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OpenSciEd Physics + Earth & Space Unit 5: Electromagnetic Radiation Student Workbook

Author(s): NATIONAL CENTER FOR

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OpenSciEd High School addresses all high school NGSS standards. This comprehensive science curriculum empowers students to question, design, investigate, and solve the world around them. 

  • Phenomenon Based - Centered around exploring phenomena or solving problems
  • Driven by Student Questions - Storyline based on students’ questions and ideas 
  • Grounded in Evidence - Incremental building and revision of ideas based on evidence 
  • Collaborative - class and teacher figure out ideas together
  • Equitable - Builds a classroom culture that values ideas and learning of all

The OpenSciEd model uses a storyline approach, introducing phenomena that anchors storylines developing disciplinary core ideas, concepts, and science/engineering practices. Students are encouraged to dive deep into key points and solve problems through five activities. 

P.5 Electromagnetic Radiation: How do we use radiation in our lives, and is it safe for humans?

This unit begins with a news article about the unconventional use of microwave ovens to store electronics. Students are motivated to test the behavior of a Bluetooth speaker playing music from a device inside the oven when it is not running. They also test what happens when it runs and heats up food. This phenomenon sets the stage for exploring wave behavior, the interactions of matter with electromagnetic radiation, and how we can use these interactions in different technologies to digitize, store and transfer information. ​​Throughout the unit, students use simulations to model field interactions and energy transfer through electromagnetic radiation. They conduct investigations using the microwave oven to explore how different materials interact with microwave radiation, and how the structure of this device affects energy transfer. Students explain how the frequency and amplitude of electromagnetic radiation affects its interactions with matter and evaluate the wave and photon models of electromagnetic radiation. Students obtain and communicate information about the uses of electromagnetic radiation, its safety, and methods of protection. They apply these ideas in a culminating task to evaluate whether 5G technology is safe.

Perfectly aligned with each unit, the consumable student workbook provides students with a dedicated space to write through their ideas and thoughts with every exercise and activity helping to reinforce important themes and concepts.

The Student Edition, Teacher Edition and material kits are sold separately. 

NATIONAL CENTER FOR

OpenSciEd®​ was launched to improve the supply of and address the demand for high-quality, open-source, full course science instructional materials.  The goals of OpenSciEd are to ensure any science teacher, anywhere, can access and download freely available, high quality, locally adaptable materials.  Though the goal of providing full course materials is still a couple of years away, OpenSciEd is releasing six-week units of instruction as they are completed and externally evaluated as quality by Achieve’s Science Peer Review Panel.

OpenSciEd classroom materials are an open education resource and therefore free to download, copy, use, and/or modify.  You can download the instructional materials free of charge at Access Materials page on the OpenSciEd website.

In an effort to lower barriers for all educators to use OpenSciEd, Kendall Hunt and OpenSciEd have partnered to sell high quality printed books, professional learning and lab kits.