Essential Question: How does the Earth’s surface change over time?
S5-6:46-47
Lesson 1: Field Trip to Shelburne Farms for the “Rocks Rock” program
Students will spend the day at Shelburne Farms where Farm staff will engage them in activities
introducing them to the concepts of the rock cycle, and the formation of the Lake Champlain and the
Green and Adirondack Mountains.
Learning Outcomes: Students actively participate in activities that allow them to think about geology
and how the earth changes.
Assessment Plan: Informal observation of student participation in field trip activities
Lesson 2: Reflecting on our Day
Students will write in their science journals about their day at Shelburne Farms. Students will then rotate
through stations with their groups charting ideas from their journals and what they remember from the
trip on chart paper labeled “I Wonder”, “Opinions”, “Vermont”, and “Rocks and Minerals.” A fifth
station will be an opportunity for students to share their journal reflections with their group.
Learning Outcomes: Students write and/or articulate what they learned from their trip to Shelburne
Farms as it relates to geology and Vermont AND what they are still wondering about.
Assessment Plan: Chart paper and student journals
Lesson 3: The History of Lake Champlain- A Visual Lecture
Teacher will use animations of plate tectonics, glacial retreat, and maps of Lake VT, Champlain Sea,
and Lake Champlain to help to students better understand to formation of the Champlain, from the
ancient Iaepetus Sea to present day.
Learning Outcomes: Students will understand the progression of Lake Champlain from the Iaepetus Sea
to present day. Students will understand that change happens in cycles and what is here now may
someday change.
Assessment Plan: Exit Card and student journals
Lesson 4: Creating our Geological Timeline and “Walk the Big Walk”
Part One: Students will be given two sets of signs. One set will have the names of major geologic events
relevant to VT’s geologic history. The other set will have number of years ago that these events
occurred. Students will need to draw upon what they’ve learned so far and work as a class to match the
cards and put them in order.
Part Two: Students will be assigned to the different events and as a class we will create a walking
timeline with a predetermined scale. A class discussion and journal entry will follow this activity.
Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to put geological events in chronological order. Students will
understand that in the history of all the earth, recent geological changes represent only a tiny fraction of
time.
Assessment Plan: Observation of ordering activity, listening to student discussion. Students journals
Lesson 5: Rapid Changes
Students will read a section from their textbooks about changes that can on the Earths’ surface rapidly,
such as volcanoes, earthquakes and, mass wasting. Students will work on questions that go with the text.
Learning Outcomes: Students will understand that some changes to the Earth’s surface occur rapidly,
such as volcanoes, earthquakes and, mass wasting.
Assessment Plan: Written responses to questions
Lesson 6: Volcano and Earthquake Poetry
Students will write and illustrate a poem using the vocabulary learned about volcanoes and earthquakes.
Learning Outcomes: Students express their understanding of vocabulary terms using poetry.
Assessment Plan: Student poems
Lesson 7: Read about mountains forming, glaciers, weathering, and erosion
Students will read a section from their textbooks about changes that can on the Earths’ surface slowly,
such as mountains forming, glaciers, weathering, and erosion. Students will work on questions that go
with the text.
Learning Outcomes: Students will understand that while some change to the earth happen rapidly, others
happen very slowly.
Assessment Plan: Written responses to questions
Lesson 8: Weathering Lab
Students will visit different stations, explore materials, and think about ways that different types of
weathering can affect the earth’s surface. Stations will be set up to explore grinding, acid rain, and water
damage. Students will spend time at each station and write in their journals before moving on.
Learning Outcomes: Students will manipulate materials to simulate different types of weathering.
Students will understand that different types of weathering can change the surface of the earth.
Assessment Plan: Student journal entries, student handouts
Lesson 9:Brain Pop Video-Glaciers
Students will watch a short video (3 mins) about glaciers on Brain Pop and will complete graphic
organizers and key features and vocabulary.
Learning Outcomes: Students have basic understand of how glaciers are formed and how they move.
Assessment plan: Graphic organizers
Lesson 10:Glacial Grind
Students will be given a glacier (sandy ice cube) and a sheet of aluminum foil to investigate how
glaciers affect the land. When students drag the ice cube on the foil it will leave striations in the foil. As
the ice cube melts, it will deposit sand and pebbles on the foil. Students will record observations in lab
notebooks.
Students will later be given pictures of glacial striation and a glacial erratic to glue into their lab
notebooks. They will be asked to think about the lab hypothesize how each picture might be related to a
glacier.
Learning Outcomes: Students will understand that glaciers leave striations and deposit materials as they
move across the land.
Assessment Plan: Student journals
Culminating Assessments
I.
Quiz- Changes over Time- This quiz will hold students responsible for material covered in
our book, as well as additional vocabulary and ideas addressed through notes, worksheets,
and handouts. It will address the big idea the geological changes can happen rapidly or
slowly.
II.
A Creation Myth- Students were read the Ojihozo creation myth as one story about how Lake
Champlain was formed. They will be asked to write their own creation myth to explain a
geological change. They will also write how they geological change actually occurred.
Students will be assessed (rubric) on their ability to both creatively and accurately depict a
geological change.