5E Lesson Plan Template

Teacher

Date 4/7/21

Subject 6th Science Weather and Climate

area/course/grad
e level

Materials Slides, Foldable Handout, Clear Cup, Water, Index Card, Bowl/Bin

Standards (State Use models (e.g., diagrams, maps, globes, digital representations) to
and ISTE explain how the rotation of Earth and unequal heating of its surface create
Standards for patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional
Students) climates.
Integrate qualitative scientific and technical information (e.g., weather
maps; diagrams; other visualizations, including radar and computer
simulations) to support the claim that motions and complex interactions of
air masses result in changes in weather conditions.

ISTE Knowledge Constructor: Students critically curate a variety of resources

using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make
meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.

Objectives  Students will be able to describe earth's early atmosphere

and compare it to the gas composition we have today
 Students will be able to describe the layers of earth's
atmosphere and identify key features with each layer.
 Students will be able to portray the trends of air pressure and
temperature with elevation.

Differentiation -Guided Notes for the video

Strategies (How
-A printed list of vocabulary terms with the definition
will the lesson
address the -Narrowed down answer choices/multiple choice version of the Greek/Latin
various learning root checkpoint
styles of the -Choose 1 of the questions to answer for the Elaboration Canva
students and the brochure/poster assignment instead of 2.
needs of those
with special -Extended time
needs?) -Paraphrased instructions

E Description

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Engageme Experiment Where does air apply pressure?
nt Teacher Prep:
 Materials: Clean jar or cup, water, bin/bowl, and index card.
o Optional: different papers, different shaped cups, ect.

 Have students write the predict-explain-observation and

explanation chart in their science notebooks
.

Predict Explain Observation

Explanation

 Explain to students what you are going to do and have them write
at least two predictions and explanations for what is going to
happen in the demo.
Teacher prep:
 Add water a clear cup/jar to about 2/3rd full
 Place an index card over the opening so it covers it completely
 Hold the cup over a large bowl
 Holding the card in place quickly flip the cup upside down. When
the water is stable, remove your hand from the index card. 
 Explain: 
o Remember that ocean of air that we live in? Although we
cannot see it, it is pushing on us and also on the index card.
It is pushing so hard that the water cannot push the index
card away. The water weighs less than 1 pound, but the air
is pushing with 15 pounds for every square inch of the index
card. The air holds the index card in place, and the water
stays in the cup.
Draw the demo on the board. 

 Explain that we are going to learn about earth's atmosphere: can

anyone define atmosphere to me?
 Pull of the slide and have students copy this onto their handout

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Engageme *Students use a Google Slide to recreate the visual of the experiment. They can
nt insert images and shapes, with labels as well. Then, they type a paragraph
Assessmen explaining in their own words what happens with air pressure in the experiment.
t

Exploration Students will explore the “More and Less Air Pressure Marshmallow Face”

1.Materials: marshmallow, marker, jar with lid, straw, piece of clay

2. Students draw a face on the marshmallow with a marker
3. Students insert a hole in the top of the lid for the straw
4. Students place the marshmallow in the jar and close the lid
5. Students insert the draw until it is about an inch down, and use the clay to
make an air tight shield around the straw.
6. One student will then suck the air out of the jar using the straw and the other
students will observe what happens. If the person sucking the straw wants to see
as well, they can do this in front of a mirror.
7.Students journal about their observations during the experiment in their
notebooks and prepare to discuss with other groups what they noticed.
What happened:
Although the marshmallow looks solid, it is full of pockets of air. When you suck
the air out of the jar, there is not as much air to push on the marshmallow. This
means there is less air pressure. The pockets of air in the marshmallow are still
full of air and are pushing out, but there is not as much air in the jar to push back.
The pockets of air push out and become bigger and the marshmallow puffs up.
When you quit sucking on the straw, the air rushes back into the jar and pushes
the marshmallow back to its original size.
Transition to 2nd part of Exploration

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  Use these greek words to describe what each layers of the earth
means
 Have student use a table that identifies the greek root words then
match it with their meaning

Exploration After students finish the exploration phase of the layers of the earth and
Assessmen Greek/Latin roots, they will apply what they know to new words. This is also a
t good cross-curricular connection to Language Arts. Students will use their
knowledge of these words to see if they can determine the meaning of new
unfamiliar words. They will match words and definitions.

Page 4 of 8
Explanation Now that students saw the names of the layers of the atmosphere, show
the video that explains all the layers of the atmosphere in more detail.
https://video.link/w/kUoxb

 Before video is shown, have students use paper and pencil, or Google
Docs to take notes as they watch. They will need to write headings for
each layer with enough space beside and below to write down
information. Potential information could include:
o Troposphere: this layer is the closest to earth extending from the 
ground to 8-15 km up. The warmest part of the troposphere is near

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 the earth's surface and decreases with elevation. This is where
weather occurs. 
o Stratosphere: this extends 15-~50 km up. This is where the
greatest amounts of Ozone are present. 
 OZONE layer: this is the region with the highest levels of
ozone around xxxxkm. Ozone is important because it
absorbs the sun's ultraviolet rays more efficiently than
oxygen (02) Therefore it protects the plants, animals, and
other organisms. 
o Mesosphere and Thermosphere: 50--85 km 85-600 km. Where
only 1 percent of the atmosphere's gases exist. Most meteors will
burn out in these two layers instead of striking the earth..
 Ionosphere: a region within the mesosphere and
thermosphere that contains ions. This is where the aurora,
northern lights, occur.
 Exosphere:  this sphere extends outward into outer space. Here,
pressure and density are so low that individual gases rarely strike one
another. There is no definition edge to this layer. Molecules that are part
of it can escape the pull of gravity and travel towards space.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oKurArPVrzwnCTTTqfxPFVD9p0qXYIVkBrxhVXSPcjw/edit?
usp=sharing

Explanation Students will now create a hands-on foldable for each layer of the
Assessmen Earth. Make sure to explain to students how to use the scissors and
t how to fold.

Directions: Use the foldable below to understand the layers of earth's

atmosphere. Use the projected images, the video, or device for internet to
complete this foldable. Follow these steps below:
STEP ONE Assemble the foldable
 Fold along the black line
 Cut along the dotted lines
STEP TWO Answer the questions
 Start filling out the questions starting at 1 and going to 9
 Note: each tab that the question is on correlates to the layer. For
example, question 2 is the the exosphere tab, therefore it is for the
exosphere layer. 
STEP THREE
 Add images to the front panel of items that represent each layer.

Page 6 of 8
Elaboration
Students will create a poster, flyer, or brochure on Canva to display a snap shot
of how the atmosphere is vital to us. They will use their newly built knowledge to
answers both of these questions in their product:

1. How would our lives be different without an atmosphere?

2. Why do people need oxygen tanks when they climb Mount

Everest?  (Think about air pressure changes with altitude)

Requirements: Basic information about the atmosphere, 3-5 pictures,

explanations for each question, proper grammar, visually appealing, listed
sources if used internet, creativity

Evaluation
Students will each create their own Kahoot game that includes review information
from the lesson. They are to include information that could be used on a future
text or exam. This can be: vocabulary, T or F questions, questions about the
experiments, etc.

Page 7 of 8
The 5 Es
References
Bybee, R.W. et al. (1989). Science and technology education for the elementary years:
Frameworks for curriculum and instruction. Washington, D.C.: The National
Center for Improving Instruction.

Bybee, R. W. (1997). Achieving Scientific Literacy: From Purposes to Practices.

Oxford: Heinemann.

National Research Council. (1999). Inquiry and the national science education
standards: A guide for teaching and learning. Washington, D.C.: National
Academy Press.

Polman, J.L. (2000). Designing project-based silence: Connecting learners through

guided inquiry. New York: Teachers College Press.

Note: Content of form approved January 2013.

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