1

Where does light come from?Lesson ChaLLenge

Create “I-statements” to describe the differences between and the similarities shared by different light sources.

Lesson InQUIRY QUesTIon

activity sheets• ThinkingAboutBroccoliandCarrots(ActivitysheetA)

• SortingSimilaritiesandDifferences(ActivitysheetB)

Briefing sheets• TwoSourcesofLight(BriefingsheetA)

Image sets• Vegetables(ImagesetA)• LightSources(ImagesetB)

assessment materials • AssessmentmaterialsA

other required materials• orange,green,blue,andyellowcolouredpencilsorcrayons,enoughforsmallgroupstoshare

Background knowledge Ì knowledge of the

properties and benefits of light sources

Critical thinking vocabulary Ì similarity Ì difference

Criteria for judgment Ì similar Ì different

Thinking strategies Ì Venn diagram

habits of mind Ì attentive to detail

Inthislesson,studentsexplorethepropertiesofvarioussourcesoflight.ThelessonbeginswithstudentslearninghowtouseaVenndiagramtosortsimilaritiesanddifferences.Studentsthenexplorecharacteristicsoflightfromtwosources,alightbulbandthesun.Toconcludethelesson,studentswrite“I-statements”todescribethecharacteristicsofeachlightsourceintheappropriatesectionsofaVenndiagram.

sUmmaRY

maTeRIaLs

Broad understandingStudents will understand the properties and benefits of light sources.

ThInkIng TooLs

2

Lear

nin

g a

ctiv

itie

sWhere does light come from?

Introduce the thinking tools

1. DisplaythetwoimagesfromImagesetAusingadigitalprojector.2. OrganizestudentsintopairsandprovideeachpairwithacopyofThinking About Broccoli

and Carrots(ActivitysheetA).Prompteachgrouptohaveanorangeandagreencolouredpencilorcrayon.

3. Readaloudthestatementsabouteachvegetable.Explaintostudentsthattheirtaskistocircleinorangethestatementsthatdescribeacarrot,andcircleingreenthestatementsthatdescribebroccoli.Instructthemtounderlineusingeithercolouranystatementthatmightapplytobothvegetables.

4. Invitegroupstoindicatewhichcoloursmatcheachstatement.Asgroupsshare,introducetheconceptsofsimilarityanddifferencebyaskingstudentstosuggestwhattheunderlineditemsmightbecalled(similarities)andwhatthecircleditemsmightbecalled(differences).

5. Encouragegroupstothinkofoneadditionalsimilarityanddifference.Invitestudentstosharetheirideaswiththeclass,confirmingthattheyunderstandtheconceptsofsimilaranddifferent.Promptstudentstoaddtheirstatementstotheactivitysheet.

6. ProvideeachgroupwithacopyofSorting Similarities and Differences(ActivitysheetB).Promptstudentstolabeloneofthecircles“carrots,”andtheother“broccoli.”Explainthatthediagramontheactivitysheetisdesignedtohelpsortsimilaritiesanddifferences.YoumayalsowishtodisplayorprojecttheVenndiagramusingadigitalprojector.

7. Readthestatement“Iamgreen”andaskstudentswhereitshouldbewritteninthediagram.Studentsshouldsuggestthenon-overlapped“broccoli”portionofthediagram.Similarly,readthestatement“Iamavegetable,”andguidestudentstoseethatitwouldberecordedinthemiddleoverlappingsectionofthediagram.

8. Directstudentstosortandlabeltheremainderofthestatements.Invitestudentstosharetheirdecisionswiththeclass.

9. Askgroupstosuggestasimilaritysharedbyallthestatementsaboutthevegetables.Invitestudentstosharetheirthinking,guidingthemtoseethateverystatementbeginswith“I.”

10.Informstudentsthatduringthislesson,theywillbeexploringthequestion,Where does light come from?Explainthatthelessonchallengeistocreate“I-statements”thatdescribethedifferencesbetweenandthesimilaritiessharedbydifferentlightsources.

explore similarities and differences shared by sources of light

1. Askgroupstosuggestwherelightcomesfrom.Studentresponsescouldincludeflashlights,smartphones,lightbulbs,andthesun.

2. DisplaythetwoimagesfromImagesetBusingadigitalprojector.Invitestudentstonowsuggestsimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweenthelightthatcomesfromalightbulb,andthelightthatcomesfromthesun.Noteanddisplaystudentideasforuselaterinthislesson.

3. Organizestudentsintosmallgroups(2-4students)andprovideeachgroupwithTwo Sources of Light(BriefingsheetA).Prompteachgrouptohaveablueandayellowcolouredpencilorcrayon.

3

Lear

nin

g a

ctiv

itie

sWhere does light come from?

4. Readaloudwiththeclasseachparagraph.Invitegroupstocircleinblueanystatementsthatonlydescribelightfromalightbulb,andcircleinyellowthestatementsthatonlydescribelightfromalightbulb.Instructthemtounderlineusingeithercolouranystatementthatmightapplytobothsourcesoflight.

5. Encouragegroupstosharetheirthinkingwiththeclass.Asstudentsshare,encouragethemtosuggestothersimilaritiesanddifferences.Addthesesuggestionstotheliststartedearlierinthispartofthelesson.

6. Invitestudentstosuggestwhichofthesimilaritiesanddifferencesarethemostimportant.

Respond to the lesson challenge

1. Readthefollowingtwostatementstostudents:• “IonlyprovidelightwhenIhavepower.”• “Iamalwaysshining,evenwhenyoucan’tseeme.”

2. Askstudentstoindicatewhichstatementbestdescribeslightfromalightbulb,andwhichdescribeslightfromthesun.Asstudentssharetheirdecisions,explainthattheirnexttaskistocreatesimilar“I-statements”abouttheeachsourceoflight.

3. ProvideeachstudentwithacopyofSorting Similarities and Differences(ActivitysheetB).Promptstudentstolabeloneofthecircles“lightbulb,”andtheother“sun.”Remindstudentsthatdifferencesshouldbenotedinthenon-overlappingpartsofthediagram.

4. DirectstudentstothinkoftheirownI-statementstodescribetwodifferencesandasimilaritysharedbythetwosourcesoflight.EncouragestudentstouseideasfromActivitysheetBtohelpcreatetheirstatements.

Reflect on the learning

1. Invitestudentstoreflectonwhattheylearnedaboutthemostimportantbenefitsofsunlight.

2. Suggestthatstudentsreflectonthelessonquestion:Where does light come from?Invitestudentstowritedowntheirthoughts,wordsorquestionsinaThoughtbookorsimilarlearningjournal.

assess the learning

1. StudentsmayuseExploring Similarities and Differences (AssessmentmaterialsA)toreflectontheirlearningandhoweffectivelytheyrespondedtothelessonchallenge.

Explore similarities and differences shared by sources of light (Cont’d)

4

Where does light come from?

Thinking About Broccoli and Carrots

Activity sheet A

I am green.

I am orange.

I am a vegetable.

I grow in the ground.

I grow above the ground.

I have many vitamins.

I look like a tree.

I grow in a garden.

5

Where does light come from?

Sorting Similarities and Differences

Activity sheet B

ObjectA: ObjectB:

6

Where does light come from?

Two Different Sources of Light

Briefing sheet A

Lightbulbs and sun are the two main sources of light on earth.

The sun gives us light and heat during the day. When the sun is shining, we don’t need to use flashlights or streetlights to see and get around, but at night after the sun sets we do. Animals also use light from the sun to see things, too.

The light and heat given off by the sun are forms of energy. It is warmer in direct sunlight than in a shadow because of the heat given off by the sun.

All of our plants and trees need sunlight to grow. Although lightbulbs can be used to grow plants and trees, the light and heat from the sun is the best for making them grow.

Flashlights give off light, too, but their light does not have as much energy as the light from the sun. You might get a sunburn if you spend too much time out in the sun, but you won’t get burned by the light from a flashlight. Flashlights use energy from batteries to give off their lights. The energy in sunlight comes from inside the sun.

7

Where does light come from?

Vegetables

Image set A

Broccoli: By NjoyHarmony/Pixabay Carrot: By majacvetojevic/Pixabay

8

Where does light come from?

Sources of Light

Image set B

Lightbulb: By Clker-Free-Vector-Images/Pixabay Sun: By OpenClipart-Vectors/Pixabay

9

Where does light come from?

success criteria how am I doing?

Icanexplainthemeaningofsimilarityanddifference.Examples:

Nextsteps(e.g.,askforhelp):

IcanuseaVenndiagramtosortthesimilaritiesanddifferencessharedbylightsources.Examples:

Nextsteps(e.g.,usethediagram,askforhelp):

Icandescribethesimilaritiesanddifferencessharedbytwolightsources.Examples:

Nextsteps(e.g.,usethesimilaritiesanddifferences,askforhelp):

Name:

Explaining Similarities and Differences

Assessment materials A