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Science lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 45 minutes

Graph where Earth's water is: salty, frozen and fresh

Earth and rocks

CCSS NGSS.5-ESS2-2England: KS2 Geography linksEngland: KS3 Chemistry: Earth and atmosphere

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Graph where Earth's water is: salty, frozen and fresh.

  • 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: Salt water or fresh water? Where Earth's water is

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 (Salt water or fresh water? Where Earth's water is). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Is this salt water or fresh water: the Pacific Ocean? (salt water / fresh water) → salt waterPrompt: Is it part of the sea, or does it come from rain, snow and rivers?
  2. Why can't people drink seawater when they are thirsty? (It has no water in it. / It is the wrong colour. / It is too salty and makes the body lose more water. / It is too cold.) → It is too salty and makes the body lose more water.Prompt: What do you feel like after eating something very salty?
  3. True or false? Glaciers are made of salt water. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Oceans are salty. Where else is water found?

Hook · 5 min

  • Pass round different rocks and ask how each one might have formed.
  • Share the objective: Graph where Earth's water is: salty, frozen and fresh. 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: About 97% of Earth's water is salty and 3% is fresh. If all of Earth's water were shrunk into 1000 litres, about how many litres would be fresh water?
  • Step 1: 3 × 1000 ÷ 100 = 30
  • Step 2: So the answer is: 30 L
  • Answer: 30 L
  • 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.
  1. About 97% of Earth's water is salty ocean water. If all of Earth's water were shrunk into 500 litres, about how many litres would be salty ocean water? → 485 LPrompt: Per cent means 'out of 100'.
  2. Why could melting ice sheets cause sea levels to rise? (Oceans shrink when it is warm. / Melting makes new water from nothing. / Ice is heavier than water. / Water from ice on land flows into the oceans.) → Water from ice on land flows into the oceans.Prompt: Where does meltwater from Greenland go?

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.
  1. About 97% of Earth's water is salty and 3% is fresh. If all of Earth's water were shrunk into 200 litres, about how many litres would be fresh water? → 6 LPrompt: Per cent means 'out of 100'.
  2. Why do engineers in some cities pump water up from deep underground? (Groundwater is a large store of fresh water. / Rivers are always empty. / Underground water is salty. / It is warmer.) → Groundwater is a large store of fresh water.Prompt: Where is about 30% of Earth's fresh water?

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: Salt water or fresh water? Where Earth's water is.
  • 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-5.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Graph where Earth's water is: salty, frozen and fresh

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which water store is the largest on Earth?

    • A. glaciers
    • B. the oceans
    • C. groundwater
    • D. rivers

  2. Question 2

    The chart shows where Earth's fresh water is found. What percentage is lakes, rivers, soil and air?

    Where Earth's FRESH water is (%)01020304050607069ice and glaciers30groundwater1lakes, rivers, soil and air

    Answer%

  3. Question 3

    About 97% of Earth's water is salty and 3% is fresh. If all of Earth's water were shrunk into 100 litres, about how many litres would be fresh water?

    AnswerL

  4. Question 4

    Only about 1% of Earth's fresh water is easy to reach in lakes and rivers. What should people do?

    • A. Nothing; water never runs out.
    • B. Pour waste into rivers.
    • C. Use water carefully and keep it clean.
    • D. Use as much as possible.

  5. Question 5

    What does this chart of Earth's fresh water show?

    Where Earth's FRESH water is (%)01020304050607069ice and glaciers30groundwater1lakes, rivers, soil and air
    • A. Groundwater is the largest store.
    • B. Most fresh water is frozen or underground, not in rivers and lakes.
    • C. Most fresh water is in rivers and lakes.
    • D. There is more fresh water in the air than in ice.

  6. Question 6

    About 97% of Earth's water is salty and 3% is fresh. If all of Earth's water were shrunk into 500 litres, about how many litres would be fresh water?

    AnswerL

  7. Question 7

    Why could melting ice sheets cause sea levels to rise?

    • A. Melting makes new water from nothing.
    • B. Oceans shrink when it is warm.
    • C. Ice is heavier than water.
    • D. Water from ice on land flows into the oceans.

  8. Question 8

    About 97% of Earth's water is salty ocean water. If all of Earth's water were shrunk into 200 litres, about how many litres would be salty ocean water?

    AnswerL

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Answer key: Graph where Earth's water is: salty, frozen and fresh

  1. 1. B. the oceans

  2. 2. 1 %

  3. 3. 3 L

  4. 4. C. Use water carefully and keep it clean.

  5. 5. B. Most fresh water is frozen or underground, not in rivers and lakes.

  6. 6. 15 L

  7. 7. D. Water from ice on land flows into the oceans.

  8. 8. 194 L