Micro-curricular planning of didactic unit

Name of institution
Name of teacher Date
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Didactic unit Unit 4 – The Hydrosphere
Objective of the unit To describe the distribution of water on Earth, analyze and describe characteristics of water masses and value water as a fundamental part of life.

Evaluation criteria To reason through investigation and class discussions on the importance of the hydrosphere and the process of the water cycle for living things, identify
the characteristics that distinguishes oceans, seas and lakes and how to identify fresh and salt water, and the influence of the moon on masses of
water.

How and how to evaluate?

What will they learn? How will they learn? Evaluation
Skills with performance Learning activities Resources Evaluation
criteria (methodologic strategies) Evaluation indicators techniques and
instruments
To describe the Anticipation To describe the Technique:
● Student book
distribution of water on importance of the Test
● Simulate surroundings and the environment, by using the image on page 124 of
earth. ● Notebook hydrosphere, the
the student book, by including some questions such as: How do we protect our distribution of water and Instrument:
environment? Do you follow the rules when you visit protected areas? ● Pencils the different types of Oral
● Discuss with the students on the protection and conservation of resources and water on our planet.
● Markers
respect for the environment in general.
● Internet
● Encourage them to work on the following questions: “What do you know” section
on page 125 of the student book. Use prior knowledge to do this activity as a ● Power point
class. presentation
● Santillana apps
Construction
● Connect students with the “Water on Earth” topic, by asking them if they knew ● Cardboard
that all the water on our planet has not always been there. Brainstorm all of their ● Ball
ideas and write them down on the board.
● Raise awareness of the critical importance of our planet’s marine ecosystems and ● Cotton balls
features full screen photographs, by using the app related to Seas, Oceans and ● Fresh water
Rivers of the World (www.santillana.es). Oceans: Heart of Our Blue Planet
(www.cemex.com/ SustainableDevelopment.aspx) ● Salty water
● Represent the earth using a ball, cotton balls for clouds and any other materials
you choose. Mark important geographic locations on your earth. Hang it up in
your classroom.
 ● Understand well what they are learning, by reading page 126 of the student book,
after doing the previous activities, so they.
● Challenge them to research more about hydrosphere, by reading page 127 of the
student book.
● Clarify concepts, by asking them to work on the “word focus” section, explaining
that an iceberg is a very large piece of ice floating in water, generally the ocean.
● Introduce “Different types of water on our planet”, by watching the following
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsqKTJtK_vw
● Explain to the students that water on our planet is classified into two large groups:
salty water and fresh water. Read all about salty and fresh water on page 128 of
the student book.
● Emphasize that there is much less fresh water than salt water. Also explain to
them that fresh water available for human beings is even less because we cannot
use water in polar ice caps or glaciers. This is why it is so important not to waste
or pollute our freshwater supply. Use the image of distribution of water on land to
explain this.
● Direct students’ attention to the Education through Values box and have a
volunteer read it aloud, following instructions as detailed in the “Language
extension” section, page 143 of the teacher’s guide

Consolidation
● Form groups. Have each one generate a list of as many bodies of water as they
can think of in a set time period. Pair groups together and have them take turns
naming their bodies of water and saying whether they contain salt or fresh water.
● Assess knowledge, by asking students to complete the ""Practicing" and
"Summarizing" activities on page 129 of the student book.
● Develop critical thinking by asking students to share their ideas about what would
happen on earth if the quantity of water is reduced.

To describe the Anticipation To describe the Technique:

● Notebook
distribution of water on importance of the Test
● Connect students with the “Distribution of water on land”, by using the image
earth. ● Pencils hydrosphere, the
shown on page 130 of the student book to remind them of the importance of distribution of water and Instrument:
conserving the planet’s water reserves. ● Markers the different types of Oral
● Discuss the serious problems experienced due to global warming and write their water on our planet.
● Internet
ideas down on the board. Share with the students relevant data based on
research thereof. ● Power point
presentation
 Construction
● Cardboard
● Discover with your students how water is distributed on land, by following its
● Ball
journey shown on the images of page 130 and 131 of the student book.
● Divide the class in 4 groups to make them explain each step of the journey in ● Cotton balls
class. Use a poster to illustrate the steps of the journey.
● Understand the importance of water’s distribution.

● Find out what do they knew that The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest
ocean in the world. At one point it is 11,000 meters deep!
● Challenge students on researching about the importance of aquifers for people
and thinking of a creative to present what they learn in class.
● Teach the students that the atmosphere is made up of various gases plus
between 0.01 and 5 percent water vapor, depending on the temperature.

Consolidation
● Direct students’ attention to the Challenge box. Encourage them to present their
findings in pictures, charts, posters or other creative ways, as explained in the
teacher’s guide, page 147.
● Reinforce these concepts by watching the following video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GFdTndS2Cs

To describe the Anticipation To describe the Technique:

● Student book
distribution of water on importance of the Test
● Connect students with the water cycle topic, by making them think of raindrops
earth. ● Notebook hydrosphere, the
falling on a rainy day. They come from the atmosphere, but how do they get so distribution of water and Instrument:
high in the sky? Why do they fall when they do? Brainstorm their ideas and invite ● Pencils the different types of Oral
them down on the board. water on our planet.
● Markers
● Clarify what evaporation and condensation is, by inviting students to watch the
following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY9HG8zUgOE. ● Internet
● Contrast their previous ideas with the explanation from the video. ● Power point
presentation
Construction
● Poster
● Divide the class in 2 groups and make each group to explain condensation and
● Cardboard
evaporation, respectively.
● Explore about the stages of the water cycle on page 132 of the student book. ● Water color

● Prepare a big colored poster with the image shown including the six stages of the ● Painting brushes
water cycle process. ● Collage
 ● Discuss the concepts of solid, liquid and gas are used on this page briefly by
using the example of what happens to water in nature. The following questions
could be asked: What different states of matter exist? What state is snow in? In
what states can we find water in nature?
● Introduce the “importance of water for living things” topic by asking students if
they have ever heard that it’s important to drink around six glasses of water a day
to stay healthy?
● Observe the explanations on page 133 of the student book and ask students to
make a collage representing the importance of water for living things, using
different type of materials.
● Foster comprehension, by inviting them to voluntarily share their collages
meanwhile they explain in their own words all about the importance of water.
● Emphasize that water is a very important and scarce resource, so we should
ensure that it is used properly. For example, a person can use more than 100
liters of water during a normal shower. Ask them how long do they take a shower
and let them share their answers in class.
● Teach them that as we age, the amount of water in our body decreases. A baby’s
body is 70 percent water, an adult’s body is 60 percent water, and an elderly
person’s body is only 55 percent water. Write this data on a poster and hang it up
in the class.
● Reinforce concepts, by asking the students to complete the ""Practicing" and
"Summarizing"" activities proposed on page 134 of the student book.

Consolidation
● Point out the “Education through values box” and have a volunteer read it aloud.
Form small groups. Ask students to imagine what will happen if we use all our
available fresh water. Have them discuss ways they can help conserve the
limited water we have on the planet: taking short showers. See page 149 of the
teacher’s guide.
● Assess knew knowledge, by asking the students to complete the “Quiz yourself”
activity on page 135 of the student book. To do activity 3, Activity Cards 4 and 5
are needed. Ask students to use one pair of activity cards per pair of students.
Students should match each water cycle stage with its description.

To analyze and describe Anticipation To describe the Technique:

● Student book
the characteristics of importance of the Test
● Introduce “Characteristics of Oceans, Seas and Lakes” by using a Power point
oceans, seas and lakes. ● Notebook hydrosphere, the
presentation to show pictures of different places around the world. distribution of water and Instrument:
● Investigate with the word desalination. If not, explain to them that seawater can be ● Pencils the different types of Registry
water on our planet.
 changed into fresh water through a process called desalination, in which salt is
● Markers
taken out of the water.
● Develop critical thinking by asking them why they think seawater contains salt. ● Internet

● Power point
Construction presentation
● Observe the image shown on page 136 and read about how salt water and fresh ● 1 transparent
water are different in many ways. The primary difference is the quantity of plastic cup,
dissolved salt or minerals they contain.
● 1 raw egg
● Encourage students to do the activity proposed on page 136 to see what happens
with an object floating in water containing salt and without it. ● 1 spoon,

● Emphasize the differences among salt water and fresh water, by illustrating ● 3 tablespoons of
images related on a Power point presentation. salt
● Teach the students that a sea is shallower and closer to land and an ocean is ● Some water.
usually larger and deeper. However, for the purposes of the class, both terms can
be used.
● Recognize a picture of the Lake Budi in Chile that is the only saltwater lake in
South America!
● Reinforce concepts, by reading about types of water in ocean, seas and lakes on
page 137. Clarify the main ideas, by watching the following video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNWuQD7QHBc
● Clarify concepts, by asking the students to complete the "Practicing" and
"Summarizing" activities on page 137 of the student book.
● Give students access to a library or the Internet and ask them to choose a sea or
an ocean to research. They should write its size, its unique or interesting wildlife
and something interesting occurred there in human history

Consolidation.
● Reinforce new knowledge, by inviting a few volunteers to share their reports with
the class, as explained on page 153 of the teacher’s guide.
● Develop critical thinking by asking them to think of the greatest damages that
currently oceans and seas suffer

To analyze and describe Anticipation To describe the

● Student book
the characteristics of importance of the Technique:
● Introduce the characteristics of oceans and seas topic, by inviting students to see
oceans, seas and lakes. ● Notebook hydrosphere, the Test
the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq5o1fUqh8o. Ask them distribution of water and
if they have ever imagined what the bottom of the ocean is like? ● Pencils the different types of
water on our planet. Instrument:
 Registry
● Develop critical thinking by asking students to imagine how life could be under ● Markers
ocean. Let them share their opinions in class.
● Internet

Construction ● Color pencils

● Observe the images shown on page 138. Divide the class in 4 groups and let ● Paintings
them work on the information found in each box, by researching more about it.
Once students are done, invite each group to share their investigation in class. ● Flash cards for
new vocabulary
● Explain that oceans occupy large areas and can be very deep in some parts. The
deepest areas are called deep-sea trenches. Prepare a poster with these data
and hang it up on the wall.
● Identify new vocabulary found studying this topic. Read the “word focus” section
about Seismic activity that is the movement of earth’s plates.
● Recognize the characteristics of oceans and seas, by making their shape and
movement using different type of material, paintings, etc. and then labeling each
one of them with its specific features.
● Introduce the “Effects of Water Conditions on Living Things” topic, by explaining
students the three factors that determine which living things can survive in each
area of the ocean, page 139 of the student book. Prepare a big poster to this
effect.
● Explore more about Oceans zones and diverse forms of life on page 140 of the
student book.
● Encourage students to research about marine life in the Mariana Trench that is
very different from the life in the rest of the ocean. Then ask them to draw a
picture of their favorite marine animal from this trench. Ask them why do they like
it?

Consolidation
● Assess new knowledge, by asking students to complete the "Practicing" and
"Summarizing" activities of page 141 of the student book.
● Identify other words with photo in them and compare the meanings, as explained
on page 157 of the teacher’s guide.

To analyze and describe Anticipation To describe the Technique:

● Student book
the characteristics of importance of the Test
● Connect the students with the following topics “Lakes” and “Living things in lakes”,
oceans, seas and lakes. ● Teacher’s guide hydrosphere, the
by inviting them to watch the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch? distribution of water and Instrument:
v=7gHW81mD1vY ● Notebook the different types of Registry
● Teach the students, as a curious fact that the Dead Sea in Israel, despite its water on our planet.
 name, is actually a lake. It has such a large amount of salt that it supports very
● Pencils
little life. Objects float much more easily in the Dead Sea than in other bodies of
water because of its high salt levels. ● Markers

Construction ● Internet

● Emphasize on the zones of ocean: littoral zone, limnetic zone and profundal ● Power point
zone, by making them read page 142 of the student book. presentation
● Construct a collage to represent these zones, by using any kind of material. ● Cardboard
Highlight the characteristics of each zone.
● Clarify concepts and explain the students that the profundal zone is located under
the limnetic zone, and it is the deepest part of the lake.
● Explore on Living Things in Lakes, on page 143 of the student book. In lakes, as
in oceans, the temperature decreases with depth. This influences the living things
that live there.
● Reinforce the relevant ideas and ask students to write them down on their
notebooks, besides a drawing of the image shown on the same page.
● Encourage the students complete the "Practicing" and "Summarizing" activities of
page 143 of the student book.
● Research about large lakes around the world and prepare a Power point
presentation with images and related data. Let students enjoy it and make
questions during the presentation. You may invite students to watch the following
videos, otherwise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h70ARD_Bgn4
● Compare the characteristics of a lake with those of an ocean. To avoid confusion,
add that they can use the concepts of less and more if needed

Consolidation
● Assess comprehension, by asking the students to complete the "Practicing" and
"Summarizing" activities of page 143 of the student book.
● Clarify the correct use of the language related to page 143 of the student book.
Have students write comparative sentences between lakes and oceans: Lakes
are smaller than oceans. Oceans have more fish than lakes. Each student should
write five comparatives. Have students trade with a partner and check each
other’s work.

To analyze and describe Anticipation  Student book To describe the Technique:

the characteristics of  Teacher’s guide importance of the Test
● Explore and check with the students what they have learned in the previous topics
oceans, seas and lakes.  Notebook hydrosphere, the
about oceans and seas. Make the following question: Can the sea level change? distribution of water and
 Pencils Instrument:
Listen to their answers and guide them to argument.
  Markers the different types of Registry
● Explain to them that the answer is yes and explain the moon influences on these
 Internet water on our planet.
changes. Invite them to watch the following video of what occurs in nature, when  Power point
the moon and the earth are close: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILi0_p1xt_Y presentation
 Cardboard
Construction
● Observe the images of seas and ocean currents on pages 144 and 145.

● Emphasize on what a high and a low tide is. Let the students write in their own
words what they have understood about such phenomenon and make them draw.
● Explain to them that there are two types of tides: Solar tides depend on the
attraction between the earth and sun, and lunar tides depend on the attraction
between the earth and moon. Both change the sea level and alternate between
high and low tides.
● Reinforce each idea, by showing the image illustrated on page 144, which you
can draw in a big poster. Make questions and ask students to voluntarily answer
to ensure they have understood well.
● Understand that lunar attraction is more than twice as strong as solar attraction
and plays the major part in the formation of tides. The ocean facing the moon
bulges towards it, and the ocean on the other side of the earth bulges in the
opposite direction. The rotation of the earth causes the tides to change. High tide
occurs when an ocean is facing directly toward or away from the moon.
● Research more about this phenomenon and share any interesting data with the
class.
● Introduce the “Currents” topic, asking the students what they think they are.
Explain these are movements of large amounts of water in seas and oceans.
● Read along with your students about waves and how they are produced. Highlight
the three steps explained on page 145 of the student book, using the
corresponding slide of the Power Point presentation.
● Assess comprehension, by asking the students to complete the "Practicing" and
"Summarizing" activities on page 146.

Consolidation
● Reinforce concepts, by asking the students to look back through the vocabulary
words and develop this activity, as explained on page 161 of the teacher’s guide.
● Assess knowledge, by asking them to complete the “Quiz Yourself” activities on
page 147 of the student book. Also guide them to do the “Let’s check” activity on
page 148 of the student book.
 ● Encourage them to do the “Science Lab” activities on pages 150 and 151.

Curricular adaptations: In this section, curricular actions must be developed for all students with special educational needs associated or not with disability.
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