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Science lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 45 minutes

Frozen water on Earth: glaciers, ice sheets and icebergs

Earth and rocks

CCSS NGSS.2-ESS2-3England: KS1 Geography linksEngland: KS2 Y4 States of matter

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Frozen water on Earth: glaciers, ice sheets and icebergs.

  • 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: most lakes? (salt water / fresh water) → fresh waterPrompt: Is it part of the sea, or does it come from rain, snow and rivers?
  2. Where is most of Earth's FRESH water? (frozen in ice sheets and glaciers / in rivers / in clouds / in swimming pools) → frozen in ice sheets and glaciersPrompt: Antarctica and Greenland are covered in thick ice.
  3. True or false? Rain is fresh water. (True / False) → TruePrompt: 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: Frozen water on Earth: glaciers, ice sheets and icebergs. 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 description matches a glacier?
  • Step 1: So the answer is: a huge river of ice that slowly slides downhill
  • Answer: a huge river of ice that slowly slides downhill
  • 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. Which description matches a glacier? (thin ice crystals that form on cold surfaces overnight / soft ice crystals that fall from clouds / a layer of frozen seawater on the ocean surface / a huge river of ice that slowly slides downhill) → a huge river of ice that slowly slides downhillPrompt: Think about where each one is found and how big it is.
  2. Why does most of an iceberg stay hidden under the water? (Fish hold it down. / Ice is only a little lighter than water, so it floats low. / Ice sinks to the bottom. / Icebergs are shy.) → Ice is only a little lighter than water, so it floats low.Prompt: Try floating an ice cube in a glass. How much sticks out?

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. True or false? Ice floats on water. (True / False) → TruePrompt: Ice is solid water. Where does glacier ice come from?
  2. Which description matches an iceberg? (a layer of frozen seawater on the ocean surface / thin ice crystals that form on cold surfaces overnight / a big piece of ice floating in the sea after breaking off a glacier / a huge river of ice that slowly slides downhill) → a big piece of ice floating in the sea after breaking off a glacierPrompt: Think about where each one is found and how big it is.

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-2.

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

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Frozen water on Earth: glaciers, ice sheets and icebergs

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which description matches snow?

    • A. a big piece of ice floating in the sea after breaking off a glacier
    • B. ice that covers a whole land area, like Antarctica
    • C. soft ice crystals that fall from clouds
    • D. thin ice crystals that form on cold surfaces overnight

  2. Question 2

    True or false? Glaciers move very slowly downhill.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  3. Question 3

    Glaciers in the Alps and the Rockies are shrinking. What is the main reason?

    • A. Earth's climate is getting warmer.
    • B. The mountains are growing.
    • C. People are taking the ice home.
    • D. It is snowing too much.

  4. Question 4

    Which description matches a glacier?

    • A. ice that covers a whole land area, like Antarctica
    • B. thin ice crystals that form on cold surfaces overnight
    • C. a huge river of ice that slowly slides downhill
    • D. soft ice crystals that fall from clouds

  5. Question 5

    True or false? Icebergs are made of frozen seawater.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  6. Question 6

    Why do towns near glaciers care if the glaciers melt away?

    • A. Glaciers make the towns bigger.
    • B. They do not care at all.
    • C. Glacier meltwater fills their rivers in summer.
    • D. Glaciers keep the towns warm.

  7. Question 7

    Which description matches sea ice?

    • A. a layer of frozen seawater on the ocean surface
    • B. ice that covers a whole land area, like Antarctica
    • C. soft ice crystals that fall from clouds
    • D. a big piece of ice floating in the sea after breaking off a glacier

  8. Question 8

    True or false? Antarctica is covered by a huge ice sheet.

    • A. True
    • B. False

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Answer key: Frozen water on Earth: glaciers, ice sheets and icebergs

  1. 1. C. soft ice crystals that fall from clouds

  2. 2. A. True

  3. 3. A. Earth's climate is getting warmer.

  4. 4. C. a huge river of ice that slowly slides downhill

  5. 5. B. False

  6. 6. C. Glacier meltwater fills their rivers in summer.

  7. 7. A. a layer of frozen seawater on the ocean surface

  8. 8. A. True