LESSON PLAN
Name: Yan Yan
Title of lesson: Virtual Tour of Grand Canyon Deeper into the Canyon
Date of lesson: November 14, 2001
Length of lesson:
One 50 min Period
Description of the class:
Name: Eighth Grade Science
Grade level: Eighth Grade
Honors or regular: Stacked classes with both regular and honors
Special needs students:
Hands on in small groups with a variety of activities
Source of the lesson: Foss Earth Science
TEKS addressed:
(8.2) Scientific processes. The student uses scientific inquiry methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:
(A) plan and implement investigative procedures including asking questions, using equipment and technology;
(B) collect data by observing and measuring;
The Lesson:
This lesson is mainly for students to take observation of the Grand Canyon and get an introductory feel of the area. In an excersice at a later date, student will generate a list of questions about the Grand Canyon that they would like to answer in this Unit. The students will be getting on the computer to look at a panoramic view of the Grand Canyon’s size and majestics. They will observe photos to get a look at different views of the Grand Canyon. Observations of the rocks will allow the students to practice observing rocks (like geologists do) so that they will be ready for it in the future lessons.
II. Performance or learner outcomes
Students will be able to:
Generate questions that they would like to find out about the Grand Canyon.
Make observations of rocks and photos of the Grand Canyon.
III. Resources, materials and supplies needed
FOSS Earth History CD ROM. Computers, Rocks (Schist, Hermit Shale, Supai Sandstone, Kaibab Limestone), hand lenses, FOSS Earth History Resource Book
IV. Supplementary materials, handouts.
Teacher Does Student Does
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Engage: Learning Experience Warm Up: What evidence did John Wesley Powell had that inferred Native Americans had lived in the Grand Canyon? Discuss the warm up and guild the students to share their answers Tell students about historic people that have been to the Grand Canyon and mention its size. Tell them about how Spanish explorers looking for the 7 cities of Gold found the Grand Canyon too big of an obstacle to cross. Show students a comparison of the size of the World Trade Center to the Grand Canyon on a transparency. Compare the building to something in their own area that they can compare it to. |
Hoped for student response Students should recall several items from the video yesterday such as meal stones found on rocks, carved out areas on the side of the canyon, and walking trails worn in to the ground With a comparison to their own area, students should get a feel of the size of how big the Grand Canyon is. |
Evaluate
Students would probably be able to come up with their own scale of the height of Grand Canyon, and how many buildings it would take to make up the same height.
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Explore: Learning Experience(s) In their groups, students will make observations of rocks from the Grand Canyon and photos of the Grand Canyon (photo1, photo2, photo3, photo4). They will also take turns to go on the computer for a panoramic view of the Grand Canyon from Pima Point. Instruct the students of taking the observations of the rocks and photos. Instruct them on computer time usage. Allow them to work in groups going around to assist and guild when necessary. |
Hoped for student response Students will take observations of the rocks and may notice that they can rub off. Some may notice that one of the rocks can write like chalk. They will note these in their observations. From the photos, students can see that the Grand Canyon is very big and that a space photo will show that it is around mountains. Students will view all around the Grand Canyon, and will look at hot spots of the Grand Canyon from the CD rom. From that they should be able to generate questions they would like to find out about the Grand Canyon. |
Evaluate
Make sure students have observation sheets filled out and have thoughtful questions about the Grand Canyon.
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Explain: On the next day, show a slide show of the Grand Canyon with different sites of the Grand Canyon. Explain to them how the mile system is used so that rafters could keep track of their location in the Grand Canyon. Answer some of their questions during the slide show. Have students individually write down 5-6 questions they have about the Grand Canyon as they watch the slide show. If students ask a good question about formation during the slide show, remind them is would be a good one to put on their paper. After the slide show, have students discuss their questions at each table, and pick out their best at teach table. |
Hoped for student response Students will watch slideshow and most likely comment on the slides and ask more questions as then watch. Students will discuss their questions and pick out the five they like best to be summitted. |
Evaluate
DPA
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Extend / Elaborate: Learning Experience(s) Compile students’ questions and put it in a list for students to categorize and post in the room. Allow the students to categorize the questions the next day and explain that we will work to find the answers to these lessons for the rest of the unit. Allow students to vote for the group whose categories they like best. |
Hoped for student response Students will work at their tables and discuss how to categorize the questions. After having categorized them and glued them down on paper, students should vote on the group that they would like to see posted. |