Land and Water
Lesson 8
Bird's Eye View: Looking at the Parts of a Stream
Students will make an aerial drawing of their stream table from Lesson 7. The students will label the parts of the land/water system.
3. Lesson set up and Management
SYSTEMS GLE 1.2.1 Analyze how the parts of a simple system go together, and how these parts depend on each other.
SYSTEMS GLE 1.3.4 Know processes that change the surface of Earth.
INQUIRY 2.1.5 Understand how to report investigations and explanations of objects, events, systems, and processes.
INQUIRY 2.2.3 Understand why similar investigations may not produce similar results.
- Students will make a drawing of their stream table from a "bird’s-eye view," discussing the advantages of this angle.
- Students will label their drawing using scientific vocabulary.
- Students will compare stream table drawings, noting similarities and differences.
3. Lesson set up and Management
Materials:
- Try to move the stream tables as little as possible. Especially if they have been sitting for a few days. On student page "Student Instructions for Making an Aerial Drawing" it is best if Steps 1-6 can be done on the same day as Lesson 7.
- Consider taking a photograph of each group’s stream table and skip having the students use the plastic sheeting to draw what they see. It is difficult for the students to produce an aerial view that has enough detail to show how the different lessons affect erosion.
- If drawing the aerial view: Make sure the clear plastic sheeting is cut large enough to cover the top of the tub and overlaps so the rubber band can secure the plastic to the tub.
- If drawing the aerial view: Check to make sure the markers are not dried up.
Student Management:
- Students need to focus on accurately showing what happened on their stream table.
- Student should specifically look for each of the different earth materials on their stream table and label the earth materials in their aerial drawing.
- Have the students also discuss during the investigation the speed of the water at various points on the stream table. (Consider using the flags from Lesson 7. The speed of the water and its effect on erosion is a key science concept in this unit.)
- While looking at the other groups’ stream tables, make sure the groups notice the similarities and differences. The similarities and differences can be recorded in their science notebooks.
- Have the students do "Student Instructions for Making an Aerial Drawing" steps 1-6 on the same day as Lesson 7. Finish the rest of Lesson 8 on a separate day.
- Consider taking photos of all the stream tables. (It is not necessary for the pictures to be printed in color.) Then once each student has a photocopy of their stream table results, have the students label the earth materials and the parts of a stream onto the the picture. Students can glue their stream table picture into their science journal.
- If drawing the aerial view: Encourage students to use lines or other symbols to shade in an area instead of coloring the whole area a solid color.
- If drawing the aerial view: Some of the shading or filling in an area can be done once the clear plastic is removed.
- Remind the students to label if the different earth materials are noticeable.
- Final Activity 1: Divide the stream table (stream system) into 4 parts: (1) head, (2)delta/mouth, (3) canyon/valleys/stream channel, (4) tributaries. Have a different student discuss each part of the stream table during the class discussion.
- Final Activity 3: It is an important scientific concept for students to understand that scientists don’t always get the same answers. It is also part of the scientific process to question why the results are different and try to figure out a scientific reason.
- The assessment activity on page 111 will provide valuable information about whether students are able to apply the information from the various lessons to new photographs.
Writing Support:
- Have the students write a paragraph combining Lesson 7 and Lesson 8. Have the students write a narrative paragraph personifying water. Have the water describe its speed, dropping off soil or wearing away soil and what land feature it is making (example: canyon, floodplain, delta, etc.).
- OR Have the students practice writing an informational, sequential paper describing the impact of the water on the land. Have students describe the water’s speed, dropping off soil or wearing away soil and what land feature it is making (example: canyon, floodplain, delta, etc.).
- Final Activities 1: Make a large compare and contrast poster for the class. Have the students write one paragraph on one of the land features or a multiple paragraph essay talking about each of the land features.
Land Features
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Stream head & delta
Canyons, valleys, & stream channel
Floodplain & tributaries
*Have them include information about the different types of earth material exposed/moved.
Reading Support:
- Have the students use each of the vocabulary words on the "Stream System" sheet in a sentence that shows they understand the meaning of the word.
- Read-aloud opportunity: The Story of the Earth: River by Lionel Bender. This is a GREAT book that reviews all the different parts of the river. The book does an excellent job of describing how a river erodes its banks. After the students do Lesson 8, see if they can identify on their stream table drawing each of the river parts from the book.
Last updated 05/22/2007