Science Activities

Projects and Curriculum Ideas in STEM Classrooms

ISSN: 0036-8121 (Print) 1940-1302 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vsca20

A hands-on classroom activity to teach science

concepts for students with visual impairment

Aydın Kızılaslan, S. Levent Zorluoglu & Mustafa Sözbilir

To cite this article: Aydın Kızılaslan, S. Levent Zorluoglu & Mustafa Sözbilir (2020): A hands-on
classroom activity to teach science concepts for students with visual impairment, Science Activities

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/00368121.2020.1724860

Published online: 12 Feb 2020.

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SCIENCE ACTIVITIES
https://doi.org/10.1080/00368121.2020.1724860

A hands-on classroom activity to teach science concepts for students

with visual impairment
Aydın Kızılaslana , S. Levent Zorluoglub €zbilirc
, and Mustafa So
a
Department of Special Education, Agri _Ibrahim Cecen University, Agri, Turkey; bDepartment of Mathematics & Science Education,
SDU University, Isparta, Turkey; cDepartment of Mathematics & Science Education, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey

ABSTRACT KEYWORDS
Students with visual impairments have the same span of cognitive abilities as their peers, but Students with visual
science instruction typically relies very heavily on vision. The preponderance of visually oriented impairment; science; activity
and visually complex science concepts poses significant challenges to learning among students material; thermal insulation
with visual impairment. This study is engaging, hands-on ideas that can be done to teach
thermal insulation concept for students with visual impairment in the classroom. 8 students
including 2 blind students participated in the study.

Introduction Like many students with disability, students

Science education is essential for increasing our
science literacy and cultivating the next gener-
ation of scientifically literate individuals. To
ensure that students have the knowledge and
skills necessary to promote scientific develop-
ment, and to give the students an understanding
of scientific and technological approaches and
evidences are defined as two major goals of the
science education (Croxford 2002). However, sci-
ence education should balance requirements of
breadth and depth of knowledge about science to
ensure learners are both motivated to learn and
equipped to fully engage in scientific discussions
and decisions and to facilitate further and deeper
study (European Commission 2015).
All young people should be prepared to think
deeply and to think well so that they have the
chance to become the innovators and researchers
who can fundamentally important understand
scientific and technological issues increasingly
dominate the national discourse (Kim, Sinatra,
and Seyranian 2018; Robnett 2012). We therefore
need to link science to technology, engineering,
and math at all levels of education subjects col-
lectively (European Commission 2015; Stout
et al. 2011).
with visual impairment have fewer opportunities
to access a quality education that takes place in a
truly core science curriculum (Stokes, Turnbull,
and Wyn 2013). They typically need some
accommodations based solely on the potential to
enhance student performance in order to access
the science curriculum (Dickerson, Smith, and
Moore 1997). Generally, accommodations are the
same for classroom environment, assessment, and
instruction (Jahnukainen 2011; McKenzie and
Lewis 2008). Although accommodations for
instruction and assessments are integrally inter-
twined it is critical to note that instruction
should typically rely on textbooks and other
printed materials for instruction and assessment
(Candela 2019; Wild and Trundle 2010). Clearly,
students with visual impairment have special
instructional needs to access academic subjects,
including a wide variety of accommodations that
can be used in a regular classroom (American
Foundation for the Blind 2005).
Although definition of the vision impairment
varies from country to country, individuals with
visual impairment (VI) are commonly defined in
two different ways: legal and educational. After
all corrective adjustments, people with visual acu-
ity of 20/200 or less than this, in other words

CONTACT Aydın Kızılaslan ydnkizilaslan@gmail.com Department of Special Education, Agri _Ibrahim Cecen University, Agri, Turkey
ß 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
2 A. KIZILASLAN ET AL.
those cannot see more than 20 degree of visual
field are defined as legally blind. Besides that,
after all corrective adjustment, those have visual
acuity between 20/70 and 20/200 are defined as
individuals with low vision. An educational defin-
ition proposes that those need the braille-tactile
alphabet (Braille Alphabet), or use of auditory
materials are referred as educationally blind
(Kizilaslan 2019).
It is stated that students with visual impair-
ment may not have a lower cognitive ability than
their sighted peers and (Kumar, Ramassamy, and
Stefanich 2001; Rosenblum, Ristvey, and Hospital
2019). An impairment that is even with correc-
tion, adversely affects educational performance.
Visual impairment has a more significant impact
on development and learning (Dimigen et al.
2001; Strickling 2010). The notion of limitations
and restrictions on the learning experiences of
the blind has a tremendous impact on the inter-
action of the blind child to the external environ-
ment. Since the cognitive behavior is shaped by
the limitations of visual input (Chidindi 2010;
McLaughlin and Kamei-Hannan 2018). This
alters their perceptions of the environment, their
own understandings of cause and effect and the
relationships between people and/or objects (Dick
and Kubiak 1997). Students may also need guided
exploration and explanations of what they are
interacting with (Giesen, Cavenaugh, and
McDonnall 2012). Explanations provide the
student with vocabulary associated with the
experience, help the student make sense of what
they are feeling and make connections to previ-
ous experiences (Jones et al. 2006; Strickling
2010). These experiences will help develop the
students understanding of new concepts, develop
their language, and motivate them to explore
their environment which will subsequently lead
to motor development (Penrod, Haley, and
Matheson 2005).
It is important to provide concrete and unifying
experiences as well as to encourage the student to
be a part of the action by “doing” (Willings 2017).
Most of the science concepts in students can be
developed by the active participation of students
in classroom activities (Gabbert 2012).
The following strategies are suggested to mod-
ify instructional practices and to meet the needs
of a student with visual impairment (Grabe 2007;
Willings 2017):
Concreteness: Interaction with a model are not
the same as a real object. Opportunities should
be provided to students with visual impairment
to observe their environment through tactile
means. If possible it is important to provide
interaction with actual objects first and then
determine if the student can transfer that under-
standing to a model or a raised-line drawing dis-
cussing abstract concepts in your classroom.
Unifying experiences: Teaching in thematic
units can help a student distinguish the part from
the whole and make connections among the topics
of instruction that are discussed. Therefore, most
concepts must be directly taught and a synthesis
and context for those concepts must be provided
to explain the interconnectedness among topics.
Consideration of the following strategies was
used improve the science achievement of students
with visual impairment: (Abruscato 1996; Kizilaslan
and S€ozbilir 2019; Ricker and Rodgers 1981).
1. Simplify diagrams to focus on the core concept
and where appropriate delete unnecessary content.
2. Describe and tactually familiarize the class-
room, laboratory, equipment, supplies, materi-
als, etc. to the student
3. Keep in mind whether a model reflects the tex-
ture of the actual object and descriptions of the
model understandable.
4. Warn the students about the harmful equip-
ment and materials.
5. Give the student a clear verbal explanation by a
lab partner or by the teacher.
6. Use tactile equipment such as rulers and meas-
uring tape, and talking timers, thermometers,
balances and calculators.
7. Allow student to use a tape recorder for record-
ing classroom presentations or the text.
The purpose of the activity is to teach thermal
insulation concept to students with visual impair-
ment. Students will engage in an exploration the
insulation properties of the single and double-
pane and measure the temperature change of hot
water by performing experiment. Students will
able to learn about the role that thermal insula-
tion materials can play in reducing heat transfer,
 SCIENCE ACTIVITIES 3

Table 1. Application of education standards.

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS 2013) K-12
MS. Structure and Properties of Matter
MS-PS3-3
Science and Engineering Practices
Apply Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes
or maximizes thermal energy transfer.
Developing and Using Models
Modeling in 6–8 builds on K–5 and progresses to developing, using and revising models
to describe, test, and predict more abstract phenomena and design systems.
 Develop a model to describe unobservable mechanisms. (MS-PS3-2)

Table 2. Demographic of student in the sample. thermal insulation concept and needs related
Students Gender Age Visual acuity Use reading aids teaching strategies and learning. Students’ views
S1 Female 14 Low vision Yes on science lessons are as follows:
S2 Female 15 Low vision Yes
S3 Female 13 Blind No S1: … subjects are very visual based and I do not
S4 Male 14 Low vision No
S5 Male 15 Blind No think I will be successful because I cannot understand
S6 Male 12 Low vision No them. No activity, no fun, no excitement …
S7 Male 13 Blind No
S8 Male 13 Low vision No S2: … science lessons are a bit difficult and abstract
subjects are always bored … exams texts are meaningless
and difficult to understand.
as well as the design and implementation of insu-
lating materials in construction and engineering. S3: … I think materials and activities for science
Tactile materials allow the students with visual lessons need to be prepared. Instruction is adapted to
include more oral information. Lessons are boring.
impairment to perceive two-dimensional imagery,
which is an essential part of learning science. S4: … we need to have materials adapted to our
Studies have shown that tactile materials (repre- needs. Items may need to be Brilled or made tactual.
sentations of the images in a form that makes the The basic principles we follow when develop-
content accessible by touch) have great value for ing materials in line with the needs of the stu-
students with visual impairment; and that tactile dents are as follows:
perception is the best modality for comprehen-
sion of graphical images by blind readers (Mulloy 1. Color contrast should be considered in the stu-
et al. 2014; Rahman et al. 2010). The activity is dent handouts.
meeting the teaching standard requirement for 2. Materials should be directed at acquiring cognitive
K-12 science education (Table 1). content as well as affective and psychomotor skills.
3. Designed materials should be prepared in a sim-
Activity development process ple manner for a certain skill. It must be taken
into attention that it is not to be so complex as
The observed classrooms included eight students to carry more than one skill and many features.
with a visual impairment at 6th grade (Table 2). 4. Materials should be more appealing to mul-
Among the students, some had low vision and tiple senses.
some were blind. One of the blind students was 5. Visual perception of students with low vision
congenitally blind while the other was adventi- should be considered in the design of materials.
tiously blind. The age range of the sample group Simplicity should always be prioritized.
is between 12 and 15 years. 6. If possible; the presentation of the materials to
The study was carried out in two stages. The students should be in accordance with the fol-
first stage was the analysis phase, student’s unique lowing order:
needs related to the conceptual understanding of 7. Two dimensional paper plane (drawing)
the ‘thermal insulation’ were defined to determine 8. Three-dimensional model
how to make science accessible to them. Students’ 9. Real object
learning needs were analyzed through in-class
observations and semi-structured interviews to In second stage, activity materials, and Student
determine students’ learning difficulties related Handout (Appendix A) and Predict-Observe-Explain
4 A. KIZILASLAN ET AL.
worksheet (Appendix B) are designed and devel-
oped. The instructors’ and students’ roles are
explained in an instructor guide. Handouts basic-
ally include the directives on activity process.
The activity
Lesson
 Intended grade level: 6
 Lesson time: Two 45-min periods recommended
Purpose
 Students will be able to describe the purpose of
insulation materials as they relate to heat transfer.
 Students will be able to explain the effect of
double-pane in a house.
 Students will be able to make a prediction, col-
lect and analyze the results.
Safety
Place the hot water in a location where a student
cannot pull it off the worktop or trip over the
power cord and warn students about the possible
damages of hot water. It would be more appro-
priate for the teacher to fill the hot water into
the jars.
Procedure
The 5E constructivist learning cycle model were
used to plan the research lesson. The teacher was
a facilitator, guiding the student through ques-
tions, investigations, experiences, and research.
5E instruction model is developed originally for
the Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is
an approach to teaching aimed at meeting the
needs of every student in a classroom that helps
give all students an equal opportunity to succeed.
At its core, UDL means that a teacher designs
learning experiences to remove any barriers to
learning and give all students equal opportunities
to succeed. UDL suggests giving students more
than one way to interact with the activity mater-
ial and to understand why they should learn
what they’re learning (Morin 2014).
5E model lesson plan prepared in this study is
detailed below. In addition, instructional tips are
also provided to improve students’ abilities to pro-
mote critical thinking about the subject matter.
Engage
To activate the students’ prior knowledge of heat
and temperature and to engage students in crit-
ical thinking about how heat transfer take place
following questions were asked:
 Why does a cup of hot tea cools after a while?
 How do thick clothes that we wear in winter
keep our body temperature?
After these questions about daily life, the stu-
dents were told that they will find the answer of
these questions at the end of the lesson.
Instructional tips:
 To promote students’ awareness and interest,
before engaging questions you can start the les-
son with an activity that allows the students to
touch an iron spoon that you will place into the
hot water in a plastic cup.
Explore
As shown in Figure 1, the activity material consists
of a large jar and a glass bottle attached to a wooden
floor. A glass bottle was placed inside the large jar.
The bottom of the glass bottle inside the large jar is
covered with 2 inch (4.50 cm) of test insulating
material (i.e., styrofoam pieces). The activity materi-
als were distributed and each student was given
5 minutes to explore properties of the activity mate-
rials through their sense of touch (Figure 2). Then
extra time was given to the blind student to handle
and examine activity materials by touching.
The class was divided into heterogeneous
groups (blind student-low vision student). A
copy of the thermal insulation worksheet
(Appendix A) was distributed to each student.
After the activity materials were distributed to
each group, following question was asked to the
students, and then they started to test the insula-
tion properties of the double-pane and single-
pane materials by using hot water.
 Does the temperature of the water in a single-
pane jar decrease more or the temperature of
the water in a double-pane jar?

Figure 1. Designed activity material.
Figure 2. Students read activity handout before the activity.
Figure 3. Jars are filled with hot water.
After giving the worksheet (Braille and large
font size) to each students, the boiled water was
filled into the jars with the help of the teacher
(Figures 3 and 4). Then students measured initial
temperature of water by using the talking therm-
ometer and they closed the lid of the jars and stor-
age containers and waited for 15 minutes. Students
were asked to predict what will happen to the tem-
perature in the two beakers during 15 minutes. For
this purpose, they were encouraged to write their
SCIENCE ACTIVITIES 5
Figure 4. The students are observing the temperature
by touching.
Figure 5. The Blind student is measuring the temperature of
the water.
Figure 6. The student with low vision is measuring the tem-
perature of water.
predictions on the Predict-Observe-Explain (POE)
worksheet. The blind students use braille slate and
stylus to write their answers to POE worksheet.
After 15 minutes, jars were opened and the final
temperature of the water was measured with a
talking thermometer (Figures 5 and 6).
Instructional tips:
 Before opening the jars, each group were asked
to write their estimates of the change in water
temperature in the jars after 15 minutes. Then
6 A. KIZILASLAN ET AL.

students were asked to write the reason why this

temperature drop is different from each other.
After students were questioned about the esti-
mated difference between initial and final tem-
perature of water in jars.
 The Predict-Observe-Explain (POE) worksheet was
used to specify students’ ideas clearly within a 15-
minute waiting period. The students with low
vision in heterogeneous groups were encouraged
to share their experience with their blind peers.
 Blind students were asked and encouraged to fill
in the POE form using an embosser tablet.

Explain
They were asked to inquire the possible reason of
the difference between the initial and the final tem-
perature of the water in jars. Students were asked to
share their predictions and observations in the POE
with the whole class. With the structured-inquiry
method, the students were encouraged to write the
answer of the following question on the Explain
part of the POE (Predict-Observe and Explain)
worksheet (Figures 7 and 8). It was aimed that stu-
dents were able to think, analyze and explain why
the temperature of the water in the single-pane jar
changed more than the water in the double-
Figure 7. POE worksheet-1.
pane jar.
insulation materials developed to prevent heat
 What happened to the water temperature in the
transfer basically depends a basic principle that
single-pane jar compared with double-pane jar?
heat moves from a high temperature object to a
 Why does the water in the double-pane jar stay
lower temperature object and insulation material
warmer compared with single-pane jar?
slows this process.
Instructional tips:
Elaborate
 The presence of air between jar and container could Students were asked how they can reduce heat
skew the results because air has insulating proper- loss in winter in their houses. Students were
ties. This creates nearly twice as much insulation as asked focus on heat escaping through windows
single pane units. The teacher should explain that by understanding of the concept of double-pane.
double-pane windows consist of two layers of glass The teacher was asked to following questions for
with a layer of dry air between them. this concept acquisition
 The trapped air reduces heat loss through the
window by conduction and convection. It keeps  How can we keep the room warm for longer to
rooms at a warmer temperature for longer reduce heating costs?
reducing by heating costs. The goal of thermal
insulation is to maintain a constant temperature The teacher led a brainstorming with students
in a system by preventing heat transfer between about heat transfer and thermal insulation to
inside and outside of the system. Consequently, help students better understand how and why
the heat transfer continues until the two objects heat transfer occurs, and double-pane window
have reached thermal equilibrium. Thermal should be used in the room.

Figure 8. POE worksheet-2.
Instructional tips:
When outdoor weather is cold, thermal insula-
tion material prevent the indoor heat to escape
outdoor. It is the same at opposite directions well.
When outside weather is hot, thermal insulation
material slow down the entrance of outside heat
to the house. Insulation materials such as rigid
phenolic, rigid urethane and extruded polystyrene
generally have tiny pockets of trapped gas so that
they trap still air in small pockets within the
material. Air is a poor conductor of heat and the
pockets are so small that the air cannot move;
which means resistance of the transfer of heat.
Evaluate
Both the effectiveness of the activity and the
learning of the students were evaluated by inter-
view questions. Questions were asked related to
heat, the importance of using double-pane win-
dows. Following questions were asked end of the
activity to assess students’ understanding:
SCIENCE ACTIVITIES 7
 Can you define heat?
 What does thermal insulation mean?
 Why the water in the double-pane jar stayed
warmer compare with to single-pane jar?
 How does the double-pane jar allow less heat to
escape in buildings?
Conclusion
The science education is essential to personal
development of students when viewed from the
perspective of developing their tactual explor-
ation, fine motor skills include the use of fingers
to grasp and manipulate (Adolph et al. 1997).
Students with visual impairment require instruc-
tional presentations that enable them to acquire,
comprehend, recall, and apply science content
and related processes. Cooperative learning strat-
egies improve the achievement of students and
build self-esteem by giving them a sense of con-
nection and accomplishment. It also allows stu-
dents to work in groups to solve a problem. This
cooperative learning activity provides students
with an opportunity to learn science concepts
through hands-on learning experiences.
Reflection and implications for teaching
and learning
This research paper attempts an implication for
science and engineering teaching and learning to
support the learning goals of the Next
Generation Science Standards by following ways:
1. Providing equitable learning opportunities to stu-
dents from diverse backgrounds encourage them to
engage in scientific practices and construct meaning
in both science classrooms and informal settings.
2. Encouraging students’ use of tactile observation and
physical models to convey thinking, record materi-
als, use science vocabulary, and record engineering
designs in science notebooks. Tactile observation
and physical models help students to become famil-
iar with scientific knowledge and understanding.
3. Effective use of active learning approaches during
instruction. Students sustained their discourse in
collaborative problem-solving, demonstrating
their affective engagement to lead to new curios-
ity, and give rise to novel research questions for
8 A. KIZILASLAN ET AL.
expanded future scientific enquiry. Student collab-
oration provided peer support throughout the les-
son in affective domains such as knowledgeable,
strategic, self-determined, and empathetic.
ORCID
Aydın Kızılaslan https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3033-9358
S. Levent Zorluoglu https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8958-0579
Mustafa S€ozbilir https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6334-9080
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Appendix A. Student handout

Activity: Why do we use double-pane windows in our home?
Materials list for each pair of students:
1 storage containers
2 jars
1 digital talking thermometer
1 Boiler