Inquiry Unit for CT State Science Standard 5.2 Hope Pardee hpardee@milforded.org Marilyn Odell scinco@snet.net Christina Holth cholth@salem.cen.ct.gov Inquiry Institute Classroom Applications Summer 2007 Connecticut State Science Standard 5.2 sense organs perceive stimuli from the environment and send signals to the brain through the nervous system. Expected Prior Knowledge: 1.2 Living things have different structures and behaviors that allow them to meet their basic needs. Related Grade Level Content: 5.4 Humans have the capacity to build and use tools to advance the quality of their lives. Anticipated Future Learning: 7.2 Many organisms, including humans, have specialized organ systems that interact with each other to maintain dynamic internal balance. EXPECTED PERFORMANCES CMT Expected Performances: B 20: Describe how light absorption and reflection allow one to see the shapes and colors of objects. B 21: Describe the structure and function of the human senses and the signals they perceive B 24: Compare and contrast the structures of the human eye with those of the camera. B 25: Describe the uses of different instruments, such as eyeglasses, magnifiers, periscopes and telescopes, to enhance our vision.
Grade Level Expected Performances: GLE 1: Animals have sense organs that are structured to gather information about their environment. Information perceived by the senses allows animals to find food, water, mates, and protection. GLE 5: The human eye is structured to collect light through the cornea and the pupil. The amount that enters the eye is controlled by the iris. The cornea and the lens refract light and focus it on the retina and the optic nerve where it is transformed into electrical signals that are sent to different parts of the brain. GLE 7: Human eyes have receptors for perceiving shades of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet GLE 9: The perceived color of an object depends on the color of the light illuminating it and the way the light interacts with the object. The color humans see is the color that is reflected by the object. For example, an object that appears green is absorbing all colors except green, which is reflected to the eye. Core Scientific Inquiry, Literacy, Numeracy B INQ.1 Make observations and ask questions about objects, organisms and the environment. B INQ.3 Design and conduct simple investigations. B INQ.4 Employ simple equipment and measuring tools to gather data and extend the senses. B INQ.5 Use data to construct reasonable explanations. B INQ.6 Analyze, critique and communicate investigations using words, graphs and drawings. B INQ.9 Use measurement tools and standard units (e.g., centimeters, meters, grams, kilograms) to describe objects and materials. B INQ.10 Use mathematics to analyze, interpret and present data. Pre-Assessment: As an indicator of what the students already know about the eye, the teacher can ask students to complete the K of a KWL chart. Will be administered prior to the engagement activity. See Appendix. Summative Assessment: Performance Task: Students will develop a six-or-more-slide power point presentation template will be given to students. The first slide will be the unlabeled diagram of the eye, the students are responsible for labeling the diagram. Students will have an anatomy bank and cut and paste the appropriate structure and sequence in their Power Point slides. All structures appear in the correct sequence (iris, cornea, lens, pupil, retina, optic nerve) and will be graded according to a given rubric. Directions to students: A local optometrist has asked you to develop a Powerpoint presentation to help the patients in the waiting room learn more about the structure and function of the human eye. Be sure to include..
Rubric for Assessment of Performance Task (PowerPoint presentation) Element 4 3 2 1 Sequence of Structures (path) Labeling Structure All structures appear in the correct sequence All structures are labeled correctly and spelling is correct All structures appear in the correct sequence Four structures appear in the correct sequence Five or more structures Labeled correctly and one spelling error 4 structures appear in the correct sequence. Two structures appear in the correct sequence Four or more structures are labeled correctly with two or more spelling errors 2 structures appear in correct sequence. Zero Structures appear in the correct sequence Numerous errors in labeling or spelling No structures appearing in correct sequence. Function Phase 1 Engagement Activity: Blind Spot activity. Everyone has a blind spot in their eyes. Located in the back of the eye, there is a point on the retina where the optic nerve joins in. This point, called the blindspot, has no color or light receptors at all. The blind spot is the result of no light receptors at the area where the optic nerve joins the retina. Therefore, no light is picked up there. The optic nerve is actually an extension of the brain, and extends all the way to the back of the brain. You won't notice the blind spot with two eyes open because both eyes help each other and cancel the blind spot when the brain fuses the two images together from both of your eyes. Students will be given a card (below) to test for their blind spot. Students will record their I Notice/I Wonder in their science notebook.
Blind Spot Activity: Directions: 1. There are two shapes on a card. 2. Hold the card with your thumb touching your nose. 3. Stare at one shape and close the other eye. 4. Using your peripheral (out of the sides of your eyes) vision, look at the other. 5. Holding the card and keeping one eye closed, slowly extend your arm straight forward (away from your eye)... At a certain point, one of the shapes will disappear! 6. In your science notebook, record the distance from your eye where one shape disappeared. Follow up: Students will post distance of blind spots on a common chart and record questions on sentence strips from this activity. Students will then remain at their seats and be given preliminary instructions for the Phase 1 Activity. Students will be placed in groups of four to explore/investigate the stations. Phase 1 Lab Stations: Students will rotate through five stations in groups of three or four. Students will create two-column notes with the following headings: I Notice and I Wonder and will record 1 question on a sentence strip for Phase 2. Student Directions: At each station, use your two-column notes (I Notice/I Wonder)to record your thoughts. Be sure to record one question on a sentence strip. You have ten minutes at each station.
Structure Station: Camera/Eye Model Station/Ophthalmoscope Station Perception Station: Penlight station blindfold /pupil gauge/ Pirate Activity (eyepatch) Function Station: *Ophthalmoscope/zippered plastic bag with water, measuring tape and one kind of lens (different lenses, glasses, and letter eye test will be held out until Phase 2) (same volume of fluid in each bag) water over text (change the volume of water). *Note: photos of the inner structures of the eye may be substituted for an ophthalmoscope. SCHEMATIC FOR STATIONS Station A Camera and Eye Model Materials: Camera and Eye Model, blank Venn Diagram, set of directions describing how the camera and the eye are the same and different, notebook to generate I Notice/I Wonder, sentence strips Station B Eye Scope Materials: eye scope, directions on how to use, set of directions, notebook to generate I Notice/I Wonder, sentence strips Station C Lenses and Screens Materials: Convex lens, water filled plastic bags, text/newspaper, alphabet eye chart test, measuring tape, eyepatch, notebook to generate I Notice/I Wonder, sentence strips Station D Pupil Station Materials: Sunglasses, blindfold, pen light, pupil gauge, notebook to generate I Notice/I Wonder, sentence strips Station E Color Perception / Retinal fatigue Materials: color blindness test on laptop or printed out, Cellophane paper of different colors, poster, screen Photo of blue and yellow soccer ball transitions to white screen Thinking Tool #1: Pinhole camera which will be introduced after the students have explored the stations.
Then the teacher will collect the questions/sentence strips and post them according to category (structure, function, perception). Phase 2: Focused Investigation: Teacher may have to guide students to some questions for content purposes. Students will participate in a gallery walk to choose investigable questions. During this stage students are introduced to different/new materials in addition to the ones from the Inquiry Starter Activity including: different lenses, eyeglasses, camera, different camera lenses, blind spot testing cards, pupil gauge, additional pen lights, blindfolds, eye test, eye paddle to block one eye, optic bench Prior to students starting their investigations, they must fill out a planning and investigating sheet and present it to the teacher before they start to gather materials: (see following page)
Planning and Investigating Sheet Names: Question: Materials you will use: Procedure/Plan:
Color Vision Process Test: Thinking Tool #2: United Streaming video The Human Eye Phase 3: Shared Understandings: Formative Assessment (key concepts are aligned to CMT Expected performance 21 describe the structure and function of the human senses and the signals they perceive ) Share Out: During this phase students will share their findings with the class. Students will present, in small groups, visual and/or performance activity representations of their exploration. These may include a written explanation of their scientific process, graphs, charts of their findings, and a diagram of the eye s structure and function. Students may create a line of learning or fill out an individual response sheet documenting each group s problem and findings. Students will record other groups variables, results, and conclusions on a summary table to be included in their notes. The teacher may wish to keep a concept table on chart paper for use during the content blast.
Name: Human Eye Concepts Stations Results Conclusions
Content Blast: Following student presentations, teacher will synthesize key concepts that came out of student investigations and/or inject content as necessary. Teacher may provide students with a pre-typed handout of content blast. Challenge Activities: (View Master) Optical illusions activities addressing: stereoscopic vision is an adaptation that humans have made to live in their world (it has made them better hunter/gatherers, appreciate artistic, distance and depth perception). Color blindness affecting human survival (i.e. predator/prey camouflage, poisons)
Potential Student Questions Potential Structure Questions: Why are some images easier to see when the hole is larger? How is the eye like a camera? Why do some people go blind? Potential Function Questions: How does distance affect the text that is read? How are the camera and the human eye similar and how are they different? There s a place for the film, where is image recorded in the eye? Is the shutter of the camera like the iris of the eye? Is the shape of lenses the same as the shape of the eye? How is the shutter of the camera like the eyelid? What is the effect of lens shape on an image being viewed? Do all lenses work the same? Do all lenses magnify the same? Where does the image go? How do the eyes work together? (is this a QFL?) Perception Questions: What is the black hole in the center of the eye? Why does the pupil get smaller and larger according to light? Why can t we see in the dark? What is the effect of light on vision? Why do I have a blind spot? Does everybody have a blind spot? How many blind spots do I have? How big is my blind spot? Is everyone s blind spot in the same place/same size? Do lenses change blind spot? Is there a relationship between blind spot and eye color? Color-blindness/retinal fatigue stations: What causes me to see different colors when I stare at an image and then a blank screen? What causes color vision? What causes color-blindness? What effect does light/dark have on color vision? Questions for later/parking lot: What job does the eye do? Color vision questions/iris color questions. Other questions which require other materials.
Name: The Human Eye Pre-Assessment Directions: Write T next to the statement if it is true. Write F next to the statement if it is false. 1. The cornea opens and closes to permit light into the eye. 2. In order to see shapes and colors of light, light must be absorbed. 3. The sense organs take input from and send signals to ther brain through the nervous system. 4. The film in a camera is similar to the retina of the human eye. 5. Color vision enables human being to perceive depth. 6. Human beings need two working eyes to perceive depth. 7. If you have a blind spot, you should see an eye doctor. 8. The iris sends nerve impulses to the brain. 9. The optic nerve controls movement of the eye. 10. Concave lenses bring rays of light together. 11. Black and white images are perceived by the optic nerve.
Letter G points to the cornea Light reflected from an object first passes into the body through this outermost lens, the cornea. It also acts to protect the eye from pollutants such as dust or dirt. G.E. C.S.C. Institute for Inquiry 2
Letter points to the Next, light reflected from an object It also acts to G.E. C.S.C. Institute for Inquiry 3
Letter points to the Next, light reflected from an object It also acts to G.E. C.S.C. Institute for Inquiry 4
Letter points to the Next, light reflected from an object It also acts to G.E. C.S.C. Institute for Inquiry 5
Letter points to the Next, the reflected from an object It also acts to G.E. C.S.C. Institute for Inquiry 6
Letter points to the Finally, This is important because G.E. C.S.C. Institute for Inquiry 7
G.E. C.S.C. Institute for Inquiry 8