Lesson Planning Form for Accessible Instruction Calvin College Education Program

Teacher Stephanie Haggis

Date

3/22/2016

Subject/ Topic/ Theme

Science - Energy

Grade ___4_____________

I. Objectives
How does this lesson connect to the unit plan?
Potential and Kinetic energy will be explored up close while playing the racing game.
cognitiveR U Ap An E C*

Learners will be able to:

Students will discover energy transfer in constructing and executing rubber band cars
Students will relate the amount of potential energy that transfers into kinetic to the number of winds
Students will be able to explain why the more times the rubber band is wound, the faster it goes

physical
development

socioemotional

An
Ap
Ev

Common Core standards (or GLCEs if not available in Common Core) addressed:
PS3 A: Definitions of energy
The faster a given object is moving the more energy it possesses (4-PS3-1)
Energy can be moved from place to place by moving objects or through sound, light, or electric currents (4-PS3-2), (4
PS3-3)
PS3 B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer
Energy is present whenever there are moving objects, sound, light, or heat. When objects collide, energy can be
transferred from one object to another, thereby changing their motion. In such collisions, some energy is typically
also transferred to the surrounding air; as a result, the air gets heated and sound is produced. (4-PS3-2), (4-PS3-3)
PS3 D: Energy in Chemical Processes and Everyday Life
The expression produce energy typically refers to the conversion of stored energy into a desired form for practical
use. (4-PS3-4)
ETS1 A: Defining Engineering Problems
Possible solutions to a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints). The success of a
designed solution is determined by considering the desired features of a solution (criteria). Different proposals for
solution can be compared on the basis of how well each one meets the specified criteria for success or how well each
takes the constraints into account. (secondary to 4-PS3-4).
(Note: Write as many as needed. Indicate taxonomy levels and connections to applicable national or state standards. If an objective applies to particular learners
write the name(s) of the learner(s) to whom it applies.)
*remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, create

II. Before you start

Identify
prerequisite
knowledge and
skills.

The students should have watched the video on kinetic energy by Bill Nye. In this video it shows a hamster
wheel storing potential energy by having cables wind and then release, causing a wall to be knocked over.
This will transition into why the car runs.
Pre-assessment (for learning): None, this lesson stems from previous lessons about energy
Formative (for learning):

Outline assessment
activities
(applicable to this
lesson)

Formative (as learning): Students will share results of the car racing. The students who have yet to race will predict
what they should do to get into the sweet spot.
Summative (of learning): Students will write in their write everything journal and the teacher will take a look

at the students answers.

Provide Multiple Means of Representation

1-19-13

Provide Multiple Means of

Action and Expression

Provide Multiple Means of

Engagement

Provide options for perception- making information

perceptible
Students are provided with many options on making
the car. They can listen to the directions, read the
directions, or watch the directions.
Provide options for language, mathematical
expressions, and symbols- clarify & connect
language

Materials-what
materials (books,
handouts, etc) do
you need for this
lesson and are they
ready to use?

How will your

classroom be set
up for this lesson?

1-19-13

Students will be physically

handling the cars and are able to
get up and walk around.
Provide options for expression
and communication- increase
medium of expression

Students are allowed to color

on their cars if allowed time.

What barriers
might this lesson
present?
What will it take
neurodevelopment
ally, experientially,
emotionally, etc.,
for your students
to do this lesson?

Provide options for physical

action- increase options for
interaction

Provide options for comprehension- activate, apply

& highlight

Writing in the write everything journals. The

students will test themselves on what they have
learned and how deeply their understanding is.
Large group discussion can confirm or clarify
information.

Provide options for executive

functions- coordinate short &
long term goals, monitor
progress, and modify strategies

By writing in their write

everything books, students
are given the opportunity to
look back on what they have
learned and how much they
have refined their models of
energy in the past few weeks.

Provide options for

recruiting interest- choice,
relevance, value,
authenticity, minimize
threats

Provide options for

sustaining effort and
persistence- optimize
challenge, collaboration,
mastery-oriented feedback

The promise of getting

multiple tries to get the
car into the sweet spot
Provide options for selfregulation- expectations,
personal skills and
strategies, self-assessment
& reflection

Self-assessing what they

should do if they did not
get into the sweet spot

Each student group will need

One paper cup
Two cup lids (bigger than the cup) having a 8oz cup and fast food lids works the best.
one rubber band
Straw (also able to acquire at a fast food place)
Cardboard square (1in by 1in)
2 Plastic beads, pony beads
1 Pen
1 Toothpick
1 paperclip
Students can share a hole puncher or teacher can punch holes in the cardboard squares ahead of time.
Masking tape
Written instructions (bottom of lesson plan)
Worksheet (at the bottom of lesson plan)
Preparation:
1. Punch holes in the cardboard squares
2. Set up the race track with masking tape. The starting line should be 8 feet from the sweet spot
The sweet spot or goal is two feet long. (this may have to wait till day two, it depends on the time)
3. Set all materials off to the side of the room for the students to pick up.

III. The Plan

Compo
Tim
ne
nt
s
Motiva
tion
7
(openin
min
g/
introduc
tion/
engage
ment)
1015
min

Day
2
At
least
15
min

8
min

Develo
pment
(the
largest
compon
ent or
main
body of
the
lesson)

Closure
(conclu
sion,
culmina
tion,
wrapup)

Describe teacher activities

AND
student activities
for each component of the lesson. Include important higher order thinking questions and/or prompts.
Students will watch clips of videos about energy from
https://mysteryscience.com/energy/mystery-1/speed-energy/39?
single_use_access_token=4946c2bd70e226cd6984597cb92ffdbbd7dd7fe
35e3a9fffdcf692eebf6f660da6061e4a14fcbf9b8f71f8b830bf2e5b5f89914
0b3d52e56d6950644d9458eb0

Building the cars

1. Teacher will put students will be in groups of two or three
2. The teacher will then instruct one student will collect the
materials on the side of the counter
3. The teacher will then hold up the paper cup car that he/she made
ahead of time.
4. The teacher will then put the video on the projector of the
instructions. This will provide not just auditory, but visual as
well.
Racing the cars
1. Instruct students to wind up their cars by spinning their straws
around the cup. Have the students count how many winds they did
and have them write the number down on the worksheet
2. Have the students line up in pairs or in their individually.

Students will then turn to one another

and discuss what they thought about
the toy car

Students will follow instructions on

how to make the paper cup car.

3.
4.

Students will set their car down

and let it go down the track.
Students will then record if they
got in the sweet spot, fell short or
overshot it.
Students will then get back in line
and then rewind their straws until
the rubber band is flat
Students will then one again wind
their straws while counting how
many times they have wound it
and record

Remind the students that they are to record the number of times they
wound their cars for each trail

5.

Repeat this process for as many times as time allows

6.

1.
2.

Have the students put their cars off to

the side of the room.

3.
4.

Allow time for student to return to their seats.

Ask What is the relationship between the number of times you
have wound the car and how far it went? (the main point of asking
this is so that students can relate potential energy to kinetic).
Explain: Energy is transferred from potential energy to kinetic.
When winding the rubber band we are storing more potential energy
the more times we wind it and then it transfers into kinetic energy.
Have the students write in their write everything notebooks on
what they have learned that day.

Your reflection about the lesson, including evidence(s) of student learning and engagement, as well as ideas for improvement
for next time. (Write this after teaching the lesson, if you had a chance to teach it. If you did not teach this lesson, focus on the
process of preparing the lesson.)

1-19-13

I would definitely try to clump this lesson together, depending on the allotted time. The first day was all building the cars and then
waiting to race them. Even after building them and it was the second day, not all students had a chance to race their cars. So it had to
bleed over into the next science lesson. Another thing I had trouble with was classroom management. Students were too excited about
racing their cars that they did not look at the cars being raced or they were being too loud and disturbing the other classrooms. I would
of liked to have it inside the classroom next time as to not bother other classes.
References:
How can a car run without gas?. (n.d.). In Mystery Science. Retrieved March 21, 2016, from https://mysteryscience.com/energy/mystery1/speed-energy/39?
single_use_access_token=4946c2bd70e226cd6984597cb92ffdbbd7dd7fe35e3a9fffdcf692eebf6f660da6061e4a14fcbf9b8f71f8b830bf2e5b5f899140b
3d52e56d6950644d9458eb0

1-19-13

How to make a paper cup car

1.

Start with the two lids. Make sure the lids are facing upright (with the lip
facing down) and write your name on that side.

2.

Find the X on the cup lid. Press the folds down onto the bottom of the lid.

3.

Punch a hole through the cup with a pen and widen the hole with your
finger (the bottom of the cup should almost be completely open.

4.

Open your paper clip so it looks like a hook (This will be used later)

5.

Push the rubber band though one of the beads. Put the straw through the
loop and tighten with the bead.

6.

Push the rubber band through the other bead. Now there should be two
beads next to each other.

7.

Put the rubber band through the cardboard square with the hole in it.

8.

Hook the end of the rubber band with the paper clip.

9.

Drop the lid upside down (name facing away from you) onto the paperclip
so that is passes through to be next to the cardboard square.

10.

Put the paperclip with the rubber band through the hole in the paper cup.
Hold onto the paperclip.

11.

Put the lid facing right side up (name facing you) onto the paperclip.

12.

Lastly, put the toothpick in the rubber band so that it holds the rubber
band.

13.

Remove paperclip.

The race sheet

https://drive.google.com/a/students.calvin.edu/file/d/1NQrMWuWggzlkG4gbV2rp57iFIRDKYKKxs-IhZN8a8XYhSbfbcjFBm4vo_Cu6C7HMxYXRXU9k8n4-T0D/view

1-19-13