What Makes 'Em Move: By Water or Air

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  General Lesson Plan

• Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?

  
  
  1. Students will read two informational text articles and use them to answer the question, How do water (hydro) and air (wind) renewable resource energy sources compare?
  2. Students will complete a graphic organizer Double Circle Template (Answer Key) the information from the two informational texts.
  3. Students will describe the difference and similarity between harnessing energy by air (wind) and by water (hydro).
  4. Access Point: Students will organize machines if they transfer energy by air (wind) or water (hydro).

• Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?

  
  
  1. Access and search internet.
  2. Double Bubble thinking map.
  3. Energy makes things move.

• Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?

  
  
  1. What are the differences transferring energy between water and air renewable sources?
  2. What are the similarities transferring energy between water and air renewable sources?
  3. Why do we read multiple texts?
  4. What have you learned about your natural world?
  5. Access Points: What machines move by water energy?
  6. Access Points: What machines move by air energy?

• Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?

  
  

  I do/Know: (10min)

  1. Teacher will review vocabulary:
  2. Teacher will model labeling the main two bubbles: one WATER, other AIR and what a double circle graphic organizer is for: To compare similarities and contrast differences between two ideas.
  3. Teacher will read first and last paragraph of article (Elementary Energy Infobook page 16- approx. lexile 830) and model placing specific details for both in joining circles, air only details in circles attached to AIR and water only details in circles attached to WATER. Teacher might highlight facts s/he pulls to guide students tracking on overhead. Students might use highlighters or underline within the text also when they complete guided practice. (The second parts of page 16 and 28 are good background and deeper information about water energy using gravity and wind produced by geographic location and solar energy. While great additional information and scientific understanding, those paragraphs are not necessary for this lesson and could be used for additional lessons.)
  4. Teacher will read the first paragraph of the other article (Elementary Energy Infobook page 28- aprox. lexile 830) and model placing specific details for both in joining circles, air only details in bubbles attached to AIR and water only details in circles attached to WATER. Teacher might highlight facts s/he pulls to guide students tracking on overhead. Students might use highlighters or underline within the text also when they complete guided practice.
  5. Teacher will model labeling the detail with the short cite (just the page number, note that the authors are on the page 2 of the booklet and were a collaboration).
  6. Access Point: Teacher will model placing one machine in one circle for AIR and one for WATER.

• Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher guidance?

  
  

  We do/Understand: (15min)

  1. Students will label water as hydro and air as wind.
  2. Students will read first article together page 17.
  3. Students will identify and copy comparisons in the circles that join AIR and WATER.
  4. Students will identify and copy contrasts for air in circles that only attach to AIR.
  5. Students will identify and copy contrasts for water in circles that only attach to WATER.
  6. Access Point: Student will continue matching machines to the correct natural renewable resource.

   

• Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the lesson?

  
  

  You do/DO: (10min)

  1. Student will read second article independently page 29.
  2. Student will identify and copy comparisons in the circles that join AIR and WATER.
  3. Student will identify and copy contrasts for air in circles that only attach to AIR.
  4. Student will identify and copy contrasts for water in circles that only attach to WATER.
  5. Student will go back and cite which text gave which detail.
  6. Access Point: Student will continue matching machines to the correct natural renewable resource.

• Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson?

  
  

  (5min)

  1. Teacher will collect double circle and evaluate guided questions #1 and #2 from the graphic organizer or based on discussion. Use Double Circle Water and Air Energy Answer Key.
  2. Teacher will collect exit slip from each student answering the guided question #3 and #4. (Why do we read multiple texts? Sample Answer: to get more information from different authors. What have you learned about our natural world? Sample Answer: there are many ways to get energy that are clean, cheap and renewable.) An exit slip is a written short answer to a teacher posed question or prompt. This can be projected for class to copy and respond to on own paper or back of Double Circle Map.
  3. Access Point: Teacher will collect students' sort. Answer Key: page 1 images all AIR, page 2 images all WATER, page 3 images both (turbines)

• Summative Assessment

  
  

  Do: Students will explain (orally or written) how water and air move machines by transferring energy and reference/cite which article explains which fact.

  Access Points: Student will recall the names and which natural energy source the machine belongs from a given set.

• Formative Assessment

  
  

  Understand: Students will complete a graphic organizer double circle (see attached double circle template) to compare and contrast how water and air move machines such as turbines in waterwheels, dams and windmills to capture energy.

  Access Points: Students will choose and sort from a given set of machines (either picture or words) which move by water and which move by air.

• Feedback to Students

  
  

  Teacher will observe the students' discussion and graphic organizer double circle and give oral correction by referring students to the article that corrects the misunderstanding; teacher may scaffold the amount of correction from least to greatest (pointing out error, pointing to specific article, pointing to specific paragraph, pointing to/reading specific text, explaining/paraphrasing main ideas/details that correct misunderstanding).

  Access Points: Teacher will use scaffolded correction to student sorting the machines (pointing out error, verbalizing correct natural energy source, pointing and verbalizing correct natural energy resource, shadow hand to correct placement, hand-over-hand correct placement).