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More Than Magnifiers

Claudia Cue & Joan Tennison
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Lesson Plan 1
Lesson Plan 2
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Elementary Science Methods Home

5E Lesson Plan # 2 of 4

AUTHOR: Joan Tennison

TITLE OF THE LESSON: Lights, Cameras, Action!

TECHNOLOGY LESSON (circle one):         No

DATE OF LESSON: October 31, 2008

LENGTH OF LESSON: 45 minutes

NAME OF COURSE: Sixth Grade Science

SOURCE OF THE LESSON: GEMs Guides: More Than Magnifiers: Activity 2: Cameras

TEKS ADDRESSED:

  • (2)  As students learn science skills, they identify components of the solar system including the Sun, planets, moon, and asteroids and learn how seasons and the length of the day are caused by the tilt and rotation of the Earth as it orbits the Sun. Students investigate the rock cycle and identify sources of water in a watershed. In addition, students identify changes in objects including position, direction, and speed when acted upon by a force.
  • (2)  Scientific processes. The student uses scientific inquiry methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to: (B)  collect data by observing and measuring; (C)  analyze and interpret information to construct reasonable explanations from direct and indirect evidence
  • (4) Scientific processes. The student knows how to use a variety of tools and methods to conduct science inquiry. The student is expected to: (A)  collect, analyze, and record information using tools including beakers, petri dishes, meter sticks, graduated cylinders, weather instruments, timing devices, hot plates, test tubes, safety goggles, spring scales, magnets, balances, microscopes, telescopes, thermometers, calculators, field equipment, compasses, computers, and computer probes
  • 2061 Benchmarks: The Designed World (6-8th grade)- Information can be carried by many media, including sounds, light, and objects.

CONCEPT STATEMENT:

  • Optical instruments such as cameras depend on the refraction of light by lenses made of transparent glass or plastic. Lenses are designed akin to 2 prisms placed base to base. Each ray of light is bent toward the normal as it enters a prism and away from the normal as it emerges into the air. The net effect is that the rays of light are bent toward the thicker part of the prism and converge at the principal focus, F. There is a principal focus on both sides of the lens. The distance between F and the optical center, C, of the lens is called the focal length, f. This is the primary characteristic of the lens (Physical Science With Modern Applications, 1993.)

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES:

Students will be able to

  • Focus light using a lens
  • Measure focal length
  • Diagram how light reacts when passing through a lens
  • Compare a camera to a human eye

RESOURCES:

Per Class

Light source

Per Group or Pair

  • 1 lens 40-100 mm focal length
  • 1 lens 80-300 mm focal length
  • 2 Styrofoam or Plastic cup
  • 2 Manila Folders or White paper

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:

Light bulbs will become hot after use, avoid burning self or others

Take precaution using electric outlets and walking around cords

SUPLEMENTARY MATERIALS, HANDOUTS:

Magnifiers Camera Exploration Guide

Camera/Eye Comparison Chart

Engagement

  

Time: _10 minutes_______

What the Teacher Will Do

Probing Questions

Student Responses

Potential Misconceptions
  1. Show students a film camera and ask questions 1-4
  2. Ask students to pose for a picture of the class, explain for the purpose of looking at the picture in a timely fashion, you will use a digital camera to upload the image to the computer
  3. Present questions 5 and 6 and allow students to work while you upload photo to the computer
  4. View the picture with the class
  5. Take up pre-assessment
  1. What does a camera do?
  2. What parts does a camera have?
  3. How does it create a picture?
  4. How does a digital camera differ?
  5. Talk with your partner about what you think is happening inside a film camera
  6. Each person draws a picture of what you think is happening inside of a camera
  • Students record their ideas as the teacher uploads the photograph
  • Which lens is more powerful, A or B?
  • What characteristics make it a more powerful?
  • How does a lens make something appear bigger?
    		•   

    Exploration

    		  

    Time: _15 minutes_______

    What the Teacher Will Do

    Probing Questions

    Student Responses

    Potential Misconceptions
    1. Give Cameras data sheet
    2. Discuss directions
    3. Turn on the light source
    4. Facilitate inquiry
    5. As students work, ask what image is being projected onto the file
    6. Answer questions
    • What image was projected?
    • What are some differences between cameras?
    • Compare telephoto and wide angle lenses, how are the different, which magnifies more?
    • Which lens would have a greater curvature?
    • Student use lenses to project the image of a light bulb onto a file folder or other background
    • Accept all responses and explain that activity will provide answers

    Explanation

    		  

    Time: _15 minutes_______

    What the Teacher Will Do

    Probing Questions

    Student Responses

    Potential Misconceptions
    1. Ask Questions
    2. Facilitate Discussion
    3. Draw the diagram to show how light bends in a lens
    4. Explain refraction
    5. Explain how camera works
    6. Draw/Present a diagram of a camera
    7. Draw/Present a diagram of a human eye
    8. Ask students to compare the parts
    1. Which lens has the shorter image distance?
    2. Which lens projects the largest image?
    3. Where does the light come from?
    4. What creates the phenomena of light?
    5. What does a lens do to light?
    6. What would you see if the lens was close?
    7. What would you see if the lens was far?
    8. How is the human eye like a camera?
    9. What part does light enter through?
    10. What part focuses the light?
    11. What part controls the amount of light?
    12. What part is the light focused on?
    1. Students find that lens A has a shorter image distance then lens B
      • A-short focus lens
      • B-long focus lens
    2. Students should be surprised to find that B makes the larger image because they previously found that A is more powerful magnifier
    3. Light comes from the bulb and spread out in all directions- This is a common misconception as students often identify light with its source only.
    4. Light is made of packets of energy. Students often fail to understand this, this is a good place to inquire about this common misconception.
    5. Lens bends the light
    6. If the lens were close, it appears magnified and right side up
    7. If the lens were far enough away, the image appears upside down
    8. Students compare. Important concept that was unclear to the student I interviewed.
    9. Cornea/ Aperature
    10. Lens/Lens
    11. Pupil/ Shutter
    12. The rods and cones in the back of the eye/ Film

    Evaluation

    		  

    Time: _5 minutes_______

    What the Teacher Will Do

    Probing Questions

    Student Responses

    Potential Misconceptions

         Ask students to take out a pencil and paper

    2.     Collect assessment
    • Ask students to draw a new picture of what they think is happening from the camera to their eye and write a sentence or two describing what they think is happening
    • Students should improve from their first drawing.