INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE

Choose one Instructional Software title. Complete all fields in the following template to describe the
software and how you would use this product in your future classroom to help students achieve required
learning standards.
Note: This template uses the “forms” feature in MS Word. Select the highlighted text boxes and type over
the sample text. Simply click on the boxes to check them.

Name: Chenia Brown

Software Title: PhET Interactive Simulations
URL: https://phet.colorado.edu/
Function(s) of Instructional Software (check all that apply):
Drill and Practice Tutorial Simulation Instructional Game e-books/e-references
Features of the Software (check all that apply):
Assessment Monitoring/Reporting (Keeps track of student data and/or generates reports for the
teacher) Allows teacher to create customized lessons for students Multi-user or collaborative
functions with others in class Multi-user or collaborative functions with others beyond local class
Accessible to students beyond the school day Accessible via mobile devices Multiple
languages Safety, security, and/or privacy features
Strengths of the Software: (Examples: Great graphics, fast paced, motivates students with rewards,
etc.)
Suggestions for Improvement: Although the software provides several options for assessments, it
does not have a feature that helps teachers keep track of student data while using the simulation.
Also, if the student were to try using this software at home, there wouldn’t be a way to show if they
actually did it or how well they performed.

Standards Addressed: S8P4. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to support the claim
that electromagnetic (light) waves behave differently than mechanical (sound) waves.
f. Develop and use a model (e.g., simulations, graphs, illustrations) to predict and describe the
relationships between wave properties (e.g., frequency, amplitude, and wavelength) and
energy.

Grade Level/Content Area(s): 8th Grade Physical Science

Bloom’s Level of Critical Thinking Required (check all that apply). See
http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Bloom%27s_Taxonomy
Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating

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Description of how to implement in the class:

Students will be able to explore and draw conclusions about the nature, properties, and behaviors of
sound waves by using the PhET simulation for sound. They will use the simulation to develop their
own definitions of frequency and amplitude. They will describe how frequency and amplitude affects
the sound we hear. When given a description of a sound like “high pitched and loud”, students will be
able to describe the amplitude and frequency.
As a warm-up activity, I would give students a short pre-test about sound waves. After completing
this, I would begin a discussion on what sound is while conducting an informal formative assessment
by asking students prompting questions such as,
How are we able to hear?
How does sound travel?
Can we see sound?
What does sound look like? Etc.
Next, the students will each get on an individual computer and begin their PhET simulation. In order
to assess whether they are achieving the learning objectives, I will provide a handout for them to
complete, that will help guide their learning while using the simulation. This activity will be student
self-paced, so if students finish earlier than other, I would have those students re-answer the
questions from the pre-test to see if they now understand the concepts after using the simulations.
Students who do not finish early will complete the pretest for homework. I will use this data to see
where the students were before the lesson and where they are after using the simulations.

Materials Needed:
Computers (for each student)
Pre-Test Handout
Simulation Guide Worksheet

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