Alexandra Jonynas
CI 451
November 10, 2010
Lesson Plan for ELL Strategies
Grade Level/Subject: 6-7th Grade, Science
Prerequisite Knowledge:
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In students’ California study, students should know that earthquakes in the state result
from two plates sliding past each other along a transform boundary.
In students’ Japan study that discovered that when an oceanic and continental plate
converge, one usually subducts (convergent boundary).
Students should know about volcanoes and the places that they most occur.
Approximate Time: 3-4 class periods
Student Objectives/Student Outcomes:
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Students will engage in activities that aide them in developing an understanding of the
nature of the Earth’s crust when two continents collide.
Students will analyze photographs of the Himalayas to deduce the relative age of the
range based on shape.
Students will examine stratigraphic sections of the Himalaya.
Students will interpret a set of geophysical data that indicate a yearly increase in
elevation of a portion of the Himalaya.
Language Objectives:
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Students will learn the science terms strata and stratigraphy.
Students will learn how to effectively and efficiently conduct research about a topic.
Students will learn how to organize their research so it can be readily available when they
need it.
Content Standards:
State Goal 12: Understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections of the life,
physical and earth/space sciences.
E. Know and apply concepts that describe the features and processes of the Earth and its
resources.
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12.E.3a Analyze and explain large-scale dynamic forces, events and processes that affect the
Earth’s land, water and atmospheric systems (e.g., jetstream, hurricanes, plate tectonics).
12.E.3b Describe interactions between solid earth, oceans, atmosphere and organisms that have
resulted in ongoing changes of Earth (e.g., erosion, El Nino).
WIDA Standards: (Students in the class are in level 3: Developing)
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Indentify characteristics and conditions related to natural disasters based on text and
pictures.
Compare differences based on information from charts or graphs.
Describe processes and procedures as well as retell events.
Materials/Resources/Technology:
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World map or globe
One set of the six Stratigraphy Sheets
Transparent tape
1 metric ruler
Students’ field notebook
Implementation:
Time
5-8 minutes
Opening of lesson: (Objectives, hook, behavior expectations)
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On the large class globe or map (or if available, students can have their own map
or globe in their groups) the teacher should ask students to point out the area
northeast of India and ask students if they know the name of the country (Nepal)
and any other information about the country.
The teacher should ask students if they know the name of the famous mountain
range in this region (The Himalayas). If students do not know the name of the
mountain range, the teacher should pull up a detailed labeled map of the region
and then have students point out on the map the mountain range.
The teacher should then tell students that this is the mountain range that students’
will be learning and exploring about in their groups. So before jumping into the
lesson, the teacher should allow students to research about the Himalayas and
collect facts to share before starting the lesson. Students should focus on
discovering how the Himalayas are a good example of “erosion”. The teacher
can have each student group share one or two interesting facts from their research
to the class. Students should record their research in their science journals.
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35 minutes
Procedures: Include critical thinking questions and accommodations for individual needs
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As students are looking and researching pictures of the Himalayas students
should focus their research on the following questions: “Based on their shape,
what would you say about how much erosion these mountains have
experienced?” and “Depending on how much erosion the mountains
experienced, what does that indicate about their age?” This research will also
lead students to explore the relative age of the Himalayas and students should be
encouraged to create a timeline to represent their information (Students can use
meter tape to represent the timeline or they can represent the time a creative way
of their choice.) To structure the research each group will receive graphic
organizers that will aide students in discovering answers to the two questions
above as well as organize their research.
Students will then have an opportunity to present their timelines and their
information they collected in their field note books to the class. This is a great
opportunity for students to work as real scientists because as each group
presents, other groups have an opportunity to add their data in their journals as
well.
After students have presented, students will learn about the stratigraphy of the
Himalayas. Before the lesson the teacher should remind students of the clay
models of sedimentary rock layers they created and ask students if they
remember what each layer is called. Then the teacher should explain to students
that they are going to study strata (the layers of rock) to gain a better
understanding of processes that formed important geologic structures in the past.
By examining the strata, students will learn more about the Himalayas.
Next, each team will receive 6 pages of strata from the Himalayas and students
are to piece the strata together based upon the labels on the sheets. Each piece is
labeled with how high above sea level they are. Once students have completed
their stratigraphy sheets, the teacher should walk around and ask each group
questions about the sheets to make sure the groups understand how to read and
interpret them. Students are then to fill out their Stratigraphy Data Sheet (which
will be inputted in their field notebooks). The Data sheet poses questions to
students about the rock layers of the Himalayas.
After, students will have an opportunity to explore the Gloster page that
provides interactive online resources for them in order to see the strata in a more
detailed version. The teacher should post the questions below on the border so
students will know what questions to expect in the whole class discussion.
The teacher will create a grand discussion with the class with the following
questions: “When you observed the different strata, did you notice anything
interesting of puzzling?” “How could the discovery of marine fossils at such
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high elevations relate to the way in which the Himalayan Range were formed?”
“What can you infer about the movement of plates based on your investigation
of the Himalayas?”
Students should be reminded that they must keep record of their notes and
responses in their field notebooks.
Summary/Closing:
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The class will discuss the follow up questions to their investigation on the
Himalayas.
Assessment:
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Students’ science journals will be assessed following each “field trip”. There
will be a general rubric that the teacher will use for each journal.
Rationale:
This lesson plan utilizes ELL strategies in many ways. When teachers are instructing English
language learners it is important for them to make the information they are teaching
comprehensible as much as possible. In the beginning of the lesson when the class is locating
the Himalayan Mountains on their maps, the teacher confirms the location by pointing to it on a
large scale easy to see map in the front of the classroom. This will help students who are
unaware or confused on what they are supposed to find.
When students are researching about the Himalayan Mountains they are given a graphic
organizer to help them organize their ideas as well as structure what information they should be
looking for in their research. After the research portion of the lesson the students engage in an
activity that demonstrates to them how the strata of the Himalayan Mountains can be used to
determine the relative age of the mountain. This activity is very hands on and allows students to
manipulate the materials and model what the mountains are constructed of. By physically
modeling the strata, ELL students are able to visually understand what the mountains look like
and their partners (or teachers) can help by pointing out the details in the strata. Students will
also be able to visually see the real life strata with the use of the internet. All of these strategies
help support English Language Learners by assisting them in non-verbal ways.
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