Subject Area

Grade Level
Topic
Length of Unit
(weeks)

Science
8
Light and sound
About 9

Rationale
Light and sound are all around us, therefore, it is important that students know how
they work since they affect our understanding of the world with what we see and
hear. They are studies together because they can be compared with how they travel
through air and how they affect us as a people. There are things we see directly or
are aided with optical devices to improve and extend our vision. This unit will focus
on the nature of light, how it is reflected and refracted, technology, and color. More
specifically they will learn that light travels in a straight line at a finite speed in a
uniform medium, that non-luminous objects are seen because light scattered from
them enters the eye, that light is reflected at plane surfaces, that light is refracted
at the boundary between two different mediums, that white light can be dispersed
to give a range of colors, and the effect of color filters on white light and how
colored objects appear in white light and in other colors of light. Students will also
build on their knowledge of sound and hearing through exploring the nature of
sound, its sources, and qualities. They will focus on vibrations and how its change
affects loudness, pitch, and sound quality. They will also learn how sound travels,
and what happens when it reaches the ear. This is important because students
should know what happens when sound reaches their ear so they can make
informed decisions about volumes of sounds they listen to as to not damage their
ear.
The statement of inquiry is: how scientific knowledge of how energy is transferred in
waves has improved our way of life. Students will explore through formative
experiments. They will have a safe learning environment where they can ask
questions and find answers. Students summative assessment will include a written
essay of how reflection has improved road safety, an experiment with how colored
filters affect the color of objects, and an exam. This unit will allow for students to
learn about light and sound, how it affects the world around them, and possible
advances for the future.

Summer 2016: Marynowski

Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe (2005)

Subject Area
Grade Level
Topic
Length of Unit
(weeks)

Science
8
Light and sound
About 9

Established Goals:
Unit C: Light and optical systems. (grade 8)
Topic D: Hearing & Sound. (grade 3) 3-9 Describe the nature of sound, and
demonstrate methods for producing and controlling sound.
Understandings: (key concepts)
Students will understand
Microscope and telescope
contribution of technologies to
scientific development
transmission and absorption of
light
sources of light
reflection and refraction
images
vision and lenses
Key Words
light source light ray
transmitted luminous nonluminous reflected absorbed
refraction spectrum dispersion
transparent translucent
opaque
words and phrases describing

Essential Questions:
What do we know about the nature of
light? What technologies have been
developed that use light, and what
principles of light do they show?
How does light travel?
What happens when light meets an
object?
How do we see things?
How do mirrors reflect light?
How are images formed?
Can light be bent?
What is a spectrum?
How can we change color?

features of sound, eg loud, soft,

quiet, high, low, pitch, noise
pollution, temporary deafness
words to describe sound vibrations,
eg frequency, amplitude, wave
words with different meanings in
scientific and everyday contexts, eg
quiet, soft, low, pitch, wave,
loudness, volume, dynamics
words and phrases relating to
scientific enquiry, eg qualitative data,
alternative explanations

Summer 2016: Marynowski

Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe (2005)

Subject Area
Grade Level
Topic
Length of Unit
(weeks)

Science
8
Light and sound
About 9

Students will know

Students will be able to do

(1) The nature of light and vision

How the microscope, telescope, and other
optical devices developed and how they
contributed to study of light
(2) How light is transmitted
How light is reflected, transmitted, and
absorbed by different materials
(3) The science of image formation and
vision, and interpret related technologies
(1) Examples of vibration
(2) Sound comes from vibrations (louder
vibration louder sound)
(3) Different ways to measure sound (too
loud is damaging to ear)
(4) Pitch is result of differences in rate of
vibration

Summer 2016: Marynowski

Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe (2005)

(1) Identify challenges in explaining the nature of light

and vision (e.g., recognize that past explanations for vision
involved conflicting ideas about the interaction of eyes and
objects viewed; identify challenges in explaining upsidedown images, rainbows and mirages)
Investigate light beams and optical devices, and
identify phenomena that provide evidence of the nature of
light (e.g., evidence provided by viewing the passage of
light through dusty air or cloudy water)
(2) Use a geometric ray model
Describe differences in the optical properties of various
materials (e.g., compare light absorption of different
materials; identify materials that transmit light; distinguish
between clear and translucent materials; identify materials
that will reflect a beam of light as a coherent beam)
Measure and predict angles of reflection
Investigate, measure and describe the refraction of
light through different materials (e.g., measure differences
in light refraction through pure water, salt water and
different oils)
Investigate materials used in optical technologies; and
predict the effects of changes in their design, alignment or
composition
(3) Demonstrate the formation of real images, using a
double convex lens, and predict the effects of changes in
the lens position on the size and location of images (e.g.,
demonstrate a method to produce a magnified or reduced
image by altering the placement of one or more lenses)
Demonstrate and explain the use of microscopes; and
describe, in general terms, the function of eyeglasses,
binoculars and telescopes
Explain how objects are seen by the eye, and compare
eyes with cameras (e.g., compare focusing mechanisms;
compare the automatic functions of the eye with functions
in an automatic camera)
Compare the function and design of the mammalian
eye with that of other vertebrates and invertebrates (e.g.,
amphibians; fish; squid; shellfish; insects, such as the
housefly)
Investigate and describe the development of new
technologies to enhance human vision (e.g., laser surgery
on eyes, development of technologies to extend night
vision)
Investigate and interpret emerging technologies for
storing and transmitting images in digital form (e.g., digital
cameras, infrared imaging, remote imaging technologies)
(4) Predict how a change in the rate of vibration will
affect a sound.
(5) Demonstrate a variety of ways of producing sounds;
e.g., by striking an empty glass, by blowing air into a
bottle, by constructing and using a device that involves

Subject Area
Grade Level
Topic
Length of Unit
(weeks)

vibrating strings.
(6) Use sound-producing devices that the student has
constructed to demonstrate methods for controlling the
loudness, pitch and quality of sound produced.
(7) Identify examples that show that sound can travel
through a variety of materials, including solids, liquids and
air, and that sound travels in all directions.
(8) Describe how the human ear senses vibrations.
(9) Compare the range of hearing in humans to that in
other animals; e.g., dogs and bats.
(10) Recognize that certain sounds have characteristics
that cause them to be interpreted as pleasant or
unpleasant, and identify these characteristics.
(11) Describe changes in hearing that result from
continued exposure to loud noise and from the natural
process of aging.
(12) Construct and evaluate different kinds of
soundproofing and sound-amplifying devices.
(13) Explain the role that sound plays in
communication.

Resources Needed:
Lenses
Light
Cup
Different types of material (translucent/opaque)
Geometric ray model

Summer 2016: Marynowski

Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe (2005)

Science
8
Light and sound
About 9

Assessment Tool Overview

Assessment
Tool Title

Outcomes

Description
To gage how well students understood
concept to be completed at the end of
class. This will be handed in, visual, or
verbal. If I need quick assessment for that
days material, exit slip will be done. Near
end of unit, exit slips will be used to help
make questions for the review game.
Get students talking about science. It will
help for clarification among students and
teacher assessment to check for
understanding. Forms of table discussions
and elbow buddies will be used
throughout the unit. This variety will allow
for more learning to take place because
students can hear the concept explained
different ways.
Gets class thinking about science when
they walk in. It reviews concept
previously learned. This helps teacher
assess how well the concept was learned
and if anything needs to be clarified
before they go on to the next material.
Students will explore how reflection has
improved road safety in a written essay.
This will let students look at light and
reflection with technology advancements
that have improved society.
Students will perform an experiment to
see how colored filters change the color
of objects. This will be hands on to allow
students to understand through
experimenting.

Exit slips

all

Group
discussions

all

At the start of
class question

all

Essay: How has

reflection
improved road
safety?

Criterion D

Experiment:
How do colored
filters change
the color of
objects

Criterion B
and C

Text questions

all

Gives students individual practice for

their learning. Homework checks will be
done when they are due each week.

Criterion A

A written test will be given at the end

light and another at the end of sound.
Throughout the unit students have been
preparing, there will be a review before.

Unit Test

Spring 2016: Marynowski

Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe (2005)

Fo
r

AS

O
F

In class a variety of work will be

completed over the unit. Some will be
individual and other group work.
In-class
Assessments such as thumbs up or down
assignments/
will be done to check for understanding
all
X X
Activities/
throughout the lesson. This will be
Experiments
assessed through observation, discussion,
and homework checks. There will be
different games to check for
understanding and review for the test.
This will help determine students prior
knowledge of light and sound. They will
KWLs
all
add more to it as they learn throughout
X X
the unit. It will be formatively assessed
every Monday.
Summative: there will be an essay, experiment, and exam. Students will have plenty of
time to prepare and class to work and review.
Formative: KWLs, assignments and text questions given to help prepare for the
summative. There will be formative checks throughout lessons to gage student learning.

Spring 2016: Marynowski

Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe (2005)

3 Monday October
9-10:50

Tuesday Wednesday
Thursday7 Friday
2:30-3:15

Introduce light and sound KWLs

Write new unit info
Light checklist handout
K1 Seeing the light
Properties of light: Luminous
Objects give out light
That light travels from a
source
That light travels at a very
high speed
The path of light can be
represented by rays
Light travels in a straight line
Ask students which is faster,
light or sound? Ask them to
think about thunder as an
example.
Introduce the speed of light as
300,000 km/s,

10 Monday

K2 Which ray

What happens when light

meets an object: That
materials can be
transparent, translucent or
opaque
that we see non-luminous
objects because light is
reflected from them and
enters our eyes
Provide a range of
materials for pupils to sort
into transparent,
translucent or opaque
groups, by shining light
from a ray box onto them.
Ask them to explain what
is happening to the light in
each case, and introduce
the ideas of reflection,
transmission and
absorption.
Technology: microscopes
and telescopes.

Tuesday Wednesday
Thursday14 Friday

K3 Traveling through
Reflection: that light is
reflected from plane
surfaces in a predictable
way
Demonstrate using a ray
box to measure
reflection. Stress the
need for accurate
measurement with a
protractor.
Class Practical Work out
the law of reflection ( I =
r)
Make predictions about
how light is reflected off
plane surfaces
Record accurate angles
Spring 2016: Marynowski
Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe (2005)

K4 Colored light
Investigate color and
light
Using reflection:
That when light is
reflected from plane
surfaces an image is
formed. To understand
reflection in everyday
situations.
Class experiment
determine where an
image is formed by
using an object e.g.
bulb, mirror and image
catcher. Then measure
distance between image
and mirror and image

of reflection and
incidence with respect to
the normal
Introduce Essay.

17 Monday

catcher and mirror

Making a periscope
Introduce the idea of the
nature of a mirror
image produced in a
plane mirror.
Ask pupils how such an
image differs from the
object viewed, and
explore their
explanations of why this
happens.
Produce mirror writing
Compare light reflecting
off mirrors
18 Tuesday
19 Wednesday
20 Thursday
21 Friday

K5 mix it-think about

Refraction:
That light changes
direction at a boundary
between two different
media
Demonstrate simple
situations involving
refraction, eg pencil in
beaker of water appears
to bend, and the strange
views perceived when
looking through water,
eg in a swimming pool.
Order the disappearing
coin in a cup of water
demonstration. Ask
pupils to explain how it
works.
Class practical - Students
plot rays of light through
glass blocks and observe
change in direction
entering and leaving
block
Work on essay.
24 Monday

Color: that light can be

dispersed to give a
range of different colors.
DEMO: parallel beam &
prism
Ask students to explain
how a rainbow is formed
Demo: mixing colours of
light
Work on essay.

25 Tuesday
26 Wednesday
27 Thursday
28 Friday

Spring 2016: Marynowski

Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe (2005)

Preparation day

Preparation day
Holiday

31 Monday
Holiday

1 Tuesday2 Wednesday
3 Thursday
4 Friday
November
Holiday
Holiday
Holiday
Holiday

7 Monday

8 Tuesday9 Wednesday
10 Thursday
11 Friday

Seeing color: how colored objects

appear in white light and different
colored lights.
Ask pupils to investigate the effects of
viewing different coloured objects in
beams of light of different colours. (Use
ppt & projector)

14 Monday

Holiday

Using filters:
How colored filters change white light
by absorption
Summative experiment.
Demo: Large filters on projector also
class set of filters for looking at
projector image
Class practical: use prisms and ray
boxes to produce spectrum and then
add in filters

15 Tuesday
16 Wednesday
17 Thursday
18 Friday
Light exam

Review
Essay due

21 Monday

Holiday

22 Tuesday
23 Wednesday
24 Thursday
25 Friday

Sound intro
checklist
L1 good vibrations
How are different sounds
made? Identify different
sounds activity.
Vibrations
Show how different
instruments make
different pitch and
loudness. Investigate
differences in vibrations
of sounds in musical
Spring 2016: Marynowski
Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe (2005)

L2 passing through from

How does sound travel through solids,
liquids and gases?
Electric bell ringing inside bell jar
demo. Does sound travel through
solids? Travels slower than light.

instruments. Demo with

mass and spring to show
oscillations.
Look at sound waves.

28 Monday

29 Tuesday
30 Wednesday
1 Thursday
2 Friday
December

L3 hearing the sound

L3 investigate how well can we tell
where sound comes
How do we hear sound? Experiment
with different pitches.
Ear model.
Can sound be dangerous?

5 Monday December

Review

Tuesday Wednesday
Thursday9 Friday

Exam

12 Monday

Holiday

Tuesday

Wednesday
Thursday16 Friday

Christmas prep

Spring 2016: Marynowski

Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe (2005)