Subject: Science

Grade: 4
Topic: Glaciers Lab
Time: Approximately 50 minutes (10:05-10:55)
Standards Met:
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1.A
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1.B
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1.D
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1.B
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.D
Goal: Students will be able to identify the effects of glaciation and how it shapes the Earth
(specifically Michigan).
Objective: Students will experiment with mini glaciers to simulate erosion and deposition of
glaciers.
Materials:
- Paper towel
- Clean ice cubes
- Ice cubes made with sand or gravel
- Aluminum foil
- iPad (to show students an anticipatory set video and pictures)
- Glacier Lab worksheet
Procedure:
Anticipatory Set (5:00): Students will sit at the front of the room by the projector for the short
video about scientists documenting glaciers over a period of time.
Before we start the glacier lab, I have something I would like you all to see. This is
going to be really cool. Pay close attention to what you see in the background. There will
be glaciers all around in the video, so look for more specific details and perhaps what the
glacier in the video is doing. This could help you form a better hypothesis -- a good
educated guess -- as to what will happen with your mini glaciers in the lab today.
Now that we saw some cool things about glaciers, it is time to form our hypotheses. Each of
you will form a hypothesis. This first one we will do together so you can see how I expect you to
answer your group hypothesis question.
The students will be taken through how to think about planning a good hypothesis that
provides room for more higher level thinking (or open-ended questions in this case).

Students will then move into formulating their own hypotheses about each ice cube. They
will be reminded to back up their statements with a valid piece of information.
Be sure that when you write your hypotheses, I am looking for something else to take
your answers to that fourth-grade level. What else do you need to state besides your
thoughts? (They should answer that they need more information). Correct. Once you have
those two pieces, you have made a hypothesis. A hypothesis needs a good idea as to what
may happen, and some kind of information or observation to support your idea.
Students will move to the experiment phase. in which they will use the necessary materials to
simulate glaciers scraping the land they move across. The students should have their tin foil
sheets rip or begin to tear because of the back-and-forth motion of the ice cube across the tin foil.
As we move into this stage, we have to remember the expectations we discussed
yesterday and earlier today. With this being said, read what is stated on the
experiment section and begin from there. Once you finish recording your
results, please raise your hand. I will give you the okay to move to the next steps
(observe and after the experiment). Now, I will be around to assist as needed.
You may begin.
Once students finish the questions provided, I will intervene to check for groups to be
completed(or if they require more time) and begin reconvening for a whole group instruction
moment.
Closure (and extension):
Now that you have all seen and thought about some of the interesting things glaciers can
do, I will leave you with an idea for next time. I cannot give too much away, but I will
say that glaciers did exist at one time where Michigan is. What I want you all to do is
think about, without voices or trying to raise your hands, how this may have had an
impact on the Michigan we know today.
If extra time: The students will be shown some of the photographs and a time-lapse of a glacier.
An open-ended discussion will pose the question of why students might think the glacier
impacted the lands development.
Plans to extend: The open-ended question at the end is the extension in this case. This will
provide students with enough time to formulate their responses based on what they have
observed. Students will also be challenged to think about how Michigan was impacted by
glaciers. Also, if the students are still engaged, I will most likely allow a few minutes extra for
students to record their ideas and put on the finishing touches.

Plans to re-teach: Since this is the first lesson, the students will have at least a few more days to
be exposed to the proper terminology and will be able to formulate ideas (moving pictures) of
how glaciers can move and change the world around them. This will provide enough exposure to
help students at all levels to understand and be able to explain glaciation and its effects in their
own words.