Science - 5th Grade
Lesson Plans

Standard 2

Students will understand that volcanoes, earthquakes, uplift, weathering, and erosion reshape Earth's surface.

Objective 3

Relate the building up and breaking down of Earth’s surface over time to the various physical land features.

• Geological Processes
  This activity is designed as a game board that will allow students to deepen their understanding of the effects of weathering, erosion; uplift, sudden changes (e.g. flash flood, avalanche), earthquakes and volcanoes on the geological features of Earth.
• Landforms in a Tub
  Students will use common household items to build landforms and simulate weathering and erosion.
• Mountains "Fold, Fault, Erupt, and Erode"
  Four forms of mountain formation are demonstrated and/or discussed.
• Researching Relief Maps
  The activities are designed to have students investigate what geological forces created some of Earth's topography and then predict what forces will probably act upon it in the future. Students will investigate areas of the world, United States and Utah to determine what geological features are located on Earth and make predictions about what they think will happen in the future to that area.
• TRB 5:2 - Activity 4: Physical Land Features
  Students will learn that physical land features have developed over time.
• Topographic Maps
  Topographic maps are used to locate examples of various landforms, such as volcanoes and mesas. Students are asked to relate the building up and breaking down of the Earth's surface over time to the various land forms.
• Understanding Geological Time
  Students will understand the timeline of the earth's geological features.
• Utah's Geological History
  This activity is designed to familiarize the students with the vocabulary, investigate the geological changes that Utah has gone through over time, and develop an understanding that uplift creates the mountains and valley areas on Earth's surface and that fault lines are often in earthquake zones.
• Virtual Field Trip
  Students will participate in 8 activities that illustrate different processes happening with the land around us.
• Weathering Landforms
  Students will create and color plaster landforms.

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http://www.uen.org - in partnership with Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Utah System of Higher Education (USHE).  Send questions or comments to USBE Specialist - Jennifer Throndsen and see the Science - Elementary website. For general questions about Utah's Core Standards contact the Director - Jennifer Throndsen.

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