NancyLee Bergey 11/16/2015 3:57 PM

Comment [1]: Curricular?

Ross James
11/14/15
EDUC 521-001

Ross James 12/3/2015 4:06 PM

Deleted: ircular c

Science Term 3 Lesson Plan

What: The content that students will learn about in this lesson is mass dispersion
and buoyancy. Students will use their observational skills to help them reason, infer,
and predict on various elements of the experiment that they are performing. I am
unsure as to what aspects of this content may prove to be difficult for my students
because they do not have a science class in my field placement yet. I have not had a
chance to observe them within a science class, so I do not know how they will
engage with the material as science learners.

How: I will teach the content by having the students predict if certain objects float
or sink, and have students observe aspects of buoyancy through whether their
predictions were correct or incorrect. I will then have the students conjecture on
how this occurs. This will allow students to use their reasoning skills as they make
predictions and validate or invalidate their predictions. This will take place in the
hook. Students will then be put into pairs and asked to construct devices that will
float with equal amounts of clay/plasticine Through this, students will have to
record observations about how they had to shape their clay/plasticine to make it
float and draw inferences on why certain shapes worked and why certain shapes did
not work. After seeing what was successful and what was not, students will see if
their design will be able to support certain objects of different sizes and/or weights
in the water. While doing this, students will have to refine their clay/plasticine
designs to see how it will best makes the object they currently have float. Students
will use their reasoning skills to articulate why certain designs worked or did not
work with certain objects.

Why: I do not know my students well within a scientific context because they do not
have Science as a class in my field placement. However, I performed a somewhat
similar sink and float experiment with my focus student for my term 2 assignment.
He was extremely engaged with the material because he had the opportunity to
participate in a Science investigation. I am hoping I will get the same reaction from
other students in my class. Additionally, I have noticed that group activities are very
engaging in my class and that students learn more, or ask more questions when they
work with each other as opposed to working individually. I feel that this experiment
would definitely be engaging for my students as well as push them to make a lot of
predictions and ask a lot of questions.

Materials and Preparation:

My materials will be 3 4 small sticks of plasticine, a measuring cup, water, 3 - 4
aluminum cooking pans, and a note taking template that I will pass out to them.

NancyLee Bergey 12/8/2015 4:19 PM

Comment [2]: Dont capitalize academic
subjects except if they are languages -
English, Spanish but not mathematics or
science. Please fix all of these.
NancyLee Bergey 11/22/2015 9:35 AM
Deleted: S
Ross James 12/3/2015 4:07 PM
Deleted: , so have not had a chance ...to
[1]
NancyLee Bergey 11/22/2015 9:35 AM
Comment [3]: Scientific would imply that
they are learning in some scientific way.
NancyLee Bergey 11/22/2015 9:34 AM
Deleted: Scientific
NancyLee Bergey 11/22/2015 9:37 AM
Comment [4]: if
Ross James 12/3/2015 4:08 PM
Deleted: make predictions about why
NancyLee Bergey 11/22/2015 9:36 AM
Formatted: Strikethrough
NancyLee Bergey 11/22/2015 9:37 AM
Comment [5]: Even here, I would prefer
how this occurs.
Ross James 12/2/2015 11:20 PM
Deleted: why.
NancyLee Bergey 11/22/2015 9:38 AM
Comment [6]: Nice!
NancyLee Bergey 12/8/2015 2:41 PM
Comment [7]: DONT use play dough! It
dissolves in water! I can lend you some
ily
...o[2]
Ross James 12/2/2015 11:20 PM
Deleted: ay dough.
Ross James 12/3/2015 4:10 PM
Deleted: y doughto make it float and
... [3]
NancyLee Bergey 11/22/2015 9:40 AM
Comment [8]: OK!
Ross James 12/3/2015 4:11 PM
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... [4]
NancyLee Bergey 12/8/2015 4:19 PM
Comment [9]: Investigation
... [5]
NancyLee Bergey 11/22/2015 9:41 AM
Formatted: Strikethrough
NancyLee Bergey 12/8/2015 4:19 PM
Comment [10]: Ross, it was only when
... [6]
I
Ross James 12/6/2015 4:14 PM
Deleted: ticks of plasticinecontainers
of
... [7]


Classroom Arrangement and Management Issues:

Room 202 will be used to conduct this experiment in because it is a quiet and
frequently open space. Students will sit across from each other, in rows on opposite
sides of the tables. This will make it easier for students to work in pairs. Norms will
be set before the lesson starts in regards to noise and keeping the space clean and
dry. Students will be allowed to talk and communicate with each other, but any
excessive noise, loud communication, or irrelevant conversations may result in a
students being removed from the experiment. Paper towels will be provided, and
students will be expected to conduct all of their work over portions of the table that
they covered in paper towels. If extra paper towels are needed, they wil be
instructed to raise their hand andask for them. It will be communicated that
students will also be expected to clean the space after they are done with the lesson.
This will act as an extra incentive to keep the space as clean as possible.

Lesson Plan

Objective: In this lesson students will learn about how dispersion of an objects mass
affects its buoyancy.

Hook (10 minutes)

I will have students predict on their handouts which of the selected objects that I
will show them in the video (sink or float 25 objects) will float and why. After they
are done writing this I will show them a few minutes of the video clip that will
display whether or not the designated items will actually float. Once I am done
discussing the video, students will briefly share with someone next to them whether
they were right or wrong and why. I will circulate around the group during this to
listen in on who was right and who was wrong, as well as their explanations. I will
then call on two students to share their findings, one student who was right, and one
student who was wrong.

Work and Explore (25 Minutes):

I will start this portion of the lesson off by having the students pair up with another
partner and roll their clay/plasticine into a ball. They will then place it into the pan
filled with water and watch it sink directly to the bottom. I will not tell my students
whether the ball will sink or not before hand. After they place the ball into the pan, I
will instruct them to write down what happened and why they think it happened. I
will circulate around to see what students are writing in pairs and take notes on
positive things they do that relate to weight dispersion and buoyancy. I will then ask
students to try and mold the plasticine into a shape or item that can float. I will
designate 7 minutes to this portion of the lesson. One student will write what is
being created with the plasticine and whether or not the creation was successful,
while the other student constructs the desired item. Midway through this portion of

NancyLee Bergey 12/8/2015 4:22 PM

Comment [11]: I hope you checked about
water use in the library.

Me: The book fair will actually be used when
I plan to teach my lesson so unfortunately I
will not be able to use the library. However,
I have recieved confirmation that I can
conduct my experiment in one of the rooms
that belonged to one of the Special
Education teachers that used to work at the
school. I will include clarification on this
change. this clarification.
Ross James 12/3/2015 12:19 AM
Deleted: The school library
Ross James 12/3/2015 4:20 PM
Deleted: side by side next to ach other,
... [8]in
NancyLee Bergey 11/22/2015 9:43 AM
Comment [12]: Great!
Ross James 12/3/2015 4:22 PM
Deleted: experimental ork over portions
... [9]
NancyLee Bergey 11/22/2015 9:44 AM
Comment [13]: Here you said it!
Ross James 12/3/2015 12:49 AM
Deleted: :

Ross James 12/3/2015 12:49 AM

Deleted: will start this portion o...f t[10]
he
NancyLee Bergey 12/8/2015 4:29 PM
Comment [14]: So only half the group
gets to help in the shaping? Wont this make
the other half unhappy?

Me: I meant to say that one person in the
pair will shape for half the time period given
while the other takes notes on what is being
done to the clay, and then both students in
the pari will switch roles during the second
half of the given time period so that both
students within each pair.

the lesson, students will switch roles so that everyone gets a chance to try and shape
the plasticine. I will circulate around the classroom to see what students are doing
with the plasticine. I will do this with the intention that one of the pairs will make a
boat, or some creation in which objects can be carried. This would make for a better
transition to the next part of the lesson but if they do not I we still proceed with the
next part of the activity. After the 7 minutes are up I will ask the students to write
down on their worksheet, what worked, what did not work, and why.


For this portion of the lesson I have prepared responses for all possible scenarios.

- A pair or pairs creates a boat or something in which object could be held in,
but does not float. All of these items seem to be cleverly constructed. Thats
a very clever idea as well (point to boat). Although it was not able to float this
is a good guess because we naturally know boats to float, so it makes sense
for us to try and make one right? Now, we know that boats are designed to
carry people and or cargo, so why dont we refine our boats so that they can
carry these types of cargo (present two sets of items).

- Students create a boat or something in which an object could be held in and it
does float. All of these items seem to be cleverly constructed. Thats a very
clever idea as well (point to boat). This is a good guess because we naturally
know boats to float, so it makes sense for us to try and make one right? Now,
we know that boats are designed to carry people and or cargo, so why dont
we refine our boats so that they can carry these types of cargo (present two
sets of items).

- Students create objects that are not boats and do not float. In this scenario I
will say, All of these items seem to be cleverly constructed. Good job class!
Now, what is something that we know floats, and also carries things like
people or cargo in the water (wait for someone to raise their hand and
answer boat)? Right thats excellent. We know that boats can definitely float
in water so it makes sense for us to try and make one right? Now, lets make
this interesting. Lets see if we can refine our boats so that they can carry
these types of cargo (two sets of items).

- Students create objects that do float but are not boats. All of these items
seem to be cleverly constructed. Good job class! Now, although we were able
to create some objects that can float, what is something we know to float that
carries things like people or cargo in the water (wait for someone to raise
their hand and answer boat). Right thats excellent. We know that boats can
definitely float in water so it makes sense for us to try and make one right?
Now, lets make this interesting. Lets see if we can refine our boats so that
they can carry these types of cargo (two sets of items).


I will present them with Lego men and Marbles to use for the next part of the lesson.
I will give 1 pair of students Lego men, and the other pair of students the marbles. I

NancyLee Bergey 12/8/2015 4:30 PM

Comment [15]: Maybe it is your plan that
they do multiple iterations, taking turns on
these tasks?

Me: Yes that was the plan. Or rather the
each get a turn to participate in both roles
during each portion of the exam.
Ross James 12/3/2015 12:24 AM
Deleted: lasticineclay/play dough
... [11]
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ave
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Ross James 12/3/2015 12:27 AM
Deleted: The second scenario I thought
of could be if students reate a boat
... o[14]
r
NancyLee Bergey 11/22/2015 9:48 AM
Comment [16]: I think you pasted ... [15]
Ross James 12/3/2015 12:28 AM
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... [16]

Ross James 12/3/2015 12:28 AM

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... [17]
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... [19]
Ross James 12/3/2015 12:27 AM
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NancyLee Bergey 12/8/2015 4:32 PM

Comment [17]: I think this would b...e [20]
a lot
Ross James 12/3/2015 12:39 AM
Deleted: thewith Lego men and M...
arbles
[21]
NancyLee Bergey 12/8/2015 8:30 PM
Comment [18]: All of this is probably
... [22]
Ross James 12/3/2015 12:41 AM
Deleted: .

will then instruct students to try and create a boat with the plasticine they were
given that can float while holding one of the given objects in it. Students will
alternate roles midway through this portion of the lesson so that everyone will have
a chance to mold the plasticine. Students will have 4 minutes to work with the
plasticine before they must switch objects with the other pairs of students and
repeat the same process over again. During this time, I will circulate to make sure
that students are on task and to take notes on positive and relative things I noticed
about weight dispersion and buoyancy. Once time is up students will write down
what worked, what did not work, and why.

Debrief:

Students will share their findings on their handout about what kind of objects they
tried to create in all three portions of the activity and why they think that some of
those objects were successful or unsuccessful. The worksheet will be scaffolded to
help them answer these questions.

Ross James 12/3/2015 12:38 AM

Deleted: clay/play dough
Ross James 12/3/2015 12:41 AM
Deleted: The role in the pairs will switch,
so the person who was the scribe in the first
activity will be the one molding the clay and
vice versa.
Ross James 12/3/2015 12:42 AM
Deleted: 6
Ross James 12/3/2015 12:38 AM
Deleted: clay/play dough
Ross James 12/3/2015 9:46 PM
Deleted: all
Ross James 12/3/2015 9:46 PM
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Questions:

How do you think I could go about disseminating the pieces of clay/play dough in
equal amounts amongst the students?

I thought about using marbles and Lego men as cargo. Do you think this is a good
idea? Would you suggest any other materials?

NancyLee Bergey 12/8/2015 8:27 PM

Comment [19]: The PRANG plasticine I
will lend you comes in bars. So I would just
give one bar to each pair. We can take bars
from two different boxes so that both pairs
will have the same color - another area of
contention you wont have to deal with.

Me: Thank you NancyLee. This is very much
appreciated.
NancyLee Bergey 12/8/2015 8:29 PM
Comment [20]: Obviously these are very
different in density. I wonder if they are
similar in mass? It could be interesting to
take a balance and show that a certain
number of marbles was equal in mass (or
weight) to a particular number of Lego
people and then to have each group design a
boat to hold as many sets like this as
possible. I am imagining that a broad boat,
like a barge, might hold the most Lego
people, but that you would need a deep
bowl to hold the marbles.

I am going to see if I can find any images of
the recent Workshop Schools recent boat
design project. They made cardboard boats
and then tested them - with students inside!
- at a local Y!

Me: Ok. I will see how I can incoporate this
into my lesson so I can show my students
how the densities of the two objects differ.