Information for Teachers

This lesson plans in these units are designed for senior secondary school science. There are 3 modules covering sound, light and the behavior of gases.

Each module is related directly to living and working in extreme environments; specifically, in space and under the ocean.

The lesson plans within each module contain,

  • Extensive explanatory notes for teachers.
  • Transparency masters for classroom use.
  • Student Assignments and problem sets.
  • Activites and demonstrations.
  • Assessment rubrics.
  • Relevent curriculum outcomes.

About this lesson plan portfolio

This lesson plan portfolio contains 3 modules. Each unit has been designed for use by teachers.

It has been designed to facilitate teaching topics related to gas pressure, optics, and sound as they relate to living and working in space and undersea.

It is best suited to senior secondary school science students who have some background in physics, chemistry, and biology at the intermediate level.

Preparing to use these resources

Experience has shown that the best way to use these resources is to:

  1. Begin by printing out the entire portfolio. Transparency masters can be printed directly onto colour (or grayscale) transparencies, or printed on ordinary paper and then photocopied onto transparencies.
    Hint: Grayscale transparencies are helpful as they can be highlighted with colour markers when you are discussing them in class.
  2. Read over the material. Make margin notes for yourself, so that you can easily align it to your student's backgrounds and abilities.
  3. Print or photocopy the student assignments and activities so that they may be handed out to your class at the appropriate time.

Using these units as a basis for teaching radiation topics will give students an insightful understanding of concepts in radiation physics and radiation biophysics.

Within each unit are 1) printable pages with explanatory notes, 2) transparency masters for overhead projectors, 3) meaningful student problem sets, 4) construction/laboratory exercises, and 5) research activities.

What this module is not . . .

This is not a self-directed student web-search.

Expected Student Background

In order to use this unit effectively students should be familiar with the following...
  1. The ability to solve simple linear equations such as v = f

  2. The ability to handle exponential notation and perform numerical calculations using exponents
    such as 6.67 x 10-11 x 2.4 x 109

  3. An elementary understanding of introductory high school physical science related to pressure, forces, and applications of Pascal's Law.

  4. An elementary understanding of introductory high school chemistry and atomic theory.

  5. An elementary understanding of the atomic/molecular structure of matter.

  6. An elementary knowledge of cell structure and a general knowledge of human physiology.

How to use these units

There are many possible ways to use these units. Generally however, teachers print out each set of notes, duplicate them and hand them out to the students.

After the students have read a section and written a summary in their notebooks, teachers use the transparencies as a focus for further class discussion.

Student assignments are usually printed, copied, and handed out.

After the students have had a chance to work through each assignment it should be "taken-up"

Please Note: This portfolio is designed to focus on concepts related to living and working in extreme environments. Although it covers topics in sound, optics and the ideal gas laws of chemistry; is not meant to a definitve treatment of these topics.