Unit Plan Overview

Unit: Landforms

Teacher: Laura DeGroot

Stage 1- Desired Results

Connections to Context:
Connect it to the field trip we took where we
learned about soil, its components, and its
importance
The unit following landforms is about the life
cycle of plants- this can be connected to when
we talk about how different plants survive
better in different landforms
Theyve been working on comparing and
contrasting. We can compare and contrast
different landforms and practice writing about
them.
(How does this fit with students experiences, the
school goals, and the larger societal issues?)
Established Goals

K-7 Standard E.SE: Develop an

understanding of the properties of Earth
materials and how those properties make
materials useful. Understand gradual and
rapid changes in Earth materials and
features of the surface of Earth.
Understand magnetic properties of Earth.
E.SE.E.2 Surface Changes- The surface
of Earth changes. Some changes are due
to slow processes, such as erosion and
weathering, and some changes are due to
rapid processes, such as landslides,
volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.
E.SE.02.21 Describe the major landforms
of the surface of the Earth (mountains,
plains, plateaus, valleys, hills).
Speaking and Listening Standards K5 1.
Participate in collaborative conversations with
diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with
peers and adults in small and larger groups. a.
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g.,
gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to

Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to

Answer the question, What is a surface feature?

Answer the question, Which of earths features are found in or near our community?

Compare and contrast the different landforms

Predict what a place will be like based on its landforms

Say which feature of their face represents which landform

(What kinds of long-term independent accomplishments are desired?)

Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Students will understand that
Students will keep considering

The earth is always changing

How the earth made

Only a small percentage of the earth is able

Who/what made the earth

to provide life for humans

How different landforms are useful in different

cultures
(What specically do you want students to understand?
What inferences should they make?)

(What thought-provoking questions will foster inquiry, meaningmaking and transfer?)

Acquisition of Knowledge, Skill and Values/Commitments/Dispositions

Cognitive Objectives
Physical Development Objectives
Socio-emotional Objectives

Students will be able to

Students will be able

Students will be able

list the 5 major landforms
to form their assigned landforms out
to work efficiently with small groups

Students will be able to

of play dough
or partners
list characteristics of each landform

Students will be able

Students will be able

to label landforms correctly on the
to make connecting to their

Students will be able to

models that we make
families/community based on
list different plants, animals, and
information learned in the lessons
forms of life for each landform

Students will be able to

tell how weather is different on
different landforms
(What discrete skills and processes should

Students will make

students be able to use?)
(What values and commitments and attitudes
connections to different landforms
should students acquire or wrestle with?)
based on where their relatives live
(What facts and basic concepts should
students know and be
able to recall?)

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

others with care, speaking one at a time about the

topics and texts under discussion). b. Build on
others talk in conversations by linking their
comments to the remarks of others. c. Ask for
clarification and further explanation as needed
about the topics and texts under discussion.
(What content standards and program- or missionrelated goal(s) will the unit address?
What habits of mind and cross-disciplinary goal(s)for example 21st century skills, core competencieswill this unit address?
Include source and identifying number)

Evaluative Criteria
I will have a rubric for each project they
complete. The criteria include quality of work,
use of time, collaboration with others, attitude,
and accuracy.
(What criteria will be used in each assessment to
evaluate attainment of the desired results?)(rubric
required)
(Regardless of the format of the assessment, what
qualities are most important?)

Other qualities that are important include the

correctness of the information in the project.
Because my students rarely work in groups,
my main evaluation is going to be on how
they work together as a group. Although this is
true, I still want will be observing the
information they understand through their
projects.

Stage 2- Evidence
Students will show their learning by (summative assessment)
PERFORMANCE TASK(S):

They will complete a unit test at the end of the unit (or at the end of the lessons that I teach). It will be graded
on correctness.

I will have worksheets for each lesson for the students to complete. It will be graded on correctness.

I will have an art/science project for the student to complete during the unit. They will be graded using a rubric.
(How will students demonstrate their understanding- meaning-making and transfer- through complex performance?)

OTHER EVIDENCE:

As they work I will be walking around the classroom seeing who seems to be doing work independently. If
there are those not doing work independently either I or Ms. F will take a few minutes to work with them on the specific
concept or idea until they understand it better.
(What other evidence will you collect to determine whether Stage 1 goals were achieved?

Neatness, effort, correctness,

Creativity-(for more artsy assignments)

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

Stage 3- Learning Plan

Pre-assessment- due __Wednesday, March 25, 2015______
I will provide a pre-assessment for the students a week or two before the lessons are taught. The pre-assessment involves the students describing each landform using their five
senses.
(What pre-assessments will you use to check students prior knowledge, skill levels, and potential misconceptions?)
(Toward which goal does each
Learning Events
learning event build?)
Acquisition
Meaning
Transfer

Student success at transfer, meaning, and acquisition depends upon their participation in these
learning events
Lesson One:
-Students will do an activity using a bed sheet to show how mountains are formed when the
earths plates push together
-Students will spray a pile of sand with water to show how water can change the shape of
mountains
-Students will blow on a pile of sand to show how wind can change the shape of a mountain
-Students will complete a worksheet which identifies their learning from the lesson
Lesson Two:
-Students will complete a chart in the front of the classroom by placing a descriptive card in the
correct pocket for each type of plain
-Students will complete a worksheet which identifies their learning from the lesson
Lesson Three:
-Students will work in groups to complete a list of plants, animals, and weather in the hills
-Students will complete a worksheet which identifies their learning from the lesson
Lesson Four:
-Students will make predictions
-Students will record observations and see how they lined up with their predictions
-Students will complete a worksheet which identifies their learning from the lesson
Lesson Five:
-Students will work in groups to form their assigned landform
-Students will complete a worksheet which identifies their learning from the lesson

Progress Monitoring

(How will you monitor

students progress toward acquisition,
meaning, and transfer during lesson events?)
(Formative Assessment)

I will also be assessing students as I ask

questions about what I am teaching
them and by which questions they have
about what I am telling them. I will also
be talking with Ms. Frost about what
she thinks the students understand and
what needs to be taught more/again.
(How will students monitor their own progress
toward acquisition, meaning, and transfer?)
(Assessment as learning)(rubric?)
Students will monitor their learning as I correct
their worksheets at the end of each lesson. They
will get their graded worksheets back and will be
able to see what they got wrong.

(What are potential rough

spots and student misunderstandings?)

Students may not like the activities I have

picked out for them. They may not do
well on the test, since it wont be in the
same format as their other tests. Also,
my students havent done much group
or partner work. So as I introduce it to
them, it might take a little bit for them
to get used to working with a partner or
in a group.

(How will students get the

feedback they need?)

We will go over the test after it has been

graded. Wrong answers will be marked, and
Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

I will have them fill in the correct answers.

When we do worksheets I or Ms. Frost will
correct them as they are completed.

(Have you included multiple means of representation, multiple means of action and expression, and multiple
means of engagement?)
(Are all three types of goals (acquisition, meaning, and transfer) addressed in the learning plan?)
(Does the learning plan reflect principles of learning and best practices?)
(Is there tight alignment with Stages 1 and 2?)

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum