Introduction
Students will understand the water cycle and rock cycle. They will examine different rocks and soils and what living organisms live beneath the surface, as well as explaining the water cycle. Students will be able to justify their answers through research and produce a video to summarize their findings.
Task
Students will work in groups of 4s where each student will do their part to contribute to the project. Each student needs to record themselves during their findings. One student will find 3 different rocks from different locations while another student will dig up 3 different soils and save a sample to present to the class. The 3rd student will find 3 living organisms from the 3 different soils that the second student dug up. Student number 4 will explain the water cycle. Students will use discussion boards to collaborate ideas and discuss findings. They will bring what they have found to class and put everything together in class with their groups.
Process
Each student will need to record themselves outside talking about what they are looking for and what they have found and upload it to the discussion board. Students must describe the texture of what they have found, what it looks like and where they found it. The student looking for rocks needs to talk about the rock type (sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rock). The student working on the water cycle doesn't need to record outside events but can record the water cycle through demonstration. Research needs to be done on the student's findings and reported in the video with 3 fun facts. Please watch these video's Rock Cycle, Water Cycle, Different Soil Types & Living Organisms & their Soil Type. Any website used, proper citation is needed and should be provided through the discussion board.
Evaluation
Grading will be based on two things participation and submission. 30% of the grade will go towards participation with the discussion board. If the links for the websites used for your research are not posted on the discussion board, then you will lose 15% towards participation.
The submission of the video itself will be 70% of your grade so please make sure it is clear and well put together. Any blurry videos and videos where audio are an issue will lose 10% towards the final grade. I will give 1 chance for videos with issues before I submit a final grade to have them fixed.
Conclusion
At the end of this project students will be able to explain what the rock and water cycle is. The different types of soils and their uses and what living organisms live beneath them. Please visit What on Earth? for a fun activity.
Teacher Page
Serena Henry
1st Grade
Science
Topic: Water, rocks, soil, and what living organisms are found on Earth's surface. (Standard #: SC.1.E.6.1)
Learning Objective: Identify the rock and water cycle, soil and what lives under the soil.
Instructions: Teach students how to use their senses to identify outdoor items and how they work.
Assessment Overview: Building self-awareness by allowing students to explore and indulge in sensory development.