Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)
Lesson Idea Name: The Water Cycle
Content Area: Science
Grade Level(s): 4th Grade
Content Standard Addressed:
S4E3. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to demonstrate the water cycle.
a. Plan and carry out investigations to observe the flow of energy in water as it changes states
from solid (ice) to liquid (water) to gas (water vapor) and changes from gas to liquid to solid.
b. Develop models to illustrate multiple pathways water may take during the water cycle
(evaporation, condensation, and precipitation).
Technology Standard Addressed:
3: Knowledge Constructor
Selected Technology Tool: Popplet
URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable): http://popplet.com/
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):
☒ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☒ Analyzing ☒ Evaluating ☒ Creating
Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):
☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☒ Level 4: Integration
☐ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement
Universal Design for Learning (UDL):
To extend and support the learning experiences of all students, I will give students the opportunity to create
the Popplet in a way that is beneficial to them. I will give students full range with their creativity and layout of
the Popplet. Another way I could extend and support the students learning experience is by allowing the
students to use a variety of representations for their Popplet. For example, students can use pictures, graphs,
diagrams, or text to demonstrate their learning of the Water Cycle.
Lesson idea implementation:
I will begin the lesson by introducing the standard and objective in writing and verbally. I will then introduce
the topic of the Water Cycle and introduce the circulation it goes through. I will then introduce the terms:
evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. The class will discuss these terms and discuss what their roles
are in the Water Cycle. After the discussion, I will introduce Popplet and show an example of what the final
product might look like. I will show how the site works and what students need to do. Then I will separate the
students into partners and they will be asked to create a Popplet that shows a representation of the Water
Cycle and what each step of the cycle represent. This lesson and activity will take about a day or two since the
students are having to create a Popplet and research information and facts that relate to the Water Cycle. I
will assess the students by using rubrics that will address all the requirements that will need to be
represented within their Popplet. The students will be given this rubric before they create their Popplet so
they are aware of what is expected of them.
To extend the students learning to a higher learning level I will ask a variety of higher level thinking question
related to the water cycle that will increase student’s comprehension. To conclude the lesson, the students
will present their Popplet’s to their classmates. Feedback will be provided to the students by filling out a quick
checklist and returning it to the student after they have presented their work. This checklist will allow
Spring 2018_SJB
Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)
students to quickly note how successful they were with the Popplet and if they included all the information
required from the rubric. The final product will be used to inform/differentiate learning by discovering how
the students have made sense of the information being studied. The product will represent the learning style
of the students and different preferences they had as they created their Popplet.
Reflective Practice
After designing the lesson, I believe the activities created will impact student learning by giving the students
an opportunity to be creative in their design which will enable them to learn and connect to the content in a
way that will be beneficial to their learning. To further extend the lesson I would ask the students a variety of
higher ended questions. For example, “how are the clouds formed?” “Where does the water go when it
evaporates?”. These questions will extend the students understanding and will develop a more solid
foundation with their comprehension. Another technology tool that could further enhance this project would
be to use a TimeLine website that would allow students to create a timeline rather than a diagram that
demonstrates the Water Cycle.
Spring 2018_SJB
