Clark University 12/22/2016 – 12/23/2016

Learning Activity Plan

Chemistry, Mrs. Phillips

  1. Content: Nuclear Chemistry

For the next two days, students will be spending the first half of the class period either debating their assigned issue, or watching their classmates debate and determining whether the information presented alters their own stance on this issue.Over the next two days, there will be two teams arguing two separate topics related to nuclear chemistry: whether or not nuclear power is a safe and beneficial source of energy, and whether nuclear waste should be transported to Yucca Mountain. Throughout the debate, students in the audience will fill out their observation worksheet in preparation for their reflection piece, while those debating will follow the structure of the debate to present their arguments.

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  1. Learning Goals:
  2. SWBAT compare and contrast the negative and positive aspects of nuclear energy and the transportation of nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain in masse via train as a source of waste disposal.
  3. SWBAT work productively with their classmates to present an argument for or against nuclear energy or transportation of nuclear waste.
  4. SWBAT convey their research effectively using resources to back up their assigned stance in the debate, and analyzing the counter argument against them on the spot to strengthen their own argument.
  1. Rationale:

Nuclear chemistry is a very relevant and interesting topic in chemistry – radiation is used in many everyday processes and there are many misconceptions surrounding it as well that we will work to correct during our time in this unit. From medical technology to the microwaves used to cook our food – radiation is everywhere. This unit will help students to be informed about both the benefits and potential dangers of radiation in their everyday lives. This week’s activityis particularly relevant to students, as nuclear energy provides almost 20% of the energy in the United States, and nuclear waste will begin transportation to Yucca Mountain via trainin March of 2017.

  1. Assessment:

The assessment for this topic will be via a class-wide debate in which students will take on formal positions and roles and the debate winner will be decided by two teachers and an anonymous poll of the audience. The reflective paper and the worksheets involved in this debate activity will serve as the final assessment for the unit as well.

  1. Personalization and Equity:

The structured format of this activity and the worksheet provided to the audience members will be very beneficial to my IEP students (Dan, Kennedy, Brandon, and Clay)while the freedom to choose roles will give students some control over their activity.The organizers and outlines I have made for students to help them to succeed in this debate and will help all students to remain on task and understand what is expected. Groups have been made taking students’ preferences into consideration while balancing groups heterogeneously to ensure productive groupings for all with the most active participation possible.

  1. Activity Description and Agenda:
  2. Agenda

Time / Teacher: / Students: / Rationale:
0:00 – 0:08 / Teacher will inform the class which group will be debating today – and will inform the groups that they have five minutes to meet and discuss their final strategy and set up while the audience prepares by filling out their PRE-DEBATE form. / Students will enter and begin preparing for the day’s debate – the audience by filling out their pre-debate form, and the groups by preparing their final roles. / This will serve to prepare students for the day’s debate and give the debating teams time to prepare and refresh before beginning.
0:08 – 0:10 / Teacher will ask all students to take their positions and go over the rules and expectations before beginning. Teacher will remind students of the schedule for the debate and will ask both teams if they have any questions before beginning. / Students will take their seats, listen to the expectations, and ask any questions before the debate begins. / This will get students into the correct mind-set before the debate begins and help keep students focused.
0:10 – 0:40 / Teacher will follow the attached debate schedule, serving as the debate moderator and keeping students to their time limits as the debate proceeds. Teacher will remind audience members to take notes on their debate sheets and keep students focused as necessary. / Students will present their arguments (if they are part of the debating teams) or carefully observe the debate and make notes on their debate worksheets (if they are in the audience). / This will serve as the main form of assessment for this unit and topic – and students will be assessed as a group and individually based on the predetermined rules and expectations.
0:40 – 0:50 / Teacher will ask the audience if they have any questions for either team – and give teams the chance to respond to each question before concluding the debate. Teacher will ask audience members to fill out a poll slip and turn it in anonymously. / Students on the debate team will respond to the questions of their peers in the audience to the best of their ability before returning to their seats at the conclusion of the debate. Audience members will fill out and turn in poll slips. / This will give students a chance to clarify any points of confusion before beginning their reflective papers.
0:50 - 0:55 / Teacher will ask students to work on their reflective essays while she tallies up the votes and confers with another teacher to determine the winner. Teacher will announce the winner and hand out the prizes to the winning team. / Students will work on their post-debate forms and reflective essays while awaiting the results of the debate. Winning students will claim their rewards after the announcement. / This will help students to reflect on the activity they just participated in and provide incentive for students to work hard in the debate.
0:55 – 0:60 / Day One: Teacher will inform the remaining team that they will be debating tomorrow and ask students to reflect verbally on the debate – did it change anyone’s point of view? Was there any new or interesting information presented?
Day Two: Teacher will ask students to reflect verbally on the debate – did it change anyone’s point of view? Was there any new or interesting information presented?
Teacher will remind students that their final reflection papers will be due on the Tuesday after break. / Students willdiscuss the debate and any points of interest or questions that arose as a result of the debate. / This will serve as the closing activity for this lesson and unit.

Homework:Reflection Papers.

  1. Challenges:

I anticipate that some students may have difficulty remaining on task throughout the debate, and so have structured it extensively and will assign group members strategically to ensure an even workload within groups. I have provided a schedule for the debate to keep all students on task and aware of expectations.

  1. Frameworks:

2.5 Identify the three main types of radioactive decay (alpha, beta, and gamma) and compare their properties (composition, mass, charge, and penetrating power).

2.6 Describe the process of radioactive decay by using nuclear equations, and explain the conceptof half-life for an isotope (for example, C-14 is a powerful tool in determining the age of objects).

2.7 Compare and contrast nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.

SIS3. Analyze and interpret results of scientific investigations.

SIS4. Communicate and apply the results of scientific investigations.

  1. Reflection:

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