Teacher Instructional Guide

Considerations:

  • The lesson proposed is based on a 75 minute class, but may take longer.
  • Lesson is designed for Grade 8 students
  • Each group will need at least one computer.  An assumption is that students are familiar with computer use and navigating around the Internet.
  • Students will be doing density calculations – you may want to have calculators available or suggest that students use the calculator function on their computers.  They can also use the density finder at the following site: http://www.ajdesigner.com/phpdensity/density_equation.php
    • Students will need to be told to change the Inputs to grams and centimeter cubed and the answer they are seeking is in Other Units under grams/cm^3.
  • Lesson is designed and based on constructivist strategies and problem-based learning.
  • Instructional procedures are based on Driver and Oldham’s Instructional Model: Orientation, Elicitation, Restructuring of Ideas, Application of Ideas, Review.
  • Instructional procedures also follow the principles of the Constructivist Instructional Model (CIM), Conceptual Model Change (CCM) and Predict-Observe-Explain (POE) model.
  • Some teachers may use online learning management systems (LMS) such as Moodle – they may encourage online discussions about the material to be learned or have students complete the self-assessment rubrics online.

Instructional Procedures:

1. Show several pictures of gold crowns and ask who would most likely wear crowns (ie. Kings and Queens, winners of beauty pageants) .  Then ask the students to think of some properties that could describe each of the crowns. For example – colour, shape, mass, volume, what they are made up of, uses, etc.

  • Presents a “hook” to draw the students into the lesson.  This will hopefully provide students with a sense of purpose and motivation for learning about density.  Also shows students’ prior knowledge about properties of objects.
  • Orientation, CIM

2.  Put the students in groups of four.  They will do individual, pair, and group activities.  NOTE: Do not allow the students to choose their own groups – place students into groups on based on differing ability levels or randomly.

Once they are in their groups, you may ask them to get computers for each of the groups.  Also hand out the Individual Density Dilemma Activity Sheet and Group Density Dilemma Activity Sheet

  • Placing students in groups will provide an opportunity for collaborative and cooperative learning.  They will be evaluated on group and individual work.

3.  Have them look through the site and read the Introduction – Density Dilemma page.  They should also look at the Individual and Group Density Dilemma Activity Sheet.

  • Orientation
  • CIM – sense of purpose

4.  Part 1 – What do You Know page.

Task 1 – Choosing roles – allows the group members to chose their own jobs.  Puts ownership and accountability on the work to be done.

Task 2 – What do you know? – group members are to pair with another person in their group.  Two of the members will decide to be As and two will decide to be Bs.  At this point, the teacher will ask students questions about previously learned material and have the students think about the their answers for 30 seconds and then share their information with their partners for another 30 seconds.  The teacher will choose which partner is going (A or B), as well as state the question.  This is called think, pair, and share (Kagan Strategies).

  • Assessing students’ prior knowledge about mass and volume, as well as seeing if they know anything about the new item – density.
  • Students’ are sharing their knowledge (social learning)
  • Teacher can check for any misconceptions about mass, volume, and density and help lead the students to a better understanding of those concepts.
  • CIM, CCM

Task 3 – What do you want to know? – this allows students to relate what they know to something they don’t know.  Also provides them with motivation to seek out the answer to their question.

5.  Part 2 – What is Density?

Task 1 – Discovering Density – this is an online activity for the learners to make their own understandings and connections between mass and volume to density.

  • Collaboration to discover meaning of density (social learning)
  • Elicitation, CIM, CCM

Task 2 – Group Discussion about density – this allows the teacher to check for misconceptions about the meaning of density, as well as leading the discussion about where to find different density amounts and start to put down the foundation for buoyancy (next topic in the unit).

  • Collaboration to discover the meaning of density (social learning)
  • Elicitation, CIM, CCM

6. Part 3 – Density Dilemma Problem – at this point, students should have a good idea about the meaning of density.  To find a solution to the Density Dilemma Problem they will have to use the knowledge they gained in Part 2.

Task 1 – Density Dilemma Problem – the group will become familiar with the problem they are to answer.  They can start thinking about ways they can solve the problem.

  • CIM

Task 2 – YouTube Video – Crown of Syracuse – gives the groups some additional information they may use to solve the Density Dilemma Problem.

Task 3 – Predict the Correct Crown – this allows students to take their previous knowledge and understanding of mass, volume, and density and predict which crown they think is the correct one.

  • CIM, POE

Task 4 – Which is the Correct Crown? – the students now use the knowledge they have constructed about density to help find the solution to the problem.

  • Reconstructing of Ideas, CIM
Task 5 – Write a Letter to the King – this is the final accumulation of the students’ understanding of density and the problem as a group.
  • Application of Ideas, CIM, CCM

Task 6 – Discussion Questions – individuals now take what they have learned with the group to answer the discussion questions on the Individual Density Dilemma Activity Sheet.

  • Review, CIM, CCM, POE

7.  Part 4 – Evaluation – each student should complete the Self-Assessment Rubrics.  This allows students to reflect on their teamwork skills and contribution to their own learning.  There is also a Problem Assessment Rubrics for the final product (based on the letter to the King, as well as the Group Density Dilemma Activity Sheet).

  • The groups will be given the Problem Assessment Rubrics at the start of the activity to see how their problem will be assessed and they will group-assess the solution to their problem upon its completion. The instructor will also assess the problem based on the rubric.

8.  Part 5 – Challenge Activity – students can further their knowledge of density by doing one of the four challenge activities.  This can be mandatory or voluntary.

9.  Constructivist Assessment Criteria – to assess the overall constructivism of this activity. It was based on the Assessment of Constructivist Elements originally created by Maggie Beers and adapted by Karen Belfer.