5E Planning Guide for Inquiry Teaching!
Your Name: Stephanie Seim
Unit Name: Earth’s Surface
Lesson Name: Earth Exploration
Academic Language:
 Describe
 Explain
 Identify
Learner outcomes: (content and inquiry – measurable): The students will:
 Describe the difference between erosion and deposition
 Explain how erosion and deposition have an impact on earth’s surface
 Identify specific characteristics and landforms of earth’s surface
Grade Level Standards, Grade, Theme,& Topic
Standard (highlight one):
Earth
Life
Grade: 4th
Grade Band Theme: Interconnections within Systems
Topic: Earth’s Surface
Condensed Content Statements
 The surface of Earth changes due to erosion and deposition
5-E Phase
Engage
Time: 10 min
 Tap prior knowledge
 Focus learner’s thinking
 Spark interest in topic
Planned Activity/Event
 Ask students to fill out bell ringer
as they enter the classroom.
Students will guess how much of
the Earth’s surface is covered in
water.
 The student with the correct
answer/closest answer will get a
prize.
 Prompt students to think about
the question, “How does the
water on Earth’s surface affect the
surface of the Earth?”
 Students will take 5 minutes to
think, pair, and share these
answers.
 Explain to students that we will be
discussing processes called erosion
and deposition. Explain to
students that erosion is the
eroding or taking away of the
earth’s surface where as
Physical
Guiding Questions
 How much of the Earth’s surface is
covered in water?
 How does the water on earth’s
surface affect the surface of the
earth?
 How are erosion and deposition
different?
Notes: Materials, Safety, Modifications
 Scrap paper
 Bell ringer written on board
Explore Time: 80 min
 Provide learners with
common, concrete, tactile
experiences with skills
and concepts
 Observe and listen to
students
 Ask probing questions
 Act as a consultant
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Explain
Time: 20 min
 Encourage students to
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deposition is the opposite. It is
taking earth’s materials away from
one area and taking them to build
up another area.
Inform students that we will be
investigating with erosion and
deposition.
We will be conducting an
experience that will allow us to
see how erosion and deposition
work through the use of water.
Remind students that water takes
up most of the earth’s surface so
when dealing with erosion and
deposition, water is the most
powerful agent.
Allow students 40 minutes to
conduct the erosion experiment,
materials are prepared for
students, students just need to set
up the experiment and perform
the experiment.
Debrief with students to discuss
erosion and how it works.
Allow 40 minutes for students to
conduct the deposition
experiment. Students will be
required to set up the experiment
just as they set up the erosion
stream tables.
Students will again collaborate and
discuss the results of the
experiment.
As students complete the
deposition stream table, instruct
them to do the vial shake up
activity.
Once students are finished with
their experiments, debrief with
 What does erosion look like in a
real world experiment?
 How is water used to deposit
materials in a new location?
 How does the erosion process that
we experienced in the stream table
relate to the Grand Canyon?
 How are the stream tables like the
picture of the Grand Canyon?
 What happened to the earth
material that once filled the area
that is now the canyon?
 Did you find the sand and the
diatomaceous earth in the same
place? Why or why not?
 How do the results of the shake
test explain why the sand and
diatomaceous earth were
deposited in different places in
your stream table?
 Stream table experiment materials
for erosion and deposition
 Vial shake up activity
 Stream table set up sheet
 Landform vocabulary sheet
 Activity Sheet for both experiments
 Image of the Grand Canyon
 Guided Questions:
 Where did erosion occur in your
 Activity sheet
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explain concepts in their
own words
Ask for justification
Use students previous
experiences as the basis
or explaining concepts
Clarify and correct
misconceptions
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Extend
Time: 30 min
 Apply same concepts and
skills in a new context
resulting in deeper and
broader understanding
 Encourage the students to
apply the concepts/skills
to new situations
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Evaluate
Time:10 min
 Observe as students apply
new concepts and skills
 Assess, formally and/or
informally student
progress toward achieving
the learner outcomes
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students by holding a classroom
discussion on what their group’s
findings were.
Allow students to explain what
they saw.
Prompt students with guided
questions.
Allow students time to ask
questions if they need clarity.
Ask students to explain similarities
and differences within each
experiment. It is extremely
important for students to
understand the difference
between deposition and erosion.
Handout out ESS Vocabulary Chart
to every student.
Give students 15 minutes to
complete their chart. Students
should apply the concepts they
learned in the experiments to help
them better explain the
vocabulary words.
Students will turn in their
vocabulary chart to be graded for
accuracy.
Once students have finished their
vocabulary charts. Pull up online
resource videos of deposition and
erosion. This will allow students to
see the processes happening in
their everyday environment.
Observe students understand of
the material throughout the
experiments.
Give students a comprehension
quiz that will allow students to
demonstrate their understanding
of the ideas they learned
stream table?
 Where did deposition occur in
your stream table?
 Where do you think the
material that eroded out of the
Grand Canyon ended up?
 What did you learn about the
flow of water by adding food
coloring?
 How were your stream tables
like the picture of the Grand
Canyon?
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Give a definition, example,
picture, and a sentence explaining
your vocabulary words.
How does deposition and erosion
occur in our everyday lives?
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ESS Vocabulary Chart
Describe what erosion is.
Give an example of erosion.
Describe what deposition is.
Give an example of deposition.
Give an example of where either
erosion or deposition has occurred
in the world.
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Comprehension Quiz
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Assess students’
knowledge and/or skills
Allow students to assess
their own learning and
group process skills
throughout the deposition and
erosion experiments.