Second Grade Inquiry Activity Occurring Within a Unit on Soils

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1 Second Grade Inquiry Activity Occurring Within a Unit on Soils Scott Johnson sjohnson@crec.org CREC University of Hartford Magnet School Rachael Manzer rmanzer@crec.org CREC Science Education Specialist

2 Second Grade Inquiry Activity Occurring Within a Unit on Soils Content Standard: 2.3 Earth Materials have varied physical properties which make them useful in different ways. Soils can be described by their color, texture and capacity to retain water. Unpacked Concepts: Soils vary in their physical characteristics. Sand, clay and silt vary in particle size. Soil samples can be sifted and separated by particle size. Sand, clay, and silt differ in their ability to absorb or drain water Pre-assessment: Assess observations in science notebooks from Phase I activity. I Notice, I Wonder Phase I: Inquiry Starter Day 1: Students go outside with teacher and collect soil from 3 different locations on school grounds. Label the soil samples with location students went out and got the soil. In their science notebook, students should describe the areas they got the soil. Possible locations: Erosion spot Woods Sandy soil spot Sidewalk Marshy Area Forest Day 2: Students use hand lens to observe the soil. Students should fill in the

3 I Notice part of their graphic organizer. As the students are doing their observations, they will probably beginning wondering about what they see. Students should also begin to fill out the I Wonder part of their graphic organizer. As a whole class discussion, have the student s share their observations. Continue the discussion by next focusing on what the students are wondering about. The teacher should take those ideas and guide the class into creating testable questions. Record all the testable questions on sentence strips. Possible Student Inquiry Questions: Why are there different colors? Are all soils alike? What is in the soil? Are there dead animals/dinosaurs in soil? Are there living animals in soil? Why are there rocks in my soil? (Prior to next class: sort questions into color, texture, water, and other) Day 3: Show students the materials that will be made available for their science experiment (sand sifters, screens, cups, shovels, etc.) As a whole class do a gallery walk. Have the class select two questions they would like to investigate. Have the students self select which of the two questions they are most interested in studying. Split the class based on interest, have one teacher take a group of students and begin to discuss how they would like to investigate their question.

4 Phase II: Focused Investigation Day 4: Students will begin to design their experiments. Of the two each teachers, each teacher will take one testable question and the students who are interested in that question. In each group, students will use their science notebooks to plan their experiment that utilizes the available materials and soil samples. Day 5: Break the each half of the class into two smaller groups. (4 groups -Two of the groups are doing an experiment on one testable question and the other two groups doing an experiment on a second testable question.) Using the design procedure found in the students science notebooks, the children will conduct their experiment. Every student must record their information on the table in their science notebooks. For homework, students should look at their results and write down a few sentences about what they discovered. Phase III: Share Out Day 6: Each teacher takes the same half of the class they have been working with. (2 groups) Tell the students that they are preparing for a share out, in which each group will share their results with the entire class. Have the smaller groups practice sharing their results. As a class (1 group) have each of the four groups share their results. The instructor should remind the students of required behavior during a Share Out time. Each group shares their result. The instructor records the important information on chart paper. (The instructor will provide students with a page for their notebooks with all the information recorded on the chart paper.)

5 Performance Based Assessment Address Expected Performance; A. 21 Sort different soils by properties, such as particle size; color, and composition. Students are given a snack bag Ziploc bag that contains a mystery soil. Student will observe and record properties of soil. They will write a description of the soil. Will Assess: (See Rubric) observation skills knowledge of physical properties of soil Materials: Two Teachers co-teaching Shovels to collect soil samples Buckets or large to place soil samples on Sifts of different sizes Dish pans to hold soils as they are shifted Different types of cups, Dixie cups, medicine cups, tall plastic cups Scales to measure soil Possible Further Extensions: How much water soil absorbs Go back and investigate what plants grow in the different areas that the soil was collected Examine how does different soil quality effect plant Examine soils from their homes Note: Since this is one the student s first experience with an inquiry based investigation, you will find the lesson is more of a guided inquiry experience. Additionally, the students science notebook will help provide more scaffolding to guide the students through the investigation. University of Hartford Magnet School Authors: Rachael Manzer and Scott Johnson, 2007

6 Student Name Soils Inquiry Investigation Rubric Area of Assessment Process Skill: Observations Knowledge of Physical Properties of Soil Mechanics: Capitalization and Punctuation Mechanics: Complete Sentences Observations include explicit details about soil In written the description, student tries to identify if the soil is sand, clay, or silt. All sentences have capitals and periods. Student wrote in complete sentences. Students make use of several senses in observing soils In written the description, student states color, texture and particle size. Most sentences have capitals and periods. Majority of the sentences are complete. Students identify obvious differences and similarities in soil In written the description student states color of soil. Capitals or periods are missing. Sentences are not complete.

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