Arizona STEM
Acceleration Project
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
A 6th grade STEM Lesson
Jessica Pitts
6/30/2023
Notes for Teachers
( lighthouse) learning about energy!
List of Materials:
Science Standards:
6.P1U1.3 Develop and use models to represent that matter is made up of smaller particles called atoms.
6.P2U1.4 Develop and use a model to predict how forces act on objects at a difference.
Science and Engineering Practices
6 .W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
6.L.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. a. Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style. b. Maintain consistent style and tone.
6.SL.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Objective(s):
Today we will be able to test their designs, collect, and analyze data, and then revise their designs based on evidence.
Today we will describe the type of energy used for the lighthouse design from details from the reading.
Today we will collaborate and communicate effectively with our peers to communicate.
Today students will be able to design and engineer a light that generates electricity to a lighthouse model.
Agenda (60 minutes)
What is a lighthouse? What’s the purpose?
Discovering Energy
Engineering a Lighthouse
Share or present
What is a lighthouse?
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a type of structure designed to emit light. The light used to warn boats and ships of maine hazards and to allow navigators to determine their position at night.
Words to Know :
Discovering Energy- Read out loud
Discovering Energy
Creating and harnessing energy is a fundamental part of enabling life to exist and thrive on earth. Energy comes in a vast array of different forms - using our muscles and those of other creatures, enabling us to move, lift etc, creating heat and steam through fire, capturing the power of the wind in a ship’s sails or to turn the blades of a wind turbine, harnessing the power of moving water to generate electricity in a hydroelectric power station, applying the forces of magnetism to turn an electric motor, using solar panels to transfer the sun’s energy into electricity for our homes - all of these and more are explained in Understanding Energy. This exciting new book from award-winning illustrator Eduard Altarriba introduces children aged 8-12 to this fascinating world in a fun and absorbing way. The book explains many of the different principles of energy production with the use of beautiful, dynamic illustrations.
Instructions
In a group of 2, discuss the questions and write your answers down on a piece of paper, then turn-in after WE watch the video as a class.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: -
Instructions
In a group of 3 or 4, engineer a lighthouse that generates a light of electricity to a model lighthouse.
Constraints:
How do we assess our work?
We evaluate our final iteration’s ability to meet requirements and stay within constraints.
Assessment
Test your lighthouse:
ELA Assessment
How is what you are doing similar to discovering energy?
How is it different?
Describe in detail the different type of energies learned in the lesson, and what it accomplished in the lighthouse model.
Differentiation
One way to differentiate in this lesson is to provide some groups a template for their lighthouse design. This can help students who struggle with the “getting started” phase.
Another option is to provide several resources to use. Ex: lighthouse simulations, websites and books.
Remediation
Extension/Enrichment
Students who are successful right away can plan how they would use a lighthouse to accomplish a real-world task (charging a laptop for example).
There are a number of extension/additional challenges in Smithsonian Science Classroom.