KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Candidate:

Erin Dougherty

Date: 4/14/2015

Cooperating Teacher: Professor Varano

Coop. Initials

Group Size:

Allotted Time: 40 minutes

Grade Level 4th

Water Pollution

Section

20

Subject or Topic:

STANDARD:
S4.B.3.3.5: Describe the effects of pollution (e.g., litter) in the community.
I. Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes):
A. Fourth grade students will examine what happens when pollution enters the
different water systems (oceans, lakes, rivers).
II. Instructional Materials
A. Egg carton
B. Flax seed meal or other powdery material
C. Food coloring
D. Tray
E. Napkin
F. Water
G. Water Pollution for Kids YouTube video
H. BrainPop Worksheet (attached)
I. Why Worry About Water SmartExchange
J. Inquiry worksheet (attached)
III. Subject Matter/Content (prerequisite skills, key vocabulary, big idea, outline of
additional content)
A. Prerequisite skills
1. Students should have a basic understanding of how humans can
affect their environment.
B. Key Vocabulary
1. Water Cycle- the cycle of processes by which water circulates
between the earths oceans, atmosphere, and land, involving
precipitation as rain and snow, drainage in streams and rivers, and
returns to the atmosphere by evaporation and transpiration

2. Pollution- the presence in or introduction into the environment of a

substance or thing that has harmful or poisonous effects
3. Recycle- convert waste into reusable material
4. Oil Spill- the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the
environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a
form of pollution
5. Litter- trash, such as paper, cans, and bottles, that is left lying in an
open or public place
6. Pesticides- a substance used for destroying insects or other
organisms harmful to cultivated plants or to animals
C. Big Idea
1. The students will understand the effects pollution has on water
systems.
IV. Implementation
A. Introduction
1. The teacher will have the students discuss in their small groups about
the importance of water and how they use it in their daily lives
2. The teacher will show the YouTube video Water Pollution for Kids
to the class to introduce the topic
B. Development
1. The teacher will use the Why Worry About Water Smart Exchange
Smart Board Activity
2. The teacher will ask the students what are some things they use
water for
a) The students will come up to the white board and right their
ideas on the space provided
3. The teacher will ask the students to how important water is to certain
living thing and then they will categorize certain words in the Venn
Diagram
a) Fish- Moving (swimming) and breathing
b) Bear-drinking
c) Bear and Tree- cooling off
d) All three- Growing and eating (food)
4. Students will pop the balloons to find living creates that are affected
by water pollution
a) Sometimes swallows trash in water and gets stuck in fishing
nets- Turtle
b) Absorbs water pollution and looses habitat to invasive speciesMuscles (Clams)
c) Absorbs water pollution through skin. Causes deformitiesFrogs
d) Oil spills and contaminated fish are a big problem for this birdPenguin

C.

D.
E.
F.

G.

e) Absorbs water pollution and sunlight blocked by dirty water

5. The teacher will take a poll by the show of hands, asking the class if
they think we have unlimited supply of water
a) Answer- No, Water is recycled in a process called the water
cycle. No new water is ever created.
6. The teacher will then demonstrate how much the Earth is covered in
water, how much is fresh water, and how much water is frozen
a) 75% of the Earth is covered in water
b) 3% of the Earths water is fresh
c) 1% of the water on Earth is available
7. The teacher will ask the students to decide to sort terms into two
categories- Protects water and what Harms water
The teacher will introduce the inquiry the students will be doing, handing out
the supplies they will need.
1. Egg Carton
2. Flax seed meal
3. Food coloring
4. Tray
5. Napkin
6. Water
The students will need to fill their egg cartons with water
The teacher will need to bring to the students attention that the cups in the egg
carton are like waterways- creeks run into rivers, rivers run into lakes and
oceans
The teacher will explain how that when trash is thrown into a river, it will be
carried to other places.
1. Take the flax seed and pour it into one of the egg cups
a) Need enough amount of flax seed to see an effect
2. Take the food coloring and add a few drops to a different cup and
watch the color spread throughout the egg carton
The water in the egg carton may leak if sat long enough
1. The polluted water doesnt stay in the lakes, rivers, or oceans. It will
seep into the ground and spread.

H. Closure
1. The teacher will show the picture of a turtle stuck in a plastic rings
2. The teacher will have the students to examine the picture and they
will complete the worksheet provided answering the following
questions
a) Form a hypothesis to explain Peanuts deformed shape
b) What makes plastic six-pack rings particularly dangerous to
birds and aquatic creatures?

c) How might Peanuts fate have been different if humans had not
discovered her? Give reasons to support your answer
d) Think of three ways to reduce the damage caused by discarded
six-packs rings and other manmade waste products.
I. Accommodations/Differentiation
1. Students with visual disability will have a worksheet with bigger
sized font, and will work with their group members to complete the
assignment
J. Assessment/Evaluation Plan
1. Formative
a) The teacher will collect the Brain Pop worksheet and the
Inquiry worksheet
2. Summative
a) There will be a test at the end of the unit

V. Reflective Response
A. Report of Student Performance in Terms of Stated Objectives (Reflection on
student performance written after lesson is taught, includes remediation for
students who fail to meet acceptable level of achievement)

Remediation Plan

B. Personal Reflection (Questions written before lesson is taught. Reflective

answers to question recorded after lesson is taught)
1. Do the students need more time?

2. How could this lesson be improved?

3. Did the students comprehend the material that was presented?

VI. Resources (in APA format)

Water Pollution for Kids YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93BqLewm3bA
Why Worry About Water? Smart exchange:
http://express.smarttech.com/?
url=http://exchangedownloads.smarttech.com/public/content/68/683bcc68-6fa8-4ae7bc39-488f9c0121b9/Water%20Earth%20Day%20Contest.notebook#
Inquiry:
http://www.mudhutmama.com/water-pollution-for-kids-science-experiment/
Brain Pop Worksheet/Picture
https://www.brainpop.com/science/ourfragileenvironment/waterpollution/activity/