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Analysis of Student Work

I. Lesson Context
A. Lesson objective
Abstract
I plan to teach light and quantum mechanics, specifically how electrons in the atom are affected by
energy specifically absorption and emission and how they are arranged in the atom.
What are the underlying big ideas?
The underlying big ideas of this unit are electrons and how they are arranged in the atom and how they
are play a role in absorption and emission. Electrons make-up a third of the subatomic particles in an
atom. They are encompassed in and make up topics such as light, energy, and waves. Specifically, they
help to explain visible light and colors, the transfer of energy on a microscopic level, and how waves are
represented in the electromagnetic spectrum. (See attached image for our model of our big ideas)
Phenomenon:
The observable event is aerial fireworks. The different metals packed into the fireworks give off different
colors. The fire that initially lights a firework excites the electrons moving them from ground state to an
excited state because the electron absorbs energy from the fire. This excited state is at a higher energy
level. The nature of electrons is to be at ground state so to return they must emit a photon of light which
corresponds to a certain color dependent on the metal. This is why there are varying colors of fireworks.
These different colors also correspond to different wavelengths.

What does success for students look like?


Students should be able to explain the transfer of the energy between light and electrons and vice versa.
They should also be able to explain electrons hopping from one energy level to another and what this
means in terms of photons and wavelength. The can draw from their experience of seeing fireworks and
seeing that they are all different colors. Students should be able to then take this information and apply it
to a neon light, for example an open sign at a restaurant.

II. Lessons learned


A.

Making Sense of Students Responses to Assessment Tasks

Formative Task #1: An exit ticket was given at the end of the first lab activity to assess students
on the relationship between wavelength, frequency and energy as this is the foundation for the
entire unit. The exit ticket read, describe the relationship between wavelength, energy and
frequency.
Formative Task #2: After doing the fourth lab activity, students were asked to share the
observations. After discussing their observations as a class, they were asked to work on the
analysis questions that went with the lab for a work completion grade. The questions asked
include When the first student handed off the hat with a wavelength and color on it, what did
this represent? What did the second person represent that received the hat and relocated to a
different color string? Sum up this process in four steps.
This was part of The Electron Game where the first student represented a photon by giving the
energy or hate to an electron. The electron then jumped to the corresponding energy level or
the level with the same color string (wavelength).
Summative Task: A summative assessment was given after completing the final application
part of the unit. Students were asked to explain how the color of fireworks were emitted using
claims and evidence from each of the four class activities. Refer to your gotta have checklist.

Rapid Survey of Student Thinking: Formative Task #1


Categories

Trends in student understandings,


language, experience (sentence starters
included below)
Many students understand that energy and
frequency have a direct relationship.
Although they dont know that direct is
what we call this type of relationship.

Instructional decisions based on trends of


student understanding Fill this out

Alternative understandings?

Many students believe that frequency and


energy are equal or the same thing
When students rated frequency, energy and
wavelength from the slinky lab, they
assumed that having the same ratings
meant that the numbers were equal.

Ill have to use a different rating system for the


slinky lab where students rated wavelength,
frequency and energy from least to greatest. They
need a different way of rating each variable so that
they dont seem to be the exact same thing.

Everyday language you can


leverage?

Use of the words wavelength, energy and


frequency can be used to help leverage
their thinking. They know the word
frequent which can help in terms of
understanding frequency. They can break
up the word wavelength into wave and
length which makes it seem less scary.
They also have a general idea as to what
energy is from their everyday lives.

I can use the words the students know to scaffold


them to knowing what the terms mean for the
purpose of our classroom.

Experiences theyve had that


you can leverage?

They have previously learned about


different types of waves such as sound
waves. They have also seen different
waves such as ocean waves.

The students have learned the basic properties of


waves in another classroom and seen them in a
different context. Now the students just have to take
what they know and apply it to light waves and what
this means in terms of fireworks.

Partial understandings?

Next time, I will have to scaffold students better in


terms of why the relationships are the way they are.

Rapid Survey of Student Thinking: Formative Task #2


Categories

Trends in student understandings,


language, experience
Many students understood that electrons
start at the ground state and they give off
something when moving around.

Instructional decisions based on trends of


student understanding
I can build upon the parts that students did know
and use this to scaffold them to figure out the things
they didnt know/acknowledge.

Alternative understandings?

Many students believe an electron gives off


a wavelength because of the way the
activity was labeled. The students also had
a variety of thoughts as to when the
wavelength was being given off.

Next time, I will make the instructions more explicit


in terms of when the electron gives off the energy. I
will also find a better way to represent the energy
being given off by the electron as opposed to using a
wavelength that corresponds to a particular energy.

Everyday language you can


leverage?

There was use of the terms pass, or throw


away. These were simple terms to describe
what they were observing.

If we use the simple terms that the students learned,


we can scaffold students to use them in terms of
science. What is another word for pass? (transfer)
What is another way to describe throwing away of
something? (give off) and so on.

Experiences theyve had that


you can leverage?

From previous science classes and the first


unit the students did, they know that
everything is made up of atoms. They have
also learned what these atoms are made up
of.

This information can be used to help them consider


what subatomic particles are moving around
throughout the activity. I can use this to scaffold
them to think about what is happening to that
particular subatomic particle in a firework and what
is different for each of the different colors of
fireworks.

Partial understandings?

Rapid Survey of Student Thinking: Summative Task


Categories

Trends in student understandings,


language, experience
Many students have been able to make a
claim or state a concept they found to be
true through an activity. They were able to
connect parts of the unit back to the
anchoring phenomenon.

Instructional decisions based on trends of


student understanding
I may have to model what claim, evidence, and
connection to phenomenon looks like. They need
more guidance in terms of how to represent the
information they already know.

Alternative understandings?

Students believe evidence is saying I found


this in this particular activity. I know this
because I saw this in the slinky lab

I will have to add an activity to find out what


students think evidence is. I would also add multiple
mini activities throughout the year to have students
make claims and use evidence to back it up. This
goes along with practice makes perfect. Although I
dont expect my students to be perfect, practicing
what Id like from them would help improve their
results.

Everyday language you can


leverage?

I heard the use of the term evidence or the


phrase I know this because. Students have
had to explain their claims to other
students, or have explained how they knew
something to friends without realizing it.

I can use the way they talk to their friends or to their


parents or whoever and alter this to fit scientific
language. How would you explain this situation to
your parents? To your friends?

Experiences theyve had that


you can leverage?

Theyve seen this format of summative


assessment in English before but it is
called something else. They also have all
seen fireworks before which is what they
had to connect everything back to. Most of
them have experienced fireworks
throughout most of their lives.

I can use what theyve observed and ask them how


this happens. What do you know about a purple
firework? What does this mean in terms of
wavelength, electrons, photons, metals, etc.?
How did you know this to be true?

Partial understandings?

B. Implications for your lesson plans


Students were able to get the overall gist of the activity at hand. The students were engaged and
did well with the hands on activities. Something Id like to improve upon is being more explicit
in what needs to be said before, during, and after an activity. My lesson plans need more details
in terms of what instructions need to be given before, what questions I should ask during, and the
scaffolding I can do after.
C. Implications for how you interact with students
When walking around during the activities, I was able to probe their thinking further. I was able
to ask them how they knew things were true. For example, in the flame test the students observed
two compounds giving off the same color. They claimed it was the first part of the compound
assessment was the (metal) that gave the flame its color. I was able to ask them how they knew
this and what this meant in terms of energy, wavelength, and frequency. The least helpful part of
my interaction with students was asking them very general questions such as what does this mean
in terms of electrons? I knew what I was looking for in their thought process but didnt ask them
the right questions. I need to plan better back pocket questions ahead of time to allow for more
scaffolding.
D. Implications for your assessment
The first exit ticket asking the students the relationship between wavelength, frequency and
energy was least revealing. Either they got it or they didnt and the assessment didnt give me any
feedback in terms of what the disconnect was. The most revealing assessment was the summative
assessment. I had a general idea that students understood most of the information but the
assessment helped me realize that students need more explicit instruction and more modeling in
order to be successful. (Success being modeling scientific thinking).

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