SINGLE SUBJECT CREDENTIAL PROGRAM

SCIENCE LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE REVISED 4.15

For directions on how to complete this form, see EDSC Lesson Plan Directions and Scoring Guide in the SSCP Handbook at www.sscphandbook.org.

Name

CWID

Brianna Hurtado

894526664

Class Title
Earth Science

Subject Area
Geosciences

Lesson Title
Plate Tectonics

Unit Title
The Forces Within

STANDARDS AND LESSON OBJECTIVES

Next Generation Science Standards
HS-ESS1-5. Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of RST.11-12.8
continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate
tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.
[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the ability of plate
tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks. Examples
WHST.9-12.1
include evidence of the ages oceanic crust increasing with
distance from mid-ocean ridges (a result of plate spreading) MP.2
and the ages of North American continental crust
decreasing with distance away from a central ancient
core (a result of past plate interactions).]

Grade Levels
10-12

Total Minutes
120

Common Core State Standard Connections

Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions
in a science or technical text, verifying the data when
possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions
with other sources of information.
Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

Anchoring Activity
For the unit:
Imagine that you are a world famous seismologist and you overhear your peers talking about earthquake weather. Many Californians believe
in earthquake weather. Your job is to design an investigation to disprove this misconception. As you are investigating, you start an online
blog for your peers and others to follow.
Anchoring Phenomenon:
Earths internal and surface processes are linked.
Driving Question:
How do plate tectonics result in changes to other Earths systems?

Lesson Objective(s)
Students will plan an investigation of the past and currents
movements of plate boundaries.
Given a scenario, students will make claims based on the evidence
provided.
Students will create a blog and write about their findings
throughout the unit.

STUDENT ASSESSMENT
Type
Purpose/Focus of Assessment
Journal quick write
The purpose of this activity is
to measure students prior
EL
knowledge and familiarize
them with the concept of plate
tectonics.

PM

Research and investigation

Students will be given a
graphic organizer to guide
them through their
investigation and a laptop to
help them conduct the
research.

Evidence
Students will use the designated graphic organizer to manage their
investigation.
Students will use the given scenario to lead their investigation.
Students will prove or disprove their claim.

Implementation
This activity will take place at
the beginning of class.
Students will be asked to quick
write and discussion about
students prior knowledge.

Feedback Strategy
Student led discussion with
teacher guidance. Students will
share knowledge while teacher
corrects any misconceptions.

How Informs Teaching

This will inform the teacher
about students
preconceptions and
misconceptions. This will guide
teacher where to begin lesson.

This activity will take place inclass. Students will be asked to

imagine that they are a world
famous seismologist. They
overhear their peers talking
about earthquake weather.
Many Californians believe in
earthquake weather. Their
job is to design an investigation
to disprove this misconception.

During the assignment, the

teacher will walk around, ask
questions, and provide
immediate feedback to the
students. In addition, after the
completion of the assignment,
the teacher will grade the
graphic organizers and provide
written feedback. If there are
common misconceptions

This will help the teacher

understand the students
knowledge and misconceptions
of plate tectonics. With this
understanding, the teacher can
identify the students strengths
and weaknesses. This will help
the teacher revise current
teaching methods.

The purpose of this assignment

is to assess if the student has
learned the content.
S

Before they can absolutely

prove or disprove earthquake
weather, they need to learn all
they can about the basics of
Earths internal and surface
processes.

throughout the assignment,

the teacher will give verbal
feedback to the class
altogether. Since this is an
inquiry, misconceptions will be
expected in the beginning as a
part of the process.

This activity will take place at

the end of class. The student
will review and display their
knowledge through their blog.
What did they expect to find?
What did they learn after
todays research?

Students will provide

immediate feedback to each
other, giving them the
opportunity to make deeper
connections. The teacher will
provide verbal corrections for
student misconceptions.

This will help the teacher

understand what knowledge
the students have gained.

FOCUS OF INSTRUCTION
Instructional Strategies

Graphic Organizer

Journal quick-write

Research and investigation

Seismologist blog

Embedded Support
Lesson Introduction/Anticipatory Set
Time
Teacher Does
The teacher has taught the students the entry procedure for the
classroom. Written on the board will be the following:

Student Does
Students know the entry procedure for the classroom. Upon
entry, they will take out their science journals and begin the
warm-up.

Agenda:
Warm-up: What do you know about plate tectonics?
(10 minutes)
Discussion: (10 minutes)
Research and investigation (60 minutes)
20
minutes

Warm-up: Students will take out their journal and write

as much as they can about plate tectonics. After 10
minutes, the students will discuss what they wrote as a
class giving the teacher a chance to dismiss any
misconceptions.

Seismologist blog (20 minutes)

Concept question: (after lesson/homework) What did you expect
to find? What did you learn after todays research?

Living in California, students should have some prior knowledge

on plate tectonics. This will help the teacher understand the
students level of knowledge. The class will then discuss their
prior knowledge. This will help build their knowledge.

While the students write in their journals, the teacher will take
attendance. The teacher will also walk around and see what
answers the students are coming up with.
The discussion will be mostly student-led with some guidance
from the teacher. The teacher will listen for student
preconceptions and misconceptions.
Lesson Body
Time
Teacher Does
Research and investigation
The students will use laptops and the graphic organizer to first
investigate plate tectonics then its possible relation to the
weather. The graphic organizer requires students to ask
questions and define problems; plan and carry out investigations;
and analyze and interpret data. The graphic organizer is clear and
60
engaging. It will help the students by facilitating the learning of
minutes
the content.
Teacher walks around the room, keeps students on track, assists,
asks and answers questions. While I walk the room, I will listen to
student discussion as a source of student comprehension of the
content.

Student Does
Research and investigation
Students will put their journals to the side. When their table is
called, they will walk to the laptop cart and pick up a pre-assigned
numbered laptop and graphic organizer. Students may choose to
work alone or in groups of two. However, each student must have
their own laptop, graphic organizer, and come up with their own
answers.
If the students finish their investigation, they may begin working
on their blog.
Students should be able to conclude:
That although earthquake weather is talked about often, there is

not data to prove that it actually exists.

Questions may include:
What was the weather like on the day before and day of? What
are the details of the earthquake?
Lesson Closure
Time
Teacher Does
Students will begin the first entry of their blog. The teacher will
20
walk around and assist students in setting up their blog.
minutes
Embedded Support
Time
Teacher Does
Teacher walks around the room helping students and answering
questions.
20
minutes

Student Does
Students will receive a stamp for their graphic organizer and keep
it in their notebooks. Once completed, they will begin to set up
their blogs.

Student Does
Since we have a block schedule, the last 20 minutes of every class
is Embedded Support. Teachers may choose to keep or release
students. Students may leave unless they did not finish
assignment or have other missing assignments.

Instructional Materials, Equipment, and Multimedia

Student notebooks

Laptops

Graphic organizers
Co-Teaching Strategies

Tag teaching

One teach, one assist

DIFFERENTIATION
English Learners
Warm-up:
The warm-up will provide ELLs
with a skill set in understanding
text through active participation.
Asking the students to write down
their prior knowledge and
discussing during the journal
exercise will help ELL student
become familiar with the content
being taught.
Research and investigation:
The graphic organizer will provide
ELL students with visual support
in understanding the material
without language being too much
of a barrier.
Seismologist blog:
This will help familiarize and
provide ELL students with an
understanding of the vocabulary
terms. This will help them practice
saying and using the terms.

Striving Readers
Warm-up:
The warm-up journal exercise will
provide practice in writing for
striving readers. Students will be
able to make connections
between prior knowledge and the
content being presented.
Research and investigation:
This graphic organizer will actively
engage striving readers and help
them target phrases that they will
be using often. It will also acts as a
guide to help them through the
assignment.
Seismologist blog:
This will help familiarize and
improve striving readers with
vocabulary terms. Hearing and
reading the words repeatedly will
help provide auditory and visual
support.

REFLECTION: SUMMARY, RATIONALE, AND IMPLEMENTATION

Students with Special Needs

Warm-up:
The warm-up exercise will help
students recall any prior
knowledge and make new
connections through discussion.
Their quick write may include
anything from writing to images to
brainstorming.
Research and investigation:
This will create a visual for the
students and the organizer will
help them gather information. For
the students without an aide, I will
pair them with students who are
advanced and willing to help. For
the student with ADD, I will give
him a timeline to help him stay on
track. For example, after 5
minutes, he should be finished
with questions 1 and 2.
Seismologist blog:
All students, especially those with
special needs, are encouraged to
associate images with the terms
to help them remember and
create a deeper understanding.
This will give them space to
discussion their findings and
thoughts.

Advanced Students
Warm-up:
I have noticed that the advanced
students understand the content
right away. However, they are less
likely to participate in discussions.
By providing the journal warm-up,
this will encourage them to share
their knowledge among their
classmates and possibly make new
connections.
Research and investigation:
I want to challenge all, including
the advanced students. I will ask
these students to go a step further
and provide data charts to their
blogs.
Seismologist blog:
At times, scientific vocabulary is
difficult for all students. It will be
great practice. I may also pair
them with a student who may
need extra help. This will help the
advanced student develop a
deeper understanding.

The class begins as it does every other day. Written on the board is the daily agenda, objective, and concept question. The agenda for the day will
include the warm-up exercise asking the students to write/draw what they know about plate tectonics research and investigation, and Seismologist
blog. Student engagement activities include a variety of activities like a warm-up, discussion, computer investigation, and group work. The activities
chosen are appropriate for the inquiry activity and have the potential to elicit critical questions from students. The instructions for the use of these
activities are clear. The concept question is to be answered at the end of class or as homework. I want them thinking about this before they start
the lesson. Students know to take out their journals and do the warm-up activity. The teacher will set a timer and the students will begin todays
warm-up. Once they are finished writing or time is up, the teacher will start the discussion by asking what the students know about plate tectonics.
The teacher will let the students discuss and only step in to dismiss any misconceptions that may hinder student learning. The students will put
away their journals and grab a laptop from the cart. As this is happening, the teacher will hand out the corresponding inquiry graphic organizer.
Once logged on to the laptops, the students may begin their assignment. They will have 60 minutes to complete this. The graphic organizer allows
students to engage in critical-thinking. A report from the Alliance for Excellent Education and the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in
Education (SCOPE) finds that Technology, when implemented properly, can produce significant gains in student achievement and boost
engagement, particularly among students most at risk. This is crucial for my classroom because I work with many at-risk students. After the 60
minutes is up, the students will get a stamp for their graphic organizer and begin their blogs. While they work on setting up their blogs, I will check
the graphic organizers to see who has not completed it. The lesson closure provides an opportunity for students to reflect on the content of the
lesson. The teacher will ask the students who have not finished to stay for Embedded Support to complete their work. The students who stay
behind will log on to the laptop and work. Any other students with missing assignments may also be asked to stay in Embedded Support.
Embedded Support is helpful to students who need extra time and attention. I am trying a variety of learning strategies to try to reach a variety of
learners. By doing so, I hope to keep students interested in the topic and accommodate all students. I will keep in mind the 7Es when planning an
investigative inquiry.

Engage and Elicit: assess prior knowledge and introduce a phenomenon

Explore: analyze, demonstrate

Explain: teacher/student interactions, student/student interactions

Elaborate: what do they know, how will they develop a deeper understanding

Evaluate: continuously asses student knowledge whether it be formal or informal

Extend: can they apply what they learned to other situations