Product #4a: The Learning Cycle Lesson Plan
GS 4403: Geib
Due: September 19, 2012
Whitney D. Greene
Grade
 6th Grade Science
Essential Standard
 6.E.1 Understand the earth/moon/sun system, and the properties, structures and
predictable motions of celestial bodies in the Universe.
Clarifying Objective:
 6.E.1.3 Summarize space exploration and the understandings gained from them.
Concept
 Exploring Meteorites: Where do craters come from?
Rationale:
Space exploration is important not only to humanity’s curiosity of the great beyond, but it
is also important for the future of our planet and all of us who inhabit it. Space
exploration promotes science education! The Apollo missions inspired a whole
generation of students to grow up and be astronauts, engineers and rocket scientists. As
we all know, science education has been slacking in the United States over the last few
decades. It is also important for students to recognize that we need to put ourselves into
perspective. This unit is designed to let students get hands on experience about craters,
space exploration and human impacts on our Earth. From space our Earth is really small
and fragile. I think the students will benefit from putting our place in the universe into
perspective. If the human population could recognize as a whole what they are doing to
our own habitat maybe we will not be so prone to abusing our only home. My hope is to
turn my students into conscientious members of society so that future generations also
have a place to call home.
Lesson Background:
Impact craters are geological structures formed when a meteorite, asteroid or comet hits a
planet or other solid body. Throughout history all of the terrestrial planets and satellites
have been hit with these structures. The most obvious examples of these impacts are the
craters on the Moon. If you can see the Moon, then the crates are also visible. You can
only view the very large craters with the naked eye. Lunar craters were not described
until Galileo used one of the first telescopes to view the Moon. Today, modern
binoculars help scientists see the craters on the Moon very clearly.
Here on Earth, dynamic geological forces have erased most of the evidence of its impact
history. Weathering, erosion, deposition, volcanism, and tectonic activity have left a very
small number of identifiable impacts. Only ~140 terrestrial impact craters have been
identified, and these range from 1-200 kilometers in diameter and up to two billion years
in age.
Objectives:
Students will:
 Observe impact craters on Earth and other bodies in the solar system.
 Discuss geological forces that have removed evidence of Earthly impacts.
 Locate impact craters using longitude and latitude
 Search maps for potential impact sites
 Create a field work plan to investigate possible craters
About this lesson:
After students view slides of craters on other planets, the Moon and Earth, they will
locate impact craters on Earth using longitude and latitude and a variety of maps.
Students will locate potential sites of impacts and conduct research to verify their
findings.
Vocabulary:
 Impact crater
 Erosion
 Longitude
 Latitude
 Deposition
 Geophysical
 Weathering
 Terrain
Activity 1: Where are the craters on Earth?
Teacher Notes: Part 1:
ENGAGE: Begin lesson with having students “shout out” one at a time what they know
about space exploration and the Moon. As they call out items, write them down on the
smartboard. When they have shouted out everything they think they know, ask them
about craters. What are craters? How do we discover craters? Where are the craters that
we know about? Write these answers on the board as well. Then, explain to the students
that they will look at other planets/bodies in the solar system to understand that there has
been a history of impacts in the inner solar system. Students will then focus on Earth and
realize that there aren’t many obvious craters. They will use a map and locate the craters
using longitude and latitude.
EXPLORATION: Part 2: Without seeing any pictures on the craters on Earth, students
will describe the craters using names, size, age, and terrain. Then, the crater photographs
will be shown and students will compare their descriptions to the pictures.
Materials for Activity 1:
 Slide projector and screen
 Slide setImpact craters
 Maps of North America with longitude and latitude
 Craters on Earth data chart (one per group)
 Pen/Pencil
 Student sheet for activity A, Part 2
Teacher Preparation:
1. Gather materials before the start of class.
2. Give each table a set of materials
3. Read lesson background
4. Review slides and place them in order of use.
Classroom Procedure:
1. On projector show slides of Mercury, Moon, Venus and Mars.
2. Discuss as a class how these bodies are alike and how they are different. Focus on
the craters.
3. Ask the students, “Where are the craters on Earth?” Put up slide of meteor crater.
4. Explain that each table has a map of North America and that the students will be
working in groups of 4.
5. Put on the overhead the “Craters on Earth Data Chart” and designate the craters
that will be used. (Craters being used are starred)
6. Students are then asked to plot designated craters using the longitude and latitude
data, vary the dot size based on the crater diameter.
7. When all groups are done, show final slides of Earth impact craters at this time.
EXPLANATION:
1. Teacher will go around the room and each group will discuss what they found and
explain their plotted graph.
2. Student groups will pick one crater that they have found and research its location.
They will then research the crater and create a travel brochure on the crater. The
travel brochure should include the following:
a. The location—continent, state, city, etc.
b. Map of location
c. Age of crater
d. How it was formed
e. Pictures of impact site
f. Population of town where it resides
g. What do scientists/historians know about this crater?
h. Can you visit the actual site of the impact?
These brochures will be turned in for a group project grade.
3. Show students the following video: Earths Craters and Meteor Impact Events
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUv7K4_0qac&feature=related
This video explains how scientists use craters to determine the age of the earth.
The video also shows how craters are formed.
ELABORATION:
1. Ask students, “Does anyone know how a crater impact changed Earth?” If so, what
was the name of this famous crater? Where is it located? What happened when it hit? Is
there evidence how it formed?
After students have answered these questions as a group, let each group connect to the
class wiki and connect to the link below. Let students explore the link as group for a few
minutes then bring students together as a whole to talk about the information on the link.
The Universe in the Classroom.
http://www.astrosociety.org/education/publications/tnl/23/23.html
2. Class Lecture: What physical evidence tells us that a crater formed?
 The term impact crater can refer to any depression resulting from a high velocity
impact of a projectile that contains a larger body. In most cases the crater is a
circular depression on the surface of the earth, moon, or other solid body in the
Solar System that has formed by the impact of a smaller body. Impact craters can
range from small and simple bowl shaped depressions to large and complex,
multi-ringed impact basins.
 So how do we identify impact craters? The distinctive mark of an impact crater is
the presence of rock that has undergone shock-metamorphic effects; these could
be shatter cones, melted rocks, and deformations. However, these materials are
usually buried deeply into the earth’s surface making it hard to discover/identify
their presence. Impacts do produce distinctive shock-metamorphic effect that
allows impact sites to be easily identified. Shock metamorphic effects could
include….
o A layer of shattered rock under the floor of the crater, this is called a
“breccia lens.”
o Shatter cones, which are impressions in rocks that are formed easily in
fine-rained rocks.
o
High temperature rock types including sand, tektites, spherulites or
molten rock.
o Pressure deformations of minerals
o Tests can be done debris samples from the center, looking for elements
that are much more abundant in meteorites such as Iridium.
3. Students will then watch another video called The Last day of the Dinosaurs created
by the Discovery Channel. The video tells how the crater that hit the Earth 65 million
years ago exterminated the dinosaurs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW9IyDcR3iQ&feature=related
EVALUATOIN:
End of class written response/ticket out the door.
Ask students “What would you look for at the site to help prove that you have found the
remnants of an impact?”
(Students should list at least 3 things learned from this lab or from class lessons previous
to lab on craters and space exploration.
Answers should include but are not limited to:
1- look for meteorites
2- map the geological formations looking for: a basin shape, overturned rim layers,
possible uplift in the central crater region, multiple ring structures
3- look for minerals changed by impact shocks
4- look for melted rocks
5- tests deposits associated with the debris from the center, looking for elements that
are much more abundant in meteorites such as Iridium
Modification A: Special Needs
If I were teaching this lesson to a student who had trouble reading or comprehending
words I would reduce the cognitive demand associated with the upper-level vocabulary in
this lesson by having them construct picture dictionaries of the essential terms. They
could set aside several pages in their science journal for their dictionary at the start of
each unit. As we cover words that they are not sure of or can’t explain, I will have them
look the words up then draw a picture of what that word is/means as well as write a
description.
If I had a group of lower level students or students that struggle because they come from
a low-socioeconomic background I would be more involved as the teacher. Instead of
giving the directions once and turning them loose to locate their craters or create a
brochure, I would pick a specific crater for each group and guide them in planning their
project step by step. I would also repeat the directions multiple times as well as list the
steps on the white board for them to refer to.
If a student had a physical disability I would make sure that my classroom was designed
so that the student could have access to moving around and getting into groups as well as
being able to view the board from all angles of the classroom.
Students with hearing impairments would need more visuals so they can understand what
a crater looks like and how they are formed.
Modification B: Gifted Students
If I were teaching this unit to a class of academically gifted students I would give less
instruction and ask more critically thinking and analytical questions. I wouldn’t give
them a list of craters to choose from, I would let them do the research themselves and
find a crater on their own to report on. I would also give them the choice instead of doing
a travel brochure for their crater. I would let them choose what and how they wanted to
present their crater whether it be a video, poster, powerpoint, interactive website, research
paper or etc.
In the class discussion I would ask them to lead the discussion on the reading/video and I
would just sit and moderate.
References:
Universe in the Classroom
http://www.astrosociety.org/education/publications/tnl/23/23.html
Exploring Meteorite Mysteries
http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/ares/education/program/expmetmys.cfm
Lesson 7: Crater Hunters
http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/ares/education/program/ExpMetMys/LESSON7.PDF
The Last Day of the Dinosaurs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW9IyDcR3iQ&feature=related