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Science lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 60 minutes

Name the landform from its description

Earth and rocks

CCSS NGSS.2-ESS2-2England: KS1 Geography links

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Name the landform from its description.

  • 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: Earth changes: fast or slow?; Patterns on maps: mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes

Materials: Rock samples, Hand lenses, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 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.
  1. Where is most of Earth's fresh water? (in puddles / frozen in ice caps and glaciers / in rivers / in the sea) → frozen in ice caps and glaciersPrompt: Think about Antarctica.
  2. About 97.5% of Earth's water is salt water. What percentage is fresh water? → 2.5 %Prompt: All the water together is 100%.
  3. Which landform is described: land with water all around it? (mountain / valley / island / river) → islandPrompt: Is it high land, low land, land in water, or moving water?

Hook · 6 min

  • Pass round different rocks and ask how each one might have formed.
  • Share the objective: Name the landform from its description. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 12 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which landform is this: a rounded rise of land, lower than a mountain?
  • Step 1: So the answer is: hill
  • Answer: hill
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 12 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 landform is this: a deep, narrow valley with steep rock walls cut by a river? (valley / canyon / volcano / plain) → canyonPrompt: Is it high or low? Flat or steep? Is water around it?
  2. Which description matches a hill? (a rounded rise of land, lower than a mountain / a wide, flat area of land / low land between hills or mountains, often with a river / land with water all around it) → a rounded rise of land, lower than a mountainPrompt: Picture the landform from above and from the side.

You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Which description matches a plateau? (a rounded rise of land, lower than a mountain / a high, flat area of land with steep sides / a deep, narrow valley with steep rock walls cut by a river / a wide, flat area of land) → a high, flat area of land with steep sidesPrompt: Picture the landform from above and from the side.
  2. True or false? An island has water on only one side. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Picture each landform: high, low, flat or surrounded by 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: 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: Earth changes: fast or slow?; Patterns on maps: mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes.
  • 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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Name the landform from its description

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    True or false? Spain and Italy are peninsulas.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  2. Question 2

    Which description matches a peninsula?

    • A. land with water on three sides
    • B. low land between hills or mountains, often with a river
    • C. a high, flat area of land with steep sides
    • D. land with water all around it

  3. Question 3

    Which landform is this: a wide, flat area of land?

    • A. plateau
    • B. volcano
    • C. plain
    • D. valley

  4. Question 4

    Which description matches a valley?

    • A. land with water all around it
    • B. land with water on three sides
    • C. low land between hills or mountains, often with a river
    • D. a high, flat area of land with steep sides

  5. Question 5

    Which landform is this: land with water all around it?

    • A. volcano
    • B. plateau
    • C. island
    • D. canyon

  6. Question 6

    True or false? Mountains are higher and steeper than hills.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  7. Question 7

    Which description matches a plateau?

    • A. a high, flat area of land with steep sides
    • B. a rounded rise of land, lower than a mountain
    • C. land with water all around it
    • D. land with water on three sides

  8. Question 8

    Which landform is this: low land between hills or mountains, often with a river?

    • A. island
    • B. mountain
    • C. valley
    • D. peninsula

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Answer key: Name the landform from its description

  1. 1. A. True

  2. 2. A. land with water on three sides

  3. 3. C. plain

  4. 4. C. low land between hills or mountains, often with a river

  5. 5. C. island

  6. 6. A. True

  7. 7. A. a high, flat area of land with steep sides

  8. 8. C. valley