Goals: To enable students to understand how technological advances
impact the world and often solve needs within a society.
Objectives:
Recognize characteristics of simple machines.
Describe ways that machines make work easier.
Select appropriate tool for a particular type of work.
Recognize machines are not only useful but can be
dangerous.
NationalScience Standard(s):
Teaching Standards - A. Planning a science program that is inquiry
based. This will be done by designing a curricula to meet needs, interests,
knowledge, skills and experience of students. B. Guiding and facilitating
learning. Students will be challenged to take responsibility for their
own learning. Students will be encouraged to participate fully in science
learning. C. Assessing, learning, and teaching. Teachers systematically
gather and analyze data collected from students. Teachers guide students
in self assessment. Teacher will use data to improve teaching practices.
D. Designing and managing the physical environment. Teachers of science
design and manage learning environments that provide students with the
space, time, and resources needed for learning science. E. Building learning
communities. Teachers of science develop communities of science learners
that reflect the intellectual rigor of scientific inquiry and the attitudes
and social values conducive to science learning. Assessment standard -
A. Coordination with intended purposes. Assessments are consistent with
the decisions they are designed to inform. B. Measuring student achievement
and opportunity to learn. Achievement and opportunity to learn science
must both be assessed. Equal attention must be given to the assessment
opportunity to learn and to the assessment of student. C. Matching technical
quality of data with consequences. The technical quality of the data collected
is well matched to the consequences of the decisions and actions taken
on the basis of its interpretation. (Authentic assessment) D. Avoiding
bias. Assessment practices must be fair. Assessment tasks must be reviewed
for the use of stereotypes, for assumptions that reflect the perspectives
or experiences of a particular group, for language that might be offensive
to a particular group, and for other features that might distract students
from the intended task. Tasks must be appropriately modified to accommodate
the needs of students with physical disabilities, learning disabilities
or limited English proficiency. Tasks must be set in a variety of contexts.
Content Standard B - K-4: (Physical science) As a result of the activities
in grades K-4, all students should develop an understanding of - Properties
of objects and materials - Position and motion of objects - Light, heat,
electricity, and magnetism.
NationalMathematics Standard(s):
Mathematics as Problem Solving
Mathematics as Communication
Mathematics as Reasoning
Number Sense and Numeration
Concepts of Whole Number Operations
Measurement
Mathematical Connections
NationalScience Benchmark(s): The Nature of Technology
A. Technology and Science - Tools are used to do things better or more
easily and to do some things that could not otherwise be done at all. In
technology, tools are used to observe, measure, and make things.
B. Issues in Technology - People, alone or in groups, are always inventing
new ways to solve problems and get work done. The tools and ways of doing
things that people have invented affect all aspects of life.
TennesseeScience Benchmark(s):
The following themes will receive major emphasis within this unit of
study (individual lesson will lend use of the Benchmarks):
PROCESS OF SCIENCE: UNIFYING CONCEPTS OF SCIENCE:
Theme 1.1 Observing Theme 2.1 Scale and Model
1.2 Questioning 2.2 Form and Function
1.3 Collecting Data HABITS OF MIND:
1.4 Analyzing Theme 3.5 Science and Technology
1.5 Explaining 3.6 Creative Enterprise 1.6 Communications SCIENCE IN
SOCIETY:
Theme 4.2 Personal Needs
Summary of instruction used to build Knowledge Base:
Integrated Activities: "Simple" Dessert will place
students in dilemma of selecting and recognizing appropriate tools for
making a class snack. Following this unit introduction, simple machine
centers will be stationed around the room for student investigation while
daily lessons will highlight one area at a time: Wheel and axle
(gears) 1. "Wheels Work Together" - Gears are wheels that turn
each other in opposite directions. 2. "It's Your Turn" - Large
and small gears work together. Levers 1. "Big Lever, Little
Lever" - Discovering how levers work. 2. Making levers and spring
scales (diagrams). Inclined Planes 1. "A Big Letdown"
- Experimenting lowering objects using inclined planes. 2. Inclined Plane
and Spring Scale - Experimentation with the use of models. 3. "Inclined
Planes and Levers - Collecting and interpreting data from models. Screws
(should be taught after inclined plane) 1. "Wrap It Up" - Understanding
that screws are spiral inclined planes. 2. "Around and Around"
- To discover why screws are useful. Wedges (should be taught after
inclined planes) 1. "Nailed Down" - To understand that wedges
are made up of one or more inclined planes. 2. "Wedges Have Edges"
- The uses of wedges and safety. Pulleys 1. "Crank It Up"
- Constructing and experimenting with a small pulley to discover how pulleys
are used for lifting and lowering objects. Discovery Center - Manipulatives
will be provided (Gear board, ramps, toy cars/trucks, simple erector sets
which include nuts, bolts, screws, and books to show machines at work).
Wheel and axle (gears) 1. "Human Gears" - Gears are
wheels that turn each other. Levers 1. "Jumping Coins"
- Levers are used for lifting. 2. "Want a Lift?" - Levers are
used for lifting. Pulleys 1. "One, Two, Three - Pull!"
- To make and use a single pulley.
Students will be given dilemmas of real life situations that could
happen to them or their family and will be asked to identify the type of
machine that would best assist the task to be carried out. Children will
give justification for their selection.
Assessment for Performance Assessment Task:
Teacher observation of large/small group participation combined with
the capstone activity results will provide assessment to the unit according
to the following performance scale:
Group participation 1 - 3 points
Completion of center activities 1 - 3 points
Follow up activities(dilemmas) 1 - 3 points
Scoring rubric:
7 - 9 Outstanding performance.
4 - 6 Satisfactory performance
1 - 3 More experience needed
(OPTIONAL) Connections to other subjects:
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