LESSON PLAN IN SCIENCE 10

By: Rogelio B. Lacorte, Jr.

II. Subject Matter

III. Lesson Proper

Teacher's Activity

A. Engage
Take students on a walk outside the school building and ask them to note where the soil is worn
away or seems to have collected. Before going on the walk you may want the children to explain
what they will look for or what are the signs that soil has worn away or built up? (Suggested
answers may include: erosion - puddles, hollowed out areas, areas that dip or are lower that
the surrounding area; deposition - mounds of dirt, collection of soil or other materials in a
certain spot, etc.) Upon returning to the classroom make a list of the sites where soil was worn
away or collected.
Engagement Examples:
• bottom of slide under swing • end of splash guard by rain spout at entrance to door • path
leading to the playground at the bottom of hill/slope
Do you notice anything different about these areas? (They are just dirt; no grass is growing
here.)
What do you think caused these changes? (Students walking over them; water running
through it)
B. Explore

Construct a model to investigate how these changes may have occurred. Provide materials so the
students can construct their own model of a landscape. It should include a piece of sod, fine potting
soil, and a heavy clay like soil. Have them use a paint roller tray as the base of the landscape.Do not
put any landscape materials in the bottom well; it should remain empty. Once students have
constructed their models have them diagram and label their models and make a prediction as to what
will happen if it "rains" on their landscape.

One student pours a cup of water all at once into the rainmaker. Hold the rainmaker about 4 inches
above the upper end of the landscape and slowly move it back and forth so the water "rains" down on
the model landscape. Observe what happens to the landscape. When it is finished raining have the
students observe the final effects of the rain on their landscape. Have students go back to their
predictions and record what actually happened.

C. Explain

Tell me what some of your prediction were before it rained on your landscape. ( Record on board.)
What actually happened to your landscape when it rained on it? (record so you can make
comparisons.)
How is your landscape different after the rain than before it rained on it?
What happened to the soil? Where did it go? Why did this happen?
As students share their ideas and understandings, record key phrases on the board. Some phases that
may be valuable to your later discussion may include:
• dirt and soil washed away • the soil collected at the bottom of the slope • the water hollowed out
the soil • the rain carried the soil down the hill • when the water washed away the soil it formed a
hole
Relate their observations to the processes scientists observe over an extended period of time. Use
student models to identify and label erosion and deposition. Have students work to create definitions
for these terms. When you are sure students have a real understanding of the terms, formulate a final
definition and post on board or chart in the classroom for future reference. Demonstrate the process of
transportation and lead students to understand that it is the movement of soil particles from one place
to another. Refer to the list generated during the engagement and have students make connections;
they should use the new terms to discuss and explain what they saw. Help them to understand that
they just used water to simulate erosion, transportation, and deposition, but it can also be caused by
wind, people, animals, etc

D. Elaborate
1. Using the same paint roller tray as the base for their landscape, have the groups of students plan a
method to decrease or eliminate erosion. Students should draw a diagram of the model planned and
label the materials used in their landscape. They should write a short explanation explaining why they
think this will work to curb erosion. (Tell students that you will provide the same materials that they
used today and they are responsible for supplying the rest of the materials to build their new landscape
tomorrow.)

2. Have students use a variety of resources and references to research various landmarks that are the
result of these processes (e.g. Grand Canyon, Mississippi River Banks, etc.). You can then lead a class
discussion on the topic: Erosion and Deposition - Help or Hindrance?

E. Evaluate

1. Have photographs representing each process and have students identify and explain why they
identified it as such.
2. Have students take a walk in their own neighborhood tonight to find examples of each process.
They should draw and write one sentence telling what they observed.
3. Have students write their own definition and list an example for each process in their science
journals.

Reflection:

Instructional Decision