Rock Cycle Lesson Plan: 4th Grade

http://www.mrsmathishomeroom.com/2015/05/starburst-rock-cycle.html

NGSS Standard:

4-ESS1-1. Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers to support an explanation for changes in a landscape over time.

·      Start lab with three different centers to classify the types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Students can take notes and draw pictures in a journal about the characteristics of the different rocks and any patterns that they see.

·      Creation of a sedimentary rock using Starburst candies – cut up three candies with scissors into tiny pieces or into quarters. Then, press the “sediments” together to make a sedimentary rock.

·      Next, create “metamorphic” rocks by having the students hold their “rocks” in their hands and blow on them. The candy begins to warm and then students can fold their “rocks” a few times, creating “metamorphic” rocks.

·      Teacher can demonstrate “igneous” rock by melting the Starburst candies in the microwave – teacher demonstration rather than independent student practice.

·      To conclude the lesson, the teacher can lead a whole-class discussion about how the rock cycle causes rocks to change over time and how these changes affect the landscape.

Pedagogical Reflection

            The Starburst Rock Cycle lesson is great for students because it is hands-on and gives students the opportunity to visualize the changing of “rocks” over time. First, the students are able to form an understanding of different rocks by investigating igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks at different centers. Then, they have the opportunity to actually create these “rocks” using Starburst candies. Students create the rocks one-by-one and show how they change throughout the cycle. I would not change the hands-on part of the lesson – as a former elementary school student, a hands-on activity like this would have allowed me to grasp the idea of a rock cycle very clearly. However, I would definitely have the students take notes during the investigation of the different rocks at the beginning of the lesson. It is important that the students write down observations and make drawings in a notebook of what they see throughout the experiment. In addition, I would conclude the lesson with a whole-class discussion about the rock cycle and how it affects changes in the landscape over time. This gives students a chance to reflect on what they have learned and think about the rock cycle more broadly.

Assessment:

·      Students will be assessed through a lab report that…

o   Explains observations about the rock investigation and rock cycle experiment.

o   Includes drawings of the types of rocks and the changes throughout the cycle.

o   Includes discussion of the materials used.

o   Demonstrates understanding of the scientific concepts used in the experiment.

Rubric

Investigative Earth Science Lessons (K-2)

1.     Rocks, Rocks, Everywhere – 2^nd Grade

http://www.education.com/lesson-plan/rocks-rocks-everywhere/

·      Pros

o   Introduces 3 different types of rocks to students and helps them to differentiate between the 3 types.

o   Lesson is hands-on and students get to work with the 3 different types of rocks.

·      Cons

o   Great additional activity for creating an actual rock, but takes two days.

o   Students paint the different rocks – is there meaning behind painting the rocks? Could that part of the lesson be changed?

2.     Our Solar System: Turning Around – 2^nd Grade

http://www.education.com/lesson-plan/turning-around/

·      Pros

o   Interactive modeling helps students to visualize the parts of the solar system and the motion of the planets.

o   Independent work is age-appropriate and helps students to remember the parts of the solar system.

·      Cons

o   Might be too much information to give students in one lesson – we do not want to bombard students with information.

o   Another independent work activity might work better in the lesson.

3.     The Earth’s Water Cycle – K/1^st Grade

http://www.education.com/lesson-plan/the-water-cycle/

·      Pros

o   Age-appropriate activities, explanations, and modeling that help students to understand the water cycle.

o   Students can learn the water cycle by singing the Water Cycle Song!

·      Cons

o   Water cycle diagram might be confusing for students.

o   The Water Cycle Song has the lyrics but does not have a voice singing the lyrics – perhaps choose another video with someone singing to help with modeling.

What is a rock?

A rock is a solid object that is made from pieces of the earth. You decide if something is a rock based on its composition and its origin. Rocks come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and compositions. After careful consideration of the options on the probe, I believe that all of the options are rocks. At first, I ruled out the man-made objects, but then second-guessed that decision: despite being man-made, these objects still originate from pieces of the earth. I was also quick to rule out objects that were not round or circular, but then decided that a rock does not have to be round or circular to be a rock. My reasoning points to my original definition of a rock -- it originates from pieces of the earth and can be a variety of compositions, sizes, and shapes.

MOSART Video Response

As I completed the four tutorials on the MOSART site, I found the video, "How Does the Heart Work," to be very interesting. Many students in the class had misconceptions on how the heart actually works. While many of the students had heard of veins, arteries, and how the heart beats or pounds, they did not have a firm understanding of those concepts. The student teacher, Sara Bayer, asked the second graders to explain their ideas to her. She asked students to explain why they drew the heart the way that they did and to elaborate on what they know about the heart. After students told her their understandings of the concepts, she asked them where they had heard those ideas and where those ideas came from. Many of the students mentioned that older siblings had told them about the heart and how it works, which actually promoted the students' misconceptions. By understanding where the misconceptions came from, Sara was able to create meaningful lessons that focused on changing the misconceptions and answering questions that students asked during the interviews.

As I watched the video, I began to consider what I know about the heart. While I still do not have a full understanding of how the heart works, I could answer many of the questions that the second graders could not. Did I have misconceptions that my teachers were able to change when I took a human biology course during freshman year? Probably! I think it is important to consider where students discover their misconceptions. By understanding where the misconceptions come from, teachers can plan lessons in ways that best help students to learn. Meaningful lessons can clear up misconceptions and help teachers and students move forward with the curriculum.

Sweater Article Response

The article, Teaching for Conceptual Change: Confronting Children's Experience, was both eye-opening and relatable. The constructivist model of teaching is beneficial because it allows children to construct knowledge through experience and through the creation of various hypotheses. However, this model of teaching is a slower process and, consequently, not as much material can be covered. On the other hand, many teachers simply teach the curriculum -- they cover the material rather than allow students to discover through experience and hypotheses. I can relate to this form of teaching. When I was in elementary school, many of my teachers taught for memorization and testing. As young students, we learned to memorize facts and ideas solely for the purpose of passing a test. Once the test was over, the facts and ideas would be forgotten.

In the article, Deb O'Brien teaches a science lesson about heat for "conceptual change." According to Watson and Konicek, "Her students, allowed to examine their own experiences, must confront the inconsistencies in their theories. In the process they find the path toward a deeper understanding of heat, have a great time with science, and refine their thinking and writing skills" (1990, pg. 35-36). As she taught for "conceptual change," she found the process to be slow. The children would not surrender their own ideas about how heat works. There are a few different strategies that can help teachers to overcome obstacles related to teaching for "conceptual change." The strategies include: stressing relevance, making predictions, and stressing consistency. In my future classroom, I will connect new concepts to my students' everyday lives, I will let my students make predictions and reflect on those predictions, and I will teach my students how to confront inconsistencies within their thought processes. In my future classroom, I will teach for understanding, not for memorization.

Solar System

My best understandings about...

1. How the phases of the moon occur... As Earth rotates around the sun, the moon rotates around Earth. The phases are formed by how much sunlight hits the moon as it rotates around Earth.

2. What causes the seasons... Seasons are caused by Earth's tilt. Earth rotates around the sun at the same angle. As Earth rotates around the sun, seasons are formed.

3. What causes a lunar eclipse... A lunar eclipse is caused by the alignment of the sun, Earth, and the moon. 

Misconceptions Die Hard Response

As I read the article, Misconceptions Die Hard, I was astonished to hear that there was very little difference in understanding of sink/float concepts for students in various age groups (elementary school, junior high, and college). While understanding of concepts did not progress through academic levels, the terminology did. The older students used more advanced terminology when describing the concepts, whereas younger students described the concepts in simpler terms. While terminology is important, students need to have an understanding of the concepts behind the terminology. As a future elementary education teacher, it is alarming to see how students can form misconceptions so early on in the educational system. Once misconceptions are formed, they can become impossible to break. Stepans, Beiswenger, and Dyche write, "Some students simply reject explanations that are in conflict with their beliefs or that they do not understand. They opt to retain a misconception that makes sense to them" (1986, pg. 65). These misconceptions become ingrained in the student's mind. 

Educators have the opportunity to prevent these misconceptions early on. I am interested in teaching kindergarten someday. I do not want my early elementary students to carry misconceptions with them throughout their schooling. As a future teacher, I will utilize pre-assessments in my classroom. These assessments can be done as an entire class, in small groups, or individually. For example, before starting a new science unit, my students and I can sit together and discuss what we already know about the unit. This will allow me to evaluate what my students know and understand about certain concepts. I will then be able to create lessons that will best help my students to learn. Hopefully, by utilizing a variety of techniques in my classroom, I will be able to prevent or break down any misconceptions that my students may have about science concepts.