Oh the places you’ll go…

Grade 2

A second grade unit on tornadoes based on the California Common Core

Standards that include lessons based on language arts, mathematics, and
social studies.

Mary Scanlon
EDU 300
3.30.16

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 Table of Contents
Cover page……………………………………………………….. Page 1
Rationale………………………………………………………..... Page 3
Content Outline…………………………………………………... Page 4
Concept Map……………………………………………………... Page 5
Lesson Plans:
Language Arts Lesson Plan……………………………… Page 6-8
Mathematics Lesson Plan…………………………......... Page 9-10
Science Lesson Plan…………………………………… Page 11-12
Resources……………………………………………………….. Page 13
Glossary…………………………………………………………. Page 14
Appendix…………………………………………………...... Page 15-22

Rationale

Different landforms are present throughout the vast territory of the United States.
Landforms range from mountains all the way to islands. There are 10 different landforms that
encompass the earth. Landforms consist of mountains, rivers, plains, islands, canyons, deserts,
oceans, lakes, volcanoes, and valleys. Growing up in California, I have had the opportunity of
being surrounded by many of these different landforms. Children are curious and crave to know
more about their surroundings. I believe that exposing children to the different landforms will
have a large effect on the way they view the world and how they treat their environment around
them. Therefore, I chose landforms as my overarching topic for my integrated unit because I
thought it was interesting and engaging for young children.

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 The three lessons in my integrated unit are geared towards a second grade classroom. At
the same time, this unit can either be modified for a younger grade level or can be modified to
engage higher grades.

In order for the students to really grasp the lesson, they need to be introduced to the
different landforms. With the tornado gizmo playing a large factor in this integrated unit, the
students need to understand what a tornado is and where they occur. Students will be introduced
to keywords that relate to landforms and tornadoes through the language arts lesson. Then,
students will be introduced to different measurements and units that relate to tornadoes and
different landforms through the math lesson. Finally, students will attain a better understanding
of tornadoes and motion through the science lesson. Since these lessons involve a lot of previous
knowledge, I would implement this unit towards the end of the school year when my students
have a better grasp with math and science concepts. It is important to note that the language arts
lesson must be addressed first so that the students have an understanding of the language and
material that will be further addressed in the other lesson plans.

Finally, this integrated unit covers a multitude of different subjects that all focus around
one specific topic. It is interesting because, although it may seem like the topic is being too
drawn out, it really does relate to all of these different subjects and can be implemented into
different subject areas as well. I thought it was very helpful choosing a theme and applying it to
all my lesson plans. This integrated unit has potential for future integration into subjects like
history and religion. For instance, one can look at how different landforms and climates affect
different groups of people during different periods of time. Indians might have lived close to
water such as lakes and rivers for easy transportation and trading. This unit could be integrated
into religion courses by seeing what different types of religion linked themselves to the weather
and climate. For example, the Aztecs prayed to the sun god and believed that weather was a way
of either rewarding or punishing them for their good/bad behavior. Overall, there are many
different uses for this lesson and it can benefit any topic or subject matter.
Content Outline

Rationale:

 The rationale breaks down what is present in the lesson and explains it in further
detail. It explains how to follow the unit and what the different lessons address.

Concept Map:

 The concept map is a visual aid to help students and teachers grasp what they are
learning throughout the whole unit.

Language Arts Lesson Plan:

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  Students will learn the different vocabulary associated with this lesson and will
learn how to write a paragraph with correct spelling and punctuation. This lesson
will follow the 6E Model.

Math Lesson Plan:

 Students will learn about different measurements and units that relate to
landforms. They will then be tested on measurements and units at the end of the
lesson. This specific unit follows the Backwards Design Model.

Science Lesson Plan:

 Students will understand where tornadoes occur and where they do not. Students
will understand what happens when a tornado strikes a specific location. Students
will be able to see what happens when a tornado strikes through the Gizmo that
will be presented during the lesson.

Conclusion of the Lesson:

 Each lesson encompasses its own form of assessment (paragraph, test, quizzes,
etc.)

Concept Map

Oh the Places you’ll go…

Language Arts Lesson Math Lesson Plan: ScienceLesson

Science Lesson Plan:
Plan:
Plan: 6E Model Backwards Design Gizmo
Model

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 Learn vocabulary
related to the Students will take a Test to assess
different landforms test to show the student’s
and write a coherent information they knowledge on
paragraph. learned about tornadoes and
measurements and motion.
units.

Social Studies, California State Learning

Standards – People, Places, and Environments

Label from memory a simple map of the North

American continent, including the countries, oceans,
Great Lakes, major rivers, and mountain ranges.
Identify the essential map elements: title, legend,
directional indicator, scale, and date.

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 Exploring Landforms
Mary Scanlon - EDU 300
Early Childhood Education Dual – May 7, 2016

Social Studies, California State Learning Standards:

2.2 Environment – People, Places, and Environments
2. Label from memory a simple map of the North American continent, including the
countries, oceans, Great Lakes, major rivers, and mountain ranges. Identify the essen-
tial map elements: title, legend, directional indicator, scale, and date.

Grade 2 – Language Arts and Vocabulary Skills

1. Objectives:
 Students will be able to define vocabulary words pertaining to the lesson.
 Students will attain a better understanding of the different landforms.
 Students will learn about the differences between these landforms and the words
associated with them.
 Students will be able to write a paragraph about the environment while using
correct grammar/spelling and punctuation.
2. Content Standard (s): Grade 2, Language Arts, Reading and Vocabulary, (California
Common Core Standards)
 W.2. Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use
facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or
section.
3. Motivation (Engagement):
 Students will be asked to recall if they have ever traveled before and if so, what
states/locations they have been to.
 Students will then be asked if they have come across landforms (the 10 landforms
will be introduced in the beginning of class).
 Students should know the ten different landforms in the United States and where
they occur (are present) geographically.
 Then, they will read about the different landforms, where they occur, and what
benefits they have for that particular location.
 Finally, students will write about the different landforms they have seen and the
experiences they have had with the different landforms.

4. Instructional materials:
 Computers, smart board, articles, books, flashcards, notebooks, pens, pencils,
markers, and the Tornado Box (Gizmo).
5. Procedures: This lesson plan will follow the 6E Model
 Class arrives in the morning.
 Students will be introduced to the different types of landforms and the locations
that they occur.

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  Students will be asked to recall any encounters they have had with these different
landforms.
 Writing utensils will be set at tables ready for students to use.
 Landform vocabulary (mountains, rivers, plains, islands, canyons, deserts, oceans,
lakes, volcanoes, valleys) will be presented to each student through the use of a
smart board that gives the definition along with an image of the landform.
 Students will make flashcards of the different vocabulary words and then quiz
themselves and each other.
 Students will learn about where the different landforms occur by watching a short
video that will be presented in class.
 Students will engage and elaborate on different experiences they have had with
the landforms.
 Students will get to see the gizmo and how a tornado occurs and what it does to
the land that surrounds it when it strikes.
 Students will write a paragraph about where the landforms occur, what they are,
and their experiences with them.
6. Classroom Discussion:
 Students will partake in classroom discussion about the different landforms and
the affect they have on a location.
 They will be able to converse with other children about the different landforms
that have seen and the landforms they think exist in their region.
 Classroom discussion will be encouraged.
7. Academic vocabulary:
 Mountains, rivers, plains, islands, canyons, deserts, oceans, lakes, volcanoes,
valleys.
8. Assessment and Evaluation:
 Students will explore/read about the different articles on the Internet, as well as
different books that provide information about the ten landforms.
 Students will understand the meaning of each vocabulary word and will take a
quiz to evaluate their understanding.
 Students will write about the different landforms they have seen and in what
setting they have experienced them.
 Students will illustrate the landforms that they have seen. Students will be tested
on the vocabulary and be graded on the information that they have learned.

Value Added:
1. There are many different articles, magazines, and references found online as well as
in books that provide valuable information about different landforms. One of the main
websites I used was national geographic and National geographic kid.
http://education.nationalgeographic.org/topics/landforms
2. For Universal Design, I would incorporate ways for students with disabilities, English
Language Learners, and students with gifts and talents to all benefit from the lesson
being taught. For students with learning disabilities, I would create a lesson that can

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 be modified to the different needs they have. For instance, if a student were dyslexic,
I would have them scaffold with a student that excels in reading. For English
Language Learners, I would allow them to read the articles in their native language
and then allow them to read it in English so that they understand the concepts being
presented. For gifted and talented students, I would make the lesson a little more
challenging for them by making them choose a landform and do more research on
that specific landform.

Measuring Mother Nature

Mary Scanlon - EDU 300
Early Childhood Education Dual – May 7, 2016

Social Studies, California State Learning Standards:

2.2 Environments – People, Places, and Environments
2. Label from memory a simple map of the North American continent, including the
countries, oceans, Great Lakes, major rivers, and mountain ranges. Identify the essential
map elements: title, legend, directional indicator, scale, and date.

Grade 2 – Mathematics – Measurements and Units

1. Objectives:

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  Students will be able to identity different measurements such as inches, feet,
centimeters, and meters.
 Students will understand the importance of knowing measurements and relating
them to everyday life.
 Students will have a better understanding of measurements and units.
2. Content Standard (s): Grade 2, Measurements and Units, 2.3MD (California Common
Core Standards)
Measure and estimate lengths in standard units
 Estimate lengths using units of inches, feet, centimeters, and meters.
3. Motivation:
 Students will recall the times that they have gotten their measurements taken
either at the doctor’s office or at home.
 They will reflect on how they have grown overtime and how they will continue to
grow until they are adults.
 Students will need to know simple addition and subtraction.
 Students will need to know how to solve word problems.
 Students will need to know how to convert measurements.
 Students will be asked to recall on times they have used measurements in the past.
4. Instructional materials:
 Measuring tape, rulers, yardstick, notebooks, pens, pencils.
5. Procedures:
 Students will come into class where the various measurements and units will be
presented on smart board.
 Students will have rulers, yard sticks, etc. on their desks.
 Students will learn through demonstration about the differences between
centimeters, inches, feet, etc.
 Students will gain knowledge and practice measuring different objects found in
the classroom, such as their desks, chairs, boards, etc.
 Students will then learn about the differences of measurements through a video
that explains the different landforms such as Mount Everest (for example: a
mountain is 1000ft. or taller).
6. Classroom Discussion:
 At the beginning of class, students will discuss what they think centimeters,
inches, and feet are and what make them up.
 Students will be encouraged to discuss their findings of measuring different
objects.
 Students will be asked to engage in discussion about the differences in
measurements and how one should measure different landforms.
7. Academic vocabulary:
 Centimeters, inches, feet, meters, yards, mountains, rivers, plains, islands,
canyons, deserts, oceans, lakes, volcanoes, valleys.
8. Assessment and Evaluation:

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  The lesson will be concluded by students taking a test to show the information
they retained.
 Students will be able to refer back to different measurements in the future and
have a greater understanding of measurements in everyday life when they take a
cumulative test at the end of the semester.

Value Added:
1. There are many different resources online that can help aid teachers in facilitating a
lesson. I looked at many different websites and many of them are very teacher friendly
and can be implemented in the classroom. This website I found can really help spark
ideas when lesson planning.
http://betterlesson.com/community/document/3231045/measurement-graphing-docx
2. For Universal Design for Learning, I would make sure that all my students could
participate in the classroom activities. For instance, if I had a student that was confined to
a wheelchair, I would make sure that student could easily access all materials and
activities that the class was participating in. If I had a student that was deaf, I would make
sure to use assistive technology so that the student could understand what was being
presented in class. Lastly, if I had a student that was blind, I would make sure the student
had a lot of tactile objects so that he/she could understand the information that was being
presented in class.

Tornado Talk

Mary Scanlon – EDU 300

Early Childhood Education Dual – May 7, 2016

Social Studies – California State Learning Standards:

2.2 Environment – People, Places, and Environments
2. Label from memory a simple map of the North American continent, including the countries,
oceans, Great Lakes, major rivers, and mountain ranges. Identify the essential map
elements: title, legend, directional indicator, scale, and date.

Grade 2 – Science – Tornadoes and Movement

1. Objective:
 Students will be able to understand how tornadoes form and where they occur in
relation to different landforms.

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  Students will understand how objects change in motion.
 Students will be able to know the basis of what happens to the surrounding area
when a tornado strikes.
 Students will understand the factors (weather, climate, etc.) that play into a
tornado occurring.
2. Content Standard (s): 2nd grade, Science, Physical Science (California Common Core
Standards)
 1.1.b. Students know an object’s motion can be described by recording the change
in position of the object over time.
3. Motivation:
 Students will need a general understanding of the landforms present in the
United States (specifically a state they choose).
 Students will need to know what a tornado is and how it forms.
 Students will play science trivia to engage in the learning process and understand
what tornadoes are.
 Students will be asked if they have ever seen a tornado or have been near a
tornado that has occurred. If so, they will be asked to share their experiences
with the class and provide valuable information that they have learned.

4. Instructional materials:
 Computers, worksheets, pens, pencils, crayons, markers, notebooks, and Tornado
Gizmo.
5. Procedures:
 Students arrive in the morning.
 Smart board will pull up informational facts on tornadoes, hurricanes, and
twisters.
 Students will be able to differentiate between all three natural disasters.
 Vocabulary will be presented in class (tornadoes, hurricanes, twisters, mountains,
rivers, plains, islands, canyons, deserts, oceans, lakes, volcanoes, valleys, etc.).
 The vocabulary will be presented at different stations where they will learn about
each different word and then they will have a quiz at the end of the different
stations (individually).
 Students will then do the bingo worksheet for a prize.
 Students will engage in talking about different experiences they have had with
these landforms and natural disasters.
 Students will observe the tornado gizmo and see how tornadoes effect landforms.
6. Classroom Discussion:
 Students will converse about the different natural disasters they think exist in their
region.
 Classroom discussion will be encouraged.
7. Academic vocabulary:

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 Tornadoes, hurricanes, twisters, mountains, rivers, plains, islands, canyons,
deserts, oceans, lakes, volcanoes, valleys.
8. Assessment and Evaluation:
 Students will know the meaning of each vocabulary word. They will be assessed
by taking a vocabulary quiz after their different stations.
 Students will observe the tornado gizmo and then have a test where they will give
their opinions about the tornado gizmo.

Value Added:
1. There are many different types of articles and games that display the different types of
landforms and natural disasters. One website that is useful is…
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/science/tornado/#tornado.jpg
2. For Universal Design for Learning, if I had a student with Asperger’s I would have them
complete the lesson and create a model of a town that is used to expecting tornadoes. If I
had a student with speech disabilities, I would pair them with a student that excelled in
vocabulary to help assist them in understanding the vocabulary words. If I had a student
with emotional disabilities, I would put them in a setting that is calming and peaceful
with little commotion and activity so that they can focus on the lesson at hand.
Resources
National Geographic on Landforms:
http://education.nationalgeographic.org/topics/landorms
Measurement worksheet:
http://betterlesson.com/community/document/3231045/measurement-graphing-docx
National Geographic on Natural Disasters:
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/science/tornado/#tornado.jpg
Natural disasters:
https://www.ready.gov/kids/know-the-facts
Types of Landforms:
http://mocomi.com/landforms/
What is a Tornado? :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbXvj1mgPda
Exploring Landforms and Bodies of Water:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsqKTJtK_vw
Tornado Facts and Information:
http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-tornado.htm

Glossary

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Mountain: a natural elevation of the earth’s surface rising more or less abruptly to a summit, and
attaining an altitude greater than that of a hill, usually greater than 2000 ft. (610 meters).
River: a natural stream of water of fairly large size flowing in a definite course or channel or
series of diverging and converging channels.
Plain: an area of land not significantly higher than adjacent areas and with relatively minor
differences in elevation, commonly less than 500 feet (150 meters), within the area.
Island: a tract of land completely surrounded by water, and not large enough to be called a
continent.
Canyon: a deep valley with steep sides, often with a stream flowing through it.
Desert: a region so arid because of little rainfall that it supports only sparse and widely spaced
vegetation or no vegetation at all.
Ocean: the vast body of salt water that covers almost three fourths of the earth's surface.
Lake: a body of fresh or salt water of considerable size, surrounded by land.
Volcano: a vent in the earth's crust through which lava, steam, ashes, etc., are expelled, either
continuously or at irregular intervals.
Valley: an elongated depression between uplands, hills, or mountains, especially one following
the course of a stream.
Tornado: a localized, violently destructive windstorm occurring over land, especially in the
Middle West, and characterized by a long, funnel-shaped cloud extending toward the ground and
made visible by condensation and debris.
Centimeter: one 100th of a meter, equivalent to 0.3937 inch.
Inch: a unit of length, 1/12 (0.0833) foot, equivalent to 2.54 centimeters.
Foot: a unit of length, originally derived from the length of the human foot. It is divided into 12
inches and equal to 30.48 centimeters.
Meter: the fundamental unit of length in the metric system, equivalent to 39.37 U.S. inches.
Yard stick: a stick a yard long, commonly marked with subdivisions, used for measuring.

Definitions taken from www.dictionary.com

Appendix

Language Arts Lesson Plan:

Language Arts Rubric (Pg. 16)

Mathematics Lesson Plan:

Measurement Practice Worksheet (Pg. 17)

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Science Lesson Plan:

Tornado Bingo Card Worksheet (Pg. 18)

Tornado Box Gizmo (Pg. 19-22)

Internet Resources (Pg. 13)

Language Arts Rubric

50 points 30 points 10 points

Punctuation All punctuation is Less than 10 errors. Less than 15 errors
correct with less than 5
errors
Spelling and Grammar No errors in spelling or Less than 5 errors in Less than 10 errors in
grammar grammar grammar
Content and Coherency Paragraph is written Paragraph is not very Paragraph is not
thoughtfully and is coherent but still uses coherent and does not

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 coherent with new vocabulary words and use any vocabulary
vocabulary words incorporates the words
present in the writing information being
learned

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 Tornadoes and Hurricanes Vocabulary Bingo Card Worksheet:

A violent Cyclone Tornado Hurricane The pressure

cyclone or that is created
hurricane by the weight
of the air

Tropical Eye Gulf Stream A mass of Condensation

depression swirling water
that draws
everything
near it

A hurricane The process of Strong gales A tool used to Trade winds

that involves transferring of wind that measure
winds that are heat by the create sudden atmospheric
1310155 miles large tidal waves pressure
per hour movement of
particles that
have been
heated, into a
cooler fluid
area

Tornado Box Gizmo

Purpose

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The purpose of the gizmo is to demonstrate how a tornado is formed and also to show how a
tornado may affect man-made structures.
The tornado box simulates wind shearing, which is the concept that different wind speed and
direction can cause the formation of a tornado. This simulation is generated through specially
placed slits in the sides of a cardboard box and a fan used to suck air through the slits, out of the
box, in turn causing a wind vortex to form. The wind vortex will be visualized by a small amount
of dry ice in warm water at bottom of the box, thereby creating a smoke cloud to show the
airflow within the box.
The Whirlwind game shows how a wind force affects different house designs. It accomplishes
this by allowing the kids to build their own house out of paper and tape and testing their design
in the game.
Material List With Costs
Instructions
Quantity Cost ($) Store
Part 1 - The
1/2 inch Pvc pipe 8ft $3.50 Lowe's Tornado Box
3-way 1/2 in. pvc pipe joint 4 $2.00 Lowe's 1. Cut one
face of
Cardboard box 1 $2.00 Lowe's the box
Role of electrical tape 2 $1.00 Lowe's off.
Poster board 1 $1.00 Lowe's 2. Cut ~½
inch slits
Dry ice 2lbs - $4.00 Kroger in the left
Role of clear tape 1 $2.00 Office Depot of each
side of
Sheet of clear polycarbonate (.005 McMaster-Carr
the box.
inches thick) 1 $2.50 (online)
(See
Fan 2 - - diagram
Bowl 1 - - A for
Stack of copy paper - - -
Total $18.00
measurements and position of slits).
3. Measure the diameter of one of your fans and cut a circle in the top of the the box with
that diameter.
4. Measure and cut the polycarbonate sheet to the same dimensions of the open box face.
5. Cut ~½ slit in the left side of the polycarbonate sheet (See diagram for measurements and
position of slit).
6. Mount polycarbonate sheet to the open face of the box with clear tape.
7. Cut a hatch in one of the sides of the box (see diagram for cut placement).
8. Inspect the box for any hole other than slits specified. If there are any holes seal with
clear tape.
9. Mount fan to the top of the box making sure the fan blows out away from the box.
10. Place bowl of warm water in the center of the box through the hatch.
11. Carefully load dry ice in the warm water.

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 CAUTION: Prolonged exposure to dry ice can cause severe skin damage through
frostbite. When handling dry ice do not touch directly, Use spoon or gloves to
handle.
12. Wait for the dry ice to build up in the bowl and the bottle of the box.
12. Turn on the fan and watch how smoke interacts with the air*.
12. Add more dry ice or warm water as needed.
*If you're having trouble forming a vortex, increase the amount of dry ice or increase the
temperature of the water.

Part 2 - Assembling the Whirlwind Game

1. Assemble the pvc frame (See diagram B).
2. Mount fan so air is blowing down.
3. Measure a circle around the pvc frame (See Diagram B).
4. Ensemble house out of paper and tap.
5. Place paper house in the center of the circle and pvc frame.
6. Turn on the fan a watch how the paper house gets pushed from the center of the circle.
7. Construct different houses with different designs and see how each design differs.

Diagrams

Tornado Box:

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Whirlwind Game: Students will make small homemade houses, out of craft materials, to place
at the bottom on the Gizmo. They are trying to see whose house will last the longest.

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