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Science lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 60 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 · 6 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: a glacier? (salt water / fresh water) → fresh 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 is too cold. / It is the wrong colour. / It has no water in it. / It is too salty and makes the body lose more water.) → 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? Most of Earth's water is fresh water in rivers. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Oceans are salty. Where else is water found?

Hook · 6 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 · 12 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 · 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 description matches frost? (a layer of frozen seawater on the ocean surface / ice that covers a whole land area, like Antarctica / thin ice crystals that form on cold surfaces overnight / a huge river of ice that slowly slides downhill) → thin ice crystals that form on cold surfaces overnightPrompt: Think about where each one is found and how big it is.
  2. Why do towns near glaciers care if the glaciers melt away? (Glaciers make the towns bigger. / They do not care at all. / Glacier meltwater fills their rivers in summer. / Glaciers keep the towns warm.) → Glacier meltwater fills their rivers in summer.Prompt: Where does the river water come from on a dry summer day?

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. Glaciers in the Alps and the Rockies are shrinking. What is the main reason? (Earth's climate is getting warmer. / The mountains are growing. / It is snowing too much. / People are taking the ice home.) → Earth's climate is getting warmer.Prompt: What does warmth do to ice?
  2. True or false? Snow and glaciers are not water. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Ice is solid water. Where does glacier ice come from?

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 frost?

    • A. a layer of frozen seawater on the ocean surface
    • B. a huge river of ice that slowly slides downhill
    • 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

    Why does most of an iceberg stay hidden under the water?

    • A. Fish hold it down.
    • B. Ice is only a little lighter than water, so it floats low.
    • C. Ice sinks to the bottom.
    • D. Icebergs are shy.

  4. Question 4

    Which description matches an ice sheet?

    • A. ice that covers a whole land area, like Antarctica
    • B. a layer of frozen seawater on the ocean surface
    • C. a huge river of ice that slowly slides downhill
    • D. a big piece of ice floating in the sea after breaking off a glacier

  5. Question 5

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

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

  6. Question 6

    Which description matches snow?

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

  7. Question 7

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

    • A. True
    • B. False

  8. Question 8

    Is an iceberg made of salt water or fresh water?

    • A. it has no water in it
    • B. fresh water, because it broke off a glacier made from snow
    • C. it is made of sugar
    • D. salt water, because it is in the sea

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

  1. 1. D. thin ice crystals that form on cold surfaces overnight

  2. 2. A. True

  3. 3. B. Ice is only a little lighter than water, so it floats low.

  4. 4. A. ice that covers a whole land area, like Antarctica

  5. 5. D. Earth's climate is getting warmer.

  6. 6. D. soft ice crystals that fall from clouds

  7. 7. A. True

  8. 8. B. fresh water, because it broke off a glacier made from snow