Physical Weathering at Work

Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Science

Grade(s)

4

Overview

The teacher will present an informational text from the website, ReadWorks. Students will interact with this non-fiction text by annotating the text digitally. This learning activity can introduce students to the concept of physical weathering or serve as reinforcement after students have already learned this concept. This classroom resource can be paired with the classroom resource "Chemical Weathering of Rocks," so students can compare and contrast these two destructive forces.

Science (2015) Grade(s): 4

SC15.4.14
Explore information to support the claim that landforms are the result of a combination of constructive forces, including crustal deformation, volcanic eruptions, and sediment deposition as well as a result of destructive forces, including erosion and weathering.

Vocabulary

landform
crustal deformation
sediment
deposition
erosion
weathering
topography
volcanoes
earthquakes
continental boundaries
trenches
ocean floor structures
constructive forces
destructive forces
eruption
geological processes

Knowledge

Students know:

Continents and other landforms are continually being shaped and reshaped by competing constructive and destructive geological processes.

Skills

Students are able to:

Compare and/or combine information across complex texts and/or other reliable sources to support the claim that landforms are the result of both constructive and destructive forces.

Understanding

Students understand that:

Changes in Earth's surface are caused by both constructive and destructive forces.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect

ELA21.4.20

CR Resource Type

Learning Activity

Resource Provider

ReadWorks.org

License Type

Custom

https://www.readworks.org/article/Physical-Weathering-at-Work/c28c7941-c9ea-49a…

Custom License Type (URL)

https://about.readworks.org/terms-of-use.html

Accessibility

Audio resources: includes a transcript or subtitles

Comments or Notes

ReadWorks is a website that provides K-12 teachers with free literacy resources (About ReadWorks). ReadWorks has literary and informational texts on a variety of subjects and reading skills. You may narrow your search using grade level or Lexile level, making this website a wonderful tool for differentiation. Students will complete their work digitally, and you will provide their score and feedback digitally. This makes it easy to go paperless for this activity.

Prior to implementing this activity, you will need to sign up for an Educator Account on ReadWorks. After setting up an account, create a class from the Class Admin tab, this will provide you with a Class Code to give to students. Next, use the Find Content tab to search for the informational article that will be used during this activity, "Physical Weathering at Work." After navigating to the article, click on the blue Assign button to assign it to your class.

Each student will need access to a digital device, such as a tablet or laptop. The first time students enter the website they will need to enter the Class Code that is listed on your Class Admin page. Alternatively, you can print the article for students, if digital devices are not available.

Approved Date

2020-04-01

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