HilaryMacMaster

Winter2015

EarthScience:Erosion
Grade4
60minutes

CurriculumOutcomes:
Demonstrateavarietyofmethodsofweatheringanderosion(3016)
andstateapredictionandahypothesisbasedonanobservedpatternofevents(2043)
STSE:
1051identifyexamplesofscientificquestionsandtechnologicalproblemscurrently
beingstudied

ChildrensPriorKnowledgeandMisconceptions
:Studentsmaybeunawarethaterosion
exists,ortheextentthaterosioncanhaveonlandscapesandhabitats.

PerformanceObjective:
Condition:
Studentswillbeplacedintosmallgroupsafterapreviouslessononerosionand
informativevideodiscussingerosion.Theywillsharewhattheyalreadyknowabouterosionasa
groupandwritedownanyquestionstheymaystillhaveinregardstorocksanderosion.

Performance:
Studentswillbegivengraphpaperandpencilstowritetheirpredictionsofwhat
willhappentorocksaftertheyareexposedtowavesandwindoveralongperiodoftime.

Criteria:
Studentswillbeabletoidentifywhaterosionis,thetypesoferosion,andhowitcan
changetheshapeofrocks.

Engagement(15mins):

Materials:
Pieceofsidewalk(simulateslimestone)
Graphingpaper
Pencil

Thesematerialswillbeusedtobegintheexperimentthatstudentswilllatercompleteintheir
groups.Studentswilldevelopahypothesisastowhattheythinkwillhappentothepieceof
limestone(sidewalkchalk)afterithasbeenaffectedbywavescontinuously.Theywillthenwrite
downtheirhypothesisandgathertherestofthematerialsneededtocompletetheexperiment.

Exploration(20mins):

Materials(alreadylaidoutontableandsortedforeachgroup:

graphingpaper
Pencil
Sidewalkchalk
Scale
Centicubeswiththeaccurateweightof1g
Masonjarsfilled1/3withwater

Procedure:

Studentswillweightheirpieceofchalkonthescaleusingthecenticubeandrecordthe
firstweight.Thenstudentswillsubmergethechalkintothemasonjarandshakethejar
withthelidclosedandsecureforoneminute.

Afteroneminutehasgonebythestudentswillremovethechalkfromthemasonjarand
weighitonthescale,recordingthetimeandweightonthegraphingpaper.Thenext
studentwilltakeaturnshakingthechalkinthemasonjarforoneminute.

Afteroneminutethestudentswillremovethechalkfromthemasonjarandweightiton
thescale,andrecordthetimeanditsweightonthegraphingpaper.Thiswillbe
repeated8moretimeswiththestudentstakingturnsshakingthechalkinthejarsand
recordingitsweightandthetime.

Whenstudentsthestudentscompletetheirexperimentsandrecordthefinalweight,asa
classwewillgraphouttheaverageweightsasaclass.

Explanation

Aftercompletingtheactivity,asaclasswewilldiscussourfindingsanddevelopagraphofthe
changesinweightinthepieceoflimestone.Thenasaclassanalyzeourfindingsanddiscuss
whatthedatawehavecollectedtellsus,andhowthisrelatestoerosionthatoccursfromwaves
andweather(specificallytheMagdalenIslands).

Elaboration(15mins)

Askthestudentsaboutwhatthepurposeoftheexperimentwasandwhatitis
comparabletoinnature(coastlineserodingfromtheelements)

Askthemiftheycanthinkofanyotherelementthatwouldcauseerosion,andhowcould
wesimulatethat?(Windwithafan?).
Studentswillgivetheiranswersandalsoexplaintheirthoughts.Itwillbeagood
opportunitytolearnaboutotherideastheyhaveregardingerosion

AskthestudentswhatwouldhappentothecoastsoftheMagdalenIslandsafteryears
andyearsofwavesandmovingtides?

Evaluation

Canthestudentsdefinewhaterosionis?
Canthestudentidentifywhatcauseserosionandwhatcanhappenwhenerosiontakes
placeoveralongperiodoftime?
Canthestudentthinkofanyproblemsthaterosioncouldpotentiallycause?

Accommodations

Ifstudentscouldnotwritetheweightofthesidewalkchalktheycoulduseacomputerto
recordtheweightsandtime
Ifstudentsareunabletophysically(physicallydisabled)shakethemasonjartheycanbe
designatedastimekeeperandweightrecorded
Giftedlearnerscouldresearchhowmuchthecoastlinesareerodingeachyearonthe
MagdalenIslandsandsharetheirfindingswiththeclass

HilaryMacMaster

EarthScience:ErosionandRocks
Grade4
1Hour

IntroductiontoErosion

CurriculumOutcomes:Demonstrateavarietyofmethodsofweatheringanderosion
(3016)anddescribetheeffectsofwind,water,andiceonthelandscape(3015)

STSE:Demonstratethatspecificterminologyisusedinscienceandtechnologycontext
(1046)

StudentsPriorKnowledgeandMisconceptions:
Studentsmaybeunawareofthedifferent
typesoferosion.Studentsmayalsoalreadyknowwhaterosionis,butnotknowhowitaffects
theenvironment.

PerformanceObjective:

Condition
:Asaclasswewilldiscusshowenvironmentsaroundthecoastcanbeaffectedby
erosion.Thedifferenttypesoferosion,andhowitcancompletelychangealandscape.Discuss
thatplacesliketheMagdalenIslandswouldseeeffectsoferosiononitslandscapes.

Performance
:Studentswillbeabletotalktotheirneighboursanddiscusswhattheythink
erosioncoulddotocoastallandscapes.

Criteria
:Studentswillbeabletoidentifywhaterosionisandhowitaffectslandscapesand
rocks.

Engagement(25mins):

Materials:
SMARTBoard
Internetconnection/DVD
Speakers
Linktovideo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TuP9nLcnZA&spfreload=10

Procedure:
StudentswillwatchafunandengagingvideobyBillNyetheScienceGuytointroducethemto
thetopicoferosion.

Exploration(15mins):

Materials:
ChartPaper
Markers

Procedure:
Studentswillgetintogroupsoftwoorthreeandmakeachartwithtwoseparate
headingsWhatIknowandWhatIWouldLikeToKnow
Thesechartswillbefilledoutasagroupandstudentswillbeabletosharewhatthey
havelearnedfromwatchingthevideo,aswellasdiscussingwhattheywouldliketo
knowmoreaboutinregardstorocksanderosion.

Explanation:
Afterhavingachancetosharetheirideasintheirpartnership,theywillhavecomeupwitha
chartstatingwhattheyknow,andwhattheydliketoknow.

Elaboration:
Theteacherwillthenleadadiscussionwiththeclassmakingoneclasschartstatingwhatthey
knew,andwhattheywouldliketolearnabouterosion.Thiswillallowtheclasstohear
everyone'sideasandengagenewconversationsabouterosion.

Evaluation:
Theteacherwillbeabletotellifthestudentshaveanunderstandingoferosionbasedonwhat
theyhaveclassifiedaswhattheyknow,andwhattheywouldliketoknow.Ifstudentsare
understandingwhaterosionis,thestudentswillbeabletothinkaboutmorecomplexquestions
tolearnmore.

Accommodations:
Ifstudentscannotwritedowntheirideasonpaper,theycanuseacomputertotypetheircharts
out,orhaveanotherstudentdothewritingandtheycansharetheirideas.
GiftedstudentsmaybeabletoresearchwaysthaterosiontakesplaceclosetoFrederictonand
discussitwiththeclass