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Science lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 45 minutes

Types of teeth and their jobs

Human body and health

CCSS NGSS.4-LS1-1England: KS2 Y4 Animals, including humans

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Types of teeth and their jobs.

  • 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: The digestive system

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Stopwatches, Body diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (The digestive system). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Where are most nutrients absorbed into the blood? (the small intestine / the stomach / the mouth / the large intestine) → the small intestinePrompt: It is a very long, folded tube.
  2. In the path of a bite of apple, what comes straight after "swallowed down the oesophagus (esophagus)"? (nutrients absorbed in the small intestine / water absorbed in the large intestine / churned with acid in the stomach / teeth chew it) → churned with acid in the stomachPrompt: Picture food travelling from top to bottom.
  3. What does saliva do? (wets food and starts to digest starch / digests fat completely / kills all bacteria in food / absorbs nutrients) → wets food and starts to digest starchPrompt: Chew bread for a long time and it starts to taste sweet.

Hook · 5 min

  • Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
  • Share the objective: Types of teeth and their jobs. 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: What do incisors do?
  • Step 1: So the answer is: sharp, flat front teeth for biting and cutting
  • Answer: sharp, flat front teeth for biting and cutting
  • 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. What do premolars do? (teeth between canines and molars that help crush food / wide, bumpy back teeth for grinding and crushing / pointed teeth for gripping and tearing / sharp, flat front teeth for biting and cutting) → teeth between canines and molars that help crush foodPrompt: Think about where each tooth is in your mouth.
  2. A cow has wide, flat molars and no top front teeth. What does it eat? (other animals / grass and other plants / insects only / fish) → grass and other plantsPrompt: Tough plants need lots of grinding.

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? Sweet fizzy drinks are good for teeth. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Think about tooth shapes and tooth care.
  2. Why do humans have incisors, canines AND molars? (Teeth are just for smiling. / We only eat meat. / We are omnivores, eating both plants and meat. / We only eat plants.) → We are omnivores, eating both plants and meat.Prompt: What kinds of food do people eat?

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: The digestive system.
  • Use concrete materials: stopwatches.
  • 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-4.

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

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Types of teeth and their jobs

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    What do premolars do?

    • A. wide, bumpy back teeth for grinding and crushing
    • B. pointed teeth for gripping and tearing
    • C. sharp, flat front teeth for biting and cutting
    • D. teeth between canines and molars that help crush food

  2. Question 2

    True or false? Sweet fizzy drinks are good for teeth.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  3. Question 3

    How many adult (permanent) teeth do most adults have, including wisdom teeth?

    • A. 50
    • B. 32
    • C. 20
    • D. 12

  4. Question 4

    True or false? Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste protects teeth.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  5. Question 5

    Why do humans have incisors, canines AND molars?

    • A. We only eat meat.
    • B. We are omnivores, eating both plants and meat.
    • C. We only eat plants.
    • D. Teeth are just for smiling.

  6. Question 6

    What do canines do?

    • A. wide, bumpy back teeth for grinding and crushing
    • B. sharp, flat front teeth for biting and cutting
    • C. teeth between canines and molars that help crush food
    • D. pointed teeth for gripping and tearing

  7. Question 7

    True or false? Adult teeth grow back if you lose one.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  8. Question 8

    A lion has long, pointed canines. What does this suggest about its diet?

    • A. It eats seeds only.
    • B. It eats meat (it is a carnivore).
    • C. It eats only grass.
    • D. It drinks nectar.

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Answer key: Types of teeth and their jobs

  1. 1. D. teeth between canines and molars that help crush food

  2. 2. B. False

  3. 3. B. 32

  4. 4. A. True

  5. 5. B. We are omnivores, eating both plants and meat.

  6. 6. D. pointed teeth for gripping and tearing

  7. 7. B. False

  8. 8. B. It eats meat (it is a carnivore).