EGP 335

Lesson Plan

Lesson Title: The Land/Water Connection

Day Number: 3
Author: Ben Kaupp
Unit: The Land of the United States
Grade Level: 4th

Background Information

Expected Duration 45 minutes

Concepts
o Bodies of Water
o Elevation
o Connection between land and water
Vocabulary
o Erosion
o Glacier
o Valley

Skills
o Analyzing
o Making Connections
o Identifying
o Synthesizing

1.1 Integration of Learning Outcomes/Objectives

Students will observe and write about how land and water are
connected. They will discuss and observe how water flows, and
understand concepts such as elevation and erosion.

Students will understand how human activity effects the land and
water, as well as how humans use the land and water for their benefit.

Students will work cooperatively in groups to discuss humans

interaction with the land and water and why it is important to
understand basic principles about our land.

1.2 Standards PA Civics, History, Economics, Geography & NCSS

Themes I-X

PA Standards

7.2. Physical Characteristics of Places and Regions

7.2.4.A. Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions.
7.2.4.B. Identify the basic physical processes that affect the physical
characteristics of places and regions.

7.4. Interactions Between People and the Environment

7.4.4.B. Identify the effect of people on the physical systems within a
community.
7.1. Basic Geographic Literacy
7.1.4.B. Describe and locate places and regions as defined by physical
and human features.
4.1.4.E. Explain that ecosystems change over time due to natural and/ or
human influences.
CC.1.4.4.A
Write informative/ explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas
and information clearly.
CC.1.4.4.E
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or
explain the topic.
NCSS
D2.Geo.1.3-5. Construct maps and other graphic representations of both
familiar and unfamiliar places.
1.3 Anticipatory Set

To start the teacher will ask the students to practice the skill of identifying
characteristics of people, places, or things to describe them. The teacher
will then ask the students if they can think of and name any landforms or
bodies of water that they have seen in the local area or in their travels. The
teacher will ask students to raise their hand and call on students to say
different landforms or bodies of water they are familiar with. The teacher will
then right these in columns on the board.
1.4 Procedures
1) Do anticipatory set.
2) Discuss the relationship between bodies of water and landforms with
students. Ask them if they know how each of these changes over time and
what causes the changes (wind, water flow, etc.) Discuss how they are
connected as well through a discussion and defining of elevation. Discuss
how water flows downhill until it meets other bigger bodies of water,
eventually the ocean. Discuss why it is important for humans to know this
(pollution, watershed).
3) The teacher will use a watershed model to show how water flows downhill
into larger bodies of water (stream to river to ocean). They will use colored
powders and sprays to demonstrate human activity (such as farming, or
transportation) in the area and why humans should think about their impact
on the environment(impacts our environment and us). The teacher will then
show the major rivers in the United States to show where a great deal of
water ends up.
4) Have students draw and label the major U.S. rivers(Mississippi, Missouri,
Ohio, Colorado, and Rio Grande). This will illustrate the flow of water from
the interior of America to oceans.
5)) Do closure. Students will discuss in their small group how what they
learned will impact their lives. They will discuss any problems they think
exist in their local community with pollution and will be told to look for
problems and discuss any problems their parents may see. They will then
write 5-7 sentences about how their local environment is connected with the
rest of the earth. They will discuss different ways humans may impact their
environment.
1.5 Differentiation
Gifted Students- Students may be asked to discuss how landforms and
bodies of water have been formed over time. They may also be asked to
research what pollutants are being used in their local community.

ELL- They will be supported with pictures of each landform and body of
water. They will be graded on a scale appropriate for their ability for their
writing.
1.6 Closure
Students will discuss in their small group how what they learned will impact
their lives. They will discuss any problems they think exist in their local
community with pollution and will be told to look for problems and discuss
any problems their parents may see. They will then write 5-7 sentences
about how their local environment is connected with the rest of the earth.
They will discuss different ways humans may impact their environment.
1.7 Formative/Summative Assessment of Students
Formative assessment will occur throughout the lesson with how students
participate in the class discussion, as well as, their discussion in their groups.
Also their writing smaple will be part of formative assessment.
Summative assessment will be the creation of their map for the unit project.
1.8 Materials/Equipment/Resources
Watershed model board

Colored Sprays and/or powders

Teacher Materials:
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/encyclopedia/erosion/ -lots of
information about erosion and different landforms that have been created as
a result. Could be a very good source for pictures to help ELLs or as a
supplement to the anticipatory set.
http://water.epa.gov/type/watersheds/whatis.cfm - background info on
watershed to help with human environment connection

http://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/pollution - discusses the importance of

limiting pollution and the impact pollution can have on us and wildlife.
Would be interesting to supplement as an additional acitivity or for gifted
learners since many students love animals.
1.9 Technology
A smart board or PowerPoint could be used to organize students responses
of their background knowledge. Landforms and bodies of water could be
presented and labeled for a visual representation to help students.
2.1 Reflection on Planning
To plan this lesson I thought it was important to make a connection between
people and their environment. When teaching this will be something to keep
in mind. Rather than focus on different forms as separate focus on their
connection and how they were formed. Use this then to discuss how people
affect the environment and why we need to understand this connection.
I realized technology in the traditional sense was not used, but the
watershed model board is a large part of my lesson that I believe will be very
engaging and educational to the students. Perhaps they may be supported
by some technology that shows pictures of the landforms and bodies of
water that are not present on our watershed board. This could be used if
students do not already have a good background knowledge of various
landforms and bodies of water.
I think students will be very interested in the watershed activity. It may go
longer than planned and that it okay as long as the discussion is still
worthwhile and educational. If this happens the writing can be shortened or
finished at another time.
Content Outline
Land and Water
o When the tectonic plates are pushed together-mountains were
made.
o Glaciers push soil and rocks as they move. Glaciers have shaped
hills, valley, and plains.
o Many lakes were formed from Glaciers melting. The five Great
Lakes are one example.
o Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes, it is the largest
freshwater lake in the world.
o Lake Erie is in PA- Find out more about this Great Lake
that is closer to their home.

o What are all of the Great Lakes? HOMES? (I forget what

each letter stands for?)
Huron
Ontario
Michigan
Erie
Superior
http://sciencewithkids.com/science-facts/factsabout-the-great-lakes.html
This website has great visuals for kids! Good aerial
photography
o Have students use an almanac or encyclopedia to find the
lowest depth of each of the five Great Lakes. Have the
children order them from deepest to most shallow. Then
create a bar graph!
o Utahs Great Salt Lake is the largest inland body of salt water in
the Western Hemisphere. This lake is much saltier than the
ocean.
o Rivers form as water moves over land from a high area to a lower
area.
o Creeks and streams join to form rivers.
o Rivers flow down into oceans.
o The Mississippi is the second largest river in North America
o What is the largest river in North America? Missouri River
is 2,341 miles long and Mississippi is 2,320 miles long.
o Landforms and bodies of water influence how and where we live!
People years ago used to live along rivers where drinking
water and farming was easily accessible.
Additional Content Specific to Lesson:
More on erosion:
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/encyclopedia/erosion/
Watersheds: http://water.epa.gov/type/watersheds/whatis.cfm
Impact of Pollution: http://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/pollution