SLED TEACHER REFLECTION HUB SUBMISSION
There are three parts to this reflection submission. The first part requires a brief description of
your instructional activities over the course of a SLED design task. The second part includes
your reflection on a student (or team of students) who performed well and your reflection on a
student (or team of students) who performed unsatisfactorily. The last section includes your
response to a series of questions.
Save your file as: Reflection_YourName_YourSchool_YourGrade_Date
Example:
Reflection_Capobianco_Purdue_Grade4_11-15-2015
When uploading to the hub, use the title: Teacher Reflection: Your Name, Activity, Term
Example:
Teacher Reflection: Capobianco, Save the Wolf, Fall 2014
Teacher Name: Abigail McClure
School: Burnett Creek Elementary
Grade: 4th
Design Task: Door Alarm
Date: 12/11/15
PART I:
Day
Overview of your SLED lesson(s):
Brief description of lesson activities you enacted each day
over the course of the SLED design task
1
 On line Science Fusion Lesson 1
o Teacher access, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Play
Digital
 Create an atom model in science notebook
o Large cardboard circle with candy
nucleus. String glued in between nucleus
and outer edge.
o Make a key and label: protons, neutrons,
and electrons
 Homework: Electric Charge Vocab
o Protons, neutrons, electrons, atoms,
positive, negative, neutral, static
electricity, static discharge, repel, attract
What do you think
your students
learned each day
Students were
introduced to the
unit and learned
about what a
nucleus, proton,
neutron, and
electron is.
 Notecards: word on front, definition
on back
Store in an envelope in science notebook
2
Students watched
the science
 Show Bill Nye Static Electricity You Tube Video
o www.youtube.com/watch?v=_glooy3t8gu behind
magnetism and
 Demonstrate positive and negative charges
then saw a real
attracting/repelling with 2 balloons.
example
o Salt/pepper
applicable to
o Confetti
them.
 Draw examples of attract and repel in science
notebooks. Give the electricity, lesson 1 vocab
sheet as homework.
3
 Give the Electric Charges quiz.
 Introduce “Lightning Strikes” through the
Powerpoint.
 Assign the Lightning Safety Packet.
4
 “’Current’ Events” Powerpoint
 Add “electric current” to the science notebook.
5
 Introduce Electric Circuits with “A Path to
Follow” Powerpoint.
 Add vocabulary (circuit, closed circuit, open
circuit, series circuit, parallel circuit) as a
foldable to the science notebook.
6
We talked about
electric charges in
terms of storms
and lightening.
Students learned
what an electric
current is.
Students were
introduced to
different types of
circuits.
Demonstrate as a
class using balls
 Demonstrate how electrical current/electron
movement occurs through an act-out!
how an electric
current is closed
and open. Great
Show the 6-minute Bill Nye video that details how light visual example.
bulbs work.
7
 Inquiry Lesson – Work in groups to build
different circuits using “Snap Circuit” kits.
 Given batteries, bulbs, wires, switches, and
battery holders students will create a series
circuit and a parallel circuit
o Activity Card 4
8
 Introduce and add to envelope in science journal Introduction and
vocabulary (insulators, conductors) and use
Conductors/Insulators PowerPoint.
 Inquiry Lesson – given materials – create an
open circuit, test each item and record whether
the light bulb lights up, which demonstrates a
conductor. If it does not light up, then the
material is an insulator.
 Complete the lab sheet as you test each item.
 Assign Lesson 2 Quiz.
9
Hands-on
experience with
materials, testing
different circuits
and
understanding
how they work.
reading over
conductors and
insulators; great
discussion about
household items
and things we see
every day that are
conductors or
insulators.
 Present the problem of designing a door alarm to TEAMWORK,
the students – have them fill in the design
challenge/problem, the client, criteria, and
constraint in their notebooks.
 Review with students open and closed circuits –
show them a musical card, however, to explain
how when the card is open – it really closes the
circuit to allow for the music to play.
 Show the students the materials available to
create the door alarm.
problem solving,
redesign
procedure 
 Have individuals draw and label their designs in
their notebooks.
 Work in groups to combine and decide on a
team design.
1011
 Gather their materials and begin constructing
12
 Present their prototypes to the rest of the class
their prototype.
I think they
learned how
many different
ways you can
complete the task
and appreciated
the creativity
among their
classmates.
PART II:
Reflection#1 on student performance:
Include an image of work from one student (or one team of students) who you thought
performed well on the task. Insert the image here within the Word document. This image may
be a copy of the student’s notebook entry(s) or an image of the team’s artifact or an actual
picture of the student at work.
In the space below describe what the image(s) is about and why you would explain or
characterize the student’s performance as mastery or excellent.
This is a group who first worked on putting the circuit together and then implemented it in their
door alarm. The students did a good job of showing their knowledge of open and closed circuits,
as well as parallel circuits. This is also a good example because the string that is outside the box
is used to slide across the foil. They used several materials and did a nice job making them work
nicely together. These students did a nice job of including everything IN the door alarm project
as well as working as a team. This group all had a similar idea in the first place, and they wanted
to use the foil as a conductor. The design is simple but effective. It worked every time and
followed all the design task constraints!
Reflection#2 on student performance:
Include an image of work from one student (or one team of students) who you thought did not
perform as well (unsatisfactory) on the task. Insert the image here within the Word document.
This image may be a copy of the student’s notebook entry(s) or an image of the team’s artifact or
an actual picture of the student at work.
In the space below describe what the image is about and why you would explain or
characterize the student’s performance as unsatisfactory.
This is an example of a closed circuit. There is no movement of electrons. The students included
no power source. This group also struggled with team work and agreeing on a design. Once they
had shown me their idea, they tried changing it several times, which led to disagreements.
Essentially, if they had added the battery and used foil, their design most likely would have
worked. They also struggled to explain their design to the class and argued about why it did not
work.
PART III: Reflection Questions: Please answer each of the questions below.
1. Based on your students’ presentation of their work, what features made a good design?
A good design had the motto “less is more” in our class. Some students covered
their entire box with foil, but it was not very purposeful. Two groups (one is in
the picture above) used only a small amount of foil and those two groups were
most successful. Another group cut holes and had their battery hanging from the
“ceiling” of the classroom and disguised it as a “light bulb.” These students were
truly applying and thinking about the design in real life!
2. What features made a poor design?
A poor design had only closed circuits and did not use all the materials.
3. Which phases of the engineering design process do you feel most comfortable and confident in
teaching?
I feel confident in helping the students understand the problem, criteria, etc. as
well as helping when they actually begin designing their prototype, helping them
work as a team, and stay on track.
4. Which phases of the engineering design process do you feel least comfortable and confident in
teaching?
I don’t feel as confident on how to guide a student when their design does not
work. For example, I had two groups that did opposite of what the task was—
when the door closed, the light went on! I told them they need to think about
what they did and try to reverse it, but they seemed more confused and became
frustrated. I did not want to do it for them, but this was challenging to try and
help them without giving too much information!
5. What is one area in your implementation of the design tasks you want to improve upon in your
next implementation?
I want to improve the redesign process and the amount of time actually given for
them to design it. I think I was too quick when the students did their resdesign
because I was worried about them having enough time to complete it. But then,
some groups finished quickly and others needed even more time to compete the
design. I think some groups overthought their designs and there should be about
two days where they have to complete it.
6. Do you feel you teach science differently now than you did years ago? If so, how are you
teaching science differently? What do you think caused you to change your practice? If not, why
do you think you have not changed?
Yes! I focus much more on letting the students lead the discussion. When they
ask a question, we think about what we have learned and what we know and try
to apply it to answer the question. My change in practice was going to the week
PD session at Purdue. The hands-on examples helped me experience the project
as a student, and I talked about that with the kids! I talked about my fear of being
a bad drawer and my worry that my design wouldn’t work and my team would
think I didn’t know anything. That was powerful for the students to know I did
the SAME task and went through the same thoughts, emotions, and experiences
they did. It put us all on an even playing field and I think my students trusted me
more after that.
7. Is there anything that causes you concern, that you are afraid of when you think about
changing your science teaching and implementing SLED design tasks? Are there things that keep
you from changing your teaching?
I’m always worried when I can’t answer a question a student has. Sometimes,
their simple questions have complicated answers that I even need help with. We
have a science “Wonder Wall” that we add our thoughts and questions to and
spend the beginning of science picking one and researching it together. Once
again, it helps the students see we are always learning, even as we get older!