Science of Light

Contributor
Kathryn Yablonski
Type Category
Instructional Materials
Types
Activity , Lesson/Lesson Plan
Note
This resource, vetted by NSTA curators, is provided to teachers along with suggested modifications to make it more in line with the vision of the NGSS. While not considered to be "fully aligned," the resources and expert recommendations provide teachers with concrete examples and expert guidance using the EQuIP rubric to adapted existing resources. Read more here.

Reviews

Description

In Science of Light,  the students talk about light and plan their investigation to find out how different objects affect a beam of light. The students do not complete the investigation.   In Flashlight Lesson (http://betterlesson.com/lesson/632318), the students conduct their investigation that they planned in this lesson, record their observations, and share their results.  These lessons are from a unit of 18 lessons called Light and Sound.  Science of Light  when combined with Flashlight Investigation (Lesson 2) support all three dimensions of NGSS according to the Performance Expectation, Practice, Disciplinary Core Idea, and Crosscutting Concepts described in this review.

Intended Audience

Educator
Educational Level
  • Elementary School
  • Grade 1
  • Early Elementary
Language
English
Access Restrictions

Free access - The right to view and/or download material without financial, registration, or excessive advertising barriers.

Performance Expectations

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

Clarification Statement: Examples of materials could include those that are transparent (such as clear plastic), translucent (such as wax paper), opaque (such as cardboard), and reflective (such as a mirror).

Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include the speed of light.

This resource is explicitly designed to build towards this performance expectation.

Comments about Including the Performance Expectation
Allowing for ample discussion throughout the lesson will enable students to make connections to their own ideas, others' ideas and to prior knowledge. The activities are accessible to all learners with little adjustment. Since it is a guided activity, the teacher can utilize instructional supports when necessary and allow students to participate and respond at their own level. If this lesson is combined with "Flashlight Investigation" www.betterlesson.com/lesson/6323318 the Performance Expectation will be covered in its entirety.

Science and Engineering Practices

This resource is explicitly designed to build towards this science and engineering practice.

Comments about Including the Science and Engineering Practice
In Science of Light, students collaboratively plan and record their investigations as a set up for the Flashlight Investigation (www.betterlesson.com/lesson/632318). Having the students work in groups of two provides support for all types of learners and allows for scientific conversations, wonderings, and understandings throughout the investigation.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

This resource is explicitly designed to build towards this disciplinary core idea.

Comments about Including the Disciplinary Core Idea
This lesson provides the scaffolding needed for students to plan an investigation that will help them gather evidence of the Disciplinary Core Idea. Students may consider adding light gels of various colors to the flashlights, or perform investigations outside with sunlight to see if all types of light respond in the same way. Students must be reminded of the safety rules for use of light and for looking at the sun.

Crosscutting Concepts

This resource is explicitly designed to build towards this crosscutting concept.

Comments about Including the Crosscutting Concept
In Science of Light the students collaboratively plan their investigation and then individually record their plan. In Flashlight Investigations each student individually conducts the investigation, records the observations, and then shares the information in a group setting. Having the students work in groups of two provides support for all types of learners and allows for scientific conversations, wonderings, and understandings throughout the investigation.

Resource Quality

  • Alignment to the Dimensions of the NGSS: This lesson coherently supports students in three-dimensional learning that targets the Performance Expectation of developing an investigation, the Disciplinary Core Idea, and the Cross Cutting Concept. It is recommended that the instructor consider adding a short video segment or a short reading passage the end of the lesson to provide a review for the lesson concepts being taught. It is also recommended that the student carry out the planned investigation using the guidlines provided in the Flashlight Investigation lesson (www.betterlesson.com/lesson/632318).

  • Instructional Supports: This lesson provides many instructional supports such as: formative and summative assessment, examples of authentic student work, suggested notebook entries, and the use of a KLEWS anchor chart. It also provides a KLEWS 101 training video for instructors that have not used this type of chart before. The lesson would be strengthened if it had included differentiated learning suggestions.

  • Monitoring Student Progress: This lesson provides many methods to monitor student progress. It gives two samples of how students may track their observations during the investigation, student worksheets and notebook suggestions, as well as question stems. This lesson would be strengthened if the instructor developed a rubric for notebook/investigation work. It is also strengthened when the student carries out the planned investigation using the guidlines provided in this lesson’s complementary lesson: Flashlight Investigation lesson (www.betterlesson.com/lesson/632318).

  • Quality of Technological Interactivity: This lesson does not use technology.