Kellyn McNamara

ELED 3221 - 002

Date Taught: 3/14/2018
Indirect Instruction Lesson Plan

Refraction of Light
_____________________________________________________________________________

Central Focus/Big Idea​: There are seven forms of energy.

Subject of this lesson​: The interaction of light energy with objects.

Grade Level​: 4th

NC Essential Standard(s)​: 4.P.3.2 - Recognize that light travels in a straight line until it strikes
an object or travels from one medium to another, and that light can be reflected, refracted, and
absorbed.

21​st​ Century Skills:​ (1) Think Creatively - I chose Think Creatively as one of the 21st Century
Skills of my lesson because students will be asked to generate their own examples of light
interacting with objects as a part of the assessment. These responses may be used in future
lessons, allowing students to observe or experiment to create their response.

(2) Make Judgments and Decisions - I chose Make Judgments and Decisions as one of the 21st
Century Skills of my lesson because students will be asked to determine which demonstration
exhibits refraction of light.

(3) Reason Effectively - I chose Reason Effectively as one of the 21st century skills of my lesson
because, after determining which demonstration exhibits refraction of light.

Academic Language Demand:

Analyze Argue Categorize Compare/contrast Describe Explain

Interpret Predict Question Retell Summarize

I chose “analyze” as the language demand of the lesson because for the assessment students will
be asked to observe demonstrations of light interacting with objects and determine whether each
demonstration exhibits absorption, reflection, or refraction of light.

● Scientific Vocabulary: energy, light, reflection, refraction, absorption

Instructional Objective​: Students will observe refraction of light by conducting an experiment.

Students will record their observations on a provided worksheet, on which they will also address
what they learned over the course of the lesson, questions that remain, and make connections to
scientific concepts or principles.

Students will be expected to earn at least 7/10 points on the ​attached rubric​.
Prior Knowledge​ (student): The teacher has already addressed that there are 7 forms of energy,
light being one of the seven, and delivered instruction on magnets and electric currents. In
second grade, students were introduced to sunlight as a form of energy.​ (2.E.1.1 -​ Summarize
how energy from the sun serves as a source of light that warms the land, air and water.)

Content Knowledge​ (teacher):

Energy Simply, energy is the ability to do work. There are chemical and
physical forces at work in the world around us that give that ability to
work to other things; for example, electricity is a form of energy that
gives computers, televisions, and cell phones the ability to work!
There are seven forms of energy - thermal, or heat, energy; mechanical,
or motion, energy; nuclear energy; electrical energy, or electricity;
sound energy; and radiant energy, or light.

Sources: ​https://www.eia.gov/KIDS/energy.cfm?page=about_home-basics

https://www.proprofs.com/games/puzzle/sliding/resize_image.php?image=https://www.propro
fs.com/api/ckeditor_images/emergy.gif&new_width=565&new_height=350

Light Reflection “What is it about objects that let us see them? Why do we see the road,
or a pen, or a best friend? If an object does not emit its own light
(which accounts for most objects in the world), it must reflect light in
order to be seen. The walls in the room that you are in do not emit their
own light; they reflect the light from the ceiling "lights" overhead.
Polished metal surfaces reflect light much like the silver layer on the
back side of glass mirrors. A beam of light incident on the metal
surface is reflected.”
 Source: ​https://www.optics4kids.org/what-is-optics/reflection/the-reflection-of-light

Light Refraction “Refraction is the bending of light (it also happens with sound, water
and other waves) as it passes from one transparent substance into
another. This bending by refraction makes it possible for us to have
lenses, magnifying glasses, prisms and rainbows. Even our eyes depend
upon this bending of light. Without refraction, we wouldn’t be able to
focus light onto our retina.”

Source: ​https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/49-refraction-of-light

Light Absorption “Absorption of light takes place when matter captures electromagnetic
radiation, converting the energy of photons to internal energy. Energy
is transferred from the radiation to the absorbing species.”

Source: ​https://www.chemicool.com/definition/absorption_of_light.html

Accommodations for special needs​: If there are multilingual students in the class, translations
of the terms and their definitions may be provided; translation technology may also be made
available. If there are students with ADD/ADHD, teacher and/or co-teacher will be present to
monitor experiment and ensure student engagement. If there are students with ASD (Autism
Spectrum Disorders), photographic or virtual simulations of the experiments or similar
experiments may be made available to prevent sensory over-stimulation. If there are students
with visual or other health concerns that may be adversely affected by the use of light in the
demonstrations, the classroom light may be left on to prevent any unforeseen or uncontrolled
flashing of the flashlight during the demonstration.

Materials and Technology requirements​: copy of ​experiment/KLEWS worksheet​ for each

student (35); unsharpened pencil for each table (10); clear plastic cup for each table (10); water
bottle for each table (10); sharpened pencil for each student (35); clear plastic cup for teacher;
water bottle for teacher; unsharpened pencil for teacher; flare pen for teacher (for doc-cam); one
bag of gummy bears for teacher demo; cell phone flashlight or small flashlight for teacher demo;
water bottle for teacher demo; mirror for teacher demo

Total Estimated Time​: 45 minutes

Source of lesson:
https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/van_troll_lesson02_activity1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DThUKDM_Wtk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQDRNb-E-cY​ (and personal experience, and Dr. Binns!)

Safety considerations:​ Students will use unsharpened pencils for their experiment with water
and pencils; students will not handle mirrors or flashlights; a co-teacher may help with the
water/pencil experiment; other safety or health concerns addressed above, in accommodations.
 Content and Strategies (Procedure)

Engage​:​ Begin the lesson with a pre-assessment survey - ​students will answer the following
questions on a KLEWS Handout: “What are the seven forms of energy? ​(This question should be
review for students, since they have already been introduced to the seven forms of energy.) ​What
do you know about light energy? Reflection? Refraction? Absorption?” Students should write
their answer to the first question in the provided space, and generate their answer to the second
question in the “K” (Know) column of their ​KLEWS Chart​.

What is KLEWS?​ - a take on the traditional KWL chart designed for science instruction,
KLEWS prompts students to identify what they knew (K) before the lesson/experience, what they
learned (L) during the lesson or experience, what evidence (E) from the lesson or experience
supports what they learned, what they still want to know or wonder (W) about the content, and
what scientific principles (S) were addressed in the lesson. More information is available at:
KLEWS to Explanation-Building in Science

Turn-and-Talk​ - Now, have students put down their pencils, turn to their neighbor, and share
what they wrote in the “K” column of their KLEWS chart. Then, allow a few students volunteers
to share what they discussed with the whole class. Record some responses on teacher’s copy of
KLEWS worksheet​, projected on board using doc-cam.

Identify Essential Questions:​ ​Essential Questions (EQs) are questions students should be able
to answer at the conclusion of the day’s lesson. ​What is light energy? What is light reflection?
What is light refraction? What is light absorption? How does light interact with objects?

Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) Questions: ​The teacher might ask…
● What do think happens when light interacts with objects?
● How does light energy travel?
● What do you think light refraction/absorption/reflection is?

Explore: Light Refraction Experiment -

Hypothesize - ​On the provided ​experiment worksheet​, students will independently generate a
hypothesis answering the question: “What will happen when a pencil is placed in a clear glass of
water?”

HOTS Questions:​ The teacher might ask…

● Students to share their hypotheses.
● Students to justify/support their hypotheses.
● Tablemates to engage in a discussion, comparing and contrasting their unique
hypotheses.

Transition: ​Once every student at a table has generated their hypotheses, they should raise their
hands. This will signal to Miss McNamara that the table is ready for their experiment supplies.
She will bring the supplies to the table, check off each student’s hypothesis for completion, and
instruct the tables to begin the experiment.

Experiment​ - Each table will receive one clear plastic cup, one 8 ounce water bottle, and one
unsharpened pencil. One student will cautiously pour the 8 ounces of water into the clear plastic
cup. Then, one student will cautiously rest the pencil eraser side UP in the water. Once the pencil
is in the cup, it should be placed in the center of the table for the whole group to observe.

Observe​ - On their provided ​worksheet​, students should make written observations of how the
appearance of the pencil changes when it is submerged in the water. These observations should
be recorded in the E (Evidence) column of their KLEWS chart.

HOTS Questions:​ The teacher might ask…

● Students to describe what is happening.
● Students to explain why they think it is happening.
● Students to use academic language to discuss what they are observing.

Explanation​: Reconvene the class and allow student volunteers to share their observations.
Then, ask students why they think their observations occurred.What is the science behind it?
(Note: Their experiment demonstrated the refraction, or bending, of light).

● Engage: ​Ask students if they are familiar with the phrase, “an object in motion stays in
motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an
unbalanced force”. Explain that light travels in a straight line, and continues in that
straight line until it “is acted upon by an unbalanced force” - in the case of light, that
action comes in the form of interaction with an object.

● Explain: ​Then, explain that there are three different ways light can interact with objects,
and it depends on the opacity and density of the objects - reflecting off of the object,
refracting and passing through the object, and being absorbed by the object. Reflection
can be simple like light reflecting off of a mirror, but it can also work with absorption to
make us see color! When something is green, for example, that means it is going to
reflect green light and absorb red, orange, yellow, blue, and purple light! (Ask students -
if we see something as blue, what color(s) does it reflect? What color(s) does it absorb?)

● The third way light can interact with objects is by refracting. When light refracts, it
changes shape based on the density and shape of the object. Fun fact - that’s how
eyeglasses work! ​This is what was observed during the lesson with the experiment.

● Connect: ​Ask the students which of the three ways light can interact with objects was
observed during their experiment with the water and the pencil. (The answer?
Refraction). Allow a student volunteer to answer. Then, ask their classmates if they
agree. Allow another student volunteer to justify their classmate’s response.
Energy Simply, energy is the ability to do work. There are chemical and
physical forces at work in the world around us that give that ability to
work to other things; for example, electricity is a form of energy that
gives computers, televisions, and cell phones the ability to work!
There are seven forms of energy - thermal, or heat, energy; mechanical,
or motion, energy; nuclear energy; electrical energy, or electricity;
sound energy; and radiant energy, or light.

Sources: ​https://www.eia.gov/KIDS/energy.cfm?page=about_home-basics

https://www.proprofs.com/games/puzzle/sliding/resize_image.php?image=https://www.propro
fs.com/api/ckeditor_images/emergy.gif&new_width=565&new_height=350

Light Reflection “What is it about objects that let us see them? Why do we see the road,
or a pen, or a best friend? If an object does not emit its own light
(which accounts for most objects in the world), it must reflect light in
order to be seen. The walls in the room that you are in do not emit their
own light; they reflect the light from the ceiling "lights" overhead.
Polished metal surfaces reflect light much like the silver layer on the
back side of glass mirrors. A beam of light incident on the metal
surface is reflected.”

Source: ​https://www.optics4kids.org/what-is-optics/reflection/the-reflection-of-light

Light Refraction “Refraction is the bending of light (it also happens with sound, water
and other waves) as it passes from one transparent substance into
another. This bending by refraction makes it possible for us to have
lenses, magnifying glasses, prisms and rainbows. Even our eyes depend
upon this bending of light. Without refraction, we wouldn’t be able to
focus light onto our retina.”
 Source: ​https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/49-refraction-of-light

Light Absorption “Absorption of light takes place when matter captures electromagnetic
radiation, converting the energy of photons to internal energy. Energy
is transferred from the radiation to the absorbing species.”

Source: ​https://www.chemicool.com/definition/absorption_of_light.html

Elaborate​: ​KLEWS Worksheet​ - L (Learned) ​Student should summarize what happens when
you put a pencil in a glass of water, explaining that the refracting light makes it look like the
pencil is bent/broken/bigger/etc.

KLEWS Worksheet​ - W (Wondering)​ Students should be given time to formulate two

questions that still remain after their experiment and the teacher input, which they will record in
the W column of their KLEWS Worksheet.

KLEWS Worksheet​ - S (Scientific Principles)​ Students should list at least one scientific
principles/topics covered throughout the lesson, which might include energy, light energy, light
refraction, light reflection, light absorption, and light interacting with objects.

HOTS Questions:​ ​The teacher might ask…

● Students to share what they would like to learn more about.
● Students to share hypotheses answering their peers questions/curiosities.
● Students to explain why they made given connections to scientific principles.

Answer Essential Questions:​​ ​Essential Questions (EQs) are questions students should be able
to answer at the conclusion of the day’s lesson. ​
● What is light energy?
● How does light interact with objects?
● What is light reflection? What is light refraction? What is light absorption?

Evaluate: Formative - ​turn and talk discussions, Answer Essential Questions, HOTS Questions

Summative: KLEWS Worksheet - ​Students are expected to earn 6/10 points on the following
rubric:

Warm - Up: What are the 7 forms of Hypothesize: What will happen when you
energy? put the pencil in the glass filled with water?

● 2 points awarded for 6 - 7 forms of ● 1 point awarded if quality response is

energy provided.
● 1 point awarded for 3 - 5 forms of ● 0 points awarded if no response is
energy provided, or if response is
● 0 points awarded for 0 - 2 forms of inappropriate or unthoughtful (ie. the
 energy pencil will be wet).

K (What do you already know about light energy?)

● 1 point awarded if students provided quality response

● 0 points awarded if no response is provided, or if response is inappropriate or
unthoughtful (ie. it is light)

L (What was learned about light energy?) * E (Evidence/Observations) *

● 1 point awarded for thoughtful ● 2 points awarded for thorough

response.
● 0 points awarded if no response
provided, or if response is
unthoughtful (ie. it is light).
description and/or illustration
● 1 point awarded for limited
description and/or undetailed
illustration
● 0 points awarded if no response
provided

W (What do you still wonder?)

● 2 points awarded for two or more inquisitive questions

● 1 point awarded for one inquisitive question
● 0 points awarded if no questions are provided

S (Scientific principles/connections)

● 1 point awarded for responses that are related to radiant/light energy, the experiment,
or the seven forms of energy
● 0 points awarded for responses unrelated to the lesson or if no responses is provided

* Note: some students confused the L and E columns of the graphic organizer. Points should not
be deducted, just be sure to grade them appropriately.
Assessment Results of all objectives/skills​:

Restatement of Objective​ - Students will observe refraction of light by conducting an

experiment. Students will record their observations on a provided worksheet, on which they will
also address what they learned over the course of the lesson, questions that remain, and make
connections to scientific concepts or principles.

Students will be expected to earn at least 7/10 points on the ​attached rubric​.

​Per the lesson objective, 96.3% of students acheived mastery on the assessment.
Reflection on lesson​: I was very nervous about teaching this lesson. I spent a lot of time working
on a lesson plan that I didn’t end up being able to use, and had to come up with this lesson plan
the afternoon before I taught it. I was very excited about it and the standard, but I was sure there
wouldn’t be enough time to prepare! But I ended up getting the materials the morning before the
lesson, was able to set the clasroom up for the lesson while the students were at specials, and
overall I felt like it went really well!

It was not the class I usually get to spend time with, it was not actually a class I have ever spent
time with so that was nervewracking. Of course there is going to be a different experience with
students that I’ve gotten to know in a classroom I am familiar with. With each phase of the
lesson, I circulated the classroom at least twice, interacting with each table at least once, to check
in and see how they were moving through that phase of the lesson. The first phase of the
experience was hypothesis; students were to develop hypotheses predicting what they thought
would happen when they put the pencil in the water. Circulating the classroom, I was able to get
to know the students some and allowed the students to share their thoughts with me! It was very
interesting to hear what they thought would happen; some students said nothing would happen,
and that was fair! It’s entirely possible that nothing would be observed.

After passing out the supplies, I quickly learned that there were a few too many dominant
personalities working together in the table groups so I started delegating work much more
explicitly moving forward. As explicitly as “I’m going to ask you to pour the water into the cup,
I’m going to ask you to put the pencil in the cup, and I’m going to ask you to take the cup to the
bathroom to empty it when we are done!”. It became a scripted routine as I passed out the
materials! Once they got through setting up the experiment, they worked very reservedly and
cooperatively as a group to develop their observations.

As they worked, I made my way around the classroom again asking students what they observed.
I noticed students should have more direct instruction in making observations; many of the
students were trying to draw conclusions explaining what they were observing rather than just
recording their observations. To try and redirect their thought processes, I told them they could
also illustrate what they were observing rather than just formulating written observations. Others
made observations that were unexpected - one table observed that the pencil seemed to absorb
the water making it heavier, and even compared it to other pencils at the table! I took some time
with them, encouraging them to put their chins on their desks and tell me what it looked like, and
they finally picked up on the refraction.
Before moving onto the next phase of the lesson, once I knew all students had completed their
observations, I asked the assigned students to take their cups to the restroom and put the cups and
water bottles in the recycle bin. Then, I had students share their observations. That offered me
the segue I needed to begin the next segment of the lesson (explain). I feel very confident in my
ownership of the teaching space during this lesson; I made great use of the floor, addressing all
of the students and using gestures to compliment what I was describing (such as pressing my fist
against my outstretched palm to illustrate light continuing in a straight line until it interacts with
an object); my obseving CE praised me for my “student talk” and for making the scientific
language and concepts comprehensible for the students. I deviated from my plan a bit, asking
students whether they knew what refraction of light was, and actually got a spot on definition
from a student which was exactly what I was hoping for! I was able to share the student’s
thoughts with his peers, and was confident that the way he described it would make a stronger
connection with the other students.

I think one of the most exciting parts of the lesson for me and the observing CE was a segment I
built into the end of the lesson, when I allowed students to share questions they had about light
that they recorded on their KLEWS worksheets. Some of the questions I was able to answer, and
the observing CE actually recorded some others to address in future lessons! She made a note of
her appreciation of that phase of the lesson on my feedback form, as well. It was very inspiring
as an educator to see the curiosity inspired by a lesson I taught.

It was a very hands on experience, so there was no technology use. I did use the doc cam briefly
during planned exit ticket demonstrations, but that segment of the lesson was cut short and I had
to eliminate it from the plan. I regret that I didn’t have time to finish that part of the lesson,
because the students were very engaged and excited to view the observations after generating
their questions and “wonderings”.

While I don’t consider this my strongest lesson because of the time conflict and unfamiliarity
with the students, it was so much better than I could have expected. I actually have a lot of pride
in the way it worked out, what I gained from the experience, and was very comfortable in the
classroom and with the students by the end of the lesson.