ORIGINAL LESSON PLAN

GRADE: second   SUBJECT: Science   TOPIC: Simple Machines/Technology

CONCEPT: Machines are useful but can be dangerous.

OBJECTIVE: To understand safety in the use of machines

MATERIALS:

Scissors, nutcracker, paring knife, hammer, nail and wooden block, vehicle sign,

and other copies of warning signals used with machines and machinery,

INTRODUCTION:

Bring in many types of tools and simple machines, as well as pictures of them. Ask the students whether or not they understand the safety rules surrounding the use of such implements. To jar their understanding, bring out an uncommon tool (e.g., a lathe) and ask whether or not the children would know what it was used for; ask the students whether or not they should use this machine. Hopefully, the students will see that when you are unsure, you should not touch something.

INSTRUCTION:

Have a large table display of many types of tools that will be used in the classroom during the year, and more importantly, for the coming lesson. Ask the children questions such as: how could this paring knife be used and accidentally cause an injury, or how can scissors be dangerous? Summarize by making a general statement such as: “A _________ is a tool or machine that can be classified as useful but could be dangerous”. With the children, make a list of rules that will be put onto each of the tools, for example, a paring knife:

·        Cut away from the body as you use the paring knife.

·        Do not let the point of the knife go toward the body.

·        Always use caution when using a machine.

·        Before handling and using machines, thoroughly familiarize yourself with necessary safety precautions.

Continue with other types of simple machines, such as a hammer and nails, a saw, a nutcracker.

CLOSURE:

What important information did we learn about the use of machines? Machines are useful but can be dangerous. Machines must be used with caution. Should ALL WARNING labels be read before a machine is used? Yes! Always read ALL WARNING labels before using the machine. Use all safety guidelines available with machines.

Adaptations for LD students

Rationale for adaptation

Implementation and possible difficulties

1- prepare warning labels to put on all of the simple but potentially dangerous machines in both written and symbolic form (e.g., DANGER, or a skull and cross bones)

2 – prepare an instruction/safety manual for each dangerous machine on display during the lesson, but make the phrases short (Cut away from the body; Don’t point the knife at anyone; Always be cautious), and clear in meaning

3 – whenever possible, make the instructions/safety manual into an acronym (e.g., CAD: Cut away from the body; Always be cautious; Don’t point the knife at anyone); use large-bold writing to show the students how acronyms works

4 - because it will be difficult to remember all of the acronyms, it would be best to post these in visible places near the machines in question, and in some type of striking form (e.g., color, specialized design)

5 – when using uncommon classroom machines or tools (e.g., hammer), limit their use to when a volunteer is present to help the teacher, or limit their use to small groups, making monitoring easier

1 - LD students having difficulty reading would benefit from symbolic rather than word-based labels

2 - LD students having difficulty with reading, and understanding directions will benefit from such short phrasings

3 - LD students having difficulty with reading, and memory will benefit from the easily remembered acronym

4 – LD students having difficulty with memory will be able to see the posters before they want to use them

5 – this general guideline seeks to avoid the problems posed with the suggestions made above

1 - the teacher would have to ensure that all of the students were aware of what the symbols meant – this would have to be reinforced many times, and the teacher would have to ensure that each child understood

2 - the teacher will have to ensure that the short phrases contain a sufficient amount of information to actually be meaningful (e.g., “Don’t point the knife” is potentially ambiguous); allow the students to create rules, and be sure to include these

3 - the teacher will have to be very creative in making acronyms that make sense, preferably into already existing words (e.g., FAST, or PASS)

3- problems may arise if there are too many acronyms, the teacher should create one broad enough that would encompass all of the procedures for machine use

4 – while safety is first, the class may become encumbered with posters, which needs to be considered as a factor that may interfere with other aspects of the classroom setup; being well prepared during the year, so as not to have too many dangerous machines in the room simultaneously would be a good idea

5 – the teacher may be unable to find volunteers