Created byLea Brickland
1 views0 downloads
Electricity Time Travelers
Grade 4ScienceEnglish1 days
★★★★★
5.0 (1 rating)ElectricityHistoryTime MachineInventionsScientific InvestigationHistorical FiguresCreative Design
📝
Inquiry Framework
Question Framework
Driving Question
The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can designing a time machine help us understand the historical evolution and the impact of electricity on modern life and future innovations?Essential Questions
Supporting questions that break down major concepts.- How has electricity changed the way we live over time?
- What are the key discoveries and inventions in the history of electricity?
- How does electricity work, and why is it important in our daily lives?
- What were some of the challenges and obstacles faced by early inventors in harnessing electricity?
- How can understanding the history of electricity help us innovate future technologies?
- What role did famous scientists, like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Edison, play in the development of electricity?
- How does exploring the history of electricity enhance our understanding of science and technology today?
Standards & Learning Goals
Learning Goals
By the end of this project, students will be able to:- Understand and describe the historical development and impact of electricity on society.
- Identify key figures and events in the history of electricity, including their contributions.
- Design a model time machine that demonstrates the principles of electricity and historical advancements.
- Conduct and apply research to inform the design process, emphasizing scientific understanding.
- Enhance communication skills through project presentations that integrate historical and scientific contexts.
Next Generation Science Standards
NGSS.4-PS3-2
Primary
Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents.Reason: This standard aligns with understanding how electricity transfers energy in various forms, a key part of the project's objectives.
NGSS.4-PS3-4
Primary
Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.Reason: The project involves designing a model (time machine) that showcases historical advancements in electricity, aligns with converting and understanding energy flows.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.7
Secondary
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.Reason: Students will research the history of electricity and its inventors, integrating this information into their time machine design.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.4
Supporting
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.Reason: Students will present their time machine projects and explain the historical context of electrical discoveries through presentations.
Entry Events
Events that will be used to introduce the project to studentsMystery Time Capsule
A mysterious time capsule from the future appears in the classroom, filled with artifacts from various eras highlighting key moments in the development of electricity. Students are tasked with identifying the time and significance of each artifact, sparking interest in the historical journey they will explore throughout the project. The intrigue of unlocking a 'future' time capsule connects directly to the concept of time travel and advances in electricity.Virtual Reality Voyage
Students don VR headsets for a thrilling journey through time, witnessing firsthand the groundbreaking moments in electrical history as if they were actually there. This tech-savvy entry venture marries students' interest in virtual reality with the science of electricity, pivoting their curiosity toward the past and its relevance to the modern world.Electricity Storybook Quest
Introduce students to a captivating storybook that articulates the epic narrative of electricity's invention and development through different epochs. Each chapter presents a problem-solving challenge, encouraging students to think critically about how electricity shaped those time periods. Storytelling taps into student interests in narratives while establishing a foundational understanding of the project.📚
Portfolio Activities
Portfolio Activities
These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.Activity 1
Artifact Investigation
Students will act as detectives to investigate artifacts from the past, each representing a key moment in the history of electricity. They will learn how to contextualize these artifacts in terms of their historical significance and the evolution of electricity. This activity serves to ground students in historical inquiry and sets the foundation for understanding electricity's development over time.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Examine each artifact in the time capsule and discuss its possible historical significance in pairs or groups.
2. Use classroom resources or research online to gather information about each artifact and its era.
3. Create a timeline that highlights when each artifact was used and its role in the development of electricity.
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityAn annotated timeline that maps the historical progression of key discoveries in electricity.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with NGSS.4-PS3-2 by providing evidence of energy transfer over time and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.7 through research conducted to build historical knowledge.Activity 2
Timeline Engineers
Students will engineer a visual timeline that not only maps the historical advancements of electricity but also reflects on how each discovery or invention contributed to societal changes. This is an opportunity for creative expression, and students will use multimedia tools to make their timelines interactive and engaging.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Select key inventions and discoveries from the history of electricity identified in the previous activity.
2. Use a graphic design tool to create an interactive multimedia timeline. Include visuals, short videos, and audio snippets that explain each entry's importance.
3. Ensure each timeline entry connects to a societal change or impact resulting from the advancement.
4. Share and peer review timelines to get feedback and suggestions for improvement.
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityAn interactive, multimedia timeline that demonstrates the historical evolution of electricity and its impact on society.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsConnects to NGSS.4-PS3-4 by designing a tool that conveys scientific advancement and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.4 for effectively communicating information.Activity 3
Inventor's Insight
Students will delve into the lives of famous scientists, such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Edison, to understand their contributions to electricity. By creating biographical sketches, students will explore the obstacles these inventors faced and how their breakthroughs shaped our world.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Research a key figure in the history of electricity, focusing on their major contributions and challenges they overcame.
2. Compile significant findings and document how each inventor's work contributes to the modern understanding of electricity.
3. Craft a biographical sketch using creative writing techniques to describe each inventor's journey and achievements.
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA biographical sketch that provides insight into the lives and contributions of historical figures in electricity.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsSupports CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.7 by conducting a research project and enhances understanding of NGSS.4-PS3-2 through contextual exploration of energy pioneers.Activity 4
Time Machine Blueprint
In this culminating activity, students will design and conceptualize a 'Time Machine' that showcases the history of electricity. They will brainstorm engineering principles to apply and describe how their machine illustrates electricity's evolution.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Brainstorm as a group about what features their time machine should include to effectively reflect the history of electricity.
2. Use scientific understanding from previous activities to sketch blueprints of their time machines, noting how each component represents an era in electrical history.
3. Develop a narrative that explains each part of the time machine, demonstrated through electricity's evolution.
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed blueprint and narrative for a time machine that visually and contextually represents the history of electricity.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsDirectly aligns with NGSS.4-PS3-4 through the design and conceptualization of a model and engages CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.4 in narrating and presenting their designs.🏆
Rubric & Reflection
Portfolio Rubric
Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolioElectricity Time Travelers Assessment Rubric
Category 1
Historical Understanding
Assesses the depth of understanding and representation of historical events and figures in the context of electricity.Criterion 1
Historical Accuracy
Evaluates the correctness of historical details related to key events and figures in the development of electricity.
Exemplary
4 PointsDemonstrates sophisticated understanding with accurate and insightful historical representations, integrating multiple sources.
Proficient
3 PointsPresents accurate historical details with logical interpretations and source integration.
Developing
2 PointsShows emerging understanding with some inaccuracies or occasional lack of detail.
Beginning
1 PointsDemonstrates minimal accuracy in the representation of historical facts and lack of detail.
Criterion 2
Key Historical Figures
Measures the depth of understanding and portrayal of key figures’ contributions and challenges in electricity's history.
Exemplary
4 PointsProvides a comprehensive account of key figures, detailing significant contributions and challenges, using creative narratives.
Proficient
3 PointsAccurately describes key figures and their contributions with coherent presentation.
Developing
2 PointsPresents basic understanding with limited detail or clarity.
Beginning
1 PointsProvides minimal information about historical figures and lacks clarity.
Category 2
Scientific and Creative Innovation
Evaluates the integration of scientific principles with creative design in project deliverables.Criterion 1
Creative Design and Functionality
Assesses the originality and effectiveness of the project's design elements and their practical representations.
Exemplary
4 PointsDesigns are exceptionally creative and effectively demonstrate scientific concepts related to electrical evolution.
Proficient
3 PointsDesigns are creative and functionally demonstrate the relevant scientific concepts.
Developing
2 PointsDemonstrates some creativity but with limited functionality or scientific accuracy.
Beginning
1 PointsDesigns lack creativity and do not adequately represent scientific concepts.
Criterion 2
Scientific Understanding
Measures the understanding and application of scientific principles concerning electricity.
Exemplary
4 PointsExhibits advanced understanding and application of scientific concepts through accurate and innovative presentations.
Proficient
3 PointsShows solid understanding and appropriate application of scientific concepts.
Developing
2 PointsDemonstrates basic understanding with some application inaccuracies.
Beginning
1 PointsShows minimal understanding or application of the scientific concepts.
Category 3
Communication and Presentation
Assesses clarity, coherence, and creativity in the presentation of ideas and findings.Criterion 1
Oral and Written Communication
Evaluates the clarity, organization, and creativity of both oral and written presentations.
Exemplary
4 PointsDemonstrates exceptional clarity and organization with compelling storytelling and creative presentation methods.
Proficient
3 PointsCommunicates clearly and organizes ideas well using appropriate storytelling techniques.
Developing
2 PointsDisplays some clarity with episodes of disorganization and basic storytelling.
Beginning
1 PointsLacks clarity and organization; storytelling is unclear.
Reflection Prompts
End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learningQuestion 1
Reflect on the journey of creating your time machine blueprint. What were the key stages in your design process, and how did they help you understand the historical evolution of electricity?
Text
Required
Question 2
On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you rate your understanding of the historical impact of electricity on modern life after completing this project?
Scale
Required
Question 3
Identify one key figure you researched during this project. How did their contributions to electricity influence your perspective on scientific innovation?
Multiple choice
Required
Options
Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Edison
Nikola Tesla
Michael Faraday