KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Candidate: Krista Rizzo

Date: 11/1/2015

Cooperating Teacher:

Coop. Initials

Group Size:

20

Allotted Time

Subject or Topic: __Refraction

45 min Grade Level

Section

3
4

STANDARD: Standard - 3.2.4.B5:

Demonstrate how vibrating objects make sound and sound can make things vibrate.
Demonstrate how light can be reflected, refracted, or absorbed by an object.
I. Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes):
3rd grade students will examine the properties of light refraction by completing a
disappearing coin activity.
II. Instructional Materials
Bowl
Water
Coin
Pencil
Science Alive! Light Book
III. Subject Matter/Content (prerequisite skills, key vocabulary, big idea, outline of
additional content)
A. Prerequisite skills
1. Observation skills
2. Note taking
3. Knowledge of light and how it travels
B. Key Vocabulary
1. Refraction- bending of light rays as they pass from one
material to another.
2. Reflection- when light rays hit and bounce off a surface.
C. Big Idea
1. What is Refraction?
a. Light travels at different speeds through different materials, such as air,
water, and glass. It travels more slowly through water and glass than it does

through air. When light slows down or speeds up, it bends in a new direction.
This bending of light is called Refraction.
D. Additional content
1. Discovery Investigation
2. Recording Data
3. Making Observations
IV. Implementation
A. Introduction
1. Teacher will recall previous days lesson on reflection of light
and how light travels.
2. Teacher will read students page 10 of Science Alive! Light
3. Teacher will ask students if they have ever seen a distorted
image of something in the water. Explain they will discover
why today.
B. Development
1. Teacher will present refraction anchor chart to students.
2. Each student will get a hand out of the same anchor chart to be
filled in after going over it.
3. Teacher will announce that we are going to become magicians
and learn how to do a magic trick and pass out magic trick
hand out. (see attached)
4. The class will conduct reappearing coin magic trick in groups
of 4. This will be the group they sit with every day. (See
attached)
5. Have students verbally theorize what will happen to coin after
water is added.
6. After completing the experiment, students will fill out magic
trick hand out. (to be collected)
7. Students will present their findings to the class.
C. Closure
1. Teacher will ask students How else can we demonstrate
refraction? and write down students ideas. These ideas should
involve any way to bend light such as water.
2. Teacher will compare refraction and reflection as a review for
students.
3. Teacher will tell students they will be learning about rainbows
tomorrow.
D. Accommodations/Differentiation
1. Oliver, a 3rd grader with ADHD will be accommodated by working with
other students and doing a hands on activity.
2. Detailed instruction will be given to all students.

E. Assessment/Evaluation Plan
1. Formative
a. Teacher will collect hand out to make sure students made the
correct conclusions.
2. Summative
n/a

V. Reflective Response
A. Report of Student Performance in Terms of Stated Objectives (Reflection on
student performance written after lesson is taught, includes remediation for
students who fail to meet acceptable level of achievement)
Remediation Plan
B. Personal Reflection (Questions written before lesson is taught. Reflective
answers to question recorded after lesson is taught)
VI. Resources (in APA format)
Science Alive! Lights Book Published by Crabtree Publishing