II. Lesson Outline #2
a. Lesson Title: Energy Conversions
b. Lesson Author: Tracy Rumfelt
c. Grade Level/Subject Area: The students being taught this lesson are 6th grade science
students.
d. Time Allotted for Lesson: In order to fully teach this lesson one must set aside 5 class
periods approximately one hour each. The first two class periods will be used for the
introduction of the topic and the exploration of energy transformations. The last three class
periods will be used for the experiment that allows the students to explore the relationship
between potential and kinetic energy conversions.
e. Short Description of Lesson: Students will be learning about the Law of Conservation of
Energy. They will learn how energy can change from one form to another through energy
conversions, and how heat is lost in the process. Students will then explore this deeper by
looking at the conversion from potential energy to kinetic energy using pendulums.
f. Classroom Layout/ Grouping of the Students: The classroom is already divided up into
seven different tables. Each table seats up to four students and allows for cooperative
groups. Students will stay in their initial groups of four for the introduction to the lesson.
After the introduction to energy, students will be allowed to pair up with a partner of their
choosing. Partners will then be used in the computer lab due to the lack of available
computers.
g. Grade Level Content Expectations:
1. Inquiry Process (S.IP)
i. S.IP.06.13 – Use tools and equipments appropriate to scientific
investigations.
ii. S.IP.06.15 – Construct charts and graphs from data and observations
2. Energy (P.EN)
i. P.EN.06.11 – Identify kinetic or potential energy in everyday situations.
ii. P.EN.06.12 – Demonstrate the transformation between potential and
kinetic energy in simple machines
3. Inquiry Analysis and Communication (S.IA)
i. S.IA.06.14 – Draw conclusions from sets of data from multiple trials of a
scientific investigation.
h. Michigan Educational Technology Standards for Students:
1. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
i. 6-8.CT.1 – Use databases or spreadsheets to make predictions, develop
strategies, and evaluate decisions to assist with problem solving
ii. 6-8.CT.3 – Gather data, examine patterns, and apply information for
decision making using available digital resources
2. Communication and Collaboration (6-8.CC.)
i. 6-8.CC.1 – Use digital resources to collaborate with peers, experts, and
other audiences.
i.
Instructional Objectives:
1. Students will be able to define the Law of Conservation of Energy
2. Students will be able to describe the transformation of one form of energy to
another
3. Students will be able to calculate the kinetic and potential energy of a pendulum
4. Students will be able to use Microsoft Spreadsheet to compile their data into
corresponding charts and graphs
j. Materials, Resources, and Technology:
1. Web Site: Kids and Energy (http://www.kids.esdb.bg/index.htm)
2. You Tube (www.youtube.com)
3. Computer Lab with a minimal 13 computers
4. Microsoft Spreadsheet
5. String
6. 10 weights
7. 10 timers
8. Tape
9. Pencil/Pen
10. LCD Projector with hook up to a teacher’s computer
11. Overhead
12. Science Formative Assessment by Page Keeley
13. 25 Quick Formative Assessment for a Differentiated Classroom by Judith Dodge
14. Summative Assessment worksheet, “Forms of Energy”
15. Prentice Hall Physical Science Teacher’s Edition
16. Battery powered tape recorder, radio, and toys
17. 3-4 Balloons
18. 3-4 Rubber bands
19. 3-4 Wind-up toys
20. Magnet
21. 3-4 objects attracted to magnets
22. Noisemakers
23. Bell
24. Whistle
25. 3-4 food items (ex. Fruits and nuts)
26. 3-4 items that require plugs to work
27. 3-4 Plastic spoons
28. Styrofoam peanuts
29. 2 fuzzy stuffed animals
k. Students’ Present Level of Performance and Skills – Students must have some familiarity
with the topic, “Energy.” This lesson is the second in the unit, so the students are expected
to have knowledge on the seven different forms of energy. I will use a pre-assessment to
gauge their background knowledge and decide the best course of action from there. If the
majority of the class has no understanding of the topic I will have a longer introduction that
l.
provides some of the background that they are missing. I need the students to have a good
idea of what energy is and how it is present in various forms all around them. They will
need to have thinking skills to predict how energy changes from one form to another. In
addition, this lesson will incorporate some algebraic skills when using formulas to calculate
potential and kinetic energy. Students have been working on one step equations in math
class and have beginning skills on this topic.
Instructional Procedures
1. Anticipatory Set: The teacher will show the students a video of a roller coaster
from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75tMcKChlG8. She will ask the students
which of the seven types of energy are represented in this ride. Then, she will ask
them where the most amount of stored energy is kept, and what position is the
most amount of kinetic energy being represented. This will allow her to segue in to
a discussion on energy conversions, the conservation of energy, and calculating
potential and kinetic energy.
http://pegahsoltani-sph3u.blogspot.com/
2. Instructional Input: A pretest is given before Day 1 – 2 The teacher will begin the
instruction with a power point on the Law of Conservation of Energy. After that, we
will discuss various types of energy conversions that are happening all around us via
examples on the overhead. Students will go home and look for examples to share in
class the next day. Day 3-4 Next, the teacher will go to the website “Kids and
Energy” and learn how to calculate the potential and kinetic energy of an object.
We will look at a graphic that simulates a roller coaster and shows us how kinetic
and potential energy is related as the car is riding on the tracks. We will discuss how
a pendulum can show us a simplified version of this relationship and how to
calculate its potential and kinetic energy.
3. Guided Practice: Day 2 The teacher will guide the students through the “Energy
Conversion” stations that they will be going to visit. The teacher will go over how to
use each station and how to record your answers. Day 4 - 5 The teacher will go over
how to conduct the pendulum experiment. Students will be shown how to take
their recorded data from the experiment and transfer it into a spreadsheet in
Microsoft Excel. The teacher will also demonstrate how to create a graph out of the
data inputted.
4. Independent Practice: Day 2 Students will travel through the stations in groups of
four performing the duties outlined on the station card. At each station they have
to think about different types of energy and how they convert form one form to
another. Day 4 – 5 Students will work in groups of three for this experiment. They
will be expected to follow the procedure for the experiment and record their data.
The next day they will visit the computer lab to input their data into a spreadsheet
and create graphs. They will then use the charts and graphs to help answer
questions based on the experiment.
5. Closure: The students will be asked to draw a roller coaster of their own devising.
They will then label the places on their roller coaster where potential and kinetic
energy are occurring.
m. Supplemental Activities: Extensions and Remediation
1. Extensions
i. Students are assigned to explore the statement, “More mass increases
potential energy.” They can conduct another pendulum experiment, but
this time try weights with varying masses. They can look at their data and
prove whether the statement is true or false.
ii. Students can create an old-fashioned waterwheel, like the type used for
grinding at a mill, and discuss how it harnesses the potential energy of
water.
iii. Students can take apart an old battery operated toy or simple appliance and
trace the components that transfer energy.
2. Remediation
i. Students that are having difficulty constructing the pendulum can do the
computer simulation. The simulation allows you to pull a pendulum to any
altitude and let it go at a set velocity. It will then show you the swings the
pendulum will take and give you feedback on the calculations
ii. Students can reference a pre-created spreadsheet. They can fill in a
template with their calculations and use a directions sheet to create a
graph.
n. Adaptations for Special Learners – Students with special needs will be able to participate in
this lesson due to a few specific adaptations. First, students will be able to pick their own
partner for the activity. This will allow the student to pick someone that they are
comfortable with and feel equal too. Of course, the teacher will approve the partner of
choice to ensure that they will be beneficial. Next, the teacher will provide them a copy of
the PowerPoint notes to refer to and jot down additional thoughts on this topic.
Additionally, the teacher will provide template for them to fill out while doing the pendulum
experiment. Also, the teacher will work with them when putting their data into a
Spreadsheet. Finally, the teacher will provide them with additional notes and samples of
energy transfers found in everyday life. They will be given a sheet that provides them with
two out of three steps in a chain. They have to fill in the missing energy transformation for a
given item.
o. Assessments – Students will be assessed through the use of both formative and summative
assessments. The formative assessments will be used to guide instruction, and summative
assessments will be entered into the Science grade book.
1. Formative Assessment
i. Pretest on how energy changes form to see what type of prior knowledge
students have on the subject.
ii. Agreement Circles – This is a kinesthetic activity where students will listen
to a statement made about the topic and walk to a spot in the room that
matches their answers. I will then call on students from each of the
designated areas to explain their thinking. I will be able to see where
misconceptions are occurring based on where the students are standing and
how they explain their thinking.
iii. Thought Check – Students will be asked to describe the Law of Conservation
in their own words. This will allow me to see if they are understanding the
topic, and where to strengthen/support my teaching of the topic
iv. Commit and Toss – This formative assessment activity allows students to
answer a question about energy conversion anonymously. They write their
answer down on a piece of paper and the crumple it up. When the signal
has been given they throw their paper around the room. Students then pick
up a piece of paper near them and share the answer on the paper they
have. This will allow me to see what the understanding level in the room is
in a safe way for students.
2. Summative Assessment
i. Energy Conversion Assignment – Students are assigned to go home and
write down ten different energy conversions that are occurring among their
household items.
ii. Pendulum Experiment Calculations – Students will work with pendulums to
calculate their potential and kinetic energy using formulas discussed in class.
They will then put the data they collect into a spreadsheet and create
graphs to represent the data.
iii. Energy Conversion Stations Report – Students will go to each station and be
required to write down what energy conversion the items present have in
common.
p. Student Products – Scanned station reports will be provided, along with corrected “Energy
Conversion” assignments. In addition, the formative assessment results for the activity
“Thought Check” can be scanned for presentation purposes.
III. TPACK
a. TPACK Components
1. Content (C)
i. The Law of Conservation of Energy
ii. How energy changes from one form to another in various situations
iii. Calculating potential and kinetic energy in various situations
2. Pedagogy (P)
i. Anticipatory Set – allows the teacher to grab the attention of the students and
develops their interest in the topic.
ii. Lecture/Group Discussions – the teacher will provide information about the
topic via a PowerPoint presentation. After the presentation the teacher and
students will go over various examples of energy conversions. Next, the teacher
will go to the website “Kids and Energy” to teach the students how to calculate
potential and kinetic energy. Finally, we will go over more examples that
demonstrate how to calculate potential and kinetic energy.
iii. Independent Practice/Experimentation – the teacher will show the have two
different hands-on experiences for the students to explore in cooperative
groups. Each of the experiments are meant to reinforce the information
presented in the lectures, and strengthen understanding of the topics. Finally,
students are expected to graph their data in order to help them learn how to
organize it properly and then interpret it.
3. Technology (T)
i. Students will do their pre-test based on a transparency shown on the overhead
projector.
ii. Students will view a PowerPoint presentation about the Law of Conservation of
Energy.
iii. Students will use Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet to organize their data into a chart
and turn it into corresponding graphs.
iv. Students will view a website called “Kids and Energy” to learn how to calculate
the potential and kinetic energy of various objects.
4. Content Knowledge (CK)
i. I have taught this unit for four years. Each year I have been able to refine my
approach. In addition to my experience, I have taken college level physics,
natural science, chemistry courses that have discussed the topics of energy. I
feel that I am well qualified to deliver this content.
5. Pedagogy Knowledge (PK)
i. I have been working with the Madeline Hunter version of lesson plans for the
past 5 years. Based upon my experience I find it beneficial to being with an
anticipatory set that will entice student interest in the topic. I am using a
teacher-centered approach of lecture-discussions to deliver new information
about energy. Having taught these students for the last six months, I know that
this method will work for the initial exposure to the topic. After the lecturediscussion portion I will have the students participate in a learning center
activity and an experiment, which is a discovery learning activity. The first
activity is learning center that are structured for cooperative groups. The
students will visit each center and explore energy transformations via the
instructions given. Next, students will participate in a pendulum experiment
where they will discover the relationship between kinetic and potential energy.
Based upon the past six months I know that my students have shown the ability
to comprehend a topic more when they are given a chance to explore in
cooperative groups. I know that they will dialogue with one another to fully
understand the topic while they are conducting a discovery learning activity.
6. Technology Knowledge (TK)
i. While I have been working with Microsoft Spreadsheets for many years, I am
able to create comprehensive charts and graphs. This will be my first time
directing others in how to create these pieces of data representation. I do not
know all of the proper terminology involved with spreadsheets, and I do not
have any guides to reference. I have heard of other programs that are more kid
friendly when it comes to creating charts and graphs, but they are not available
at my school. I am going to have the LCD projector hooked to my computer and
walk the students through the process via demonstration. I have also been
working with an overhead unit and LCD project for five years. These devices are
crucial in my daily lessons to gain and keep student attention.
7. Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)
i. I have decided to begin the lesson with an anticipatory set because I want to
gain student interest. “The purpose of the anticipatory set is to focus the
students’ attention on the lesson, [and] create an organizing framework for the
ideas, principles, or information that is to follow,” according to Natalie
McKinney who has researched the Madeline Hunter lesson style. Next, I will
deliver the lecture/discussion portion of my lesson. I go back to what Sullivan
and McIntosh think about lectures when they said that they are appropriate
when “presenting new information before using other media or activities.”
Finally, the students will conduct two experiments. These experiments are
planned in order to provide a hands-on experience to the students. According
to David L. Haury and Peter Rillero (1994) students who participate in hands-on
activities “remember material better, feel a sense of accomplishment when the
task is complete, and {can} transfer that experience easier to other learning
situations.” I need these students to remember this material so I want to do
activities that will make a lasting impression.
8. Technological Content Knowledge (TCK)
i. I am using a PowerPoint presentation to introduce the Law of Conservation of
Energy and energy conversions to them. I have found throughout teaching that
some concepts are hard to picture in your head and comprehend just by taking
notes. The PowerPoint I am using has multiple images used as examples and
graphics. Steven Kaminski says that with PowerPoint presentations “…students
make connections between parts and whole, between cause and effect,
between problem and solution, and between principle and practice.” He also
says to “use PowerPoint primarily for conveying a simple generally informative
message for a large group of people.” I agree with this statement because I can
ensure each student is seeing the same thing and able to write down what they
need. This way, students do not have to imagine a concept without a concrete
image in their brain. In addition, I will be able to refer back to examples they see
in the PowerPoint when they have questions. Finally, I am having the students
compile their own data from the experiments because it strengthens their
science process skills. They will be expected to input their data into charts using
Microsoft Excel and analyze it from there. Data analysis is one of the more
difficult steps of the scientific process for my students and they need to see it
set out in front of them. According to Excel in the Classroom, “Excel reduces the
difficulty of plotting data and allows students a means for interpreting data.”
9. Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK)
i. From past experience with this topic I know that a straightforward lecture does
not deliver the material in a meaningful way. Students often struggle with
thinking about the loss of heat through energy conversions, and cannot picture
the course of a roller coaster. Using technology, like PowerPoint presentations,
to give them visuals helps alleviate the imaging deficit the students have at the
beginning of the lesson. According to the Inspiration Software website
(http://www.inspiration.com/Parents/Visual-Thinking-and-Learning#visuallearning-techniques) “visual learning is a proven method in which ideas,
concepts, data, and other information are associated with images and
represented graphically.” While a visual learning tool like Inspiration and
InspireData would be useful to help my students concept map this idea and
record their data, it is not available on our school computers. Finally, I want the
students to have more experience with organizing data and representing it in an
observer friendly form. Microsoft Excel will provide an excellent tool for the
job, and allow the students to gain experience with the program. Used as a tool
in the classroom Microsoft Excel allows “students [to] see how different types of
graphs and charts can be used to represent the series of data,” according to the
website Teach-nology.com.
10. Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK)
i. Working through a Madeline Hunter lesson plan allows me to teach a new
concept and formatively assess throughout the process to adjust my teaching
when necessary. The students will be able to demonstrate their prior
knowledge in order to help me understand where to begin teaching. I will be
able catch their attention via a video of a roller coaster and get them thinking
about energy. The following lectures and presentations are meant to build
upon their excitement and give them visual cues to rely upon. The hands-on
experiments will help reinforce the concepts being taught, and retain more
information. Agreeing with this opinion is Kelvin Otis who states, “Students who
practice what they’re learning in a hands-on environment can often retain three
and a half times as much as opposed to just sitting in a lecture room listening
intently.” Next, students are being held responsible for their learning because
they are expected to gather their data and organize it into a chart. This method
allows the students to think about their experiment results and form
conclusions about the data. Students can use Microsoft Excel to represent their
data and give them visuals to think about. In the end, this allows students to
“look past crunching numbers and really start to interpret data”
(http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/excel/). Students are working in
cooperative groups to support each other in the technological and content
aspects. Where one student may be more advanced technologically the other
might be stronger content wise, and they can promote learning in each other. I
have chosen these methods because I know that this topic can prove to be
confusing and hard to conceptualize when learning it and I believe technology
can assist my lesson in a positive manner.
Works Cited
1. "Excel In the Classroom." Worksheets, Lesson Plans, Teacher Resources, and Rubrics from TeAchnology.com. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. <http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/excel/>.
2. Haury, David. L. & Rillero, Peter. “Perspectives of Hands-On Science Teaching.” North Central
Regional Educational Laboratory. 1994. NCREL. 16 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/science/eric/eric-toc.htm>
3. "How Concept Maps, Webs, Idea Maps and Plots Help Students in the Classroom |
Inspiration.com." Inspiration Software, Inc. - The Leader in Visual Thinking and Learning |
Inspiration.com. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. http://www.inspiration.com/Parents/Visual-Thinking-andLearning.
4. Kaminski, Steven H. "PowerPoint Presentations: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly."
SHKaminski.com. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.
<http://www.shkaminski.com/Classes/Handouts/powerpoint.htm#How well does it work>.
5. McKinney, Natalie. "Madelyn Hunter Lesson Cycle." Natalie's Website for Educators. Web. 22
Feb. 2011. <http://nataliemckinney.com/index.html>.
6. Otis, Kelvin. "Top 5 - Benefits of a Hands-On Learning Environment." Everest Latest News and
Events. 06 Jan. 2010. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. <http://news.everest.edu/post/2010/01/top-5benefits-of-a-hands-on-learning-environment>.
7. Sullivan, Richard L., and Noel McIntosh. Delivering Effective Lectures. JHPIEGO Corporation,
1996. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.