Backwards Design Unit Instructional Plan
Name: Tina L. Fenstemaker
Grade Level/Subject:
Time :
Unit:
Formation of Earth’s Features
3rd Grade Science
Stage 1 – Desired
Results
PA Academic Standards Alignment:
Standard - 3.3.3.A1: Explain and give examples of the ways in which soil is formed.
Standard - 3.3.3.A2: Identify the physical properties of minerals and demonstrate how minerals
can be tested for these different physical properties.
PA Assessment Anchors, Anchor Descriptors and Eligible Content:
S3.D.1: Earth Features and Processes That Change Earth and Its Resources
S3.D.1.1: Describe various materials that make up Earth.
S3.D.1.1.1: Recognize that rock is composed of different kinds of minerals.
S3.D.1.1.2: Describe the composition of soil as weathered rock and decomposed organic material.
S3.D.1.3: Identify and describe the ways that cause Earth’s surface to be in a state of constant
change.
S3.D.1.3.1: Identify ways that cause Earth’s surface to be constantly changing (e.g., wind and
water erosion, contraction and expansion of surfaces).
S3.D.1.3.2: Distinguish between ways that tear down the surface of Earth and those that build up
the surface (e.g., erosion, weathering, volcanic activity, earthquakes).
S3.D.1.3.3: Distinguish between slow and rapid changes to Earth’s surface (i.e., rapid
[earthquakes, volcanic activity]; slow [weathering, erosion]).
Understanding(s):
Students will understand . . .
Essential Question(s): Unit EQ’s
that Earth is a constantly changing system.
How can Earth’s features be described?
Students will know . . . CONTENT
Students will be able to: PROCESS
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Key Vocabulary: crust, mantle, core,
earthquake, volcano, landslide,
weathering, erosion, rock, mineral, soil,
lava, magma
The surface of Earth is covered mostly
by water.
The Earth is made of three main partsthe crust, the mantle and the core.
The surface of Earth can change
suddenly through landslides, volcanoes
and earthquakes.
The surface of Earth can change
slowly through weathering and erosion.
Rocks can be described by their
physical features (e.g. texture,
hardness, color, luster etc.).
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Predict how a landscape may change.
Infer how a soil sample may have been
formed.
Stage 2: Assessment Evidence
Performance Task(s):
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Summative Unit Project – Students are
placed in the role of geologist. They
are assigned the task of helping
designers build a rock monument at
their park. They must give advice
about where a good place to carve the
monument would be based on varying
challenges. Remember…what’s the
point of building a monument if you do
not have a roadside look out from
where you can see it.
Other Evidence:
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Unit Test
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Exit Passes/Ticket out the door
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Lab “Reports” – Could use prompts for
younger students.
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Journal Entries
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Vocabulary Quizzes
Range of possible challenges based on student
ability:
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Interfering landforms
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Geologic Hazards (Volcanoes,
Earthquakes, Landslides)
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Weather in the area impacting the level
of erosion and/or weathering.
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Stage 3 – Learning Plan
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Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Daily Learning/Assessment Activities:
LEQ: How can Earth’s surface and its interior be described? (W)
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Film Canister Activity – Each student is given a sealed film container with an object inside.
They must guess what is inside without looking. This helps students understand that
some properties of Earth are based on non-visual clues. (H)
Content Discussion on “Describing Earth – Landforms and Layers”
Our Earth is a Big Ball Activity – see attached (E)
The Land We Live On – Learning About Earth’s Crust/Soil Formation Booklet (E)
Alien Soil Lab – Students assess a soil sample and describe what type of planet the
sample may have come from. The teacher can add unusual items to spark students’
imagination. (E, R)
Content Discussion on Earth’s Interior
Hard-Boiled Egg Lab – Compare how the inside of an egg is like the inside of Earth. (E,
E2)
Introduction of Unit Project
LEQ: What are the characteristics of rocks? (W)
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Rock in a Sock Activity – Students place their hand in a sock that has a rock in it and they
describe it in their journal without looking at it. Afterwards, they take the rock out and
describe it once they are looking at it. (H, T)
Rock Reference Booklet (E)
Rock Report- (See Attached) The rocks for this activity can be laid out for students to
choose from or placed in an outside area for students to “discover”. An alternate option
would be to let them choose rocks from their yard or school ground. This would give less
of a variety though. Classmates visit each other to learn about each other’s rocks. (E, R,
T)
Scrambled sentence vocabulary activity (see attached) (R)
LEQ: How do sudden changes occur on the surface of Earth?
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Seismac House of Cards Activity – Students build house of cards and observe on laptops
with seismac software the amount of seismic disturbance it takes to make it collapse. (H)
Internet Scavenger Hunt – Mapping Earth’s Shakes, Tremor Terminology (See attached)
(E)
Science in Motion Video – How a Volcano Forms (E)
Volcano diagram handout for journals (See attached)
Volcano Crossword (R, E2)
Building a mountain lab – Students use materials provided by teacher to build a mountain
and then simulate landslide events. (E, R)
LEQ: What causes slow changes to occur on Earth’s surface?
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Brainpop Video on Weathering and Erosion (H)
Mountain or Molehill Model- Students create a model that will be used for the rest of the
unit to understand weathering and erosion. Each mountain must have a dusting of loose
sand or soil on top. (E)
Glacial Grind Lab – Students use mini glaciers (made the day before and frozen) to
observe how a glacier affects their “mountain”. Observations are recorded in their science
journals (E, R, T)
Erosion experiment- Students use straw to simulate the effects of wind on their
“mountain”. Observations are recorded in their journals. (E, R, T)
Presentation of Unit Projects and Peer Review (R, E2, T)
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Daily Learning/Assessment Activities:
LEQ: How can Earth’s surface and its interior be described? (W)








Film Canister Activity – Each student is given a sealed film container with an object inside.
They must guess what is inside without looking. This helps students understand that
some properties of Earth are based on non-visual clues. (H)
Content Discussion on “Describing Earth – Landforms and Layers”
Our Earth is a Big Ball Activity – see attached (E)
The Land We Live On – Learning About Earth’s Crust/Soil Formation Booklet (E)
Alien Soil Lab – Students assess a soil sample and describe what type of planet the
sample may have come from. The teacher can add unusual items to spark students’
imagination. (E, R)
Content Discussion on Earth’s Interior
Hard-Boiled Egg Lab – Compare how the inside of an egg is like the inside of Earth. (E,
E2)
Introduction of Unit Project
LEQ: What are the characteristics of rocks? (W)




Rock in a Sock Activity – Students place their hand in a sock that has a rock in it and they
describe it in their journal without looking at it. Afterwards, they take the rock out and
describe it once they are looking at it. (H, T)
Rock Reference Booklet (E)
Rock Report- (See Attached) The rocks for this activity can be laid out for students to
choose from or placed in an outside area for students to “discover”. An alternate option
would be to let them choose rocks from their yard or school ground. This would give less
of a variety though. Classmates visit each other to learn about each other’s rocks. (E, R,
T)
Scrambled sentence vocabulary activity (see attached) (R)
LEQ: How do sudden changes occur on the surface of Earth?






Seismac House of Cards Activity – Students build house of cards and observe on laptops
with seismac software the amount of seismic disturbance it takes to make it collapse. (H)
Internet Scavenger Hunt – Mapping Earth’s Shakes, Tremor Terminology (See attached)
(E)
Science in Motion Video – How a Volcano Forms (E)
Volcano diagram handout for journals (See attached)
Volcano Crossword (R, E2)
Building a mountain lab – Students use materials provided by teacher to build a mountain
and then simulate landslide events. (E, R)
LEQ: What causes slow changes to occur on Earth’s surface?





Brainpop Video on Weathering and Erosion (H)
Mountain or Molehill Model- Students create a model that will be used for the rest of the
unit to understand weathering and erosion. Each mountain must have a dusting of loose
sand or soil on top. (E)
Glacial Grind Lab – Students use mini glaciers (made the day before and frozen) to
observe how a glacier affects their “mountain”. Observations are recorded in their science
journals (E, R, T)
Erosion experiment- Students use straw to simulate the effects of wind on their
“mountain”. Observations are recorded in their journals. (E, R, T)
Presentation of Unit Projects and Peer Review (R, E2, T)
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