Shrinking Farmlands
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
Stories in Stone
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Program Overview
The Delta Science Module (DSM) series has 51 life, physical, and earth science units for grades K-8 that emphasize science concepts, science content, and process skills. The series includes 12 modules for grades 5-6 and 8 modules for grades 6-8. Each requires about 3 to 4 weeks to complete and includes a teacher's guide and materials for a class of 32 students.
Teacher's Guide
Recommended grade level:
5-7.
Solar Energy helps students understand what is involved in making use of solar energy. During the unit, students carry out various experiments before designing an optimal solar collector. For example, they plant 2 terrariums, place 1 in a sunny location and 1 in a dark location, and compare the growth rates of their plants. Students investigate the transfer of solar energy and discover that a covered solar collector retains more heat than an uncovered one does. They also measure the change in water temperature in black and white solar collectors, investigate how the same amount of solar energy affects the temperature of different volumes of water, and find out whether exposure time is a determining factor in the amount of solar energy absorbed in a collector.
In other activities, students conduct a controlled experiment--to test the importance of the angle at which the sun's rays strike a solar collector, to learn about the use of a reflector, and to investigate the way in which different types of liquid absorb solar energy. After designing and constructing an efficient solar collector on the basis of what they have learned, students use a solar cell to capture and convert solar energy to electrical energy, they experiment with different insulating materials, and they construct and use solar stills.
The 13 activities in Solar Energy are organized to be completed sequentially over 3 to 4 weeks. Each activity takes about 30 to 50 minutes and can be done by students working individually or in groups. Many of the experiments require students to work outdoors.
A "connections" feature at the end of each activity provides suggestions for extending or applying the concepts in the activity. Discussion topics include technology, society, science and careers, language arts, mathematics, the arts, social studies, and health. Other follow-up activities that students can do at home or out of the classroom are also provided. For example, students are encouraged to investigate solar-powered cars and planes that have been built and tested in recent years.
In addition to directions for activities, the teacher's guide provides a module overview, a schedule of activities, objectives for each activity, background information, materials management and preparation tips, sample answers to discussion questions, teaching suggestions, and reinforcement activities. Also included are reproducible activity sheets for student work and a performance-based assessment. The module includes a 15-minute video, Solar Energy.
Key to Content Standards: 5-8 (see app. C)
UNIFYING CONCEPTS AND PROCESSES: Systems, order, and organization; evidence, models, and explanation; change, constancy, and measurement.
SCIENCE AS INQUIRY: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry; understandings about scientific inquiry.
PHYSICAL SCIENCE: Transfer of energy.
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE: Earth in the solar system.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Abilities of technological design; understandings about science and technology.
SCIENCE IN PERSONAL AND SOCIAL PERSPECTIVES: Science and technology in society.
HISTORY AND NATURE OF SCIENCE: Science as a human endeavor; history of science.
Prices:
Teacher's guide (ISBN 0-87504-111-6), $27.95. Kit, $279.00. Refill package, $11.00.
Publisher/supplier:
Delta Education.
Materials:
Available locally, through commercial suppliers, or in kit.
