Maryn Wallen

Indiana Wesleyan University

Elementary Education Lesson Plan
Science
2007 ACEI Standards

READINESS
I. Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
A. Goal(s)—
a. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify the causes of landform
movement and transformation and the effect of erosion on land.
b. During the lesson, students will explore how the water changes the land in their
stream table.
B. Objective(s)—
a. Students will be able to investigate the way landforms are created by simulating
water erosion in a stream table.
b. Students will be able to recognize that water erosion cause and effect on certain
types of landforms when performing their group experiment.
C. Standard(s):
4.ESS2-1: Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects
of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation.
RI.4.5, 4.7: Craft and structure; Integration of knowledge and ideas.

II. Materials:
Time:
Anticipatory Set – 5 minutes
Mini-lesson – 10 minutes
Check for understanding – 20 minutes
Closure – 5-8 minutes
Space:
Anticipatory Set – The students will be at their desks.
Mini-lesson – Students will also be at their desks watching the videos and pictures.
Experiment (Check for understanding) – Students will be in groups working with one
another and will each have a job to complete when working in their group.
Behavior:
Students are expected to participate and engage in conversation with me and their
peers. The clip chart policy will be reinforced and if need be students will either clip
up or down depending on their behavior. I will model good behavior and a positive
attitude for the students.
Students: Science notebook, Student activity sheet 3: Stream Table
Clear plastic shoe box with drain hole, rubber stopper, 2 small absorbent pads, fluted
catch pan, stream cup, pour cup, strip of velcro, bag of soil mix (contains clay and
sand mixture), plastic bottle of water (1 L), textbook, piece of plastic wrap, 14 in of
Tape, toothpicks, assorted crayons or colored pencils
Class: 1 3D relief map of the US *optional – could be visual? What things represent

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 Teacher: 8 large resalable bags, 1 Scoop or cup, 1 roll of plastic wrap, 1 pair of
scissors, sand, clay, General Rubric (Appendix D)
III. Anticipatory Set
Show pictures and inform students about my trip.
“I know you all remember me missing two days last week. I am going to show you a
few pictures from my trip. I want you to see some awesome nature photos that I
captured when I was in Arizona.” After each photo I will describe it and where I was
or what I was doing.
This is not to brag in the students faces but this leads into my purpose statement. The
photos are unique and real so the students will be really excited to see where I was,
what I saw and what I was doing. I am informing the students that these are real
places around the world. (These can be seen in other states)
IV. Purpose: Today we are going to explore how landforms are continuously changing in
our environment. Just as we looked at these pictures we are going to investigate why
Earth is affected by erosion and weathering.

PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION

V. Adaptation to Diverse Students

I am adapting the lesson to all learners. I will have a visual representation through a power point
so students can see what I am talking about. Students understand more when they see an actual
real life picture or visual. I also have a video for the students to watch of weathering and erosion
to help them understand the process more. I will have a definition aligning with a picture as well
so students can connect a visual representation. I will be verbally instructing students the
directions so all the students stay on the same step at the same time. I will be observing each
group to see what they are discovering. I will also ask their groups different questions about what
they see happening to their soil.

VI. Lesson Presentation (Input/Output)

On a power point I will have the definitions and a video/pictures to follow the definitions as
an example. Then I will discuss the importance of the role it plays on earth for each one in the
mini-lesson (Cause and Effect – BIG IDEA)

a. Mini – Lesson:
1. Definition of Weathering is “the process in which rocks are gradually broken into smaller
pieces. When wind, water, ice, and living things change in temperature it causing the
rocks to break.”
a. Picture of a real world example
b. This occurs near Earth’s surface. Sand carried by the wind causes weathering.
2. Definition of Erosion is “A process that moves weathered rock from one place to
another”.
a. Picture and video of a real world example (on the power point)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Rp9MJJGCU (weathering and erosion)

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 b. Erosion is caused by water, ice, wind, or gravity (Cause and effect) changed the
landform and the way the land appeared. This happens over a long period of time.
Erosion is something that eventually builds over years and years.
c. Identify the difference between weathering and erosion and then compare how
they play similar roles or ones that cause and effect each other.
3. *Definition of Sediment is “The pieces of broken rocks”
a. Picture example (on the power point)
b. Sediment is the pieces that are weathered and eroded over time.
4. Definition of Deposit is the “Process in which sediments, soil and rocks are added to a
landform or land mass”.
a. Picture example of what it is (on power point)
5. Definition of Delta is “The sediment that builds up in layers forming a broad area of
wetland”.
a. Picture example (on power point)
6. Plateau- “An area of relatively high ground”
a. Picture example (on the power point)
7. Vegetation – “Plants found together in a certain area”
a. Picture example (on power point)
b. Vegetation can be found on plateaus and we will see that later in the experiment
we do
*Sediment, Deposit, and Delta are part of the EROSION process.

Explain Student Jobs: You each have a job similar to the last ones but remember this is a group
activity so everyone has a job and everyone participates.
The huddle leader is the one who helps all members stay on task and encourages everyone when
during the experiment.
The scribe is the person writing down what the group is thinking and talking about on the
recording sheets.
One material manager fills up the water and the other material manager pours the water. More
direction to come when you get to that step.
When I say your name raise your hand. Students will raise their hand and then I will say you are
the huddle leaders.
You are the scribes for your group
You are the material manager(s) of your group

Now when I say go you have 30 seconds to get to your groups. Make sure you are listening I am
going to tell you where your groups are and who is in your groups. … When I ring the bell you
must be in your group. If you are not you will clip down for not following directions. As soon as
you get to your station pause when you hear the bell ring.
Give students direction now to go to station. I will have the list on a piece of paper:

Groups below:
G1: Jayelle, Cyarah, Veronica, and Andrea – Scribe: Andrea, Huddle Leader: Jayelle,
Veronica and Cyarah are the Material Managers
G2: Zhaia’e, Trinety, Jehren, and Dre’, Isaiah – Scribe: Isaiah, Huddle Leader: Jehren
and Trinety, Dre and Zhaia’e are Material Managers

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 G3: Cedric, D’Mya, Richard, and Sah’Marius – Scribe: Cedric, Huddle Leader:
Sah’Marius, Richard and D’Mya are the Material Managers
G4: Chayla, Na’vaha, Juquan, and Bradyn – Scribe: Na’Vaha Huddle Leader: Chayla,
Juquan and Bradyn are Material Managers

I say “GO.”

IV. Check for understanding.

Once students are at stations:

“Now that you have looked at different parts of weathering and erosion and know some
vocabulary make a prediction with a sentence starter of what you think will happen if I pour
water into this stream. Your scribe will write down what you think on the back of the recording
sheet at your table. They will write down your list of ideas or if you agree on one prediction as a
group that is alright too.”
I think ____________________ will happen because ____________.
I will demonstrate pretending to pour water over the stream table.
“If your prediction is not right that is okay. Let’s find out what happens”.

Activity: There are 3 parts to this activity that students will complete –
All of their materials will be set up so they just do the experiment. The teachers and I will clean
up or if we have time the students will help.

“Notice you do have a recording sheet for you to complete as a group as well as a sheet to fill out
at the end as a group. [Put the one you are doing at the end, with 4 questions, aside during the
experiment for right now. I want you to focus on how the water changes the land (optional –
depending on time)*]. You will have three main steps to follow during this experiment.
Before you do anything I am going to verbally tell and then model (show) what you will do.
Your first step is one material manager needs to pour your bottle of water into the cup and then
water will flow into your stream table. Then you will observe (show with my hands point to eyes
watching) what happens and discuss as a group what you see. Then the scribe will write that
down. Once you have completed that task the second material manager will go to the sink and
fill up their water bottle and then go back to your assigned group. If you understand give me a
thumbs up. When you hear the bell after 4 minutes you will look up at me for the next step. If
you understand give me a thumbs up.”
Wait for students thumbs up.
“You may now BEGIN the first step. Material manager pour the water into the small cup”.
Let students observe and record.

RING BELL (after 4 mins)

Now that you have observed the first step and filled up your water bottles, I want you to watch
me first and then do this part as a group. Your second step is to place a reading textbook
underneath of the stream table. Then you will have the same material manager pour that bottle of

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water into the small cup. Observe and discuss what is happening. Look at the land form and what
changes you might see. Then when the scribe is done writing and you have had your discussion
the same material manager will fill their water bottle up one more time and wait for the bell to
ring. Give me a thumbs up if you understand.”
“You many now BEGIN the second step. Material manager pour the water into the small cup.”
Let students observe and record.

RING BELL (after 4 mins)

Eyes on me for your last step, for your final step you will place toothpicks that represent
vegetation that we talked about, into your land on the sides. Who remembers what vegetation is?
Call on someone. Someone answers plants found together in a particular area. One toothpick will
represent a group of plants found together. Plant three or four of them on your plateau. You will
place a few wherever you would like around the edge of your stream table. Then your material
manager who has been pouring will pour again and then you will all observe and then the scribe
will record. If you understand what the next step is give me a thumbs up.”
Wait for students thumbs up.
“You may now BEGIN the third step. Material manager pour the water into the small cup”

RING BELL (after 4 minutes)

Eyes on me, please put everything down and face my direction. When I say Go, as a group you
will take that conclusion sheet you set aside at the beginning and will now fill out as a group.
Please do not touch the experiment anymore. Move over if you need to so nothing accidentally
spills. [If there is time: Take about 5 minutes to complete this and then go to your seat and pull
out a sheet of paper. I will give you more instruction once you get to that point. Your scribe will
be writing everything but you all discuss as a group. If you understand give me a thumbs up.”
Wait for students and then tell them GO.] Depending on time I may do this whole group or skip
if we run out of time. (I will be asking these questions in groups)

VIII. Review learning outcomes / Closure

Science Journal:

Explain how the water changed the land in the stream table. Sentence Starter: The water changed
the land by____________________.

Have a student or two share (if there is time)

I will walk around and talk with the students about what they noticed happening. I will give
feedback in a positive manner such as “I really liked how you worded… and explained …”

PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT

Formative Assessment: I will be walking around the room during group experiments asking them
questions about what students are noticing happening to their sand when they pour the water
over it. I will stress the erosion occurring in the experiment and asking them what the land looks
like after pouring the water.

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Summative Assessment: The students will journal what they noticed happened during the
experiment. I will have a question for them to answer in their journal. (Listed in closure)

REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS

1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I alter this lesson?
4. How would I pace it differently?
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
a. Bloom’s Taxonomy
b. Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences