1. Introduction 1 LIGHT AND SCIENTIFIC METHOD 6 th Grade Mini-Unit Adams City M.S. Damien Kunda

2. Measurement of Effect2 Students at Work ( even the 7 th grade Science Teacher)

3. Introduction3 TYPE OF INNOVATION Using new techniques of teaching light to reinforce scientific method SCHOOL AND DISTRICT INFO Adams 14- Adams City Middle School 6 th Grade science curriculum

4. Introduction4 STUDENT GROUP PROFILE ELL: 1monolingual/12 ELL program SPED: 8: 5 male, 3 female GENDER 96 total: 40 male/56 female ETHNIC DIVERSITY (this statistic is for all of 6 th grade, the first three stats are for my cluster): 5 American Indian, 3 Black, 158 Hispanic, 34 White, non-hispanic

5. Need5 Pre-test Data Pre-assessing show a need for both knowledge of behavior of light and understanding of the scientific method CSAP Need Statement 30% of scoring on CSAP is Standard 1: Scientific Method Through our research of CSAP released items, the need for Std 1 is necessary

6. Methodology and Procedures6 Proposition/Hypothesis I believe that engaging the students with light/lasers will lead to better understanding of the scientific method Content Standards Std 1.c: Asking questions and stating hypotheses that lead to different scientific investigations.

7. Measurement of Effect7 Relevance to Light and Color Diffraction of light by using lasers and by using the “spear the fish” apparatus, will cause students to be more engaged in a lesson objective for the scientific method

8. Methodology and Procedures8 PLAN (3-4 day unit) OBJECTIVES 1. Students will be able to (swbat) use the scientific method to reform a hypothesis and test it. 2. SWBAT show an understanding that light refracts through different mediums. Both in words and a drawing.

9. Methodology and Procedures9 PLAN Materials Needed 1. Laser pointers 2. Fish tank apparatus to launch a ‘spear’ at a submerged target (get picture!!!) 3. Different mediums to show refraction of light (gelatin, glass, water…)

10. Methodology and Procedures10 PLAN DAY ONE (Engage) 1. Pre-Test 2. While students take pre-test, groups will be called to the back of the room to blind test the ‘spear the duck’ apparatus using only prior-knowledge

11. Methodology and Procedures11 PLAN DAY TWO (Engage/Explore) 1. Discussion of group ‘spear the duck’ results (no explanation given) 2. Student explore with lasers and different mediums (hopefully students will see the diffraction of the beam on there own)

12. Methodology and Procedures12 PLAN (continued) 3. Teacher demo to reinforce diffraction of light through different mediums (I showed them specifically with glasses of salt water in a row with a laser going through all four and how it diffracts) 4. Discussion: real life diffraction incidences. People in a pool, mirage on a road, Dad through heat of the BBQ.

13. Measurement of Effect13 STUDENT SAMPLE ANALYSIS Test is out of 16 total points

14. Measurement of Effect14 GAIN MAX/MIN RANGE

15. Measurement of Effect15 Detailed Sample Analysis Major finding: A majority of students had verbally showed an understanding that light refracts as it goes between different mediums. But as they were asked to draw the path of light or retry the experiment they seemed not to apply that knowledge

16. Measurement of Effect16 DATA SUMMARY Overall, there was improvement in all classes Range of pre/post differences is very widespread Class 3 and 4 were taught after lesson analysis and seemed to help a little with scores.

17. Reflections17 REFLECTIONS WHAT I LEARNED 1. More time and research needs to be done by the students 2. I learned that students have a wide view of what light is. (comparing the Sun to a laser was very new to them 3. Students need more background knowledge about light

18. Reflections18 REFLECTIONS WHAT I WOULD CHANGE: 1. Lasers for every group to enhance the exploration stage 2. More visuals 3. More durable mediums for students to explore with 4. More focus on scientific method 5. More student EXPLORATION