Difference between revisions of "EDUC 6470 Experimental Instructional Plans"
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;Discussion:Sadler et. al, Wikipedia's misconceptions page ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_misconceptions#Astronomy ), and many educators have cited the power per area argument for the seasons, due to the tilt of Earth in its orbit. Few discussions of the orbital causes of the seasons list length of day, and none I've seen help students see the seasons as a cumulative effect rather than an instantaneous one, thus explaining why January, when the sun is higher in the US, is usually colder than December, or early August is usually hotter than mid-June. | ;Discussion:Sadler et. al, Wikipedia's misconceptions page ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_misconceptions#Astronomy ), and many educators have cited the power per area argument for the seasons, due to the tilt of Earth in its orbit. Few discussions of the orbital causes of the seasons list length of day, and none I've seen help students see the seasons as a cumulative effect rather than an instantaneous one, thus explaining why January, when the sun is higher in the US, is usually colder than December, or early August is usually hotter than mid-June. | ||
;Activity:Let's do some group work with a numerical model to compare the power/area-effect and the length-of-day effect. We'll see that the problem isn't too simple an inquiry, since there are different ways to tease apart the two effects, none quite satisfactory to me. | ;Activity:Let's do some group work with a numerical model to compare the power/area-effect and the length-of-day effect. We'll see that the problem isn't too simple an inquiry, since there are different ways to tease apart the two effects, none quite satisfactory to me. | ||
| + | ;Features of inquiry | ||
| + | *All minimal from student, maximal from teacher, according to NRC 2000. | ||
===Understanding an LED=== | ===Understanding an LED=== | ||
| Line 17: | Line 19: | ||
;Optional concepts:Frequency, wavelength, wavelengths of various colors | ;Optional concepts:Frequency, wavelength, wavelengths of various colors | ||
;Discussion | ;Discussion | ||
| − | ;Activity | + | ;Activity:Totally student-determined, given materials. |
| + | ;Features of inquiry | ||
| + | *Learner poses a question. | ||
| + | *etc. (all maximizing learner self-direction, according to NRC 2000) | ||
===Repeating Galileo's discovery of the Medicean stars=== | ===Repeating Galileo's discovery of the Medicean stars=== | ||
| Line 24: | Line 29: | ||
;Optional concepts | ;Optional concepts | ||
;Discussion | ;Discussion | ||
| − | ;Activity | + | ;Activity: |
| + | ;Features of inquiry | ||
| + | *Learner poses question (whatever they want). | ||
| + | *Learner directed to collect certain data (distance of dots from Jupiter over time). | ||
| + | *Learner forms or is guided in formulating explanations. | ||
| + | *Learner directed toward area of sources of scientific knowledge or given possible connections. | ||
| + | *Learner provided broad guidelines to use to sharpen communication, or given steps and procedures for communication. | ||
Revision as of 13:09, 17 February 2010
Contents
Explanation
For any of these lessons, I would like to focus on the tension between free inquiry and predetermined goals, as in Furtak 2006.
Optional concepts indicate the possibile learning outcomes depending on student or teacher choice of paths during the lesson.
Possible topics for the lesson
Explaining the seasons
- Topic
- 8th-10th grade school earth science, the solar system.
- Concepts
- Orbit, cumulative change, radiation.
- Optional concepts
- Discussion
- Sadler et. al, Wikipedia's misconceptions page ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_misconceptions#Astronomy ), and many educators have cited the power per area argument for the seasons, due to the tilt of Earth in its orbit. Few discussions of the orbital causes of the seasons list length of day, and none I've seen help students see the seasons as a cumulative effect rather than an instantaneous one, thus explaining why January, when the sun is higher in the US, is usually colder than December, or early August is usually hotter than mid-June.
- Activity
- Let's do some group work with a numerical model to compare the power/area-effect and the length-of-day effect. We'll see that the problem isn't too simple an inquiry, since there are different ways to tease apart the two effects, none quite satisfactory to me.
- Features of inquiry
- All minimal from student, maximal from teacher, according to NRC 2000.
Understanding an LED
- Topic
- High school physics, solid state physics.
- Concepts
- semiconductors, band gap, energy conversions, color.
- Optional concepts
- Frequency, wavelength, wavelengths of various colors
- Discussion
- Activity
- Totally student-determined, given materials.
- Features of inquiry
- Learner poses a question.
- etc. (all maximizing learner self-direction, according to NRC 2000)
Repeating Galileo's discovery of the Medicean stars
- Topic
- High school, physics, motion.
- Concepts
- Kepler's Law (ratios of periods, diameters); planets; heliocentric system; angular separation; orbit.
- Optional concepts
- Discussion
- Activity
- Features of inquiry
- Learner poses question (whatever they want).
- Learner directed to collect certain data (distance of dots from Jupiter over time).
- Learner forms or is guided in formulating explanations.
- Learner directed toward area of sources of scientific knowledge or given possible connections.
- Learner provided broad guidelines to use to sharpen communication, or given steps and procedures for communication.
