NAME: GREG WINIEWICZ

NEVADA STATE COLLEGE

TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM
LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Lesson Topic: Lightning
Lesson Rationale: This is a 1 day lesson introducing students to lightning.
Desciption o! Classoo": This is a 4
th
grade classroom of 30 students. 17 boys and
13 girls.
St#$ent %ac&'o#n$: Students should already know what lightning is and what it
looks like first hand. They should also know that it usually forms during storms.
Ne(a$a Stan$a$s:
P..!.". Students know electric currents can #roduce magnetic forces and
magnets can cause electric currents. $%S
&..'.3. Students know how to draw conclusions from scientific e(idence. $%S
&.).'.*. Students know models are tools for learning about the things they are
meant to resemble. +%S
Lan'#a'e O)*ecti(e+s,:
Students will create their very own electric discharges to represent lightning
Students will write and illustrate what they learned in their science notebooks
Content O)*ecti(e+s,:
Students will understand how lightning is formed by creating their (ery own
electronic discharge without the use of any ty#e of #ower source.
-e. Voca)#la.:
Lightning, Thunder, -onductor, Positi(e charge, &egati(e charge
%est Pactices: (put an X next to those that you address in your lesson)
Pepaation Sca!!ol$in' Go#pin' Options
. 'da#tation of content . /odeling . 0hole -lass
. Links to background . 1uided #ractice . Small grou#s
Links to #ast learning . +nde#endent #ractice Partners
. Strategies incor#orated . 2erbal scaffolds . +nde#endent
. Procedural scaffolds
Inte'ation o! Pocess Application Assess"ent
. Listening . 3ands4on . +ndi(idual
. S#eaking . 'uthentic 5/eaningful6 . 1rou#
7eading . Linked to ob8ecti(es 0ritten
. 0riting . Promotes engagement 9ral
Teac/in' State'ies:
G#i$e$ $isco(e.0 "o$elin'0 coopeati(e leanin'
Lesson Se1#ence:
State'. 2+pesente$ in class,
1. +ntroduce students through lightning by watching the kid friendly :ouTube (ideo (ia the
following link;
htt#;%%www.youtube.com%watch<(=usy9syo42a:
5This (ideo will introduce students to the #ositi(e and negati(e charges that form between a
cloud and conductors on the earth surface resulting in lightning6
". Students will be grou#ed 5344 students #er grou#6 and be gi(en a balloon and a light bulb.
3. 's a grou# students will fill out the #redict #art of the >3ow does lightning occur worksheet?
answers the following @uestions. >0hat is going to ha##en when the balloon comes in contact
with the light bulb<? >0hy do you think this is going to ha##en<? >0hy do you think the
balloon has to be charged for this to occur<?
4. $ach grou# will then blow their balloons u# and take the balloon and the light bulb into a dark
room.
). $ach member of the grou# will take turns charging the balloon by either rubbing it on their hair
or clothing 5make sure a lot of charge is built u# in this #rocess6.
*. $ach member will take a turn trying to get the light bulb to make s#arks and flashes of light by
mo(ing the charged balloon around the light bulb. 5make sure students try different strategies of
running the balloon #ast the bulb for best results6.
7. Small grou#s of students will then fill out the rest of the work sheet >3ow does lightning occur?
and answer the following @uestions >0hat ha##ened when the charged balloon came into
contact with the light bulb< 0here your #redictions correct< $A#lain.? >3ow is this eA#eriment
related to how lightning form<?
. 's a class we will discuss the results aloud for further clarification.
Strategy 2
Students will be shown how to #redict how far away lightning is striking as #art of this lesson. Students
will be told to calculate how far a strike is away the first ste# is to watch the sky for lightning. 9nce
they see it they should begin counting 1 one thousand " one thousand and so on until they hear the
sound of thunder. Let students know that each fi(e seconds counted is e@ui(alent to the lightning being
1 mile away. So if they count u# to 1) seconds the lightening is a##roA. 3 miles away.
+n class we will create fake lightning by flickering the classroom light and then make a rumble sound to
simulate thunder. Students will be asked to record how far away the simulated lightning is.
Strategy 3
1rou#s will ha(e to write #redictions based on #rior knowledge. Students must also write results to the
balloon and light bulb eA#eriment in their science notebooks and do a ticket out the door.
Acco""o$ations:
Students will receive scaffolding from instructor if they seem to need a little extra help.
Instructor will use questioning while groups are in their discussions to guide them in the right
direction.
Mateials an$ Reso#ces:
3Ene'. Sa(in' Fl#oescent Li'/t %#l)s
3%alloons
Re(ie45Assess"ent:
Students will receive informal assessment by assessing participation and students will be
assessed by the lightning worksheets they turn in.
Re!lection:
T/is lesson 4o&e$ (e. 4ell0 an$ 4as (e. en'a'in' !o all st#$ents6 7
t/
'a$es
ae (e. e8cite$ 4/en it co"es to science as 4e onl. $o science lessons one $a. a
4ee&6 T/e (i$eo t/at I pesente$ t/e topic 4it/ /elpe$ st#$ents 'et a (is#al
#n$estan$in' !o /o4 li'/tnin' 4o&e$ an$ 4as (e. &i$ !ien$l. +so it 4asn9t too
co"plicatin',6 T/is eall. /elpe$ into$#ce t/e concept an$ 4as a 'oo$ 'ate4a.
into t/e est o! t/e lesson6 I &no4 t/is lesson 4as e!!ecti(e as st#$ents tal&e$ a)o#t
t/is acti(it. t/e est o! t/e $a. an$ 4ante$ to 'o /o"e an$ s/o4 t/ei paents t/e
lesson6 T/e. 4ee en'a'e$ t/e 4/ole ti"e an$ lo(e$ #sin' t/e "anip#lati(e !o
$isco(e.6 Man. st#$ents 4o#l$ e(en t. to $o t/ei (e. o4n e8pei"ents ).
#sin' "oe t/an one )alloon o li'/t )#l)6 I! I /a$ to $o it a'ain I "i'/t *#st 'i(e
t/e" t/e "ateials an$ not "o$el /o4 to $o it to see i! t/e. co#l$ !i'#e it o#t on
t/ei o4n6 T/e lesson also "et t/e Ne(a$a stan$a$s a)o#t electic c#ents an$
"a'netic !oces6 I 4as easil. a)le to assess t/e st#$ents ). loo&in' o(e t/e
4o&s/eet t/e st#$ents ecei(e$ an$ t/e "a*oit. o! st#$ents 4ee a)le to
s#ccess!#ll. co"plete t/is6
H! "#S $I%H&'I'% (()*+
,-redict.
/. !hat is going to happen when the charged balloon comes into contact with
the light bulb+
2. !hy do you think this is going to happen+
3. !hy do you think the balloon has to be charged for this to occur+
,*eport.
/. !hat happened when the charged balloon came into contact with the light
bulb+ !here your predictions correct+ #xplain.
2. How is this experiment related to how lightning forms+