Lesson Idea Name: Exploring Transparent, Translucent, and Opaque Materials

Grade Level/Content Area: 4/Physical Science

Content Standard Addressed: S4P1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about
the nature of light and how light interacts with objects.
a. Plan and carry out investigations to observe and record how light interacts
with various materials to classify them as opaque, transparent, or translucent.

ISTE Technology Standard Addressed: What would you like students to know and
Student Standard: be able to do by the end of this lesson:
Empowered Learner - 1.1.c. Students use
technology to seek feedback that informs Students will be able to identify the
and improves their practice and to similarities and differences between
demonstrate their learning in a variety of opaque, transparent, and translucent.
ways. Students will be able to state examples that
can prove a certain material and which
Educator Standard: example best describes them.
Standard 2.6.a. Facilitator Standard:
Foster a culture where students take
ownership of their learning goals and
outcomes in both independent and group
settings.

What is the student learning goal(s) for this lesson idea?

I can explain the difference between opaque, transparent, and translucent.

I can show my understanding of light and how it interacts with objects through posting on
Padlet.

I can conduct an investigation to figure out if a material is translucent, transparent, or

opaque.

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

X Remembering X Understanding X Applying X Analyzing X Evaluating X
Creating
I will promote student learning to a higher level by allowing students to create an
advertisement through their own window company regarding the three different materials
in the standard (opaque, translucent, transparent).

How do you plan to implement this lesson and integrate the technology? Check all that
apply:

X Teacher-led: There is no student voice and choice in the activities. Students are
guided by teacher direction and expectations. Learning activities are assigned to the
student and mostly practice based.

X Student-Led: Students are given voice and choice in the activities. They may select
the topic of learning and/or determine the tool they will use to meet the learning
goal. The teacher facilitates the learning as the students direct their own learning
processes.

☐ Problem-based and/or Publishable: Students are solving problems and completing

projects to demonstrate their learning. Additionally, the projects can be shared
outside of the classroom. (Note: This objective could be reached by displaying the
project on the school’s morning newscast, posting the project to the classroom blog,
presenting it to another class, or publishing via an outside source.)

Lesson idea implementation: The teacher will first introduce the learning target and goals
to students and address any questions related to the standard. Students will repeat their
learning goals aloud and the goals will be written on the board for their reference
throughout the lesson. Then, the teacher will review how to use Padlet by showing their
screen on the board and explain to students that they will explore and learn about opaque,
transparent, and translucent materials in the Padlet. Each table group will receive a piece
of aluminum foil, wax paper, water bottle, and mini flashlight. The teacher will explain how
these materials will be available for students as they explore how light travels through the
three different materials they learn about in the Padlet lesson. Students may
workindividually or with a partner at their table, but each student will post their own work
in the Padlet. Within the Padlet, students will work from left to right, beginning at the first
section which raises a question to think about before the lesson begins. This will access
students' prior knowledge as they start their learning. As students move along in the
lesson, they are able to respond to the prompts by typing or recording their answers.
Students will be motivated to stay engaged as the Padlet gives them the opportunity to
express their thinking in multiple ways. They will watch a video through Ed Puzzle and
answer questions as the video is playing so they will know to pay attention to its key
details. Student learning will be assessed in the last two sections of Padlet where students
will play a Kahoot with quiz questions regarding the standard and then create their own
window company which advertises opaque, translucent, and transparent windows. This
will help students relate to a real-world event and provide a creative outlet as they create
their own advertisement. The teacher will conclude the lesson with a whole group
discussion of what students now know about the first question they answered in the lesson
which was “Why do you think you can see through some windows but not others?” The
teacher will also review how students discovered light traveled through the three materials
provided to them with the flashlight. Finally, the teacher will allow students to share their
insights and key takeaways from the lesson or anything they liked or disliked about the
Padlet.

Managing student learning: The tool Padlet used for this lesson will cause a shift in the
behavior of students where they move from passive to active social learners by providing
them with critical thinking questions and tapping into different learning styles. Students are
also able to collaborate and communicate with their peers as they move through the
lesson on their own and ask their own questions.

The teacher will set a timer on the board to give students an idea of how long they should
be moving through the activities within the Padlet so that they will have time to create
their own advertisement at the end. As students are working in the Padlet, the teacher can
provide positive feedback and address any questions so that they are as actively involved
as their students.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

The Edpuzzle included in our padlet includes a video based on our lesson. Throughout the
video we have provided questions to help students remain engaged. Answering questions
and defining the important keywords of the topic helps support representation by
providing information in different ways and allowing students to access their
understanding. Action is demonstrated throughout students creating their own work by
coming up with their very own window company. This performing task allows students to
share what they learned and express what they know.

Reflective Practice: Students will have a better understanding of this lesson by using the
tool padlet because it provides multiple different ways to teach this lesson. It provides a
better understanding than most traditional tools because it begins with basic prior
knowledge of the topic. This helps allow students to process and get them thinking of the
topic and gives them an opportunity to share their ideas. It provides visual representations
with pictures and videos and gives students a chance to answer questions within the
learning and this helps build their skills as they go. The pictures provided give students the
ability to look at them and determine if the items are opaque, translucent, or transparent.
The scavenger hunt is a productive and fun way to demonstrate examples of this lesson. It
also allows students to have the opportunity to define key terms in their own words to the
best of their ability. It allows students to demonstrate what they have learned by
summarizing the lesson through the game Kahoot. The activity I look forward to the most
in this lesson is students creating their own window company. This allows students to put
the lesson into their own matters and works by advertising windows and being able to
describe what kinds of windows their company provides in detail to help support their
learning and understanding.