Science Unit Plan

Unit Overview

This collaborative unit was focused on "Weathering and Erosion" for Earth and Space Science standards for fourth grade. Students were taught 4 lessons where each lesson focused on a different aspect of weathering and erosion. Each lesson used the 5E Inquiry Instructional Model with emphasis on the engage, explore, and explain. The lessons were designed to be student centric and interactive. Students conducted hands-on investigations in each lesson. Students used claims, evidence, and reasoning to explain their observations and findings in the investigations to answer the essential question for each lesson.

Unit Vocabulary

Weathering: the process of exposed rock being broken down.
Sediment: material that is moved and deposited into a new location.
Root Wedging: roots growing under rocks causing them to break.
Frost Wedging: repeated freezing and thawing of water causing a rock to crack and break apart.
Thaw: to stop being frozen (melt).
Precipitation: rain, snow, sleet or hail that falls to the ground.
Texture: how something feels: rough, smooth, etc.
Erosion: when sediments are moved by wind, waves, or precipitation.
Glacier: a very large area of ice that moves slowly down a slope or valley or over a wide area of land.
Landform: a natural feature (such as a mountain or valley) on the Earth's surface.
Abrasion: the act or process of damaging or wearing away something by rubbing, grinding, or scraping.
Deposition: the action of depositing something (such as sand, snow, or mud) on a surface or area especially over a period of time.
Landscape: all the visible features of an area of land.
Hurricane: a storm with a violent wind.
Dunes: a mound of sand or other loose sediment formed by the wind, especially on the sea coast or in a desert.

Unit Standards for Grade 4

- - 4-ESS2-1 Make observations and collect data to provide evidence that rocks, soils, and sediments are broken into smaller pieces through mechanical weathering and moved around through erosion. Clarification Statement: Mechanical weathering processes can include frost wedging, abrasion, and tree root wedging. Erosion can include movement by blowing wind, flowing water, and moving ice. State Assessment Boundary: Chemical processes are not expected in state assessment.
  - 4-ESS2-1 Make observations and collect data to provide evidence that rocks, soils, and sediments are broken into smaller pieces through mechanical weathering and moved around through erosion. Clarification Statement: Mechanical weathering processes can include frost wedging, abrasion, and tree root wedging. Erosion can include movement by blowing wind, flowing water, and moving ice. State Assessment Boundary: Chemical processes are not expected in state assessment.
  - W 4.8 Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information and provide a list of sources.

Unit Learning Outcomes

SWBAT identify and explain what causes weathering and erosion to landforms.
SWBAT construct arguments based on claims, evidence, and reasoning from the data collected from the investigations.
SWBAT explain their justification and evidence in group or whole group discussions using scientific language from the lessons.

Unit Lessons 1-4

Lesson #1: Investigations into Different Forces that Cause Weathering

Teacher: Grace Fantoni

Lesson Name: Changes to Rocks

Instructional Model: 5E Inquiry Instructional Model

Learning Outcomes:

SWBAT use evidence from investigations to support an explanation of weathering.
SWBAT collect observations and data based on weathering investigations.
SWBAT write observations of natural events based on investigations and orally discuss observations from investigations in small groups and as a whole class.

Essential Inquiry Question: What causes changes to rocks?

Resources for Lesson 1

Lesson #2: Investigations into Different Forces that Cause Erosion

Teacher: Natalie Draicchio

Lesson Name: What Causes Erosion?

Instructional Model: 5E Inquiry Instructional Model

Learning Outcomes:

SWBAT collect and interpret measurements and observations on the effects of wind and water through engaging with data collection tables.
SWBAT construct an argument on how wind and water affect landforms using evidence from investigations.

Essential Inquiry Question: What causes changes to the land around us?

Resources for Lesson 2

Lesson #3: Weathering and Erosion in Action Together

Teacher: Savanah Seay

Lesson Name: Weathering & Erosion: Shaping our Planet

Instructional Model: 5E Inquiry Instructional Model

Learning Outcomes:

SWBAT combine relevant information from multiple investigations to make comparisons between scenarios using evidence.

SWBAT develop a model that shows relationships between different types of weathering using evidence from investigations.
SWBAT write observations and orally share observations with small groups.
SWBAT record their observations in their CER chart to prove their claim based on the evidence gathered.

Essential Inquiry Question: How do glaciers shape the land?

Resources for Lesson 3

Lesson #4: What Made This Landform?

Teacher: Alanna Nucci

Lesson Name: What Made This Landform?

Instructional Model: 5E Inquiry Instructional Model

Learning Outcomes:

SWBAT compare images of phenomena with observations, data, and models.
SWBAT construct arguments for how certain landforms occurred naturally using evidence from investigations and their comparison model.

Essential Inquiry Question: What process made this landform?

Resources for Lesson 4

NGSS Science and Engineering Practices

Lesson 1:

Engage in Argument from Evidence

Lesson 2:

Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Lesson 3:

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Lesson 4:

Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Citation: The picture is from NGSS.com

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