5th Grade Science

Standards:
Day 1 and Day 2
Objectives: Students will:
1. investigate water flow over earth materials in a stream table.
2. observe the processes of erosion, deposition, and stream flow.
3. relate the processes they observe in the stream table to the processes that created
the Grand Canyon.
4. use scientific thinking processes to conduct investigations and build explanation:
observing, communicating, comparing, organizing, and relating.
Getting Journal Entry: What happens when water flow over earth materials?
Started:
Word Bank: erosion, deposition, landform, delta, alluvial vans, canyon, plateau, sediments, basin,
drainage basin, channel, and meander
Lessons: Teacher will explain the scientist use models to build simulations to help them understand
systems that are too large or complicated to investigate easily and that they are going to
become earth scientists studying a model of a world famous landforms.

Students will observe the processes of erosion and deposition and become familiar with the
landforms created in the stream tables. They will answer the following and record answers
in their journals.
1. How does water play a part in shaping the landforms?
2. What is the wearing away of earth called?
3. What is eroded material that has settled called?
4. What are some landforms results from running water?
Day 3 and Day 4
Getting Journal Entry: How fast does the Colorado River flow?
Started:
Word Bank: alluvial vans, dam, flash flood, flood, floodplain, levee, and slope
Objectives: Students will:
1. observe and measure the results of stream-table investigations.
2. find the effect of slope and floods on erosion and deposition.
3. relate the stream-table results to natural processes.
4. use scientific thinking processes to conduct investigations and build explanation:
observing, communicating, comparing, organizing, and relating.

Students will observe and discuss the variables that affect erosion and deposition-slope of
the land and the rate of flow. They will also record events and map the results. They will
answer the following questions and record answers in their journals.
1. Does the slope of the land over which a river flows affect the processes of erosion
and deposition? How?
2. During flooding, the rate of erosion and deposition increase or decrease? Why?
3. Do humans have an affect on the processes of erosion and deposition? How?
Technology Students will record and take pictures of their stream table which will be used to create a
media clip.
Materials: Foss Stream Table Investigation Kit, map, vocabulary poster, journals, newspaper, paper
towels, Picture of the Grand Canyon, flip video, and camera.
Assessment: Journals, Lab Investigation, Participation, Activity Sheets, and End of Unit Assessment.
Homework: Activity Sheet will be given each day.
 4th Grade Science
Standards: 4-3.7 Interpret the change in the length of shadow during the day in relation to the
Four Day
Objectives: Students will:
1. identify sequences and cycles of natural events connected to their daily lives.
2. predict at what time of the day their shadow will be the longest and shortest.
3. measure their shadows at different times for the day?
Getting Journal Entry: Brainstorm-what is a shadow?
Started:
Word Bank: Shadow, axis, altitude, equinox, horizon, latitude, revolution, rotation, and solstice
Lessons: Tracking the Sun: At the beginning of class, the teacher will go outside and pick out an
identifiable, readily visible object in the landscape. Examples include a flagpole, a
prominent tree, or a building. The class will use this object as a reference point to describe
the position of the Sun.

Near the end of class, the class will back outside and describe how the position of the Sun
has changed. Teacher will discuss the students’ observations about how the Sun could be
used to tell time.

Teacher will pass out the Student Exploration sheets and ask students to complete the Prior
Knowledge Questions. Teacher will discuss student answers as a class, but will not provide
correct answers at this point.

Students will work individually or in small groups. They will work through the activities
in the Student Exploration using Gizmo. Students will build their own sundials to be used
later during the week.

Activity A: Days, Months, and Years-What astronomical events coincide with the
passage of a day, month, or year?
Activity B: Sun’s Path-What causes the Sun to appear to move in a path across the sky?
Activity C: Sunrise and Sunset Times-What factors affect sunrise and sunset times?

Materials: Gizmo-Seasons: Earth, Moon, and Sun, computer, and journal

Assessment: Journals, Lab Investigation, Participation, Activity Sheets, and Gizmo Assessment
Homework: Activity Sheet will be given each day.