Learning Activity

Flowchart Basics

Subject Area

Digital Literacy and Computer Science
Science

Grade(s)

4

Overview

Students will be introduced to the meaning of flowchart symbols. Students will then apply flowchart symbols to create a flowchart to demonstrate the process of weathering and/or erosion after studying weather and erosion.

This activity was created as a result of the DLCS COS Resource Development Summit.

Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 4

DLCS18.4.5

Use flowcharts to create a plan or algorithm.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.4.5

Vocabulary

  • flowchart
  • plan
  • algorithm

Knowledge

Students know:
  • flowcharts are used in creating plan or algorithm.
  • strategies to use flowcharts to create a plan or algorithm.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • use flowcharts to create a plan or algorithm.
  • explain how flowcharts help in creating a plan or algorithm.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • flowcharts are used in creating plan or algorithm.
  • flowcharts help to visualize a plan or algorithm.
Science (2015) Grade(s): 4

SC15.4.15

Analyze and interpret data (e.g., angle of slope in downhill movement of water, volume of water flow, cycles of freezing and thawing of water, cycles of heating and cooling of water, speed of wind, relative rate of soil deposition, amount of vegetation) to determine effects of weathering and rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, and vegetation using one single form of weathering or erosion at a time.

Unpacked Content

UP:SC15.4.15

Vocabulary

  • sediment
  • weathering
  • erosion
  • vegetation
  • angle of slope
  • transported
  • variables
  • relative steepness
  • analyze
  • interpret
  • data

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Effects of weathering.
  • The rate of erosion of Earth's materials.
  • The kind of weathering or erosion to which the Earth material is exposed.
  • The change in shape of Earth materials as the result of weathering or the rate of erosion by motion of water, ice, wind, or vegetation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Represent data about weathering and erosion in tables and/or other graphical displays to reveal patterns.
  • Analyze and interpret data to make sense of weathering and erosion.
  • Compare and contrast data collected by different groups.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Events like weathering and erosion have causes that generate observable patterns and can be used to explain changes in Earth's landforms.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect

Phase

After/Explain/Elaborate
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

Students will review the effects of weathering and erosion.

Students will learn the meaning of flowchart symbols.

Students will apply flowchart symbols to create a flowchart. 

Students will create a flowchart to demonstrate the process of weathering and/or erosion.

Activity Details

Once you have taught weathering and erosion, use this lesson to diagram the process of weathering or erosion.

Teachers may want to share the following video or information:

"Flowcharts are graphical ways to communicate information. A flowchart uses symbols to identify steps in a process. All flowcharts begin and end with an oval. This is called a "terminal" or a "terminator." Any step or process after the beginning terminator is called a process step and is identified by a rectangle.  An arrow is used to identify the flow of steps - it shows where I go next in my process. There are times in a process that you will need to make a decision. Decisions are demonstrated with a diamond."

Review this website for multiple examples of flow charts. It may be a good idea to make some simple flowcharts with your students so that everyone is more familiar with the idea of flowcharts. Here are a few examples: example one, example two.

Students have been studying water and erosion. Have them select one form of weathering (water, ice, wind, and/or vegetation) and demonstrate the process of erosion using a flowchart. 

Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

Students will submit a flow chart demonstrating the process of erosion due to weathering. The flowchart is intended to be created with the digital tool Draw.io listed above but can easily be created by hand or in another program such as Word, Google Docs, PowerPoint, Google Slides, etc. 

Variation Tips

Group students as needed.

Can be an online activity or an unplugged activity. 

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

Teachers will want to become familiar with Draw.io and its ability to link to Google Drive for storage.

It is NOT necessary to save to Drive, but in the event that students do not have Google accounts, the teacher can create a class account for free and share that login information with students as needed. 

Using the Draw.io site is not required. Students can draw flowcharts on paper or on posters. 

It is recommended that students each have a device available (Chromebook or computer) but if that is not possible, students can work in groups or use paper. 

Digital Tools / Resources

Draw.io
https://www.draw.io/

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

aimeebates
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