Microworlds
Lesson 3
Learning About Lenses
Students will be working with different clear objects. The goal is to learn the properties of magnifiers.
3. Lesson Set-up and Management
4-5 INQB Scientists plan and conduct different kinds of investigations, depending on the questions they are trying to answer.
4-5 INQC An experiment involves a comparison.
4-5 INQD Investigations involve systematic collection and recording of relevant observations and data.
4-5 INQE Repeated trials are necessary for reliability. (Every person in the class is doing investigation and then comparing data.)
4-5 INQH Scientists communicate the results of their investigations verbally and in writing.
4-5 INQI Scientists report the results of their investigations honestly, even when those results show predictions were wrong, or when they cannot explain the results.
- Students will experiment with different shapes to find out which ones magnify.
- Students will discover the properties common to all magnifiers.
3. Lesson Set-Up and Management
Materials:
- Squares of wax paper (approximately 3 inches) need to be cut ahead of time. You will need one for each student.
- The activity sheet can be draw quickly in their student notebook. All you need to do is fold it in half. Then line a rule up on each side of the center line. This will make your four columns.
- Instead of handing out newsprint, I copy a page with the same word type over and over. (I use the word object.) I cut the words apart. Then, each student glues it to the top of their notebook page. This way all students are looking at the same word. You can then discuss what they should be seeing.
- You will need to have at least one clear jar. It is interesting if you can bring in different size and shape jars. Sometimes empty candle jars come in different shapes that are good to use.
- Have students bring objects from home to look at in lesson 4.
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The notebook page shows how the
student drew a chart, instead of the teacher photocopying the
Activity Sheet. |
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A completed student notebook page for this lesson. |
Student Management:
- The different acrylic shapes are very intriguing to the students. Make sure you have counted them before you begin the activity and after they have returned all materials.
- Select one person from each group of four to pick up the materials.
- You may want to develop a hands-off zone on students’ desks, for example their nametag. This way you can have students put their materials there during discussions.
- Demonstrate how to use the wax paper. Stress to the students that they only need one drop of water.
- After students have their page set up for this lesson, help students draw and label each of the objects in the first column. A lot of students don’t have experience with 3D drawings. This will also help connect the name of the shape with what it looks like.
- Once it is drawn in their notebook, have them write a prediction for each object in their notebook. Have them use a pen or something else permanent. Scientists do not change their predictions. They learn from them.
- Follow procedures steps 4 and 5 carefully. There are a lot of good questions that need to be asked and discussed with the whole class.
- In procedure step 6, your class needs to come to consensus that all magnifiers are clear and curved.
- Have the glass jars filled ¾ full with water. Ask the students to predict whether or not the jar will magnify – based on what they have learned. Using a ruler in the water produces the best effect.
Writing Support:
- N/A