Nelson_08_Science

[|Video Lesson Plan-revised.doc]


 * Grade Level:** 4


 * Content of Lesson**: The lesson I completed was an inquiry based lesson called, "Go Fishing!" I began the lesson by activating prior knowledge and created a list of things students told me about magnets that they learned from past explorations. I had students fill out a hypothesis chart as a pre-assessment. I then handed out the materials and told students they could explore the materials within their groups however they decided to among their group members. After students explored, we cam back together as a whole class and discussed our findings and then defined the word "magnetic" together.

Students will:  6. Work well within a group.
 * Objectives:**
 * 1) Investigate the question, “What kinds of things have magnetism” or “What types of things are attracted to a magnet?”
 * 2) Demonstrate and explore what it means to be magnetic and find some materials that are attracted to magnets.
 * 3) Fill out a hypothesis chart before exploration.
 * 4) Complete activity successfully.
 * 5) Complete an “I Notice, I Wonder” chart within a group.

I originally was going to use T/F assessment, but simply used the hypothesis charts. I also had each group create "I Notice, I Wonder" charts to show me that they were actively engaged in the lesson as well as finding things out as they explored.
 * Assessment Criteria and Instrument:**

[|pre-assessment_student_work.jpg] [|first_half_of_I_Notice-I_Wonder_Chart.jpg] [|second_half_of_I_Notice-I_Wonder_Chart.jpg]
 * Student Work**


 * Analysis of Student Work**: The hypothesis charts looked like students did use their prior knowledge for the objects they had explored previously in other lessons. It was interesting to see what they predicted for some objects that they had not explored, such as a battery. The "I Notice, I Wonder" charts were used as a form of informal assessment that showed if they had the ability to create higher level questions. I was looking for questions that went beyond the typical observations and showed their curiousity. I think the students did well with the inquiry based lesson.


 * Recommendations for future instruction for entire class:** I felt the discussions before and after the lesson as well as the hypothesis sheet and their "I Notice, I Wonder" charts were good forms of informal assessment. If I were to do the lesson again, I would probably include a formal assessment to go along with it. I thought the students did a great job with the assignment and they understood the lesson.


 * Recommendations for students sampled**: N/A because I used the group work chart and the hypothesis charts were based on personal guesses. Even if a student hypothesized that none of the objects were magnetic, they would be finding their answers through the exploration.