Teaching Guide
Handy Hands-On Science Lessons
Velma Jordan
Introduction
In today's academic and global societies, the concept
of having a special classroom set aside for lower achieving students, or
students with disabilities is part of the past. These students must be
included and perform as well as their peers in a typical classroom.Realistically,
the general education teacher does not have time to address all of their
needs.Focusing on the science component of this dilema, I have comprised
a web site that allows for independent activities on the ability levels
of middle school students and students with disabilities.
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Aim
To create a website that is non-threatening to lower
and upper middle school students, especially students with disabilities.
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Rationale
Students are having more opportunities to explore and
utilize the Word Wide Web for learning. Sometimes, lower achieving
students and students with disabilities feel intimidated in a general
science class. If these given students can meet goals and objectives
by boosting their learning using a modified approach , I feel that
they will develop a love and appreciation for science.
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Audience
The activities in this lesson plan have been designed
for lower and middle school students, as well as students with disabilities.
These activities are also appropriate for teachers and parents who are
looking for handy and simple science lessons to enhance learning.
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Prerequisites
The learner must :
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Be somewhat computer literate
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Be able to use a browser to locate pertinent information
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Be able to read on the third grade level (Optional:
may work with a peer if unable to read at this level)
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Be able to write on the third grade level (Optional:
may work with a peer if unable to write at this level)
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Be able to follow simple directions
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Goals and Objectives
Upon completion of these lessons, the students will
be able to:
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Be able to construct a simple experiment by following
online lesson strategies
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Demonstrate grade-appropriate objectives
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Know how to apply skills learned in everyday life situations
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Share their knowledge with others
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Mirror Chicago
Academic and State Standards
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To incorporate basic skills with higher order thinking
skills and other enrichment activities with peers without disabilities
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Develop an appreciation for science
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Subject Matter
Hands-On Science Lessons
The area of content for this site is hands-on science
experiments, following directions/instructions as outlined on the Internet.
Students, espically students with special needs, exhibit greater achievement
when assignments are interesting and commensurate with their ability levels.
The web site is designed to facilitate achievement in science through web
based science experiments, projects, and assessments.
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Instructional Plan
This lesson plan and all others preselected for this
site meet the Chicago
Academic Standards. Teachers will follow the format below for additional
lessons: Egg Fun, Taste Buds, Straw Oboes and Fingerprinting. Here,
Making Ice Cream is discussed in detail.
Making Ice Cream
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Begin by asking the students, "Why do road workers
put salt on the road after it snows?"
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Wait for responses. At this time, accept all possible
answers. Use the KWL or Anticipation approach.
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Tell the students that today they are going to make
ice cream using the method road workers use to salt an icy pavement.
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Have students go to the URL for making ice cream (check
the board). Once everyone is there, read the related concepts and background
information.
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Now that students have an understanding of what to
do, tell them to click on step-by-step instructions. Look at the graphics
as they read the directions to help them understand what to do. (The teacher
will assure that all materials needed for the experiment are placed on
the tables.
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Teachers will also monitor the process in which the
students are taking to prepare for the experiment).
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Upon completion, if all steps were followed correctly,
the students should have vanilla ice cream. If not, recheck your steps
and redo the steps again.
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Students and teacher will eat finished product.
For assessement and evaluation, the teacher can ask
the following questions:
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Was the ice cream delicious?
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How might you change the taste of the ice cream?
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Why did the contents of the bag harden into ice cream?
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Write in your journals what you did, how you did it,
the results, and how it made you feel.
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Materials
Ice
Cream
sugar, milk, vanilla extract, locking sandwich
bag, quart size bag, newspaper, metal can and rock salt
Egg
Fun
eggs, string, newspaper, wide mouth glass jar,
ruler, warm water, waterproof felt pen, aluminum pie plate, and handout
from the computer
Taste
Buds
lemon juice, sugar, salt, powered instant coffee,
cups to label and put these foods in, toothpicks, pencils, handout from
the computer, paper, journals and worksheets
DNA
Fingerprinting
freezer storage boxes or other tall, square, flat-bottomed
containers with lids, filter paper or coffee filters, isopropyl (rubbing)
alcohol,
toothpicks, food coloring in a set of four different
colors (red, blue, green), stamp pad, index cards, and photocopier (optional)
Straw
Oboes
paper or plastic drinking straws scissors
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Assessment
and Evaluation
Evaluation is based on student participation, performance
and completion of activities. Students will demonstrate an understanding
of each activity by explaining it to others. The students will also keep
a journal online to write about their experiences.
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