Science Integrated Lesson Plan

Title: Learning About the Earthquake Cycle by the Use of Laban Movements

Science Topic: Earthquake Cycle

Grade Level: Third Grade

Materials: Recorded music for the movement activities


Objectives:

The students will be able to identify and show the cycle of an earthquake when it
happens in the ocean by movement of his or her body. The students will be able to
move to the music and demonstrate an earthquake using different movements of his
or her body while keeping a steady beat.


Standards:
TEKS: Science (Earth and Space: 112.14)
(4) In Grade 3, students learn that the study of science uses
appropriate tools and safe practices in planning and implementing
investigations, asking and answering questions, collecting data by
observing and measuring, and by using models to support scientific
inquiry about the natural world.
o (A) Students recognize that patterns, relationships, and
cycles exist in matter. Students will investigate the physical
properties of matter and will learn that changes occur. They
explore mixtures and investigate light, sound, and
heat/thermal energy in everyday life. Students manipulate
objects by pushing and pulling to demonstrate changes in
motion and position.
Procedures:
1. First the teacher will review the cycle of an earthquake with the class.
a. Remind them how, in the ocean, the tectonic plates collide until one
moves to the front, while the back plates move up and down, the front
ones move side to side causing the increase of waves in number and
height.
2. Secondly, the teacher will use recorded music to create a movement activity
with the students to practice different movements that one might feel during
an earthquake. Some key words to use are:
a. Stand
b. Walk
c. Waves
d. Float
e. Push
f. Pull
g. Stretch
h. Repel
i. Stomp
j. Break
k. Shake
l. Run
m. Fall
i. During this activity, the students will be demonstrating the
different Laban Movements. Such as:
1. Continous Flow
2. Weight Heavy and Light
3. Time Fast and Slow
3. Finally, the teacher will demonstrate an activity with a few students by using
music, their bodies (and maybe a few other props in the classroom) how and
what movement is made during and earthquake cycle.
a. Before the demonstration, the four selected (or volunteered) students
will be split into two groups.
i. 2 and 2 for Tectonic plates
ii. The teacher will be the wave
b. The demonstration to music will show exactly how the tectonic plates
begin to move, crash and shift during an earthquake and how that
correspondingly affects the waves sizes and speed by the body
movements of the participants.
c. After the demonstration the students will be split into however many
groups of 5 and will be given a short amount of time to come up with
their own version and movements to demonstrate the earthquake
cycle.
d. Each group will then show their own version of the earthquake cycle.
i. Allow the students to share what they liked about each group
after they are finished.


Assessments:
The review of the earthquake cycle will take about 5 minutes, giving the teacher
and student time to discuss what exactly happens before, during, and after an
earthquake. Then the teacher will take 4 to 5 minutes for the movement activity to
demonstrate the key words the students will hear when they are learning about
the earthquake cycle as well as the corresponding Laban Movements.
Upon finishing the Laban Movement activity, the teacher will demonstrate the
group earthquake activity and the students will then be given 10 minutes to work
with their selected groups to come up with their own movements to the recorded
music provided. Then the teacher will allow another 10 minutes for the
presentations of each group and following discussion.
At the end of the lesson and corresponding activities, the teacher will then ask
questions to the students to review the cycle that was learned.
o You can use questions like:
What are the masses called that crash together during
an earthquake?
What word would you use to best describe what
movement happens during an earthquake?
How could you move your body to
demonstrate that?