Table of Contents

Catching Some Rays

Step 1

Directed Reading-Thinking Activity

1. Distribute copies of Reading Selection, Catching Some Rays, to students.
   
   
2. Engage students in a step-by-step process to guide them through the informational text, assessing prior knowledge, noting any misconceptions, explaining and discussing concepts e.g.
   
   
   • Break the reading into small sections, giving the students time to think about, discuss and process information.
     
     
   • Ask students to read the introduction and share what they know about the topic.
     
     
   • Ask students to read the first question posed by the text, and share what they know about the topic.
     
     
   • Have students read the corresponding section of the text. Prompt the students with questions about specific information and explain new vocabulary in context. Encourage students to ask questions for clarification.
     
     
   • Move on to the next question posed by the text and continue in a similar fashion until students have read and discussed the whole text.
     
     
3. Ask students to work with a partner to record key ideas in a graphic organizer such as the following.
   
   

   

Step 2

Research

Ask students to research Victor Hess and prepare a short report answering the following questions:

• Who was Victor Hess?
  
  
• For what discovery is he best known?
  
  
• What was his hypothesis about the origins of cosmic rays?
  
  
• How did he test his hypothesis?
  
  
• What did he observe?
  
  
• What were his conclusions?
  
  

Step 3

Discussion

Divide the class into groups of four. Ask students to share their research reports in their groups and discuss the answers to the following questions:

1. Name one Canadian community where you would expect exposure to cosmic radiation to be very low. Name one community in Canada where you would expect exposure to cosmic radiation to be higher. Explain why you chose these communities.
   
   
2. List four occupations where the risk of cosmic radiation exposure would be greater than normal. Explain your choices.
   
   
3. How will the EVARM experiment assist scientists in making space travel safer?

Evaluation

Rubric

The chart that follows identifies four levels of achievement for assessing students' communication of information and ideas. Levels 1 and 2 describe performance that is approaching the standard for the grade; level 3 describes the standard for the grade; and level 4 describes performance that is above the standard. In numerical terms, all four levels are at passing level for the grade. Level 1 corresponds to a mark of 50%-59% (D); level 2, 60%-69% (C); level 3, 70%-79% (B); and level 4, 80%-100% (A) . Student performance that is not approaching or is significantly below the standard would receive a failing grade.

Communication of Information and Ideas The student:
Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
communicates understanding of cosmic radiation with little clarity and precision	communicates understanding of cosmic radiation with some clarity and precision	generally communicates understanding of cosmic radiation with clarity and precision	consistently communicates understanding of cosmic radiation with clarity and precision
Application of Concepts The student:
Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
makes very simple connections between science concepts and their implications for human activity	makes simple connections between science concepts and their implications for human activity	makes connections of some complexity between science concepts and their implications for human activity	makes complex connections between science concepts and their implications for human activity