S+2.1.1+Lesson+3

= LESSON PLAN = created by:

__Core Objective/Standard__:
__Standard 2__: Students will gain an understanding of Earth and Space Science through the study of earth materials, celestial movement, and weather. __Objective 1__: Investigate the natural world including rock, soil, and water __Indicator a__: Observe, compare, describe, and sort components of soil by size, texture, and color (broken down into two days)

__Student learning objective__:
Students will observe, compare, describe, and sort components of soil by size, texture, and color by sifting various types of soil and comparing the layers (top, middle, and bottom)

__Materials needed__:
Soil sifters (1 per group) Two different kinds of soil (store bought and roadside soil) Magnifying glasses Bags of sifted soil (for both types of soil for day 2 lesson)

__instructions__:
__Day 1:__ Refer to the background section of Look Out, Below for an introduction activity on Day 1. Once the background information has been covered, tell the students that today they will be sifting and observing different types of soil. Their job as scientists is to pay close attention to the different things they notice about the soil as they sift it, and to record what they see on their recording sheets. Encourage them to pay close attention to the size, texture, and color of the soil that they are observing. Divide the students into groups. Hand out the needed materials to groups of students (sifters, recording sheets, bags of soil, paper plates, and magnifying glasses. Demonstrate to the students how to pour the soil into the sifters, and how to divide the soil onto paper plates (one layer of soil per plate). Assist any groups that are struggling with the sifters. Monitor the students as they observe the soil and draw what they see. Once the students have had an opportunity to observe and record what they see, allow groups to share what they notice. Have the listening students compare their drawings to those of their peers, and have a class discussion which leads the class to the conclusion that there are three layers of soil. Identify and label the three layers based on the findings during this lesson.

__Assessment-these may be written, verbal, observations, etc__:
__Day 2:__ Yesterday, we identified the three different layers of soil. We talked a lot about the characteristics of each layer of soil, and drew pictures of each layer as well. Today you have a new science challenge to complete. You are going to be comparing the layers of two different kinds of soil. Your goal is to match the top, middle, and bottom layers of each type of soil (top with top, middle with middle, bottom with bottom).