Lesson Planning Template
Grade: 8
Learning Area: SS
CAPS:
Name of text:
Earthquakes
Genre: Explanation
Preparing for reading:
Background Knowledge:
Revise what class has already learnt about natural disasters.
Define – DISASTER, NATURAL
Discuss local natural disasters – floods, drought.
Discuss global natural disasters – tsunami, volcano, earthquake, fire, etc
Tell learners you are going to look at a specific natural disaster – earthquakes, and an EXPLANATION on
how they occur.
Summary of the text:
In this text, you will read an explanation of how an earthquake occurs.
First, there is a definition of what an earthquake is. Then you will read about the crust of the earth and the
inside of the earth.
The next section tells you that there are cracks in the crust and what happens when these cracks are
pushed together and then break apart. Then you will read about the vibrations that move outwards from
where the crust is broken. The vibrations cause the earthquake. Lastly, you will read about what the place
where the earthquake starts is called.
Joint Construction
Key words
1. Earthquake- Shaking of the earth – Caused - Pieces
of the crust - Suddenly shift
2. Thin outer layer – cold – brittle – rock – compared
to – hot rock – inside
3. Full – large – small – cracks – faults
4. Two pieces – next to each other – pushed –
different directions –stick together – long time –
eventually – forces pushing – break apart – move
5. Sudden shift – shakes – rock around it –
6. Seismic waves – travel outwards – all directions –
earthquake
7. Underground location – rock first broke apart –
shifted –focus
Example of Joint Construction
An earthquake is when the earth shakes. The
earth has a cold crust on the outside and hot rock
inside. The crust has many cracks in it. Sometimes
pieces of the crust are pushed by forces and they
break apart. When they break, the whole crust
shakes and waves, called seismic waves, travel
outwards.
The place where an earthquake starts is called the
focus of the earthquake.
Comprehension Questions (2 per level)
Literal: (In the text – HERE)
1. What is the place where the earthquake starts called?
2. What is the outside of the earth’s crust like?
Inferential: (Clues in the text – HIDDEN)
3. How does the outside of the earth (crust) differ from the inner core?
4. What pushes the pieces of rock apart?
Interpretive: (Use text as background for drawing conclusions – HEAD/HEART)
5. Why do you think the rocks don’t move all the time?
6. Why do some people live on fault lines?
PHASES
STAGES
what?
PhenoMenon
what?
makes happen
An earthquake is the shaking of the earth caused by pieces of the crust of
doing what?
Explan
-ation
of the
way it
works
what?
what? E
what x2
the Earth that suddenly shift. The crust, the thin outer layer, is mostly cold
E
what?
where?
things that are not right what?
how/where?
Phase 2
where?
large and small cracks called faults. When two pieces that are next to each
do what?
Phase 1
many
and brittle rock compared to the hot rock deeper inside. This crust is full of
what kind x 2?
DefinItion
what?
Phase 3
time words
other get pushed in different directions, they will stick together for a long
in the end
what?
do what?
time (many years), but eventually the forces pushing on them will force
do what x 2?
what?
does what?
them to break apart and move. This sudden shift in the rock shakes all of the
what and where? what? E
rock around it.
where?
Phase 4
technical name do what?
These vibrations, called seismic waves, travel outward in
Phase 5
what? E – location
all directions and are called an earthquake. The underground location where
did what?
technical name
the rock first broke apart or shifted is called the focus of the earthquake.
Phase 6
Text for learners
An earthquake is the shaking of the earth caused by pieces of the crust of the Earth that
suddenly shift. The crust, the thin outer layer, is mostly cold and brittle rock compared to
the hot rock deeper inside. This crust is full of large and small cracks called faults. When
two pieces that are next to each other get pushed in different directions, they will stick
together for a long time (many years), but eventually the forces pushing on them will force
them to break apart and move. This sudden shift in the rock shakes all of the rock around it.
These vibrations, called seismic waves, travel outward in all directions and are called an
earthquake. The underground location where the rock first broke apart or shifted is called
the focus of the earthquake.
INTENSIVE STRATEGIES
DETAILED READING
Prepare Sentence
Cues
Sentence
Elaborations
This part of the sentence tells us that pieces of crust get pushed apart
what?
where?
do what?
Prepare Sentence
Cues
Sentence
Elaborations
It tells us what happens for a long time
what?
do what?
time wordings x2
Prepare Sentence
Cues
Sentence
Elaborations
This tells us that after a long time they will be pushed so much that they have to move
after a long time
what? doing what?
do what?
what x 2?
how/where?
When two pieces that are next to each other get pushed in different directions,
E – different directions
they will stick together for a long time (many years),
E- you don’t have to repeat “crust” – reference E – brackets for explanations
but eventually the forces pushing on them will force them to break apart and move.
E- forces – force (noun and verb)
E- try keeping up pressure and see how things have to give
SENTENCE MAKING
Divide the sentence into wordings (put vertical lines between groups) and then write the cues above each section. Don’t try and do too many sections.
Learners will cut their sentences up as you give the cues, muddle the word groups up and then sort them again. Learners correct themselves.
what?
where?
do what?
where?
do what?
how long x 2/
When two pieces / that are next to each other/ get pushed/ in different directions, /they will stick together /for a long time /(many
something will change long time
what?
do what?
what x 2?
years), /but/ eventually /the forces pushing on them /will force them /to break apart /and move.
SPELLING
Choose words from the sentence to teach spelling. Divide with vertical lines into either: Onset-rhyme, syllables, spelling patterns
1. pie/ces
2. earth/quake
3. di/rec/tions
4. to/gether
5. for/ces
SENTENCE WRITING
Learners rewrite this sentence in a more common-sense way