Building Science Knowledge as a Class Community

Recently I taught a science lesson on the standard below"

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Discuss that people use electricity or other forms of energy to cook their food, cool or warm their homes, and power their cars.

I used the backward design process while planning this lesson. According to Assessment is Essential this is planning when you start with what you want your students to do or know the end of the lesson. I wanted my students to understand that energy exist in more than one form and has the ability to do work or cause a change. Knowing what I wanted my students to do at the end was helpful in planning the lesson.

I started off the lesson with a whole group discussion on what we have been learning in science. Before jumping into a new subject, I review with my students what we have been doing. This reminds the class of the content, while having them get ready for new learning. Instead of me doing the talking, I let the students do the talking- as I believe learning can be more meaningful when it comes from their peers, as stated in Managing Diverse Classrooms. If I notice any misconceptions, I address them whole group.

In this lesson I had the students sit on the carpet in a circle. I transitioned them from them their tables to the circle, and reviewed the expectations ( quietly come to the carpet for science, sitting with hands still, and waiting patiently for science to start). The First Six Weeks of School stresses how things like transitions and expectations can impacted the overall lesson. Students need to know the procedures and expectations to be successful.

I reviewed the procedures and expectations in the circle, so students were aware. If students did not follow, I gave them a verbal reminder or a non verbal reminder- this usually addresses the concern and then lets the lesson keep going liked stated in Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom. I sat in the middle of the circle, where I could see all students and control the classroom. After the review of what we have been learning, I read the new objective and EQ.

Next I pulled out a light bulb, wires, and battery to introduce what electricity is. I passed around the working light bulb, which hooked my students in this lesson. I then had them think of something else in their lives that was powered by electricity . We then shared different things around the circle. Next, I reviewed solar energy with the students and reminded them about our learning about solar panels. I asked the students to review what the sun can power like homes, cars, and ovens and how the sun does it. The students listened to their peers. I asked the students to think about how the types of energy are the same and different. I gave wait time and then had students talk with a peer. We came together whole group to share our thinking with the class.

After the circle time discussion, I had the students show their learning in their science notebook. They had to compare and contrast the energy types. I reviewed a Venn diagram and how to use it and then released the students to their seats to show their learning. With my lesson and what the students engaged in, it is evident that there were able to understand that energy exist in more than one form and has the ability to cause a change. This was as a ongoing assessment for me to see if students need more time with this content or are ready to move on. ​

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