Name: Katie Henkel

Inquiry Based Science Lesson Topic: light energy and color

Presentation Week: 11
Grade Level: 3rd

Reflection: Inquiry Based Science Lesson

Recording
After viewing the recording of your Inquiry Based science lesson presentation, evaluate your performance in the following sections.
Write a brief narrative in each of the comment boxes and then submit.
Category

Description

Developmentally
appropriate

-Does your Inquiry

Based Science Lesson
content align with the
CCSS for the
appropriate grade level?
-Is your Inquiry Based
Science lesson content
and experiment
developmentally
appropriate for grade
level stated?

Criteria

-Does your Inquiry

Based Science Lesson
fully demonstrate
connection to topic
taught?

Narrative (e.g. areas of strength, areas needing improvement, etc.)

Yes, my inquiry based science lesson content did align with the common core state standards. I
presented a 3rd grade lesson about light energy and color. The standards for 3rd grade for this
topic were that they recognize light travels in straight lines which they were able to do after
watching the pbs learning video about flashlight tag and to describe matter in terms of its
observable properties which the students were able to do after mixing the paint and shaving
cream.
I do believe that my inquiry based science lesson content was developmentally appropriate since
it aligned with the standards. The experiments that I chose were appropriate for 3rd grade as well.
Everyone (including people our age) enjoys playing with shaving cream and paint and creating
the flip charts was also appropriate. The worksheet that I chose to use about transparent,
translucent and opaque may have been a little tricky for 3rd graders and in order to improve it I
could have added pictures of each item. It may have been a little bit too much information for
the short amount of time allotted.
I do believe that my experiments fully demonstrated connection to the topics taught. The
worksheet gave the students an opportunity to make a prediction on which kind of object
(translucent, transparent, opaque) it was and then were able to prove it as a whole class. The
shaving cream color mixing experiment showed students exactly what happens when we mix 2
primary colors together. The students were able to use their sense of touch in order to see how
we use the science of mixing in everyday life. The last activity of making a flip book was a little

Name: Katie Henkel

Inquiry Based Science Lesson Topic: light energy and color

Presentation Week: 11
Grade Level: 3rd

bit off the topic of the eye but it still showed an example of how the eyes and brain work
together.

Delivery

Do you deliver the

lesson clearly, at a good
rate, volume and speed?

For my lesson I should have slowed down but when I get nervous I tend to talk quickly.
I definitely heard myself continually saying uhm and so and I need to work on that for
public speaking in the future. I am able to control not saying like but I need to work on saying
uhm instead of just taking a breath in between thoughts.

I think that a little more research could have been done on the topics of mirrors, reflections and
the eye. I became very knowledgeable on the topic of translucent, transparent and opaque
objects and what happens when you mix colors. I could have also went into greater detail about
certain topics to help students understand but for time purposes I only covered the broad
information.

Do you hear yourself

continually saying:
Um? Like? Gonna?
etc

Content

Experiment

-Do you show a deep

understanding and
working knowledge of
the presentation topic or
is more
reading/research needed
on your part?

Does your experiment

Name: Katie Henkel

Inquiry Based Science Lesson Topic: light energy and color
completely follow the
6E Model by allowing
students to Engage,
Explore, Explain,
Elaborate, and Evaluate
throughout the hands
on activity?

Engagement

Self/Peer Review

-Does your Inquiry

Based Science Lesson
engage all types of
learners (i.e.
kinesthetic, auditory,
and visual learners?)
-Do your classmates
appear interested and
motivated in your
Inquiry Based Science
Lesson and its
materials?
Were your classmates
peer review
submissions similar to
how well you believed
you did when
presenting your Inquiry
based lesson and
experiment?
Was there something
that your classmates
pointed out, that you

Presentation Week: 11
Grade Level: 3rd

My experiments did completely follow the 6E model. I had 3 different activities and I made sure
that at least one of the components was part of the procedure if not all 6. With the transparency
worksheet where the students had to predict if the object was transparent, translucent or opaque
there was exploration, elaboration and evaluation involved. With the activity with the shaving
cream and mixing colors there was exploration and when the students created their own flip
charts there was exploration and evaluation. Throughout my whole lesson I made sure to include
all 6 components of the 6E model.

My inquiry based science lesson definitely engaged the kinesthetic learners of the class with the
shaving cream mixing colors activity. For the visual learners I had the PowerPoints up on the
board the whole time and for transparent, translucent and opaque objects I created the camera
visuals for students to be able to clearly see the differences. For auditory learners I could have
done a bit more but I read each main point of the PowerPoint out loud.
My classmates were very interested and motivated in my lesson. They were very intrigued when
I began to take out the objects for the transparency worksheet and especially when the shaving
cream and paint was brought out. They were very engaged in each of the 3 activities and even
got a little carried away with the shaving cream activity.

Yes most of my classmates peer-review submissions were similar to how I believed that I did. I
knew that they would enjoy all of the experiments and activities and they all gave me nothing
but good reviews on those areas. I knew that I went a little fast and could have used a little bit
more rehearsal but overall I believe that I did well and knew the content.
There was one person that gave me a 2 in the engagement section because they believe that I had
too much lecture for 3rd grade. I do not believe that I had too much lecture I thought that I had an
appropriate amount of lecture and activities for 3rd graders to be able to engage in. The rest of
my classmates gave me 4s in this section and said my engagement was very appropriate.
If I delivered the lesson again I would have practiced a little more. I also would have switched

Name: Katie Henkel

Inquiry Based Science Lesson Topic: light energy and color
did not know you were
doing, throughout the
lesson?
If delivering the lesson
again, what would you
do differently?
How will you grow
from this experiment?

Presentation Week: 11
Grade Level: 3rd

the order of topics in my lesson so that the messy shaving cream experiment would have been
last. I also would make sure that I have all of the materials I need beforehand. I forgot to get
paper towels before the shaving experiment and because of this the students got off task.
The one main thing that I really learned from doing this lesson is that it is very important to
make sure to have all materials and clean up/safety materials before the lesson even begins.
When I did not have the paper towels to clean up the shaving cream it took away from the focus
of the lesson and was very hard for the students to get back to learning.