OpenSciEd Unit 6.1 · Lesson 01 · 1.A
Look for: arrows pointing away from the eyes, or
From Teacher Edition
Facilitation guidance from the lesson plan — what to notice in student thinking and how to respond while teaching.
Building towards
1.A Develop a model to identify the important parts of the system and how those parts interact that could cause an object to look different in different light conditions.
What to look / listen for
(1) Agreement on key components or parts to include, such as two rooms or sides, a mirror-window between the sides, one side being lit, one side being dark; (2) uncertainty or disagreement on whether the people or eyes are an important part; and (3) use of a “path of light” model, “line of sight” model, or combination, which can be indicated by the way students use or do not use arrows in their diagrams:
arrows pointing away from the eyes, or
arrows pointing away from the source of the light and bouncing away from objects, and arrows pointing into the eyes, or
a combination of the above
Arrows pointing away from the light source may be a representation of the “path of light” (POL). If students also include an arrow entering the eyes, this may indicate a clear understanding of the 4th-grade model of light, tracing the light from a source, then bouncing off objects and into our eyes. Arrows pointing away from the eyes may be a representation of what is seen, or the “line of sight” (LOS). A combination of arrows may map partially onto both POL and LOS models.
What to do
Ask questions to probe students' understanding about how the individuals in the video are able to see what they see. Use these diagrammatic models as a pre-assessment of the ideas your students bring to this unit, and to make sense of and highlight their range and diversity. In Lesson 2, you will problematize the need to agree on conventions for using arrows in our models and what the arrows mean. Until that moment, it is OK that students use arrows in different ways.
Supporting Universal Design for Learning
It is important to create opportunities to support student engagement in meaningful, accountable talk by utilizing socially safe activity structures. This is especially beneficial to Emerging Multilingual Learners. For this reason, partner talk or small-group talk should precede whole-class discussion whenever possible so students can share their ideas with one or two peers before “going public” with the class. During this unit, there will be instances in which students immediately engage in class discussion. Insert a partner talk prior to that larger discussion if you believe this would benefit your students’ ability to communicate and express their ideas.