Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Jordan Nelson
Grade Level:
Fourth/Fifth Grade
Standard:
Next Generation Science Standards
NGSS (Core Ideas) 4-PS3-4: Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts
energy from one form to another.
NGSS (Practices) Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions:
Use evidence (e.g., measurement, observations, patterns) to construct an explanation. (4-PS3-1)
Apply scientific ideas to solve design problems. (4-PS3-4)
NGSS (Practices) Planning and Carrying out Investigations:
Make observations to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence for an explanation of a
phenomenon or test a design solution. (4-PS3-2)
(Summative)
o Students, in their groups, will present their findings and outcomes to the
class.
o Students will submit their final solar cell project with a short paragraph
summary about their research and experiment.
o Students will submit an anonymous evaluation of the project for the
teacher to review.
o The teacher will take part in a self-evaluation based on the final results of
the inquiry project.
Lesson Summary:
During this inquiry lesson, students will be placed into groups of three or four students
and conduct research, plan an experiment, and execute that experiment. The students
will be able to use both print and web based resources to find research they will be
able to use in answer the inquiry question, and then application of this research into
the project. The final project will involve students being able to create a solar cell that
is capable of transfer energy to provide power to something (lightbulb, small electric
motor, etc.). During the lesson students will first need to conduct research and take
detailed notes about what is a solar cell and how they could construct one using basic
materials. Once they have conducted research and proposed a prediction to the
inquiry, they would gather resources to construct and test their prediction. After
constructing a testable solar cell, the students will document their findings. Next they
will take turns as groups presenting their findings and justifications for the class.
Finally, the lesson will end with full class discussion on findings and new ideas. The
class will write a short summary of the lesson and fill out an evaluation of what they
learned.
Justification:
The lesson is being taught to allow students to discover how to harness energy from a
solar source. It will illustrate information about how these types of clean energy
sources can be produced and have real application. Through the students research
they will find different types of information on the benefits of solar energy that will be
applicable knowledge for future discovery about solar and other clean energy sources.
The under riding theme will be for students to self-discover the usefulness of clean
energy sources, and how we as a planet can use these types of energy to live in a
better world.
Background Knowledge: (What do students need to know to complete this lesson)
How to work together with group members to solve a question.
How to create a testable experiment, with support and guidance.
How to align their experiment with their predictions.
How to adapt to changing scenarios or obtaining new information that requires
changes to occur.
How the Suns energy travels to Earth.
How to perform an experiment based on their own research findings.
Misconception: (what possible misleading thoughts might students have?)
Creating a solar cell will require expensive materials that I am not capable of
obtaining in the classroom.
The students experiments will not work if the sun is not out, therefore solar
energy is not effective unless the sun is out all day.
Fossil fuels are required to produce the materials needed to create solar cell and
panels.
Producing solar energy materials produces toxic hazards to the environment.
Solar energy is unreliable and needs to have a reliable fossil fuel backup source.
Process Skills: (what skills are you introducing or reinforcing: ex: observation
reinforcing; prediction - introducing.)
Research
o Students will take part in active research techniques as a group using both
print and web based resources to help them discover how they can
construct a solar cell capable of harnessing the suns energy.
Note taking
o Students will need to take detailed notes throughout the project to ensure
they are following a concrete thought process, and do not become
distracted or create unsupported predictions.
Prediction
o After researching the groups will collaboratively come up with a prediction
to answer the inquiry question, and set them up to begin constructing and
experimenting.
Experimenting
o Students will use what provided materials they need to construct and then
perform experiments with a solar cell.
Presentation
needed.
Explore - In this section students should take the lead and actively use materials
to discover information that will help them answer the question posed in
Engage. Teachers may choose to give steps to follow, especially for younger students,
but the goal is for students to discover some or all of the sub-objectives of the lesson.
Teacher Will: (pose IQ #1)
Students Will: (list all steps)
The teacher will put students into groups Students will begin by conducting
of 3-4.
research on their Chromebook using
the provided websites on their
Then pose the question again, Is it
Google Classroom.
possible to construct a solar cell capable
o Using these web resources,
of producing electricity?
they will take detailed notes
Inform the students to first conduct
when they find information that
research and then build their
could help them answer the
experiments.
inquiry question.
The teacher will have all of the available
Students will then begin to make
materials for their construction on a
predictions based on the proposed
table, and students must ask before they
model they have come up with as a
use or take any of these supplies.
group.
Ensure students are always using safety
supplies when constructing their project. Once a prediction and model have
been agreed upon it must receive
Scaffold students with prompting
approval from the teacher.
questions throughout to ensure they are
o The teacher may ask students
staying on task, and are able to arrive at
to reevaluate or further
answering our big question. (example:
investigate an idea or process
Why does that work?, What do you think
before continuing
this means toward energy as a system?,
Once the students have teacher
Etc.)
approval they can select the
Observe the progress of students and
necessary supplies from the supply
intervene when necessary to encourage
desk to conduct their experiment.
students to stay on pace with the
o The teacher will help students
coursework.
use any dangerous materials
Students must wear safety
equipment at all times
Students will construct their models
following what they have outlined in
their science notebooks.
Once constructed students will use
the windowsill (or other access to
direct sunlight) to see if their solar
cell is able to conduct electricity.
With guidance and support from the
teacher, students can test to see if
they are able to illuminate a light
bulb, and test to see if some work
over others.
Students will write down their
and how they would be able to power all of those things renewably by using resources
such as solar power.
SOA Make suggested edits to build a better lesson.
Evidence that feedback was used to edit and improve the lesson.
Best Practices List the Best Teaching Practices you will use. List the
section, how the practices will be used and the purpose.
Best Practices Listed along with section (engage, explore etc.)
How the practice will be used and the purpose of.