Step 5

Opening of the Unit
Lesson 1
Pre-assessment- Landforms
Mountains & Valleys: The students will learn
about the characteristics, formation, and
locations of mountains and valleys.
Lesson 2
Hills & Exploring Erosion: The students will

learn about characteristics and formation of
hills as well as observing the erosion process
through a class experiment.
Lesson 3
Plains & Plateaus: The students will learn

about characteristics, formation, and locations
of plains and plateaus.
Lesson 4
Research Day: The students will research

mountains, valleys, plains, hills, and plateaus
in further depth by using our in class resources
such as nonfiction texts, iPads, and previous
handouts to gather information for their
landform flip-book.
Lakes, Ponds, & Oceans: The students will
learn about the characteristics of lakes, ponds,
and rivers as well as the formation process and
location of major bodies of water.
Rivers & Streams: The students will learn
about characteristics, formation, and the
differences between rivers and streams as well
as the location of a few major rivers.
Water Cycle: The students will be introduced
to and explore the water cycle through an in
class experiment, learning about evaporation,
condensation, precipitation, and collection.
Sharing Flip-books: The students will celebrate
all of their hard work and share their landform
flip-book with the class.
Lesson 5
Lesson 6
Lesson 7
Lesson 8- Culminating Activity
Landforms: Landforms Pre-assessment Lesson

Duration
45 minutes
Objectives
1. Students will be able to identify and label mountains, plains, valleys, and hills.
2. Students will be able to identify and label lakes, ponds, oceans, and rivers.
3. Students will be able to use prior knowledge to identify examples of each landform and/or
body of water.
Michigan Standard
1. E.SE.02.21- Describe the major landforms of the surface of the Earth (mountains, plains,
plateaus, valleys, hills).
2. E.FE.02.11 Identify water sources (wells, springs, lakes, rivers, oceans).
Anticipatory Set
I will begin with talking to the students about the new unit we are beginning. I will then read the
book Introducing Landforms by: Bobby Kalman to the class to give them an overview of some
of the things we will be learning about during this unit.
Materials
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introducing Landforms by: Bobby Kalman

Land and Water handout
Pencil
Scissors
Glue
Landform notebook
Providing Instruction through Modeling

1.
2.
3.
4.
Students will each be given a Land and Water handout to complete independently.
Students will cut out the terms on the bottom of the handout.
Students will then determine which term goes to which landform picture.
After you have found a term for each picture the students will glue them on and turn in
their paper.
Checking for Understanding
I will be monitoring the students progress by walking around the room while they are
completing the activity. I will help them by answering questions about the steps, I will not help
them to understand the terms however since this is a pre-assessment activity. I will be looking to
see if they have identified the proper landform or body of water with the correct term.
Guided Practice
1. After all of the students have turned in their assessment I will have the class meet up on
the carpet to go over the correct answers.
2. I will first have the class help me to sort out the words into two categories 1) landform 2)
body of water.
3. After the terms are sorted correctly into the two groups we will identify each picture one
at a time. I will have the students give me a thumbs up if they believe it is the correct
term for the picture and a thumbs down if they disagree.
4. After we have completed reviewing the handout we will create a KWL chart as a class.
5. We will first collaborate and determine what we know already about landforms and
bodies of water.
6. Next we will brainstorm questions we may have about landforms and bodies of water.
7. After we have brainstormed as a class I will send students back to their seats and have
them record our chart on the first page of their landforms notebook.
Closure
I will end by asking the class to have three people from each table tell me something they learned
about landforms and bodies of water today, or a question that they would like to find out about. I
will collect their notebooks after their table has answered and this will be their ticket to start
getting ready to go home since this is our last subject of the day.
Assessment
I will be grading the students handout on Land and Water on a 4, 3, 2, 1 grading scale. 4 means
secure, going down to 1, which means little understanding.
*grading rubric attached
Pre-Unit Assessment Rubric

This pre-unit assessment will be scored on a 4, 3, 2, 1 scale. I am using
this scale because this is how we score most of the other assignments
across our curriculum.
4
Students will be Correctly
able to identify labeled all
and label
four
mountains,
examples of
plains, valleys, landforms.
and hills.
3
Correctly
labeled three
examples of
landforms.
2
Correctly
labeled two
examples of
landforms.
1
Labeled one
or no
landform
examples
correctly.
Students will be
able to identify
and label lakes,
ponds, oceans,
and rivers.
Correctly
labeled all
four
examples of
bodies of
water.
Correctly
labeled three
examples of
bodies of
water.
Correctly
labeled two
examples of
bodies of
water.
Labeled one
or no body of
water
examples
correctly.
Students will be
able to
differentiate
between a
landform and a
body of water.
Use the
correct words
to identify
what would
be in the
landform or
body of
water set.
Mix up one
landform or
body of
water type
with the
other
category.
Mix up two
landforms
or body of
water types
with the
other
category.
Mix up three
or more
landform or
body of
water types
with the
other
category.
Overall Score: ______________
Lesson one: Mountains and Valleys

Duration
Two 30 minute sessions
Purpose
For students to be able to identify and explain what mountains and valleys are to get a better
understanding of the physical world around them.
Objectives
1. Students will be able to describe the physical characteristics of a mountain and a valley.
2. Students will be able to explain how mountains and valleys are formed.
3. Students will be able to give examples of mountain ranges within the United States.
Michigan Standards
E.SE.02.21- Describe the major landforms of the surface of the Earth (mountains, plains,
Materials
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Globe
Landform notebook
Pencil
2 Graphic Organizer pages
Glue
Landform Slideshow
Promethean board
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Tzt_EBD3DDQ&list=PLZ6PJLBbxJnep9_yFw3U_giCMwekELZF4
Anticipatory Set
Students will come up to the carpet and I will pass around the classroom globe. I will ask the
students to gently feel around the globe and see what they notice. I will point out that some of the
areas on the globe are raised or bumpy while others are smooth. I will explain that the raised
areas on the globe are where mountains are located. I will then turn the globe to the North
American and have the students point out where there are raised areas or mountains in the United
States.
Input
1. I will display a picture of a mountain from the landform slideshow on the promethean
board. I will explain to the students that mountains are the highest landforms on the
Earths surface and that a group of mountains is called a mountain range. In the United
States we have two main mountain ranges, the Appalachian Mountains in the east and the
Rocky Mountains in the west like we pointed out on the globe.
2. Some mountains have pointed tops while others have rounded tops, some appear rocky,
and others are covered in snow on the top. Plants and other vegetation grow on mountains
and they are home to many people and animals.
3. I will then explain that the earth is made up of 8 plates, which are piece of the Earth,
acting as the skin of the planet. When the Earths plates move together under the Earths
crust and force up sediments that form mountains. Mountains can also be formed from
molten rock brought up through volcanic eruptions. I will then show the short clip of a
mountain being formed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Tzt_EBD3DDQ&list=PLZ6PJLBbxJnep9_yFw3U_giCMwekELZF4
4. I will then display the valley slide on the slideshow. Between mountains there is another
kind of landform called a valley. A valley is a low lying area between mountains or hills.
Rivers flow down the mountains into the valleys so they are full of vegetation and have
very fertile soil.
5. Valleys can be formed when river flows down the mountainside/hillside it wears off the
rocks and soil with a process called erosion. Overtime the water carves out a v shaped
groove that gets deeper and wider as time passes. Valleys can also be formed by glaciers
are U shaped.
6. Valleys can be dry and dusty, or they can be very green and lush. People, plants, and
animals all can live in valleys and they are good for growing crops. A narrow valley is
called a canyon, like the Grand Canyon in the United States.
Modeling
I will then model how to fill out our landform graphic organizers with the information we just
learned. In the top section I will write the landform name and draw a brief sketch of the
landform. Then in the following section I will describe its physical characteristics. In the third
section I will write about how the landform is formed. In the fourth box I will write an example
of where I can find the landform and in the fifth box I will write an interesting fact I learned
about that landform.
Check for Understanding

What happens when the Earths plates move and bump into each other?
Do all mountains have to have a pointed peak?
Between what landform would I find a Valley?
What happens during erosion?
Guided Practice
1. Students will each receive two graphic organizer handouts and return to their desks.
Students will begin to fill out their first graphic organizer for mountains stating its name
and drawing a small picture of it.
2. They will describe at least three physical characteristics of the landform.
3. They will write how the landform is formed.
4. They will give at least one example of that landform in the world around them.
5. Students will choose a different interesting fact about this landform that they learned
today.
6. After the organizer is completed for mountains they will repeat the process for valleys.
7. When both organizers are completed they will glue them into their landform notebook
leaving six blank pages between them for later writing activities.
Closure
I will ask the students
a. What is something new you learned about mountains and valleys today?
b. Turn to the person next to you and tell them how a mountain is formed.
I will then collect the students landform notebooks.
Assessment
Observation of independent work
Collection of the landform notebooks
Check list attached- grade scale 4, 3, 2, 1
Independent Practice
After the discussion and filling out our graphic organizers, the students should be able to use that
information and put it into sentences for their landform flip book.
Inclusion for Diverse Learners
For the students that finish early and will go above and beyond, I will challenged them to
continue learning about the landform by looking at books I have picked out and writing down
notes on the back of their page that they think are important or interesting. This will give them
the chance to continue learning in further depth about the landforms.
Landform: _______________________________________________
Draw the Landform
Physical characteristics (3 or more words)
How am I formed?
Example:
Interesting Fact:
Name: _______________________________________________
Mountains Graphic Organizer Score
4- Has accurate information in all sections of organizer

3- All information is accurate but they are missing one or two pieces of information
2- Most of the information is accurate but they are missing two or more pieces of information
1- Little to no information is accurate and they are missing two or more pieces of information
Score: _____________
Valleys Graphic Organizer Score

1-Little to no information is accurate and they are missing two or more pieces of information
Score: ______________
Lesson Two: Hills & Exploring Erosion

Duration
45 minutes
Purpose
Students will be able to describe how hills are formed and to observe the erosion process that
shapes the land around us.
Objectives
1. Students will be able to identify and describe a hill.
2. Students will be able to describe how a hill is formed.
3. Students will be able to identify the three natural causes of erosion; wind, water, and ice.
Michigan Standards/Benchmark
E.SE.E.2 - Some changes are due to slow processes, such as erosion and weathering, and some
changes are due to rapid processes, such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.
E.SE.02.21-Describe the major landforms of the surface of the Earth (mountains, plains,
Materials
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Graphic Organizer
Pencil
Landform Slideshow
Promethean Board
Glue Stick
Plastic bin
Bag of Sand
Spray Bottle of water
Straw
10. Ice
Anticipatory Set
Raise your hand if you have seen a hill before? What is different about a hill compared to the
land around it? Do you think there is a difference between a hill and a mountain? Today we are
going to explore hills and how they are formed. Before we start learning about the formation
process lets find out some information about hills.
Input
1. A hill, just like a mountain is a piece of land that is raised from the earth around it. Although
hills are much less high than a mountain would be. I will show a picture of a hill on the
landform slideshow
2. Hills are generally grassy and have a highest point at the top called a summit. They look like
a bump in the Earth. They are a great location to sit and see the world around you since you
are at a higher elevation.
3. But how are they formed? Hills can be manmade called mound when people pile up the dirt
to create one. They can also be created naturally through the rubbing together of tectonic
plates just like a mountain. A very common process that forms hills that we discussed briefly
is called erosion, which is when pieces of earth get washed away and sometimes create a pile
somewhere else. Wind, water, and forms of ice called glaciers are the very common causes of
erosion over a long period of time. I am going to demonstrate erosion today so we are able to
picture the process better in our minds.
Modeling: The Erosion Process
1. Have the students sit around you on the floor in a circle, take the bin of sand and tilt it up so
the students are able to see inside of it. Make a hill like formation with the sand at the top of
the bin.
2. Ask the students what kind of landform you created in the sand (hill or mountain is
acceptable). Ask the students what they think will happen to that landform over time if wind,
water, and ice begin to change it.
3. First blow into a straw towards the top of the mountain, ask the students to describe what
changes they saw and where the sand that was moved went to.
4. Next use the spray bottle to spray the landform, as the students again to make observations as
a group.
5. Lastly use an ice cube to demonstrate how a glacier would affect landform.
6. After all three forces are completed ask the students if they see any new landforms created in
the sand and what happened to the original landform.
7. Show the students that new hills were created with the eroded material from the landform
and the original landform had changed in size and shape. That is the process of erosion,
except unlike how it changes in seconds in our experiment, it takes millions of years for
erosion to occur on the world around us.

What makes a hill different from a mountain?
Why is a hill a good place to sit and enjoy the view?
What changes happened to our landform during the experiment?
What are three of the natural causes of erosion?
Guided Practice
1. Students will each receive a graphic organizer handouts and return to their desks. Students will
begin to fill out their first graphic organizer for a hill stating its name and drawing a small picture
of it.
3. They will write how the landform is formed. This time I would not only like them to write
erosion, but also the three natural forces that cause it.
5. Students will choose a different interesting fact about this landform that they learned today.
7. When the organizer is completed they will glue it into their landform notebook leaving six
blank pages between it and the previous landform.
Closure
a. Turn to the person next to you and tell them something you learned today that you did not
know before.
b. Why do you think it takes longer for erosion to occur in the world around us than it did
during our experiment?
Assessment
In order to meet the needs of the visual learner I demonstrated the process of erosion in a hands
on manner. It is beneficial to all students to have a personal experience with the process that
would create a visual memory of the process.
Name: ___________________________________
Hills Graphic Organizer Score

Score: ______________
Lesson three: Plains & Plateaus

Duration
Two 30 minute Sessions
Purpose
For students to be able to identify and explain what plains and plateaus are to get a better
Objectives
1. Students will be able to identify and describe a plain and a plateau.
2. Students will be able to explain how each landform is formed.
3. Students will be able to provide examples of plains and plateaus in the world around them.
Michigan Standards/Benchmarks
E.SE.E.2 - The surface of Earth changes. Some changes are due to slow processes, such as
erosion and weathering, and some changes are due to rapid processes, such as landslides,
volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.
Materials
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introducing Landforms book

Plains book
2 Landform graphic organizers
Pencil
Glue
Landform notebook
Anticipatory Set
When we started working on our landforms unit we read the book that introduced a few types of
landforms to us. Does anyone remember the landform called a plain? Can you tell me a physical
characteristic of that landform? Today we are going to learn more in depth about plains and also
explore a new landform called a plateau.
Input
1. Lets start with plains, to refresh our memory I am going to re-read pg. 18-19 of the
Introducing Landforms book. This tells us that plains are huge areas of nearly flat land. Some
plains are covered in bushes or forests. Others are covered in grasses and flowers called
prairies.
2. The soil on plains is good for growing crops. The plains are a great place to raise farm
animals since there is plenty of grass for the animals to eat. Plains cover more than 1/3 of the
worlds land area. They are formed through buildup of layers during erosion.
3. America has a part of the country called the Great Plains located out west that covers the
middle of the country starting in Texas and going to the bottom of Central Canada. It is
covered in grasslands and rolling hills, mostly used for farmland.
4. Start discussing plateaus by reading the book Plateau to the students. This tells the students
that it is a raised flat piece of land The wind and rain break around the land around it leaving
steep sides.
5. Plateaus can be grassy, or dry like in the desert. They can be high like a mountain or low like
a hill. It looks like a table in shape.
6. Plateaus are formed when magma pushes up towards the surface of the Earths crust. The
magma does not break through but it raises a portion of the crust up creating the plateau.
Modeling
about that landform. I will demonstrate that I leave 6 pages between this graphic organizer and
the previous one.
What is a large area of flat land called?
Where can you find a plain in this country?
What does a plateau look like?
Why are the sides of a plateau so steep?
Guided Practice
begin to fill out their first graphic organizer for a hill stating its name and drawing a small picture
of it.
3. They will write how the landform is formed. This time I would not only like them to write
erosion, but also the three natural forces that cause it.
5. Students will choose a different interesting fact about this landform that they learned today.
8. They will repeat the same process with their second landform.
Closure
a. Where can you find a plateau? Does is have to be in the desert?
b. Why would a plain be a great choice to use for farmland?
c. Tell the person next to you one question you have about the landforms we learned about to
day and answer the question if you are able to.
Assessment
For students who are struggling to differentiate between the landforms I will provide them with a
personal paper landform dictionary that has landforms, a picture of the landform, and its
definition. This will give them something to refer back to when working on their notebook.
Name: ___________________________________
Plains Graphic Organizer Score

Score: ______________
Plateaus Graphic Organizer Score

Score: ______________
Lesson four: Inquiry Research Day

Duration
Purpose
The purpose is for students to guide their own learning and understanding information on
landforms.
Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
The students will be able to direct their own learning during this activity.
The students will be able to pull out important facts on the landforms.
The students will be able to use a variety of resources to find information.
The students will be able to create a list of interesting facts on the landforms.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.1- Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when,
why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.9- Compare and contrast the most important points presented by
two texts on the same topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.2- Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a
topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.
E.SE.E.2- The surface of Earth changes. Some changes are due to slow processes, such as
erosion and weathering, and some changes are due to rapid processes, such as landslides,
volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.
Materials
1. Landform notebooks
2. Pencil
3. Ipads
4. Classroom Non-fiction Library Landforms books

Anticipatory Set
During this unit the students have been gathering basic information on the landforms: mountains,
valleys, hills, plains, and plateaus. The students will use this time to research and find more in
depth information about these landforms using resources we have in our classroom. At the end of
each session I will have the students share three pieces of information they learned during the
research period.
Input
I will show students the landform books I have pulled out for them to use for their researching. I
will also demonstrate how to get to a safe search engine to do research on the iPads. I will also
show students a list of sites that are not credible.
Modeling
I will model to the students looking through a book and writing down notes of the new
information I learned about the landform. I will explain to the students that they do not need to
write down everything, just the information that they find most important or interesting that will
help them on their flip-book project. I will also model how to use the search engine to look for
information on their landforms.
I will circulate around the room ro make sure the students are staying on safe and appropriate
websites. I will also observe their note taking and make sure they are writing down useful
information to use.
Guided Practice
1. I will bring the students to the carpet to explain what we are doing for the day. I will
introduce the resources that they will be able to use and demonstrate note taking in the
landforms notebook. The students will have two options to work with:
a. Using the internet safe site Kid Rex
i. Steps:
1. Go to Spencer website
2. Click on grade level links
3. Click on research- see Mrs. Adams library page
4. Click on safe searching on the left
5. Click on Kid Rex
6. Type in the name of the landform in the search bar
b. Using the nonfiction texts that will be spread out in the front of the room
2. Thye must use both resources for their research.
3. They will be instructed to not go to any site that ends in pedia because this is not
always accurate information. I will encourage them to use sites that end in .org, .gov, or
.edu.
4. Once all directions are given I will send the students off to begin their research. The
information they collect will go on the back of their graphic organizer page for the
designated landform.
Closure
I will ask the students:
How did this research day help you learn more about your landforms?
What was the most difficult part of your researching?
What were some interesting facts that you learned today?
Assessment
I will circulate around the room to make sure that the students are staying on task. I will assess
the students based on if they spent their time being productive and taking important notes.
This lesson is set up for the students to guide themselves independently. They will have the
framework set up for them, such as what resource are available to them and how to take
successful notes.
For the students that are lower level I will help them by reading along with them and having
them write down the information they found to be important from our shared reading.
Name: ___________________________________
Research Day Checklist
4- The student is engaged in their research and has at least 4 notes listed in their landforms
notebook
3- The student is engaged in their research and has at least 3 notes listed in their landforms
notebook
2- The student is disengaged in their research and has 2-1 notes listed in their landforms
notebook
1- The student is disengages in their research and has no notes listed in their landforms
notebook
Score: _________
Lesson five: Lakes & Ponds
Duration
Purpose
For students to be able to identify and explain what lakes and ponds are to get a better
Objectives
1. Students will be able to identify and describe lakes and ponds.
2. Students will be able to explain how lakes and are formed.
3. Students will be able to give examples of lakes and ponds in the world around them.
E.FE.02.11- Identify water sources (wells, springs, lakes, rivers, oceans).
E.FE.02.21- Describe how rain collects on the surface of the Earth and flows downhill into
bodies of water (streams, rivers, lakes, oceans) or into the ground.
E.FE.02.22- Describe the major bodies of water on the Earths surface (lakes, ponds, oceans,
rivers, streams).
Materials
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Video note organizer

Landform notebook
Bill Nye Video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9v5euKmEu4
2 landform graphic organizers
Glue
Pencil
Anticipatory Set
The students will be introduced to exploring lakes and ponds by watching the Bill Nye video
Lakes and Ponds. While the students are watching the movie they will fill out their graphic
organizer titled Lakes and Ponds Video Notes. They will write down five pieces of information
they learned from the video and two questions they have about lakes and ponds.
Input
1. Lakes and ponds can Lakes and ponds can develop from glaciers, between bodies of rock,
and from volcanos that form craters. They can also be manmade.
2. Differences: Lakes are much larger in size Lakes are deeper and wider than ponds. In ponds
the water temperature on top is about the same as the water temperature at the bottom. Plants
grow all over in ponds, and only near the outer edges of lakes.
3. They generally contain fresh water and can be used for recreational activities, water
resources, and are homes to many different species of plants and animals.
4. Lakes near Brighton: Lake Chemung, Kensington, Thompson Lake, The Great Lakes. Ponds
in Brighton: The Mill Pond.
Modeling
about that landform. I will demonstrate that I leave 6 pages between this graphic organizer and
the previous one.
Are ponds and lake called landforms or do they belong to a different group?
Why are these both called bodies of water?
Where can you find these bodies of water in our state?
Guided Practice
begin to fill out their first graphic organizer for a lake stating its name and drawing a small
picture of it.
2. They will describe at least three physical characteristics of the body of water.
3. They will write how the body of water is formed. I would like the students to include more
than one way of formation.
4. They will give at least one example of that body of water in the world around them.
5. Students will choose a different interesting fact about this body of water that they learned
today.
8. They will repeat the same process with their second body of water.
L
a
Closure
k
e difference between a landform and a body of water?
1. What is the
2. Is a lake the same thing as a pond? Why/Why not?
3. State onesfact that you learned about these bodies of water.
a
Collection of movie note taking organizer
n
d
Assessment
P
o
n
For students who have completed their work early and are ready to continue their learning I will
have out a Landforms memory game for them to play where they have to match the term to the
d
proper landform or body of water.
s
information and put it into sentences for their landform notebook.
V
i
d
e
Name:_______________________________________
o
N
o
t
5 new facts I learned are
1.________________________________________________________
2.________________________________________________________
3.________________________________________________________
4.________________________________________________________
5.________________________________________________________
2 questions I still have about lakes and ponds are
1.________________________________________________________
2.________________________________________________________
Lakes Graphic Organizer Score
Score: ______________
Ponds Graphic Organizer Score

Score: ______________
Lesson six: Oceans

Duration
30 minutes
Purpose
For students to be able to identify and explain what an ocean is to get a better understanding of
the physical world around them.
Objectives
1. Students will be able to identify and describe what an ocean is.
2. Students will be able to name the worlds oceans.
3. Students will be able to describe how the oceans were formed.
Michigan Standards/ Benchmarks
rivers, streams).
Materials
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Five Oceans Song

World Map
Pencil
Landform Notebook
Landform graphic organizer
Glue
Anticipatory Set
To introduce the topic of oceans in a new and fun way I am going to teach the students the Five
Oceans song. I will go through the words line by line, sing it to the class, and then have them
sing it with me. While I am teaching them the words I will point to the ocean being names on the
world map.
Input
I will write the following questions down on individual strips of paper:
What is an ocean?
Why is an ocean important to the Earth?
How were the oceans formed?
What do we use the ocean for today?
What kind of water is in the ocean?
What kind of plants and animals live in the ocean?
Can you name and locate the five oceans?
I will put these questions in a basket and call on students to pick a question out. After they have
pulled the question we will discuss its answer as a class. The information needed to answer these
questions is provided below.
1. Oceans provide homes for thousands of plants and animals ( fish, sharks, jelly fish, coral, sea
weed, reefs)
2. Oceans help regulate the Earths temperature by keeping the Earth warm in the winter and
cool in the summer.
3. Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern
4. Oceans are made up of salt water.
5. Formed when the water on Earth stayed in gaseous form until the planet's surface cooled
below 100 degrees Celsius. At this time, 3.8 billion years ago, water condensed into rain and
poured onto the land. Water collected in low lying areas which gradually became the
primitive oceans.
6. Transportation, food, recreation
What are the five oceans?
How are the oceans formed?
What is an Ocean?
Guided Practice
begin to fill out their first graphic organizer for an ocean stating its name and drawing a small
picture of it.
2. They will describe at least three physical characteristics of the body of water.
3. They will write how the body of water is formed.
4. They will write the names of all 5 oceans in the world.
today.
Closure
7. What is the difference between a lake and an ocean?
8. How many oceans are there in the world? Lets name them as a class.
9. State one fact that you learned about oceans today.
Assessment
For the advanced students who are ready for more information on oceans, I will have books set
out in the front of the room to continue researching them while others are still working on their
graphic organizers. They will take notes from their research on the back of the graphic organizer
page.
Oceans Graphic Organizer Score

Score: ______________
Lesson seven: Rivers & Streams
Duration
Purpose
For students to be able to identify and explain what a river is to get a better understanding of the
physical world around them.
Objectives
1. Students will be able to identify and describe a river and a stream.
2. Students will be able to describe how rivers and streams are formed.
3. Students will be able to give examples of major rivers in the United States.
rivers, streams).
Materials
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
2 landform graphic organizers

Landform notebook
Pencil
Glue
River diagram
Introducing Landforms book
Anticipatory Set
Boys and girls, did you know that 65 % of our drinking water comes from rivers and streams?
Has anyone here seen a stream or river before? Does anyone know the difference between a
stream and a river? Today we are going to investigate the two bodies of water and see how they
are similar and different. I will start by reading the pages titles Rivers and Lakes from the book
Introducing Landform.
Input
1. Show diagram of a river; source, tributaries, stream, waterfall, mouth
2. When it rains or snow melts water flows downhill in small streams
3. Streams join each other to make small rivers, called tributaries, which come together to make
larger rivers. Mountains and hills tend to slow down rain clouds squeezing water from them.
When this happens the rain runs down the hill to the bottom creating a watershed which is a
valley with a lot of little streams.
4. All rivers lead to a lake, pond, or an ocean.
5. Uses: transportation, food, recreation
6. Point out major rivers in the US on a map.
How is a stream formed?
What is a river?
Where do all rivers lead to?
Guided Practice
begin to fill out their first graphic organizer for a river stating its name and drawing a small
picture of it.
2. They will describe at least three physical characteristics of the body of water. (Source, mouth,
tributaries)
3. They will write how the body of water is formed.
4. They will give an example of the landform the world around them.
today.
8. They will repeat this process for a stream.
Closure
What is the difference between a river and a stream?
What can we use a river for?
What is the start of a river called?
What is the end of a river called?

Assessment
In order to help the struggling students I will print out a copy or the river diagram to refer to as
they go back and work on their graphic organizer. I will also be walking around the room to
answer any questions these students may have about the body of water.
Name: __________________________
Stream Graphic Organizer Score

Score: ______________
River Graphic Organizer Score

Score: ______________
Lesson eight: Cooperative Lesson: The Water Cycle
Duration
Purpose
For students to observe and discover the process of the water cycle and how the bodies of water
come to form.
Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
Students will be able to draw conclusions based on scientific observations.

Students will be able to explain precipitation, evaporation, condensation, and collection.
Students will be able to discuss observation collaboratively with their group.
Students will be able to assume a given role and take responsibility for the job assigned.
S.IA.02.12- Share ideas about science through purposeful conversation.
S.IA.02.13- Communicate and present findings of observations.
S.RS.02.15- Use evidence when communicating scientific ideas.
E.FE.02.13- Describe the properties of water as a liquid (visible, flowing, shape of container and
recognize rain, dew, and fog as water in its liquid state.
E.FE.02.14- Describe the properties of water as a solid (hard, visible, frozen, cold) and
recognize ice, snow, and hail as water in its solid state.
bodies of water
Materials
1. Plastic tray
2. 2 clear plastic cups
3. Ice
4. Water
5. Spoon
6. Food coloring
7. Pencil
8. Paper
9. Water in the Air? Handout
10. Water Cycle Chart
11. http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/flash/flash_watercycle.html
Anticipatory Set
I will open up today by discussing that though the second half of this unit we have spent time
learning about bodies of water. We have learned a little about how the water came to be in those
locations, but today we are going to focus on the water cycle that is continuously going on in the
world around us. I will show them the short video clip :
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/flash/flash_watercycle.html .
Activity design
1. Break the class up into groups of four. Inform the students that each person is going to be
held accountable for their role in the experiment and that without their role the experiment
will not be successful. Assign a role to each person in the group:
a. leader, instructs the group through the experimental process
b. materials manager, sets up the materials needed for the experiment
c. recorder, writes down the data collected from the experiment
d. reporter, shares their findings with the rest of the class
2. Each group needs two have full clear cups of water with a drop of food coloring in each.
3. The students will put a scoop of ice into one of the clear cups.
4. The leader begins the activity by asking the group to observe both cups for three minutes and
think about any changes that could be occurring in the glasses.
5. The team discusses their observations and the recorder draws their findings on the glasses on
the Water in the Air? Handout.
6. The leader leads the group in a discussion of whether or not there is water in the air.
7. The recorder writes down the ideas of the team members.
8. The reporter shares their findings with the class.
Why did we decide that there is water in the air?
What changes did you observe in the two different cups?
What process of the water cycle is occurring when water is released into the air?
Guided Practice
1. Each student will receive a water cycle blank handout and a water cycle word bank page.
2. As a class we will go over each step of the water cycle, reading the process, and gluing it in
the proper location on our water cycle worksheet.
3. We will repeat with all four steps.
4. After I will have the students practice retelling to their neighbor the four processes we
discussed in the water cycle.
Closure
After students have discussed with their neighbor I will ask the students one last time what are
the four steps in the water cycle. They will record it in their landforms notebook and turn it in as
their ticket to get ready for the end of the day.
After the experiment and discussion, the students should be able to explain the four basic
processes of the water cycle on their own.
Assessment
Inclusion for diverse learners
In order to benefit students who are struggling, I will create the groups with at least one
advanced learner in each group. This will help to create fluid discussion and they will be able to
support and answer basic questions the struggling student may have.
Water Cycle Steps Score
4- Accurately identified the four steps of the water cycle.
3- Accurately identified three of the four steps of the water cycle.

2- Accurately identified two of the four steps of the water cycle.
1- Accurately identified one of none of the four steps of the water cycle.
Score:
______________
Lesson nine: Culminating Activity: Landforms Flip-book Sharing

Duration
30 minutes
Purpose
The purpose of this activity is to enjoy sharing all that has been learned throughout the unit. This
is a celebration of the work and information each student has gathered. This is a chance for the
students to talk about the things they found interesting and to gage in conversation with peers on
the information they have gathered.
Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
The students will be able to share their landforms flip book with the class.
The students will be able to reflect on and interpret the information they gathered.
The students will be able to analyze information presented by other students.
The students will be able to present a completed landforms flip-book.
E.SE.E.2 Surface Changes- The surface of Earth changes. Some changes are due to slow
processes, such as erosion and weathering, and some changes are due to rapid processes, such as
landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.
CCSS.SL.2.3-Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify
comprehension, gather additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue.
CCSS.SL.2.4-Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant,
descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences.
Anticipatory Set
The students will come to the carpet and are congratulated on all of their hard work, first for
completing the landforms unit, and second completing their Landforms flip book by working on
writing and revising their notes into fluid writing for each landform during language arts. Before
we share we will reflect on the unit and I will ask the students to share their favorite lesson.
Materials
1. Completed Landforms flip-book
Input
I will remind the students that when they are sharing their information they need to speak clearly
and project their voice for all of their classmates to hear. They will share one fact from each of
the six landforms they studied in their flipbook. I will remind the students to turn the flipbook so
that their classmates are able to see their hard work on their illustrations as well.
Modeling
Before the students begin I will use my sample landforms flip-book as an example and
demonstrate how to present.
Guided Practice
1. The students will come to the carpet for instructions on how to present their landforms flipbook.
2. Each student will practice first with the person sitting next to them.
3. After each student has had the opportunity to practice with their neighbor we will begin
presentations, first taking volunteers, then calling by student number.
4. After each presenter the students will get the opportunity to share something that they
enjoyed about the presentation, or a fact that they learned from it.
Closure
After the presentations are completed I will ask the students what they have learned from the
presentations today? What did the strong speakers do while they were presenting? What would
you like to learn more about in the future regarding landforms?
After the presentations and discussing the presentations students should be able to present their
work effectively in the classroom using the proper speaking voice and presentation skills.
For the students that have a hard time focusing on directions, or remembering their task, each
step of the process will be written on the board for them. This helps the students who learn better
visually rather than orally.
Name: ________________________________
Flip Book Presentation Scoring
4: The student presented a complete flip-book with accurate information with a clear projected
voice for their classmates to hear.
3: The student presented a complete flip-book with accurate information but it was difficult to
hear them clearly.
2: The student presented a mostly complete flip-book with accurate information but it was
difficult to hear them clearly.
1: The student presented a mostly complete flip-book that does not include all accurate
information and it was difficult to hear them clearly.
Score: __________________________

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Opening of the Unit

Hills & Exploring Erosion: The students will

Plains & Plateaus: The students will learn

Research Day: The students will research

Lesson 8- Culminating Activity

Landforms: Landforms Pre-assessment Lesson

Introducing Landforms by: Bobby Kalman

Providing Instruction through Modeling

Checking for Understanding

Pre-Unit Assessment Rubric

Overall Score: ______________

Lesson one: Mountains and Valleys

Check for Understanding

Physical characteristics (3 or more words)

Mountains Graphic Organizer Score

4- Has accurate information in all sections of organizer

Valleys Graphic Organizer Score

4- Has accurate information in all sections of organizer

Lesson Two: Hills & Exploring Erosion

Check for Understanding

Hills Graphic Organizer Score

4- Has accurate information in all sections of organizer

Lesson three: Plains & Plateaus

Introducing Landforms book

Plains Graphic Organizer Score

4- Has accurate information in all sections of organizer

Plateaus Graphic Organizer Score

4- Has accurate information in all sections of organizer

Lesson four: Inquiry Research Day

4. Classroom Non-fiction Library Landforms books

Research Day Checklist

Lesson five: Lakes & Ponds

Video note organizer

5 new facts I learned are

Lakes Graphic Organizer Score

4- Has accurate information in all sections of organizer

Ponds Graphic Organizer Score

4- Has accurate information in all sections of organizer

Lesson six: Oceans

Five Oceans Song

Can you name and locate the five oceans?

Oceans Graphic Organizer Score

4- Has accurate information in all sections of organizer

Lesson seven: Rivers & Streams

2 landform graphic organizers

I will then collect the students landform notebooks.

Stream Graphic Organizer Score

4- Has accurate information in all sections of organizer

River Graphic Organizer Score

4- Has accurate information in all sections of organizer

Lesson eight: Cooperative Lesson: The Water Cycle

Students will be able to draw conclusions based on scientific observations.

Water Cycle Steps Score

4- Accurately identified the four steps of the water cycle.

3- Accurately identified three of the four steps of the water cycle.

Lesson nine: Culminating Activity: Landforms Flip-book Sharing

Flip Book Presentation Scoring

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