CURRPD Science Unit/Lesson Planner

Topic: Sound Context: Physical World – Year/s: 5/6 Level/s: 3/4 Duration: For peer teaching = 15 mins

Science Concept(s) Contextual Strands (Knowledge/Understanding)

Achievement Objective(s): Level: 3/4
Properties of Sound: the properties of musical  Explore, describe, and represent patterns and trends for everyday examples of physical
instruments are related to the manner in which phenomena, such as movement, forces, electricity and magnetism, light, sound, waves,
they generate sound waves. and heat.
1. NoS: The empirical nature of science –
science is based on or derived from observations
of the world around us from which interpretations
are made
Nature of Science Strand (Overarching strand)

Achievement Objective(s): Level: 3/4

Key Competencies
Thinking is about using creative, critical and metacognitive
Investigating in science
processes to make sense of information, experiences, and Ask questions, find evidence, explore simple models and carry out appropriate investigations
ideas. to develop simple explanations
Students will utilise prior knowledge and engage in new
ways of thinking. Through peer and teacher led discussion
students will make sense of new information and process
their ideas through learning experiences.

Values
Innovation, inquiry and curiosity, by thinking critically,
creatively, and reflectively.

Students will develop their curiosity through

Digital tools
Resources/Reminders
Be sure to remind students not to wobble the ruler as
- Hand cranked music box x1 hard as they can as plastic rulers are prone to snap.
- Magnifying glass x1
- Rulers x2 Really effective video for making sense of activity
- Lumps of plasticine x2 before teaching it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COty6_oDEkk

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Learning Intentions or Intended Learning Learning Experiences Assessment Tasks
Outcomes (What are the students to do?) Diagnostic, Formative & Summative tasks
(What should the students achieve?) (How can their achievement be measured and
recorded)
Activity 1:
Teacher “plays” the music box (by cranking the handle) Diagnostic:
 Recognise that sound is while holding it in the air (not on any surface). The group What are the three ways musical tones
produced through vibrations is asked to suggest surfaces the music box could be can be generated – and then probe how
and the larger the vibration - placed and then the group tries each suggestion out to each method produces sound.
or the larger the surface that see how loud the music sounds when played.
vibrates - the louder the Formative:
Group examines the music box (magnifying glass if
sound. Possible Questions to Ask:
needed) and discusses how each note is created and how What is vibrating and where?
the tune is put together. What are the characteristics of a surface
 Identify characteristics of
that enables the music box to be heard
instruments that produce different
loudly?
sounds
Is this a wind, string or percussion
musical instrument? (Not an easy answer
 Illustrate that sound travels through
since it has elements of both percussion
substances as waves  worked really well to start by playing the music box and “string” in its music production.) What
in the air and then play it on the table. Was a good other noise-makers/musical instruments
visual and auditory representation of the way that are hard to classify? (Wobbly board)
surfaces impact the vibrations of sounds.
Possible questions to Ask:
How does the pitch of the sound you hear
Activity 2: relate to the length of the ruler that hangs
Experiment with “clamping” a plastic ruler with your hand over the table?
on the edge of a table so that some of the ruler hangs out What is similar between this and the
from the table. Get a partner to pluck the ruler so that it music box activity?
vibrates (like the teeth of the music box comb). Vary the What other items could be clamped and
length that overhangs to see the effect on the rate of make musical sounds when plucked?
vibration/tone that you hear.
Summative assessment procedures:
For one particular length, add a lump of plasticine to the Have students draw waves that have high
end of the ruler and see what effect the extra mass has on frequency and low frequency.
the rate of vibration/tone
 Next time would include more rulers and be able to  Remember to introduce the
create a ‘piano’ with the different lengths of rulers. concept of sound waves so that
This would be useful to demonstrate the varying students have the knowledge to be
pitches created by the length of ruler. able to answer the summative
assessment.

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What insight have you gained into your teaching of science that you will take with you when you teach science as part of completing Assignment 2?

This assignment has given me insight into the critical links between content, pedagogy and curriculum in effective science teaching. ‘To be a successful teacher

of science you need to combine science content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge into pedagogical content knowledge for teaching science’ (Garbett,

2013). I have learned that it is important to have a clear understanding of the achievement objectives and science concepts before jumping into learning

experiences. This means that you can create learning experiences that meaningfully link to the curriculum and have direction and purpose. It’s all very well to

create ‘fun science activities’ and these can be hugely beneficial for increasing student engagement and motivation as well as bringing complex science concepts

to life, but these activities must have strong connections to the science strands as well as the overarching Nature of science strand. When engaging activities

and the curriculum are purposefully linked then this lays the foundation for well-rounded and deeply effective science teaching to take place.

References:

Garbett, D.(2013). Making science work in the primary classroom. In Fitzgerald, A. (Ed.), Learning and teaching primary science (pg.247-259). Cambridge
University Press.

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