Total Duration: |
61 to 90 Minutes |
Materials and Resources: |
Collaborative Group Roles: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson277/cooperative.pdf Feedback and Critique Protocol: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IL2VMBFxW4HkoPqvLdqAsM1PVy-MZqDDFiS-EzRzA9M/edit?usp=sharing Websites used during the lesson:
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Technology Resources Needed: |
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Background/Preparation: |
Students should have an understanding of collaborative learning. Students need to be familiar with collaborative group roles as seen on the following chart: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson277/cooperative.pdf Students should also be familiar with giving feedback and critique. The teacher should go over the following protocol and give examples of using these strategies. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IL2VMBFxW4HkoPqvLdqAsM1PVy-MZqDDFiS-EzRzA9M/edit?usp=sharing The teacher should plan to complete this lesson on a sunny day. The teacher should also predetermine the location on school grounds where the designs will be tested, taking into account shaded areas. The tests should be completed in an area that is not shaded. |
Before The teacher will show the following image: The teacher will ask why do we need shade from the sun?
Next, the teacher will ask, "What is a tent?"
The teacher will have students close their eyes and will then say the following: “Pretend you are on vacation. You are camping outdoors. The sun is very bright, and it is getting extremely hot outside. Why is a tent important to have while camping?”
The teacher will explain that the students will be designing and constructing tents to help keep an ice cube from melting by making it a tent. During The teacher will let students know they will be divided into groups of 3-4 students. The teacher will show the students the materials groups will be given to create a tent for their ice cube. The materials are construction paper, masking tape, and popsicle sticks.
Students will now design (draw) the group tents they would like to later build. Next, the teacher will have the presenter of each group explain their group’s sketch of the tent. If available, place this under the document camera so the class can better see details of the sketch. The teacher will now hand out the materials and allow construction of the tents to begin. The teacher will circulate around to each group checking for understanding on how to construct students' designs. After The teacher will explain that the class will go outside to test the tents. The teacher will let the students know there will be a control ice cube. This ice cube will be placed in a ziplock bag and not put in the shade. Once this cube melts, the other cubes will be checked for melting.
Finally, once inside, the students will be placed back in their groups with a piece of chart paper per table. Students will be given 15 minutes (set a timer) to illustrate the outcome of their tent and improvements, if necessary. Students will improve and retest designs. Again, after the control ice cube melts students will take a picture of their ice cube. This will allow them to compare their ice cubes to their first designs. |
Assessment Strategies |
During the lesson, check for understanding of why constructing a tent would help reduce the melting of an ice cube in the sunlight. The teacher will use questioning to determine if students can explain why a tent would help keep something cooler. Students should be able to discuss effects of an object in direct sunlight versus effects of an object in the shade. At the end of the lesson, students should compare and contrast their first design and their redesign outcomes by drawing each design and the melting outcomes. Students should look to see if their second design caused less melting than their first design. Students will answer these two questions, "Why did the ice cubes melt more slowly than the ice cube that was not under a tent?" "How was your second design different from your first design?" (Students should be able to describe both designs as well as describe the outcomes of both designs.) |
Acceleration: |
The teacher may choose to video the responses of the outdoor observations with the ice cubes on a smartphone device or tablet and teachers could use this video in the future for students to compare and contrast groups designs and outcomes. Also, the video could be used for considering the terms less and more. For example, group A’s ice cube melted less than group B’s. Also, students could use the same lesson to melt chocolate and crayons. Perhaps even compare and contrast the ice findings with the findings of chocolate or crayon findings. |
Intervention: |
If a student needs more background knowledge of the sun, the student may view https://jr.brainpop.com/science/space/sun/. The teacher will circulate to see if students need assistance. Students must design on their own, but the teacher may need to intervene with critique and feedback as well as explaining and modeling collaboration. |
View the Special Education resources for
instructional guidance in providing modifications and adaptations
for students with significant cognitive disabilities who qualify for the Alabama Alternate Assessment.
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