8th Grade Light Waves And Aquaponics Lesson Plan (Science)

Topic: Light Waves and Aquaponics

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will understand how light waves affect the aquaponics system and can be used for its maintenance.

Materials:

• Aquaponics system
• Light source (such as a lamp or sunlight)
• Timer
• Calculator
• Pen and paper for each student

Warm-up

• Begin the lesson by asking students what they know about light waves. Write their responses on the board.
• Next, show students a light source and ask them to describe what they see.
• Introduce the concept of visible light and ultraviolet light.
• Ask students to think of a practical application of light waves besides seeing.

Direct Instruction

• Explain that light waves are a form of energy that can be used to drive a variety of processes.
• Discuss the role of light waves in photosynthesis and how it is essential for plant growth.
• Explain how light waves can be used to disinfect water and kill bacteria in an aquaponics system.

Guided Practice:

• Provide each student with a kit containing the materials needed for the experiment including the light source, a light sensor, a plant and the aquaponics system.
• Walk the students through the set up of the experiment, including how to position the light source and how to insert the light sensor into the aquaponics system.
• Have the students experiment with varying the intensity of the light source and recording the effect on the plant and water quality.

Independent Practice:

• Have the students work in pairs to conduct a independent experiment to test the effect of different light wavelengths on plant growth.
• Each pair should come up with their own design for their experiment, which should include a control (no light), one or more test conditions and a method for recording their results.
• Have the students complete their experiments and record their results.

Closure:

• Have the students share their results with the class. Did the different light wavelengths have any affect on plant growth?
• Review the importance of light in the aquaponics system. Without light, the plants would not be able to photosynthesize and produce oxygen for the fish.

Assessment:

• Observe the students during the independent practice activity and provide feedback on their experimental design and data collection.
• Use the students' data to assess their understanding of the relationship between light wavelength and plant growth in the aquaponics system.