Name: Kelsey Goodson

Inquiry Based Science Lesson Topic: Physical Science, Sound Energy

Presentation Week: 11
Grade Level: 4

Reflection: Inquiry Based Science Lesson

Recording
After viewing the recording of your Inquiry Based science lesson presentation, evaluate your performance in the following sections.
Write a brief narrative in each of the comment boxes and then submit.
Category

Description

Developmentally
appropriate

-Does your Inquiry

Based Science Lesson
content align with the
CCSS for the
appropriate grade level?
-Is your Inquiry Based
Science lesson content
and experiment
developmentally
appropriate for grade
level stated?

Criteria

-Does your Inquiry

Based Science Lesson
fully demonstrate
connection to topic
taught?

Narrative (e.g. areas of strength, areas needing improvement, etc.)

Yes, my inquiry based lesson was aligned with the Next Generation science standards and possessed
objectives that were derived from said standards. The objectives utilized DOK language and were meant
to activate third stage strategic, higher order thinking in the students. I believe that my lesson was
developmentally appropriate in that the task assigned was simple, pre-constructed, and was coupled
with an inquiry worksheet that was meant to emphasize how the experiment related to the overall
content and structure of the lesson.

I feel that the experiment provided a concise visualization of the complex concept of sound energy and
made real world connections to said concept. I intended to build a sound foundational basis before
delving into the experiment. The experiment was meant to provide students with an easy means of
interpreting the oral components of the lesson. I wished for the string telephone experiment to drive the
majority of the lesson and for the PowerPoint and corresponding videos to merely supplement the
information. The overall objective was for students to understand how sound waves travel and make our
daily conversations possible. The real world connection component was key in ensuring understanding
and I feel that the students achieved a decent understanding based on their responses and enthusiasm

Name: Kelsey Goodson

Inquiry Based Science Lesson Topic: Physical Science, Sound Energy

Presentation Week: 11
Grade Level: 4

levels.

Delivery

Do you deliver the

lesson clearly, at a good
rate, volume and speed?
Do you hear yourself
continually saying:
Um? Like? Gonna?
etc

I believe I delivered the lesson clearly. I make a point to refrain from awkward silences or uhms.
When I am speaking, I try to be as articulate and prepared as humanly possible. I am always trying to
improve my delivery and ability to convert my thoughts into accessible speech. I am aware that in an
elementary setting I need to watch my language so it does not diverge into verbosity.
The overall pace of my lesson was a bit rushed but that was due to time constraints. I would typically
prefer the lesson to last longer and to run at a smoother, less hurried pace, and to really emphasize the
need for constant reflection and analysis of concepts and connections during that time frame.
My volume was decent and I was pleased that I was able to attract and maintain student attention
throughout. I was pleasantly surprised that students responded to my saying class when I fully did not
expect them to. I merely expected silence and was pleased when they replied with yes. In a typical
class setting, that behavior would have to be taught and I learned that it would be a lesson worth
teaching.

Name: Kelsey Goodson

Inquiry Based Science Lesson Topic: Physical Science, Sound Energy

Content

-Do you show a deep

understanding and
working knowledge of
the presentation topic or
is more
reading/research needed
on your part?

Presentation Week: 11
Grade Level: 4

The topic at hand was very complex and required a good deal of research. My strategy for teaching was
simple in that I decided that if I couldnt understand the information after multiple exposures then a
fourth grade student wouldnt be able to either. I tried to make information concise and understandable.
I read several different sources, watched videos, and participated in the real world application I
described (clapping my hands in an outdoor space enclosed by concrete walls) to attempt to understand
how sound travels. Throughout the course of my learning, I decided that what helped me understand
sound best was how the human ear interprets it. In light of this, I negated some aspects of the lesson to
replace it with information regarding the human ear. This was meant to work as background knowledge
and to give the students a solid basis before moving on to sound itself. I felt that I expressed the
information as concisely as I could and did so in a way that any student could understand. I strongly feel
that students should not be overloaded with information and that all information should be relevant and
made simple. I tried to provide this through real world connections, application, and worksheets that
emphasized reflection and discussion rather than abstractions.

Name: Kelsey Goodson

Inquiry Based Science Lesson Topic: Physical Science, Sound Energy

Presentation Week: 11
Grade Level: 4

Experiment

Does your experiment

completely follow the
6E Model by allowing
students to Engage,
Explore, Explain,
Elaborate, and Evaluate
throughout the hands
on activity?

I conceived my lesson with the 6 E model in mind. I desired that the students would become miniinvestigators by the conclusion. Due to my lesson being rushed, I was not able to emphasize some of the
stop and reflect inquiry components that were a part of the follow along worksheet. These
components were key in activating an inquiry mindset in the student. I do feel that having the students
participate in conversations relating to how they perceive sound in their daily life, having them
summarize the how your ear works information they read, having the students test their own
hearing, allowing them to engage in the string telephone experiment, and having them quickly complete
the inquiry chart corresponding to said activity definitely followed the 6 E method. The experiment was
very hands on and allowed students to test the provided concepts. The experiment itself was simple yet
fun. The students appeared very engaged and excited which leads me to believe that it was a positive
experience for them.

Engagement

-Does your Inquiry

Based Science Lesson

My inquiry based lesson engaged auditory learners via my lecture, question and answer sessions, and

Name: Kelsey Goodson

Inquiry Based Science Lesson Topic: Physical Science, Sound Energy

Self/Peer Review

engage all types of

learners (i.e.
kinesthetic, auditory,
and visual learners?)
-Do your classmates
appear interested and
motivated in your
Inquiry Based Science
Lesson and its
materials?
Were your classmates
peer review
submissions similar to
how well you believed
you did when
presenting your Inquiry
based lesson and
experiment?

Presentation Week: 11
Grade Level: 4

the videos which contained audio. The lesson was visual via the PowerPoint, the videos, and the
experiment itself. The experiment was meant to provide a tidy visual for sound energy. Of course, the
experiment also worked on a kinesthetic level, as did having the students feel their throat as they spoke
in both a high and low voice. I tried to emphasize student involve throughout the lesson and the students
appeared involved. They were able to answer my questions and were extremely enthusiastic over the
string telephone experiment. Some even wished to take home the experiment to use on their own time.
If anything, that was perhaps one of the greatest indicators of success.
N/A. I do not believe that we are engaging in peer reviews.

Was there something

that your classmates
pointed out, that you
did not know you were
doing, throughout the
lesson?
If delivering the lesson
again, what would you
do differently?
How will you grow
from this experiment?

If delivering the lesson a second time, I would slow the pace in order to ensure student understanding
and would amply go over the follow along worksheet and vocabulary. I would also line said worksheets
so student writing would be made easier.
I hope to incorporate the 6 E model in more of my lessons regardless of whether the content area is
science. I feel that this model is a fun, interactive way for students to become engaged and participate in
higher order thinking. The lesson planning process also automatically embeds the need for differentiated
instruction and multi-faceted, fun instructional approaches. I now feel more comfortable as a teacher

Name: Kelsey Goodson

Inquiry Based Science Lesson Topic: Physical Science, Sound Energy

Presentation Week: 11
Grade Level: 4

when dealing with science content. I hope to no longer shy away from planning and executing science
content based lessons. If anything, this reawakened my love of lessons that are driven by student
involvement. The inquiry mindset is a mindset that all students need to maintain throughout their day
regardless of the subject area or task at hand.