Light and Shadow

January 7 - February 28 2019 Light and Shadow

Rationale The subject of science is meant to spark curiosity and spark investigation. It is important to know how certain
aspects of the world work - in this case, how light and shadow work. Students can appreciate how light and
shadow function and their future knowledge of the unit can allow students to further question or explore the
environment which they find themselves in. Light and Shadow can be a good way of introducing topics of
interest for the students to explore in greater depth later on in life.

Unit Objective, General/ Specific Objectives Unit objective​:​ TSW apply their knowledge of the unit by putting on a shadow-theatre show, where they will be
responsible for creating a story incorporating the concepts and terms they have learned.

GLO​:
4-3 Investigate a practical problem, and develop a possible solution.
4-9 Identify sources of light, describe the interaction of light with different materials, and infer the pathway of a
light beam.

SLO:
4-1 Recognize that eyes can be damaged by bright lights and that one should not look at the Sun-either
directly or with binoculars or telescopes.
4-2 Identify a wide range of sources of light, including the Sun, various forms of electric lights, flames, and
materials that glow (luminescent materials).
4-3 Distinguish objects that emit their own light from those that require an external source of light in order to be
seen.
4-4 Demonstrate that light travels outward from a source and continues unless blocked by an opaque material.
4-5 Describe changes in the size and location of Sun shadows during the day-early morning, to midday, to late
afternoon.
4-6 Recognize that opaque material cast shadows, and predict changes in the size and location of shadows
resulting from the movement of a light source or from the movement of a shade-casting object.
4-7 Distinguish transparent materials from opaque materials by determining if light passes through them and by
examining their shadows.
4-8 Classify materials as transparent, partly transparent (translucent) or opaque.
 4-9 Recognize that light can be reflected and that shiny surfaces, such as polished metals and mirrors, are
good reflectors.
4-10 Recognize that light can be bent (refracted) and that such objects as aquaria, prisms and lenses can be
used to show that light beams can be bent.
4-11 Recognize that light can be broken into colours and that different colours of light can be combined to form
a new colour.
4-12 Demonstrate the ability to use a variety of optical devices, describe how they are used, and describe their
general structure.

Assessment/ Evaluation - KWL Charts

- Completion of glossary sheet (throughout the unit)
- Final project - exploring the relationship b/w light and shadow through shadow theatre with rationale/
process notes
- Planning sheet
- Rough Copy
- Final Copy
- Reflection
- Participation in lessons, discussions, and group work (throughout the unit)
- Partner lab write-ups
- Notes in science journal during activities/ experiments
- Google Slides class presentation
- Lenses - teach the class worksheet

Differentiation strategies
- Offer students the option to have a “fill in the blank” glossary instead of them having to come up with
their own definition
- Assign partners to students after getting to know them and their strengths/ relationships
- Provide ample class-time so students can work on their projects with my supervision
- Provide different worksheets for those who need help with reading/ writing
- Students who do not complete their work on time will be able to finish it during Grade 5 science (Mon,
Tues, Thurs class)

Materials/ resources - Science Grade 4 POS​ from Learn Alberta website (LAW)
- Light and Shadows Unit Plan by Marina Miller (MMUP)
- Edmonton Public School Teacher Manual (TM)
 - 365 Simple Experiments with Everyday Materials​ by E. Churchill
- Computers/laptops

Important Terms See TM Glossary

Essential Question to focus unit How can we best use the knowledge we gain from this unit to sustain life on earth?

Days/ Focus Outcomes Activities Assessments (formative/ Resources

summative)

1: Light and Shadows Intro SLO 2, 3, 4 Review of lab report
terms/definitions
(i.e. hypothesis, experiment)
KWL Chart (ongoing throughout
unit)
“Searching for the Light” class
activity TM pg 4
Formative: - Ray’s Reflections​ by
- KWL chart AIMS Education
- Visual/ oral observation of Foundation
students’ responses and - Videos to introduce
participation during the unit
instruction/ discussion - KWL printouts
- Worksheets from review and - Journals to write in
from “Searching for the
Light”

2: Sources of Light SLO 2, 3, 4 “In the Dark” class activity TM pg 6 Formative: - “In the Dark”
- “In the Dark” worksheet worksheet
“How Does Light Travel?” solo demo - Participation in class - Journals to write in
TM pg 11 discussion
- Thumbs up/down
Class discussion/ science journals understanding
Summative:
- Science journals

3: Sunlight and Safety SLO 1 Read book about Sunlight Formative: - Book introducing
- Participation in class sunlight
 Class discussion on importance of discussion - Videos about sunlight
the sun - Questions asked by safety
students - Human eye printouts
Videos on sunlight safety - Thumbs up/down
understanding
*The Human Eye - for student’s Summative (throughout the unit):
additional knowledge (printoffs - Science journals
available)

Update science journals

4: Transparency, SLO 7, 8 “To See or Not to See” activity by Formative: - Materials for class
Translucency, Opaqueness MMUP - Participation in class activity
discussion - Class activity
Collective Google Slide presentation - Questions asked by worksheet (write up)
students - laptops/ computers
- Thumbs up/down
understanding
- Class lab write up
- Checklist for presentation
Summative:
- Google Slides
- Science journals

5: Transparency, SLO 7, 8 Collective Google Slide presentation Formative: - laptop/ computers

Translucency, Opaqueness, cont. - Class discussion
review - Checklist for presentation
Class discussion - summary of unit Summative:
so far - Google Slides
- Science journals
Science journal update

6: Colour Spectrum SLO 11 “How does Light Travel” review Formative: - Materials for
- Review experiment

7: Reflection/ Halfway unit
review
8: Refraction
9: Lenses/ Review
“Breaking Up Rays of Sunlight” ​365 - Questions/ answers by - Write up worksheet
SSE​ pg 122 students
Summative:
Class lab write up - Class lab write up
SLO 9 “UpsideDown in a Spoon” ​365 SSE Formative: - Materials for
pg 123 - Class discussions experiment
Summative: - Materials for solo
Class discussion/ Glossary update - Science journals demo
“There’s a Moon in the Sky” solo
demo TM pg 8
Science journal updates
SLO 10 “Can Light be Bent by a Glass of Formative: - Materials for
Water” TM 42, 43, 44 - Participation experiment
- Asking questions, - Materials for solo
“The Case of the Unbroken Straw” discussions demo
solo demo TM pg 45 Summative: - Experiment worksheet
- “Can light ..” worksheet
Worksheet
Journals
SLO 10 “Teach the class about lenses” class Formative: - Lenses information
activity - Participation sheet with
- Asking questions, fill-in-the-blank
Science journal check up discussions w/ partners
- Reading the material
KWL update - KWL chart
Summative:
- Science journal notes
- Lenses worksheet
10: Shadows SLO 5, 6 “Changing shadows” TM pg 14 Formative: - Write up worksheet
- Questions, discussions - Materials for solo
Partner lab write up - Participation demo
Summative:
“Measuring Shadow Length” solo - Partner lab write up
demo TM pg 22 - Science journals

11: Optical Illusions* SLO 12* Videos on optical illusions Formative: - Videos and books
Optional class - if ahead - Participation about optical illusions
Optical illusion books - Questions
Summative:
- Science journals

12: Review/ Final Project SLO 1-11 Summary of unit Formative: - Final project outline
overview - Questions and rubric
Final project expectations - (In)complete work

13: Creation SLO 1-11 Mini-lesson on narrative Summative: - Script outline/

- On-task behaviour/ effort/ requirements sheet
participation - Mini-lesson
Work period - Self-evaluation through a presentation
checklist
- Science journals - daily
reflection?

14: Creation SLO 1-11 Work period Summative: - Self-evaluation sheets

- On-task behaviour/ effort/ - Materials for students’
participation projects
- Self-evaluation through a
checklist
- Science journals - daily
reflection?

15: Creation SLO 1-11 Work period Summative: - Self-eval sheets

 - On-task behaviour/ effort/
participation
- Self-evaluation through a
checklist
- Science journals - daily
reflection?
- Materials for students’
projects
- Checklist for final
project completion

16: Rehearsal SLO 1-11 Run-through of structure Summative: - Different sources of

- On-task behaviour/ effort/ light
Review of terms, concepts participation - Objects of various
- Completion of glossary transparency,
- Science journals - daily translucency and
reflection? opaqueness.

17: Presentation SLO 1-11 Class discussion after each Summative: - Materials for students’
presentation - Self-reflection projects
- Checklist - Smartboard/projector
Self-evaluation, reflection, checklist - Science journals ?
if they completed all the - Duotang with worksheets/
requirements lab reports

18: Presentation SLO 1-11 Class discussion after each Summative: - Students’ projects
presentation - Self-reflection - Smartboard/
- Checklist projector?
Self-evaluation, reflection, checklist - Science journals
if they completed all the - Duotang with worksheets/
requirements lab reports

19: Presentation/ Wrap up SLO 1-11 Debrief presentations Summative: - KWL chart
- Self-reflection - Extra
Finish KWL Chart - Checklist self-reflection/checklis
- Science journals t sheets
Class discussion to close the unit - Duotang with worksheets/
lab reports