Unit Plan Overview

Unit: Science: Energy and Waves

Stephanie Haggis

Teacher:
Stage 1- Desired Results

Connections to Context:
Students will learn about how things
move, such as how a ball and bat
work, in terms of energy. Since
students have interaction with
energy in their daily lives, they will
already have previous encounters
with the subject. Students will then
apply what they have learned into
future science courses, most
noticeably physics.
(How does this fit with students
experiences, the school goals, and the
larger societal issues? How does this fit
with the broader curriculum- what has
come before and what will come after?)

Established Goals
This unit will follow The Next
Generation Science standards. This
unit will focus on the ability to
problem solve which crosses over
into other disciplines.
PS3.A: Definitions of Energy
Energy can be moved from
place to place by moving
objects or through sound,
light, or electric currents (4PS3-2).(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

Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to
Understand how energy affects the world around them

(What kinds of long-term independent accomplishments are desired?)

UNDERSTANDINGS
Students will understand that
Energy is transferred
There are different types of energy
Energy cannot be created or destroyed
(What specifically do you want students to
understand?
What inferences should they make?)

Meaning
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Students will keep considering
How energy will affect their daily lives

(What thought-provoking questions will foster inquiry,

meaning- making and transfer?)

Acquisition of Knowledge, Skill and Values/Commitments/Dispositions

Cognitive Objectives
Physical Development
Socio-emotional Objectives
Objectives
Knowledge of energy
Appreciation for how God

made a complex but

Ability to identify where
connected world
energy is
Ability to demonstrate how
energy transfers
(What discrete skills and processes
Students will discover
should students be able to use?)
(What values and commitments and
energy transfer in
attitudes should students acquire or
constructing and
wrestle with?)
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

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

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. (4PS3-2), (4-PS3-3)
Energy can also be
transferred from place to
place by electric currents
which can then be used
locally to produce motion,
sound, heat, or light. The
currents may have been
produced to begin with by
transforming the energy of
motion into electrical energy.
(4-PS3-2), (4-PS3-4).
Ps3 C: Relationship Between
Energy and Forces
When objects collide,
contact forces transfer
energy so as to change
the objects motions. PS33
PS3.D: Energy in Chemical
Processes and Everyday Life
The expression produce
energy typically refers to the
conversion of stored energy
into a desired from 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

Discover that vibrations make

sound
Demonstrate that sound is a

form of energy by moving

objects using sound
Identify that sound has
kinetic energy
Explain why the distance
from the ground relates to
kinetic energy
Recall the aspects of kinetic
energy
Predict how far the marble will
travel based on how steep the
ramp is
Connect the relationship
between potential energy and
distance from the ground.
Connect the content the content
of the previous lessons with
sports

(What facts and basic concepts

should students know and be
able to recall?)

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

solution is determined by
considering the desired
features of a solution
(criteria). Different proposals
for solutions can be
compared on the basis of how
well each one meets the
specified criteria for success
or how well each takes the
constraints in to account
(secondary to 4-PS3-4)

(What content standards and programor mission-related goal(s) will the unit
address?
What habits of mind and crossdisciplinary goal(s)- for example 21st
century skills, core competencies- will
this unit address?
Include source and identifying number)

Evaluative Criteria
Students will be doing a combination
of performance tasks and a paper
and pencil summative assessment at
the end of the unit
(What criteria will be used in each
assessment to evaluate attainment of
the desired results?)(rubric required)
(Regardless of the format of the
assessment, what qualities are most
important?)
Knowledge of energy conversion

Stage 2- Evidence
Students will show their learning by (summative assessment)
PERFORMANCE TASK(S):
Demonstrating and explaining how energy is transferred through motions to move an object from
one place to another
Record findings on experiments
Reflections in their write everything notebooks
(How will students demonstrate their understanding- meaning-making and transfer- through complex
performance?)

OTHER EVIDENCE:
Test/quizzes
(What other evidence will you collect to determine whether Stage 1 goals were achieved?

Stage 3- Learning Plan

Students will share their past experiences with the class at the beginning of each lesson plan.
The teacher will then record some of the answers given.
Pre-assessment- due ________
Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

(What pre-assessments will you use to check students prior knowledge, skill levels, and potential misconceptions?)
(Toward which goal does
Learning Events
each learning event build?)
Acquisition
Meaning
Transfer

Student success at transfer, meaning, and acquisition depends upon their

participation in these learning events
1. Whole group discussions at the end of each lesson to recap and
solidify information learned.
2. Exploration and experimentation with the materials to make the
learning more personal and hands on.
3.

Progress Monitoring

(How will you monitor students

progress toward acquisition,
meaning, and transfer during
lesson events?) (Formative
Assessment)

Students will write in their write

everything notebooks.

(How will students monitor

their own progress toward
acquisition, meaning, and
transfer?)(Assessment as
learning)(rubric?)

Students will compare answers and

results to other students

(Have you included multiple means of representation, multiple means of

action and expression, and multiple means of engagement?)
(Are all three types of goals (acquisition, meaning, and transfer) addressed in
the learning plan?)
(Does the learning plan reflect principles of learning and best practices?)
(Is there tight alignment with Stages 1 and 2?)

(What are potential rough spots

and student misunderstandings?)

Students might be confused with

the idea that energy can
neither be created not
destroyed because energy is a
concept, not a concrete thing

(How will students get the

feedback they need?)

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum

Large group discussions will give

oratory feedback to students as
well as the mid unit assessment
and the assessment at the end

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011) The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units and Van Brummelen (2002) Steppingstones to
Curriculum