexts. Further territory-specific curriculum libraries can be found on the ClassVR portal.* # Teaching Framework{.objective .objective} ## Prior Learning The Teaching Framework assumes students have no embedded prior knowledge of the key vocabulary introduced in the Xplodable. Before beginning, check students understand that: - The sun, Earth, and moon are part of the solar system. - The sun is central to the solar system and planets orbit round it. - The sun is a star, closest to Earth, and it appears bigger and brighter than other stars. - The sun is roughly spherical in shape. ## Before the Experience Begin the lesson by allowing students to spend five minutes exploring the unlabeled sun Xplodable by selecting “Explore” on the menu. Students should observe the different parts of the interactive model and think carefully about what these structures might be. Encourage them to consider if they recognize any parts or remember their names. Students can work individually or in small groups and take notes on a whiteboard, allowing them to share their ideas. ## During the Experience Find a suitable diagram of the sun and using the *Key Vocabulary* describe each individual part using simple, age-appropriate definitions (or use ClassView on the ClassVR portal to show the Xplodable and its labels on the class board). Explain how the different parts of the sun fit together to make up its whole structure. This opportunity enables students to ask questions and clarify their understanding before proceeding. ## Key Questions What shape is the sun, and how do we know? {.task} **Example answer:** The sun is roughly spherical, which can be seen when it appears round in the sky and has been confirmed by images from space. {.info} How does the sun move in space compared to Earth? {.task} **Example answer:** The sun does not move. It appears to move across the sky due to the Earth’s own rotation. {.info} Can you name the main layers of the sun and describe their properties? {.task} **Example answer:** Use the key vocabulary list to check answers. {.info} Next, return students to their devices or headsets and ask them to select "Labels On". This allows them to check and reinforce their memory of the names and locations of each part of the sun as they explore further. Ask students to select "Explode" and the parts will separate and become individual components. Challenge students to drag and drop the exploded parts back into their original positions to rebuild the Xplodable. Discuss any misconceptions, encouraging students to consider how the different layers build up the sun’s overall structure. Following this, students can take the *Beginner* quiz within the Xplodable, testing their knowledge of the Sun by attempting to label the model correctly again. For an additional challenge, students can take the *Challenge* quiz, where they match each piece of key vocabulary to its correct definition. The quizzes provide opportunities for both formative assessment during learning or summative assessment to evaluate understanding after the lesson. ## Optional Activities These activities can rotate around the classroom to revisit key vocabulary and concepts, helping students strengthen recall through repetition, discussion, and creative application. Students connect terms and definitions in different contexts, which supports long-term memory and deeper understanding. ## Research - Show a video about the sun or direct students to a reliable website for further research. Students can make notes on a whiteboard or in their books to support their learning. ## Quick-fire: - *Explain It Back*: Students choose a part of the model and describe its function to a partner without saying its name. The partner must identify the correct term. - *Vocabulary Bingo*: Students write down a selection of key terms in their books or on whiteboards. The teacher reads out the definitions in random order, and students cross off the matching word if they have it. The first to complete their list calls “Bingo,” before reviewing the answers together. ## Creative: - *Sketch and Label*: Students draw a quick outline of the model in their books or on mini whiteboards. From memory, they label as many parts as possible, then check against the Xplodable and correct any errors. ## Active learning: - *Vocabulary Exchange*: Each student writes one key term with its definition in their book, on paper, or on a whiteboard. Students then move around the classroom, adding one different term and definition to another student’s page at a time until all terms are collected. ## After the Experience Ask students to consider how interacting with the sun in the Xplodable helped them in their learning. Prompt discussion on how being able to see and manipulate the 3D model made it easier to understand the location, shape, and role of each part of the sun compared to just reading about it or looking at 2D images. ## Key Question How did exploring the sun in the Xplodable help you remember the parts of the sun better? {.task} **Example answer:** Answers may include: Exploring the sun in VR helps because the layers can be pulled apart and rebuilt, which shows how they fit together; the 3D view allows the model to be turned and explored from different angles, making the parts clearer than in 2D pictures; the labels place the names right next to each layer, helping connect the words to the different sections. {.info} ## Structured Reflection: - Ask students to write a short reflection in their books to connect vocabulary knowledge with the learning objectives. Sentence starters could include: - *The model helped me understand…* - *One connection I made between the parts was…* - *Seeing the model in 3D showed me that…* - *I now think the most important part is… because…* # Adaptive Teaching See our further recommendations for adapting ClassVR content and introducing the VR headsets successfully for students who may require additional support at [ClassVR Support](https://support.classvr.com/adaptive-teaching-guidelines/). ## Some students may benefit from: - Support with vocabulary such as *corona, chromosphere, photosphere, convective zone, radiative zone* and *core* by linking these to familiar comparisons (e.g., an egg for layers) and revisiting them with visuals. - Clarifying that the sun is spherical by comparing it to everyday 3D objects, as many students may think of it only as a “circle” in the sky. - Using sentence starters, diagrams, or labelled models to support recall of the sun’s layers for students who may struggle with memory or sequencing. # Extended Learning{.objective .objective} - Ask students to write a reflection on their experience, describing what they found simple or difficult and what they learned about the sun. - Provide a printout of the sun for students to stick into their books and label with definitions, further consolidating their understanding. - Explore other ClassVR models or resources that focus on the sun and Space, such as [Exploring the Solar System](track#1094267). This allows learners to compare and contrast structures and functions across a variety of models. # Framework Adaptations **Ages 11–14:** For older or more advanced students, the model can be used as a revision or assessment tool. Pupils can be challenged to explain the differences between the sun’s layers in more detail and consider how scientists use evidence, such as data from telescopes and space missions, to understand the sun’s interior. Scaffolding can be reduced for this age group, encouraging students to guide their own exploration and make links with prior knowledge of the Sun's structure. Teachers might incorporate more open-ended tasks and higher-order questions, such as comparing the internal layers of the sun and the Earth or analyzing why the sun’s structure and relative position in the solar system is important for understanding how it is able to sustain life on Earth.