Science Lesson Plan

Julia Miller, 1st grade, Planned for 11/20

What: This is a lesson on light reflection, refraction and absorption. The students will
use flashlights to conduct an investigation to find out how different objects affect a beam
of light by placing objects made of different materials in its path. In pairs, students will
record their observations and share their results. This will introduce SAPA principles of
predicting, communicating and classifying. By the end of the lesson, students will be
able to identify what the materials have in common and predict what they think will
happen with similar materials.

How: I will facilitate the activity by introducing it as an exciting investigation. I will

introduce the subject as we sit in a circle on the carpet, What will happen when we put
all of these materials in the path of light? We will go over class manners for sharing
materials and safety when using flashlights. I will give specific instructions for how to
use the flashlights and objects, and how to correctly record observations. In order to
create an environment of free choice and structure, I will allow each pair to choose any
six objects for use in the investigation. I will intentionally use vocabulary such as
opaque and reflect in an effort to expose students to the terms without formally
introducing vocabulary. In the last part of the lesson, I will allow students to share their
observations and predictions. My hope is that having students work in pairs and then in
a larger group, will support all types of learners while allowing for scientific
conversations, wonderings and understandings.

Why: My overarching question was How can I use personally/culturally relevant

teaching to facilitate higher-order thinking. The flashlight investigation answers both
parts of my question. Light and shadows are subjects of excitement for children. Its
typical for a six or seven year-old child to question shadows and even play with them.
Darkness, flashlights, reflected light, and obstructed lights are elements of wonder for
the child. For my first formal science lesson, I wanted to capture students curiosity in
the way that was whimsical but scientific and would lead students to make predictions,
comparisons, classifications and observations. Additionally, I think school should relate
to everyday life and build on previous experience while supporting future experience.
Hopefully after my lesson, students will have a cerebral experience with light and think
about how light is transmitted in various circumstances. Lastly, students should be
given choice and opportunities to build friendships whenever possible. When I spoke
with the science instructor at my school placement, he told me to do anything I believed
the students would like. I thought the Flashlight Investigation fit them best, while
adhering to the Science Standards for first grade.

Goals / Objectives: Students will be able to predict whether an object will absorb,
transmit, or reflect light, and use flashlights to verify or disprove their predictions.
Students will be focused and persistent enough in their work to make connections and
notice patterns.
Standards and Assessment Anchors:

1-PS4-3: Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the effect of placing objects
made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.

Practices: Planning and carrying out investigations, interpreting data

Crosscutting Concept Cause and Effect: Events have causes that generate observable
patterns.

Were students able to evaluate what certain objects had in common? Did students
record their observations? How did they make predictions? Did students work together
cooperatively? Did the students take care of each other? Did they understand which
types of materials absorbed, reflected and transmitted light?

Materials and preparation:

Observation worksheets to be used in pairs

minimum 3 flashlights

container for materials

approximately 18 items including

mirror

gems

blocks

popsicle sticks

paper of different transparencies

marbles

glass

straws

plastic

clipboards
Classroom arrangement and management issues: Students will sit on the floor
in a circle close to their designated partner. They will have clipboards to record their
observations. The materials will be in the center. We will remain in the circle for the
duration of the lesson.

The Lesson Plan - From NSTA Flashlight Investigation

The Hook (10 minutes) I will put students in pairs and ask them to meet me on the
blue carpet in a circle next to a clipboard that already has a worksheet. Today we will be
investigating what happens when we put materials in a path of light. The path of light
will be from our light source, the flashlight.

One partner from each pair will take a flashlight from the center. Sharing the flashlight
also means one student can manipulate the flashlight while the other manipulates the
object in the beam of light. Partners will switch roles halfway.

Then I will ask, How can we practice safety using flashlights? I will make sure all
students know not to look directly into the light or shine the flashlight into each others
eyes. Can I have a volunteer to turn off the lights? I will allow students 15-30 seconds
to play with the flashlights. Then I will turn the lights back on.

This worksheet will be adapted so that the top left box says Pick 6 Materials and
students will circle the materials they chose.I will not go over the materials in the entire
bin because I want them to feel like they are discovering the objects on their own. After
the students have time to investigate the objects, I will go over the names of any listed
materials that might not be apparent to students.

The recording sheet lets you make categories based on what you observe, and it gives
you guiding questions. Let's read them together. I will have students track the words
and read chorally after me. Students will be allowed to draw the objects if it is easier
than writing them.
I will then remind them of our etiquette when using the materials: Lets remind each
other of how to use the materials. What will I do if I want to use a wooden block but
Luke has it? Lets practice...can I please have _______ when youre finished.
Then the lights will go back off and I will demonstrate one example of an observation.

The Body of the Lesson (15 minutes)

As the students take turns testing the objects, I will circulate.

I will ask questions such as What did you notice was the same about the materials light
passed through? Why is the block creating a shadow? Does it block light? and make
comments like Oh, it blocks light, so its opaque. Did the light go right through it? Did
it reflect it? Did it block it? Where does the light go when its blocked?

Closure (10 minutes)

At the end of our investigation, I turn the lights back on. Students will return the
materials to the bin and have one minute to discuss with their partners what they
thought the objects had in common and how they classified the objects in their
investigation. As a class, we will take all of the objects out of the bin and put them in the
middle of the circle. We will share our results and classify all of the materials together.
Allowing students to identify and address discrepancies in each others work will foster
the idea of using observations as evidence for their explanations. While students share,
if we have any disagreements or questions, I will have students retrieve the materials
from the bin. We will retest right then and there to be sure of our evidence. After weve
finished reviewing all the objects, we will make predictions for objects we didnt test,
like windows, using the prior knowledge we developed to inform our hypotheses.

Assessment of the goals/objectives listed above:

After the students leave I will review the worksheets briefly, but more importantly, I will
assess understanding as I circulate and observe students conducting their
investigations. I will have my own clipboard with their names prewritten and make note
of good observations they made. Through their observations, I will be able to track their
learning. Because this is an investigation, its about students being focused and
persistent enough in their work to make connections and notice patterns.

Anticipating students responses and your possible responses:

 a) Management issues: I will tell them that one of the reasons they were chosen for the
group is because they have been well-behaved and if they show me otherwise I will
choose another scientist. Also, How are you respecting each other? As well as-
Science is most effective when we work together on teams and real scientists do this,
too.

b) Response to content of the lesson: Its possible that students will struggle to record
the data, which is why I provided the options of circling and drawing. Also, its possible
they will have difficulty deciding whether the light is reflected, blocked or transmitted.
To those difficulties, I could ask probing questions like, How is the path of light
changed by the object?

Accommodations

a) Accommodations for students who may find the material too challenging: Students
will work in pairs, students who may be challenged will be paired with someone who can
take a leadership role. I will circulate and provide support when necessary. My
worksheets will be adapted so that students may circle and highlight answers, to
alleviate the added challenge of writing.

b) Accommodations for students who may need greater challenge and/or finish early:
Students will be asked to investigate the shadows made by objects that blocked the light.
They will be asked questions similar to these: Could you make the shadow shorter or
longer? Could you change the shape of the shadow? Why was/wasnt there a shadow?
Extra: Of all the materials that were transparent, which were translucent?