EDUC 6470 Experimental Instructional Plans

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.

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

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.