Classroom Interactions
5E Lesson Template
Lesson Author(s)
Mike Howard
Lesson Title
Water and Its Usage and Effects on Midwest Crops
Lesson Source
Technology Needs (if
any)
Computers/internet
Date/Time Lesson to be
Taught
School
Supervising Teacher
Math or Science?
Science
Lesson Concepts
Water cycle, water scarcity, natural resources
Objectives
CO State Standards
Science 3.3, 3.2 (2.1), 1.3
Materials List and
Advanced Preparation
Computers with internet access
Safety
Necessary measures need to be taken
Accommodations for
Learners with Special
Needs
Based exclusively on students’ needs but may include the
following: Preferential seating, Small-group, one-on-one teacher
assistance
Worksheet (attached)
 2007 The University of Texas at Austin
Classroom Interactions
Directions for Producing 5E Lesson Plans
5Es
1. ENGAGEMENT
What the Teacher
Will Do
Initiate discussion
Time: Minutes
Probing/Eliciting Questions
What is the water cycle? How does
water move around the earth? Is
water renewable or nonrenewable?
Why? What are uses for water?
What can cause harm to our water
supply (overuse, pollution)?
Evaluation/Decision Point Assessment
Student participation/engagement
2. EXPLORATION
What the Teacher Will Do
Student Responses and
Misconceptions
Students may believe water is
finite. Students may believe only
harm to water supply is mancaused pollution.
Student Outcomes
Base level of knowledge of what
the water cycle is.
Time: Minutes
Probing/Eliciting
Questions
What information are you
finding? What is the data
telling you? Where would
you like to be/not like to
be a farmer? Why?
Where would you like/not
like to live? Why?
Allow for exploration on
Wri.org (Aqueduct Overall
Water Risk Map). Allow for
global exploration initially then
focus in to United States and
finally focus in on Midwest.
Stop and ask probing questions
every 7-10 minutes.
Evaluation/Decision Point Assessment
Are students sufficiently able to answer probing questions?
Are students accurately recognizing global water stress
areas?
Student Responses and
Misconceptions
Students may be amazed at how
much of the world and U.S. has
water risk.
Student Outcomes
A better understanding of global,
domestic and Midwest water
stress.
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Classroom Interactions
Directions for Producing 5E Lesson Plans
3. EXPLANATION
Probing/Eliciting
Questions
With students still accessing
Using your Water Risk
the Water Risk Map start
Maps, click on the
focusing students to crop
“Overall Water Risk” tab
growth of wheat and corn in
in the top right hand
Midwest region (previous
corner. What is this
lesson may be needed to
information telling us?
establish student knowledge of How at risk is the
these concepts).
Midwest region? Why is
that problematic?
What is the Baseline
Water Stress telling us?
How does this relate to
the Midwest? What is the
Groundwater Stress
telling us? What are all of
the gray areas? Effects
on Midwest?
Evaluation/Decision Point Assessment
Are students able to convey knowledge of water being a
vital and limited resource?
What the Teacher Will Do
Time: Minutes
Student Responses and
Misconceptions
What do they mean by risk?
How is groundwater different
from precipitation? What are all
the gray areas?
Student Outcomes
Students will recognize the
importance of taking care of our
water supply. They will
recognize that though
renewable, water is has
extremely high usage.
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Classroom Interactions
Directions for Producing 5E Lesson Plans
4. ELABORATION
What the Teacher Will Do

Time: Minutes
Probing/Eliciting Questions
Repeat above process,
 Repeat above.
but on the Water Risk
 What will the Midwest
Map change the
do if there’s not enough
“Weighting Scheme” to
precipitation? If farmers
agriculture. Discuss
irrigate (discuss
with students what
definition), where does
“agriculture” means.
that water come from?
 Ask students what will
What is the name of
Midwest farmers do for
the underground
crops when precipitation
storage of water in the
is insufficient.
Midwest (Ogallala
Aquifer)?
 Direct students to
hrd.apec.org and
 What interesting
search for Ogallala
information are you
Aquifer. Click on the
getting from this article
“The_Ogallala_Aquifer_
about the Ogallala
and_Its_Role_as_a_Thr
Aquifer? Is this water
eatened_American_Res
source important? Is it
ource” article.
renewable? Why do
you say this?
 Read as a group
 How big is the Ogallala
 Go to nationalatlas.gov
Aquifer? How many
and click on
states does it cover?
“Mapmaker” in top-left
How important have
corner. Then on map
you found this aquifer
layers on the right of
to be to the Midwest?
page click on “Water”
To the United States?
and then on “Aquifers.”
Why? What were to
Once selected, click on
happen if this aquifer
the “Redraw Map”
dried up?
button.
Evaluation/Decision Point Assessment
Students will need to be able to use geospatial tools to do
analysis.
Student Responses and
Misconceptions
Since water is renewable,
we can use all the water
from the Ogallala Aquifer
that we want.
“Wow, I didn’t realize there
was such a thing as an
aquifer.”
Are all aquifers used as
much as the Ogallala?
Student Outcomes
The Ogallala is vital to
Midwest crops AND to the
United States.
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Classroom Interactions
Directions for Producing 5E Lesson Plans
5. EVALUATION
Time: Minutes
Probing/Eliciting
Student Responses and
Questions
Misconceptions
Hand out worksheet. Students will display mastery by completing worksheet using applicable
resources.
What the Teacher Will Do
Differentiation
Time: N/A
Students who are behind or need support.
For advanced or gifted students.
Allow students to work in groups. One-on-one
teacher time.
How are aquifers created? What are their
layers? What other major aquifers are there in
the United States?
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Classroom Interactions
Directions for Producing 5E Lesson Plans
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Classroom Interactions
Directions for Producing 5E Lesson Plans
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