Predict, Observe, Explain--Teaching Plan
Step 1: Orientation and Motivation:
Students will be given electronic devices,(clocks, calculators, etc.) and/or light bulbs and asked to ‘make them work’. They will find that they cannot, and the students will then be asked what is missing.
Give students ‘exploration’ time with batteries, wires and small light bulbs.
We will pose questions for thought, students will write down their theories about how a battery works in their journal.
Questions to ask:
How do you think batteries work?
Why do batteries stop working?
How do you make things work if you have no batteries?
Step 2: Introducing the Experiment:
Introduce the students to the penny battery with a working light. Have students make guesses about what is in the battery.
Demonstrate with a single penny/cardboard/washer cell what is in the battery. Use the voltmeter and LED light to show that it works.
Step 3: Prediction: The Elicitation of Students’ Ideas:
Students will be asked to make predictions about what will make a successful battery. These predictions will be recorded in their journals.
Step 4: Discussing Their Predictions:
Students will be asked to share their predictions and explain their reasoning.
Step 5: Observation, (Experimentation):
Students will be given the opportunity to test their predictions and make changes.
Students can compare their batteries with other students’, they will record in their journal and draw pictures of which combinations produced the most powerful battery.
Teachers will demonstrate a multi-cell battery made with several stacks of zinc/cardboard/penny to show that this makes the strongest battery.
Step 6: Explanation:
Students theorize about why particular models made a stronger battery.
Scientific explanation provided by student teachers.
Reflections:
-We were surprised at how engaged the students were with the introduction exploration time. In the future we would like to ensure students have ample time to play and explore with the materials.
-We found that as a small group this worked well, however this would be a great classroom activity. Students would still have to be broken into small groups, and you would have to provide materials for each group.
-This activity worked well as an introduction activity for electricity, energy and batteries. It would be a good jumping off point for beginning a unit and ‘sparking’ students’ interest.
-This activity would work well over the course of 2-3 lessons. This would allow the students to each build their own penny battery, make predictions and test their theories. It would also be beneficial to invite an expert, (electrician?) to speak to the students and answer their questions in detail.
-For some groups of students it might have been beneficial to provide them with a graphic organizer to ensure they are recording the information and their predictions in an organized manner.
Students will be given electronic devices,(clocks, calculators, etc.) and/or light bulbs and asked to ‘make them work’. They will find that they cannot, and the students will then be asked what is missing.
Give students ‘exploration’ time with batteries, wires and small light bulbs.
We will pose questions for thought, students will write down their theories about how a battery works in their journal.
Questions to ask:
How do you think batteries work?
Why do batteries stop working?
How do you make things work if you have no batteries?
Step 2: Introducing the Experiment:
Introduce the students to the penny battery with a working light. Have students make guesses about what is in the battery.
Demonstrate with a single penny/cardboard/washer cell what is in the battery. Use the voltmeter and LED light to show that it works.
Step 3: Prediction: The Elicitation of Students’ Ideas:
Students will be asked to make predictions about what will make a successful battery. These predictions will be recorded in their journals.
Step 4: Discussing Their Predictions:
Students will be asked to share their predictions and explain their reasoning.
Step 5: Observation, (Experimentation):
Students will be given the opportunity to test their predictions and make changes.
Students can compare their batteries with other students’, they will record in their journal and draw pictures of which combinations produced the most powerful battery.
Teachers will demonstrate a multi-cell battery made with several stacks of zinc/cardboard/penny to show that this makes the strongest battery.
Step 6: Explanation:
Students theorize about why particular models made a stronger battery.
Scientific explanation provided by student teachers.
Reflections:
-We were surprised at how engaged the students were with the introduction exploration time. In the future we would like to ensure students have ample time to play and explore with the materials.
-We found that as a small group this worked well, however this would be a great classroom activity. Students would still have to be broken into small groups, and you would have to provide materials for each group.
-This activity worked well as an introduction activity for electricity, energy and batteries. It would be a good jumping off point for beginning a unit and ‘sparking’ students’ interest.
-This activity would work well over the course of 2-3 lessons. This would allow the students to each build their own penny battery, make predictions and test their theories. It would also be beneficial to invite an expert, (electrician?) to speak to the students and answer their questions in detail.
-For some groups of students it might have been beneficial to provide them with a graphic organizer to ensure they are recording the information and their predictions in an organized manner.