Grade 5/6 Combined Grades Planning
Unit Plans for Earth and Space Systems (Gr. 5)/ Structures and Mechanisms (Gr. 6)Energy Conservation: I See the Light!
Grades
5 and 6 / Grade
5 / Grade
6
What sequence of teaching and learning experiences will enable students to develop and demonstrate the desired knowledge, understanding, and skills?
Subtask 1: Overview of Unit
Activate prior knowledge through an exploration of electric toys or appliances that use electricity.
Discuss how students use energy in their own lives.
Brief description of the unit and culminating task.
Complete one of the diagnostic assessments.
What do you know about energy and what are some different ways to conserve it? How do you use energy? (Grade 5)
What do you know about electricity? Where do you use electricity in your own life? (Grade 6)
(Scientific Inquiry/ Research)
Assessment Strategy/Tool(s):
Mind Map (individual)/anecdotal notes
KWL chart (individual or small group)/anecdotal notes
Class discussion with guiding questions/anecdotal notes
Subtask 2:
Set up Learning Centres that demonstrate different forms of energy. Most examples used will demonstrate a transformation of energy. Have students try to identify the forms of energy involved. Example: Radio (electrical into sound), light bulb (electrical into heat and light), solar calculator (solar into electrical into light), glow stick (chemical into light and heat), fan (electrical into mechanical).
(Scientific Inquiry/ Research) / Subtask 2:
Focus on all forms of energy and the transformation of energy.
(Scientific Inquiry/ Research) / Subtask 2:
Focus on the transformation of electrical energy to other forms of energy.
(Scientific Inquiry/ Research)
In what ways might I differentiate the learning?
· Create stations with simple to complex types of energy transformations (content)
· Use guided questions at each station (process)
· Post visual representations of the different types of energies (process)
Checkpoint #1
Identify a variety of forms of energy and give examples from everyday life.
(Scientific Inquiry/ Research)
Language-Writing
Organizing Ideas: Identify and order main ideas and supporting details
Assessment Strategy/Tool(s):
Paper and Pencil, oral interview, game/anecdotal / Checkpoint #1
Describe how electrical energy can be transformed into other forms of energy.
(Scientific Inquiry/ Research)
Language-Writing
Organizing Ideas: Identify and order main ideas and supporting details
Assessment Strategy/Tool(s):
Paper and Pencil, oral interview, game/anecdotal
Subtask 3:
Design, build and test a device that transforms one form of energy into another form. (Technological Problem Solving) / Subtask 3:
Design, build and test a variety of circuits (e.g. series and parallel circuits) that transforms electrical energy into another form. (Scientific Inquiry/ Experimentation)
Subtask 4:
Examine and identify ways in which energy is being ‘lost’ in their device from subtask 3 and propose ways to improve the efficiency of the device. (Technological Problem Solving) / Subtask 4:
Build and investigate a device that produces electricity (e.g. lemon battery, wind turbine, hand crank flashlight/radio)
(Scientific Inquiry/ Experimentation)
In what ways might I differentiate the learning in subtask 3 and 4?
· Vary the amount of teacher scaffolding for students (process)
· Where needed give direct instruction (process)
· Provide an outline of the transformation of energy and types of energy “loss” (process)
· Simple to complex energy transformation and circuits (content/product)
Checkpoint #2
Analyze another student’s device, identify what energy transformations occur and classify the transformation as useful or non-useful (incandescent light bulb- heat is non-useful form of energy).
(Technological Problem Solving)
Language-Oral
Clarity and Coherence: Communicate orally in a clear, coherent manner
Assessment Strategy/Tool(s):
Response Journal with prompts, interview, presentation/rubric / Checkpoint #2
Given certain materials can the student successfully create electrical circuits (e.g. series and parallel circuits) and explain how they work.
(Scientific Inquiry/ Experimentation)
Language-Oral
Clarity and Coherence: Communicate orally in a clear, coherent manner
Assessment Strategy/Tool(s):
Performance task with response journal, interview, presentation/rubric
Subtask 5:
Have students classify different sources of energy as renewable and non-renewable.
Discuss ways in which technological advances effect the natural environment.
(Scientific Inquiry/ Research)
In what ways might I differentiate the learning?
· Scaffold for students learning (process)
· Provide different levels of resources (content)
· Model research and writing (process)
· Provide research and report templates (process)
· Offer choice for students for their final products (product)
Checkpoint #3
Students research the short and long-term impact on society and the environment of human use of energy and natural resources.
(Scientific Inquiry/ Research)
Language-Reading
Overall Expectation: Read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning
Language-Media Literacy
Overall Expectation: Create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques
Assessment Strategy/Tool(s):
Multimedia presentation/ rubric / Checkpoint #3
Students research the different ways in which electricity is generated in Ontario, and examine the short and long-term effects of each way on natural resources and living things in the environment.
(Scientific Inquiry/ Research)
Language-Reading
Overall Expectation: Read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and informational texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning
Language-Media Literacy
Overall Expectation: Create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques
Assessment Strategy/Tool(s):
Multimedia presentation/ rubric
Subtask 6:
· Students keep a journal throughout the unit, focusing on their use of energy and natural resources.
· Students analyze their use of energy and natural resources and create a plan for improving and reducing their personal consumption.
· (Scientific Inquiry/ Research)
In what ways might I differentiate the learning in subtask?
· Vary the amount of teacher scaffolding for students (process)
· Where needed give direct instruction (process)
· Provide charts for students to fill out during the unit (process)
· Asking guiding questions (process)
· Allow for simple to complex plan (Content)
Checkpoint # 4
Evaluate ways in which technological innovations increase or decrease our ability to conserve energy and propose a personal plan of action to improve energy conservation (Scientific Inquiry/ Research)
Language-Media Literacy
Overall Expectation: Identify some media forms (poster) and explain how the conventions and techniques associated with them are used to create meaning
Assessment Strategy/Tool(s):
Informational Poster/rating scale / Checkpoint # 4
Develop a plan for reducing electricity consumption at home or at school and assess how this change could affect the use of natural resources (Technological Problem Solving)
Language-Media Literacy
Overall Expectation: Identify some media forms (poster) and explain how the conventions and techniques associated with them are used to create meaning
Assessment Strategy/Tool(s):
Informational Poster/rating scale
In what ways might I differentiate the learning in subtask?
· Vary the amount of teacher scaffolding for students (process)
· Asking guiding questions (process)
· Allow for simple to complex plan (Content)
· Allow student choice in format of product (product)
Subtask 7: Culminating Performance Task
Design and build a structure (ex. Dwelling, school, etc.) that includes an electrical circuit and incorporates energy conservation features.
(Technological Problem Solving) / Subtask 7: Culminating Performance Task
Redesign the school to incorporate energy conservation features.
(Technological Problem Solving) / Subtask 7: Culminating Performance Task
Design and build a device that uses electricity and transforms it into other forms of energy.
(Technological Problem Solving)
In what ways might I differentiate the learning in subtask?
· Vary the amount of teacher scaffolding for students (process)
· Allow for simple to complex plan (content/product)
· Provide a variety of creative product options (e.g. house, school)
26/06/2009