Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Grade Level
Topic
Length of Unit
(weeks)
Science
8
Light and sound
About 9
Rationale
Light and sound are all around us, therefore, it is important that students know how
they work since they affect our understanding of the world with what we see and
hear. They are studies together because they can be compared with how they travel
through air and how they affect us as a people. There are things we see directly or
are aided with optical devices to improve and extend our vision. This unit will focus
on the nature of light, how it is reflected and refracted, technology, and color. More
specifically they will learn that light travels in a straight line at a finite speed in a
uniform medium, that non-luminous objects are seen because light scattered from
them enters the eye, that light is reflected at plane surfaces, that light is refracted
at the boundary between two different mediums, that white light can be dispersed
to give a range of colors, and the effect of color filters on white light and how
colored objects appear in white light and in other colors of light. Students will also
build on their knowledge of sound and hearing through exploring the nature of
sound, its sources, and qualities. They will focus on vibrations and how its change
affects loudness, pitch, and sound quality. They will also learn how sound travels,
and what happens when it reaches the ear. This is important because students
should know what happens when sound reaches their ear so they can make
informed decisions about volumes of sounds they listen to as to not damage their
ear.
The statement of inquiry is: how scientific knowledge of how energy is transferred in
waves has improved our way of life. Students will explore through formative
experiments. They will have a safe learning environment where they can ask
questions and find answers. Students summative assessment will include a written
essay of how reflection has improved road safety, an experiment with how colored
filters affect the color of objects, and an exam. This unit will allow for students to
learn about light and sound, how it affects the world around them, and possible
advances for the future.
Subject Area
Grade Level
Topic
Length of Unit
(weeks)
Science
8
Light and sound
About 9
Established Goals:
Unit C: Light and optical systems. (grade 8)
Topic D: Hearing & Sound. (grade 3) 3-9 Describe the nature of sound, and
demonstrate methods for producing and controlling sound.
Understandings: (key concepts)
Students will understand
Microscope and telescope
contribution of technologies to
scientific development
transmission and absorption of
light
sources of light
reflection and refraction
images
vision and lenses
Key Words
light source light ray
transmitted luminous nonluminous reflected absorbed
refraction spectrum dispersion
transparent translucent
opaque
words and phrases describing
Essential Questions:
What do we know about the nature of
light? What technologies have been
developed that use light, and what
principles of light do they show?
How does light travel?
What happens when light meets an
object?
How do we see things?
How do mirrors reflect light?
How are images formed?
Can light be bent?
What is a spectrum?
How can we change color?
Subject Area
Grade Level
Topic
Length of Unit
(weeks)
Science
8
Light and sound
About 9
Subject Area
Grade Level
Topic
Length of Unit
(weeks)
vibrating strings.
(6) Use sound-producing devices that the student has
constructed to demonstrate methods for controlling the
loudness, pitch and quality of sound produced.
(7) Identify examples that show that sound can travel
through a variety of materials, including solids, liquids and
air, and that sound travels in all directions.
(8) Describe how the human ear senses vibrations.
(9) Compare the range of hearing in humans to that in
other animals; e.g., dogs and bats.
(10) Recognize that certain sounds have characteristics
that cause them to be interpreted as pleasant or
unpleasant, and identify these characteristics.
(11) Describe changes in hearing that result from
continued exposure to loud noise and from the natural
process of aging.
(12) Construct and evaluate different kinds of
soundproofing and sound-amplifying devices.
(13) Explain the role that sound plays in
communication.
Resources Needed:
Lenses
Light
Cup
Different types of material (translucent/opaque)
Geometric ray model
Science
8
Light and sound
About 9
Outcomes
Description
To gage how well students understood
concept to be completed at the end of
class. This will be handed in, visual, or
verbal. If I need quick assessment for that
days material, exit slip will be done. Near
end of unit, exit slips will be used to help
make questions for the review game.
Get students talking about science. It will
help for clarification among students and
teacher assessment to check for
understanding. Forms of table discussions
and elbow buddies will be used
throughout the unit. This variety will allow
for more learning to take place because
students can hear the concept explained
different ways.
Gets class thinking about science when
they walk in. It reviews concept
previously learned. This helps teacher
assess how well the concept was learned
and if anything needs to be clarified
before they go on to the next material.
Students will explore how reflection has
improved road safety in a written essay.
This will let students look at light and
reflection with technology advancements
that have improved society.
Students will perform an experiment to
see how colored filters change the color
of objects. This will be hands on to allow
students to understand through
experimenting.
Exit slips
all
Group
discussions
all
At the start of
class question
all
Criterion D
Experiment:
How do colored
filters change
the color of
objects
Criterion B
and C
Text questions
all
Criterion A
Unit Test
Fo
r
AS
O
F
3 Monday October
9-10:50
Tuesday Wednesday
Thursday7 Friday
2:30-3:15
10 Monday
K2 Which ray
Tuesday Wednesday
Thursday14 Friday
K3 Traveling through
Reflection: that light is
reflected from plane
surfaces in a predictable
way
Demonstrate using a ray
box to measure
reflection. Stress the
need for accurate
measurement with a
protractor.
Class Practical Work out
the law of reflection ( I =
r)
Make predictions about
how light is reflected off
plane surfaces
Record accurate angles
Spring 2016: Marynowski
Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe (2005)
K4 Colored light
Investigate color and
light
Using reflection:
That when light is
reflected from plane
surfaces an image is
formed. To understand
reflection in everyday
situations.
Class experiment
determine where an
image is formed by
using an object e.g.
bulb, mirror and image
catcher. Then measure
distance between image
and mirror and image
of reflection and
incidence with respect to
the normal
Introduce Essay.
17 Monday
25 Tuesday
26 Wednesday
27 Thursday
28 Friday
Preparation day
Preparation day
Holiday
31 Monday
Holiday
1 Tuesday2 Wednesday
3 Thursday
4 Friday
November
Holiday
Holiday
Holiday
Holiday
7 Monday
8 Tuesday9 Wednesday
10 Thursday
11 Friday
14 Monday
Holiday
Using filters:
How colored filters change white light
by absorption
Summative experiment.
Demo: Large filters on projector also
class set of filters for looking at
projector image
Class practical: use prisms and ray
boxes to produce spectrum and then
add in filters
15 Tuesday
16 Wednesday
17 Thursday
18 Friday
Light exam
Review
Essay due
21 Monday
Holiday
22 Tuesday
23 Wednesday
24 Thursday
25 Friday
Sound intro
checklist
L1 good vibrations
How are different sounds
made? Identify different
sounds activity.
Vibrations
Show how different
instruments make
different pitch and
loudness. Investigate
differences in vibrations
of sounds in musical
Spring 2016: Marynowski
Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe (2005)
28 Monday
29 Tuesday
30 Wednesday
1 Thursday
2 Friday
December
5 Monday December
Review
Tuesday Wednesday
Thursday9 Friday
Exam
12 Monday
Holiday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday16 Friday
Christmas prep