Light and Sound Unit Overview - Grade 3
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This document summarizes a unit on light and sound energy that was taught collaboratively by multiple educators. It describes how students engaged in hands-on activities and investigations to build their understanding of what light and sound are, how they travel, and how sounds can be manipulated. By the end of the unit, students demonstrated improved abilities to conduct investigations and showed understanding that light and sound are forms of energy. The educators felt that their collaboration resulted in engaging, inquiry-based lessons that helped students learn and differentiated instruction to meet individual needs.
Light and Sound Unit Overview - Grade 3
- 1. What is Light? What is Sound? Holly Brown Tracey Knight Cheryl Sundstrom Kristina Hansen Sarah Starr
- 2. Overview of the Unit ENERGY IS EVERYWHERE What is Light Energy? What is Light? Building background information on Light. How does Light travel? Do all materials react the same to Light? What can you make, but cannot see? What is Sound Energy? What is Pitch?
- 3. How did students develop or improve their ability to conduct investigations? Students had to explore hands on centers about the various types of energy and create an artifact showing their understanding about energy. With each activity regarding light, students had to complete guided notes which included generating hypotheses and stating conclusions. Students became better at planning and following their plans to explore the question/problem presented to them. Students were also given opportunities to investigate using a variety of materials and guiding questions to encourage investigation without step-by-step instructions. Throughout the entire unit, students created and revised a KWL chart to evaluate their growing knowledge about light. Students made observations, collected data, made predictions, and were involved in many hands on activities .
- 4. How did the unit build student understanding over the course of the unit? Students learned that light was actually energy and not just magic. Students learned that sound is a type of energy and they can create and manipulate sounds. Students learned that light travels in a straight line unless it encounters a solid, a liquid, or a gas. Students learned how to actively take part in investigations, collect data, make observations, develop hypotheses, and report findings. Student were able to reflect on their initial understanding of light and make new accurate statements regarding what they learned. Students started with a basic idea of how sound is created, but by the end of the unit they were creating and manipulating sounds and using sound vocabulary with peers. Students were able to create an instrument to demonstrate their understanding of sound and pitch.
- 5. Instrument Creation Students presented their instruments to the class and explained the purpose of the materials used for the instrument.
- 6. Do you feel that the collaborative development of the unit resulted in better instruction and learning? Our collaboration resulted in engaging activities and inquiry based lessons. The children enjoyed these lessons and gained understanding about light and sound and the scientific process. As collaborative educators, we were able to draw off of each others strengths and prior knowledge to enhance this unit. Collaboration helped us differentiate our instruction in order to meet the learning modalities of each individual student. Collaboration also promoted feedback and encouraged revision to the unit.
- 7. Summary Comments Some of the lesson activities would run more smoothly if you have added adult guidance. When we teach this unit again, we focus the energy lesson on light and sound only rather than include the other types of energy. The students thoroughly enjoyed participating in the hands-on unit activities. Although this unit is not perfect, the students gained significant understanding about light and sound. We also recognized that the pre and post test could use some tweaking.