Tutorial 4

(a) Two science concepts :

The Two Classes of Flowering Plants (Monocotyledon versus
Dicotyledonn)
The conductors and insulators
(b)
MONOCOTYLEDON VERSUS DICOTYLEDON
Step 1
Students are introduced to an experiment. Students explore the given topic by
using their own methods to understand various ideas. For example : students are
asked to collect various small plants found in the school compound.
Step 2
The teacher uses guiding questions to help the students examine the plants
collected and identify their main characteristics.
i) Students are told that dicotyledon leaves usually can collect from trees,
bushes, vegetable-garden plants (not corn), and most of our wildflowers (not
irises and lilies) whereas the monocotyledon leaves can get from all grasses and
glasslike plants, plus lilies, irises, amaryllises, and some other plant types.
ii) Observe these leaves whether are net-veined or parallel-veined.
Step 3
The teacher helps the student to classify the plants collected, based on the
similarities and differences in the characteristics of the plants.
i) Dicot leaves are usually net-veined whereas monocots leaves possess parallel-
veined.
ii) Leaves of dicot come in many shape and sizes while leaves of monocot often
long and narrow.
iii) Example of plants:
monocot: corn, wheat
dicot: peas, beans
Step 4
Students develop an understanding of the concept examine and apply the
concept in difference situation.

CONDUCTOR VERSUS INSULATOR
Step 1 :
The pupils are introduced to an experience and learns specific examples for the
concepts to be discovered. Teacher gives the pupils a steel spoon, copper spoon
and plastic spoon to conduct the experiment to determine conductor can light up
the bulb in an electric circuit.
Step 2 :
The teacher guides the pupils to do this experiment. Besides that, teacher also
helps the pupils to examine these materials and identify the similarities and
differences between conductor and insulator.
The similarities between conductor and insulator include both are solids, and
have density and mass.
For the differences, the conductors, which are mostly metals like copper and
steel that allow heat and electricity to go through it. Thus, the bulb lights up.
Meanwhile, insulators like plastic and glass that do not allow heat and electricity
to go through it easily. Therefore, the bulb does not light up.
Step 3 :
The teacher guides the pupils to form a concept and general idea about the
conductor and insulator.
The concept and general idea is the conductor, which is mostly metal can
conduct electricity so the bulb can light up. While, insulator, which is mostly non-
metal, cannot conduct electricity so the bulb cannot light up.
Step 4 :
The pupils develop an understanding of the concept examined and apply the
concept in different situations.
Example like when teacher gives other materials like silver, gold, aluminium,
rubber and ceramic to classify them into conductor and insulator groups. In this
way,pupils able to classify them into two groups correctly. Pupils classify them by
identifying which materials are metals and non-metals. This is because students
have mastered the concept of conductors, which are mostly metals that can
conduct electricity while insulators, which are mostly non-metals that cannot
conduct electricity.