Name Teresa Threadgill

Class IMB Clinical Lesson

Date 10-27-2014
edTPA Indirect Instruction Lesson Plan Template

The Water Cycle Inside a Mini-Greenhouse

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Central Focus/Big Idea: Different Stages of the Water Cycle
Subject of this lesson: Identifying the stages of the water cycle.
Grade Level: 5th
NC Essential Standard(s):
5.P.2 Understand the interactions of matter and energy and the changes that occur.
5.P.2.1 Explain how the suns energy impacts the processes of the water cycle (including
evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation and runoff).

Next Generation Science Standard(s): 5-ESS2-1.Develop a model using an example to

describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
21st Century Skills:

Creativity and Innovation- Students are expected to build a greenhouse and develop a reasoning
of the structure of a water cycle.
Collaboration- Students will work together when putting together their greenhouses.

Academic Language Demand

Language Function: Explain-Students will explain the stages of the water cycle and its
purpose.
Describe-Students will describe the process of the water cycle as they see it unfold within
the greenhouse.
Analyze
Interpret

Argue
Predict

Categorize
Question

Compare/contrast Describe
Retell
Summarize

Explain

Scientific Vocabulary:
Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff, transpiration, collection, ground water.

Instructional Objective: Students will be able to successfully identity the different stages of the
water cycle. They will be able to construct a greenhouse using cups, dirt, seeds and water.
Students will witness how the water cycle, soil, and plants work together to ensure the water
cycle continues after the seeds have sprouted.

Prior Knowledge (student): Students should be familiar with water in earth cycles
in different forms and in different locations, including underground and in the
atmosphere. Students should be able to describe how water can be changed from one state to
another by adding or taking away heat.
Content Knowledge (teacher): Energy is needed to keep water moving through its cycle. This
energy comes from the sun. The sun provides heat energy that drives the water cycle. This heat
warms the oceans. As ocean water warms, it evaporates. When water evaporates, it turns into
water vapor. Water vapor is invisible. It is a gas. Heat from the sun also causes water to
evaporate from lakes, rivers, and other sources. The water vapor rises into the atmosphere. This
happens because the water vapor is lighter than the water.
The water vapor cools as it rises into the atmosphere. As it cools, the water vapor turns into
water or ice. This water or ice can fall to Earth as precipitation. Precipitation includes rain, snow,
and sleet. Precipitation returns water back to Earth.
Most precipitation falls directly back into an ocean. Precipitation can also fall into a lake, river,
or even onto land. Water that falls onto the land can seep into the ground. The water can also run
off the land and flow into an ocean, lake, or river. Of course, water from the oceans evaporates
into the air, so the whole cycle starts over.

Materials and Technology requirements:

1 cup potting soil for each student

2 plastic cups for each student
Packing tape
Scissors to cut tape
Seeds (lima bean, sweet pea, corn, soybean, green bean)
Water
Water Cycle Book
White Paper
Crayons or colored pencils

Total Estimated Time: 45minutes

Source of lesson: http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/the-water-cycle/
http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspDetail&ResourceID=661
http://www.ncagintheclassroom.com/Curricula/FifthGrade.aspx

http://www.cpalms.org/uploads/Resources/final/29793/Document/3919/Going%20Around%20in
%20Circles.pdf
http://www-k12.atmos.washington.edu/k12/pilot/water_cycle/teacherpage.html

Safety considerations: Make sure that the students use the materials correctly that are provided
for the greenhouse.

Content and Strategies (Procedure)

Engage:

Would it surprise you to discover that the ice in your class of lemonade was once a snowflake?
Ask students, What is a cycle? Invite them to name some cycles that are a part of their life
(e.g., morning, afternoon, night; winter, spring, summer, and fall).
Ask, How many of you have heard about the water cycle?
Tell students that the water cycle is a model for thinking about the journey that water takes
explain that you are going to read a book that will describe more about The Waters Journey.

Explore:
What would it be like if we were a drop of water? What would that experience be like?
Tell students they are going to play a game of in which they will get to be a drop of water.
Introduce the journey names to students (mountain, ocean, cloud, stream, groundwater,
plant).
Students will draw a card revealing the name of where their rain drop is at.
Students will be given a water cycle diagram to help them.
Students will draw a picture illustrating a water drops point of view that describes the
journey they just took during the water cycle.

Explanation:

Present PowerPoint Slides. Students will be given a worksheet that they will have to fill in as the
slides are explained. This will motivate listening and also give them something to refer back to
when learning the definitions. The Water Cycle-Science Lesson PP.ppt
Tell learners that the water moving about in the water cycle does not fall exactly where it
evaporated from. Some places receive more and some receive less rainfall. Each place has
different needs for its water. The area may not receive enough precipitation in the form of
rainfall and that can be a problem. That is why it is so important to conserve water. Who needs
to conserve water? Everyone! Explain to the learners that they can also help their friends and
families conserve water by sharing what they have learned about water. Talk about ways to
conserve. Ask for ideas from the students.

Elaborate:
Teacher will give each group a plate with three different kinds of seeds on it. They will turn and
share with their table what kinds of seeds they think it is for each one. Then the teacher will lead
a discussion as to what they think and what it really is. Then the teacher will show a picture of
what is.
Discussion questions

a. Prior to building the greenhouse

How do all of the parts of the water cycle fit together?

What would happen if one part was left out?

Teacher will bring in different types of seeds and put a plateful at each table or group of 4
students. I have students identify what type of seeds they think they are. We then discuss the
life cycle of the seeds. At this point students will be able to tell that they are planted by
farmers for food, etc Teacher will ask what role they think these plants play in the water
cycle. Once we have had this discussion teacher tell students that we are going to make their
own greenhouses using these seeds.
Each student gets two cups
Each student will get one cup of potting soil to put in their cup.
The students will be get some seeds to plant in their soil. These seeds will get pushed into
the soil on the outside of the cup so students can see germination when it occurs
Once seeds have been planted they will take the black marker and label the top cup with the
seed name so it corresponds with where the seed has been planted, they will also write their
name on their cup for future observations.
We will use a spray bottle to spray 20 squirts of water into cup of soil.
Place the cup with the seed names on top and use packing tape (about 18 inches) to fasten
the cups together
Make sure that they press the tape firmly to the cup to make a good seal.

b. After building the greenhouse

Observe what happens to the water in this closed container and help the students observe and
describe the different parts of the water cycle they see in the greenhouse.
Encourage students to keep track of their observations in a science journal. Each day look for the
following things:
What is the seed doing?
On which parts of the greenhouse do you see water?
What new is happening in your greenhouse today?

Evaluate: The teacher will observe the learners participation in group discussion. Students will
be assessed of the completion of their water cycle definition sheet. Students will also be
evaluated on the proper construction of their greenhouse.