ED 345 Calvin College Teacher Intern Formal Observation Report

Teacher Intern: Jared Swanson Date: 3/20/2018 Observation #

Mentor Teacher: Eunsub Cho Time of Observation: Approx. time spent
planning this lesson: 2 hrs
Grade Level: 6/7th Subject/ Topic: Thermal Energy
[*Sections denoted with * are for supervisor’s use only.]

DOMAIN 1: PLANNING & PREPARATION

Main Focus: Thermal Energy, Energy Transfers, Insulators
Brief Context: Students have been learning about how energy transfers from on object to another.
They learned what temperature is and today will learn that thermal energy is transferred from cool
objects to warm objects. They are going to develop a container that will prevent heat from
transferring into an ice cube. Their goal is to try and keep the ice cube from melting by preventing
heat from entering the container.
Prerequisite Knowledge/Skills: Students should already know how thermal energy is transferred
and what an insulator is.
Objectives:

Students will be able to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy
is being transferred to or from the object.

Students will be able to create a device that will minimize thermal energy transfer.

MS-PS3-5 Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy
of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object.

MS-PS3-3 Apply scientific principles to design, construct, and test a device that either minimizes or
maximizes thermal energy transfer.

Assessment: bell work, group project (worksheet)

Worldview Integration: Students will understand the world around us is full of energy. Everything
has energy and God made the Earth that way. There is no way to create or destroy energy. It is
always being recycled and transferred.
Instructional Resources: ice cubes, zip lock bags, cotton balls, aluminum foil, wax paper,
cardboard, Styrofoam, newspaper, rubber bands, masking tape, permanent markers, project sheet

Universal Design for Learning Networks/Domains (see UDL Guidelines )

RECOGNITION
Multiple Means of
Representation
Options for Perception
Information will be given
through a lab investigation,
demonstrations, notetaking
sheets, and discussions.
STRATEGIC AFFECTIVE
Multiple Means of Expression Multiple Means of
Engagement
Options for action/interaction Options for recruiting
interest
Students will be interacting with
each other and with the teacher Students will conduct an
through group work. There will experiment making their own
also be times for individual insulators to prevent an ice
work. cube from melting.
Options for
Language/Symbols
Information will be given
through demonstrations,
worksheets, and an
investigation activity.
Options for Comprehension
Options for Expression Options for Sustaining Effort
& Persistence
Students will be writing, talking,
and answering questions.
Sometimes they will be writing
in their notebooks or in their
investigation packet. Other
times, there will be chances for
students to answer questions
and discuss with classmates.
Options for Executive Options for Self-Regulation
Function
Students will be working in
groups on a lab activity. They
will be required to stay on task
to finish the activity. Students
should encourage group
members to be working on the
assigned activity.

* Supervisor’s Comments:

DOMAIN 2: THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

COVENANT MANAGEMENT: Relationship & community building
The students will be having discussions with each other and the teacher. As students work on the
activities and notetaking sheet, the teacher will be assisting and guiding students as they ask
questions and work together. The teacher will encourage collaboration and problem solving.
CONDUCT MANAGEMENT: (Behavioral expectations, strategies to encourage self regulation,
etc.)
Identify at least 2 ways you will gain whole group attention: Asking thought-provoking questions,
waiting until everyone is silent and paying attention before continuing or giving further instructions.
Strategies you intend to use to redirect individual students: Asking questions to refocus the
students on the activity at hand, give students a task, small activity or role to keep them from being a
distraction to others.
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT: Students will be working on the assignment in their table groups.

*Supervisor’s Comments:

DOMAIN 3: INSTRUCTION
CONTENT MANAGEMENT: THE LESSON
Students will begin class by working on their bell work. They will be shown pictures of road joints on
a bridge. “As something increases in temperature and its particles gain kinetic energy, the object
expands. Thinking about this, explain why this bridge might have these joints built into it.”

After students are finished, we will discuss this for a little bit.
“Describe the kinetic energy that is being transferred within the bridge.” Students will raise their hands
and describe this transfer of energy. Energy from the sun (thermal energy) is being transferred into
kinetic energy in the molecules of the bridge. This makes the molecules move faster, increasing the
temperature, and making the bridge expand. These road joints are here so that the bridge does not
crack and break when this happens.

The teacher will now relate this idea of energy transfers to our ice melting experiment from yesterday.

“Think about our ice cube experiment from last class. Describe the energy transfers in that
experiment.”

Students will spend some time discussing this in their groups. The teacher will call on some students
to share their ideas.

“Kinetic energy from the water molecules is transferred into the ice molecules. The ice molecules are
now gaining kinetic energy and warming up or melting. The water molecules are losing kinetic energy
and cooling down. This happens until both objects are at the same temperature (thermal
equilibrium).”

Students will now write down the definitions from thermal energy and heat in their notebooks.

“Thermal energy is the total energy of all particles in an object. Heat is the transfer of thermal energy.
Heat will only transfer from hot objects to cool objects and that transfer will stop once both objects are
at the same temperature.

“Now that we have learned that thermal energy transfers from warm objects to cool objects and that
makes the object’s molecules speed up (increase in kinetic energy and temperature), I would like you
to brainstorm as a group, what might be a way to prevent the transfer of heat. What if I had an ice
cube and I did not want it to melt. What could I do if I didn’t have a freezer to put it in?

Students will spend some time discussing this as a group. Each group will share their response and
we will discuss it as a class.

Now the teacher will ask the class, “how could you prevent heat from reaching the ice? What kinds of
materials could you use to prevent heat from reaching the ice?

The teacher will call on some students.

The teacher will now remind them of insulators. An insulator will not allow heat to flow through it as
well as a conductor.

The teacher will now explain that we will be putting these ideas into practice and performing an
experiment. Each group will receive an ice cube and different materials. Their job is to keep the ice
cube from melting for 1 hour. They will be given a half a class period to brainstorm and a whole class
period to make it.

Teacher will pass out the project paper and describe the ice cube box project. Students will work for
the rest of class brainstorming with their group what kind of box they want in order to keep their ice
cube from melting.

Students will have access to materials – tape, newspaper, Styrofoam, cardboard, cotton balls, zip
lock bags, etc.
There will be an ice cube used as a control to see what happens if there were no insulation. Students
will build their box and make sure to have an opening for the ice cube to be inserted into the box.
The teacher will put an ice cube in the box on hour before class and then during class they will
observe their results.

During the rest of class, they will brainstorm as a group what materials they want to use and how they
want to set up their box. They will write this on their project sheet.

Before the students leave they must write on an index card their blueprint for the box and their
reasoning behind why they did what they did.

*Supervisor’s Comments: (Communication with students, questioning strategies, student

engagement, assessment in instruction, flexibility & responsiveness)

DOMAIN #4: PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

CANDIDATE NOTED EVIDENCE OF PROFESSIONALISM: I worked in a PLC meeting with
other science and math teachers, discussing ways we can accommodate and improve how
approaches for certain students.

*Supervisor’s Comments:
Confidence/Teacher Presence:
Enthusiasm/ Energy Conveyed:
Pace & Flow:
Professional Appearance:

*Supervisor’s Summary Comments:

FUTURE FOCUS:

INTERN REFLECTION – POST OBSERVATION