Lesson Plan: C2.4.01


LESSON PLAN
Teacher Subject Period Date Year Ability LSA/Other Support
Science

Context and
Landmark
Assessment		 C2.4.01
Landmark Assessment: Progress Observation Opportunity
Remember to have high expectations
Lesson Title: Today we are learning about
How has the Earth's atmopshere changed since its formation?
Remember to check for PROGRESS
Focus on Knowledge, Skills and Understanding
Success Criteria: You will show your learning by...
  1. Students to recall current composition of the earths atmosphere: about four-fifths (approximately 80 %) nitrogen, about one-fifth (approximately 20 %) oxygen and small proportions of various other gases, including carbon dioxide, water vapour and noble gases.
  2. Students should be able to, given appropriate information, interpret evidence and evaluate different theories about the Earth's early atmosphere.
  3. One theory suggests that during the first billion years of the Earth's existence there was intense volcanic activity that released gases that formed the early atmosphere and water vapour that condensed to form the oceans. At the start of this period the Earth's atmosphere may have been like the atmospheres of Mars and Venus today, consisting of mainly carbon dioxide with little or no oxygen gas.
  4. Volcanoes also produced nitrogen which gradually built up in the atmosphere and there may have been small proportions of methane and ammonia.
  5. When the oceans formed carbon dioxide dissolved in the water and carbonates were precipitated producing sediments, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. No knowledge of other theories is required.
  6. Algae and plants produced the oxygen that is now in the atmosphere by photosynthesis, which can be represented by the equation.
  7. Algae first produced oxygen about 2.7 billion years ago and soon after this oxygen appeared in the atmosphere. Over the next billion years plants evolved and the percentage of oxygen gradually increased to a level that enabled animals to evolve.
  8. Algae and plants decreased the percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by photosynthesis.
  9. Carbon dioxide was also decreased by the formation of sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels that contain carbon.
  10. Students should be able to describe the main changes in the atmosphere over time and some of the likely causes of these changes
  11. Students should be able to describe and explain the formation of deposits of limestone, coal, crude oil and natural gas.
Think about how you can match the needs of ALL students
Keywords:
  • Denitrification: A microbially facilitated process where nitrate is reduced and ultimately produces molecular nitrogen.. (1)
  • Photosynthesis: The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize nutrients from carbon dioxide and water. (1)
  • Condensation: The conversion of a vapour or gas to a liquid. (1)
  • Atmosphere: the envelope of gases surrounding a planet, held in place by its gravitational pull. (1)
Links: Literacy, Numeracy, SMSC, British values
Memory Anchor:

AFL/Key Questions:
  1. What is the composition of the earths atmosphere?
    about four-fifths (approximately 80 %) nitrogen ? about one-fifth (approximately 20 %) oxygen ? small proportions of various other gases, including carbon dioxide, water vapour and noble gases.
  2. How has the Earths atmosphere evolved?
    One theory suggests that during the first billion years of the Earth?s existence there was intense volcanic activity that released gases that formed the early atmosphere and water vapour that condensed to form the oceans. At the start of this period the Earth?s atmosphere may have been like the atmospheres of Mars and Venus today, consisting of mainly carbon dioxide with little or no oxygen gas.
  3. How has the Earths atmosphere evolved?
    One theory suggests that during the first billion years of the Earth?s existence there was intense volcanic activity that released gases that formed the early atmosphere and water vapour that condensed to form the oceans. At the start of this period the Earth?s atmosphere may have been like the atmospheres of Mars and Venus today, consisting of mainly carbon dioxide with little or no oxygen gas.
  4. What types of gases did volcanoes produce?
    Volcanoes produced nitrogen which gradually built up in the atmosphere and there may have been small proportions of methane and ammonia.
  5. What happened to the atmopshere when the oceans formed?
    When the oceans formed carbon dioxide dissolved in the water and carbonates were precipitated producing sediments, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
  6. What process has caused oxygen levels in our atmosphere to increase since its formation?
    Photosynthesis, carried out by organisms such as algae and plants converted carbon dioxide into the oxygen now found in the atmosphere.
  7. When did Algae first produce oxygen?
    Algae first produced oxygen about 2.7 billion years ago and soon after this oxygen appeared in the atmosphere. Over the next billion years plants evolved and the percentage of oxygen gradually increased to a level that enabled animals to evolve.
  8. How did Algae and plants affect the atmosphere?
    Algae and plants decreased the percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by photosynthesis.
  9. Apart from through the process of photosynthesis, what else has caused carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere to decrease since its formation?
    Carbon dioxide levels also decreased due to some dissolving into the oceans, the formation of sedimentary rocks and the formation of fossil fuels.
  10. How did the Earth's atmosphere change over time? Why did these changes happen?
    Volcanic activity caused high levels of carbon dioxide, as the volancos died out the Earth's temperature cooled. The water vapour produced by volcanos condensed to form oceans. The carbon dioxide levels decreased as it dissolved into the oceans and formed part of the shells of marine animals.
  11. How and why did limestone, coal, crude oil and natural gas form?
    Limestone, crude oil and natural gas all contain carbon. Limestone was formed by the calcium carbonate from sea organisms and their shells. Crude oil and natural gas form from the decomposition of living animals and plants.
Identify questions for high, middle, low and identify questioning techniques- Challenge questions

Learning Phases/Episodes
Think about how you can match the needs of ALL students
Differentiation: AGT, SEND, LLL, Disadvantaged
Remember to check for PROGRESS
Starter Activity Differentiation and Challenge question/task
  • Students to copy and complete the keywords.
  • Teacher reveals missing letters; Students correct mistakes;
  • Discuss the scientific meanings of the words.
  • Students to write down the definitions of the most important / new keywords.
  • Discuss the 'Memory Anchor'.
    • What does it show?
    • How does it relate to the what we are learning about today (title)?
Think about PACE – Develop, consolidate and deepen knowledge, skills and understanding
Teacher or Student lead? Differentiation and Challenge question/task
Progress Check Extension
Remember to give time to apply knowledge, skills and understanding
Teacher or Student lead? Differentiation and Challenge question/task
Progress Check Extension

Teacher or Student lead? Differentiation and Challenge question/task
Progress Check Extension

Teacher or Student lead? Differentiation and Challenge question/task
Progress Check Extension


Plenary Differentiation and Challenge question/task
  • Students to answer the 'Key Questions' with learning partners.
Progress Check
  • Teacher to reveal and discuss the answers to the questions.
 Extension
  • What have learnt about the 'Big Ideas' today?

Homework Differentiation and Challenge question/task