Lesson #1-
Science Thinking-Invisible Energy?
Lesson #3-
Control Reflection?
Lesson #4-
Spectra-Waves in Visible Light
Instructional Objectives-Students demonstrate skill in 'science processes' with activity records, and concept acquisition through expository writing.
Time Required-Part of each lesson, with special 1-3 period writing activity
Advanced Preparation and prerequisite knowledge/skills-Use provided activity record sheets or your own forms for students recording activity and learning.
Materials- All students have their own papers and pencil/pen!
Formative- In my experience, this unit is extremely engaging, and participation in all activities is close to a willing 100%. However, having each student always be personally responsible for recording key observations, data, information for each activity is a good norm to establish. Grading of these, for my purposes is a basic 'done/not done' and is weighted as appropriate for my overall process. Your methods may be quite different!
Likewise, for my purposes, the writing process is a challenge that we weave into most of the activities, so that they have all practiced writing clear sentences with correct vocabulary to describe hands-on experiences. How each teacher developes these elements of instruction depend on your time schedule and goals. However, the stronger the integration of language & writing (and academic 'talk" about experiences), the better the science learning becomes useful for the future, and the better the support (or justification of time use) for important language learning needs.
Summative Assessment: Two parts..... work turned in for each activity, and the final expository essay.
I make it very clear at the beginning of the unit that:
1. They will really like doing the science.
2. Good scientists always keep good record....science is built on communicating results for others to use.
3. They will all keep records of each activity, and compare with each other, share.... with me.
4. Their final assessment for a great deal of time will be an excellent essay, where they get to share their experiences to help others people understand the importance of solar energy.
Again, as long as the norm is set up and maintained that each activity has a (short, simple) written record by each student, grading is not an issue.... they are quite engaged and productive. The final essay is a good assessment, and a fair grading task, to the degree that students are supported in USING academic vocabulary and clear sentences to describe the work their doing.
