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Developed by CLACE- PI Marina La Grave, Dr. Barry Kluger-Bell and Kristine Johnson
UNIT: All
LESSON: Introduction
TITLE: Introduction to Nuestra Tierra Dinámica
Summary: Children are introduced to the ideas of
NASA Source:
Grade level:
Time:
Children
Learning
Outcomes:
climate change and Earth systems. They
learn that the planet’s primary
components—its land, air, and water,
and role of the Sun in providing us with
energy and human use of energy—will
be the focus of study in this program.
Children connect with these topics by
finding examples at school and at home.
Adapted from the NASA “OUR MISSION TO
PLANET EARTH: A Guide to Teaching
Earth System Science”
http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/guide/earth_sy
stem.pdf
K-5
Total time: 70 minutes
Snack & introduction: 20 minutes
Bingo:
20 minutes
Personalize journals: 20 minutes
Summary and cleanup: 10 minutes
Children will learn that:
 Soil, air and water are primary
components of the Earth system.
 The sun provides Earth with energy.
 People use many forms of energy.
Children will engage in and thereby
strengthen a number of scientific
practices such as:
 Observing examples of Earth’s
components.
 Recording some of those observations.
Children will be able to (cultural goals):
 Relate overall science learning goals to
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Materials:
Children will be introduced to
their journals. Art materials,
such as markers, colored pencils,
crayons, scissors, glue, colored
paper, old magazines (culturally
relevant and/or related to the
environment and/or science)
should be available for
personalizing the journal covers.
for scavenger hunt bingo
Item
Quantity
per child
Scavenger
hunt BINGO
1
handout*
*See last page of this lesson plan.
Take-home KIT per child:
Each child will receive:
1 half sheet of paper with the
following instructions:
 Wet your paintbrush (under a
faucet or by dipping in a
container of water).
 Use your paintbrush to paint
different surfaces—a piece of
paper, a piece of newspaper,
the wall outside, the sidewalk.
 How do these surfaces look
Developed by CLACE- PI Marina La Grave, Dr. Barry Kluger-Bell and Kristine Johnson
the context of their schools, families,
and community.
 Communicate ideas, collaborate with
other children, and learn in a
personally meaningful way.
Big Questions: Which are the four main spheres of the
Lesson format:
National
Standards
Addressed:
when you paint them with
water?
 Watch your “paint” marks as
they disappear. What
happened? Can you relate it to
what we did today?
 Please remember to bring in a
show and tell object that
makes you think about water
or a drawing related to water
for next week.
Earth System?
1. Air—Atmosphere
2. Water—Hydrosphere
3. Soils—Pedosphere
4. *Life—Biosphere
*Our program will integrate LIFE as a
Word Wall:
component of each Unit (Air, Water,
Soils). We have developed Energy as a 4th Include following words in
Unit.
discussion (in both English and
Spanish), orally defined in
What is air?
understandable terms, and
What things make up the Earth?
visibly displayed. If possible,
Where does Earth’s energy come
project a large image of the
from?
words (and associated pictures)
What things do you need to live that
on the wall of the teaching area.
your home (Planet Earth) gives you?
 Evaporation • Evaporación
Hands-on activity and discussion.
 Climate
• Clima
This curriculum is closely related to the
 Air
• Aire
Earth System Science (ESS) strand from
 Water
• Agua
the Next Generation Science Standards:
 Soil
• Suelo
ESS1.C. Some events on Earth occur very  Energy
• Energia
quickly; others can occur very slowly.
ESS2.A. Wind and water can change the
shape of the land. Four major Earth
systems interact. Rainfall helps to
shape the land and affects the types of
living things found in a region. Water,
ice, wind, organisms, and gravity break
rocks, soils, and sediments into smaller
pieces and move them around.
ESS2.C. Water is found in many types of
places and in different forms on Earth.
Most of Earth’s water is in the ocean
and much of the Earth’s fresh water is
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Developed by CLACE- PI Marina La Grave, Dr. Barry Kluger-Bell and Kristine Johnson
in glaciers or underground.
ESS2.D. Weather is the combination of
sunlight, wind, snow or rain, and
temperature in a particular region and
time. People record weather patterns
over time. Climate describes patterns
of typical weather conditions over
different scales and variations.
ESS2.E. Plants and animals can change
their local environment. Living things
can affect the physical characteristics of
their environment.
ESS3.A. Living things need water, air, and
resources from the land, and they live
in places that have the things they
need. Humans use natural resources
for everything they do. Energy and
fuels humans use are derived from
natural sources and their use affects
the environment. Some resources are
renewable over time, others are not.
ESS3.C. Things people do can affect the
environment but they can make
choices to reduce their impacts.
Societal activities have had major
effects on the land, ocean, atmosphere,
and even outer space. Children
describe things society does to protect
Earth’s resources and environments.
ESS3.D. Organisms will be affected in
many different ways if Earth’s global
mean temperature continues to rise.
DIRECTIONS:
Overview: This session involves four parts and one take-home activity:
1) Start with a discussion about where they think water goes when things dry out.
2) Children then investigate things that might affect the rate of evaporation.
3) Children share their results and the facilitator discusses evaporation and
transpiration.
4) Instruction for Take-home Kit/activity.
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Developed by CLACE- PI Marina La Grave, Dr. Barry Kluger-Bell and Kristine Johnson
Steps:
LESSON INTRODUCTION (20 minutes)
•
•
•
•
•
Allow time for attendance.
Introduce children to the program.
Organize groups.
During the snack, if provided, the team introduces all Facilitators and frames
program for children.
Tell children that over the year, they will be exploring ideas about all of the things
that make up the Earth—the air, the water, the soil, and the energy that comes from
the sun and that people use. Later today, they will hunt for examples of all of these
things in the school and in their homes, observing and recording ways they use each
of these elements in school and at home.
LESSON LEARNING TASKS (40 minutes)
Scavenger Hunt Bingo Activity (20 minutes)
Initiate scavenger hunt bingo activity and discussion to get children thinking about the
“four spheres”.
Pass out the scavenger hunt bingo handout to each child and give them instructions on
what they are to do:
 The goal of this game is to fill in every square with examples (drawings and/or
words) of how we use each resource in the school.
 You will go around the school in pairs and draw or write the name of something
that connects with the element (to the left)
Example: Water = Drinking Fountain
 You have 10 minutes. Tell them how you will let them know when to return.
 Set limits as to where they can go.
 You will receive a sticker for each filled space.
Introduce Child Journals (20 minutes)
Give children time and materials to begin to personalize and decorate the cover of their
journal.
LESSON DISCUSSION AND SUMMARY (10 minutes)
Review word wall words while discussing some examples of things that children identified
as representing each element. Ask why they think their example fits with that element. Ask
other children for agreement or disagreement.
With the energy element, get specific about what types of energy are being used
(electricity vs. fossil fuels) and how that energy comes from the sun.
Discuss the importance of conserving these elements: using only what we need and
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Developed by CLACE- PI Marina La Grave, Dr. Barry Kluger-Bell and Kristine Johnson
not being wasteful.
Conduct an assessment and connect lesson to the big picture by having children draw a
picture of earth and label the four spheres.
For advanced children extend this by introducing vocabulary words and labeling the
atmosphere, hydrosphere, pedosphere and biosphere. Discuss connections between
climate and these important components of our home, planet earth.
Remind children to complete this same exercise at home, this time playing “blackout
bingo” by observing and recording examples of how they use each of the four spheres in
their homes.
 Critical question: what elements do you use and where do they come from?
Clean up and put materials away.
From this lesson, children should have learned:
Earth’s primary components are land, air and water.
People use many forms of energy.
TAKE HOME
Children will take home a copy of the Scavenger Hunt Bingo to complete at home with
family and/or friends. The Take Home will also remind them that they are invited to bring
in a show and tell object or drawing related to today’s lesson the following week. As a
reminder, include the Word Wall words of the week. Facilitator to find place for drawings
to be displayed.
ASSESSMENT:
 Ongoing, through the discussion and activities: monitor children’s usage and
understanding of words and ideas related to today’s lesson. Ask supporting questions
to encourage children to make connections. Clarify misconceptions.
 Demonstrations of understanding: do any drawings, writing, theater, etc., display
sophisticated, accurate understanding of today’s lesson? Were children able to make
personal connections to the ideas? Were children able to make connections to prior
lessons?
 Take-home work (assessed following week): did children follow through and discuss
the lesson with their families, bring a related show and tell object, and/or make a
drawing/other art project related to today’s lesson? Did discussion around these things
show continuing understanding of the ideas, including making connections to prior
lessons and to community?
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Developed by CLACE- PI Marina La Grave, Dr. Barry Kluger-Bell and Kristine Johnson


Do children’s understandings, as displayed by their demonstrations of understanding,
questions, and discussion show connections between today’s topic, and the big picture
of the unit topic?
Photograph objects and save drawings brought in for sharing in individual child’s
portfolio. Do the artifacts in the portfolio demonstrate an increasing trajectory of
understanding about the elements of the Earth System over time? Do children show
understanding of climate change? Do children show personal connections, including
self, school, family, and community, to their understandings of climate change?
RELATED NASA ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES:
The NASA Why Files: The Case of the Phenomenal Weather
http://www.knowitall.org/nasa/pdf/scifiles/weather_full.pdf
A number of short, hands-on activities related to weather and climate. Topics include
clouds, air pressure, water cycle and wind
S’COOL: Engaging students in authentic science
http://science-edu.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/pdf/Flyer.pdf
This flyer describes the S’COOL program, which engages students in gathering and
reporting cloud observations for scientific research. The connected website contains many
cloud and air related activities.
Our World: Going Green? What Does That Mean?
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/nasaeclips/search.html?terms="Going
A link to a 5 minute video that talks about how "going green" is beneficial to Earth and
helps children discover ways they can help keep the environment safe.
Too Many Blankets
http://strategies.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Blankets_May02.pdf
Several activities on global warming and climate change.
The Impact of Climate Change on the Mountain Pine Beetle and Westerns Forests
http://www.globalchange.gov/images/documents/toolkit/Western_Forests_Mountains/A
ctivities/Western_Mtns_Forests_6_9_09.pdf
Information and activity on the effect climate change and possible mitigations. For 5-8
grade.
To Seek or Not to Seek?
http://hea-www.harvard.edu/ECT/Seek/seek.html
Introduction to the tools of scientific inquiry.
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Developed by CLACE- PI Marina La Grave, Dr. Barry Kluger-Bell and Kristine Johnson
Is Air Something: Lesson 1 – Matter
http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k12/Summer_Training/Elementary97/Matter_lesson1.HTML
A KWL about matter. (What do I know about, What do I want to know about, What did I
learn about.)
Is Air Something: Lesson 2 – States of Matter
http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k12/Summer_Training/Elementary97/Matter_Lesson2_States.HTML
Students identify examples of each state of matter.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
“Scientists have high confidence that global temperatures will continue to rise for decades
to come, largely due to greenhouse gasses produced by human activities. Global climate
change has already had observable effects on the environment. Glaciers have shrunk, ice on
rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have shifted and trees are
flowering sooner.1”
In order to understand the evidence concerning climate change and causes and effects of
climate change, children need to understand the Earth system and its components, its land,
air, and water, and role of the Sun in providing us with energy and human use of energy.
Study of these components and how they interact will be the focus of the units that follow
this introductory session.
CULTURAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Air, Comets and NASA
The term comet comes from the Greek “komee”, that means hair. The origin of kites has
several legends; one talks about a bamboo hat of a peasant that was carried by the wind,
and the sail of a ship, or perhaps the work of an ancient philosopher who built a birdshaped kite that flew for three entire days with the birds.
A kite is an aerodyne, a flying machine heavier than air and volume moved that are held in
the air by the force of wind, or the forces of wind pressure on the kite. This force is called
lift. The elevation is exerted in an upward direction so that it opposes the pull of gravity on
the kite. Kites may be flat or three-dimensional structure, all are made of lightweight
material like bamboo or tweak, lined with silk and/or light paper. They need to have a
Global Climate Change: Earth Science Communications Team at NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory/California Institute of Technology.
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Developed by CLACE- PI Marina La Grave, Dr. Barry Kluger-Bell and Kristine Johnson
thread, cord or rope fastened to the end to give it balance. Nowadays, these lightweight
materials can be easily found in most homes and/or recycle bins.
Communities around the world have also used kites for different purposes other than
leisure. For instance, Chinese flew kites as a meditation exercise. Other countries used
them for military purposes by tying a kite to a hook to show signs of battlefield or to
measure a camp.
Kites scientific potential was discovered early in the eighteenth century by Isaac Newton
when he made studies regarding geometrical aspects of the shapes of the kites. But on a
stormy day in June 1752, Benjamin Franklin was performing electrical tests when he raised
his famous "electric comet" with a key tied to the rope, he found that shock occurred, which
allowed him to demonstrate the nature of lightning and subsequently invented the
lightning rod.
Scientists William A. Eddy (1891) and Lawrence Hargrave (1894) also discovered kites’
scientific potential in the study of the atmosphere. They made a conventional kite with bar
arched to form a dihedral angle, allowing it to fly without a tail; second was a threedimensional structure consisting of two interconnected boxes with open ends.
In the first decade of the twentieth century, Alexander Graham Bell experimented with
kites to develop a flying machine that could be manned. By mid-nineteenth century, the
American engineer Francis Rogallo build a kite known as “semiflexible”, wherein acquiring
its shape by the wind with six strings. NASA was interested in the idea of Rogallo, who
intended to use as a parachute in the space capsule reentry.
In 1963, Domina C. Jalbert from the U.S. was inspired by the wing of his plane to design a
kite Flexible (parafoil) that had all the advantages of aerodynamic principles of rigid wings,
as the kite needed no rod, and got their shape and stiffness of flight through internal
pouches swelled with the wind, which gave him a large wing shape stability and high lift.
Nowadays, kites are popular worldwide. Communities around the world celebrate kite
festivals during windy months. During these colorful worldwide festivals, people of all ages
get to demonstrate their skills when flying acrobatic kites of two, three or four threads.
Go make and fly your kite, and make sure to participate in your local kite festival while you
enjoy playing with air!
LESSON CONNECTIONS
This lesson is tied to ideas in all units:
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BINGO! At school - En la escuela
bythe
CLACEPI Marina
Grave,
Dr.orBarry
Kristine Johnson
How to play:Developed
Go around
school
in pairsLaand
draw
writeKluger-Bell
the name and
of something
that connects
with the element (to the left) Example: Water = Drinking Fountain • You have 10 minutes • You will
receive a sticker for each filled space.
Cómo Jugar: En parejas ve alrededor de la escuela y dibuja o escribe el nombre de algo que conecte
con el elemento (a la izquierda) Ejemplo: Agua= Fuente de agua • Tienes 10 minutos • Por cada espacio
llenado recibes una calcomanía.
Water Unit - Children learn about water and the hydrosphere.
Soils Unit - Children learn about soil and the pedosphere.
Energy Unit - Children learn about the sun as a source of energy.
Energy- Energia
Soils -Suelos
Water - Agua
Air - Aire
Air Unit - Children learn about air and the atmosphere.
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BINGO! At home - En casa
How to play: With family or friends, draw or write the name of something that connects with the
element (to the left) Example: Water = Drinking Fountain • You will receive a sticker for each filled
space.
Energy-Energia
Soils - Suelos
Water - Agua
Air - Aire
Cómo Jugar: Con tu familia ó amigos dibuja ó escribe el nombre de algo que conecte con el elemento
(a la izquierda) Ejemplo: Agua= Fuente de agua • Por cada espacio llenado recibes una calcomanía.
BINGO! At school - En la escuela
Needs cultural connection
How to play: Go around the school in pairs and draw or write the name of something that connects
with the element (to the left) Example: Water = Drinking Fountain • You have 10 minutes • You will
receive a sticker for each filled space.
Energy- Energia
Soils - Suelos
Water - Agua
Air - Aire
Cómo Jugar: En parejas ve alrededor de la escuela y dibuja ó escribe el nombre de algo que conecte
con el elemento (a la izquierda) Ejemplo: Agua= Fuente de agua • Tienes 10 minutos • Por cada espacio
llenado recibes una calcomanía.
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