Colorado Reader Feb. 2020: Soil, Water, and Air Stewardship | Page 9

olorado Reader Educator’s Guide - 2019-2020 School Year Soil, Water, and Air Stewardship Colorado Academic Standard Focus Lesson Plans to go with this Reader Reading, Writing, and Communicating: • Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. (CCSS: RI.4.1) • Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text. (CCSS: RI.4.2) • Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text. (CCSS: RI.4.3) • Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (for example: in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears. (CCSS: RI.4.7) • By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 4–5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. (CCSS: RI.4.10) • Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. (CCSS: W.4.7) 4th Grade Science: • Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation. (4-ESS2-1) • Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment. (4-ESS3-1) 5th Grade Science: • Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water. (5-LS1-1) • Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment. (5-LS2-1) Additional standards can be easily met by utilizing the complementary lesson plans from the National Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix, identified to the right. The Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix is an online, searchable, and standards-based database for K-12 teachers. The Matrix contextualizes national education standards in science, social studies, and nutritional education with relevant instructional resources linked to Common Core Standards. Below are a few lesson plans that could be used in conjunction with this Colorado Reader. Go to www. GrowingYourFuture.com and click on Curriculum Matrix (on the Home Page or under the Educator’s Tab), search each title within the Curriculum Matrix to find these lesson plans. Caring for the Land (3-5): Students will explain why people have different opinions regarding soil management and identify cause and effect relationships relating to agriculture and the environment. Colorado Foundation for Agriculture 10343 Federal Blvd Unit J Box 224 Westminster, CO 80260 970-818-3308 • [email protected] www.GrowingYourFuture.com Stay in-the-know by subscribing to our free educator e-newsletter This e-newsletter is geared towards educators and will include updates on our programs and resources, select lesson plans and activities from our Curriculum Matrix, and other information to connect educators and students. To subscribe, complete the form available here: http://bit.ly/2k3Ay0y The Soil Chain (3-5): Students will recognize their relationship to soil and model the connections between common objects and the soil. Climate Change Phenomena: Bananas in Our Breadbasket? (6-8):Students will explore the carbon cycle and evaluate associated phenomena of climate as they discover the impact climate change could have on the farms that produce our food. Carbon Hoofprints: Cows and Climate Change (9- 12): Students will explore the carbon cycle and evaluate the carbon footprint of beef cattle. Using critical thinking skills, students will use the Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning model to determine the effect of cows’ methane production on the environment and investigate the extent cattle contribute to climate change. Or use the search words “resources” and “climate” for additional free lessons and classroom activities. Answers Page 2 - What are the layers of soil?