Science lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 45 minutes
Salt water or fresh water? Where Earth's water is
Earth and rocks
CCSS NGSS.2-ESS2-3CCSS NGSS.5-ESS2-2England: KS1 Geography linksEngland: KS2 Y4 States of matter
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Salt water or fresh water? Where Earth's water is.
- 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: Frozen water on Earth: glaciers, ice sheets and icebergs; Graph where Earth's water is: salty, frozen and fresh
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 30% / 100% / about 10% / about 70%) → about 70%Prompt: Look at a globe: is there more blue or more land?
- About 97.5% of Earth's water is salt water. What percentage is fresh water? → 2.5 %Prompt: All the water together is 100%.
- Which landform is described: land that rises steeply far above its surroundings? (mountain / valley / island / river) → mountainPrompt: 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: Salt water or fresh water? Where Earth's water is. 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: Is this salt water or fresh water: the Mediterranean Sea?
- Step 1: Oceans and seas are salty.
- Step 2: So the answer is: salt water
- Answer: salt water
- 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.
- 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?
- Why can't people drink seawater when they are thirsty? (It is too cold. / It has no water in it. / It is too salty and makes the body lose more water. / It is the wrong colour.) → It is too salty and makes the body lose more water.Prompt: What do you feel like after eating something very salty?
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.
- Is this salt water or fresh water: a mountain stream? (salt water / fresh water) → fresh waterPrompt: Is it part of the sea, or does it come from rain, snow and rivers?
- Why is it important to save fresh water? (There is more fresh water than salt water. / Plants do not need water. / Only a tiny part of Earth's water is fresh and easy to reach. / Fresh water is the same as seawater.) → Only a tiny part of Earth's water is fresh and easy to reach.Prompt: Most water is salty or frozen.
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
- Move on to: Frozen water on Earth: glaciers, ice sheets and icebergs; Graph where Earth's water is: salty, frozen and fresh.
- 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