Dana Davis

Student Teaching
Spring 2016
Statement of Standard Five Application of Content
The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage
learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic
local and global issues. (InTASC, 2011, p. 14)
Name of Artifact: Lesson Plan/Lab
Date of Artifact: Spring 2016
Course: Student Teaching EDU 465
Rationale Statement:
For Standard Five, I created a lesson plan for a lab activity based on the concept of
acceleration. I created a hands-on activity that integrated accelerations concepts, mathematical
calculations, problem solving, and engineering. Physical science units quite often present an
opportunity to integrate some type of engineering into the lesson and I believe it is important for
students to engage in the problem solving involved in engineering. Students were completely
engaged in this activity, since it involved Hot Wheels tracks, cars, and creativity. While the
students were having fun with the cars and tracks, I pointed out some key skills they were
developing as they were designing, building, calculating, and sharing, such as; problem solving,
critical thinking, and collaboration. This lesson directly relates to the Danielson Framework for
Teaching in Domain 3a: Communicating with Students, Domain 3c: Engaging Students in
Learning, and Domain 3f: Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness. I have a strong
interest in the engineering part of science instruction and therefore, I really enjoy teaching it and
seeing the students learn and enjoy something that I also enjoy. Engineering skills directly
connect to everyday life in that engineering is problem solving and students will need problem
solving skills in everything they do.
The most important thing I learned while creating and implementing this artifact is to
always leave some flexibility in the plan. While preparing a lab activity, that involves planning
through implementation, it can be challenging to gauge how much time students would need to

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complete the activity, as different students work at different rates. I made sure to allow for the
ability to add an extra day if I thought the students would need it to be successful. As it turned
out, two days was an adequate amount of time to complete the activity and for all groups to
present. Since this was the case, I also had lessons ready for continuing on to the next topic once
this lab was complete.
This was a great experience in lesson planning and time management and in the end, it
was a very engaging, successful lesson that reinforced student understanding of the concept of
acceleration. I am hopeful that I will have many opportunities to implement this, as well as other
lessons involving engineering in my future classes. In any lesson I plan, I will be sure to always
plan for the possibilities such as; the lesson going over or under the class period time.

References
InTASC, CCSSOs Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support
Consortium. (April 2011) Model Core Teaching Standards: A Resource for
State Dialogue. Retrieved from
file:///C:/Users/Dana
%20Dwo/Downloads/intasc_model_core_teaching_standards_2011.pdf

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Grade Level: 6
Subject: Science (Motion)

Topic: Acceleration
Acceleration Nation Part 1

Objective: Students will design a track that that causes a moving object to increase speed,
decrease speed, and change direction. The students will properly calculate the acceleration of a
moving object. Students will use the term acceleration properly.
NGSS:
S&E Practices
Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to produce data to serve as the
basis for evidence that can meet the goals of the investigation. (MS-PS2-5)
CCC
Cause and Effect
Cause and effect relationships may be used to predict phenomena in natural or designed systems.
(MS-PS2-3) (MS-PS2-5)
Systems and System Models
Models can be used to represent systems and their interactionssuch as inputs, processes and
outputsand energy and matter flows within systems. (MS-PS2-1) (MS-PS2-4)
Materials: Acceleration Nation directions, Smartboard, paper, pencil, marbles, cars, coins,
meter sticks, rulers, Hot Wheels tracks, masking tape, colored marking tape, various other
objects.
Focus Activity: Continue to work on Notes 10.
Procedure:
1. Briefly review the three types of acceleration: increasing speed, decreasing speed,
changing direction.
2. Display Acceleration Nation on the Smart Board and review the challenge
requirements with students (see attached).
3. Allow students time to collaborate in their groups and view available materials for
building and possible moving objects.
4. Instruct students to plan/draw a possible design for their track
5. If time permits, students may begin building and testing.
Homework: Write and acceleration word problem with a solution.
Evaluation: Presentation of track design including at least 2 types of acceleration, answers to
the 3 reflection questions, and properly set-up calculations with correct answers. Contribution to
group work.

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Accommodations: Period 3 will have increased teacher assistance to set up experiment,
complete calculations and with answering the questions.

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Acceleration Nation
Your challenge: Design a course (or track) that demonstrates at least 2 of
the types of acceleration that weve been learning about.
Materials you may use: Tables, chairs, books, meter sticks, rulers, Hot
wheels tracks, marbles, golf balls, coins, people, stopwatches, tape, other
items with teacher permission.
Rules:
1. You may only set your moving object in motion one time. The object
must freely navigate the course without requiring additional force.
2. You must show at least 2 acceleration calculations for portions of
your course. (Example of how to gather the data necessary to do this:
Divide course into segments. One person holds a stopwatch at each
segment line. Once the objects leaves the start line, each person
stops the watch when the object reaches their segment line and
records the time traveled.)
***You will be presenting and explaining your design choices,
acceleration of the object, and calculations to the class.

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Grade Level: 6
Subject: Science (Motion)

Topic: Acceleration
Acceleration Nation Part 2

Objective: Students will design a track that that causes a moving object to increase speed,
decrease speed, and change direction. The students will properly calculate the acceleration of a
moving object. Students will use the term acceleration properly.
NGSS:
S&E Practices
Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to produce data to serve as the
basis for evidence that can meet the goals of the investigation. (MS-PS2-5)
CCC
Cause and Effect
Cause and effect relationships may be used to predict phenomena in natural or designed systems.
(MS-PS2-3) (MS-PS2-5)
Systems and System Models
Models can be used to represent systems and their interactionssuch as inputs, processes and
outputsand energy and matter flows within systems. (MS-PS2-1) (MS-PS2-4)
Materials: Acceleration Nation directions, Smartboard, paper, pencil, marbles, cars, coins,
meter sticks, rulers, Hot Wheels tracks, masking tape, colored marking tape, various other
objects.
Focus Activity: Exchange word problems created for homework with the person across from
you and solve.
Procedure:
1. Briefly review the three types of acceleration: increasing speed, decreasing speed,
changing direction.
2. Display Acceleration Nation on the Smart Board and review the challenge
requirements with students (see attached).
3. Allow students time to review their plans created yesterday and gather materials
4. Students should build and test their tracks, making any necessary modifications to ensure
they meet the challenge requirements.
5. Students should be reminded that they need to take time and distance measurements to
use for calculating speed, which will be used to do their minimum of 2 acceleration
calculations.
6. When designs and calculations are complete, students will do a gallery walk and each
group will have an opportunity to explain their track designs, the points at which
acceleration takes place, and their acceleration calculations.

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Homework: Complete Notes 10 if not already completed, otherwise no homework.
Evaluation: Presentation of track design including at least 2 types of acceleration, answers to
the 3 reflection questions, and properly set-up calculations with correct answers. Contribution to
group work.
Accommodations: Period 3 will have increased teacher assistance to set up experiment,
complete calculations and with answering the questions.