EarthScienceExperimentalDesign(6EDS)

“MoltenMadness”LavaChallenge

ModuleDescription Studentsengageasearthscientiststohelpasmalltownthatisadjacenttoavolcanodevelopevacuationplansintheeventofaneruption.Studentsdevelopaproceduretodeterminehowlongittakeslavatoflowacrossthelandscape,modelingwithdishsoap.Thestudentsuseascalemodeltoinvestigatelavaflowrate.Theyiterativelyusehistogramsandworktogethertodevelopaprocedurethatcontrolsvariablesandreduceserror.Themodulecoverssomebasicconceptsregardingvolcanoes,lava,andigneousrockformation,seedingfurtherexplorationofGPSstandardslaterinthesemesteroryear.ThismodulefeaturestheworkofGeorgiaInstituteofTechnologyEarth&AtmosphericSciencesfacultyworkingwithvolcanoes.

RelatedGeorgiaPerformance

Standards

S6E5.Obtain,evaluate,andcommunicateinformationtoshowhowEarth’ssurfaceisformed.

f. Constructanexplanationofhowthemovementoflithosphericplates,calledplatetectonics,cancausemajorgeologiceventssuchasearthquakesandvolcaniceruptions.

ModuleTimeline 50-minuteclassperiods:4days

Day1:Section1,2Day2:Section2Day3:Section3,4Day4:Section4

90minuteblocks:3days

Day1:Sections1,2Day2:Section3,4Day3:Section4

DocumentsIncludedintheDownload

StudentMaterialsFolder• StudentEdition(recommendedtobeprinteddoublesided)• StudentWorksheetPacket(recommendedtobeprinteddoublesided)

TeacherMaterialsFolder

• MaterialsList• AnnotatedTeacher’sEdition• TeacherPreparationGuide• Videos

5EStage StudentActivitiesHowwillstudentsengageactivelyinthethreedimensionsthroughoutthelesson?

TeacherActivitiesHowwilltheteacherfacilitateandmonitorstudentlearningthroughoutthelesson?

EngageHowdoesthelessoncapturestudentinterest,activatepriorknowledge,andconnecttoacomplexquestion,globalissue,orreal-worldproblem?

• Studentsareintroducedtothechallenge(helpingacompanydeterminethebestwaytomeasurelavaflowonlandinordertohelptownsdevelopevacuationplans)andthereasonsforusingamodelwiththeirinvestigation(1.1,1.2)

• Guidestudentsthroughtexttocheckforunderstanding

• Discusstheimportanceofthechallengeanddeterminingalavaflowmodelbasedonthevideoreport

• Discusstheneedtousingmodelstorepresentreal-lifesituations

ExploreHowdoesthelessonallowstudentstodevelopacommonbaseofexperiencesbyactivelyinvestigatingthephenomenonorproblem?

• Studentsplantheirinvestigationandwriteaprocedureforcarryingitout(2.1,3.2)

• Studentsfollowtheirprocedureandrecorddatafromtheirtrials(2.2,4.1)

• Studentssharetheirdatawiththeclassandrecordalldataonahistogram(2.3,4.2)

• Reviewmaterialsavailableforuseandmodelconstraintswithstudents.

• Whenwritingclassprocedure,asyouguidestudentsfocusonwhatvariablesneedtobecontrolled.

• Allow10minutesforstudentstoruninvestigationsandtakenoteofstudentschangingtheirexperimentin-betweentrials.

• Recordgroups’dataonaclasshistogramthatisprojectedsostudentscanrecordit.

ExplainHowdoesthelessonallowstudentstodevelop,share,critique,andrevisetheirownexplanationsbeforeconnectingthosetoacceptedscientificexplanationsandterminology?

• Studentsanalyzethehistogramdata,comparingthedistributionofdatatotheprocedurethatwasfollowed.(2.4,2.5,4.3)

• Studentsdiscusstheproceduraldifferencesbetweengroupsandtheneedforsoundproceduresandvariablecontrolinordertocollectconsistentdata(3.1,3.2,3.3)

• Leadaclassdiscussionaboutthedistributionofdataandhowtheindividualproceduresimpactedthevariation.Discusswhyalargespreadofdataisevidenceofunreliabledata.

• Leadaclassdiscussioncomparingthe2histogramsandhowthespreadofdatahaschangedandwhetherthereisaneedfora3rdinvestigation

ElaborateHowdoesthelessonallowstudentstoextendtheirconceptualunderstandingofthethreedimensionsthroughopportunitiestoapplyknowledge,skills,andabilitiesinnewexperiences?

• Studentswillwritealettertoaneighboringtowncouncilexplainingwhattheyhavelearnedabouttheneedforwriting/followinggoodprocedures(4.4)

• Letterisscaffoldedforstudentsbutremindthemtoincludedetailsofthevariablestheyhadtocontrolandwhytheyhadtodothat.Howdidtheclassdatachangefromthefirstproceduretothelast?Whydiditchangethatway?

EvaluateHowdoesthelesson—throughbothformativeassessmentsembeddedthroughoutthelessonandasummativeassessmentthatmightcoincidewiththeelaboratephase—makevisiblestudents’thinkingandtheirabilitytousepracticeswithcoreideasandcrosscuttingconceptstomakesenseofphenomenaand/ortodesignsolutions?

Formative:Ongoingquestioninganddiscussion(allsections)InvestigationSheet1(2.1,2.2)ResultsGraph1(2.3)InvestigationSheet2(4.1)ResultsGraph2(4.2)Summative:TownCouncilSheet(4.4)

1.1 1.2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 3.1 3.2 3.3 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4

Engage

Explore

Explain

Elaborate

Evaluate

Section1–TheLavaFlowChallenge(25minutes)ThefocusofSection1istointroducestudentstotheLavaFlowChallenge.Studentswilllearnthattheywillbeworkingasateamtohelpacompanydeterminethebestwaytomeasuretheflowoflavaonlandinordertohelptownsnearvolcanoesdevelopevacuationplans.Inordertocompletethischallenge,studentswillneedtodemonstratethattheycanmeasurelavaflowaccuratelybyusingamodel.Throughaclassdiscussion,studentswillunderstandhowmodelscanstandinforactualevents,processes,andsituations.Theywillthenanswerthequestion,”Whataresomeothermodelsthatscientistsusetoinvestigatereallifesituations?Inadditiontothechallengeinformation,backgroundinformationdefiningvolcanoes,magma,andlavaisprovidedinthetextforthestudents.Preparation

Materials StudentPages• Video#1:CNNLava

• None

PreptheDayBefore:Reviewtextandvideos.

Planning

GPS S6E5.Obtain,evaluate,andcommunicateinformationtoshowhowEarth’ssurfaceisformed.Constructanexplanationofhowthemovementoflithosphericplates,calledplatetectonics,cancausemajorgeologiceventssuchasearthquakesandvolcaniceruptions.

NGSS PerformanceExpectation:MS-ETS-1:Definethecriteriaandconstraintsofadesignproblemwithsufficientprecisiontoensureasuccessfulsolution,takingintoaccountrelevantscientificprinciplesandpotentialimpactsonpeopleandthenaturalenvironmentthatmaylimitpossiblesolutions.DisciplinaryCoreIdea:ETS1.ADefiningandDelimitingEngineeringProblemsPractice:AskingQuestionsandDefiningProblems

KeyTermsandConcepts EssentialQuestions AssessmentandGrading

Opportunities

• Lava• Volcanoes• Model

• Howdoscientistssolveproblems?

• DiscussionQuestions:Participation

Section2–InvestigateLavaFlowChallenge(50minutes)Students(inpairs)designandrunaproceduretodeterminehowfastlavaflowsoveralandscape.Thedesignoftheprocedureisconstrainedbythecriteriaandconstraintsidentifiedintheprevioussection.Whentheresultsaregraphed,studentsseealargerangeofresults.Thiswiderangeindicatesthattheirresultsareunreliable.Throughadiscussion,studentsrealizethattheirprocedureswereveryinconsistentwhichledtounreliableresults.Studentsseetheneedforuniformproceduresandmeasurements,andforcollaborationandcommunicationtoconfirmthereliabilityofresultsinscientificinvestigations.

PreparationMaterials StudentPages

• PlasticPlates• ModelLava(dishsoap)• Stopwatch• Ruler• PaperTowels

• LavaInvestigationSheet• LavaFlowResultsGraph

PreptheDayBefore:Sortmaterialsbygroup;Downloadclasshistogramoncomputerforprojection;Performtheinvestigationaspractice

Planning

GPSS6E5.Obtain,evaluate,andcommunicateinformationtoshowhowEarth’ssurfaceisformed.Constructanexplanationofhowthemovementoflithosphericplates,calledplatetectonics,cancausemajorgeologiceventssuchasearthquakesandvolcaniceruptions.

NGSS

PerformanceExpectation:MS-ETS1-3:Analyzedatafromteststodeterminesimilaritiesanddifferencesamongseveraldesignsolutionstoidentifythebestcharacteristicsofeachthatcanbecombinedintoanewsolutiontobettermeetthecriteriaforsuccess.MS-ETS1-4:Developamodeltogeneratedataforiterativetestingandmodificationofaproposedobject,tool,orprocesssuchthatanoptimaldesigncanbeachieved.DisciplinaryCoreIdea:ETS1.BDevelopingPossibleSolutionsPractice:AnalyzingandInterpretingData,DevelopingandUsingModels

KeyTermsandConcepts EssentialQuestionsAssessmentandGrading

Opportunities

• Model• Procedure

• Howcanconsistentproceduresbedeveloped?

• ProcedureandDataCollection:Formative

• Studenthistograms:Formative

• ClassDiscussionQuestions:Participation

Section2–InvestigateLavaFlowChallenge–SetupPhotosInorderforthelava(dishsoap)toflow,studentsneedtoholdtheplateonanangleandtimehowlongittakesforthesoaptoflowfromthestartingpointtotheendpoint.Thesephotosshowsomeexamplesofhowstudentssetuptheirmodels-noteyoudonotneedasecondplatetocompletetheactivity.

Examplesofwhatyoudon’twanttosee.Inthesephotosstudentssetuptheirmodelstorepresentavolcano-notaslope-tomeasuretheflowoflava.Theywon’tbeabletotimetheflowbecausethereisnoflow.

Section3–RedesignYourInvestigation(35minutes)Studentsidentifyfactorsintheirproceduresthatledtoinconsistentresults,andthendesignamorepreciseclassproceduretocontrolthesefactors.Theydesignaclassprocedurethatisdetailedandreplicable,controllingeachfactortheyidentified.Studentsreflectontheirnewprocedurebycomparingittotheoriginalprocedureandtheyseehowtheirabilitytoplananinvestigationhasimproved.Preparation

Materials StudentPages• CopyofHistogramfromSection2 • LavaInvestigationSheetPreptheDayBefore:ReviewtheClassHistogramfromSection2.

PlanningGPS S6E5.Obtain,evaluate,andcommunicateinformationtoshowhowEarth’ssurfaceisformed.

Constructanexplanationofhowthemovementoflithosphericplates,calledplatetectonics,cancausemajorgeologiceventssuchasearthquakesandvolcaniceruptions.

NGSS PerformanceExpectation:MS-ETS1-3:Analyzedatafromteststodeterminesimilaritiesanddifferencesamongseveraldesignsolutionstoidentifythebestcharacteristicsofeachthatcanbecombinedintoanewsolutiontobettermeetthecriteriaforsuccess.MS-ETS1-4:Developamodeltogeneratedataforiterativetestingandmodificationofaproposedobject,tool,orprocesssuchthatanoptimaldesigncanbeachieved.DisciplinaryCoreIdea:ETS1.BDevelopingPossibleSolutionsPractice:AnalyzingandInterpretingData,DevelopingandUsingModels

KeyTermsandConcepts EssentialQuestions AssessmentandGrading

Opportunities

• StandardizedProcedures

• Histogram• Variation• Data• Consistency

• Howcanconsistentproceduresbedeveloped? • LavaInvestigationSheet(RevisedProcedure):Formative

• ClassDiscussionQuestions:Participation

Section4–InvestigateLavaFlowwithNewProcedure(45minutes)Studentsruntheirrevisedlavaflowprocedureandcollectdata,whichtheywillshareonaclasshistogram.ComparingthespreadofdataonthenewhistogramtothepreviousoneinSection2,willallowtheclasstoevaluatetheirnewprocedureanddetermineiftheclassresultsarereliable.Ifthestudentsdeterminethattheirprocedureisstillnotpreciseenough,theyshouldreviewandstandardizetheprocedureagainandruntheinvestigationathirdtime.Ifthedataisclusteredonthehistogram,studentscandeterminethattheyhaveevidencetoshowthattheyhavedevelopedapreciseandstandardprocedurethatcanaccuratelyandrepeatedlymeasurelavaflow.Studentsshouldreviewthefinalsectionsummaryandunderstandthatwelldesignedprocedurescontrolvariablestoreduceerror.

PreparationMaterials StudentPages

• PlasticPlates• ModelLava(dishsoap)• Stopwatch• Ruler• PaperTowels

• LavaInvestigationSheet• LavaFlowResultsChart• TownCouncilLetterSheet

PreptheDayBefore:Sortmaterialsbygroup;DownloadblankclasshistogramalongwithclasshistogramfromSection2oncomputerforprojection.

PlanningGPS S6E5.Obtain,evaluate,andcommunicateinformationtoshowhowEarth’ssurfaceisformed.

Constructanexplanationofhowthemovementoflithosphericplates,calledplatetectonics,cancausemajorgeologiceventssuchasearthquakesandvolcaniceruptions.

NGSS PerformanceExpectation:MS-ETS1-3:Analyzedatafromteststodeterminesimilaritiesanddifferencesamongseveraldesignsolutionstoidentifythebestcharacteristicsofeachthatcanbecombinedintoanewsolutiontobettermeetthecriteriaforsuccess.MS-ETS1-4:Developamodeltogeneratedataforiterativetestingandmodificationofaproposedobject,tool,orprocesssuchthatanoptimaldesigncanbeachieved.DisciplinaryCoreIdea:ETS1.BDevelopingPossibleSolutionsPractice:AnalyzingandInterpretingData,DevelopingandUsingModels

KeyTermsandConcepts EssentialQuestions AssessmentandGradingOpportunities

• StandardizedProcedures• Histogram• Variation• Consistency• Variable• Error• Controls(controlledvariable)

• Howcanconsistentproceduresbedeveloped?

• LavaInvestigationSheet:Formative• LavaFlowResultsGraph:Formative• TownCouncilLetterSheet:Summative