LBS 405

5E Lesson Plan with Arts Integration

NAME: Cynthia Saldaña GRADE LEVEL: 4th

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STANDARDS:
NGSS: 4-ESS3-2. Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on
humans.
Generate and compare multiple solutions to a problem based on how well they meet the criteria and
constraints of the design solution. (4-ESS3-2)
A variety of hazards result from natural processes (e.g., earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions). Humans
cannot eliminate the hazards but can take steps to reduce their impacts. (4-ESS3-2)
Testing a solution involves investigating how well it performs under a range of likely conditions. (secondary to
4-ESS3-2)
Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones to increase their benefits, to decrease known
risks, and to meet societal demands. (4-ESS3-2)

VAPA: 5.2 Use improvisation and dramatization to explore concepts in other content areas.

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GUIDING INQUIRY QUESTION: (what scientific phenomenon are you addressing?)

Why do humans continue to build on unstable soil?

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LEARNING OUTCOME/ OBJECTIVE(S): (no more than 2)

1. Students will be able to make an argument for or against continuing to build on unstable soils.
2. Students will be able to determine the best way to stabilize loose soil.
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EVALUATION (10-25 mins)

Students will write a short essay describing their argument for or against continuing to build on unstable soils
knowing that we are aware of the great potential risk for damage. They will have to support their argument
with evidence from the experiments. This will be done individually.

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CURRICULUM CONNECTION (Identify how this lesson fits in the larger unit of instruction):

This fits in the larger unit of instruction that a variety of hazards result from natural processes (e.g.,
earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions. Humans cannot eliminate the hazards but can take steps to reduce
their impacts.
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RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
Buckets, sand, rubber mallets, water, beakers, bricks, poster paper, markers, whiteboard, paper, Science
notebooks, iSeismometer App, PowerPoint presentation, pencils, colored pencils, printed directions, iPads.

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ENGAGEMENT (5-10 minutes)

 The teacher will ask students to guess what the magnitude of the earthquake (using the Ritcher scale
and Mercalli Scale).

Key Question: Why did this earthquake cause so much destruction?

Opening Activity to surface student thinking:

Students will watch a video on the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that devastated the San Francisco Bay
area (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7eABGpOHv8).

Questions for whole group discussion: The teacher will ask students to guess what the magnitude of
the earthquake (using the Ritcher scale and Mercalli Scale).

Grouping: There will be no grouping during this time. Students will participate in a whole group discussion
after watching the video.

Accommodations/Modifications for Students who are Bilingual Learners-Expanding Proficiency:

Students will be seated close to the instructor. The teacher will repeat key information throughout the
lesson. The teacher will write any points made during the discussion on the white board or poster paper.
The teacher will make sure that there are subtitles for the video shown.

Accommodations/Modifications for Students with Auditory Processing Disorder:

The teacher will make sure that there are subtitles for the video. These students will also be seated close to
the front to have a better view of the video. Students will be seated near the primary sound source
(speaker/computer). Students will also be away from doors and windows to avoid distracting noises.

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EXPLORATION (15-30 minutes)

Activities (list) Driving Questions

 Students will create a contour map of the 1. What causes an earthquake to be so
measured Mercalli scale intensities at destructive if the epicenter is so far away?
locations around the epicenter of the Loma (ex. the epicenter of the Loma Prieta earthquake
Prieta earthquake. was 60 miles south of the Bay area)
 In a simple experiment, students will test the
durability of a sandy foundation. They will
have to saturate the sand and place a brick
vertically in the sand. Then they will simulate
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 an earthquake by tapping the mallet on the
bucket a number of times and observe what
happens to the brick.

Student Communication Product: (written report, oral presentation, poster, etc.)

 Students will record their hypothesis, data, results and conclusions in their Science Journals.
 We will answer the Driving Question by learning that much of the San Francisco Bay area infrastructure is
built on landfill (garbage), sand, and mud. These foundations are very unstable.
Even though the epicenter was 60 miles away, the most damage was caused because of unstable
sediments.

Grouping: Students will be grouped with the members at their tables. This will consist of about 3-5
students in each group, depending on how many students attended class that day.

Accommodations/Modifications for Students who are Bilingual Learners-Expanding Proficiency:

Students will be provided with a list of vocabulary in English and translated to their first language. This list
will also include images to help students make the connection. Bilingual learners will be placed in groups
with at least one High achiever that can help clarify any confusion. The teacher will continue to check in to
see how these students are doing throughout the lesson.

Accommodations/Modifications for Students with Auditory Processing Disorder:

The teacher will speak slowly and clearly when presenting instructions and any other information. The
instructions will also be presented on the white board/PowerPoint slide.
The teacher will also repeat or rephrase key information throughout the lesson. Students will also be
reminded to articulate when speaking to the members of their group.

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EXPLANATION (15-20 minutes per explain activity. Remember, you can have 1 or 2)

Content Media: (written material, video, teacher lecture, technology)

 Students will take a handful of saturated sand from a prior experiment and squeeze it between
their hands. Water will pour out of the sand/water solution and as a result, the sand will be closer
together.
 Water saturated soils behave differently when seismic waves act on them. In fact, it has sort of the
opposite effect. Instead of squeezing the water out, the force of the seismic waves pushes the sand
particles apart because it increases the pressure of the water. Sand is suspended in the water and
the soil becomes very unstable.
 Students will watch a video about the 2011 earthquake in Japan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=TzlodnjPAuc)

Student Communication Product (assessment): (unit test, written report, oral presentation, poster, etc.)
 In their Science Journals, students will illustrate through sketches how liquefaction takes place
during an earthquake.

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 Grouping: Students will be grouped with the members at their tables. This will consist of about 3-5
students in each group, depending on how many students attended class that day.

Accommodations/Modifications for Students who are Bilingual Learners-Expanding Proficiency:

Students will be provided with a list of vocabulary in English and translated to their first language. This list
will also include images to help students make the connection. Bilingual learners will be placed in groups
with at least one High achiever that can help clarify any confusion. The teacher will continue to check in to
see how these students are doing throughout the lesson.

Accommodations/Modifications for Students with Auditory Processing Disorder:

The instructions will be presented on the white board/PowerPoint slide, as well as given to students in
printed form. The teacher will also repeat or rephrase key information throughout the lesson. The teacher
will continue to check in to see how these students are doing throughout the lesson.

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ELABORATION (15-20 minutes)
Activities:
 Students will experiment with a variety of materials to determine the “best” way to stabilize loose
soils.

Content Media: (written material, video, teacher lecture, technology)

 Using the app iSeismometer, students will test their solutions at various magnitudes.
 Students will also have a sheet that describes a few methods proposed by engineers. They can test
these methods to see which ones work best, or they can come up with their own new method.

Extending/Application Questions for Whole/Small Group Discourse:

 Is there a solution to the issue of building on loose sediments? If so, explain why or why not you
feel it is a “good” solution. Consider the cost of improving the infrastructure and proofing new
buildings for earthquake damage.
 Should we continue to build on loose sediments even though we know there is a great potential risk
of damage due to a strong earthquake?

Student Communication Product (assessment): (unit test, written report, oral presentation, poster, etc.)
 Students will document their experimental process in their Science Journals. They will perform the
experiment 3 different times. They will create a hypothesis for each experiment, document the
materials used, how well the structure held up at different magnitudes, and come up with a
conclusion to explain why this method worked or did not work.
 Students will then create a poster detailing their best method and present it to the class. If none of
their methods were effective, then they will create a poster to explain why they didn’t work and
how this contributes to our engineering study (what new problems does this pose?)

Grouping: Students will be grouped with the members at their tables. This will consist of about 3-5
students in each group, depending on how many students attended class that day.

Accommodations/Modifications for Students who are Bilingual Learners-Expanding Proficiency:

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 Students will be provided with a list of vocabulary in English and translated to their first language. This list
will also include images to help students make the connection. Bilingual learners will be placed in groups
with at least one High achiever that can help clarify any confusion. The teacher will continue to check in to
see how these students are doing throughout the lesson.

Accommodations/Modifications for Students with Auditory Processing Disorder:

The teacher will speak slowly and clearly when presenting instructions and any other information. The
instructions will also be presented on the white board/PowerPoint slide.
The teacher will also repeat or rephrase key information throughout the lesson. Students will also be
reminded to articulate when speaking to the members of their group.

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PART 2: VAPA INTEGRATION & COMMENTARY (5 points)

Furthermore, explain how the arts instruction in this lesson accomplishes one or more of the following goals:
 Supports learning of other academic subjects
 Fosters engagement in school and motivation to learn (use your Textbook reflections to inform
whatever VAPA area you selected to focus on)
 Builds students' skills in collaboration and communication and in navigating and understanding the
diversity of the world needed for success in college and career

VAPA Integration and Commentary

The VAPA portion of this lesson will be integrated to the Engagement portion of the lesson. The

standard that we will be focusing on in this lesson comes from the Grade Four Content Standards of Theatre:

5.2 Use improvisation and dramatization to explore concepts in other content areas. The VAPA portion would

take place after watching the video on the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that devastated the San Francisco Bay

area. This portion of the lesson will consist of students acting out how they would react in the case of an

earthquake and depending on their setting. During this portion of the lesson, students will be in groups with the

members at their table. The teacher will introduce the vocabulary term “improvise”: to create and perform

(music, drama, or verse) spontaneously or without preparation. The teacher will then have students spread out

and give each other space to commence the improvisation. The teacher will give each table group a different

setting that they will be in when the earthquake takes place (e.g., park, hospital, school, mall). This will allow

students to show their creativity and imagination, while also thinking about the actions that need to be taken
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during a natural disaster. Incorporating the arts into the lesson will encourage students to collaborate with one

another to create a scene of improvisation. I thought it was important to include the arts into the lesson because

it helps “students develop a strong sense of their own capacities” (Arts as a Major Discipline, 2001, p. 77).

There are many benefits that come from dramatic play. “One indirect benefit is that it facilitates the maturation

of the brain’s cortical systems” (Arts as a Major Discipline, 2001, p. 75). This plays a major role in enhancing

student learning.

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PART 3: Lesson Plan Rationale Assignment* (25 points)

Lesson Plan Rationale Assignment

a) Designing Learning Activities:

The learning activities I selected for this lesson plan consisted mainly of hands-on activities.
Hands-on activities are beneficial because they serve students and their kinesthetic way of learning.
Students are more likely to remain engaged and on task if they are given the opportunity to move in
their surroundings. Students learn best when they are involved in what they are learning. I focused
mainly on incorporating hands-on activities to avoid having them just read out of a textbook. Hands-on
activities are more engaging for the students and make retaining information easier and quicker.

b) Designing Instructional Strategies:

One strategy I will use throughout the lesson is to make sure my instructions are clear and explicit. I will
also be monitoring students and providing them with guidance (if needed) to make sure that the
students are deriving meaning from the instruction and lesson. Another strategy I will use in this lesson
will be modeling. I will model the hand-on activities to make sure all students know what is expected of
them. This will ensure that no student is left behind. I will also provide visual aids throughout the
lesson such as videos and images.

c) Academic Rigor:

Each portion of this lesson will require higher order thinking from students. I did this by avoiding
yes/no questions and including open ended questions. Open ended questions will lead students to “dig
deeper.” For example, in the Engagement portion of the lesson, the key question that will be posed to
students after watching the video will be “Why did this earthquake cause so much destruction?” Each
portion of the lesson plan will consist of answering a driving question that will be answered through
higher order thinking, experimentation, and investigation.

d) Language Demands:
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 The language demands that this lesson requires in order for students to access and engage in
the content consists of the following vocabulary terms: natural disasters/ natural processes,
earthquake, Ritcher scale, Mercalli scale, magnitude, epicenter, contour map, infrastructure, seismic
waves, liquefication, sediments, engineers. Some of these terms are more difficult to understand than
others. I will constantly repeat/ rephrase key information throughout the lesson, especially for the
bilingual learners and students with auditory processing disorders.

e) Organization of Student Work:

I decided to group students in a variety of ways throughout the lesson. During some portions of
the lesson, students were working in groups and for others they were working individually. The reason
why I chose to place students in groups was to encourage collaboration and teamwork. Allowing
students to work in groups gives them the opportunity to feed off of the knowledge of their peers.
Another advantage that students gain from working in groups is developing communication skills. This
includes being able to discuss and explain their viewpoints and thoughts. When placed in groups, every
student in that team will be held responsible and accountable for the work that is to be complete.
Being able to work in groups will help students in their future professions and jobs. For the evaluation
portion of the lesson, I decided to have students work individually. I did this to allow students to gather
all their thoughts and put into action what they learned from the lesson and from any other
information they may have received from their peers.

f) Student Assets and Needs:

This lesson plan incorporates student’s funds of knowledge and prior experiences with natural
disasters. Living in California, students are bound to experience an earthquake in their lifetime if they
have not already. Any information or experiences students can connect with this subject is helpful in
their learning process. This lesson will build upon this prior knowledge and lead students to investigate
and discover why earthquakes cause more damage in some places than in others.

g) Socio-Emotional Development Considerations’:

One way that I address the socio-emotional development of my students is by providing a safe
space in which my students feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and opinions. Living in California
makes us vulnerable to earthquakes. If the magnitude is great enough, earthquakes can be extremely
destructive which may cause some students to feel uneasy about the subject. This lesson will be set up
in a way that will allow students to express their experiences with earthquakes and any feelings they
have in regards to that. Students will also be encouraged to be accepting of one another’s thoughts and
opinions when working with their peers. This lesson will allow students to develop meaningful
relationships with one another during peer interaction.

h) Resources, Materials, Tools, and/or Educational Technology to Support Learning:

I chose a variety of materials for this lesson plan to keep the students excited about the concept
they are learning about and to meet the needs of every student. For example, the videos that are
shown throughout this lesson cater to the visual and auditory learners. The materials such as buckets,
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sand, water, bricks, etc., used to conduct the hands-on activities cater to the students that are
kinesthetic learners. I also incorporated the use of technology to keep the students excited and show
them how their iPads can be used as an educational tool. PowerPoint presentation is another tool
incorporated into this lesson. While I am giving instructions or any other important information, the
slides in the presentation also contain this information. This also helps cater to those students that are
visual learners.