5E Lesson Plan

Teacher: Tori Adrian and Nicole Payne

Date: 9-28-2015
Subject / grade level: Science/ 5th grade
Materials:
Water bottles (1 per table)
Gravel
Top soil
Dead plant matter
Sand
Water
TEKS
(7) Earth and space. The student knows Earth's surface is constantly changing and consists of useful
resources. The student is expected to:
(A) explore the processes that led to the formation of sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels;
Lesson objective(s):
After creating a sedimentary rock, in an inquiry science experiment, the student will be able to label the parts
of a sedimentary rock and describe the process of fossil fuel formation.
Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs (special needs):
To help a students with a learning disability we would give a supplementary aid, in the form of a graphic
organizer, that explicitly shows the steps of the sedimentary rock to fossil fuel formation, which is
demonstrated in the experiment.
ENGAGE
Good afternoon class! Today we are going on a trip to the lakes, oceans and rivers. Why are we going to this
wonder world of water you might ask? Well I am here to tell you, we are going to see first-hand how
sedimentary rocks are formed and each one of you will get to take one home!
After the engagement students should ask themselves questions such as:
How will we make a sedimentary rock?
What materials wills be used to create a sedimentary rock?
What does water have to do with forming sedimentary rocks?

EXPLORE
Process to Build Sedimentary Layer Model
The students will do the following hands on experiment to build a replicated sedimentary rock:
1. Pour a layer of sand into the empty bottle.
2. Add a layer of topsoil.
3. Insert dead plant material.
4. Add a layer of gravel.
5. Fill the bottle 3/4 full of water.
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5E Lesson Plan
6. Screw on cap and shake the bottle until all contents are mixed together.
7. Set the bottle down and let it sit. Observe and record the results over time.
8. You should observe the ingredients settle to the bottom of the bottle in different layers.
Questions
How does the pressure of layers and water effect the rock?
What causes the particles to fall in layers?
What is the importance of water on sedimentary rock formation?
Does density cause the material to separate?
Why it is important that top soil is used and not another type of soil?

EXPLAIN
Focus on the dead plant mater and describe what is occurring?
Hypothesize what happens when pressure is exerted for a long period of time on the rock.
Consider the effect of the variable of heat on sedimentary rocks? How would this effect the rocks
formation?

ELABORATE
After the experiment, students will be asked to compare and contrast the sedimentary rocks formed in the
experiment with sedimentary rocks formed millions of years ago. This will help students develop a more
sophisticated understanding of the sedimentary rock formation.

Vocabulary
Pressure-exerting a force or pressing; compacting
Density-the amount of matter in a given volume
Sediments- bits of rock, shells, and other remains of plants and animals
Fossil fuels- a nonrenewable resource formed from the remains of prehistoric plants and animals
Top soil- the top layer of soil, often the richest in nutrients for plant growth
Sedimentary rock- rock formed from sediments pressed and compacted together

Connection to daily life:

When is a time that you have used fossil fuels in your everyday life? (Allow for student response)
Teacher explains the importance of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are a non-renewable source of energy that we
use every day in our cars and stoves. Non-renewable resources cannot be recycled, so they must be
conserved. These fossil fuels are formed in sedimentary rocks just like the ones we created today.

EVALUATE
To evaluate the students, we will ask the students to draw a picture of the sedimentary rock they created and
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5E Lesson Plan
label all the parts of the rock to demonstrate their understanding of sedimentary rock formation. After
drawling and labeling a picture the students will write a short description, in groups, explaining how fossil
fuels are formed in sedimentary rocks.

For this assignment Nicole and I sat down together and worked through each part bouncing off of each
others ideas. For the supplies Nicole provided half and I provided half in order to keep the project
even.