ED 345 Calvin College Lesson Plan

Teacher: Kristina Wicks

Date: 11/21, 11/22
Subject/Topic/ Theme: Science/Water Cycle Differentiation/Hydrosphere
I. Objectives
What is the main focus of this lesson?
The main focus of this lesson is to review the water cycle and the pre-assessments.
How does this lesson tie in to a unit plan?
This lesson challenges students to review the water cycle in a way that best supports or challenges
them. The hydrosphere is always changing and moving due to the water cycle.
Objectives:
Standards:
Assessments
Scott Foresman:
Students will:
1. Students complete a water
1. Know the steps of the water
1. Know the steps of the water
cycle diagram, choosing the
cycle.
cycle.
level of difficulty appropriate
2. Know the definitions and
2. Know the definitions and
for them.
applications of the words:
applications of the words:
aquifer, water table,
aquifer, water table,
perspiration, transpiration,
perspiration, transpiration,
sublimation, respiration,
sublimation, respiration,
perspiration, dew, frost,
perspiration, dew, frost,
evaporation, condensation,
evaporation, condensation,
precipitation, run off,
precipitation, run off,
collection.
collection.
3. Create own water cycle
Diagram.
II. Before you start
Differentiation:

Materials:

Classroom setup:
III. The Plan
Time Parts
5
Introduction/
mins
Motivation
Development

Students practice the water cycle by choosing to draw a diagram that will
help support or challenge them in their learning.
26 copies of Water Cycle Diagram Worksheet
26 White Blank Computer Paper Sheets
26 graded pre-assessments
26 I-Can Hydrosphere sheets
Dictionaries
Crayons, colored pencils, markers
Students are in 2 rows of 6-7 students in each row.

Teacher & Student Activities

Watch Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5G4NCwWUxY (The Great Aqua Adventure: Crash
Course Kids)

5
mins

Explain that students will be drawing their own water cycle diagrams instead of just filling one in like the
last lesson. Students will be responsible for labeling the parts of the water cycle and writing 1-2 sentences
to explain what is happening at each step. Students will choose which level of difficulty would be best for
them. Explain that the first choice is drawing a diagram that uses the same steps that students learned last
time. Encourage students who are feeling confident with the basic water cycle to choose the second or
third option. Students who choose the second or third option will look up words they do not know in a
dictionary or ask the teacher. Tell students they must explain why they are choosing the first, second, or
third option. Mention that student should these diagrams in.

10-15
mins

Hand out Water Cycle Diagram Worksheets and a blank piece of computer paper. Let students start this in
class. Students who do not finish will take the diagram as homework. This will be due 1-2 class periods
from now. (Optional to do during class.)

15

Hand out the graded pre-assessments to each student. Give them 2-5 minutes to look it over. Emphasize
that it does not affect their grade, but that it helps them know what they need to study for the test. Hand
out I-can sheet. Explain to students that they should rate themselves on their I-can sheets based on what
they got on their pre-assessment. Students should rate themselves a 1, 2, or 3. 1 means that students got
the problem circled on their tests and need to spend time studying it. 2 means that students may not
understand the whole answer or guessed on the pre-assessment and need to spend a little more time
studying. 3 means that students got it correct on the pre-assessment and do not need to study it much.
Tell students to put I-can sheets in binders in science section and collect pre-assessments. Explain that
they will be learning about weather and what affects the water cycle next.

2
Closure
mins
Reflection:

The experiment worked as expected. Over the weekend, the water in the cup evaporated a little bit.
There was maybe of an inch less in the cup then there was before.
The multiple-choice card review game was a hit. Students loved guessing which word described which
arrow I was pointing to and which words I was using. This also helped me see which kids were having a hard
time differentiating the words from each other. Students had the most trouble with evaporation and
condensation. There was one or two that took a while to decide on an answer or got it wrong.
Also, the water cycle crash course kids video was a nice addition. It engaged the kids and used all the
words they just used about the water cycle. I think the video made the information more accessible because it
showed the water molecules on their water cycle journey. The water cycle is a pretty abstract subject by itself.
I should leave about 10 minutes to explain the water cycle diagram. There were many questions that
students had. The students that need a challenge seemed to respond well to it. The students who do not want a
challenge seemed to resist me a bit on this. However, I think this will help them remember it since they must
draw one themselves.