I've done the first five lessons. I attempted to convert it into an html format which would keep the table form, and I discovered that my skills in that area are rather limited.
Anyway, here's an example of what I've done so far. It's turning into a bigger project than I ever suspected, but it seems to be working. I've tried some of the resources out and the lesson plans can work well. Again, I'm thriving on criticism. Anybody who has said they can help out, I'll be calling on you in the next three or four weeks.
Athon
Lesson 1
Stimulus and Senses
Objective: Define the terms ‘stimulus’ and ‘sense’ and list examples of each.
Outcomes
Must • State that a stimulus is a change we detect in our environment.
• ‘Senses’ are organs which detect these changes.
Should • Explain and contrast various examples of stimuli.
Could • List examples of stimuli other organisms sense but we do not.
Prior Learning:
Students should be familiar with the term ‘organism’ and be familiar with the conventional ‘five senses’ and what they each detect.
Key Concepts:
Our environment consists of a range of substances and conditions directly around us and inside of us. From moment to moment, these conditions can vary, and it is these changes called ‘stimuli’ which can be sensed by an organism’s specialised organs.
A stimulus is therefore any change in the internal or external environment which is detected by an organism. This could be a change in temperature, light intensity or colour, sound or pressure, or chemical concentration. Many organisms can detect other changes, such as electro-magnetic fields.
Most organisms can also sense a change in their relative position and posture through detecting the position of their body parts (limbs) and through a sense of ‘balance’.
Stimuli can be divided up either according to the physical nature of the change, or the organ which detects the change.
e.g. Radiation (infra-red heat, visible light), Moving particles (sound, touch, conducted heat), Chemical, Gravity & Orientation.
or
Sight, touch, hearing, smell, taste, balance.
Dividing stimuli up according to the physical nature of the stimulus is preferable.
Vocabulary:
Must Stimulus, environment, sense, light (intensity, colour), sound (pitch and volume), touch (pressure, pain, heat), smell, taste, balance.
Should Tactile
Could Kinaesthetic, orientation, radiation, infra red, ultra violet, heat conduction.
Options Approx. Time required Resources Required
Starter Read two passages (Res.1.1 and 1.2).
1.1: Describes a sequence of events.
1.2: Describes a person’s response to the events.
Why did the person respond to those events as he did? 10 min Res. 1.1. and 1.2
Activities: Develop a list of adjectives that describe various stimuli (e.g. bright, loud, high pitched, colourful, sweet).
Select 5 random words from this list. Students will use these words to describe an event of their creation. 20 min
Extension: Describe an event where a dog could be aware of what was happening, while a human could not.
Replace ‘dog’ with another animal.
Describe the stimuli.
Explain why the animal can detect the stimuli while a human could not. 20 min.
Homework: Find two advertisements in a magazine or newspaper.
The first should make at least one reference to a stimulus that suggests something ‘positive’.
The second should make at least one reference to a stimulus that suggests something ‘negative’.
Describe each of them. 15 min Magazine or newspaper
Teacher Notes: Students will be more familiar with so-called ‘the five senses’ and how they relate to us, rather than the many stimuli present in our environment.
In the next lesson, these stimuli are discussed in relation to those senses. Keep this in mind when addressing the questions on the senses, but keep it relative to their prior learning.
Enforce the literacy of ‘stimuli’, reminding students that a stimulus is not the same as the sense that detects it. Eg, ‘light’ is the stimulus, ‘seeing’ or ‘sight’ is the sense.
Gaz mentioned that it was an Australian publication - are you or have you toured any time soon?
