Science Lesson Sequence

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Part 1: Instructional Context

Name: Natalie Kallemeyn & Val Keenan

Grade Level: 4th

Performance Expectation: 4-PS4-2: Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for

Information Transfer; Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and
entering the eye allows objects to be seen.

Unpacking:

Science and Disciplinary Core Cross-Cutting

Engineering Practice
Use the NGSS website &
NGSS Appendix F to guide
your work.
Idea
Use the links from your PE on
the NGSS website, NGSS
Appendix E, as well as
additional resources—as
needed.
Concept
Use the NGSS website &
NGSS Appendix G to guide
your work.

Developing and Using PS4.B: Electromagnetic Cause and Effect

Models Radiation Cause and effect
Modeling in 3–5 builds on An object can be seen relationships are routinely
K–2 experiences and when light reflected from its identified.
progresses to building and surface enters the eyes.
revising simple models and
using models to represent
events and design
solutions.

Develop a model to
describe phenomena.

Using models allow for Light travels in the same, One activity that would
children to have hands-on straight, direction until it work with cause and effect
experience with an event comes into contact with an would be the direction of
that they cannot see occur object. Once the light light with and without
in their real life. While we meets the object, it is either mirrors. Students can
want students to absorbed by that object, or observe how light travels
understand content on reflected off of it. The from a flashlight without a
tests we give, they will reflection allows for the mirror. Then, they can
acquire a deeper light to enter our eyes, introduce a mirror. The
understanding if they are causing sight of the mirror will cause a
able to represent the way objects. reflection which will then
that this phenomena bend the light, changing its
works. Revising a model direction.
allows for them to look at
their original thoughts, and
realize how those have
changed as they learn
more about a subject.
Knowing misconceptions
they had, and realizing why
those might not be correct
solidifies their
understanding.

Unit-Level Phenomenon and Driving Question:

● Phenomenon:We cannot read a book in complete darkness

Students will be instructed to try to read a book in complete darkness.
Then they will be asked to try to read a book in the light. This will be an
asynchronous activity to complete prior to lesson 2 (synchronous). Students will
record observations from each experience of reading in the dark and reading in
the light.

● Driving question: Why can’t I read without having a light on?

● Explanation: It is hard to read at night without having a light on because

there is no light. You can only see when there is a light source present because it
reflects off of the objects so we can see them. We know this because we were
unable to see when we were reading in the dark with a blanket over us, but we
could read when there was light present.
Focus for Your 3-Lesson Sequence:

Lesson 1: In the first lesson, students are going to go through an experience of reading
in the dark versus reading when there is light. This will be an asynchronous activity for
students to complete. We will ask students to get a book and go in the dark to read,
either under some blankets or with the light turned off when it is dark outside. After
reading for 5 minutes, students must write down observations. Then students will be
asked to read for 5 minutes in the light, either without a blanket over them or with a
flashlight. After reading with a light, they will write down observations. Students will
submit their 2 lists of observations on Seesaw, this will allow us to make sure they
actually complete the investigation at home.

Lesson 2: This is where we will have our science talk. We will start the science talk by
talking about what students observed. Students will turn and talk to a partner for 3-5
minutes. Students will share their observations from both reading in the dark and
reading with a light on. Then we will have a whole-class science talk about the
investigation by referring to students lists of observations. We will then lead into
discussing how the light moves. Students will share their ideas about how light waves
travel and where they travel to that allows us to see. After the science talk, we will lead
into looking at how light waves go to an object, reflect off the object and go to your eye.
Students will have an experiment where they look at the cause and effect of mirrors and
light. This will allow them to visually see how light is reflected off of objects, causing
them to see the objects. In the experiment, students will use a flashlight to see how it
travels. They will aim the flashlight at a wall and observe the light. Then they will be
given a mirror. Students will aim the flashlight to the mirror and observe what changed
or stayed the same from the first experiment.

Lesson 3: We will review what we talked about the day before and how we need the
presence of light to see objects. We will also review the path light waves take to enter
our eye. This will lead into making a model to show how light reflects off an object and
enters the eyeball allowing us to see objects.

3-dimensional Learning Objective:

Children will develop and use models in order to explain how an object can be seen
when light reflected from its surface enters the eyes highlighting cause and effect.

Part 2: Sequence of Three Lessons

Use the table below to describe how you will engage children with the “slice” of the
explanation and support their mastery of your 3-dimensional learning goal.
 Aspect of Evidence
Science and Science & of
Lesson Engineering Engineering Science Children’s
Lesson Format Focus Practice Practice Talk Learning

1 Asynchro ● Children Planning and Make Science Children

nous will be carrying out observations talk in will make
Online experienc investigation and/or second and record
ing the s measurement lesson observation
phenome s to produce s on their
na of not data to serve experiment.
being as the basis They will be
able to for evidence comparing
read in for an reading in
the dark. explanation the light
They will of a and reading
make phenomenon in the dark.
observati or test a Students
ons on design will post
reading in solution. this on
the dark Seesaw so
vs. we can see
reading in their
the light. observation
s and
This is the
prepare a
experienc
science talk
e portion
based on
of the
what they
EPE
said.
framewor
k.

2 In person During this Planning and Make The We will be

(full lesson we carrying out observations purpose of collecting
hybrid will have the investigation and/or this the data
class) science talk. s measurement science and
After the s to produce talk will be observation
science talk, data to serve to compare s that the
children will as the basis and make students
get to for evidence sense of will be
experiment for an the data making.
with explanation students This could
flashlights of a took the include
 and mirrors. phenomenon day before. notes,
They will or test a We will be pictures, or
make design discussing any other
observations solution. the form of
on the light experience data the
from the s of students
flashlight, reading in take. By
and then the the dark collecting
light when a vs. reading this, we can
mirror is in the light, determine
present. and why any
they think misconcepti
This is the
this might ons that
Experience
be need to be
and Pattern
occurring. clarified,
portion of the
and it also
EPE
helps us to
framework.
plan parts
of our next
lesson.

3 In person In this Developing Develop Science We will be

(full lesson, and Using and/or use talk in the collecting
hybrid students will Models models to second the student
class) be describe lesson models as
connecting and/or predict an
all phenomena assessmen
observations t and
from the last evidence of
two days to learning.
explain how Students
light travels will need to
to get to our include
eyes. We will criteria in
be reading the model
Reflecting and we will
Light by be ensuring
Louise student
Spilsbury to learning
help explain through this
these ideas assessmen
and t. This will
recognize be a model
 the patterns showing
we see. the
Students will difference
then create a in light
model to when
show students
reading in are reading
the dark vs. in the dark
reading in vs. the
the light. light.
This is the
Pattern and
Explanation
portion of the
EPE
framework.

Part 3: Lesson Plans

Remember, one of the following lessons should include a talk. The details are listed in Lesson
1, but the talk does not have to be conducted in the first lesson.

Lesson 1 (This lesson will be completed asynchronously at home)

Anticipated Teaching Date: Cohort A: March 19, 2021; Cohort B: March 24, 2021

Time Estimate: Children should only need a maximum of 20 minutes to complete this lesson.
Materials:
● Chromebook
● Book to read (student’s choice)
● Access to Seesaw (observation worksheet)
Safety Considerations: No safety considerations needed.

Introduction (5 minutes)
● Students will go on Seesaw and read the directions to the assignment. The
directions will tell the students that they will be doing a 3 day science lesson on
light waves. The Seesaw activity is day 1 and will engage the students in an
observation activity
● The teacher will have instructions listed on Seesaw as an introduction to this
lesson
● Students will be watching a video reminding them how to make observations in
science
○ https://youtu.be/DT-yAHkQyAM
● This video will help students understand how they can use their 5 senses to
make observations
● After students watch the video, they will transition to the main activity

Main Teaching Activities (15 minutes)

 ● Students will use the Seesaw activity to guide them through the activity
○ The activity lists the driving question and explains how they will be
working to answer this question over the next three days
● Students will first find a dark spot in their house. They will read in the dark spot
for 3-5 minutes. After they spend time reading in the dark, they will write out at
least 5 observations from reading in the dark.
● Students will then find a light spot in their house. They will read in the light spot
for 3-5 minutes. After they spend time reading in the light, they will write out at
least 5 observations from reading in the light.
● Students will write these observations down on the Seesaw activity and submit it
to the teacher.
● The teacher will look over the observations the students made to see what
similarities and differences they found. These observations will be used to guide
the science talk in lesson 2.
● This activity is responsive to students needs and abilities because all students
are given a school Chromebook.

Conclusion (5 minutes )
● Students will add a sentence at the bottom of their observations stating why it
was more difficult to read in the dark than in the light.
● Students must have their worksheet turned into Seesaw by 6pm
● Students will make sure they have at least 5 observations for the dark and 5
observations for the light
● The teacher will then go through the worksheets to point out similarities and
differences between students' observations. The information the teacher notices
will be discussed the next day in class

Lesson 2 (This will be the first lesson we complete synchronously in

class)
Anticipated Teaching Date: Cohort A: March 22, 2021; Cohort B: March 25, 2021

Time Estimate: 50 minutes

Materials:
● Student responses from asynchronous activity
● PowerPoint
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/11FP7fxb3L0Ep2ZQ0IbfkqoMUtDZCn-
QL4jy8s3xQf1A/edit?usp=sharing
● Flashlights x10
● Mirrors x10
● How light travels worksheet x15
Safety Considerations:
● Before the activity, we will tell students to be careful where they aim the flashlight
● We will make sure students do not aim the flashlight in their own or another student's
eyes

Introduction (10 minutes)

● The teacher will start the lesson by asking students about the assignment they
completed asynchronously on Seesaw
● The teacher will tell the class that we are going to be talking about how light travels
● The teacher will remind the class that they completed an activity where they read in the
light and read in the dark
● The teacher will then ask volunteers to share some of the things they noticed. This will
transition into the science talk

Science Talk (10 minutes):

● Students will likely share that they were unable to read in the dark because it was dark.
They will also likely share that they were able to read in the light.
● How were your observations similar or different to your partners?
● Why could you read during one portion of the experiment, but could not read during the
other portion of the experiment?
○ Class will discuss how one part of the experiment had light and one part of the
experiment did not
● What source of light did you use?
○ Class will share sources of light. Examples: overhead light, flashlight, sun, etc.
● How does a light help your eyes to see the book?
○ Class will share ideas about how light is traveling
● How does light travel off of objects to your eyes?
● Talk moves that can be used to elicit student thinking
 ○ Can you add on, who else has something to add, who experienced something
different, who experienced something similar, tell me a little more about that
○ If students get stuck we can ask them to think about other times they couldn’t
read in the dark or could see in the light

Main Teaching Activities (20 minutes)

● The teacher will explain that we are going to use a flashlight to determine how light
travels
● The teacher will explain that students will work in partners.
● Prior to handing out flashlights, the teacher will have partners discuss for 1 minute how
they think light travels and how they think light travels when it hits a mirror. Partners will
draw their thinking on the worksheet.
● Once the teacher has checked each partner's drawing, the teacher will give the group a
flashlight.
● Partners will experiment with how light travels.
● Students will draw what they observe on their worksheet mentioned above in materials
● Then the teacher will give groups a mirror and have groups experiment how light travels
similarly or differently than the first time.
● Students will draw what they observe on their worksheet mentioned above in materials

Conclusion (10 minutes )

● As a class we will discuss how the light travels from a flashlight and how light travels
from a flashlight when it is hitting a mirror
○ How do students think that the light reflecting off of mirrors relates to seeing a
book in the light vs not seeing a book in the dark
● Students will have time to finish drawing their observations to complete the worksheet

Lesson 3
Anticipated Teaching Date: Cohort A: March 23, 2021; Cohort B: March 26, 2021

Time Estimate: 50 Minutes

Materials:
● Reflecting Light by Louise Spilsbury
● Models students drew
● Paper (plain for students to draw models)
● Pencils
● https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/11FP7fxb3L0Ep2ZQ0IbfkqoMUtDZCn-
QL4jy8s3xQf1A/edit?usp=sharing

Safety Considerations:
● We will make sure students do not aim the flashlight in their own or another student's
eyes
Introduction (10 minutes)
● Who remembers what activity we did yesterday?
○ Students will respond with a flashlight experiment comparing a flashlight by itself
and how the light travels vs. a flashlight and a mirror and how the mirror impacts
the travel of light.
● How do you think knowing this information connects to what you did at home while you
were reading in the dark?
○ Some students may make the direct connection prior to this conversation
● What does the mirror activity have to do with how light travels and how we see objects?
● The teacher will tell the class that we are going to look at the pathway of light (transition
into reflecting light book)

Main Teaching Activities (25 minutes)

● Teacher and class will read book together
○ Pages 4,5,6,7,18
○ How can you relate how light sources reflect off of objects to using a light source
to read?
○ Light travels in a straight line until it hits another object - did you see evidence of
light traveling in a straight line when doing the flashlight activity?
○ Where does the light go once it hits another object? How does this relate to
seeing an object when the light bounces off an object?
● Students will now draw a model of themselves on day 1 of this lesson. They will draw a
picture of themselves reading and show the light source, light travel, light reflection off of
the book, and then the light going into their eyes so they can see the book.
○ These models should be more detailed using the information they gained from
our reading

Conclusion (15 minutes)

● After students draw their models of them sitting in the dark and reading with a flashlight
or in the light (depending on how they used a light source on day 1), we will talk about
how students' models changed.
● Students will talk in pairs about how they originally thought light moved and reflected.
They will refer to their first models from day 2 activity.
● Then students will talk about how their models from today are different or more detailed
than their first models
● After students talk for 5 minutes, we will have a whole group class discussion where
students will share their findings from the lesson
● Having students talk in pairs before whole group allows students to gather their ideas
and helps some students feel more comfortable for when we talk in whole group.
 Part 4: Evidence of Children’s Learning
Task:
● We will collect students model that they create on day 3
○ Models will show how light travels when they are reading a book. If they
used a light source such as a flashlight, the student will draw themselves
reading, where the flashlight was, and how the light traveled so they could
read
○ If a student used natural light, such as the sun coming in from the window,
they will draw themselves reading, where the light was coming from, and
how the light traveled so they could read
Exemplary Response to the Task:

●
● Please enjoy my absolutely terrible drawing of this person :)

List of Criteria for Analyzing Children’s Responses to the Task:

● Model shows:
○ Themselves reading a book
○ A light source
○ A pathway that light travels through
○ Indication that light does not travel in 1 straight line, but in a general
direction with light taking up space
○ Arrows showing light bouncing off the book