Lesson Title:

Einstein

On a Beam of Light A Story of Albert

Grade 4
Length: 120 minutes (spread over 2- 3 Language periods)

My words or Your words?

Expectations:
Students will be introduced to and develop a basic understanding of copyright/copyright
laws
Students will identify examples of copyright infringement and when Big Ideas have been
put into ones own language
Students will learn how to identify a copyright symbol both on the internet and in books
Resources/Materials:
-On a Beam
Radunsky

of Light written by Jennifer Berne and Vladimir

- Einstein Archives Online: www.alberteinstein.info

- Albrecht Folsing - Albert Einstein: A Biography. New York: Penguin,
1998.
- Banesh Hoffman - Creator and Rebel: Albert Einstein. New York: Viking
press, 1972
-Walter Isaacson - His Life and Universe. New York: Simon and Schuster,
2008
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein
-

http://www.biography.com/people/albert-einstein-9285408

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1921/einstein-bio.html

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5VRfDqoLec
-smartboard
- class computers
- word banks and dictionaries for unknown words
- Smart ideas 5

Hook (20 mins)

A picture of the copyright symbol will be posted on the Smartboard and students will be
asked to talk to an elbow buddy to come up with ideas of what the symbol could
represent. I will give them the following clues; This symbol is often found in fiction and
non-fiction books, magazines, and in an encyclopedia. We will create a web diagram
with class ideas
The book On a Beam of Light will be read to the class
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_
Activate Prior Knowledge (15 mins):
** Students will be asked if they think the authors of On a Beam of
Light stole Einsteins Big Ideas? (Big Ideas are outlined in the back
of the book will review these ideas)
Students will be asked if they have ever been involved in a situation where
someone has taken an idea that they thought of and used it for their own or
if someone has ever copied their homework
Students will be encouraged to consider if taking someone elses ideas is
considered stealing? When might it not be stealing?
Students will be asked if they know what plagiarism means and copyright
laws

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_
Consolidation (15 mins):
As a class we will talk about how we can give others credit for using their
ideas (e.g., reference sources, bibliography, foot notes) and what it means to

break copyright laws. We will look at the copyright symbol on the back of the
book On a Beam of Light and talk about what it means.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Application (40 mins):

Students will be asked to prove whether or not they think the
authors of On a Beam of Light have stolen Einsteins Big Ideas by
comparing the information in the book to their resources
The class will be divided into groups of three and each group will have access
to one class computer, online resource list, YouTube videos, online books, and
a copy of On a Beam of Light
Students will be asked to organize their ideas/information in a logical way
using Smart ideas 5
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Conclusion (30 mins):

Students will present their argument to their peers
As a class we will compare and contrast findings

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_
Assessment:
-

Anecdotal notes while the students are working in groups

Graphic organizer Smart ideas 5
Quality of information and back-up support for argument

Next Step:
Further group discussion on what plagiarism and copyright
infringement means and the importance of citing others work
Reflection:
-

Did the resources serve their purpose?

What other websites or videos could I use next time?
Was there any terminology the students had difficulty with that I need

to explain better next time?

Did students have any dificulty using Smart ideas 5?