SETON HILL UNIVERSITY

Lesson Plan Template

TOPIC DETAILS CK

Name Miss. Jessica

Subject Science (Earth Science)

Grade Level 4th grade

Date/Duration 45 minutes; day 3 of Unit Plan

RATIONALE This lesson is to teach my students more about the layers of the Earth.

Standard: 3.3.4.A1 Identify the layers of the Earth

INTRODUCTION Activating Prior Knowledge

I will ask the students to tell me what happened in the book we read, which was Leo
Geo and His Miraculous Journey Through the Center of the Earth. I will ask if they
remember what the layers of the Earth were called.

Hook/Lead-In/Anticipatory Set

I will play a YouTube video called Structure of the Earth | The Dr. Bincos Show |
Educational Videos for Kids. As the video is playing, I will write facts about each layer
on the board under the layer name. These facts will be used in our activity later. The
facts I want pulled from the video are:
Crust: Consists of many rocks, soil; land we walk on; 25 miles; the crust we walk on is
3x thicker than the crust under the oceans
Mantle: made of thick solid rock substance; first 50 miles is made of rigid rocks; next
150 miles made of hot solid rocks; several 100 miles made up of solid and sturdy rock;
1800 miles thick; largest layer
Outer Core: made of super-hot liquid molten or Lava; made of iron and nickel; 3000
miles beneath earths surface
Inner Core: extends 900 miles towards center of Earth; solid core made of iron and
nickel; hottest part of the Earth

EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION Big Idea Statement

The Earths interior has structure.

The Earth is made up of different layers.

Essential Question Statement

What are the layers of the Earth?

What is each layer made up of?
 Objective Statement (Audience, Behavior, Condition, Degree)

The 4th grade students will be able to identify the 4 layers of the Earth by making a flip
book of the Earth with 90% accuracy.
The 4th grade students will be able to recognize features of each of the layers when
asked by the teacher 90% of the time.

Vocabulary
Crust
Mantle
Inner Core
Outer Core
Iron
Nickel
Lava

Transition

I will explain that I have written facts on the board for each layer because they will be
making a flip book of the Earth. I will pass out 4 different colored pieces of construction
paper (green, yellow, orange, and red) to each student, along with scissors.

LESSON PROCEDURE Pre-Assessment of Students

Before we start our activity, I will ask them to tell me the 4 layers of the Earth. I will
also ask them if they remember what the layers are made up of. Then I will go over the
facts from the video with them.

Modeling of the Concept

After they answer, I will show the class my flip book. I will show them how the crust is
first, then the mantle, then the outer core, then the inner core. I will tell them that each
circle represents a layer and they get smaller as the flip book goes on. I will show them
that the crust is green, the mantle is red, the outer core is orange, and the inner core is
yellow.

Guiding the Practice

I will tell them to cut 4 circles out, the biggest from the green, then a smaller red,
smaller orange, and smaller red. I will give them 5 minutes to finish cutting out circles.
Then I will tell them to put the name of each layer and the facts that I have written on
the board for each layer on the corresponding color. I will give them 15 minutes to do
this. After they are finished writing the facts on the layers, I will have them arrange
them in order, and I will check to see if they have it right before we staple the top
together to make it a flip book.
 Providing Independent Practice

After we staple the top, I will have each of the students use an I-pad to find two more
facts about each of the layers. They will write them on their layers. They will have 20
minutes to do this. For Clarke, I will make sure I have her stress ball at her desk. That
way if she gets frustrated she can squeeze that and we may be able to avoid an
outburst. If she has an outburst I will remove her from the environment (out in the
hallway) and I will let her sit outside the door for 5 minutes before I go out and talk to
her.

Transition

Once there is 5 minutes left, I will let the students know. Then I will collect their layers
once the 20 minutes are up. If anyone needs extra time, they can take it home to
complete it, or complete the next day at the beginning of Science.

READING MATERIALS, YouTube Video (Structure of the Earth | The Dr. Bincos Show | Educational Videos for
TECHNOLOGY, AND Kids)
SUPPLIES Computer
Projector
I-pads
Scissors
Yellow, orange, green, red construction paper
Stapler
Whiteboard and markers
1 finished flip book

EVALUATION OF THE Formal Evaluation

LEARNING/MASTERY
OF THE CONCEPT Their flip book will be the formal evaluation. I will look for accuracy and for two
additional facts. I will also have the students tell me which fact they found the most
interesting before they leave for lunch.

Informal Evaluation

This will be the questions I ask throughout the lesson. Such as, what are the layers? And
what are the layers made of?

CLOSURE Summary and Review of the Learning

Before my students leave for lunch, we will go over what we learned about each layer.
Their exit ticket will be to tell me the fact they found most interesting.

Homework/Assignments

To finish their layers if they didnt in class.