Summerbridge Hong Kong 2019 Lesson Plan Template

Teacher: Course: Date:

Alice Chen Introduction to 23 June 2019
Psychology
Aim/Objective: Students will be able to . . .
Manipulate the different variables in a scientific research study to change what the
experiment is testing for.
Key Vocabulary:
Independent variable, dependent variable
Materials Needed and Physical Classroom Prep:
Masking tape
4-5 measuring tapes
11 pieces of A5 paper
11 pieces of A4 paper
11 pieces of A3 paper
Procedure: Time:
Do Now/Hook: 10 mins
 I will begin class by explaining that today they will learn three new
words and essential components to science experiments:
independent, dependent and controlled variables
 As a class, we will go outside and use masking tape to draw where
I will throw paper airplanes. I will then fly three paper airplanes of
different sizes (A5, A4, A3) and different structures (all folded
differently), and I ask the students to measure which one flew the
furthest with the measuring tapes
 I will then say, “Because paper airplane ___ flew the furthest, all
paper airplanes made with A_ size paper will fly the most. Is this
statement correct? Why or why not?” I will explain to them that in
this experiment, making sure that all three airplanes were folded in
the same way in order to make sure that the experiment was fair. I
will explain that today we will be doing this experiment as a class
 I’ll pass out A5, A4 and A3 sizes of white paper to every student in
the class and explain that today we will be doing a science
experiment to figure out how the size of the paper affects how far a
paper plane can fly
 I will ask them to work in small groups to write out a hypothesis
(vocabulary from last lesson) for how size affects how far the paper
plane can fly, and how they plan on testing this hypothesis 5 mins

Direct Instruction/Modeling: (I will draw out a mind map on the white

board for the students)
 I will first introduce the word “variable” as “vary-able=things that
change in an experiment”
 Through their answers to how they want to test the hypothesis, I
will explain that the size of the paper is called the independent
variable
o Way to remember it= the independent begins with “I”
because I can decide what it is
o The independent variable is something that you change and
control
 Summerbridge Hong Kong 2019 Lesson Plan Template

o Independent means that it does not rely on another thing to

happen (example: changing things like the type of paper
airplanes can change how far the plane can fly. An airplane
made out of metal will probably not fly as far as one made
from paper)
o I will ask them to think of more possible independent
variables with the airplanes (e.g. type of folding, color of
paper, type of material used to make the airplane etc.)
 I will also explain that the distance that the airplane flies is called
the dependent variable
o Way to remember it= the dependent variable does not begin
with “I,” therefore I have no control over it
o The dependent variable is something that you cannot
change or control
o The dependent variable relies on what the main changed
variable is
o I will ask them what other dependent variables we could
measure (e.g. time that the plane is in the air, height of the
airplane if thrown upwards etc.)
 I will lastly explain that all the other things that we kept the same
throughout the three planes are called controlled variables
o Controlled variables are things that we do not change in the
experiment
o Controlled means that it is kept the same
o Examples of controlled variables in this experiment include: 20 mins
 Temperature of room
 Type of paper used
 Method of folding the paper airplane
 Color of the paper
Student Practice/Application:
 I will show them a YouTube tutorial on how to fold a paper
airplane, and allow all of them to fold their own paper airplanes
 Then, the class will pair up to help each other measure how far
their airplanes flew. They will be paired off by rock paper scissors.
 After everyone has recorded their data, we will go back into the
classroom and compile our data to rank which paper size is best for
paper airplanes 7 mins

Wrap up/Closure:
 Independent variable= the one thing that I, the experiment, chooses
to change 3 mins
 The dependent variable= the results/data collected from the
experiment
 The control variables= the things that the experiment controls and
keeps the same throughout

Clean Up

Homework:
N/A
 Summerbridge Hong Kong 2019 Lesson Plan Template

Relevance to SB Goals:
_X__ English Language Development:
_X__ Love of Learning:
__X_ Building Confidence:

Plan for Upcoming Days:

We will move onto learning about the different types of studies that psychologists use
such as naturalistic observation, controlled experiments, longitudinal studies etc. (I
will not use these names and I will give them simpler terms) Afterward, we will move
onto learning more about the nature vs. nurture debate.