Context:

This artifact was created during the Fall semester of 2007 under the advisement of Mr. Jeff Goodman.  It was created in "Science and Science Teaching in the Elementary School".  The lesson was made for a sixth grade class at Blue Ridge Elementary School and was created to teach about heat energy, particularly heat transfer through convection and conduction.

Impact:

This lesson helps students meet the following NCSCOS science standards:

6.01 Determine how convection and radiation transfer energy-  Students will be looking at the convection currents in hot water, how they move, and why they move.

6.02 Analyze heat flow through materials or across space from warm objects to cooler objects until both objects are at equilibrium.- Students will be completing a hands on experiment that shows objects reaching equilibrium.  They will then discuss what happened and why.

Additionally, students will be gaining experience in hands-on science experiments and centers.  They will be using everyday objects to complete their science experiments which will allow all students equal access and familiarity to the science materials.

Alignment

This artifact allows me to meet the following NCDPI standards:

Standard 3, Indicator 2:  This lesson teaches students the basics of thermal energy transfer.  This helps me to show my knowledge of the processes of conduction, convection, and equilibrium.  I will be giving a lecture, designing hands-on experiments, and modeling thermal energy to show my knowledge and have students fully learn the concepts.

Standard 7, Indicator 3: While designing this lesson, I was careful to use real world examples of each type of heat transfer. Students would easily understand how heat comes from a stove and conducts to the pan. I was also careful to do the experiments with materials which were familiar to the students. In doing so, I ensured that many of the students would be comfortable with the experiment and would see that science is a part of everyday life, not just science class.

Standard 7, Indicator 5:  Through this lesson I am using multiple learning strategies to help the students comprehension of the lesson.  I am using guiding questions, hands-on representations, demonstrations, and modeling to help students comprehension.

Standard 7, Indicator 7: By having students complete the student data sheet and write the explanatory paragraph, I have formally assessed students. I have informally assessed students throughout the lesson by asking questions to gauge understanding. I have also informally assessed students by observing their participation and willingness to discuss the topic in the class.

Standard 10:  This lesson provides students an opportunity to practice observation, predicting, inferring, measuring, and analyzing in order to understand heat transfer.  This lesson provides active inquiry by guiding student thinking through a data sheet.  Through the lesson students will be filling in data, predicting, and explaining, what they are seeing and doing.

Standard 15, Indicator 1:  This lesson helps me to encourage under represented groups in the science lesson because I am using everyday materials for each experiment.  Students will be familiar with the objects and examples and will therefore equal opportunity for understanding the material.