Subject: Earth Science 
Topic: Shaping the Earth's surface
Grade Level: 6
Student Lesson name and URL: http://ctap295.ctaponline.org/~gclinton/student/ 

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Standards Addressed 

2. Topography is reshaped by the weathering of rock and soil and by the transportation and deposition of sediment. As a basis for understanding this concept:

  a. Students know water running downhill is the dominant process in shaping the landscape, including California’s landscape.

  b. Students know rivers and streams are dynamic systems that erode, transport sediment, change course, and flood their banks in natural and recurring patterns.
 
 

Instructional Objectives

• Students will obtain a working knowledge of  appropriate vocabulary necessary to discuss the formation, and various types of  landforms found world-wide.

• After running student team-constructed stream tables, students will be able to draw and label a scaled  map of naturally created landforms with a minimum of 70 percent accuracy. 

Student Activities
After a brief Powerpoint introductory presentation and classroom discussion, students will construct stream simulations utilizing FOSS Landforms Module. Upon completion, students will  create a graphical representation of their completed  stream table and describe. This will be followed by a classroom presentation utilizing appropriate vocabulary. A pre- and post-test will be given at appropriate times to assure student understanding.
 

Introductory Activity
Students will be introduced to the lesson by way of a whole class Powerpoint Presentation  "Shaping our Earth." This presentation will introduce students to a variety of natures landforms and appropriate vocabulary necessary to complete the unit. (A copy of the Powerpoint presentation can be sent to you by E-mailing me). A few supplemental activities have been included to aid with Language and Social Studies development.

Enabling Activity
Students will first perform two settlement activities  which can be found on the Athena Landforms website. Student will then construct a standard stream table using equipment identified in the FOSS Landforms Module. They will construct the stream model according to the Landform lesson plan. After  construction, students will run water through their stream table. Each time they will identify and note landforms as they appear on their   stream model.

Culminating Activity

Upon completion of running water, the students will construct a graphical representation of their completed landform model onto overhead transparency graphpaper for presentation to the class. They will give an oral presentation identifying to the class all landforms created as a result of their running the stream table. Students will utilize appropriate vocabulary to describe all actions and landforms. 

Supplemental Activities

Language Development

Ask the students to pretend they are tiny travellers walking around in their stream tables. Have them describe the landforms and others sights that they see as they move up and down the stream channels. Remind them to use their new vocabulary words.

   Have students use a map to follow the Colorado River from the Grand Canyon down to its mouth. Where does it empty into the sea? How many dams are there between the Grand Canyon and the mouth of the river? What might be happening to those lakes formed by the dams?

   Have the students find out about rivers around the world. Suggest they use encyclopedias and online resources to discover information about the rivers' headwaters, mouths, countries they flow through, lengths, and navigability or uses. Ask them to find out about any special myths or stories that the people who live along these rivers tell. 
 
 

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Assessment.

Pretest (Word Document)
Posttest (Word document) 
Presentation Rubric

      A 14 question Web-based post-test is available for Funbrain registered users 
       (registration is free). It can be found at  http://www.funbrain.com 
       Look in 6th grade Science test category, Name- Shaping the Earth Vocabulary
                   
 

Results

After implementing your lesson (sometime between January & March), insert a chart of your pre-test, post-test, and culminating assessment data.

Web Resources & Supplementary Materials

Introductory Activity
  *Pre-test (Word Document)

Enabling Activity
 *   Holt Science and Technology, California Earth Science Textbook, copyright 2001, 
       Chapter 10  page 247
  *   Full Options Science System (FOSS)  Landforms Kit
  *   Athena Landforms Settlement Activities - 
                http://www.athena.ivv.nasa.gov/curric/land/landform/settle.html

Culminating Activity

   *  Post-test (Word document)
    *  A 14 question Web-based post-test is available for Funbrain registered users 
       (registration is free). It can be found at  http://www.funbrain.com 
       Look in Science test category, Name- Shaping the Earth Vocabulary

       * Presentation Rubric

Additional Teacher Resources
  * Volcanoes on-line -  http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Photo/volcano_cams.html
   * Landforms            -  http://www.athena.ivv.nasa.gov/curric/land/landform/landform.html
   * Grand Canyon    - http://www.harcourtcollege.com/geology/link.vft.page/grandcanyon.html
   * Earth Rise       - http://earthrise.sdsc.edu/earthrise/form/
   * LandformJigsaw Puzzles - http://www.jigzone.com
   * Volcano images  -  http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/volc_images.html
   * Eruption Simulator - http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/kids/fun/volcano/volcano.html
 

Glenn Clintongclinton@fcusd.k12.ca.us
White Rock Elementary School
Rancho Cordova, CA
Last Revised: 11/15/2000