Nicole Rademan

Gwynedd Mercy University

School of Education
#MakeMercyReal

Lesson Plan

Rain Jar

PA Core or Academic Standard(s): Standard Area 3.3A: Earth and Space Sciences –
Earth Structures, Processes, and Cycles

Big Idea(s) The earth, which is part of a larger solar system, consists of structures,
processes, and cycles which affect inhabitants.

Essential Questions: What structures, processes, and cycles make up the earth? How do
various structures, processes, and cycles affect the earth’s inhabitants? How do we know
the earth is part of a larger solar system?

Objective/Performance Expectation: What will students know and be able to do as a

result of this lesson?

The students will observe the process of rain by looking at the rain in the jar.

I. PLANNING AND PREPARATION:

1. List the specific standard and expectations as outlined in the PA

Core/Academic Standards (SAS).

Standard Area 3.3A: Earth and Space Sciences – Earth Structures,

Processes, and Cycles
Weather and Climate
3.3 K.A.7 Participate in simple investigations of earth
structures, processes, and cycles to answer a question or to test a
prediction.

2. Explain the psychological principles/theories you used in constructing

this lesson.

I will include Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences by

having the students watch the experiment. They will also be able to see the
sentences on the board. I will include Jean Piaget’s theory of cognition by

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 having the students made predications. I will also include Marie Clay’s
theory of non-visual information by having the students listen before they
see the experiment.

III. INSTRUCTION:

List Materials Needed

 Glass jar
 Water
 Blue food coloring
 Shaving cream
 Chalk and board

3. Motivation Activities/Strategies:
How will you generate interest or focus your lesson for the students?

I will generate interest by asking the students to tell me things that that
know about rain.

4. Prior Knowledge Activities/Strategies:

How will you activate prior knowledge, build background, or review
previous lessons?

I would ask, “Can you name me some lessons you did that relate to rain?
What did you learn from those lessons?”

5. Sequence of Lesson: What learning activities/strategies will you use to

engage the students in the learning? What will students do to use and
apply new concepts or skills (independent practice if relevant)? How
will you monitor and guide their performance? Include relevant
vocabulary.

 I will talk to the students about the concept of rain

 I will show the a filled jar with water
 Then, I will apply shaving cream on top of the water
 I would have the students predict what they think will happen if I
add food coloring to the shaving cream
 I will explain that the shaving cream represents the clouds and the
blue food coloring represents the rain
 When the students see the drops dripping from the shaving cream
into the water, I will explain that the moisture in the clouds get
heavy. When clouds get heavy, they pour rain.

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 6. Level of Learning/Assessment Evidence
How will you know if students grasped the material? What
techniques/strategies will you use to assess learning (Bloom’s
Taxonomy)?
Identify what informal and/or formal assessments you will use to monitor
student learning. Also identify if this will be formative or summative.

Formal: The students will tell me what they observed

Informal: The students will tell me what they observed

I will know if the students grasped the material if they are able to make
predictions and observations.

7. What will you do to bring closure to the lesson? How will you
summarize this lesson and preview the lesson that will follow?

I will bring closure to the lesson by helping the class put together a
conclusion for the experiment.

REFLECTION:

8. Describe what went well with the lesson, what didn’t go so well and what
you would do to improve your teaching effectiveness in the next lesson.