1

ASSURE Model Instructional Plan

Discover the Grand Canyon
4th Grade
Science Geology / Earth Science Unit
Lesson length: 60 minutes, or one class period
Analyze Learners
Total number of students: 24
Male students: 14
Female students: 10
Students with low learning skills: 2
ESL Student: 1
Hearing Impaired: 1
SPL IEP: 3
Visual/Spatial learners: 44%
Kinesthetic learners 28%
Verbal/linguistic learners 20%
Interpersonal learners 6%
Logical/Mathematical: 2%
State Objectives
SOL 4.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and
the nature of science by planning and investigating.
SOL 4.1a distinctions are made among observations, conclusions, inferences, and
predictions.
SOL 4.1h hypotheses are developed as caused and effect relationships are formed.
SOL 4.9 The students will investigate and understand important natural resources.
SOL 4.9a watersheds and water resources.
SOL 4.9c minerals, rocks, ores, and energy sources.
Select Media, Materials, and Methods
Media:
Computer Lab with google earth downloaded or the plugin installed.

Materials:
Notebooks
Pencils
Color Pencils

Blank copy paper

Grand Canyon books
Pictures of the Colorado River running through the Canyon

2
Map with the different levels of the Canyon marked from different time periods showing the
Colorado River getting lower and lower.
Methods
- Teacher opens topic of the Grand Canyon by asking students to guess where it is located
and see what thoughts they have for why the Canyon formed. After, have them record their
own answers in their notebooks. This is their hypothesis.
- Have the students go to their computer station to pull up Google Earth and pull up street
view of the Grand Canyon. Have the students explore for a little while making observations
and investigating their theories about why the Canyon looks the way it does. Give them 15
-20 minutes. This is where they gather evidence.
Small group centers (five minutes at each center)
One group with books about the Grand Canyon.
One group with maps of the Colorado River running through the Canyon
One group with maps of the different levels of the Canyon marked from different time
periods.
Come together for the last 10 15 minutes to discuss new ideas and theories on how it
happened and give their evidence. Give helpful hints and explain how the Canyon was
formed.
Utilize Media, Materials, and Methods
Media:
Computer Classroom with Google Earth This allows for each student to explore at their
own pace. This also allows for students who have visual impairments to zoom in or go as
slowly as they need to so that they can formulate their own theories as easy as the other
students can. This also is helpful for students with hearing impairments or students who
have difficulties understanding English.
Materials:
Notebooks They can write their theories, thoughts, and questions. They can also write
their facts and observations down.
Blank copy paper They can sketch what they observe.
Pencils To write in their notebooks with.
Grand Canyon books The students can use this to finds facts and information about the
Grand Canyon. This also teaches students to research and find information for themselves.
From the information, they find in the book, they can infer and reason how the Grand
Canyon was made.
Color Pencils To help color the different layers of the Grand Canyon and help students
identify that there are multiple layers.
Pictures of the Colorado River running through the Canyon This is a hint to the students
as to what possibly could have caused the Canyon to form.
Map with the different levels of the Canyon marked from different time periods showing the
Colorado River getting lower and lower These can be used to show that over time the

3
Grand Canyon is getting lower and lower. This is another hint to the students.
Methods:
One group with books about the Grand Canyon.
o This is to teach students to research on their own and collaborate with each
other like real scientist do. Students can look by themselves to find any
information on how the Grand Canyon was created. Once they have an idea
they can speak to one another.
One group with maps of the Colorado River running through the Canyon
o These various maps will teach students to observe and interpret what they are
seeing. This also allows for student to use their imagination.
One group with maps of the different levels of the Canyon marked from different time
periods.
o This allows for students to observe that over time there has been changes to
the Canyon. They can interpret what this might mean for the canyon.
Require Learner Participation
Opening Questions
The class will be guided by the teacher at the beginning of the lesson to ask questions and
give answers. The students must be active listeners to hear what others are saying and
what the teacher is prompting. They also need to be engaged to give their thoughts and ask
questions about the Grand Canyon they might not be sure about.
Personal Investigation
The class will be self-moving during this portion. The students will need to use their
computer skills to navigate through the Grand Canyon. They will also use their pencils to
write down their observations and the color pencils to sketch what they are seeing in the
layers of the Canyon and the river down below. Once the time is up, the students will go to
their small station to make sense of these observations and notes.
Small Group Center Activities:
The class will work in groups of four to collaborate on each center activity. Each center
rotation will last five minutes.
Book Center The book center is to help those who are visual and logical learners
make sense of the assignment. This is a key part of the lesson because they are
learning to research, infer, and use their own critical thinking skills to answer their
own questions. They will need to be actively participating in this portion to speak to
their classmates to share and discuss their findings.
Maps of the Colorado River This is a hint to the students who are more visual,
imagination, and logical because they need to use all three to interpret what they are
looking at. These pictures can also help students realize how deep the canyon is and
that there is water running through the bottom of the canyon if they did not see it
during their own research. The students will need to be actively listening and

engaged with their classmates to listen what they are observing and help their ideas
grow with their own findings.
Maps of different years This is another hint for the students. They will need to
investigate and observe that as the river gets lower that the Canyon gets deeper.
They must critically think about this as well. To be engaged in this one the students
need to observe and share what they think about what is happening in the photos.

Evaluate & Revise

Student Performance:
The students will be evaluated on their participation. The teacher will be walking around the
classroom to listen in on the conversations to hear if they are engaged with the discussion
or if they are not involved at all. This is a lesson to teach students skills they will need as a
scientist and as a person not a lesson to test what they know. This is a formative
assessment with a summative assessment coming after a lesson going further into how
water can destroy the rocks around them and how objects can be made from the force.
Instructor Performance:
The instructor can be sure that the lesson was successful by the end of the lesson if the
students can give evidence of their hypothesis, even if it was not exactly right. This lesson
was to introduce the Grand Canyon and the effects of water as well as teaching the
students how to think and act like a scientist. There is no reason to expect all the students
to provide the right answers from looking at pictures and having a small bit of information.
Media Performance:
The media used was a way for the students to access something they might not be able to
view on their own. Google Earth allows the students to see all sorts of sights that not many
are able to as well because of the dangers they pose and the training they might need to
see them as well.