Lesson Plan

Can You Form a Landform?

Subject Area

English Language Arts
Science

Grade(s)

2

Overview

The students will create a landform using modeling clay in a small group setting.  

This lesson was created as part of the 2016 NASA STEM Standards of Practice Project, a collaboration between the Alabama State Department of Education and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.

Science (2015) Grade(s): 2

SC15.2.9

Create models to identify physical features of Earth (e.g., mountains, valleys, plains, deserts, lakes, rivers, oceans).

Unpacked Content

UP:SC15.2.9

Vocabulary

  • Physical features
  • Models
  • Mountains
  • Valleys
  • Plains
  • Deserts
  • Lakes
  • Rivers
  • Oceans

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The physical features of Earth can be modeled, as on a map.
  • The relationship between components their model and kinds of land and bodies of water in a given area.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Create a model that represents both land and bodies of water in an area.
  • Make connections between their model and the shapes and kinds of land and water in an area.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Models can represent patterns in the natural world like the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water in an area.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Developing and Using Models

Crosscutting Concepts

Patterns
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 2

ELA21.2.R1

Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.2.R1

Vocabulary

  • Active Listening
  • Discussion
  • Conversation
  • Rules
  • Participation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • Agreed-upon rules for participation for discussions and conversations in a variety of settings.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings.
  • Converse in pairs, small groups, and large groups.
  • Practice the agreed-upon rules for participation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow agreed-upon rules to help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 2

ELA21.2.2

Present information orally using complete sentences, appropriate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.2.2

Vocabulary

  • Present
  • Orally
  • Complete sentences
  • Appropriate volume
  • Clear pronunciation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Speaking skills for oral presentations.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Form complete sentences, use appropriate volume based on the situation or environment, and use clear pronunciation when sharing information orally.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • To communicate clearly, a speaker should use complete sentences, a voice volume that can be heard by the audience, and clearly pronounced words.

Primary Learning Objectives

The students will create a landform (mountain, valley, island, plain, desert, lake, river, ocean) in a group setting using modeling clay on cardboard pieces.

Additional Learning Objective(s)

The students will be able to speak clearly to the class when describing the landform built.  

The students will also write a descriptive paragraph about the class model.

Procedures/Activities

Before Activity

The teacher will have workstations set up for each group naming the landform they will create on an index card. 

The students will view the video, "Exploring Landforms and Bodies of Water for kids," as a review of landforms. (Listed in technology resources.)

During Activity

The teacher will divide the class into seven groups one for each landform to be created.  The students will imagine and discuss in small groups how to create landforms with modeling clay.  

The students will plan together. Each group must produce a drawing of their assigned landform using crayons and paper before beginning to create the model of the landform.  The teacher must approve the drawing before building the landform.  Upon approval, the students will collaborate and build landforms given using modeling clay on a cardboard piece. 

Representations described below may vary.   

The lake group will use blue clay to form a flat lake surrounded by land made out of green and brown clay.

The mountain/valley group will use green and brown clay to create land with steep sides that rise up from the mainland. They may use a little white clay on the peak for snow.  They will also focus on the location of a valley which is the low land between the mountains.

The river group will use blue clay to create a large stream that runs through land to another body of water. They will use green and brown clay to make land on both sides of the river.

The island group will use green and brown clay to form land completely surrounded by water using blue clay.

The desert group will use brown clay to create an extremely dry area with little water and few plants.

The plain group will use green clay to form land that represents a large area of flat, grassy land.

The ocean group will use blue clay to represent a large body of salt water.

After Activity

After 35 minutes of forming landforms with clay, each group will present their representation to the class, and the class will listen and critique each model. The group may make any improvements if necessary after discussing them with the class.

When all groups have shared and made improvements, the students will write a descriptive paragraph about the landform they created in their journals.  After writing, they may illustrate the writing piece.

Assessment Strategies

The teacher will use observations to assess the models created by the students.  The teacher will ensure that students' models accurately depict the assigned physical feature of Earth.

 

Acceleration

Students will research the landforms found on the surface of Mars using this document with embedded links: NASA Mars formations.

Intervention

Students having difficulty with landforms will re-watch the video, Exploring Landforms and Bodies of Water for kids.

Approximate Duration

Total Duration

31 to 60 Minutes

Background and Preparation

Background/Preparation

This lesson is an activity after the study of landforms. Students need to know each landform:  island, mountain, lake, river, ocean, plain, desert, and valley.  

The teacher will prepare workstation areas for each landform ahead of time using all colors of clay.

Materials and Resources

Materials and Resources

Modeling clay (brown, green, blue, white)

Cardboard pieces (8x12) one per group

Plain paper

crayons

7 index cards- one landform written on a card (island, river, ocean, lake, plain, desert, mountain/valley)

paper or writing journal

pencil

Technology Resources Needed

Computer with internet access or tablet

Video on landforms - Exploring Landforms and Bodies of Water for kids

Approved Date

2016-01-13

Owner2

algriffin
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