HS Chemistry - Models of the Atom

3D High School Chemistry Lesson

Link to full lesson

Lesson by Toni LaPoint, Benita Cataldo, Tim Freed - North Country Master Teachers

What allows hot air balloons to fly?

3D High School Chemistry Lesson

Link to full lesson

Lesson by Toni LaPoint, Carthage CSD

3D Physics - Fun Flyers

3D High School Physics Lesson

HS-PS3-5. Develop and use a model of two objects interacting through electric or magnetic fields to illustrate the forces between objects and the changes in energy of the objects due to the interaction.
[Clarification Statement: Examples of models could include diagrams, texts, algebraic expressions, and drawings representing what happens when two charges of opposite polarity are near each other.] [Assessment Boundary:  Assessment is limited to systems containing two objects.]

Lesson by Charlene Rydgren, Malone CSD

Super-Charged Hummingbirds

3D High School Living Environment Lesson

HS-LS1-7. Use a model to illustrate that aerobic cellular respiration is a chemical process whereby the bonds of food molecules and oxygen molecules are broken and the bonds in new compounds are formed resulting in a net transfer of energy. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the conceptual understanding of the inputs and outputs of the process of aerobic cellular respiration.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment should not include identification of the steps or specific processes involved in aerobic cellular respiration.]

Super Charged Hummingbirds is a 3-D Lesson for Living Environment or other high school biology classes focusing on Energy Transfer and Transformation using Hummingbirds as a Model.

Phenomenon: 
Hummingbird in slow motion - How does it get the energy to move that fast?

Exploring modeling instruction and the properties of matter

3D Middle School Physical Science Lesson

MS PS1-4: Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.

Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on qualitative molecular-level models of solids, liquids, and gases to show that adding or removing thermal energy increases or decreases kinetic energy of the particles until a change of state occurs. Examples of models could include drawing and diagrams. Examples of particles could include molecules or inert atoms. Examples of pure substances could include water, carbon dioxide, and helium.

Phenomenon: 

What happens when you add an ice cube to a cylinder filled with oil?

Photo from Steve Spangler Science

Students can use the Systems & Models graphic organizer to begin developing a model of the phenomenon, and whiteboards later on to build a group consensus model.

Link to full set of Crosscutting Concepts Graphic Organizers

3-dimensional lesson plan for this phenomenon:

Link to lesson file with blank template

Modeling the phenomenon:

The most important facet of this lesson is the development of student models to diagram and explain the phenomenon. The demonstration sets the stage for student understanding; it's important for the teacher to equip students with the opportunity to ask questions to reveal new layers of understanding of the phenomenon. Through group collaboration, class discussion, and individual reflection, students have an opportunity to continually revise their understanding. Class discussion, led by the teacher, is critical so that key vocabulary and concepts are connected to student understanding and represented in the consensus model. Teachers need to be equipped to guide students through any typical misconceptions during the discussion phase.

Want more information about modeling instruction? 

Here's a synopsis from the American Modeling Teachers Association.