Lesson Plan Writing Worksheet

Topic-What aspect of your research do you want to teach about?

How settling sediments relate to energy flow

Target Grade Levels: 6th and 8th specifically 6.E.2 (6.E.2.3, and 6.E.2.4) and 8.E.1 from NC Essential Standards

Activity: How can you make your research exciting? Include resources/materials needed for students and educators. What are the Engage and Explore activities?

Images pre, during, post Matthew in New Bern vs Kinston

Question for Students: What observations can you make comparing Kinston and New Bern rivers during each time period.

Flow velocity-

Diagram of velocities in river cross-section

Question: What would happen to flow velocity if the channel gets wider?

Flow slows down- same amount of water, larger reservoir, more friction because more bottom

Kinston Vs. New Bern- Kinston channel is much narrower than New Bern so it flooded.

*Note: Not the only reason it flooded vs New Bern, but a large contributing factor

Question for students: Here are jars of different sediments, we will shake them and time how long it takes for the sediment to settle in each jar. Look at the jars and write down which jar will settle first. Rate them 1-5 (or however many jars you have)

Materials needed: Jars with sediments of different grain sizes

Now actually shake the jars and have students time them to see how long it takes for the sediments to settle in them.

What causes sediments to settle? Reduced flow/energy

What types of environments would cause reduced flow/energy?

Plants/structure- marshes, oyster reefs, seagrasses

Increased channel width- delta, river mouth, sounds/estuaries

Learning Objectives: What do you want the students be able to do at the end of the lesson? Use measurable verbs. Compare flow velocities in systems of varying channel widths

Analyze how different mechanisms slow energy flow

Select a grain size that will settle the fastest? Slowest?

Alignment to Standards: What standards does your lesson plan fit into (write out the full standard)? Modify your ideas to make sure they fit standards.

6E2 Understand the structure of the earth and how interactions of constructive and destructive forces have resulted in changes in the surface of the Earth over time and the effects of the lithosphere on humans.

8 E1 Understand the hydrosphere and the impact of humans on local systems and the effects of the hydrosphere on humans.

Explain: What concepts and skills do you want the students to know (including formal terms and definitions)? Write down a sequence of questions that will lead students towards these concepts.

For Older Students:

Settling Velocity:the rate at which suspended solids subside and are deposited

Thalweg: The line that connects the lowest points in a valley or river channel, and thus the line of fastest flow along a river’s course

Abiotic: physical rather than biological; not derived from living organisms.

Biotic: of, relating to, or caused by living organisms

Flow velocity: the vector field that is used to describe fluid motion in a mathematical manner. Flow velocity in fluids is the vector field that provides the velocity of fluids at a certain time and position.

For younger students:

Velocity: quickness of motion

Energy: The capacity or power to do work, such as the capacity to move an object (of a given mass) by the application of force

Settling: The capacity or power to do work, such as the capacity to move an object (of a given mass) by the application of force

Deposition: The capacity or power to do work, such as the capacity to move an object (of a given mass) by the application of force

We want 3 main concepts to come across:

1. Flow velocity and where maximum flow velocity occurs in rivers

a. Understanding the diagram of the cross section of a river and why the maximum flow velocity occurs where it does 2. Physical factors that can slow flow velocity

a. For older students you can introduce the concept of abiotic and biotic factors controlling energy flow. Biotic factors include marsh grass, oyster reefs, seagrass. An abiotic factor is channel width and depth.

3. How grain size affects how fast particles can settle

a. Be able to predict how quickly particles will settle based on their shape and size

a.i. For younger students understanding that flat particles will settle slower than round particles (i.e. paper falling vs. a ball) and that larger particles settle faster than small particles (You could use the analogy of a bouncy ball vs a bowling ball falling) This is a great opportunity for kids to predict what will happen.

a.ii. For older students understanding that there is a surface area to volume ratio that models how fast particles settle.

Leading questions:

Flow velocity questions

1. Compare and contrast the river in New Bern vs. Kinston

2. What is one difference that could account for the flooding in Kinston and not in New Bern?

3. What would happen to the flow of the water if the river channel got wider? Narrower?

Factors controlling flow velocity questions

1. What biotic factors could reduce flow velocity?

2. What abiotic factors could reduce energy flow?

3. What types of environments would be good at reducing the flow velocity?

Grain size questions

1. What size particles do you think will settle the fastest?

Elaborate: How can the students apply what they have learned to other contexts? Allow students to verbalize what was learned during the lesson.

Flow velocity principles can be applied to any fluid- glaciers, the asthenosphere

Flooding can be applied to all stormwater issues.

Settling builds foundation for understanding formation of rivers and basins.

Evaluate: Must be directly linked to learning objectives. What is the final student product? Lesson Plan Template

Author(s): Carson Miller and Molly Bost

Author Affiliation and Location: UNC Institute of Marine Sciences, Morehead CIty, NC (e.g. Duke, Beaufort, NC)

Optional Author Website

Optional Author Contact [email protected]; [email protected] Information (e.g. email)

Summary of Lesson Plan (max. 100 Understanding what biotic and abiotic factors affect flow velocities in rivers and Words) streams.

Include aspects of the lesson that are unique and innovative.

List of Standards Addressed 6th and 8th specifically 6.E.2 (6.E.2.3, and 6.E.2.4) and 8.E.1 from NC Essential Standards Common Core, NC Essential Science, Next Gen, etc. (This should be list of all full standards addressed by the lesson)

Learning Objectives using Compare flow velocities in systems of varying channel widths Measurable Verbs (what students will be able to do) Analyze how different mechanisms slow energy flow Discuss what abiotic and biotic factors affect flow velocity in channels.

Appropriate Grade Levels 6-8

Group Size/# of students activities Adaptable are designed for

Setting (e.g. indoors, outdoors, Adaptable lab, etc.)

Approximate Time of Lesson 30 minutes/Adaptable (Break down into 20-50 minute periods)

Resources Needed for Students None (e.g. scissors, paper, pencils, glue, etc.) Resources Needed for Educators Probably some sort of presentation of background physics/photos of examples. (e.g. blackboard, Powerpoint capabilities, etc.) Jars of different grain sizes in water.

Apps/Websites Needed

Lesson Activity (step by step Engage: Shake Jars description of activity)

Explore: Show images of flooded areas vs not so flooded ones- discuss why they’re different

Explain: Talk more in depth about flow velocity physics

Elaborate:

For Older Students: Settling Velocity:the rate at which suspended solids subside and are deposited; Thalweg: The line that connects the lowest points in a valley or river channel, and thus the line of fastest flow along a river’s course; Abiotic: physical rather than biological; not derived from living organisms.; Biotic: of, relating to, or caused by living organisms; Flow velocity: the vector field that is used to describe fluid motion in a mathematical manner. Flow velocity in fluids is the vector field that provides the velocity of fluids at a certain time and position.

For younger students: Velocity: quickness of motion; Energy: The capacity or power to do work, such as the capacity to move an object (of a given mass) by the application of force; Settling: The capacity or power to do work, such as the capacity to move an object (of a given mass) by the application of force; Deposition: The capacity or power to do work, such as the capacity to move an object (of a given mass) by the application of force

Evaluate: worksheet or quiz

Final Product/Assessment (e.g. Worksheet worksheet, presentation, poster, etc.)

Feedback Form for Teachers

Images: Appendices:

Background Reading for Teachers: