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Light and Shadows Unit Ed
Light and Shadows Unit Ed
Light and Shadows Unit Ed
Page 0 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Table of Contents
I. Rationale ___ pg. 2
II. Special considerations pg. 3
III. Program Considerations pg. 4
IV. Unit Objective: __ pg. 5
V. Resources ______________________________ pg. 6
VI. Calendar pg. 7
VII. Daily Activities ____ pg. 8
VIII. Assessment blueprint_____________________ pg. 15
IX. Assessment tools_________________________ pg. 17
Page 1 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Unit Overview
The Lights and Shadow unit expands beyond the academic curiosity of science and extends into pivotal
skills students use when forming cognitive and social relationships between both self and others. Ideas learned
within this unit help explain natural phenomena that the students interact with daily. By creating these
understandings of the natural world, it will help them in forming connections between what they observe and
the science behind their observations. The ability to identify the interconnectedness of our world helps students
understand the notions of cause and effect, an idea that will serve them in creating an understanding of how the
scientific process works. Students attain further skills by conducting experiments and the practice of forming
original hypothesizes, followed by the testing of these hypothesizes and judging if they are correct based on a
factual way of observing the natural world. Together the students team up to explore unknown concepts. They
form working relationships and discover what it means to compromise with each other. Their success or failure
of any given experiment plays a vital role in how they proceed, as they reflect on their evidence and identify
alternative routes in hopes of succeeding. This multi-dimensional approach helps them gain perspective and
understand that the world is not linear. The skill of understanding cause and effect creates the opportunity for
students to extrapolate this understanding and apply it themselves. Meaning, their own actions have
consequences, and that it is important to try and predict these consequences, good or bad, so we may realize our
impact on the world.
The purpose of this unit is to have students learn about light by studying the effects of light on objects
within their environment, such objects include prism, mirrors, lens, opaque, translucent, and transparent objects.
To accomplish the purpose of this unit it covers three broad concepts. First concept is learning about light
sources and the traveling of light which can be blocked or changed depending on what material it comes into
contact with. Second, is observing shadows and predicting the motion of these shadows when light sources
move. Thirdly, is an exploration on how mirrors, prisms and a variety of other materials can affect the path of
light and how refracting can cause light to refract into different colors.
The Light and Shadow unit fits into the science curriculum by being topic D within the curriculum grade
four science curriculum. Both the grade three curriculum and the previous grade four units in science do not
relate to the unit Lights and Shadows in any pertinent way. Many of the concepts introduced in this unit will be
the first time many of the students learn about them, which places an importance on this unit since it builds the
fundamental concepts required for future learning regarding electromagnetic radiation.
Page 2 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Special Considerations
Knowledge/Skills already in place
• Being collaborative with peers
• Follow safety guidelines
• Being able to work independently
• Reading and writing ability
• An ability to explore materials and learn by direct study
• Ability to search for understandings and for solutions to problems
• A willingness to base their conclusions and actions on the evidence of their own experiences
Background knowledge specifically to the unit: Grade three science does not cover any concepts related to
lights and shadow in any meaningful way. Meaning that the concepts introduced in this unit are going to be
learned for the first time, and complex ideas will need to be strongly scaffolded. Though concepts around
experimenting and learning through inquiry and exploration are learning process that would of already have
been done in early grades.
Differentiation
• The final summative assessment is the largest area of differentiation for the class. Instead of having a
traditional unit exam the class will have an interview one on one with the teacher. The reason for doing
this is to avoid difficulty with reading and writing that may interfere with the final assessment, since
neither writing nor reading are in the science POS I am able to avoid requiring it in my assessment. By
avoiding reading and writing in my final assessment I will gain a better understanding of the students’
knowledge since many of the students in the class struggle in those two areas.
• For students who struggle in writing there is two main options for them to pick from when doing class
work that requires writing. The first option is telling the teacher what they want to write which then will
be record on a white board, and the student can copy what is written. Second is the student can use a
voice to text option on an iPad to record their written response.
Student behavior
• If it is not during instructional time students will be given the ability to take short timed breaks in the
hallway if they ask to do so. No more than two students on a break at one time
• If a student is disrupting the learning of the class, they will be sent to the hallway which they will have a
discussion with the teacher about not disrupting the learning of their classmates. If the discussion in the
hallway does not help correct the behavior they will be sent to the office for the period. Or if the
disruptive behavior is grievous, they will be sent straight to the office side stepping the hallway plan
• When doing experiments or stations students will be remined of the expectation required to partake in
the experiment. IF the student is not able to meet these expectations they will be removed from the
experiment and will be given a different activity to do instead.
Page 3 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Program Considerations:
• Prerequisites: Science Grade 3
• Model of Implementation: Exploratory, inquiry
• Pathway: Exploratory, knowledge
• Safety: respect of peers’ boundaries, not using science material inappropriate, protection of eyes
Essential Understanding(s):
“20 years from now, students should know/remember/be able to do … having successfully completed this module”.
• Students will be able to learn by exploring scientific objects and determining a cause and effect relation.
• Students will be able to identify wide range of lights sources.
• Students will be able to recognize that opaque materials cast shadows, and that these shadows change when the light
source moves
• Students will distinguish transparent materials from opaque materials
• Students will be able to form basic understandings of our natural world to help further their scientific journey
• Students will be able to recognize that the path of light can be manipulated to by different objects, Ex refracting, creating a
color spectrum, and reflected
Page 4 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Unit Objective:
Students will learn about light by studying the effects of light on things within their environment. They learn
about light sources, about materials that light can pass through and about what happens when a material blocks
or changes the path of light. By observing shadows and their motions relative to a light source, students
discover that light and shadows fall along a predictable path. They discover that mirrors, prisms and a variety of
other materials can affect that path by reflecting and refracting light and by splitting light into colours.
4–9 Identify sources of light, describe the interaction of light with different materials, and infer the pathway of
a light beam.
1. Recognize that eyes can be damaged by bright lights and that one should not look at the Sun—either directly
or with binoculars or telescopes.
2. Identify a wide range of sources of light, including the Sun, various forms of electric lights, flames, and
materials that glow (luminescent materials).
3. Distinguish objects that emit their own light from those that require an external source of light in order to be
seen.
4. Demonstrate that light travels outward from a source and continues unless blocked by an opaque material.
5. Describe changes in the size and location of Sun shadows during the day—early morning, to midday, to late
afternoon.
6. Recognize that opaque materials cast shadows, and predict changes in the size and location of shadows
resulting from the movement of a light source or from the movement of a shade-casting object.
7. Distinguish transparent materials from opaque materials by determining if light passes through them and by
examining their shadows.
8. Classify materials as transparent, partly transparent (translucent) or opaque.
9. Recognize that light can be reflected and that shiny surfaces, such as polished metals and mirrors, are good
reflectors.
10. Recognize that light can be bent (refracted) and that such objects as aquaria, prisms and lenses can be used
to show that light beams can be bent.
11. Recognize that light can be broken into colours and that different colours of light can be combined to form a
new colour.
12. Demonstrate the ability to use a variety of optical devices, describe how they are used, and describe their
general structure. Suggested examples include: hand lens, telescope, microscope, pinhole camera, light
sensitive paper, camera, kaleidoscope. Students meeting this expectation will be able to provide practical
descriptions of the operation of such devices, but are not required to provide theoretical explanations of how
the devices work.
Page 5 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Resources
Page 6 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
No class • Emit light vs objects that do not emit light • Does light travel in a straight-line
• Categorize worksheet experiment
• Experiment sheet
• Sundial experiment • Work on sun stick worksheets and hand in • Lesson on refraction and color
• Introduction to refraction- how do sundial • Color stations activity
glasses work? • Posters on refracting vs reflecting light
Page 7 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Lesson By the end of the lesson student will be able to identify multiple sources of light by completing a list of
Objective source objects.
By the end of the lesson students will be able to distinguish between objects that emit vs non-
emitting objects by completing a table.
Learning Have the class at the carpet with the lights off. Take out multiple objects from the bag demonstrating
activity(s) how some objects emit light vs others that do not emit light. After, I will go through a power point
about objects that reflect light and objects that do not reflect light.
Resources:
Worksheet
Objects for exploring at the carpet:
Telescope, glow stick, headlamp, mirror, glass crystal, candle
Assessment Student will complete a few questions categorizing objects that emit light vs objects that do not emit
light, followed by defining two words.
Lesson By the end of the lesson students will be able to demonstrate how light travels in a straight line by
Objective conducting an experiment.
By the end of the lesson students will be able to demonstrate that utility in different objects as acting
as a reflector.
Learning This lesson will start with the students showed how to set up their experiment, followed by having
activity(s) divided into predetermined groups. Each group will be given an area to work and will need to create a
hypothesis before given materials to start the experiment. After the experiment students will then need
record their results and hand them in.
Resources:
Mirrors
Cards
Playdough
Hole puncher
Page 8 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Flashlight
Assessment Students will hand in their experiment sheet, with drawing and questions to be formatively assessed
Lesson By the end of the lesson students will be able to distinguish between opaque and transparent by
Objective analyzing the shadow of an object.
By the end of the lesson students will be able to define the terms transparent, opaque, and
translucent by out the terms on their activity sheet.
Learning Have students complete a fill in the three definitions of the lesson, transparent, opaque, and translucent.
activity(s) As while as reviewing the concept of light sources.
After have students’ complete stations conducting mini experiments on whether light goes through an
assortment of an object. They will have to categorize each object and draw a picture of the mini
experiment.
Extension will be having the students place sticky notes around the classroom placing the different
color sticky notes transparent, opaque, and translucent objects.
Resources:
Note sheet
Power point
Flashlights
Master #7
Station materials: wax paper, tin foil, cardboard,
Sticky notes, three different colors
Page 9 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Lesson By the end of less students will be able to recognize multiple safe ways to view at sources of light.
Objective
Learning Start the lesson by having a discussion on how to protect your eyes from harmful light. Go over
activity(s) examples on how to protect your eyes and examples of what will hurt your eyes.
A demonstration with a pinhole camera will be used as an example on how to safely view the sun.
The next PowerPoint will be a review of the main concepts so far covered in this unit, transparent,
opaque, and translucent, light travel, and light sources.
After completing the review PowerPoint, the class will do a few Kahoot quizzes.
Resources:
Power point
Pinhole camera
Kahoot quiz
Assessment Kahoot quiz: the Kahoot quiz will go over the ideas of transparent, opaque, translucent. It will also
cover the idea of light sources emitting light, and that not all objects emit light.
Lesson By the end of less students will be able to understand how a sundial is used by constructing their
Objective sundial.
Learning Activity:
activity(s) When students first get to class have them complete the concept sheet for summative assessment.
Have a mini discussion on how shadows change in size depending on where the light source is coming
from, demonstrate this idea on the carpet using a flashlight and a stick.
Have students watch a short video explaining how sundials were used and why they were created.
Have students create their own sundial out of paper.
Resources:
Material for creating a sundial:
Page 10 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Assessment Have student complete the concept sheet for summative assessment in the first half of the class
Lesson By the end of less students will be able to understand how a sundial is used by using their own sundial.
Objective By the end of less students will be able to understand how the movement of a light sources will change
a shadow by completing a sun stick worksheet.
Learning Throughout the day the class will go out into field to see how a pole acts as a sundial. As while the
activity(s) first-time students go outside have them calibrate their own sundials by recording where the shadow is
on their sundial and label it according to the time.
At the end of the day explain to the students.
During the class have a discussion with students on how glasses work. Followed by a PowerPoint in
which the students will complete a note fill in the blank sheet.
Resources:
sundials
spray paint for grass
prediction sheets, and sheets to have students to explain how their sundial works
Assessment Students will hand in their sundials and explanation for how the sundial works.
Lesson How do glasses work? How can we manipulate the travel of light?
Seven Topic: sundial assessment and refraction of light
Lesson By the end of less students will be able to understand how the movement of a light sources will change
Objective a shadow by completing a sun stick worksheet.
Page 11 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
By the end of less students will be able to identify multiple ways in which we can manipulate light to
see different colors by experimenting with different materials.
Learning At the start of the class have a quick review of what they did with their sundials.
activity(s) Next the students will complete the sundial assessment in which they will have to hand in their sundials
that are marked with the experiment times, and complete a the shadow stick worksheet.
Once the students are done with sundial assessment have them complete a wordsearch until everyone is
done.
Once everyone is done have an overview of the concepts started last class by going over the main ideas
covered in a PowerPoint. Next have students draw diagrams of how different objects refracts vs reflects
light.
The next activity will be the introduction of colored light. Demonstrate with the class how a prism can
create rainbow from white light.
Resources:
PowerPoint
Drawing worksheets
Note fill in the blanks
Telescope
Binoculars
Lesson By the end of lesson students will be able to identify multiple ways in which we can manipulate light to
Objective see different colors by experimenting with different materials.
By the end of the lesson students will have demonstrate the ability to use a variety of optical devices.
Learning Have a class discussion on why certain objects are the color they are. Why is an apple red? Next have a
activity(s) PowerPoint explaining how prisms and spectroscopes work. After have students a station activity
exploring how different objects interact with light, spectroscopes, prism, kaleidoscopes. At each station
students will fill out their sheet answering questions or drawing pictures
Resources:
Spectroscopes
Prism
Power point
Worksheet for spectroscope experiment
Page 12 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Lesson By the end of the lesson students will have reviewed the main concepts of the lights and shadow unit by
Objective completing Kahoots.
Learning Have students do a Kahoot quiz for refracting, reflecting, and colors. As while as a second
activity(s) Kahoot quiz going over main concepts of the unit.
If students need more time to complete their stations from previous class, it will be given here.
If no extra time is need for stations final assessment interviews will start
Lesson By the end of the lesson students will have completed their final assessment for Lights and shadow unit
Objective
Learning For final assessment interview, Sarah and I will work together to allow myself to pull students. So, I
activity(s) can have a one on one interview with the students, were I will ask them predetermined questions and I
will grade their responses following a four-part rubric
Page 13 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Learning For final assessment interview, Sarah and I will work together to allow myself to pull students. So, I
activity(s) can have a one on one interview with the students, were I will ask them predetermined questions and I
will grade their responses following a four-part rubric
Lesson
Objective
Learning For final assessment interview, Sarah and I will work together to allow myself to pull students. So, I
activity(s) can have a one on one interview with the students, were I will ask them predetermined questions and I
will grade their responses following a four-part rubric
Page 14 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Part 4: Assessment
See-
Light Color Concept Sundial/sun
earning Title straight
through Sundial
Stations sheet stick
Interview
Outcomes or nah
Type Formative Formative Formative formative Summative Summative Summative
(Formative/Summative)
Weighting 30 30 40
1. Recognize that eyes can be
damaged by bright lights and that
one should not look at the Sun— X X X X
either directly or with binoculars or
telescopes.
2. Identify a wide range of sources
of light, including the Sun, various
forms of electric lights, flames, and X X X
materials that glow (luminescent
materials).
3. Distinguish objects that emit
their own light from those that
X X X
require an external source of light
in order to be seen.
4. Demonstrate that light travels
outward from a source and
X X X X X
continues unless blocked by an
opaque material.
5. Describe changes in the size and
location of Sun shadows during the
X X X
day—early morning, to midday, to
late afternoon.
6. Recognize that opaque materials
cast shadows and predict changes
in the size and location of shadows
X X X
resulting from the movement of a
light source or from the movement
of a shade-casting object.
7. Distinguish transparent materials
from opaque materials by
determining if light passes through X X X
them and by examining their
shadows.
8. Classify materials as transparent,
partly transparent (translucent) or X X X
opaque.
9. Recognize that light can be
reflected and that shiny surfaces,
such as polished metals and X X X
mirrors, are good reflectors.
Page 15 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Page 16 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Page 18 of 20
Subject Area Science
Jordin Peterson Grade Level 4/5
Unit Plan: Science grade 4 Topic Lights and Shadow
Length of Unit (days) 4 weeks
Page 19 of 20