Heavens above!

Transcription

Heavens above!

Heavens above!
K-8 Astronomy and Physics course
1st Module – Let’s start observing
This module introduces students to a different way of “looking around”. It begins with a survey
of the knowledge students already own.
Users: First Grade Students. Total amount of time: 17 hours. Teaching proposal and
educational material, cards for students.
Introduction
By means of this module we begin our journey with Heavens above!
This module is addressed to First Grade Students. It is a special class. Problems related to children’s first
education and settling down can vary a great deal from class to class. As a consequence they can take
more or less time to deal with. We would like teachers to have the chance to consolidate the knowledge,
which their students will acquire. The time to do that depends upon each class’s reaction. It is for this
reason that this module is short as far as time dedicated to its development.
A lot of room is given to imagination and fantasy, usually present and important at this age. We
recommend teachers to use this age-related aspect to stimulate students’ interest towards the more
“scientific” aims of this module.
On the whole, the expected time is around 17 hours. The amount required by each activity is short on
purpose, in order to have enough time left for questions and “games”. Moreover, each Teaching Unit
dedicates some time to go through fundamental concepts again and again, in order to allow for their
consolidation.
This module contains two charming activities. The first one is a fantastic journey towards the Sun
(Teaching Unit 1.0) and the second one is “The Night Under the Stars” (T.U. 1.3). The first one can be
carried out either by means of a PowerPoint presentation (“From the Earth to…”, which can be found at
the web site www.polare.it in the section dedicated to Heavens above! project) or by visiting a
Planetarium. If it is the case, teachers can also project some slides taken from the PowerPoint
presentation.
In the first case, the first image has to be replaced by an image (or images) of children’s own town or
country. Images are supposed to be well-known by children, so that they can easily recognize them. If
teachers do not use a well-known image, students will not understand that they will be moving away
from their own observation point, and that later they will be moving closer, going back to it. While
showing these images to children, teachers have to be careful. On the one hand, it is necessary for the
first image/s to represent a town square, a monument or another feature, which can be easily recognized
by students. On the other hand, it is good not to stress it too much, in order not to enhance a geocentric
vision (or even worse a topocentric one) of the Universe. The topocentric view is probably the most
familiar one to students and they might already have it.
If teachers have the chance to visit a Planetarium, it is necessary to get in touch with the people in
charged and to specify the goals. At this point, it is useless, or worse counterproductive, for students to
see other things (the class can visit the Planetarium again in one of the following years).
Before starting the journey, teachers have to identify the presence of misconceptions related to the
shape of the Earth, of the Sun and of the stars. Teachers can do that by talking a little while with
students, or by having them draw or make a tridimensional work. This is important. Since the Sun and
the stars are celestial bodies that can be seen by a naked eye, it is necessary to keep misconceptions
from getting in the way of learning.
Special care has to be paid to T.U. 1.1. We suggest teachers give enough room to the second “Concept
consolidation game” (“Who knows it?”). Its purpose is to prevent the idea that “The further an object is,
the smallest it is” from rising in students’ minds.
“Mister O” (egocentric observer, T.U. 1.3) is involved in another play as well as interesting time for
students. By stepping into someone else’s shoes, students are provided with an understanding of the
relativity of the point of view. “Mister O” follows students during the development of this module and he
represents a journey mate for the acquisition of scientific knowledge.
This Teaching Unit provides six-year-old children with basic information (right-left, big-small,…) and with
some fundamental concepts in Physics. It is necessary to pay particular attention to their right
acquisition. According to this, whatever other activity teachers wish to carry out, they have to enhance
the following concepts: relativity of the position, relativity of the reference system, relativity of
orientation and direction, light source, illuminated body.
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What teachers, who tested this module, think about it
“Students’ interest was always high. They began to get used to observation and discussion, which I
consider to be formative both from an individual and a social point of view. It would be better to start
developing this module at the beginning of the school year. For children with particular learning
problems, it was a bit hard to carry out the work, especially the activities, which involve measures. It
would be very important to keep working in the following year, in order to evaluate students’ level of
involvement after one year of experience. My hypothesis is that this experience will be consolidated in
future activities, which are related to the concepts, which have been taken into consideration in this
module”.
“I have found particulary interesting the application of some activities in the motor education field, which
is the most congenial to me. The activity in the gym represented an important time. By means of a
game, the interest, which children have for motor activity, was focused on the consolidation of some
concepts”.
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1st Module Scheme, First part
1st MODULE
TEACHING UNIT
OBJECTIVES
CONTENTS
To introduce the concept of
reference point.
Let’s start
observing
1.0
“From the Earth to...”
Aims:
To get used to
observation.
To acquire some manual skills
(handle plasticine, “Das”*).
To acquire the
right method for
scientific inquiry
of problems.
To get used to
analyze one’s own
spatial position in
order to acquire
the concept of
relativity.
To introduce the
concepts of unit
of measure,
measure,
orientation and
direction, source
of light, eye as a
sensor.
To approach
students to
diffusion and
reflection
phenomena.
To acquire the idea that the Earth
and the Sun are spherical in The look of the objects
shape.
change if we change our
point of view
To acquire the idea that the Sun
has no eyes, mouth and rays.
1.1
Close - far
To compare the heights between
two objects.
To begin to compare different
measures.
Observer
Object
To learn how to put in order Point of view
segments from the shortest to the
longest.
To acquire some basic operating
skills (draw lines, use the tape…).
To compare the dimensions of
different objects.
1.2
Big - small
To acquire, or at least get an idea
of, the concepts of measure and
unit of measure.
Dimension comparison
Measure comparison
Concept of unit of measure
To distinguish between one’s own
right and one’s own left.
1.3
Right - left
To understand the
difference
between a
luminous body
and a source of
light.
To distinguish between somebody Relativity of the observer’s
else’s right and somebody else’s position
left.
Reflection
To distinguish between the right
and the left of a reflected image.
Concept of symmetry
To identify an object from its
position (right, left) with respect
to a fixed observer.
The Night Under the Stars
To introduce the concept of
orientation and direction upon a
straight line.
1.4 Move closer – move
further
To consolidate the concept of
measure.
To consolidate the concept of
reference system.
Concept of orientation and
direction
Concept of directed axis
Reference system
To consolidate the concept of point
of view.
To compare/carry out measures.
To introduce the concept of data
recorded over a period of time.
1.5 Environment, Light
and Darkness
To introduce students to the
concept of observation as an
aware activity.
Observation of some
“astronomical” phenomena
Observation as requirement
for the scientific method
To introduce the concept that the
observed phenomena vary.
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To acquire the concept of eye as
an instrument.
1. 6 Let’s play with light
and…
To acquire the concept of source
of light.
To acquire the concept of
illuminated object.
Those involved in the
previous Teaching Units
Scientific method for
observations
To know how to compare the
dimensions of different objects.
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1st Module Scheme, Second part part
TEACHING UNIT
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
MATERIAL FOR
STUDENTS
REQUIRED TIME
Sample card for carrying out
the activity.
1.0 “From the Earth
to...”
Sample of free discussion.
3 hours
Sample of impressions after
the trip.
PowerPoint presentation of the
trip.
Sample of the trip.
the activity.
1.1
Close - far
2 hours
Sample of evaluation activity.
Sample of games in the gym.
1.2
Big - small
the activity.
1 hour and a half
the activity.
1.3
Right - left
Sample of evaluation activity
and evaluation activity for the
end of the year.
Sample card for
making up “Mister
O”
4 hours
Sample of a support
activity for Right
and Left
Sample of a carried out
discussion.
The Night Under the
Stars
1.4 Move closer – move
further
1.5 Environment, Light
and Darkness
Plan for the night: “If I were”.
2 hours
the activity.
1 hour
the activity.
Sample of recording
card
1 hour and a half
Sample of recording
card
2 hours
Sample of discussion.
1. 6 Let’s play with
light and…
the activity.
* “Das” is a toy. It’s dough for shaping. You can substitute it either with “pongo” or salt dough.
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Teaching Unit 1.0
“From the Earth to…”
A “fantastic” trip on a space shuttle draws students’ attention. It focuses it on the observation of some
phenomena, which happen on a daily routine. According to this, this module introduces students to
observation and to the first concepts related to topology, which will be presented in the following T.U.s.
Contents
The look of the objects changes if we change our point of view.
Objectives
To
To
To
To
introduce the concept of reference point.
acquire the idea that the Earth and the Sun are spherical in shape.
acquire the idea that the Sun has no eyes, mouth and rays.
acquire some manual skills (knowing how to handle plasticine, Das, salt dough…).
Glossary
Point of view, atmosphere, Earth, Sun, sky, space.
Required time
Three hours on the whole, divided as follows:
1. Steps 1 and 2 of the procedure can be carried out days ahead the projection, too, and they take
one hour on the whole.
2. The “darkness time”, which children can bear, is around one hour and that is exactly the time
dedicated to the projection (from step 3 to step 5 of the procedure).
3. Step 6 has to be carried out right after the projection.
4. Step 7 has to be carried out in one of the following days. Expected time: one hour.
Needed material
1.
2.
3.
A dark room where to project a PowerPoint presentation (for example “From the Earth to…”
which can be found in the website www.polare.it). The first image has to be replaced by an
image of the town where children live. Another choice would be to visit a Planetarium. Ask the
people in charged to project some slides in the following order: an image of students’ own
town as seen from above; an image of their own state (for example Italy); an image of their
own country (for example Europe); an image of the Earth; an image of the starry sky; some
images of the Sun. A third choice would be to project some slides in the classroom.
Material for shaping as chosen by the teacher: Das, plasticine…
Sheets of papers, crayons, felt-tip pens…
Procedure
1.
An open discussion has to take place before leaving: what do children think they will see in this
journey towards the Sun? The discussion has not to be leaded. Moreover, since children are very
young, it can not last long. (See sample card “Free discussion”).
a)
b)
Picture 1.0.1- Before the trip, children draw how they imagine the Sun, the Earth, the Moon, the stars. Two drawings.
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2.
Have children represent the Earth and the Sun by means of “pongo” or plasticine or salt dough (note:
children have to feel free to express themselves), in order to identify the presence either of
misconceptions or age-related stereotypes.
a)
b)
Picture 1.0.2 – Sample of Sun, Earth, Moon, stars representations. The other objects in the pictures represent the
space shuttle.
3.
When the trip begins, lights are faint. Remember to have children notice the different reference
points from which they are looking at the different images.
4. During the projection, ask children some questions, in order to let them recognize what they are
looking at. For this purpose it is necessary to leave them the right amount of time, so that they have
the chance to ask questions and acquire information.
5. Lights are turned off for the projection of the last two images: the starry sky and the Sun. We are
outside the Earth’s atmosphere, therefore the sky is dark.
6. Time for thinking: a drawing entitled: “What did you like (or what didn’t you like)?”.
a)
b)
c)
Picture 1.0.3 – Whatever context the trip is set in, the image which strikes children the most is always the same: the
Sun, the “spurts”.
7.
Children are now asked to represent the Earth and the Sun according to how they have seen them in
the “fantastic” journey and by means of the same materials they used in step 1.
Picture 1.0.4 – Representations of the Sun made by
children after the activity
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Teaching Unit 1.0: “From the Earth to…”
Didactic-methodological suggestions
Keep in mind that darkness causes panic in children, so let them “give vent” to it. What usually
happens is an increasing in the background noise. Children whisper to make sure to be together, rather
than to ask real questions.
It would be a good thing to take a picture of the products of step 1 and step 7 or to keep them. That’s
because they represent the evaluation for this Teaching Unit.
Depending upon the methodology chosen (slides, PowerPoint, visit to a Planetarium), the impression
that children get is very different. In the first two cases they realize it is fiction, while in the last one the
setting is more suggestive and can be deceiving. For this reason, it is necessary that some objects and
some reference points of everyday life can be seen in the room, in which the trip is projected. This is
meant for keeping fantasy from taking over reality and for not losing the scientific approach. The
scientific approach is the main topic of the entire course and it is emphasized through this trip.
Remember to point out the main item of this approach: the different reference points from where objects
are seen beyond the imaginative “door of the space shuttle”.
Be very careful to the time that is spent. This teaching unit is meant for drawing pupils’ attention, for
arousing their interest. For this reason it is not a good thing to evaluate pupils. In this sense, the shaping
of the Sun and of the Earth, by means of plasticine or Das, can be considered as an evaluation activity.
It is important to keep in mind that one of the objectives of this teaching unit is to have pupils acquire
the idea that the Earth and the Sun are spherical in shape.
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Sample of free conversation
In the first years of Elementary School, it is useful to start the activity by means of a free
conversation, which allows for identification of children’s misconceptions. A sample is given in the
following lines.
Take into consideration that the sample below is taken from an Italian Nursery School: children have
already been subject to structured cognitive inputs.
The question which was asked was: “How do you see the Sun in your mind?”
The approach was the same for both classes. The sample below is a mix of children’s answers from
both classes.
-
The Sun is round in shape.
-
The Sun is bigger than the Earth.
-
The Moon is round in shape and it is a half.
-
The Earth might be round, and I imagine the Moon to be sometimes half, sometimes full.
-
I imagine the World to be round in shape and the Moon to be full.
-
The Sun is round in shape and it has rays, the Moon is round in shape, as well.
-
The Moon is round in shape and it has a lot of holes.
-
The Earth is round in shape and the Moon is both round and a half.
-
The Moon has both small and big holes.
-
The Sun is round in shape and it has rays, the Moon is a half.
-
The Sun has rays and the Moon sometimes looks like a banana and sometimes is round in shape.
-
The half Moon has a lot of holes and it looks like cheese.
-
The Moon looks like a ball.
-
It is made out of cheese.
-
No it is not. It is made out of fire.
-
No, it is not. It is as gray as the asphalt.
-
It is made out of desert.
-
It is made out of earth.
-
The Sun is going the other direction, the Earth covers it, it makes a shadow because there are a
lot of houses.
-
The Sun is going away, far away, to China where it makes the morning come. When here it is
nighttime, in Africa it is daytime, as a logical consequence. I thought there was Saturn, which
fired with a gun (everybody laughs). It is a planet, well, it is higher than the sky.
-
My brother told me that stars are not stars, they are actually planets.
-
Planets are earths, they are far away towns, in Africa, China, Northern America.
-
Small earths in the sky, with aliens, if they exist.
-
Teacher, if you want I can print a draw of the planets with my computer.
-
Stars are planets, which are illuminated by the Sun.
-
Stars are huge stones, they don’t have rays like these.
-
They are made out of gas and fire.
-
They are made out of fire.
-
I agree.
-
Stars are not planets.
-
They are not stones, either.
-
The Earth is a planet, the one with the green stuff around, the grass, the blue water, lagoons,
ditches, the earth, the trees.
-
The Earth is round in shape, where there is our land, it looks like a boot, our region, Italy.
-
Jupiter is bigger than Saturn, but Saturn has more satellites.
-
The Moon is a satellite, too.
-
Satellites are space shuttles.
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Sample of the beginning of the journey with children
Note: this sample is related to the PowerPoint presentation, which can be found in the website
www.polare.it in the part dedicated to the Heavens above! project, under the entry “Presentations”.
The first slide (which in this text represents a feature of the city of Bologna) has to be replaced by an
image representing either a square or a monument of the children’s own town as seen from above.
Usually, you can find pictures like these very easily either by some photo amateur or air club. They can
also be postcards, which can be scanned.
0) Are you ready? Now you sit down, we turn off the light and we are ready to take off…
1) First of all, we have to ask the headmaster for the permission to go, we must have the roof of the
school open, after that the space shuttle will take off; now, listen, if you hear four sharp sounds with a
constant range of time in between one another, we will take off. Meanwhile, let’s turn on our engines and
here you are the four sharp sounds, pretend you are fastening your seat belts and let’s go, we are taking
off…
2) …but how high are we by now? Let’s open the first hatch. Even if we are protected, we can see very
well…
3) I can see the two towers, we have flown high, we can see pedestrians…
4) Even higher and here you are Italy, it looks like a boot, even higher and here you are the Earth, but
there are clouds, we are outside our… how is it called?
5) Now a long journey towards the Sun begins, the Earth moves further and further away and the sky
gets darker and darker, but we can see the stars!!
6) Let’s try to link them together as we wish, let’s make the “game of the dots”, we will come up with
some figures, let’s see who can find out something…
7) And here you are the Sun, first we keep it covered, otherwise it bothers our eyes, we have traveled
too much in the darkness, but now, here you are, we can see it very well… but, how weird, it does not
have rays, that is weird. I wonder why they have not drawn the rays on the Sun! Oh, it is getting warmer
and warmer, may be we had better fly back to Earth, because there is a long way to go, through that
dark zone, where we can only see bright little spots, i.e. the stars…
8) And here you are the Earth, Italy, look: you cannot see the stars anymore, let’s hope to land in
Bologna, otherwise you should take either a train or a bus to go back home… The two towers, but now
we have to ask the headmaster again for landing inside the school, here you are the four sharp sounds
again and… yes, may be we have landed in the right place!
9) Now let’s go out from this space shuttle and let’s try to see if on the outside there are the hallways of
the school, so you can go back to your classroom…
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Sample of children’s’ impressions after the “journey”.
- The Sun had a sprout, it looked like a dinosaurs and on the inside it had some white spots.
- The Sun is a ball of fire, the stars shine.
- The Sun is beautiful, the Sun is in the middle of the planets. It is spherical in shape, it is beautiful, it is
big, it is an orange.
- The Sun is red, the Sun makes a sprout, the Sun has rays. The stars are beautiful.
- On the roof of the house the Sun shines the morning.
- The Sun is the most beautiful in the world and it has the most beautiful colors. Its colors are: orange,
black, yellow and white.
- The Sun is beautiful, it is all colored and it comes here, in Treviso.
- Black Sun, red rays orange yellow stars.
- The Sun has no rays. It has white and black spots.
- The Sun has no rays, Orion is a giant.
- The Sun has no rays, some of its parts are cooler.
- The Sun is very hot, the black parts are cooler and sometimes it makes some sprouts.
- The Sun has black and white spots, it is red and yellow.
End of Teaching Unit 1 .0
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Teaching Unit 1.1
“Close – far”
This Teaching Unit deals with different concepts of Physics. It is an introduction to the comparison of
quantities and therefore to measure.
Contents
Observer, object, point of view.
Objectives
To
To
To
To
compare the heights between two objects.
start comparing different measures.
learn how to put in order segments from the shortest to the longest.
acquire some basic operating skills (draw lines, use the tape…).
Glossary
Observer, object, point of view.
Required time
One hour for measuring (steps 1 to 9 of the procedure); another hour for the discussion.
Needed material
Children themselves.
Pencils, if possible not with sharp points.
Colored tape.
Either a long hallway or a gym where to carry out the activity.
Procedure
In a long hallway, children themselves will be used both as “objects” and “observers”.
1.
On the floor, draw a line by means of a chalk. On this line, label as O the point where the observer
will be placed.
2.
Draw a second line, which is perpendicular in O to the first one.
3.
On this second line, label as A, B, C,… other points at different distances from O, for example by
counting the number of the floor tiles (have children decide how).
C
B
A
O
Figure 1.1.1 Placing of the points. O (observer), A, B, C (objects which are placed for example at 2, 4, 6 meters from
O; obviously, children will count the floor tiles or…).
4.
Place one child (observer) in O and another one (object) in A.
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a)
b)
Picture 1.1.2 – While setting up the activity.
5.
The observer holds a pencil in front of his/her eye with a fully extended arm, and he/she
compares one of his/her schoolmates’ height to the length of the pencil. The height will be
represented on the pencil by putting a little piece of tape (this operation is harder than what it seems
and it can be replaced, for example, by marking the pencil with a felt-tip pen).
a)
b)
c)
Picture 1.1.3 – To the left: while measuring. In the center and to the right: the same observer compares the heights
taken from two different points.
6.
The “object” moves to the second position and the observer measures him/her again following
basically the same procedure, the only difference consists in choosing a tape with a different color.
7.
Do it all over again for the last position marked on the floor: at the end each child should have a
pencil with three pieces of tape with different colors.
8.
The same measures have to be collected by every child.
9.
At the end, have every child lay his/her pencil horizontally on a page of his/her notebook and
have he/she draw three segments as long as the lengths indicated on the pencil by the pieces of tape.
a)
b)
Picture 1.1.4 – Children while drawing the three segments on their notebooks. These two children have chosen two
different methodologies. Also in this case it is better to let children do as they wish.
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10. Joint discussion: “What has happened?” (for example: has the child, who was playing the “object”
role, become shorter? Has the pencil become longer? Or…?)
11. Comparison between the length of the object and the one measured on the pencil: who is taller,
either the “object” or the pencil?
Picture 1.1.5 – Summarizing and abstraction times concerning the activity on the whole.
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Teaching Unit 1.1: “Close – far”
Remember that in step 1, the first position (A) has to be chosen in such a way that the object which
has to be measured is as tall as or taller than the pencil. This activity has to be carried out one by one by
every child. In any case if there are two teachers, children can be divided into two groups. Conclusions
have to be drawn by all the children together. At this point the drawings are important: it is necessary to
have children draw what they have measured because it represents an important abstraction time.
Picture 1.1.6 – Two different times of
abstraction: a joint text, which was
previously put into words, and its
representation. The three coloured columns
represent the three measures of the object
from different observation points. Teachers
stress the fact that after this activity,
children have started using the ruler and
being more precise in other activities, too.
In order to consolidate the concepts, which have been introduced, teachers can play some games in the
gym as suggested in the card about games in the gym.
•
The image on the evaluation card has to contain people and objects placed in three different
grounds.
Activity for concept consolidation
1.
Take an object and have children formulate hypothesis about what will happen if it is placed in
the same positions of the former activity. The aim is to verify that what they have learnt can be
generalized. It stands not only for people: the further an object moves, the smaller it seems to
become.
2.
Let’s play “Who knows it?”: choose two objects which have different heights (for example a
bottle of oil and a can) and ask the question: “which is the tallest in the different positions?”.
Teachers have to be clever and let the furthest object be taller than the closer. This allows to sap
the idea, which children might have, that “the furthest object is as well the shortest”.
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Evaluation test
Imagine you are by the window and you are looking
outside. There are two children in the garden.
1. Mark with a blue cross the object which is closer to you:
EITHER
THE GIRL
OR
THE TREE?
2. Mark with a red cross the object which is closer to you:
EITHER
THE BOY
OR
THE HEDGE?
3. Mark with a black cross the object which is closer to you:
EITHER
THE HEDGE
OR
THE TREE?
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1.
Draw a straight line on the floor and label as O the point where the observer will be placed.
On a straight line perpendicular to this one in O, place three stools at different distances.
Have a child stand on the first stool. One by one, the other children play the observer role.
Holding an Indian club in one of their hands, with a straight arm, have them close one eye and
compare their classmate’s height to the length of the club. The height has to be marked by
means of a piece of tape.
Then the child moves to the other stools, further and further away form the observer, in order to
obtain three marks on the club.
Even if data recorded on the club were not always precise, children have noticed that:
“We have three different values”.
“The further the child, the shorter the mark”.
“Our schoolmate is as tall as the club”.
2. Take some wooden Indian clubs being equal as far as height, and place them on two parallel
lines, one closer to the children and one further. By means of a ball, children have to hit the
clubs, which are on the line behind, i.e. the furthest ones.
Standing on a line, one by one, children tried to knock down as many “towers” as they could by
letting a ball roll. Children said:
“The furthest ones are hard to hit”.
“The closest ones are in front of the others”.
“Those in foreground are closer to us”.
3.
Lay some wooden hoops on the floor, on a line, at the same distance from one another and quite
close to each other. One by one, children have to follow the path. The rules are: they have to
jump from one hoop to the other and not to skip any hoop. Then, the hoops are moved further
from each other and children have to do all over again. Keep moving further and further the
hoops until some children cannot jump anymore from one hoop to the other.
Children observed that:
“Closer is easier”.
“The further they are, the harder I have “to work””.
“I have to jump if they are far away”.
End of Teaching Unit 1.1
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Teaching Unit 1.2
“Big – small”
This Teaching Unit represents an enhancement of the previous one, and it allows for introducing pupils to
the concept of height of an object. In the hands-on activity, which is presented here, the teacher is
supposed to be part of a “game”. The concepts, which are here introduced, will be studied in depth in the
following teaching units.
Contents
Dimension comparison.
Measure comparison.
Concept of unit of measure.
Objectives
To compare the dimensions of different objects.
To acquire, or at least get an idea of, the concepts of measure and unit of measure.
Glossary
Measure, unit of measure.
Required time
One hour to compare teacher’s dimensions to a child’s ones, and half an hour for the discussion.
Needed material
Children themselves.
Teacher as an object.
Colored chalks.
A pretty long hallway or a gym.
Procedure
1.
By means of a chalk, draw a segment on the floor and label as O the point where the observer will be
placed (one by one, every child).
2. Draw another segment which is perpendicular to the former one in O. Label as A the point where the
object (a child) will be placed.
3. Label as B, C, D… other points where the teacher will later be placed.
D
C
B
A
O
Figure 1.2.1 – Scheme representing the positions of the points.
4.
At first, teacher stands in the B position. The observer in O tells the other children if he/she can see
the teacher’s head.
18
Picture 1.2.2- A drawing which shows that a process of abstraction has already occurred.
5.
While children observe, teacher sets his/her self in the C, D… positions, further and further away from
the observer. For every position, the observer tells the other children if he/she can see the teacher.
Later, the teacher moves closer again to the first position.
6. After every child has carried out the activity, ask the question: “Does the teacher become shorter and
larger? Or what happens instead?”.
7. Discuss with children what “to measure” means (see Didactic-methodological suggestions).
Remember that with the word “to measure” we mean “compare a quantity to another arbitrary one,
chosen as unit” (this is what we actually do when we measure for example the width of a table: we are
actually comparing the dimension of the table to a meter, decimeter…). In this case, what it is done is to
use a child as a unit of measure and teacher’s dimensions are compared to it. Every child has to measure
by his/her self. The question, which we want to find an answer for, is the following one: “Is the teacher
always taller then the child?”
•
The Evaluation activity for this Teaching Unit consists in just some drawings, and it can be
considered as a final conclusion for the previous Teaching Unit, too. The second part of the card
requires a major mental effort for the children. It is important that you stress this fact while children
are being tested. If some child shows difficulties, we suggest to set up the activity and move the
objects.
a)
b)
Picture 1.2.3 – Sample of answers given on the evaluation test.
Concept consolidation activity
Switch the roles: teacher stands in the A position, while a child sets his/her self in all the different
positions, one by one. If the activity has been carried out properly, this one is just a check for the
observations that pupils have done in the former activity.
19
Teaching Unit 1.2 : “Big – small”
Sample of evaluation activity
Note for the teacher
For the evaluation, you need to have a can of Coke and a can of Fanta having the same dimensions,
and a can having bigger dimensions. It is important that the objects are similar in shape.
First part
Place two similar objects (for example a can of Coke (object A) and a can of Fanta (object B)) on the
edge of the teacher’s desk, which is the furthest from the children. Children have to answer to
question 1 of the Evaluation activity. Move the object B closer to the children. Have them check if
their first draw is correct.
Second part
Do it all over but with two different objects for A and B (with A smaller than B) and always in the
same line.
Children have to answer to question 2 of the Evaluation activity.
Move the object A closer to children. Have them check if their previous draw is correct.
20
Teaching Unit 1.2: “Big – small”
Evaluation activity
1.
Observe the can of Coke (object A) and the can of Fanta (object B): they have the same height and
they are at the same distance from you. Pretend the can of Fanta is closer to you than the can of
Coke. Make a draw about how you imagine to see the two cans.
Now object A has actually been moved closer to you: check if your drawing is correct.
2.
Observe the objects A anb B: now A is smaller than B, but they are always at the same distance from
you.
Pretend that A is closer to you than B. Make a draw about how you imagine to see the two objects.
Now object A has actually been moved closer to you: check if your drawing is correct.
21
Teaching Unit 1.3
“Right – left”
In this Teaching Unit, the concepts of reflection and right-left will be passed on to students. The teacher
will introduce the concepts, and he/she will take them up again and again, in a constant iteration. They
can also be taken up once again and enhanced by means of games played in the gym.
Contents
Relativity of the observer’s position, reflection, concept of symmetry.
Objectives
To
To
To
To
distinguish between one’s own right and one’s own left.
distinguish between somebody else’s right and somebody else’s left.
distinguish between the right and the left of a reflected image.
identify an object from its position (right, left) with respect to a fixed observer.
Required time
This activity lasts around four hours on the whole: part A lasts two hours and part B lasts another two
hours.
Needed material
Either “Mister O” or a doll.
A room with a window.
A mirror a little bit taller than the children.
Either an instant or a digital camera.
Procedure
The activity has to be carried out in two different times:
Part A: to distinguish between the right and the left
1. Draw a straight line on the floor in front of a window, parallel to the line defined by the junction of the
floor with the wall. Label as O a point on the line; label as A a point to the left of O, and as B a point on
the right.
A
O
B
Figure 1.3.1 – Positions from where the first observations are carried out. The straight line is drawn on the floor and
the observer (O) looks outside the window. Both points A and B have to be at least one meter away from O.
2. Have one child stand in O, look outside and tell what he/she sees outside the window (it would be
better to take a picture while standing in the O position).
Picture 1.3.2 – While observing: in front of the windows, divided in groups, children tell what they see.
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3. First while standing in the A and then in the B position, do all over again (here take pictures, as well).
You have students draw what they have seen in order to enhance observation.
Picture 1.3.3 – Sample of a process of abstraction: children drew what they saw from the different positions.
The object on the bottom part is a detail (in this case a bench) which allows to consolidate the concept of relativity of
reciprocal positions, too.
4. “Replace” the window with a mirror. What does the child see? Also now it is useful to take a picture.
5. Pictures help the discussion, which has to be carried out right after the activity ends. In the discussion
the fundamental aspects of the activity have to be stressed:
what changes among the things that we observe if we change the point of view;
what changes if we look outside a window or if we are facing a reflecting body.
Picture 1.3.4 – Sample of conclusion drawn in the discussion.
Part B: right and left in a mirror
1.
Now we use a mirror: tell the child who stands in front of a mirror (A) what he/she has to do, for
example:
a) raise your right arm;
b) move one of your arms so that the image in the mirror raises its own right arm.
2.
Have another child (S) substitute the mirror: every command given to (A) must be executed by
(S), too in a specular way (discussion and observation upon what changes).
3.
Back to the mirror: there is always a child (A) who looks at him/her self in the mirror; another
child (O) has to stand in a position from where he/she can see (A) but not the (A)’s image
reflected in the mirror. The first child moves and the second one, the observer, tells what the
reflected image does.
I can’t see the
mirror. What
does the child
in the mirror do
A
O
Figure 1.3.5 – O can see A but not the image in the mirror.
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4. The final discussion has to be carried out while students keep looking at their drawings. Have students
observe the reversed (leftside right) movements, which the reflected image does with respect to the real
person.
Being able of distinguishing between the right and the left is one of children’s basic skills. That’s why we
have chosen to separate this Teaching Unit into two parts. Part A involves activities carried out using
children in front of a window and using children and a mirror. Part B involves activities carried out using
children and their images reflected in a mirror. These two parts are different as far as difficulties are
concerned, and it is necessary that part B is subsequent to part A.
During the school year, they can be carried out again, even just partially, in order to consolidate
concepts, which have been previously acquired.
The evaluation card requires a fair attention: give children thirty minutes for writing it out.
We suggest to play the games in the gym in order to consolidate the concepts. When they are over, give
students other enhancement cards and have them fill in other evaluation cards, in particular at the end of
the school year
Picture 1.3.6 – A sample of enhancement game carried out in a class: one’s own right hand had to be painted with the
red color, the left one with the blue one.
Concept consolidation game
For this game, it would be useful to have Mister O; in order to do that, you can build it (Construction
card). In any case, if you do not feel like making it, you can take a doll and pretend that…
How to carry out the activity
Mister O describes the position of the objects with respect to himself; he always describes the positions
using nothing but his body as a reference system: the information (right, above, in front of…) is always
given making reference to Mister O. A sample is given below.
Guess what… is a score game: one point is given for every right answer, the one who gets first to 3
points is the one who wins. Mister O stands on a desk and around him there are four or more objects.
After a while, turn Mister O a little bit and ask, for example, the following question: which object is now
on Mister O’s right side?
24
Teaching Unit 1.3: “Right – left”
Evaluation test
Look carefully at the following image.
Which is the man’s right hand? Paint it with red.
Which is the man’s left hand? Paint it with blue.
Now look carefully at this image and answer to the following questions.
Which objects is on the man’s right side? Make a red circle around it.
Which objects is on the man’s left side? Make a blue circle around it.
Make a green cross below the object, which is on your right.
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Evaluation test
(to be done at the end of the school year)
LOOK AT THE IMAGE AND FILL IN THE BLANK SPACES
On the man’s right side there is………
…………………………………
On the man’s left side there is………
…………………………………
On the man’s right side there is………
…………………………………
On the man’s left side there is………
…………………………………
DRAW A RIBBON ON THE GIRL’S RIGHT PONYTAIL.
DRAW A BONE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DOG.
26
Enhancement card
DRAW A TREE INSIDE THE RECTANGLE ON YOUR RIGHT AND A BUTTERFLY INSIDE THE
RECTANGLE ON YOUR LEFT.
PRETEND YOU ARE
OBSERVING THE WINDOW OF
A SHOP.
YOU CAN SEE THESE TOYS.
IN EACH ONE OF THE
SQUARES BELOW, WRITE THE
NAME OF THE RIGHT TOY.
ON YOUR LEFT
IN THE MIDDLE
ON YOUR RIGHT
BOTTOM
……………………….
………………………
……………………..
TOP
………………………
………………………
……………………..
27
“Mister O” construction card
(also known as artificial egocentric observer)
Aim
To have students get used to points of view which are conflicting with their owns, and therefore have
them get used to different reference systems from their own.
Procedure-methodological suggestions
It can be made out either of plywood (and therefore be an outline) or of fabric and filled with padding. It
takes some time to make it out of fabrics, but often children have someone make others for them and
the game becomes more interesting.
Materials
Either plywood or both fabrics and padding.
Construction
1.
If you use plywood, all you need to do is to draw the outline of a stylized man: it has to be small
(around 30 cm) so that children can handle it easily. Then you have to saw the plywood.
Figure 1.3.7 – Mister O’s outline
2.
If you use fabrics:
a) Double the fabrics and draw the outline of a man on it.
b) Sew it all around the edges leaving an opening to insert the padding.
c)
Turn the fabrics inside out through this opening (so that the seams will remain on the
inside) and fill in the “bag”, which has come out, with the padding.
Picture 1.3.8 – Mister O made out of fabrics.
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Sample of discussion
Children had first looked outside the window and they drew what they saw. Then they kept on working:
they observed just a detail (the bench) and they put some stamps in three different positions on some
sheets of paper.
Finally we observed the pictures, which were taken, and we collected the observations:
Discussion carried out with children while looking at pictures taken through window 1, 2 and 3
TEACHER: What changes and what doesn’t change when we look outside the three windows?
CHILDREN: The bench in picture n.1 is in the middle, in picture n.2 is a little bit on the right, and in
picture n.3 it is completely on the left.
- In picture n.1 there are two staircases on the bottom left, in n.2 you can see half a staircase on the
bottom left, in n.3 you can’t see any staircases anymore.
- In picture n.1 I can see a gate on the right, in n.2 it’s moved a little bit to the left. In n.3 I can’t see it
anymore because the trees hide it.
- In picture number 3, on the right, I can see half of the big tree (it is big because it is close), in n.2 it
has moved a little bit to the right and I can see less than half of it, in n.1 it has disappeared.
- In picture n.1 I can see part of the school on the left, in n.2 this part is smaller because it’s moved to
the left, in n.3 I can see no parts anymore.
- I can see a bare tree on the right side of the bench, in n.2 it has moved a little to the left and in n.3 it
has moved even more to the left.
- In picture n.3 there is the handrail on bottom right, in n.2 it has moved a little to the left, in n.1 one I
can see it nomore.
TEACHER: did you see different things from the three windows because things actually moved?
CHILDREN: No, we saw different things because we moved.
During the discussion I asked children to define the positions spatially. This helped them be more precise
while describing what they were seeing.
The activity went on to the mirror part and to the games, those suggested plus other ones.
At the same time, other games have been played. They involved the distinction between the right and
the left with reference both to someone’s self and to other people. We will go on to die painting of both
the right and the left hands and to Mister O’s game.
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Sample of 1st Module consolidation games
to be played in the gym
1.
Spread children all around the gym. Each of them has to have a stick lying by his/her feet. The
exercise consists in jumping either to the left or to the right of the stick according to the command
given.
2.
Spread all around the gym as many Indian clubs as the number of children. The clubs have to
stand. When the teacher says “go”, children start running around without letting the clubs fall down.
When they hear just one sound signal, they have to stop at the right side of the club, when they hear
two, at the left side.
3.
Children are spread in front of a line drawn on the floor of the gym. When they see a visual signal
(for example a flag waving) they have to move to the right side of the line.
4.
Divide children into couples and have each of them stand face to face. The exercise consists in
recognizing which one is their schoolmate’s right hand, left foot, etc. (in order to make the game
easier, both right hands can be painted in blue and both left hands in red).
5.
Lay two different pieces of equipment on the floor, close to a child and ask another child what
he/she can see on the right… on the left…
6.
Children wait on a line, beyond a starting line drawn on the floor. When the teacher says “go”
they have to begin walking on a rope lying on the floor and when they hear a sound signal they have
to jump to the right side of the rope and keep jumping on this side. When the teacher says “change”
they have to jump to the left side and keep jumping.
7.
Divide children into couples and spread them all around the gym. Each couple has to have a piece
of equipment, which it has chosen previously. One of the two children has to place him/her self, for
example, on the right side of the tool in order to carry out a required movement, the other one has to
say if his/her schoolmate is either in the right or on the left side of the object.
30
If I were…
(plan for the Night Under the Stars)
Required time: one hour at most.
It is very important to choose the right night: a thin crescent Moon has to be visible. Given children’s
youth, we suggest to stay at school, during wintertime, after afternoon classes are over. This allows for
carrying out observations from a place children know well (usually it is the school garden or a field
nearby), and to see it in a different time from the one they are used to.
The Night Under the Stars allows for knowledge consolidation. It can be carried out keeping in mind these
three steps:
•
Light and darkness alternation, while observing together what’s happening in the real world
•
Right-left, with respect to the crescent Moon. One of the games which charms children is: “If I
were the Moon, I would see…. But I am…, and therefore I can see…” which allows to consolidate
the importance of the reference point, too.
In this game, a tape recorder can be used, in order to listen again, in the following days, to what children
said. This allows for a discussion with children about their experience.
•
The Night Sky view (already carried out meanwhile the initial journey fiction): let’s play at linking
the dots of the stars finding out fantastic images, about which children will find out fairy tales
later in class.
It can be an interdisciplinary activity, but also a time of strong emotional impact: darkness is not that
easy to face, even if together it is easier.
The Night can take place after T.U. 1.3 (Right-Left) has been carried out in class, so that the Night itself
can represent both an evaluation and an in-depth time.
31
Teaching Unit 1.4
“Move closer – move further”
This Unit begins with an activity, which is similar to the previous one, and then it introduces the new
concepts of orientation and direction.
Contents
Concept of orientation and direction.
Concept of directed axis.
Reference system.
Objectives
To
To
To
To
To
introduce the concept of orientation and direction upon a straight line.
consolidate the concept of measure.
consolidate the concept of reference system.
consolidate the concept of point of view.
compare/carry out measures.
Glossary
Point of view, orientation, direction, measure.
Required time
The expected time is 60 minutes at most. The activity can also be carried out again in later times to
consolidate the concepts introduced.
Needed material
A hallway long enough or a gym.
Chalks.
Pencils.
Procedure
1.
Draw a straight line on the floor and label as O and D two points on it. O and D have to be at
least 4 meters far away from each other (O represents the starting point where initially a child will be
placed; D represents the position where an object will be placed).
2.
On the OD segment, label as A, B and C three points at different distances from O (A as to be
closer to O), but at the same distance from each other.
O
A
B
C
D
Figure 1.4.1 – Sample of point position.
3.
A child stands in O and he/she compares the dimensions of an object placed in D to those of a
pencil which he/she is holding (mark the pencil as described in T.U. 1.1).
4.
Another child does it too, and then he/she moves closer to the object and places him/her self first
in A, then in B and eventually in C.
5.
From C (the closest position to the object D), the child moves further, placing him/her self to the
previous positions and checking the measures which he/she has taken previously.
32
6.
Carry out again basically what described in the former steps, this time moving closer and right after
moving further, i.e. moving for example from A to B and then from B to A (these steps has to be
carried out twice or more times, until children have understood the concept of direction).
Picture 1.4.2 – A sample of abstraction of the activity.
7.
The measures which children recorded on the pencils have to be reproduced on their notebooks.
Picture 1.4.3 – Sample of word and graphic representation of the observed phenomenon.
8.
Discussion with the whole class, about the results of the activity, in order to insist upon the
concepts of orientation and direction, which were introduced during the observation time. Eventually
children have to know the answer to the question: “If I go from home to school or from school to
home, what changes in my way?”
Didactical-methodological suggestions
The activity has to be carried out by every pupil, just because the concepts of orientation and direction,
which are introduced in this T.U., are very important. It is therefore important to spend the right amount
of time for this activity and to give it the room it requires, in order to have children acquire the concepts
in the right way. This activity can be carried out again later on in different times, in order to verify and
consolidate the acquisition and consolidation of the information itself.
We suggest to give thirty minutes for the evaluation card, in order to allow for a check concerning the
acquisition of the concept of direction.
Where is the object? A child plays Mister O role and he/she hides an object in the classroom.
Schoolmates have to look for the object, following his/her instructions (for example: on my left, two
steps away from me…). The one who finds it first, plays the role of Mister O and it is his/her turn to hide
the object.
33
Teaching Unit 1.4: “Move closer – Move further”
Evaluation test
HAVE A LOOK AT THE DRAWING: YOUR HOUSE IS THE BUILDING ON THE BOTTOM LEFT.
ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BY DRAWING IN THE SQUARES THE RIGHT OBJECT:
IF I WALK FROM MY HOUSE TO SCHOOL, I WILL MEET:
BEFORE
AFTER
IF I WALK FROM SCHOOL TO MY HOUSE, I WILL MEET:
BEFORE
AFTER
34
Teaching Unit 1.5
“Environment, Light and Darkness”
This T.U. introduces pupils to systematic observation. It can be simply run as a game in order to see who
can observe the best and therefore who can see the major amount of details, which can be seen in the
different settings.
Contents
Observation of some “Astronomical” phenomena.
Systematic observation as basis for the Scientific method.
Objectives
To introduce the concept of data recorded over a period time.
To introduce the concept of observation as an aware activity.
To introduce the concept that the observed phenomena vary.
Glossary
To observe, light, shadow.
Required time
30 minutes for the first observation, 10 minutes for each one of the following observations, 4 times on
the whole in the entire school day.
Step 1 has to be carried out before the lesson takes place. They are just simple observations, which the
teacher puts in front of children. Data recording is not required in this step. It will be in the second part
of the activity.
Needed material
Notebooks. Poster.
Pencils, crayons.
A window from where to look outside.
A camera.
Procedure
The purpose of this lesson is to observe the variations, which occur on a daily routine in the environment
around us. What we mean for environment is both the inside of the classroom and the outside, i.e. what
we see outside the window. We want to highlight the “night-day” cycle, therefore light-darkness
alternation as a repeating phenomenon.
1.
Initial observations, carried out at different times during the day ahead, whose purpose is to
highlight some features (to look at the spot of light which the window makes on the floor, to look at the
shadow of an object inside the classroom at different times, to look at the shadow of a tree from the
window…).
2.
Discussion about the simple observations carried out in step 1, which allows for a joint choice
what children will observe both inside and outside the classroom (possible shadows, benches of trees,
plants…).
3.
Have children describe what they see outside the window (the description can also be substituted
by a picture, which makes the activity easier).
4.
At the same time, have children describe what they see inside the classroom (the description can
also be substituted by a picture, which makes the activity easier).
5.
Do it all over again at different times during the day (for three times on the whole). It is not
necessary to take a picture: the description is enough, but it has to be done while looking at the first
pictures. It is important that children describe what they see. That’s why this activity has to be carried
out when children have learnt how to write. Every child collects on his/her notebook data regarding
both the inside and the outside (Recording card).
35
Picture 1.5.1 – Sample of filled in - recording card.
6.
Discussion, whose purpose is to stress the differences, i.e. what changes. Have every child read
from his/her notebook what he/she has noticed. Highlight in a poster every child’s observations (Sample
of discussion).
Didactical-methodological suggestions
This is the first “systematic observation”: the observation of the changes, which occur on a daily routine
(it is therefore necessary to pay attention to luminosity and to the position and the shape of the
shadows). This observation can be carried out again, when children are at home as well as in other times
of the year, in order to verify if they acquired the information (we start introducing here the concept of
observation as a basis for the scientific method).
It is meaningful to change the observation point, in the sense that children have to observe from
different windows, without having a position that is the same for everybody. In this way, all of them can
verify directly their schoolmates’ observations (in particular, this is an effective method if in the
classroom there are wide windows).
It would be useful if children could observe the changes a plant undergoes, too. We suggest to keep a
plant on the windowsill.
Step 1 is fundamental and it could be carried out also in a different lesson, in order the have children get
used to observation gradually.
As far as the Recording card is concerned, we suggest to use pictures taken for this purpose at different
times during the activity. This is the first card, which requires students to write something. It is therefore
important since it is the first card regarding a lab activity.
Picture 1.5.2 – Sample of filled in - evaluation card.
36
Teaching Unit 1.5: “Environment, Light and Darkness”
Recording card
(for students)
OBSERVATION
DATE AND HOUR
INSIDE
37
OBSERVATION
DATE AND HOUR
OUTSIDE
38
Evaluation test
Looking at the two drawings, write what, in your opinion, has changed during the observation.
BEFORE
AFTER
The run goes on… fill in the third sketch.
39
Real sample of a joint discussion, after the record of the personal observations
TEACHER: - What changes did you observe outside the window during the three observation sessions?
CHILDREN:
-
Trees weren’t moving, but they did look like they were, when we were moving.
-
The Sun, the first time, was “a little bit” and it hit the right side of the school and there was
“more shade”. The second time, there was “a little bit more” Sun and “a little less” shade. The
third time there was “a lot of” Sun and “very little” shade.
-
The first time there was a little bit of light attached at the windows and close to the soccer field
there was a lot of shade. Then the Sun light moved a little bit more and after that the shade was
half.
TEACHER: - What about inside the classroom?
CHILDREN:
-
At 9.15 there was but shade inside the classroom.
-
Then at 10.45 there was a little bit of Sun on the big carpet.
-
After there was even more.
-
At 12.15 there was a little bit more Sun, but still there was a lot of shade.
40
Teaching Unit 1.6
“Let’s play with light and…”
This Teaching Unit is both a roundup of items discussed previously and a playtime. Moreover it introduces
students to the concepts of source of light and “absence of light”.
Contents
All those involved in the previous Teaching Units.
Scientific method for observations.
Objectives
To
To
To
To
acquire the concept of eye as an instrument.
acquire the concept of source of light.
acquire the concept of illuminated object (which does not yield light).
know how to compare the dimensions of different objects.
Glossary
Source of light, darkness.
Required time
Two hours on the whole, which are split into two different days: one hour for developing part A and one
hour for part B.
Needed material
A dark room.
An illuminated room.
Different objects.
Procedure
It is a summing-up lesson of all the concepts, which have been introduced. Moreover, some important
Physics concepts are added. The activity is divided into two parts A and B, which have to be carried out
on two different days.
Part A: the eye as an instrument
1.
Have students choose four objects, which they want to observe. They have to be different in size.
2.
Place the objects, which the children have chosen, at different distances and then tell children to
close one of their eyes and to put a finger in front of the open one: every child has to write on the
card which objects he/she can hide (recording card).
Picture 1.6.1 – Objects are chosen and placed.
41
3.
Have students move their finger further from their eye and have them do all over again two more
times, by putting their finger at different distances from the eye. Data have to be recorded always on
the same card.
Picture 1.6.2 – Objects are observed moving the finger further and further from the eye.
4.
General discussion which has to show if students have really acquired some concepts. They should
actually have been acquired previously (in particular see Teaching Units 1.1, 1.2, 1.3).
Part B: sources of light and illuminated objects
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Use the four objects chosen in the previous part and together with children, place them in the same
room which now is completely dark.
Tell children to describe what they see.
Turn on a lamp (place it where children cannot see it) and tell children again to describe what they
see.
Move the lamp so that children can see it and ask the question: “What objects can you see?”
In the illuminated room, tell children to close their eyes and keep them close. Ask again the previous
question.
General discussion about the conditions, which are necessary, in order to see the objects. Therefore:
a source of light, the objects, an instrument, which allows to see them, in our case the eye or the
camera and the brain for their interpretation.
Since a consistent part of this T.U. is a roundup (at least in part A), it is important that the evaluation
activity and the final games allow for understanding if the majority of the pupils have acquired the
concepts, which have been introduced. It is also important that children understand that they can
consider the eye as an instrument.
The evaluation test takes around fifty minutes. It is very likely that this is the first multiple choice test
that children have ever faced, therefore give them all the time they need to discuss.
Have children stand in a room that later will be completely darkened and where there is a mirror.
Turn on a lamp (children do not have to see it). Objects will be illuminated and therefore visible. Ask
children where is the source of light, first with respect to themselves, then with respect to the mirror and
finally with respect to other objects (remember that they have to use the words right and left). This is
meant to be a checking activity for all the T.U.s., which have been carried out, too.
42
Teaching Unit 1.6: “Let’s play with light and…”
Recording card
(for students)
Position of the
finger
Object 1
It can be
seen
It can not
be seen
Object 2
It can be
seen
It can not
be seen
Object 3
It can be
seen
It can not
be seen
Object 4
It can be
seen
It can not
be seen
Close to the eye
A little further
from the eye
A little bit more
further from the
eye
With a fully
extended arm
Evaluation test
Mark with a cross the right answer (or answers):
1.
A source of light is:
q an object which yields light.
q an object which is illuminated.
q a dark object.
2.
An illuminated object is:
q an object which yields light.
q an object which is hit by the light of a lamp.
q an object which can be seen even if there are no sources of light.
3.
Your eye allows you for:
q seeing the objects in a dark room.
q seeing the light which the objects yield.
q seeing the objects illuminated by the light.
End of 1st module
43

Heavens above!

Transcription

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