Salt, Ice and Very Little Else
A 60-minute Grade 5 lesson on describing and graphing the amounts of salt and fresh water in Earth's reservoirs.
Salt, Ice and Very Little Else is a free 60-minute Grade 5 science lesson plan for Common Core standard 5-ESS2-2 — graph how much of Earth's water is salt and how much is fresh. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 5
- Length:
- 60 minutes
- Standard:
- 5-ESS2-2
Grade 5 · Earth and Space Science
5-ESS2-2
Describe and graph the amounts of salt water and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth.
Objective
Students will be able to graph Earth's water distribution and say what it means for people.
Students are successful when they can
- Graphs shares of a whole.
- Reads the share of fresh liquid water.
- Says why that share matters.
What you need
- A litre of water, measuring cylinders and a teaspoon for a scale model
- Squared paper and the atlas figures
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up
5 min- Ask what share of Earth's water people can drink.
- Collect guesses and write them up before showing the figures.
Teach — make the shares physical
15 min- Take a litre as all Earth's water. Measure out 970 ml as ocean.
- Take the remaining 30 ml: about 20 ml is ice.
- From what is left, a few millilitres is groundwater.
- Show the teaspoon that stands for lakes, rivers and the air.
- Graph the shares and read off the fresh liquid share.
- Say what follows for people: rivers and groundwater are what we actually use.
“Out of the whole litre, how much could you drink?”
Investigate — model and graph
22 min- Groups build the litre model and measure out each share.
- They graph the shares of all Earth's water.
- They then graph the shares of FRESH water only, and compare the two graphs.
- They write what changes when the denominator changes.
Independent practice
15 min- Students complete the 'Salt, Ice and Very Little Else' page.
- Check answers distinguish share of all water from share of fresh water.
Close
3 min- Ask what would happen to the shares if the ice caps melted.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Thinks fresh water is a large share.
Why: There are many rivers.
Fix: Look at the teaspoon against the litre.
Confuses share of all water with share of fresh water.
Why: Both are percentages.
Fix: Ice is 2 parts of all water and about 69 parts of fresh water. Say which whole.
Thinks ice is not fresh water.
Why: It is frozen and salty seas exist.
Fix: Ice caps and glaciers are fresh. They are just not liquid.
If they are not there yet
- Two shares rather than four.
- A part-drawn graph to complete.
If they finish early
- Graph water use in the school and compare with the global shares.
- Say why groundwater matters more than rivers in some places.
- Explain why desalination is expensive.
Exit ticket
About 97 parts in 100 of Earth's water is in the oceans. What share is fresh liquid water, and why does that matter?
What to look for: Under 1 part in 100, mostly groundwater, and it is what people can actually use. Confusing the two denominators means that distinction needs another run.
Printable practice for 5-ESS2-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Salt, Ice and Very Little ElseLook at the data, then answer.
Questions about Salt, Ice and Very Little Else
How long does the Salt, Ice and Very Little Else lesson take?
60 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 15 min, investigate 22 min, independent practice 15 min, close 3 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Salt, Ice and Very Little Else teach?
5-ESS2-2 — 5-ESS2-2, Earth and Space Science for Grade 5: “Describe and graph the amounts of salt water and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth.” In plain terms, graph how much of Earth's water is salt and how much is fresh.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
A litre of water, measuring cylinders and a teaspoon for a scale model, squared paper and the atlas figures and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: thinks fresh water is a large share; confuses share of all water with share of fresh water and thinks ice is not fresh water. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “About 97 parts in 100 of Earth's water is in the oceans. What share is fresh liquid water, and why does that matter?.” Under 1 part in 100, mostly groundwater, and it is what people can actually use. Confusing the two denominators means that distinction needs another run. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Salt, Ice and Very Little Else?
Yes — 1 printable 5-ESS2-2 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Salt, Ice and Very Little Else free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 8 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-08. Aligned to 5-ESS2-2 of the Next Generation Science Standards.