Grade 5 Science
Week Twelve Lessons
This week we will begin the Earth Unit. We will be exploring the rock cycle, sedimentary rocks, fossils, and fossil fuels this week! Here is a lesson to help you plan. Links to actual materials and lessons are provided throughout this post. I hope you can find something to help make planning this year a little, or a lot, easier!
TEKS/ Standards:
(A) explore the processes that led to the formation of sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels; Readiness Standard
(D) identify fossils as evidence of past living organisms and the nature of the environments at the time using models. Supporting Standard
“I can” Statements:
I can describe the process by which sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels are formed.
I can identify fossils as evidence of the past organisms and environments by using models.
Essential Questions:
Monday – How can rocks change types?
Tuesday – Why are the rock cycle, fossil formation, and formation of fossil fuels considered slow changes?
Wednesday – What clues can you use to decide what type of rock you are observing?
Thursday – How does a fossil keep the shape of the organism after so many years?
Friday – How are fossil fuels made?
Word Wall Words:
Fossils
Fossil Fuels
Sedimentary Rock
Igneous Rock
Metamorphic Rock
Science Word Wall fossil freebie
Lesson Ideas and Materials:
Materials:
Science Wall Complete each day with your choice of word wall words.
Earth and Space Interactive Science Notebook
Science and Literacy The Rock Cycle
Lesson Ideas:
(Monday) Play the Rock Cycle Board Game taking kids through the processes of the cycle. Introduce Word Wall Words for the Week and ask students what they think it means. Complete the first 2 columns of a Word Wall Builder Chart. –All this is in the Science and Literacy The Rock Cycle.
(Tuesday) Students will read an informational text about the rock cycle and fossils and complete a graphic organizer to process the information. Complete the third column of the Word Wall Builder Chart. –All this is in the Science and Literacy The Rock Cycle.
(Wednesday) Students will complete a summary writing with key terms from Tuesday’s reading. – Science and Literacy The Rock Cycle. Complete the rock cycle diagram and story writing prompt in the notebook. –Earth and Space Interactive Science Notebook
(Thursday) Rock Model Mystery Lab day! –Science and Literacy The Rock Cycle
(Friday) Create a fossil dig for the students using a tray, sand, and rocks or toy dinosaurs. Students can dig them up and decide which were the oldest. Complete the Rock Cycle Anchor Chart and the Sedimentary Rocks and Fossil Fuels Anchor Chart as a class. – Earth and Space Anchor Charts
The students can fill in their printable poster, and you can make one on chart paper to hang up around the room. Complete the vocabulary pages that were not completed through the week.
Lesson Notes:
Science Starters and Science Wall to start each day.
During extra class time, complete the Earth Science Vocabulary pages that accompany this week’s learning.
Additional resources:
The following links to the pretty PDF of this lesson plan.
Need materials for younger grades?
The materials in this lesson are intended for 5th graders in Texas, but are taught in a way that they could be easily modified for younger and older grades.
Here is what I have for Earth and Space so far.
2nd Grade Earth and Space Science Notebook
Kindergarten Interactive Science Notebook with Word Wall Cards