Here are a number of strategies and activities you might use to help uncover student misconceptions, the level of student learning and areas in which students might need further instruction.
The use of graphic organizers can be used as pre-assessment activities (or formative assessments, if we use the results to help us plan!), as embedded assessment strategies and even as final assessment assignments. The most common graphic organizers are the KWL charts and Venn diagrams. The “freeology” website (http://freeology.com/) has a large variety of graphic organizers that are downloadable. This site also provides a very brief explanation of how to use each graphic organizer.
Video Post-Viewing Assessment:
The "Give One; Get One" (http://freeology.com/graphicorgs/page6.php) summary strategy is a useful tool to identify what the students have retained from the information in the video. Provide the students with a grid of twelve squares. In any three squares, the students record three different facts or ideas that they remember from the video. The students then begin to ask their classmates to fill in the other squares with information from the video that has not yet been recorded on the grid. Each classmate can fill in only one square on an individual's grid, but students can add information to as many different grids as they want. The grid can now be used in a variety of ways, such as notes for the students as they write a summary of the information addressed in the video.
Pre-Assessment:
Waves and Vibration -- sound pre-test ideas - https://www.msu.edu/~sampeerk/Me/Portfolio%20docs/waves/pre_test_interviews.htm
After the first viewing of Episode 1
Video Talking Points:
Show Episode 1 again, this time stopping the video at some of the Talking Points mentioned in the teacher video. Engage and challenge the students to explain what was just said. Ask them if they can provide any proof to validate the statements.
Brainstorming:
We suggest teachers engage students in an open discussion about light and sound waves. For example, you could ask questions like -
- Can light harm you? If so, How? Why?
- Can sound harm you? If so, How? Why?
- Can you feel light? Can you see light? If there is no light, what can you see?
- Can you feel sound? Can you hear sound?
All About Waves - http://www.teamvideo.net/notes/waves2.pdf
This site could be used as a self-paced review for students. The web link is in the form of a Powerpoint presentation. Suggest teachers review resources to determine its appropriateness for class.
Embedded Assessment:
- As you enter into discussion with the students at the various talking points of the video you should take note of student responses. Their responses can provide you with valuable insight on what they already understand, what misconceptions they have and what is of greatest interest to them.
During every lesson and activity you do with the students ask them to explain what they are doing and what they are learning about light and sound waves. Ask them to relate this knowledge to things they have experienced.
Gorilla Re-enactment:
Take the students to the gym and have them form a circle around you, say ten feet away from you. Draw a 3’ circle around yourself and drop a box of paper (10 reams) from a height of 3 feet in this circle. Have the students share what they experience. Make sure to solicit from them “how do you know?” for each of their observations.
Have the circle of students move out to 20 feet from you. Drop the box again from the same height. This can be repeated again at 30’. You should anticipate that the students will agree that the vibrations felt are getting less intense. Now ask the students what moved? Did the floor within the 3’ circle move towards them?
This particular demonstration develops the concept that waves carry energy and it is the energy wave which moves outwards.
Throughout this unit of study student/teacher interaction is encouraged at every stage. Thus, teachers will know when and to what degree students grasp the concept. After the hands-on activities, students should be provided with some articles which speak to propagation of light and sound waves. Through group reports or demonstrations, students can explain how astronomers are able to determine distances in the world around us.
Doing a web-quest unit with your students could serve as either a form of embedded assessment or a final project. Self-paced directed web-quest lesson on Waves: Light and Sound. Internet treasure hunt. Students maintain note books and look for answers to questions. Might need to adapt to level of students’ ability.
http://www.schenectady.k12.ny.us/users/title3/Future%20Grant%20Projects/Projects/waves/Final%20Project/light%20and%20sound.htm
Stunt Park and Wave Hero In Stunt Park: Students get to drive a car through a bunch of different stunt maneuvers and answer science questions as they proceed. Wave Hero helps students to visualize the propagation of energy through a medium in the form of a wave. In this game students get to play a guitar and see the sound waves move through the air. Visit the 3D Stand-alone Educational Module Website
Post- Assessment:
NAEP assessment question on energy waves: This constructed-response question asks students to explain what causes the sound made by a bell and how the sound travels across a room. A completely correct response for this question demonstrates understanding of how sound is produced and how sound travels.
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/itmrls/portal.asp?questionlist=2000-8S21:7
OGT Spring test item question:
https://ims.ode.state.oh.us/ODE/IMS/Assessment/Web_Content/CSC_AI_200803_GR10_14.pdf
http://ims.ode.state.oh.us/ODE/IMS/Assessment/Content/CSC_AI_200603_GR10_40.pdf
http://ims.ode.state.oh.us/ODE/IMS/Assessment/Content/CSC_AI_200603_GR10_33.pdf