TE 408: 3-day Lesson Planning

Part I: Information about the 3 Lessons

Topic: EM Waves
Generating Big Ideas
Step 1a. What will you be teaching?
Write two sentences, as if to a fellow teacher, about the topic you plan to teach.
We will be introducing electromagnetic waves, the ideas that waves transfer energy, absorption,
reflection, and transmittance of waves and that E.M. waves dont require a medium to travel through.
Step 1b. Expand what you know. Use reputable web sites or written resources to broaden your
understanding of the topic. Some teachers create concept maps to organize their thinking.
http://butane.chem.uiuc.edu/pshapley/GenChem2/A3/3.html (this website has a good picture of the E.M.
spectrum and gives a breif overview of how the sun lets off energy through fusion)
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/electromagnetic/ (this website has a good diagram of an E.M.
wave with both electric and magnetic fields shown)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fusion
http://www.windows2universe.org/sun/spectrum/multispectral_sun_overview.html
Step 2. Moving from topics toward big ideas. Your topic might be expressed as a thing, a process, a
concept, a theory, or a law. What makes this topic so important to study, that is, beyond knowing labels,
definitions and examples? Could this topic be taught within the context of a bigger idea? For example,
density taught within the context of buoyancy? Simple machines within the context of forces and energy?

Is the topic made up of connections among smaller explanations (evolution for example). Is there a
deeper underlying theory that encompasses this topic or explains how it works?

The idea that waves transfer energy is something students will have to draw on in many higher level
physics and or chemistry courses as it is crucial to understanding the photoelectric effect, as well as the
conservation of energy. The absorption reflection and transmittance of waves are integral to any optics
component of physics classes the students will take in the future.

Step 3. Creating the Big Idea: Coupling a rich phenomenon with its explanatory model. Using Step 2 as a
starting point, what is an observable event (for example earthquakes, die-offs of species, different kinds
of rusting) that exemplifies the big idea and that kids can come to a deep understanding of over a period
of days? What underlying events provide a why explanation for this phenomenon? Use unobservable
events, processes, and things to create a causal storyline that has no gaps.
The phenomenon we are teaching around is how the sun heats the earth.
Do NOT skip this step! Draw for yourself a full explanatory diagram (your model) that combines
representations of observable things and unobservable processes at work.
[I just included a comprehensive explanation with words as my model, let me know if youd rather have
us actually DRAW it out]
Fusion within the sun between deuterium and tritium form helium atoms and in the process convert
neutrons into energy using e=mc^2 (energy in this case is synonymous to heat). There are 3 types of heat
transfer- conduction, convection and radiation. Conduction and convection require particles to transfer
heat and since space is a vacuum, those types of heat transfer cant occur. Radiation, however, can occur
even in a vacuum. The sun lets off energy in the form of E.M. waves from all across the E.M. spectrum,
but the vast majority of it is in the visible range (which is actually why many animals have evolved to be
able to see light in that range!). The waves of light travel through space at the speed of light until they hit
the earth (about 8 minutes later) where they are either absorbed or reflected. An object absorbs all
wavelengths of light except for the color hat the object is (as it reflects that color and thus allows you to
see it). Light from the sun is absorbed by the ground, the clouds, plants, and even the atmosphere. (the
explanation of HOW things absorb the energy of light is rather complicated and involves quantum
physics). Greenhouse gases are gases that absorb infrared light that would otherwise be reflected back
into space, which means with more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the planet is absorbing more of
the suns energy than it otherwise would have, thus heating the earth.
Step 4. What does success for students look like? Kids should be able to use the Big Idea to explain new
phenomena that are different from the ones youve used in classand/or use the Big Idea to predict
what if scenarios or conduct thought experiments. What might these new phenomena or thought
experiments be?

Kids should be able to use different kinds of evidence to support or refute parts of any explanatory model.
What kinds of experiences might students draw evidence from to support their explanatory
models?

A new phenomenon we could ask students to apply their knowledge to could be asking students why it is
possible to get sunburnt even on a cold day (i.e. while skiing).

Objectives for Student Learning

Use the table below to list the Michigan Objectives (probably one or two) that apply to your lesson and a
small number of specific lesson objectives that you will be addressing during this lesson. The Michigan
Objectives should be copied from the Content Expectations and the NGSS performance expectations
should be copied directly from the NGSS document (both are available via the websites provided in the
syllabus).
Note: Each lesson objective should be an observable outcome. They are not teaching activities. They
are what you want students to be able to do that will indicate that they understand at the appropriate level.
For example, understand photosynthesis does not describe what a student with that understanding will
be able to do. Also, Conduct an experiment on plant growth under different environmental conditions is
a good learning activity, but not a good objective. It doesnt say what students will learn to do as a result
of conducting the experiments.
Michigan Objectives
1.

P4.6A Identify the different regions on the electromagnetic spectrum and compare them in terms of wavelength,
frequency, and energy.
2.

P4.9B Explain how various materials reflect, absorb, or transmit light in different ways.

NGSS Performance Expectations & Evidence Statements

1.

MS-PS4-2 Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through
various materials
2.

Specific Lesson Objectives

1.

I can interpret and use the EM spectrum

2. I can describe how the Earths surface is heated from EM radiation of the Sun.

Look at the Express Tools on the Ambitious Science Teaching Website. Walk through the steps in the
tool and complete the table below.

Planning Discourse #1 (Fill this out if applicable)

Generic Questions (You
do not add anything in this
column)

Actual Questions

What to listen for and plan to

respond to (Answer questions as a
whole)

Describe how you will introduce the phenomenon:

We will show a picture of the universe and ask the question How does the Sun heat the Earth?
Step 1. Eliciting
observations
What do you see going
on here?
What did you notice
when ___happened?
When or where does ___
occur?

What do you notice when the

sun is up?
Is the light from the sun the
only thing that heats the earth?

What if students cite relevant features

of the task?
Ask them how that feature relates to
their observation
What if students cite irrelevant ideas
or cannot understand the
representation/ problem?
Write down their ideas as lingering
questions, or press students to explain
how it relates
What if students give inferences
rather than observations?
Ask student to present evidence, or
hold the inference for later

Step 2. Eliciting
hypotheses without
explanation
What would you predict
about ___?
What has happened here?
(at level of inference)
What would happen if
___?

What would you predict about

the temperature of the Earth on
a cloudy day?
What would happen if it was
cloudy every day?
What would happen if you
stayed in the sun for too long?

What if students exhibit preconceptions?

Hold the ideas for later, or press
student for evidence
What if students cite relevant facets
of the big idea?
Mark ideas, let the student know it
would be good to include the facet in
their model.
What if students do make connections
to what theyve experienced?
Press students to think about what that
means for this phenomena

Step 3. Pressing for

explanation

Why do you think the sun is

able to heat the earth?

What if students offer explanations

congruent with scientific explanation?

 What might be going on

here that we cant see?
Why do you think this
happens this way?
(emphasize cause)
What do you think causes
____?

How can we see the sun, how

does the light travel to earth?
Do you think there is anything
other than visible light that we
get from the sun?

Have students use their own words,

mark their ideas for later.
What if students offer simplistic
cause-effect?
Press students to think deeper about
what is going on. Asking them to
include things that are so small they
might not even see them in their
explanations
What if kids offer explanations that
involve alternative conceptions?
Ask students for evidence, hold the
idea as an opposing hypothesis.

Step 4. Summarizing
What are some things we
are not sure about here?
How could we test our
hypotheses?
What kinds of
information or experiences
do we need to learn more?

What are some things that we

still need to know more about?
What kinds of experiments or
tests can we do to figure out
what we want to know?

What if students are unable to

respond to any of these questions?
Ask students to just say something
even if they think it is irrelevant.

Planning Discourse #2 (Fill this out if applicable)

Generic Questions (You
do not add anything in this
column)

Actual Questions

What to listen for and plan to

respond to (Answer questions as a
whole)

Describe how you will introduce the activity:

Day 2- We will start with the warm up question How can you see light through your window and not
your wall? Then we will explain the activity directions and have them get into groups to do the
activity.
Day 3- We will show a picture of the EM spectrum and ask students what they know about it
(specifically digging for experiences students have had with different types of waves on the spectrum
that we can draw on during a class discussion).
Step 1. Orienting students
to the concepts
What can we observe/
measure in this activity?
OR What will we be
seeing happen/measuring?

Day 2- We can measure the

temperature of the thermometer.
Day 3- We can use our life
experiences to explain the
different regions of the EM
spectrum.

Then you need to listen for, plan to

respond to:
What if students can cite relevant
features of the activity?
Note the student and call on them later
for discussion
What if students focus on extraneous

features of activity?
Press the student and remind them of
what is happening or what they are
measuring
Step 2. Back-pocket
questions: Observations
and patterns
What are you seeing
here? (or similar broad
observational question)

Day 2- Are you seeing a

difference in temperature here?
-What is the path of the light? Is
it the same or different for each
thermometer?
-Will you be hotter or colder if
you go outside on a hot summer
day wearing a white T-shirt or a
black one?
Day 3 - What are your
experiences with the EM
spectrum? (We will start by
modeling an experience with
radio waves)

What you need to listen for, plan to

respond to:
What if students can cite relevant
features of the activity?
Ask students how they can use these
observations to help explain the
phenomena
What if students are focused on
extraneous features of activity?
Ask them questions about how the
activity relates to the phenomena.
What if students mention patterns, but
do not explain the significance?
Press them to think about the practical
meanings of the patterns they notice.

Step 3. Back-pocket
questions: Connection to
the big idea
Can you explain what
you are doing or what is
happening in terms of [the
big idea]?

Day 2- What does the

temperature have to do with the
sun heating the earth.
Day 3- Can you explain how EM
waves reach us on earth. -How is
that different from mechanical
(sound) waves?
-How come you sometimes dont
get cell service in a basement?
-How is the light from the earth
similar to radiation from
microwaves?
-Why do you have to wear a lead
vest when you get X-rays done?
-What parts of the E.M.
spectrum does the earth absorb?
(we will tell them what parts the
sun emits)

What you need to listen for, plan to

respond to:
What if students hesitate or seem to
rely on vocabulary?
Have them explain in their own words
without using the vocabulary
What if students can make
connections between activity and
some aspect of big idea?
Make a note of the student and call on
them for later discussion

Step 4. Whole class

coordination of students
ideas & their questions
What did you
(addressing whole class)

Day 2- What did you find about

how light interacts with different
colors? How do you think this
relates to the sun heating the
earth?

What you need to listen for, plan to

respond to:
What if students hesitate?
What if can students describe patterns,
insights?

find in your activity [adjust

this questions to the
specifics of the activity,
seeing trends, patterns,
differences, etc.]

Day 3- How do the different

regions of the EM spectrum
affect us? How does that relate
to the phenomena?

We can draw names from a box if

students hesitate. If they describe
patterns and insights we can add them
to the summary table.

Planning Discourse #3 (Fill this out if applicable) N/A

Generic Questions (You do not add anything in this
column)

Actual Questions
and Plans

What to listen for

and plan to
respond to
(Answer questions
as a whole)

Describe how you will introduce the activity:

Step 1. Re-orienting students to the focal models and
hypotheses.
This is what our groups have been thinking about what
is it we have been trying to represent?
What is the puzzle we are trying to solve?
What are we trying to explain?

Then you need to

listen for, plan to
respond to:
What if students
can only talk about
their explanations
in terms of specific
observables and
not in terms of an
underlying model?
(see examples on
previous page).

Step 2. Coordinating a tentative explanation with

available evidence.
What do we think is causing ___?
Who would like to offer an explanation?

What you need to

listen for, plan to
respond to:
What if students
start talking about
descriptive
findings only, or
talk only about
how things are
correlated?
What if students
depend only on
vocabulary in their
explanations?

What if students
respond to an
imagined question?
What if students
skip over the chain
of events?
Step 3. Committing an explanation to paper
Now stop and write down your explanation
(groups or individually).
Followed by:
Now from the data you collected in the
____activity, or from ideas you read about in the text, you
need to come up with two pieces of evidence that supports
your explanation.

What you need to

listen for, plan to
respond to:
What if students
cannot begin to
write an
explanation, how
will you help them
begin?
What if students
cannot imagine
what a piece of
evidence might be?
How will you help
them not just state
of piece of
evidence, but
understand what
counts as
evidence?

Step 4. Talking about the strength of the data and the

reasoning

What you need to

listen for, plan to
respond to:
What will you do if
students cannot
make connections
between evidence
and explanations?
Or if they dont see
how evidence
might contradict an
explanation?

Step 5. Writing a final explanation

What you need to

listen for, plan to
respond to:
How can you help

students
understand what
might have to be
changed in their
previous model?
Step 6. Applying the new explanatory model

What you need to

listen for, plan to
respond to:
How might you
help students who
cannot understand
how to apply their
explanatory model
to another kind of
situation or
phenomenon?

Part III: Classroom Activities

This section contains your plans for the activities that you will actually do in the classroom.

Materials
List materials you will be using. Attach the files of materials that you have in electronic form.
Presentation materials (Video, Powerpoint presentations, etc):
Copied materials (Handouts, worksheets, tests, lab directions, etc.):
Reading: Book:______________________ Pages:_______
Laboratory materials: For the teacher or the class as a whole
For each laboratory station
Other materials:

Lesson 1:

Photo of the Universe

Large pieces of paper
Colored pencils/markers
Name box

Lesson 2:
Warm up question
For 6 lab stations
Lamps
2 thermometers
Black and white paper
Tape
Lab Worksheets
Large paper for summary table
Lesson 3:
Picture of EM Spectrum
Post-its for model revision
CER exit slip?

Activities

Day 1 (30 minutes)

Introduce the figure of the universe, ask the question how does the sun heat the earth?, have
students discuss with their neighbor for five minutes
Whole class discussion for five minutes, have a few groups share
Model how to make a model
Count off kids by 6
Small group models
Day 2 (55 minutes)
Warm-up, Why can you see light through the window and not the wall?, discuss for five
minutes
Class discussion for five minutes
Introduce activity, explain instructions
New groups for activity?
Do activity ( 20 minutes)
Bring back together, explain summary table
Fill out summary table (15 minutes)
Day 3 (55 minutes)
Show EM spectrum, explain we are going to use our experiences with it to fill out the summary
table.
Model using radio waves
Discuss and fill out summary table (20 minutes)
Model revision (15 minutes)
Share models or CER (20 minutes)

Part IV: Assessment of Students

Assessment Task
You will need to collect written work from your students. This can be a warm-up, an exit slip, [pictures
of] students models, . Describe the task in detail including the actual question(s) and what an ideal
response might be to the task.

Students will make small group models of the phenomena. We will ask them to include the
observable and unobservable facets of the phenomena.
The students will revise their initial models using the evidence collected in the activities. They
will either present the changes to the class or they will make a claim using evidence and
reasoning.
Students ideal response may vary depending on their initial model. They should include the
radiation from the sun travelling through space to the atmosphere. They can show how the
radiation interacts with the atmosphere and the surface of the earth using ray diagrams.