ASSURE LESSON PLAN 1

Implementing an ASSURE Lesson Plan for a 9th Grade

Earth Science Class Using Google Earth

Nina Chipman

Regent University
ASSURE LESSON PLAN 2

“Adventures in Yosemite: The View from Half Dome”

9th Grade
Earth Science
Lesson length: 60 minutes, or one class period
Analyze Learners

Total number of students: 24

Male students: 9
Female students: 15
Age: 14-15 years of age
Students with low learning skills: 4
Hearing Impaired (HI):1

Visual/Spatial learners (approximately 1/3 of students)

Kinesthetic learners (approximately 1/3 of students)
Verbal/linguistic learners (two to three students)
Interpersonal learners (two to three students)
Logical/Mathematical (one or two students)

State Objectives

Standard: ES.5 The student will investigate and understand the rock cycle as it relates to the origin and
transformation of rock types and how to identify common rock types based on mineral composition
and textures. Key concepts include a) igneous rocks; b) sedimentary rocks; and c) metamorphic rocks.

Essential Understanding: Igneous rock forms from molten rock that cools and hardens either below or
on Earth’s surface. Extrusive igneous rocks have small or no crystals, resulting in fine-grained or glassy
textures and include pumice, obsidian, and basalt. Intrusive igneous rocks have larger crystals and a
coarser texture and include granite.

Essential Knowledge and Skills: comprehend and identify various igneous rock textural features and
mineral components with a hand sample or by description, and analyze the significance of these
features in terms of mode of origin and history.

Select Media, Materials, and Methods

Media:
 A classroom iPad cart rented out from the Science Department
 The iPad cart is a class set of 28/30 iPads with access to the internet within the school’s
network
 G Suite for Education is also installed on each iPad and on the instructor’s computer
 Google Earth downloaded to each iPad
ASSURE LESSON PLAN 3

 SmartBoard™ connected to the classroom desktop

 Guided Research Worksheet: this will be in the form of a Google Doc located within the
classroom website. This worksheet will ask questions that guide the student through their
journey to Half Dome in Google Earth. Questions such as “Where is Half Dome Located?”
and “How might Half Dome have been formed?” will get the student to think critically about
the igneous rock type in line with Standard ES.5 (Virginia Department of Education, 2010, p.
7).

Materials:
 Class Set of Earth Science Textbooks
 Pencils
 Entrance Ticket (Projected onto SmartBoard™)
 Exit Ticket (25 copies: 24 for students & 1 for the instructor)
 Classroom binder of student names and their corresponding numbers

Methods
 Whole Group Time for each student to sign out their iPad
 Whole group guided login to iPads and Google Earth
 Whole group review of different igneous rock type:
how they’re formed, their composition, and their defining features in line with Standard ES.5
(Virginia Department of Education, 2010, p. 7).
 Whole Group Instruction of how the student will use the students will access the
class website to download the guided research worksheet for their Small Group activity
 Small Group research work through the guided worksheet
 Individual Work to answer the exit ticket

Utilize Media, Materials, and Methods

Media:
 The classroom set of iPads will be signed out and used to access Google Earth and the class
website
 The Classroom SmartBoard™ will be connected to the instructor’s desktop computer to guide
the students through Google Earth and downloading the guided research worksheet from the
class website
Materials:
 The class set of Earth Science textbooks is optional for the students to look up key terms in
the glossary or review the “Rock Cycle” unit within the textbook
 Pencils used to answer the exit ticket
Methods:
 Whole Group Distribution of iPads: This time is for each student to sign out an iPad that
they will use for this class. Because the class is rather large, each row will be called up one at
a time in order to make this sign out time efficient. Students were given a number at the
beginning of the year and a binder is kept with their name and number listed if they’ve
forgotten their number. The binder is on top of the iPad cart.
ASSURE LESSON PLAN 4

 Whole Group Set up of Media: The instructor will project her desktop onto the
SmartBoard™ and show the students what the Google Earth icon looks like. The students will
find that icon on their iPads and open up the app. With that tab open, the teacher will guide
the students to the class website and show them where the guided research worksheet is
located. She will have each student open up the guided research worksheet in Google Docs
(already installed on each iPad).

 Whole Group Division of Groups: Once every student has both Google Earth and their
Google Doc of the guided research worksheet open, the instructor will number off the class
into 8 groups of 3. The students will bring their iPad with them and move across the class to
join their assigned groups.

 Whole Group Review of the Igneous Rock Type: the teacher will lead the class in a review
of the igneous rock type: how they’re formed, their composition, and their defining features in
line with Standard ES.5 (Virginia Department of Education, 2010, p. 7).

 Whole Group Instruction of Guided Research Worksheet: the instructor will read through
the questions on the worksheet and open up a brief time for any questions or clarifications.

 Small Group Work Through the Guided Research Worksheet: each group of three will
work together in completing their individual worksheet on their iPads answering their
questions related to the top of igneous rocks and the Half Dome in Yosemite National Park.

 Individual Work on the Exit Ticket & Returning iPads: Each group of 3 will individually
return their iPads while the rest of the class completes their written exit ticket.
Require Learner Participation

Whole Group Distribution of iPads: During this time each row will be called up individually to
sign out their assigned iPads. Because not every student is actively signing out an iPad during this
time, the instructor will project the Entrance Ticket on the SmartBoard™. Each student will jot down
for themselves or be ready to remember and answer the question: What is an igneous rock: how
they’re formed, their composition, and their defining features in line with Standard ES.5 (Virginia
Department of Education, 2010, p. 7). This should keep the students engaged during the set up time
and allow them to process the question before offering answers in front of the class.

Whole Group Set up of Media: The instructor will lead the class through opening up Google Earth
and have them locate the search feature within the app. This searching tool will later be used for the
student to locate Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. The instructor will search for Half Dome
within Google Earth. According to National Geographic (2018), the instructor is able to
“[d]emonstrate how to change the tilt and perspective of the viewing angle to see Half Dome from all
sides” (On Top of Half Dome). Google Earth is one of the Media sources for the lesson, Google Docs
is the other. The instructor will move on to show how to access the class website and open up the
Guided Research Worksheet. Each student will add the worksheet to their individual drive in order to
ASSURE LESSON PLAN 5

edit and answer within this worksheet. This time allows for each student to be engaged in following
the instructions of the instructor.

Whole Group Division of Groups: The instructor will number off the class 1 to 8 in order to create
8 groups of 3. The students will bring their iPads and move to join their assigned groups.

Whole Group Review of the Igneous Rock Type: Using their answers recorded from the entrance
ticket, the instructor will guide a quick review of the igneous rock type: how they’re formed, their
composition, and their defining features in line with Standard ES.5 (Virginia Department of
Education, 2010, p. 7).

Whole Group Instruction of Guided Research Worksheet: This is the last part of the Whole
Group Work. The instructor will go through a quick overview of the worksheet and answer any
questions.

Small Group Work Through the Guided Research Worksheet: Students will work in their small
groups of three. This worksheet will guide them through exploring Half Dome in Google Earth. This
activity is designed to allow students to collaborate and pace themselves in working with technology.
Within Google Earth, Half Dome includes a 360 panorama, details on elevation, a photo of Half
Dome, and information of its formation. Using these four components in Google Earth, the Guided
Research Worksheet will ask questions concerning all four of these features. Because each student
has access to his or her own class iPad, the student will be required to fill in their individual
worksheet and share it with the instructor when they finish. This is easily done through G Suite for
Education because the student can send the Google Doc in Gmail to the instructor, share a link, or
add the instructor as an editor.

Individual Work on the Exit Ticket & Returning iPads: The exit ticket will be an evaluation of
the student’s understanding and the effectiveness of the activity. It will have two questions about
Half Dome with a topic pointing to standard ES.5 (Virginia Department of Education, 2010, p. 7 ) as
well as two questions about how the students felt about the activity, having students list likes and
dislikes.

Evaluate & Revise

ASSURE LESSON PLAN 6

Student Performance:
The student will be evaluated on their participation in Whole Group, Small Group, and Individual
Work throughout the class as a basis for their engagement in the class. The students will also be
evaluated on how effectively they answer each question in the Guided Research Worksheet. These
questions are made to test understanding of a topic already addressed in a previous class lecture. This
activity operates as a formative assessment. In her lesson, high school science teacher Diane speaks
about her use of formative assessments: when students consistently get a question right “I can star
that as a topic they know well. If they miss it a lot I can go back and review it” (Maeng, 2017, p.
1083). Following this example, the instructor will use the students’ answers as a way to evaluate the
students’ understanding of the topic taught.

Instructor Performance:
Using the worksheets as a way to evaluate student performance, the instructor can evaluate whether
or not the lesson was well taught based upon their understanding of standard ES. 5 (Virginia
Department of Education, 2010, p. 7). The exit tickets will also work as an evaluation. Based upon
whether or not the students were able to use the technology well and whether or not they enjoyed it
might be indicators as to whether or not the students were well engaged.

Media Performance: If the technology works correctly, each student should successfully be able to
access Google Earth and Google Docs on their iPads. The Media Performance will also be successful
if each student’s worksheet is correctly shared with the teacher.
ASSURE LESSON PLAN 7

References

Maeng, J. L. (2017). Using technology to facilitate differentiated high school science instruction.

Research in Science Education, 47(5), 1075-1099. doi: 10.1007/s11165-016-9546-6

National Geographic. (2018) On top of Half Dome. Retrieved from

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/idea/getting-started-google-earth/#feeling-lucky

Virginia Department of Education, Curriculum Framework,. (2010). Science standards of

learning, p. 7. Richmond, Virginia: Board of Education, Virginia Commonwealth.