Oceans Unit

Table of Contents
-Dear Parents/ Guardian
-How Much Of The Earth Is Made Of Water?
-World Oceans
-Hurricanes
-Fish, Vertebrates of the Sea
-Habitat Adaptation Matchup
-The Wild Whale Watch
-Webquest: Under the Saltwater Sea
-The Density of Saltwater
-Global Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
-Project: Build a Submarine
-Assessment/ Rubric

Dear Room 502 Parents/ Guardians,

How lucky are we to live in San Diego, where most of us are within driving distance
from the Pacific Ocean? This unit will be all about oceans! Room 502 has some fun
investigations, experiments, and writing assignments coming up. We will start the unit by
investigating how much of the earth is made of water, and learn about the oceans of the world.
From there, we will transition into types of weather that occur in the ocean, such as hurricanes.
Although we do not experience hurricanes in San Diego, I put together an assignment for your
student to come up with a plan for if a hurricane were coming, and I asked them to include
family in this. This assignment does not need to be very in-depth, but I would like to see your
student aware of what people who experience hurricanes must be ready for. After learning about
hurricanes, we will move onto creatures of the sea. This includes fish, whales, and any other sea
animal that your child is interested in. I have included a Webquest that gives students the option
to choose. We will learn all about why certain animals live where they do, and why their bodies
are the way that they are. After talking about sea animals, we will talk about saltwater and
density. I will talk about climate change with the students by performing an experiment showing
what happens when ice melts. Room 502 will then end the unit on building our very own
submarines!
I look forward to swimming through this lesson with your student, and I hope that they
will enjoy this unit as much as I do! If it is possible, try to spark conversations about oceans with
your student. Tell them which oceans you have seen, what sea animals you like, and anything
else you know about this topic. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email
me at swineteer@sandiego.edu
Sincerely,
Miss Wineteer
3rd Grade Teacher, Room 502

How Much Of The Earth Is Made

Of Water?
Subject: Science, Math
Grade: 3rd
1. STANDARDS (CA Common Core Standards; NGSS/Content Standards):
CA Standards:
3.MD Represent and Interpret Data,
3.NF Develop understanding of fractions as numbers.
NGSS Practices: 4, 5
2. OBJECTIVES:
Students will learn how much of the earth is covered in water by tossing a globe around
the classroom and documenting the probability that their finger lands on water versus
land.
Language/ Key Vocabulary: globe, ocean, land, probability, table, bar graph
Materials:
Inflatable globes
Instructions with data table
Graph paper for constructing bar graphs
Science notebooks
3. ASSESSMENT
Informal or Formative: Observe that students are able to identify land versus water on a
map. Ask guiding questions to help students find the correct percentages and fractions
from the information.
Formal or Summative: Students will fill in their shared tables and bar graphs
4. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND LEARNING TASKS
I. Anticipatory Set:

Focus/Motivation What do we know about fractions and probability? If all continents

were pushed together on earth, how much of the planet would be water? What fraction
would be land?

Activate Prior Knowledge Have the class share if they have ever been to the beach and
what they noticed about the size of the ocean.
II. Instruction:
1. Give each partnership an inflatable globe. Encourage each student to catch the ball with both
hands, all fingers spread wide.
2. After each partner catches the globe, tell students to look at where their index finger landed.
Did they end up on land or on water? Make note of where each index finger lands after each toss
on the chart with a W for water or an L for land.
3. Have the students throw the ball back to their partner and make note where your thumbs have
landed.
4. Keep tossing the globe back and forth for about 6-10 tosses. Don't forget to write down your
results!
5. When the students are done tossing the globe and recording the results, look at the chart
together and have the students describe what they see.
6. Ask students: Which one is more: land or water? How do you know?

Toss #

Water or
Land?

1
2
3
4
5

6
7
8
9
10
Total
Fraction

III. Guided Practice:

Have students graph their data in a bar graph. Walk around to offer students assistance if needed.
Ask open-ended questions about what their data would look like if they had thrown the globe
more or less times.
IV. Closure:
Regroup as a class. Students will present their data with their partners in front of the
room.
Explain to the class that approximately 2/3 of the earth is covered in water.
V. Independent Practice:
Students will write in their science notebook to answer any of the following prompts:
What did you learn about our earth that you did not know before?
If there is so much water on earth, why do places have droughts or water shortages?
5. ADAPTATIONS:
Show a poster of the earth for a different view.
Work with students who speak Spanish.
Students can draw their observations in their journals if they are unable to write their
thoughts down.

 Draw a globe to color on to divide it into fractions according to the data. Students can use
this as a manipulative to visually see their fraction from their table.

World Oceans
Subject: Science
Grade: 3rd
1. STANDARDS (CA Common Core Standards; NGSS/Content Standards):
CA Standards:
RI3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring
explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
RI3.5 Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to
locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently.
RI3.7 Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the
words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why,
and how key events occur).
S.L. 3.1A Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material;
explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to
explore ideas under discussion.
NGSS Practices: 8
2. OBJECTIVES
Students will be learning about the different oceans of the world by using the jigsaw
method to relay information to their table mates.
Language/ Key Vocabulary: oceans, text, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean,
Southern Ocean, Arctic Ocean
Materials:
Books on the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic oceans
Photos of each ocean
Tablets for students to conduct their own research
Paper for students to make a KWL chart about their ocean
Butcher paper
Science notebooks

3. ASSESSMENT
Informal or Formative-- Walk around during the initial jigsaw process to make sure that
all students are contributing, have information on their personal KWL charts. Ask
students questions during the investigation.
Formal or Summative-- Read each jigsaw groups flowchart as well as the KWL charts
that each student made. Determine which job they had during the investigation and verify
that they were able to find accurate information.
4. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND LEARNING TASKS
I.Anticipatory Set:
Focus/ Motivation Show students a map of the world. Ask a student to come up and
point to the ocean. Ask if they know how many oceans there are on the earth.
Activate Prior Knowledge Ask students if they have ever been to the beach before, and
if they know what ocean they were swimming in. Let them know that the ocean that we
are closest to is called the Pacific Ocean.
II. Instruction:
1. Tell students that we will be performing a type of inquiry called Jigsaw, where one
member from each group will be discovering information about each ocean and reporting
back to their group at the end to teach them about their ocean.
2. Remind students that they are responsible for fully understanding their ocean so that their
group can learn.
3. Number members of the groups 1-5 and send 1 to the Pacific Ocean table, 2 to Atlantic
Ocean, 3 to the Indian Ocean, 4 to the Southern Ocean, 5 to the Arctic Ocean.
III. Guided Practice:
1. Students at each table will each have a job. One will examine pictures, one will look at
the land surrounding the oceans on a map, one will research the types of animals that are
common in the areas, one will find fun facts about the chosen ocean.
2. Students will read and write information (flow chart style) that they have found together
on a shared piece of butcher paper.

3. Complete individual KWL chart to share with their group.

4. Teacher will monitor KWL chart making.
Table 1: Pacific Ocean
Table 2: Atlantic Ocean
Table 3: Indian Ocean
Table 4: Southern Ocean
Table 5: Arctic Ocean
IV. Closure:
Students will come together to share with their groups. Each student should actively listen while
the presenter is speaking. The presenter may show their group the photos of their ocean as
visuals. All students will post their KWL charts on the wall with the ones from their tablemates
in order to have a chart from each ocean on display near them.
V. Independent Practice:
Students will write a paragraph in their science notebooks about an ocean that was not the one
that they researched personally. They should use at least 5 sentences to share information that
they did not know before.
5. DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES
Visuals
Sentence frames
Table mates support each other during inquiry to ensure that all members have enough
information to share with their groups

Hurricanes
Subject: Science
Grade: 3rd
1. STANDARDS (CA Common Core Standards; NGSS/Content Standards):
CA Standards:
3-ESS2-1. Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather
conditions expected during a particular season.
3-ESS2-2. Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of
the world.
NGSS Practices: 3, 4, 6, 7, 8
2. OBJECTIVES
Students learn about plotting climate data by looking at information from hurricanes that
have happened in history.
Language/ Key Vocabulary: hurricane, eye, tropical, storm, weather, climates
3. ASSESSMENT
Informal or Formative: Carry a clipboard around during the data plotting. Ask students
what they are finding out and if they think that hurricanes are predictable or not.
Formal or Summative: During gallery walk, observe students maps and data plotting to
check for understanding of the assignment.
4. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND LEARNING TASKS
I. Anticipatory:

Focus/ Motivation Explain the concept of natural disasters. Here, we have earthquakes
and fires, but in other parts of the world there are hurricanes.

Activate Prior Knowledge Show pictures of a hurricane on a map. Ask students to pair
share what they think is happening in the photo.
II. Instruction:

1. Give a lesson on hurricanes. Explain that Hurricanes are severe tropical storms that form
in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and in the eastern Pacific
Ocean.
2. Hurricanes rotate in a counterclockwise direction around an "eye." Hurricanes have
winds of at least 74 miles per hour. When hurricanes come onto land, their heavy rain,
strong winds, and large waves can damage buildings, trees, and cars.
3. Show video clips of hurricanes from YouTube.
4. Give each student data from where and when hurricanes happen. Students should be
randomly assigned two specific hurricanes to research.
III. Guided Practice:
1. Students examine data from the hurricanes that they were given, as well as places where
hurricanes rarely or never happen, and acknowledge where some numbers are different
from others. Numbers indicate: ocean temperature, winds, rain, etc,. This should not take
prior knowledge to recognize that something is wrong in the data.
2. Students identify on a map where the hurricanes occurred, and find trends with these
locations. Are any on the west coast of the United States? Why or why not?
3. Students write their data into a chart, depending on the city, and color code them in
relation to the rainfall, wind, and ocean temperature.
4. Students will color a map of the world, showing where the hurricanes that they were
assigned occurred and what the data looked like.
IV. Closure:
Students mount their maps and keys up on the wall. Have a gallery walk, where students are able
to observe the data from other hurricanes and notice the similarities in weather patterns.
V. Independent Practice:
Part 1: Students will get a tablet or computer and research how to stay safe in a hurricane. Even
though it is not likely to occur here, how could your family prepare for a hurricane? Create a
hypothetical plan.

Part 2: Write a letter to a place that has been affected by a hurricane in another country. How
could we help them or what do they need? Send them words of positivity and support. Think of
how we could fundraise as a classroom to help out.

5. DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES
Data will be provided in simpler language with words that are mainly at the grade level.
Students will work in pairs to ensure that all students can complete the assignment.
Sentence frames will be provided for the take home activity.

Fish, Vertebrates of the Sea

Subject: Science
Grade: 3rd
1. STANDARDS (CA Common Core Standards; NGSS/Content Standards):
Common Core
RI.3.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and
phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
SL.3.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups,
and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others'
ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.3.1d Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
SL.3.6 Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to
provide requested detail or clarification. (See grade 3 Language standards 1 and 3 here
for specific expectations.)
NGSS
3-LS3-2 Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the
environment.
3-LS4-2 Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in
characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in
surviving, finding mates, and reproducing. .3.4 SL.3.1 SL.3.1d SL.3.6 3-LS3-2 3-LS4-2
NGSS Practices: 1 4, 6, 7, 8
2. OBJECTIVES
Students will be comparing different species of fish and learning how they survive by
examining where their mouth placements are.
Language/ Key Vocabulary: Vertebrate Systems, compare and contrast, fish, Vertebrates,
amphibians, reptiles, reptiles vs. amphibians.
Materials:
PowerPoint

Frayer Vocabulary Model sheets

Fish mouth adaptations worksheet
science notebooks
3. ASSESSMENT
Informal or Formative: Scan the classroom and listen while students discuss answers with
a partner. Examine student vocabulary work throughout the assignment.
Formal or Summative: Read science notebook responses to check that students are able to
write about fish mouth adaptations.
4. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND LEARNING TASKS
I. Anticipatory Set:

Focus/ Motivation-- Remind students what a vertebrate is, and that fish swim and that
they breathe in water. Ask students what else they know about fish. Where do they live?
What do they eat?

Activate Prior Knowledge-- Show students a video of fish swimming in the ocean from
the movie Finding Nemo.
II. Instruction:
1. Walk students through the PowerPoint Fish Vertebrates of the Sea to introduce
academic vocabulary to students and depict different types of fish.
2. Students will use a Frayer Vocabulary Model to demonstrate their understanding of
vocabulary that they see in the PowerPoint.

3. Discuss background information about fish. Answer the questions: How do fish breathe?
What do you know about the outside of a fish? How does a fish swim? What other traits
to most fish have?
4. Discuss the concept of adaptation.
5. Let students know that depending on the shape and positioning of a fishs mouth, you can
determine where a fish feeds and where its habitat is located.
III. Guided Practice:
1. Show students the 3 different types of mouth positions on fish (Terminal, Superior, and
Inferior Sub-Terminal), and have them pair-share to speculate how the fish will feed.
2. Students fill out 2-page worksheet with their partner.
3. Have each pair talk to a different partnership to compare answers.
IV. Closure:
Students will write in their science notebooks explaining one specific type of fish mouth and
why they believe the fish adapted to look that way. What type of surroundings must it live in?

V. Independent Practice:
Students will search on the Internet for a fish that has a type of mouth of their choosing. They
will talk about why they chose the particular fish, and what they know about the fishs mouth
and how it feeds.
5. DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES
Visuals
Pair ESL students together and guide them through the worksheet with a mini-lesson.

Have students draw different fishs mouths to help them get a hands-on understanding of
what each mouth is like.

Habitat Adaptation Matchup

Subject: Science
Grade: 3rd
1. STANDARDS (CA Common Core Standards; NGSS/Content Standards):
CA Standards:
LS1.A: Structure and Function: Plants and animals have both internal and external
structures that serve various functions in growth, survival, behavior, and reproduction.
LS4.C: Adaptation: For any particular environment, some kinds of organisms survive
well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans: There are many different kinds of living things in any
area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.
2-LS4-1. Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in
different habitats.
3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some
organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
NGSS Practices: 2,6
2. OBJECTIVES
Students will learn what types of habitats ocean animals survive in by placing animal
cards in different ocean zones on a worksheet.
Language/ Key Vocabulary: habitat, coral reefs, sandy bottom, open ocean, adaptations
Materials:
Habitat Worksheet
Animal Cards
Scissors
Colored pencils
Tape or glue sticks
3. ASSESSMENT

 Informal or Formative-- Walk around while students are glueing their animal cards down
and ask why they decided to put the card there. Make note of the academic vocabulary
and descriptive words that they use.
Formal or Summative-- Ask students to turn in their Habitat Worksheet with the
justification of their placement on the back of the paper.
4. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND LEARNING TASKS
I. Anticipatory Set:
Focus/ Motivation Ask students what features they have that make them able to
live on land. Let students know that all species adapt to their environments in
order to survive.
Activate Prior Knowledge Have students pair share and make a KWL chart
about what they know about sea life. Do all creatures swim around, or do some
stay on the ground?
II. Instruction:
1. Students share their KWL charts with the class.
2. Explain what the difference between coral reefs, the sandy bottom, and the open ocean
are.
3. Pass out one Habitat Worksheet to each student. Have them color their habitat for a few
minutes. Be sure to have them write their name at the top.
4. Pass out one set of Animal Cards to each student. Review what color adaptations these
animals have before students color them in. After coloring, students cut them out.
III. Guided Practice:
1.

With tape or glue, students will attach their animals to the correct section of the Habitat
Worksheet. Encourage students to discuss their predictions with their neighbors.
Remember many of these animals are found in multiple habitats, so encourage students
to place them where they think they are most often found or on the border between
habitats. Each habitat should have multiple animals.

2. One at a time, take each animal picture and ask the students which habitat they placed it
in.

3.

Discuss their answers and then model placing each animal in the appropriate habitat.

4. Give a short lesson on adaptations by emphasizing what enables these animals to survive
in their specific environment.
5. Between the discussions for each animal, you can give students the option to re-examine
their choices and change their animal placements.
IV. Closure:
Students finish their KWL chart that they made during their pair-share. Answer any questions
they may still have from their want to know section.
V. Independent Practice:
Assign or let each student choose one of the habitats. Using the adaptations discussed earlier,
have students each design an animal that could survive in that habitat. The animal must have at
least three adaptations.
5. DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES
Provide sentence frames for students during their independent practice activity.
When placing animals on the Habitat Worksheet as a class, call on students for various
answers, but ask questions that are on their academic level.
Provide English and Spanish names of animals for ELL students.

The Wild Whale Watch

Subject: Science, Art, Close Reading
Grade: 3rd
1. STANDARDS (CA Common Core Standards; NGSS/Content Standards):
CA Standards:
3-LS4-2. Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in
characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in
surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.
3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some
organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at
all.
3-LS1-1. Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life
cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
RI3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring
explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
RI3.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and
phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
RI3.5 Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to
locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently.
RI3.7 Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the
words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why,
and how key events occur).
Visual Art 2.3 Paint or draw a landscape, seascape, or cityscape that shows the
illusion of space.
NGSS Practices: 1, 3, 6, 8
2. OBJECTIVES
Students will research whales by using books with a table of contents, index, and
glossary. Students will draw whales and reenact their sounds by watching videos about
certain whales and reporting their findings to the class.

 Language/ Key Vocabulary: whales, whale song, Blue Whale, Fin Whale, Humpback
Whale, Gray Whale, Sperm Whale, Orca/ Killer Whale, Beluga Whale
Materials:
The Magic School Bus Science Chapter Book #3: The Wild Whale Watch
Books about types of whales (enough for class to choose from)
Butcher Paper (Big enough to draw a whale)
KWL Charts
3. ASSESSMENT
Informal or Formative: Students will turn in a paper that has a type of whale on it as well
as how they plan to research it in their books. Make sure their inquiry process is
acceptable and mentions using the glossary, index, and table of contents.
Formal or Summative: Collect students artwork at the end and assess the facts that they
wrote on the back for accuracy and use of academic language. Read paragraphs.
4. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND LEARNING TASKS
I. Anticipatory Set:
Focus/ Motivation-- Read The Magic School Bus Science Chapter Book #3: The Wild
Whale Watch. Tell a story about a time that you went whale watching. Explain what
happened when a big whale jumped from the water. Talk about how big whales are using
adjectives.
Activate Prior Knowledge Play a clip from Finding Nemo of Dory speaking
whale, then play a sound clip of an actual whale song. What do whales sound like?
II. Instruction:
1. Show students the table of contents in a book and how to use it to find a topic they are
looking for.
2. Demonstrate how to use the index to find certain words they are looking for.
3. Explain that the glossary is a dictionary for words that they may not know the meaning
to. Students should use academic language while writing their facts, so the glossary may
help with this.

4. Help each student pick a whale. Try not to have too many students choose the same
whale. (All whales need love)
III. Guided Practice:
1. Students will choose a whale, and find the appropriate books to go along with their
whale.
2. They will read information about their whale to gain a better understanding of their life
from birth to death, what they eat, the types of teeth that they have, how big they are, and
whatever else they may find.
Art:
3. Students will draw a large picture of their whale and color it as accurate as they can.
4. Drawings should show what type of teeth they have, their body shape, and the whales
food should be depicted in the water also.
5. Students will draw and color the ocean scenery around the whale as well to show their
spacial awareness.
6. Students will write facts about the whale on the back of their paper using academic
language from the book. They should attempt to form complete sentences.
IV. Closure:
Students share our drawings with the class and as a class, we all attempt to say the whale sound
from their whale so that they are not performing alone.
V. Independent Practice:
Students will write a paragraph about their whale using the facts that they wrote down. The
paragraph can be an opinion piece on why the whale that they chose is the best whale, or it can
explain why they think another whale may be more interesting. The writing should be well
thought out.
5. DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES
Sentence frames
Technology with an audiobook feature for students who need support with reading.
Leveled books for the investigations so that students can read a book at their own level

Webquest: Under the Saltwater Sea

Students will choose any five ocean animals to explore from the list. They will read up on
their animals, and note the similarities and differences that they have. Students should be able to
understand how these creatures depend on each other and their environments in order to survive.
Link: http://questgarden.com/168/64/3/140319095046/process.htm

The Density of Saltwater

Subject: Chemistry
Grade: 3rd
1. STANDARDS (CA Common Core Standards; NGSS/Content Standards):
CA Standards:
3-ESS2-2 Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the
world.
3-LS3-2 Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the
environment.
3-PS2-2 Make observations and/or measurements of an objects motion to provide
evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.
S.L3.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups,
and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others'
ideas and expressing their own clearly.
S.L3.6 Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to
provide requested detail or clarification.
NGSS Practices: 1, 2, 4, 8
2. OBJECTIVES
Students will learn that saltwater is denser than freshwater by performing an experiment.
Language/ Key Vocabulary: density, salt water, fresh water, buoyancy
Materials:
Large, clear jar
Egg
Water
Salt
Measuring spoons
3. ASSESSMENT

 Informal or Formative: Walk around during the experiment to ask groups questions
having to do with density and buoyancy. Make note of who is understanding the
concepts, and who needs a little more guidance.
Formal or Summative: Collect exit slips at the end of the experiment to receive feedback
on the learning that took place during the experiment. Students will have a prompt to
answer.
4. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND LEARNING TASKS
I.Anticipatory Set:

Focus/ Motivation Tell students that they will be chemists, performing an experiment
to determine the density of saltwater and freshwater. Give each student a lab coat and
safety goggles.

Activate Prior Knowledge Review the concepts of sink and float. Two factors affect an
objects ability to sink or float: density and buoyancy. An object sinks because it is
denser or heavier than the water. Adding salt to the water causes the water to become
denser.
II. Instruction:
1. Write the following definition of density on the board:
a. Density is the weight of a liquid divided by the space it occupies.
2. Tell students that the following experiment involves a comparison between the density of
freshwater and saltwater.
III. Guided Practice:
1. Have a member of the table group gather the necessary materials.
2. Fill the jar with about full with water.
3. Carefully place the egg in the water. Observe and record results.
4. Remove the egg from the water.Add one tablespoon of salt to the jar of water.
5. Carefully place the egg in the water.Observe and record the results.
6. Continue to repeat steps 4 and 5 each time adding an additional tablespoon of salt until
there is a noticeable change.Observe and record the results after each addition of salt.
7. Walk around the room to ask groups questions such as: Compare the way the two eggs
float. Describe the differences. Why do you think the eggs float differently in the separate

glasses? What conclusions can you draw about the density of either the eggs or the
water?
IV. Closure:
Have students write an exit slip that answers the following questions, and reflect on their
understanding of the experiment. What happened when we added more salt to the water? Why do
some things float and some things sink? How does saltwater effect where sea creatures live?
V. Independent Practice:
Students will explore the density of water using different objects and reflect on why certain
objects float or sink easier than others.
5. DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES
Sentence frames for students to write about their findings.
Allow the drawing of diagrams on exit slips so that all students can get their thoughts out
in a way that makes sense to them.
Pair students in a way that an advanced student is with a lower level student, and have
lots of discussion going on to ensure that all students are understanding at the same level.

Global Climate Change and Sea

Level Rise
Subject: Science
Grade: 3rd
1. STANDARDS (CA Common Core Standards; NGSS/Content Standards):
CA Standards:
1e. Students know matter has three forms: solid, liquid, and gas.
1f. Students know evaporation and melting are changes that occur when objects
are heated.
1g. Students know that when two or more substances are combined, a new
substance may be formed with properties that are different from those of the
original materials.
3-ESS3-1 A variety of natural hazards result from natural processes. Humans
cannot eliminate natural hazards but can take steps to reduce their impacts.
Investigation and Experimentation
5c. Use numerical data in describing and comparing objects, events, and
measurements.
5d. Predict the outcome of a simple investigation and compare the result with the
prediction.
3-LS4-4. Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the
environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may
change.
LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience
NGSS Practices: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
2. OBJECTIVES
Students will observe the effects of sea level rise due to climate change by performing an
experiment.

 Language/ Key Vocabulary: global climate change, greenhouse gasses, density,

displacement
Materials:
2 identical clear food storage boxes (approximately 6 inches square) per group
8 sticks of classroom modeling clay per group
1 ruler per group
1 tray of ice cubes per group (may need to start storing ice cubes ahead of time)
1 liter of water per group
Sea Level Rise Worksheets (1 per student)
Chart paper
Science notebooks
3. ASSESSMENT
Informal or Formative: Walk around during the experiment and ask students about why
ice being on land or in the ocean affects the sea level. Listen in on conversations that
occur during the experiment.
Formal or Summative: Examine the graphs that students came up with. Collect science
notebooks and read responses. Check for understanding that the people of earth have an
effect on climate change.
4. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND LEARNING TASKS
I.Anticipatory Set:
Focus/ Motivation-- Show pictures of places where the sea level has risen. Show a video
of ice melting quickly. Ask students why ice melts, and explain that it turns into liquid
water.
Activate Prior Knowledge Have a discussion about global climate change and sea level
rise. Ask students Where is there a lot of ice in the world? Is the ice on land or on water?
Will one or both cause sea level to rise when they melt?
II. Instruction:

1. Tell the students that they will be working in groups to design an experiment to answer
their question.
2. Give lesson on sea level rise, but do not explain what happens because of it.
3. Explain the concept of buoyancy, using a boat as an example.
4. Introduce the materials to the class.
5. Have students discuss their ideas with their small groups.
6. Discuss each groups ideas as a class. Make sure each group has a workable experimental
design.
III. Guided Practice:
1. Have each student describe and/or draw their groups experimental design in the
methods section of the worksheet.
2. Place half of the clay into one side of each box. Form the clay to represent land rising out
of the ocean.
3. Place about 6 ice cubes on the land in the first box. Place the same number of ice cubes
next to the clay in the second box, so that they are resting on the bottom of the container.
4. Pour water into the container where the ice is resting on the bottom until the ice is
floating (NOT resting on the bottom).
5. Pour water into the container with the ice resting on the clay until the water levels in the
two containers are approximately equal.
6. Have students measure and record initial measurements of water depth (in mm). They
may wish to draw a line in the clay at the initial water level.
7. Leave the setup. Students should measure the water depth every hour (or other regular
interval) and record the results, until the ice is completely melted.
8. Students graph their data on chart paper and display their graphs for the class to see.
IV. Closure:
Students share their feelings about changing sea levels in their science notebooks. Answer the
questions: What happened during the experiment and why? Why might we be concerned about
sea level rise?

V. Independent Practice:
Students will research animals or certain places that are affected by sea level rise and come in
ready to share their findings with the class the next day.
5. DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES

Instead of hand-plotting the graph, students could use sticky notes to plot their
information.

Use sentence frames for the science notebooks.

Allow for the drawing of pictures as explanation for the data if needed.

Project: Build a Submarine

Subject: Science, Project-based learning
Grade: 3rd
1. STANDARDS (CA Common Core Standards; NGSS/Content Standards):
CA Standards:
3-PS2-1. Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced
and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.
3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure
points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
3-5-ETS1-1 Define a simple design problem that can be solved through the development
of an object, tool, process, or system and includes several criteria for success and
constraints on materials, time, or cost.
NGSS Practices: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8
2. OBJECTIVES
Students will understand how submarines work by crafting their own submarines and
seeing how putting weight into them or taking weight away affects their ability to float
and sink.
Language/ Key Vocabulary: submarine, float, sink, weight, density
Materials:
empty 16 or 20 oz. plastic soda bottle with hole in cap (the hole should be big enough to pass
a flexible straw through)
three wide rubber bands
24 pennies
aluminum foil
adhesive tape
flexible straw
large tub of water
3. ASSESSMENT

 Informal or Formative:Ask students what they know about submarines after showing the
Yellow Submarine video. Check for understanding during the project by walking around
and asking why the students think that we use pennies and air during this particular
experiment.
Formal or Summative: Read their responses in their science notebooks, checking for
understanding that more weight means that a submarine sinks, and more air means that it
floats. If they do not understand this concept at the end, try to revisit to ensure that all
students are able to grasp the meaning of the project.
4. INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND LEARNING TASKS
I. Anticipatory Set:
Focus/ Motivation Play the Youtube video- The Beatles - Yellow Submarine
(Animated) - Song for Childrens. Tell students we will each be making our own
submarines and finding out how they float.
Activate Prior Knowledge Ask students what they think makes a submarine sink?
What makes it come back up?
II. Instruction:
1. Show photos of submarines to students.
2. Explain that weight affects how things float or sink, as well as the density of the water
and how air affects submarine. Ask the students to form hypotheses about what will
happen if we add weight or air to a submarine.
III. Guided Practice:
1. Students will work individually with assistance from their table-mates when needed,
following along with directions as the teacher walks around to monitor.
2. They will cut three holes in side of the soda bottle.
3. Students will stack their pennies into three piles containing 4, 8, and 12 pennies and
carefully wrap stacks of pennies with foil.
4. Instruct students to place a rubber band around the plastic bottle and slide it next to the
closest hole. Position the other rubber bands next to the two remaining holes.

5. Place the four-penny stack under the rubber band closest to the bottle's top.
6. Place the eight-penny stack under the middle rubber band, next to the middle hole.
7. Place the 12-penny stack under the last rubber band (NOTE: The weights should be next
to the holes NOT over them.)
8. Push the shorter end of the straw (about 1 inch) through the hole in the bottle's cap.
Reattach the bottle cap to the bottle. Keep the flex section outside and bent upwards.
Tape straw securely into place in bottle cap.
9. Lower the "submarine" into the water. Do not let long end of straw take in water.
10. Observe the action of the "sub" and record your observations.
11. When the sub stops sinking, blow into the straw.
12. Observe the action of the sub and record your observations.
IV. Closure:
Students write in their science notebooks about what happened during the experiment. What did
adding weight do? What did blowing into the straw do? Was your hypothesis correct?
V. Independent Practice:
Take your submarine home and show your parent/ guardian how the submarine works. Explain
why the submarine sinks and floats. Write down their reaction to the experiment.
5. DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES
Monitor students who need extra assistance with their project.
Use sentence frames to help students write in their science notebooks.
Use visual videos and pictures of submarines so all students can see what they are
making.

Assessment
To tie the unit together, students will design a flowchart/ mind map about oceans. They
will write the word Oceans in the center of their page, and make a web coming out with
concepts that we have learned during this unit. I will be looking for the ability to demonstrate the
connections and sequences of their learning. For example, they could write words such as sea
animals, saltwater, hurricanes, habitats, etc., with a few concepts coming off of each of those
words as well. I will score on correctness and on how many terms the student is able to recall and
connect.
After making the mind map, students will turn the paper over and draw a picture of the
ocean that must include a sea animal and their habitat. Students will write one descriptive
sentence about their picture. Sentence frames will be provided for students who need assistance.
Rubric:
Criteria
Understands the
concept of oceans and
is able to demonstrate
connections between
topics on a mind map.

Task is correct and the

student has 5 or more
concepts mapped out.

Task is correct and the

student has 3 concepts
mapped out.

Task has many

mistakes.

Student drew a picture

of the ocean that
includes a sea animal
and their habitat.
Students sentence is
complete.

Students drawing
includes an animal,
their habitat, and a
complete, descriptive
sentence that explains
the picture.

Students drawing only

includes 1 requirement
and the sentence is only
a few words.

Students picture does

not show understanding
of sea animals or
habitats.

Completes
requirements

All requirements met

Most requirements met

Few/ no requirements
met