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Teaching  Guide

Lightning

Speed of Sound

Evaluation

Lightning and the Speed of Sound:
A Curriculum Plan and Teaching Guide 

• Introduction

• Curriculum Standard(s)

• Aim/Purpose Statement

• Rationale

• General Educational Goals

• Subject Matter Description

• Learner Description

• Prerequisites

• Learning Objectives

• Materials

• Instructional Plan

• Teaching Plan

• Assessment Plan

• Evaluation Plan

• Contact Information

• Bibliography

Introduction <back to top>
The Lightning and the Speed of Sound curriculum web introduces students to the physics of measuring the speed of sound. Activities and related websites will be used to enhance and reinforce the concepts and learning objectives. Students working in groups will use various methods to determine the speed of sound.

1. S8CS1. Students will explore the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism in science and will exhibit these traits in their own efforts to understand how the world works.
   a. Understand the importance of—and keep—honest, clear, and accurate records in science.
   
2. S8CS3. Students will have the computation and estimation skills necessary for analyzing data and following scientific explanations.
   a. Analyze scientific data by using, interpreting, and comparing numbers in several equivalent forms, such as integers, fractions, decimals, and percents.
   b. Find the mean, median, and mode and use them to analyze a set of scientific data.
   f. Use ratios and proportions, including constant rates, in appropriate problems.
   
3. S8CS4. Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating equipment and materials in scientific activities utilizing safe laboratory procedures.
   a. Use appropriate technology to store and retrieve scientific information in topical, alphabetical, numerical, and keyword files, and create simple files.
   b. Use appropriate tools and units for measuring objects and/or substances.
   
4. S8P4. Students will explore the wave nature of sound and electromagnetic radiation.
   a. Identify the characteristics of electromagnetic and mechanical waves.
   d. Describe how the behavior of waves is affected by medium (such as air, water, solids).
   e. Relate the properties of sound to everyday experiences.
   

Aim/Purpose Statement<back to top>

The "Lightning and the Speed of Sound" curriculum web is designed to relate an everyday experience to the knowledge of physics and the measurement of the speed of sound. Middle school students will work in teams to explore and investigate how to measure the speed of sound and how to use that knowledge to calculate how close a lightning strike was to their group of friends.

Rationale<back to top>
There will be a collection of web sites and articles related to the speed of sound. Students will reflect on past experiences related to thunder storms and lightning strikes. They will orally present their experience and then write in a journal format a more detailed recount of the experience. There will also be a discussion about whether they previously knew how close lightning is based upon the time between the flash of lightning and the sound of the thunder. This will directly relate a GPS curriculum standard to an everyday experience. 

General Educational Goals<back to top>
The general goals of this curriculum web are to have the students understand the dangers of lightning and what causes it. They will also explore and study the speed of sound and ways that it can be measured. They will be able to apply the knowledge they learn to an everyday experience involving lightning strikes.

Subject Matter Description<back to top>
This curriculum web involves the relationship of lightning and thunder and the speed of sound. Sub-topics are:

Lightning

• Explanation of Lightning
• Frequency of lightning strikes by month and by state

Speed of Sound

• Sonic booms
• Understanding of waves and how they travel
• How to measure the speed of sound

• Age: about 15
• 8th Grade
• Male and female
• Diverse social and cultural demographic of Coweta County
• Regular education students though some special education students will be included with the help of a resource teacher.
• This curriculum web addresses many different learning styles including tactile, verbal, and hands-on activities.
• Student motivation at times is low but usually is that of a typical middle school student.

• Basic computer skills for Internet Research
• Read at a 6th grade level
• Know basic formula for rate which is Rate=Distance/Time
• Video Camcorder skills

• Ultimate goal is for students to determine how close a lightning strike is based upon the time between the “flash” and the thunder.
• Students will be able to describe what causes lightning.
• Students will research lightning strikes and determine how often they occur based upon time of year and geographic location.
• Students will accurately record data onto a data sheet.
• Students will perform calculations on recorded values for purpose of measuring the speed of sound  

• Access to a computer with Internet capabilities.
• Certain activities of this curriculum web may required additional materials.

• The learners will follow the activities checklist to make sure they cover all activities and areas of this curriculum web.

Teaching Plan<back to top>
This teaching plan is targeted towards 8th grade science teachers who are willing to branch out and have their students get "active" with some activities. Here are some things to consider when attempting this curriculum web:

• Are computers available for your students? How many? and How often are they available.
• When grouping your students try to ensure that each group has a somewhat stable person that will be responsible for record keeping and organization of the activities.

As an example, at Arnall Middle School a teacher will be attempting portions of the "Lightning and the Speed of Sound curriculum web. She will have two laptop carts with at least 15 computers in each. If the computers are having problems there is the Measuring the Speed of Sound video and subsequent activity that could be done at that time. Once they've completed their data sheets they can come to any computer in the school to evaluate the audio wave files and perform the calculations that produce the speed of sound.

Assessment Plan<back to top>

Each student will be responsible for the following items:

• Group participation in the Measuring the Speed of Sound activity.
• Indiviually complete all the activities found on the curriculum web. Results will be posted in Google Docs.
• Each group will collectively create a final presentation of what they have learned and use the following rubric as a guideline.

Evaluation Plan <back to top>

Contact Information<back to top>

Robert T. Wilde - tim.wilde@cowetaschools.org
Educational Technology Support Specialist
Arnall Middle School - 770-254-2765
Thomas Crossroads Elementary School
White Oak Elementary School
Coweta County School System
Newnan, GA

Bibliography <back to top>

United Streaming Videos
Google Docs
National Geographic Videos
USA Today online
weather.gov
Ron Kurtus' School of Champions