Course Overview: Term 1

Investigate: Light and Sound!

Class Description:

In the first Investigate class, students will explore light and sound in a Project-Based Learning (PBL) environment. Instruction in nonfiction reading skills will prepare students for in-depth experimentation, exploring nonfiction text features and comprehension strategies. Students will participate in weekly activities and experiments related to light and sound with PBL principles.

Class Day: Wednesday

Class Dates:September 3, 10, 17, 24; October 1, 8, 15, 22; November 12, 19, 26 (November 19 and 26 instead of October 29 and November 5).

Essential Elements of Project-Based Learning:

  • Significant Content -At its core, the project is focused on teaching students important knowledge and skills, derived from standards and key concepts at the heart of academic subjects.
  • 21st century competencies -Students build competencies valuable for today’s world, such as problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity/innovation, which are explicitly taught and assessed.
  • In-Depth Inquiry -Students are engaged in an extended, rigorous process of asking questions, using resources, and developing answers.
  • Driving Question -Project work is focused by an open-ended question that students understand and find intriguing, which captures their task or frames their exploration.
  • Need to Know -Students see the need to gain knowledge, understand concepts, and apply skills in order to answer the Driving Question and create project products, beginning with an Entry Event that generates interest and curiosity.
  • Voice and Choice -Students are allowed to make some choices about the products to be created, how they work, and how they use their time, guided by the teacher and depending on age level and PBL experience.
  • Public Audience -Students present their work to other people, beyond their classmates and teacher.*

*Taken from -

Learning Goals:

Students will explain how structures and features of text work to develop meaning including: genre and text features (Gr. 4, 5, 6).

Students will use speaking and listening to improve and extend thinking (Gr. 4, 5, 6).

Students will select and use strategies before, during and after reading to develop understanding of text (Gr. 4, 5, 6).

Students will be able to make predictions supported by reasons and relevant to the content (Gr. 4).

Students will be able to describe the steps in designing an experiment (Gr. 5).

Students will be able to manipulate and control a number of variables in an experiment (Gr. 6).

Students will be able to identify sources of light and sound (Gr. 4).

Students will be able to explain properties of light -e.g., travels in a straight path, can be reflected (Gr. 4).

Students will be able to explain properties of sound - e.g., travels in waves, travels in all directions (Gr. 4).

Student’s Learning Goal Rubric:

Novice / Developing / Proficient / Expert
With help you are trying to apply the learning goal. Keep doing your best! / With help on some parts, you are able to apply the learning goal. Keep working hard! / You are on target! You are able apply the learning goal. Keep up the good work! / You are showing what you know! You understand the learning goal and can apply it. You’ve gone above and beyond.

Resources:

Chapman, Anita. B.C. science probe 4. Toronto: Thomson/Nelson, 2006. Print.

Gear, Adrienne. Nonfiction reading power: teaching students how to think while they read all kinds of information. Markham, Ont.: Pembroke Publishers, 2008. Print.

Lesson Overview:

Lesson Topic & Driving Questions: / Teaching Strategies: / Lesson Activities: / Assessment Tools:
Lesson 1: Introduction
-What is nonfiction?
-What do I already know about light? / -Pre-assessment (Part A of “Do you See the light investigation?”)
-Think/Pair/Share
- KWL - Light / -People Bingo (ice breaker)
-Text pass – what do students notice about fiction and nonfiction
-In pairs sort fiction and nonfiction books
-“Do you see the light?” – Part A
-KWL chart (Light) with a partner / -Teacher observation during initial activities to evaluate background knowledge
- KWL chart
- Ticket out (begin routine)
Lesson 2: Nonfiction Text features and Light Introduction
-How is light used in your home?
-Can you sort and classify artificial and natural light? / -Review
- Direct instruction (Zoom In) – nonfiction text features (what they are and what their job is)
- Class discussion – ways we use light at home
- Classifying using objects (whole class) / -Nonfiction text game
- Nonfiction text feature sort (in partners)
-“Do you see the light?” Part B and C / -Teacher Observation
-NF text feature sort (work sample)
-observation sheet of natural and artificial light
- Ticket out
Lesson 3: Nonfiction Text Features and How Light Moves (Part 1)
-Can you match nonfiction text features with their roles?
-How does light move?
-How fast does light move? / -Brainstorming
-Demonstration
- Discussion
-Inquiry
-Direct Teaching / - Nonfiction text feature sort (individual)
- “Always Travel Light” lesson
- Learning log / - one-on-one interview with sort
-Questions and answers (oral)
- Communication rubric
-Ticket out
Lesson 4: Nonfiction Text Features and How Light Moves (Part 2)
-How is light reflected, refracted and absorbed? / - Demonstration
- Inquiry
- Experimentation
- Presenting information / -Making your own fact sheet (pirate inspired lesson)
- “Bounce, Bend, Absorb” lesson
- Learning Log / - Fact sheet – learning goal rubric
- Checklist for presentation
- Questions and answers (oral)
- Ticket out
Lesson 5: Nonfiction Genre and Text Feature Summary and Devices that use Light
-What devices reflect and refract light? / - Review previous lessons
- Group discussion
- Brainstorming
- Model Making / -Nonfiction genre and text feature Jeopardy game
- Individual assessment (oral checklist)
- “Devices that use Light” lesson / - oral checklist
- anecdotal record
- Ticket out – learning goal rubric
Lesson 6: Asking Questions (Comprehension Strategy) and Colours in Light
-How are rainbows formed?
- How do you make prisms? / - Modeling – how to ask questions
- Direct Teacher
- Jigsaw
- Experimenting
- Complete KWL / - Reading Power – Intro to questioning lesson
-“Seeing Red” lesson
- Mini-presentations for KWL / - class post-it notes
- question and answer (oral)
- Checklist for presentation
- Ticket out – learning goal rubric
Lesson 7: Asking Questions (Comprehension Strategy) and Introduction to Sound
-How do you make sound?
- Where does sound come from? / - Guided practice lesson for asking questions
- Direct Teaching
- Model Making
- Presentations / - Reading Power – Guided practice lesson for asking questions (use books on light and sound)
- “Hear ye, Hear ye” lesson
- Scientist’s Chair / - class post-it notes
- Performance task (anecdotal record)
-Ticket out – learning goal rubric
- Individual presentation rubric for student presenting
Lesson 8: Deep Thinking Questions and Properties of Sound
-How does sound travel?
- How does sound travel through different materials?
- How are echoes made? / - Guided practice
- Shared writing
- Experimenting
- Sketching to Learn
- Presentations / -Reading Power – Thin vs. Thick questions lesson (how to expand thinking)
- “Properties of Sound” lesson
- Scientist’s Chair / - partner post-it notes
- anecdotal record
-Ticket out – learning goal rubric
- Individual presentation rubric for student presenting
Lesson 9: Finding answers to questions, how animals hear and sounds in our environment
-How is human hearing different than animal hearing?
-How do birds hear?
- What sounds are in our environment? / - Modeled lesson
- Direct Teaching
- Classifying
- Discussion
- Presenting / -Reading Power – Finding Answers to questions lesson
- “Do you hear what I hear?” lesson
- “Let there be sound” lesson
- Scientist’s Chair / - partner post-it notes
- chart of recorded information
- anecdotal record
-Ticket out – learning goal rubric
- Individual presentation rubric for student presenting
Lesson 10: Your driving questions and sound detection
-How can devices amplify and dampen sound? / - Brainstorming
- Classifying
- Experimenting
- Presenting / - Generating personal questions lesson
-“Devices to detect sound” lesson
- Scientist’s Chair / - chart of student questions
- Exhibition/ demonstration
-Ticket out – learning goal rubric
- Individual presentation rubric for student presenting
Lesson 11: Sound and Music
-How do musical instruments make sound?
- How can you create an instrument that makes sound using what you know about sound? / - Guided writing
- Model Making
- Demonstration
- Classifying
- Facilitating individual projects / -“Musically Speaking” Lesson
- Individual musical instrument project
- invitation for parents / -anecdotal record
-project checklist
- ticket out – learning goal
Lesson 12: Final presentations / -facilitating projects
- carousel walk of projects / -completing projects
- practice in partners
-class presentations
- family celebration and individual awards / - classroom presentation (presentation rubric)
-project checklist

Traditional Learning Academy2014-2015M. Affleck