LIGHT AND SCIENTIFIC METHOD

1. LIGHT AND SCIENTIFIC METHOD 6th Grade Mini-Unit Adams City M.S. Damien Kunda Introduction

2. Students at Work(even the 7th grade Science Teacher) Measurement of Effect

3. TYPE OF INNOVATION • Using new techniques of teaching light to reinforce scientific method SCHOOL AND DISTRICT INFO • Adams 14- Adams City Middle School • 6th Grade science curriculum Introduction

4. STUDENT GROUP PROFILE • ELL: 1monolingual/12 ELL program • SPED: 8: 5 male, 3 female • GENDER 96 total: 40 male/56 female • ETHNIC DIVERSITY (this statistic is for all of 6th grade, the first three stats are for my cluster): 5 American Indian, 3 Black, 158 Hispanic, 34 White, non-hispanic Introduction

5. Pre-test Data • Pre-assessing show a need for both knowledge of behavior of light and understanding of the scientific method CSAP Need Statement • 30% of scoring on CSAP is Standard 1: Scientific Method • Through our research of CSAP released items, the need for Std 1 is necessary Need

6. Proposition/Hypothesis • I believe that engaging the students with light/lasers will lead to better understanding of the scientific method Content Standards • Std 1.c: Asking questions and stating hypotheses that lead to different scientific investigations. Methodology and Procedures

7. Relevance to Light and Color • Diffraction of light by using lasers and by using the “spear the fish” apparatus, will cause students to be more engaged in a lesson objective for the scientific method Measurement of Effect

8. PLAN (3-4 day unit) • OBJECTIVES • Students will be able to (swbat) use the scientific method to reform a hypothesis and test it. • SWBAT show an understanding that light refracts through different mediums. Both in words and a drawing. Methodology and Procedures

9. PLAN • Materials Needed • Laser pointers • Fish tank apparatus to launch a ‘spear’ at a submerged target (get picture!!!) • Different mediums to show refraction of light (gelatin, glass, water…) Methodology and Procedures

10. PLAN • DAY ONE (Engage) • Pre-Test • While students take pre-test, groups will be called to the back of the room to blind test the ‘spear the duck’ apparatus using only prior-knowledge Methodology and Procedures

11. PLAN • DAY TWO (Engage/Explore) • Discussion of group ‘spear the duck’ results (no explanation given) • Student explore with lasers and different mediums (hopefully students will see the diffraction of the beam on there own) Methodology and Procedures

12. PLAN (continued) • Teacher demo to reinforce diffraction of light through different mediums (I showed them specifically with glasses of salt water in a row with a laser going through all four and how it diffracts) • Discussion: real life diffraction incidences. People in a pool, mirage on a road, Dad through heat of the BBQ. Methodology and Procedures

13. STUDENT SAMPLE ANALYSISTest is out of 16 total points Measurement of Effect

14. GAIN MAX/MIN RANGE Measurement of Effect

15. Detailed Sample Analysis • Major finding: A majority of students had verbally showed an understanding that light refracts as it goes between different mediums. But as they were asked to draw the path of light or retry the experiment they seemed not to apply that knowledge Measurement of Effect

16. DATA SUMMARY • Overall, there was improvement in all classes • Range of pre/post differences is very widespread • Class 3 and 4 were taught after lesson analysis and seemed to help a little with scores. Measurement of Effect

17. REFLECTIONS • WHAT I LEARNED • More time and research needs to be done by the students • I learned that students have a wide view of what light is. (comparing the Sun to a laser was very new to them • Students need more background knowledge about light Reflections

18. REFLECTIONS • WHAT I WOULD CHANGE: • Lasers for every group to enhance the exploration stage • More visuals • More durable mediums for students to explore with • More focus on scientific method • More student EXPLORATION Reflections