DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

ELEMENTARY 3rd SEMESTER LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

(1/25/13)
Teacher Candidate: Janice Cannata
Grade Level: 4th
Title: Science Unit The Water Cycle
Lesson: 2 Where is Water found on the Earth?
CONTEXTUAL FACTORS (classroom factors)
Contextual Factors:

Total Students: 18
Girls: 9
Boys: 9
Struggling Learners: Boy #1 Boy #2
Struggling Learners in Special Education: Boy #3
Advanced Learners: Girl #4 Boy#5, Boy#6, Boy#7, Girl#8 Girl#9
ELL: 0
Behavior Challenge Students: 0
Vision Need Student: Boy#10
Classroom Environment: This class is not my practicum classroom. The fourth grade team rotates for science. I
am teaching another fourth grade class at my elementary school. The students are respectful and well behaved.
According to the teacher, they are all great readers, but some struggle in math. This fourth grade teacher has one
special education student. (Boy #3). The vision challenged student is (Boy #10). Accommodations are made for
(Boy #10) by copying most worksheets and papers at 129% to help with his vision challenges. Six students are not
necessarily advanced students, but highly motivated and work very hard therefore, they do very well. The science
unit is being taught in my mentor teachers classroom. The desks are arranged in groups of five facing the front
that has a smart board, ELMO, and whiteboard. The mentor teachers desk is in the far right hand corner allowing
for a clear view of all students. Classroom behavior is managed with a computer app named DoJo. The students are
very motivated to receive points from the DoJo program in part because weekly prizes are given out. The
classroom is managed efficiently and effectively.
WALK-AWAY (As a result of this lesson, what do I want the students to know, understand, and be able to do?)
B. Utah State Core or Common Core Curriculum Standard

Science/Standard 1: Students will understand that water changes state as it moves through the water
cycle.
Objective 1. Describe the relationship between heat energy, evaporation, and condensation of water on
Earth.
a. Identify the relative amount and kind of water found in various locations on Earth (e.g., oceans
have most of the water, glaciers and snowfields contain most freshwater).
.
ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE (What evidence do I need to show the students have
learned the Walk-Away?)
Formative Evidence (checking for understanding throughout the lesson):
Pre-assessment test
Observe for students being engaged in class discussions.
Questioning students about vocabulary words and their meanings.
Successful completion of their best guess sheet where they think water is
found upon the earth.

Modifications/Accomodations (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)

I will review with my

students and struggling
learners the vocabulary
words and their meanings.
Boy #10 will have all

Demonstrate an understanding that water covers 70% of the Earth.

Demonstrate an understanding that most of the water on Earth is found in the
oceans, followed by glaciers, and finally freshwater in streams and lakes.

Content Walk-Away Evidence (Summative):

I will understand that the Earth is 70% water that oceans have the most water,
followed by glaciers, and then freshwater streams and lakes.
Post-test of The Water Cycle at the end of the science unit.
Language Walk-Away Evidence (Summative):
I will be able to read, follow instructions, write, and collect data for the water on

Earth penny distribution experiment.

Approx.
Time

worksheets and instructions

copied in the size of 129%.
Boy #10 will be placed in a
seat close to the front so he
can see the smart board
well. The advanced learners
have been put in supportive
grouping configurations at
their tables that help with
students questions and
brainstorming. Advanced
learners will be asked to
conduct further research
about where water is found
on Earth, and share their
findings with the class.

ACTIVE LEARNING PLAN

Activate/Building Background Knowledge

5minutes

The content and language objectives will be printed out and posted on the whiteboard. We
will recite the content and language objectives.
Boys and girls this is day two on our science journey The Water Cycle. We also are going to review what
we learned about in lesson one of this science unit plan. They will then turn to their shoulder partner and
recite the vocabulary word meanings. I now want you to reflect on how much water is on the Earth and
where it is found upon the Earth. Inside your science folder is a worksheet that is titled Where is Water
found on Earth? I want you to write or draw where you think water is found on Earth. I will display a globe
asking my students what colors they see on the globe. I will ask what the pre-dominate color is upon the
Earth according to our globe model. Guiding questions could be, Why do you think that blue is the
largest color on the globe?, After looking at the globe where do you think that most of the
water on Earth is found?, Where do you think that water is found in its solid form on
Earth? Where do you think that freshwater is found on the Earth? I will give the students
three minutes for discussion of these questions. A discussion will begin about what the students wrote or
drew about where water is found on the Earth.
(SIOP 3,4,6,7,8,9)
Formative assessment:
Learning Goal
Understand that 70% of the
Earth is covered in water.
Water is mostly found in
oceans, followed by glaciers,
then lastly freshwater.

Success Criteria
Guided questioning with
successful answers about
where water is found on
Earth.

Assessment Strategy
Listening for correct
answers. Listening for
productive discussion of
where water is found on
Earth.

5minutes Modification/accommodations: (ELL, IEP, GATE, etc.)

I will have copied the science booklet for Boy #10 at 129%. Boy #10 will be sitting in the desks that are
closest to the smart board. I will pair Boy #3 and Boy #5 and Boy #2 and Boy #6.

Focus Lesson (I do it)

The following information will be presented in a power point presentation. Water covers 70% of Earths
surface and is found in different locations on Earth. The amount of water in the oceans, atmosphere, and on
land is hard to comprehend. Approximately ninety percent (97%) of water is found in the oceans. Around
(2%) is found frozen on Earth in glaciers, and one percent is found in lakes, rivers and groundwater. The
atmosphere holds less than 0.001%. Annual precipitation amounts to 30 times the total water found in the
atmosphere at any given time. In the western United States, water is a valuable resource that comes and
goes with the seasons. During the winter the snow falls and accumulates in the mountains. As snow melts in
the spring and during the summer, the water is absorbed into the Earth or forms small streams that flow
down the mountains. Groundwater is all the water that penetrates the soil and underlying rock layers.
Water that flows off the surface is called runoff. Using water wisely is the responsibility of every member of
society. It is a valuable resource, and we are responsible for its management and reasonable consumption.
(SIOP 4,6,)
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Students will understand
where and how much water
is found on Earth.

Success Criteria
Students when questioned
can answer correctly about
where and how much water
is found on Earth.

Assessment Strategy
Listening for correct
answers.

Modification/accommodations:
I will ask my advanced learners to review the information with the class. Boy # 6 will share where most of
the water is found on Earth. Boy # 7 will share where we find water in its solid form. (SIOP 16)
Guided Instruction (We do it)
The Where is Water found on Earth investigation will then be preformed. Instructions of how to do
the investigation will be posted on a power point slide. Guided questions could include and will be posted

Estimate the amount of water found in each water category? (Tables of four will discuss what
percentage of water is in oceans, glaciers, and freshwater)
Each table will receive 100 pennies which represent 100% of the water found on the Earth (The
groups will divide the pennies up in amounts that represent percentages of water in each category)
Each group will reveal their estimated percentages of where water is found in each water
distribution category.
I will then reveal the actual percentages found in each water distribution category.
(The groups will then change their penny distribution to oceans 97%, glaciers 2% and freshwater to
1%)

( SIOP 8, 9,16, 20)

Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Students will be able to see
how the water percentages
in each water category are
distributed.

Success Criteria
Students will successfully
perform the experiment,
collect data and participate
in the guiding questions.

Assessment Strategy
I will observe the students
performing the experiment
and collecting data
successfully and answering
the guiding questions
successfully.

Modification/accommodations:
The vocabulary words with their meanings will be posted during the entire lesson. I will pair Boy #2 and
Boy #5 and Boy #2 and Boy #6 together
Collaborative/Cooperative (You do it together)
Students will be paired with their A/B partner and discuss the water distribution experiment. Together we
will perform the 2-liter pop bottle demonstration of what percentages make up the three water categories on
Earth.
(SIOP 16,4, 6)
Formative Assessment:
Learning Goal
Through the penny
investigation students will
be able to understand the
percentages that make up
each category of water
distribution.

Success Criteria
Students will successfully be
able to discuss their
understanding of the
percentages that make up
each water category of water
distribution.

Assessment Strategy
I will walk from group to
group assessing if their
group is having a successful
discussion.

Modification/accommodations:
My grouping configurations will reflect structures that are conducive to the success of the activities. Each
group will have three members. I will pair will Boy #2 and Boy #5 and Boy #2 and Boy #6 together.
(SIOP 16,17)
Independent (You do it alone)
Each student will successfully complete their independent data record keeping.
Summative Assessment:
I will walk from group to group monitoring conversations answering any questions that the students may
have. A post-test will be given at the end of the Water Cycle unit.
Modification/accommodations:
I will be available for any struggling students. The advanced learners will be given some ideas for research
about water distribution on Earth that they will be required to share with the class tomorrow.
Closure/Review of walk-aways, vocabulary, and essential questions
(Note: Closure includes student interactions, reflection, and/or demonstrations.)
We will return as a class. We will recite our content and language objectives again. We will determine as a
class if these objectives have been met. We will review todays vocabulary words.

From my summative assessments I will assess which students need re-teaching and provide that to them in
a timely manner.

SIOP Indicators (Add SIOP number and description within the lesson plan)
Preparation: 1-Content objectives, 2-Language objectives, 3-Content appropriate, 4-Supplementary materials, 5-Adaptation
of content, 6-Meaningful activities
Building Background: 7-Linked to background, 8-Linked to past learning, 9-Key vocabulary
Comprehensive Input: 10-Appropriate speech, 11-Clear explanation, 12-Variety of techniques
Interaction: 16-Opportunity for interaction, 17-Grouping supports objectives, 18-Wait time, 19-Opportunity for L1 students
Practice/Application: 20-Hands-on materials, 21-Activities to apply content/language knowledge, 22-Language skills:
reading, writing, listening, speaking
Lesson Delivery: 23-Content objective supported, 24-Language objective supported, 25-Students engaged, 26-Pacing
Review/Assessment: 27-Review vocabulary, 28-Review concepts, 29-Feedback, 30-Assessment

TEACHING NOTES
What do I need to remember to do? What materials do I need to have ready? What is the approximate time needed for
this lesson?
Have the water cycle folders/science journals
Have condensation chamber investigation ready.

REFLECTION AFTER LESSON

How can I use the assessment data to reflect on & evaluate the outcomes of teaching and learning? How can I transfer
what I learned from teaching this lesson to future teaching? What was effective and not effective? What goals can I set
to improve my practice and student learning?