Name: Wendy Culp

Class: ELED 3221-002

Date: 3/23/16
edTPA Indirect Instruction Lesson Plan Template
Exploring the significances of core samplings with cupcakes
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Central Focus/Big Idea: Geology
Subject of this lesson: How does the use of core sampling help scientists to make inferences
about Earths early environments?
Grade Level: grade 4
NC Essential Standard(s):
4.E.2: understand the use of fossils and changes in the surface of the earth as evidence of
the history of Earth and its changing life forms.
4.E.2.2: infer ideas about Earths early environments from fossils of plants and animals
that lived long ago.
Next Generation Science Standard(s): 4 ESS1 1: identify evidence from patterns in rock
formations and fossils in rock layers to support an explanation for changes in a landscape over
time.
Constructing explanations and designing solutions
o Identify the evidence that supports particular points in an explanation
21st Century Skills:
Productivity and accountability 4th grade outcome identify a variety of tools and
techniques that scientists use to gather scientific information depending on what it is they
want to know and the circumstances under which data will be collected
o I choose this because this lesson is part of a unit plan on using different methods
of investigation when studying the environment of the Earth many years ago.
Collaboration 4th grade outcome work collaboratively with others, both in small and
large groups, in their science classroom
o I choose this because in this activity students will be working within groups to
make predictions based on their data.
Academic Language Demand
Language Function: Students are expected to make inferences about what the inside of
the cupcake looks like based off of their analysis of the core samples they took.

Analyze
Interpret

Argue
Predict

Categorize
Question

Compare/contrast
Retell

Describe
Summarize

Explain

Scientific Vocabulary: core sampling, fossils

Instructional Objective: Students will be able to describe what core sampling is and how it can
be used to investigate what the Earth was like in previous time periods. They will be able to
successfully make inferences based on their core samplings of their groups cupcake with 80%
accuracy. Additionally, students will be able to illustrate their understanding of how core samples
are used.
Prior Knowledge (student): students should know the different land features of earth. Students
should also have an idea of what a fossil is and what its used for.
Content Knowledge (teacher): the teacher should already have an idea of what core sampling is
and how it is used in different ways.
Accommodations for special needs (individual and/or small group): In my class I have a
student with a hearing disability. I will make sure she sits in a location that is close to the front of
the room so she can hear. For ELL, I would try to have a work sheet with the instructions and
questions written in their native language.
Materials and Technology requirements:
Class will be split into twelve groups of two
A layered cupcake (one for each group)
Clear plastic straws (five for each group)
Plastic knives (one for each group)
Core sampling worksheet, one for each student (see page 5-6 for detail)
Final core sampling work sheet, one for each student (see page 7 for detail)
Green, purple/gray, blue, orange (four colors for each student)
Paper towels (two for each group)
Paper plates (one for each group)
Computer
Total Estimated Time: one class period
Source of lesson:
Contant, T. L., Bass, J. E., & Carin, A. A. (2014). Teaching science through inquiry and
Investigation.
Safety considerations: any and all food allergies, plastic knives (sharp)

Content and Strategies (Procedure)

In your procedure, be sure to include all of the following 5 Es. Your procedure should be
detailed enough for a colleague to follow. If you will be relying on technology (e.g., a YouTube
video), describe your back up plan thoroughly. Imagine your most novice colleague needing to
teach from your plan. Dont just answer the questions. Additionally, I expect you to include
possible questions you could ask for each section. This needs to include higher-order questions.
Engage:
Show students a cupcake and ask the following

What do you hypothesize the inside of this cupcake looks like?

How could we find out without eating it or cutting into it?
How can scientists learn whats underground?

For the past several weeks you all have been learning about the Earth, its surface, and what it
may have looked like many years ago. Today we are going to pretend to be geologists by
exploring the inside of our cupcakes.
Explore:
Provide each pair of students with one cupcake on a paper plate, five clear plastic straws, a
plastic knife, worksheets and colored pencils. Remind students not to remove the foil from the
cupcake, and that the cupcakes may not be eaten.
Ask students to observe their cupcake, and to draw what they think the inside of the cupcake
looks like.
Show and tell students how to take a side core sample
1. Carefully insert the straw into the top left side of the cupcake, rotate slightly(like a drill),
while pushing through to the other side of the cupcake, once youve neared the other side
of cupcake, remove straw, and place sample on paper plate.
2. Repeat with another straw, only going through the sides.
3. Ask students to draw what they have sampled thus far in the appropriate area of
worksheet.

Based on your samples, do you accept or reject your hypothesis about the inside of the
cupcake?
Can you determine what the entire cupcake looks like with just these two samples?
If not, what should we do? (Possible answer should be put straw through the center).

Have students take two samples by inserting the straw straight down into the cupcake. Compare
these samples to the ones taken from the side.
How are these samples different?
Why do you think the samples look different?
Based on your core samples, what do you infer is inside the cupcake?

Have students make a drawing of what they infer the cupcake looks like on the inside based on
their samples.
Explanation:
Display one or more students drawings.
On what data did you base your drawing?
How sure are you of the accuracy of your drawing? Why?
Provide students with this background information:
Explain to the students that geologists often dont know what layers lie beneath the Earths
surface. They must somehow predict what layers might be present and then do experiments to
test their ideas. Geologists working for petroleum companies often detect subsurface layers by
bouncing seismic (sound) waves off the layers and making an echogram of the subsurface.
Geologists study the earth and use many devices to discover what is under the surface. Core
sampling is done by putting hollow drilling tubes into the ground and extracting a sample of
what the tubes went through. Marine geologists often use coring devices to collect sediment
cores from the bottom of the ocean.
Show students the following:

YouTube video on what core sampling is

o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzT4xpY9q_k
Additional YouTube video on core samplings discoveries, processes, and
benefits.
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31qQYzb2Lhc
Core samples can come in different forms ice
o http://chs-bio1-sgraves2.blogspot.com/2015/01/ice-core-sampling-inantarctica.html

How does your straw sampling of the cupcake compare and contrast with core
samplings done by geologists?
What do you think are some other things that geologists take core samples for?
What are some different areas they make take samples from, and why?

Elaborate:
How could you find out what the inside of your cupcake looks like?
Tell students to use the plastic knives to cut down and separate the cupcakes into halves. Have
them draw what the inside of the cupcake actually looks like.
How do your direct observations compare with your inferences and your drawings? Can
geologists check the inferences they make from their core samples, they way you checked
the inside of your cupcake? Why or why not?

Evaluate:
Collect students drawings.
Ask students to write a paragraph using the questions below.
1. Why is core sampling important? What is one reason geologists take samples of the Earths core?
2. Why do geologists need to take multiple samples from different areas?

To be completed after the lesson is taught as appropriate

Assessment Results of all objectives/skills: Student did very well with this project. They
completed all work during class, and colored their sheets appropriately. The students understood
and described why core sampling was important, and why geologists take samples of the Earths
core. There were a handful of students who couldnt explain why several samples are taken from
different areas. I fell as though these students may not have understood the concept.
Reflection on lesson:
CT signature/confirmation: _________________________________ Date: ________________

Name: ___________________________________
Date:_____________________
Cupcake Core Sampling Worksheet
1. In the first box, draw what you hypothesize the inside of the cupcake will
look based on what you observe.

2. In the boxes below please draw what you observe each core sample looks
like in the straw.
Sample 1:
Sample 2:
Sample 3: Vertical
Sample 4: Vertical sample 2
Horizontal
Horizontal
sample 1
sample 1
sample 2

3. Based of off what you observed from your core samples, draw what you
infer the inside of your cupcake looks like.

4. After cutting into your cupcake, please draw what the inside actually looks
like.