Baldwin-Wallace University/School of Education/Universal Lesson Plan

I. Subject: Science – Water Cycle Date: 1/30/18 Grade Level: 2

II. Alignment to Standards:

A. Ohio’s Learning Standards:
-ODE.ESS.2.2.1: Water is present in the air.
-ODE.RI.2.2: Identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph text as well as focus on
specific paragraphs within the text.

III. Central focus of the learning segment:

-During this learning segment, students will be learning about the water cycle through a variety
of sources and activities. First, students will discuss their experiences with rain/snow. They will
then complete a brief written pre-assessment about their knowledge of types of precipitation and
the water cycle. The class will read through a brief article about the water cycle and will use
information of the text to create individual charts defining major vocabulary terms. Additionally,
the students will create icons and motions to go along with each term in order to better remember
the meanings.
-The next day, the students will listen to a water cycle song and will use the motions they
determined the previous day to represent each vocabulary term used in the song. The students
will then read the procedures of a “Water Cycle in a Bag” experiment, which they will then
complete in small groups. The second lesson will close after students make predictions about
how the experiment will turn out.
-For the third lesson, the students will make conclusions about the experiment from the previous
day. They will then read a short story about the water cycle and will relate it to their lives.
Finally, they will complete a written summative assessment in which they create an image of the
water cycle and apply the vocabulary terms that they have learned.

IV. Learning Objective(s)/Target/s:

By the end of the 35-minute lesson, the students will be able to create a diagram of the water
cycle that includes the appropriate labeling of the terms “evaporation”, “condensation”, and
“precipitation”, pictures that correspond to each step of the cycle, and arrows pointing in the
correct direction with 90% accuracy overall.

V. Assessment/s:
A. Formative assessments during the lesson:
-The students will make conclusions about the previous day’s experiment based on the
results they find at the beginning of class. The teacher will listen to the students’
explanations of the water cycle as well as their vocabulary usage.
-The students will talk through the water cycle with the teacher, using the appropriate
vocabulary and hand motions. The teacher will observe the students to check for any
misunderstandings.

B. Summative assessment:
 -As the culmination of this learning segment, the students will work individually to create
their own diagrams of the water cycle. They will use the vocabulary of the segment, an
icon/image to match each term, and arrows directing the cycle in the correct direction.
The students will be given materials to work with, as well as a rubric with the
requirements of the project. The teacher will assess the projects using the rubric. If the
students attain an average of at least 90%, the teacher will move on to the next learning
segment, which focuses on condensation (specifically clouds).

VI. Academic Language:

A. Function:
-Students will analyze the results of the experiment. They will correlate the results
with their knowledge of the water cycle.
-Students will define the unit vocabulary terms. They will create motions for each
term.
-Students will apply their knowledge of the water cycle and the unit vocabulary terms
in order to create their own depiction of the water cycle.

B. Content vocabulary:
-Water Cycle: when water from Earth evaporates, condenses into clouds, and falls back
to Earth as precipitation
-Evaporation: when a liquid changes to a gas
-Condensation: when a gas changes to a liquid
-Precipitation: rain, snow, or hail falling from the clouds

VII. Materials/Candidate Resources:

-All experiments from the previous day (taped to the window)
-Diagram of the water cycle
-SMART board/projector/computer
-Paper plates (x24)
-Coloring materials (crayons, markers, pencils, etc.)
-Vocabulary term cut-outs (24 of each)
-Glue/tape

VIII. Behavior Expectations:

-During the lesson, students are expected to follow the 3 big school rules: Be safe, be kind, be
responsible. The students will stay seated as they review the experiment from the previous day
and will take turns viewing their results. They will raise their hands to share with the class.
During the summative assessment, the students will work individually, but may speak quietly,
with a voice level of 1. They will use their materials appropriately, sharing when necessary, and
may use their vocabulary sheet as a resource if needed.

IX. Procedures:
A. Motivation/Hook:
-At the beginning of the lesson, the teacher will ask the students if they remember the
experiment from the previous day. One student will share. The teacher will then call on
a few students to share their predictions about what happened. (3 minutes).
 B. Instructional Strategies:
What the teacher will
say/do:
The teacher will then tell the
students that they are going
to see the results of their
experiment. The teacher will
call students (one table at a
time) to come view their
experiment taped to the
window. After everyone has
seen, the students will pair
and share their ideas about
what happened (some of the
water evaporated, it
condensed at the top of the
bag, and is now dripping
down the sides like
precipitation). The teacher
will prompt the students to
use the proper vocabulary
words to describe the
experiment.
The teacher will tell the
students that they’re going
to talk through the process
of the water cycle one last
time before moving on to a
final project. The teacher
will talk through the cycle
(with the diagram as a
reference behind her), using
the proper terms and
motions, and the students
will echo after her.
The teacher will then
introduce the final water
cycle project, showing an
example as well as the
project rubric. The students
will have the opportunity to
ask any questions. They will
then have the remainder of
What the student is Theorist/ Differentiation Anticipated
expected to do: Best Practice Time
The students will take -Fogarty: learning -Gardner: 5 minutes
turns viewing their is experiential, interpersonal and
experiment results. transfer learning naturalistic learners
They will think-pair- through reflection
share about the -Anxiety disorder:
results, using the opportunity to just
vocabulary terms to talk with a friend –
describe their ideas. not in front of the
whole class
-ELL – apply the
new academic
words they are
learning, first with
a friend, then with
the class
The students will echo -Rogers and -Learning Styles: 2 minutes
back as the teacher Renard: learning visual, auditory,
talks/motions through occurs when AND kinesthetic
the process of the students are
water cycle. actively engaged -ADHD: students
are constantly
moving/echoing –
little room for
distraction because
they are supposed
to be up out of their
seats
The students will -Bloom: -Below-level 20 minutes
listen as the teacher synthesis/creating learners, dyslexia,
explains the project. ELL: may use their
They will then work vocabulary charts
individually to create as a reference, may
their own water cycle use pre-made
diagrams. vocabulary labels
instead of writing
the period to work on their the words from
projects individually. memory

-Above level
learners: may be
asked to include
definitions of the
terms or show
multiple examples
of precipitation, for
example.

C. Review/Closure: Depending on the amount of time left at the end of the period, the
students will either have the opportunity to sing “The Water Cycle Boogie” one last
time and/or share their water cycle diagrams with the class. (5 minutes).