Lesson Plan Format ITE 323

Name Jessica Kim Title/Grade Water Cycle/ 2nd grade

Lesson Overview
In this lesson students will demonstrate their understanding of the water cycle and how it effects
the environment by graphically depicting and describing the water cycle.
Enduring Understanding/Essential Question
The essential question is What is the process of the water cycle?

Standard/Benchmark:
SC.2.1.2 Conduct a simple investigation using a systematic process safely to test a prediction
SC.2.8.2 Identify the limited supply of natural resources and how they can be extended through
conservation, reuse, and recycling

Assessment Task/Criteria:
First, students will watch a video on the water cycle. Second, students will review the water
cycle and how it works. They will learn new vocabulary terms. Third, students will observe a
demonstration on the water cycle. Fourth, students will be given a writing form as a formative
assessment to list three descriptive words that describe the outside of the glass. Then they will
write 2-3 sentences on what the experiment teaches about the water cycle (making connections).
Fifth, students will complete the water cycle sequence activity chart. At the end of this lesson,
students will share their learning and understanding of the water cycle process with partners and
as a whole group discussion.
Formative assessments
Vocabulary Anticipation guide before reading
Observational Notes based on experiment
Summative assessments
Vocabulary Anticipation guide after reading
Water Cycle chart (comprehension, main ideas, and details)
Write short statements to show your understanding of student tasks and teacher assessment tools.

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Active Learning Strategies (detailed, step by step, key questions in bold print)
I. Introduction
a. Explain an overview of the lesson. Today we will do a science lesson on the water
cycle. We will watch a short video clip on the water cycle as we learn new vocabulary
words. We will answer water cycle related questions and make observations on an
experimentation to understand the process of the water cycle. In the beginning and at
the end of this lesson, you will have completed an anticipation guide, which is a
strategy used before reading to activate your prior knowledge and build curiosity
about a new topic.
b. Read the I can statements. Ask students to read together.
i. I can recognize new or unknown words encountered in reading to define
them.
ii. I can participate in collaborative conversations about a topic through
partner sharing.
iii.
I can show the process of the water cycle through writing and drawings.
iv. I can make clear observations on a science experiment.
v. I can demonstrate my understanding of the water cycle.
c. Read the GLOs.
i. GLO #2 The understanding that it is essential for human beings to work
together.
ii. GLO #4 The ability to recognize and produce quality performance and
quality products.
d. State what attention-getter will be used for the days lesson. When I say bubbles,
everyone show me what it looks like.
i. Practice a couple rounds. Boy and girls, bubbles!
e. Review the classroom rules and expectations.
i. Raising hand for permission to speak.
ii. Speaking at voice level one when partner sharing.
iii.
Listening when peers and teacher is speaking.
II. Building Background
a. Ask the students, Why is water important?
i. Tell students to partner share.
ii. Share as a whole group.
b. Ask students, Where do we get water?
i. Tell students to partner share.
ii. Share as whole group.
Ask students, How many of us know what the water cycle is?
III. Activity
a. Explain to students that they will be watching the process of the water cycle.
i. Show a short video of the water cycle on the ELMO using my laptop.
ii. Reflect on the short video and review the vocabulary terms.
Water cycle- movement of water from the ground to the sky and back
again

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Observation- an act of noticing

Evaporation- liquid water changes into water vapor or gas
Condensation- vapor rises in the atmosphere, they cool and condenses
back into water droplets
Run-off- water that falls as rain on the land flows down towards the
oceans through streams, rivers or waterfalls
Rivers- bodies of flowing water that are bigger than streams
Oceans- huge bodies of water that are bigger than the sea
Groundwater- water that falls on earth goes down into the ground and gets
stored
iii.
Temperature check for student understanding. Give me a thumbs up if you
understand the new vocabulary or give me a thumbs down if you need more
clarification.
b. Explain to students what an observation is
i. An observation is carefully looking at something to gain information.
c. Conduct experimentation on the water cycle.
i. Explain to the students that in the water cycle, there are three stages,
evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, but in the experiment they will
only observe evaporation and condensation.
ii. Fill 5 empty drinking glasses with water and ice cubes. We are filling the
glasses with water and ice cubes to perform an experiment on what
evaporation, condensation, and precipitation will look like.
iii.
Place the glasses in the sun outside for 15 minutes. We are placing the
glasses in the sun for 15 minutes to see the changes that will occur when heat
attracts the water and the ice cubes.
iv. Set the timer for 15 minutes.
f. Pass out the observation writing forms
i. Explain the instructions on making observations and answering the questions
on the form.
g. Tell students to make observations in their table groups of the experiment after the 15
minutes.
i. Ask the students, What did you observe?
h. Model and direct students to run their finger down the side of the cup.
i. Ask the students, What do you feel?
i. Review the experimentation and ask the students to partner share how they think the
sun affected the experiment.
j. Discuss that the evaporated water was cooled by the ice cubes and condensed back
into water droplets during the water cycle.
k. Explain to the students that they will write 3-4 sentences answering the following
question: What does this simple experiment teach you about the water cycle?
IV. Closing
a. Provide an exit note question.
i. Share with table groups and then one person from each table shares.
ii. Give the anticipation guide for students to fill out the before reading section.

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Duration: 60 minutes
Materials:
5 drinking glasses
Water
Ice cubes
Observation writing forms
Vocabulary matching forms
Pencil
Elmo
Technology (laptop for video on water cycle)
Sequence activity charts
Vocabulary list with definitions
Integration with other content areas (if any): Reading

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DIFFERENTIATION PLAN
ACEI 3.2 Adaptation to diverse students.
Describe your understanding of differentiated in your NS and how you plan to do this in your lesson. For instance, there is nothing
written in your lesson plan about differentiating by content.

Identify type of
learner

List type of
differentiation

(ELL, SPED, Accelerated

Learners, Striving learners,
504 students, reading)

(learning environment,
content, process, product,
performance task)

Accelerated Learners

Process and Product

Instructional approach
(Write the instructional approach/accommodations that will be used for
these learners)

Grade level Learners

Process and Product

Striving Learners
Process and Product

Blank paper and illustrate all three

stages of the water cycle.
Write and explanation about all three
stages: evaporation, condensation,
and precipitation.
Complete the sentence Water is
important because
Blank paper and illustrate 2 stages of
the water cycle with one guided
practice.
Write an explanation about all three
stages: evaporation, condensation,
and precipitation with guided
practice.
Complete the sentence Water is
important because
Blank paper and illustrate the stages
of the water cycle with guided
practice.
Write an explanation about all three
stages: evaporation, condensation,
and precipitation with guided
practice.
Complete the sentence Water is
important because with guided
practice.

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Reflection Questions:
What happened during my lesson? Describe in detail the events that took place during your
lesson.
First, when I introduced the video clip to the students on the process of the water cycle, I
had their full attention. The students were highly engaged in learning about science with the use
of technology. Second, we learned about new vocabulary terms. The students were able to
understand some of the terms, but had a challenging time with others. For example, students had
a difficult time understanding the stages, such as, condensation and precipitation. It was
challenging to differentiate each stage and what occurs in those stages of the water cycle. Third,
we did an experiment. During this time the students were excited and all wanted to participate n
preparing for the experiment. This experiment was an eye opener for the students were they were
able to observe the changes when ice melts in water after being placed in the hot sun for 15
minutes.
What did I do in my lesson to promote inquiry?
To promote inquiry in my lesson, I first asked the students some questions to relate to
water. I asked the students questions about where we get water form and why water is important.
This gave the students an idea of the importance of water in everyday life. Then I asked the
students if they knew about the water cycle. This shows them how we get water and how we use
water effectively.
What did the students learn? How do you know?
The students learned about the stages of the water cycle from the video and the
experiment. The students learned about the actions that occur in the different stages. I know this
because the students completed a writing form during their observations with the experiment.
How did they interact with each other and with me?
The students interacted with me by giving me temperature checks and providing answers
to my questions during the video presentation. I paused the video a few ties throughout the
introduction and had students participate in sharing some things they learned from the video.
During the experiment and observations, the students were divided into groups and they shared
their thoughts and ideas among their peers. As I monitored the class, I was also able to engage
with the students to learn about their thinking.
What did I learn about myself as a teacher? How could I improve this lesson?
As a teacher I learned that I must be organized when preparing and teaching a lesson. It is
very important to have a plan, but sometimes we have to make modifications due to certain
circumstances. I learned that I can be an effective teacher with the right material and preparation.
I could improve this lesson by providing more examples to the students for a better
understanding of the process of the water cycle. I should find relations with real life situations

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that the students may have encountered to help them visualize the occurrence in each individual
stage.