Science lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 45 minutes
Oceans, seas, lakes, rivers and ponds
Earth and rocks
CCSS NGSS.2-ESS2-2CCSS NGSS.2-ESS2-3England: KS1 Geography links
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Oceans, seas, lakes, rivers and ponds.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Land and water on Earth
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Rock samples, Hand lenses, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Land and water on Earth). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- About how much of Earth's surface is covered by water? (about 10% / about 30% / 100% / about 70%) → about 70%Prompt: Look at a globe: is there more blue or more land?
- About 97% of Earth's water is salt water. What percentage is fresh water? → 3 %Prompt: All the water together is 100%.
- Which landform is described: a long channel of moving fresh water? (mountain / valley / island / river) → riverPrompt: Is it high land, low land, land in water, or moving water?
Hook · 5 min
- Pass round different rocks and ask how each one might have formed.
- Share the objective: Oceans, seas, lakes, rivers and ponds. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Which body of water is this: the largest body of salt water, covering huge parts of Earth?
- Step 1: So the answer is: ocean
- Answer: ocean
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Which body of water is this: water falling over a steep drop in a river? (waterfall / river / stream / sea) → waterfallPrompt: Is it salty or fresh? Moving or still? Big or small?
- Which of these usually holds the MOST water? (a puddle / an ocean / a lake) → an oceanPrompt: Order them from smallest to largest in your head.
You do: independent practice · 10 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Where does a river usually start? (in a desert with no water / in the middle of the ocean / underground in a cave of fire / high up, from springs, rain or melting snow) → high up, from springs, rain or melting snowPrompt: Water runs downhill, so the start must be high.
- Which of these usually holds the LEAST water? (a lake / an ocean / a puddle) → a puddlePrompt: Order them from smallest to largest in your head.
Watch out for
- Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
- Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Land and water on Earth.
- Use concrete materials: rock samples.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-2.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder