Etap 526
Summer 07


NAME:  Maria Teresa Ferrer Micó
Type of Lesson: Telecommunications
Lesson Plan Title:  Simple machines
Discipline and Topic:
Target Population
Curriculum Links: This lesson is a part of a long project activity about Rube Goldberg  Machines. Students have been researching about Rube Goldberg and his  inventions,  the invention process and simple machines. The actual lesson is designed as a bridge between this research activity and a hands-on project that will consist in building an  actual Rube Goldberg Machine. The lesson will show the students a “virtual” Rube Goldberg Machine; this will help the students reviewing concepts about simple machines and start having ideas about their own project.

Objectives: Students will be able to:
Media Literacy Objectives:
Materials and Timing:
Scope and Sequence –The lesson will be taught after the students’ research project about     inventions and after the concept of Rube Goldberg machines and simple machines     has been reviewed and understood.
The scope and sequence will be as follows:

Timing 
Sequence 
Comments
15 min.
 Introduction (focusing events)
Teacher and students activity
In-class discussion about their past research process asking each group to explain briefly what they have learned.

Review important vocabulary:
Pulley, wedge, inclined plane, wheel and axel, gear, gravity, potential energy… and explain that they will need to understand these words in order to do the computer activity

Explanation of the following activity in the computer lab and its objectives:
Give them the worksheet and read it together. Check for understanding and answer any questions the students may have.
20 min. Development and practice.
Students activity
Move to the computer lab. Direct them to the web site: http://www.edheads.org/activities/odd_machine/

Indicate that they should click the “start” button and complete the worksheet.

Independent activity: complete the worksheet. All the information that students need is in their activity paper

Checking for understanding
-(feedback)
Teacher activity  
 Be available for questions and problems during the computer lab activity.

Ask questions to individual students when needed

Help students with specific hardware or software problems
15 min. Closure (wrap up)
Teacher and students activity
Move back to the class

Spend the last 10-15 minutes of class reviewing the worksheet and correcting the questions. This can be done as a whole group, sharing the information students have learned from this activity.

Foment discussion and reflections.

Review the vocabulary words, especially the ones related with simple machines. This can be done stating them again or asking the definitions.

Accommodations (differentiated
Instruction, if needed)
Teacher activity  
Even though  students with special needs will have the same worksheet, be specially  available for them, helping them reading, writing or looking for specific information

       
At the end of the lesson the students have to deliver they completed worksheet and they have to participate at least twice in the introductory discussion and in the wrap up.
During the next class period the lesson will focus on developing a plan, a schedule and a blue print of their “real” Rube Goldberg Machines.
This interactive lesson will help them being ready for this next challenging activity.

Supplemental Materials
Evaluation of Students –
I will use the following rubric to evaluate the students:

Beginning
Developing
1
Accomplished
2
Excellent
3
Score
Participation and
engagement
No participation unless
direct questions are asked
Starting to participate,
adding comments to class discussions
Enough comments are added
to class discussion
Totally engaged,
active and participative    .

Simple machines
comprehension
No understanding or recall 
Some understanding , but need a lot of clarification Understanding appears after a few clarifications Shows comprehension and makes connections between the different machines
Computer performance
Needs continuously assistance and can not work independently 
After directions and examples, is able to work independently 
Works independently, needs assistance sporadically   Works autonomously and doesn’t need any re-directions

Worksheet The worksheet is not complete 
The worksheet is partially complete without any extra comments
Worksheet is complete with a few comments Worksheet is complete and interesting comments written    .
       .
  I decided to focus on four main areas: content comprehension, discussion engagement, computer performance and worksheet performance.
 As I said at the beginning of the lesson plan this is a bridge lesson between student’s research projects and the actual construction activity that will take place after this one, this is why, within this four main categories I will be focusing mainly on simple machines comprehension and the worksheet performance.
 Students need to understand simple machines’ uses and ways to combine them in order to be able to develop and build a real one.

Evaluation of the Lesson –

After completing this lesson I will qualify it as successful if students have a better understanding of simple machines and if they understand that simple machines can be combined to build a complex one like the “Odd Machine” in the interactive activity.
 I will expect that at the end of the lesson students should be more confident of their skills when using computers simulations to perform academic activities. Students should    realize that internet can be used as a non-print source to increase their knowledge.
Completing the worksheet should help students navigate through the activity and learn how to transfer non-written information into written information. If they don’t have major problems to complete it and improves their understanding the evaluation of the worksheet will be positive.
 The lesson will be successful, too, if the timing fits the schedule, and if there is enough time for discussions and completing the activity.



SAMPLE OF A WORKSHEET



Name: ____________________________________________

The Odd Machine

Your help is needed!

ROBOT is looking for his plunger. Can you help him? He will speak to you so… use your headphones!!

Go to http://www.edheads.org/activities/odd_machine/ and follow the next instructions:
1.    Click the start button.
2.    Listen to ROBOT instructions, answer to his questions and to the following ones

QUESTIONS

1.    Why is the fire extinguisher rising instead of the lobster?


2.    What simple machine can you find in a scale?


3.    What is the name of the energy stored in the spring?


4.    Can you combine a lever and a wedge to form a new machine? What is its name?


5.    Give and example of a machine formed by a wheel and an axel


6.    What is a screw? Draw one


7.    Do gears move always in opposite directions? Draw two connected gears and show they movement


8.    What is the most important force that is acting in the machines?



E-PORTFOLIO