Lesson Plan | Teachy Methodology | Thermodynamics: Entropy

Objectives

Duration: 10 - 15 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to clearly establish the objectives that students should achieve by the end of the class. This creates a focus and sets expectations for both students and the teacher, ensuring that everyone is aligned regarding what will be learned and how it will be applied in practice.

Main Objectives

1. Explain the concept of entropy and its implication that the entropy of the universe is always increasing.

2. Teach how to calculate the variation of entropy in specific processes, such as phase changes and isothermal processes.

3. Have students verify the increase or decrease of entropy in different systems.

Side Objectives

1. Demonstrate the relationship between entropy and everyday life, making connections with modern events and phenomena.

Introduction

Duration: 15 - 20 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to engage students in the topic of entropy in an interactive way and connect them with practical and relevant examples for everyday life. By starting the class this way, students not only become more familiar with the concept but also recognize the importance and application of entropy in modern and daily contexts. This warm-up sets the stage for a deeper discussion and the practical activities that will follow.

Warming Up

Introduce the concept of entropy by explaining that it is a measure of disorder or randomness in a system. Highlight that, according to the second law of thermodynamics, the entropy of the universe is always increasing, which means that overall disorder tends to grow over time. Then, ask students to use their cell phones to find an interesting fact about entropy. This can include practical examples of entropy in everyday life, such as ice melting or the decomposition of organisms.

Initial Reflections

1. What is entropy and how is it related to disorder in a system?

2. Why is the entropy of the universe always increasing?

3. Can you give an example of a process where entropy increases?

4. How does entropy manifest in everyday phenomena?

5. What is the importance of understanding entropy in terms of natural and technological processes?

Development

Duration: 80 - 85 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to provide students with a practical and interactive experience in learning the concepts of entropy. Through diverse and creative activities using digital technologies, students can explore and consolidate their knowledge dynamically and up-to-date. The teacher acts as a mediator, guiding and encouraging collaboration and innovation.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended that only one of the suggested activities be carried out

Activity 1 - 🌟 Unveiling Entropy with Meme Science

> Duration: 65 - 70 minutes

- Objective: Use humor and creativity to explain complex scientific concepts, increasing student engagement and understanding.

- Description: In this activity, students will create a series of scientific memes that explain concepts related to entropy. The goal is to use humor and creativity to demonstrate understanding of the concepts and share knowledge through social media.

- Instructions:

• Divide students into groups of up to 5 people.

• Explain that each group should choose a specific concept related to entropy (e.g., increasing entropy, entropy in phase changes, isothermal processes, etc.).

• Students should create 3 different memes that explain the chosen concept. Each meme must be accompanied by a brief textual explanation.

• Use meme creation apps available on the Internet or in mobile app stores.

• When the memes are ready, students should share them on social media using a specific class hashtag (#EntropiaMemeScience).

• After creating and sharing, each group should present their memes to the class, explaining the concept behind each one.

Activity 2 - 📈 Entropy in Action: Virtual Experiments

> Duration: 60 - 65 minutes

- Objective: Promote understanding of the concepts of entropy through virtual experiences, encouraging critical analysis and scientific thinking.

- Description: Students will use online simulations to observe and analyze the variation of entropy in different processes. The activity will be conducted in groups, and students should record their observations and conclusions in a digital report.

- Instructions:

• Divide students into groups of up to 5 people.

• Access a scientific simulations website, such as PhET Interactive Simulations (https://phet.colorado.edu/).

• Choose simulations related to thermodynamics and entropy, such as phase changes and isothermal processes.

• Each group must choose 2 simulations to conduct.

• During the simulation, students should take notes on their observations and results, focusing on the variation of entropy.

• Use collaborative text editing software (such as Google Docs) to create a digital report with graphs, tables, and descriptions of the observations.

• At the end, each group should share the report with the class and discuss their conclusions.

Activity 3 - 🎮 Gamifying Entropy: Creating a Digital Game

> Duration: 70 - 75 minutes

- Objective: Foster programming skills and creativity, as well as facilitate understanding of scientific concepts through the creation and interaction with digital games.

- Description: Students will have the opportunity to create a simple digital game that explains and demonstrates the variation of entropy in different processes. The activity will use game creation platforms for students to program and test their own educational games.

- Instructions:

• Divide students into groups of up to 5 people.

• Explain that each group should create a game that teaches and demonstrates concepts of entropy.

• Use free game creation platforms, such as Scratch (https://scratch.mit.edu/) or Gamefroot (https://gamefroot.com/).

• Encourage students to plan the game, defining which concepts of entropy will be covered and how they will be presented.

• Students should program the game, testing and adjusting as necessary.

• When finished, each group should share the game with the class and allow classmates to play and provide feedback.

• Each group will present their game, explaining the scientific concepts incorporated and how the game helps to understand entropy.

Feedback

Duration: 20 - 25 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to promote collective and individual reflection on the learning acquired through practical activities. Group discussion and 360° feedback provide an opportunity to consolidate knowledge, recognize individual and collective progress, and promote an environment of collaboration and mutual respect. This moment of reflection and exchange of experiences is fundamental for the personal and academic growth of students, encouraging a deeper and more meaningful learning.

Group Discussion

Facilitate a group discussion with all students, where groups share what they learned while performing the activities and their conclusions. Use the following outline to guide the discussion:

1. Ask each group to present a summary of the activities conducted (memes, simulations, games) and the main concepts of entropy they explored.
2. Request each group to share their challenges and learnings during the execution of the activities.
3. Encourage students to discuss how the activities helped them understand the variation of entropy better and its importance in thermodynamics and everyday life.

Reflections

1. How did the activities help deepen the understanding of entropy? 2. What challenges were encountered during the execution of the activities and how were they overcome? 3. How do the concepts of entropy apply to everyday situations and natural phenomena?

360° Feedback

Conduct a 360° feedback stage, where each student receives feedback from other students in the group they worked with on the activity. Guide students to ensure that the feedback is constructive and respectful, focusing on the following points:

1. What did the colleague do well during the activities?
2. In what areas could the colleague improve?
3. How did the colleague contribute to the success of the group?

Encourage the use of positive language and acknowledgment of the efforts and contributions of all group members.

Conclusion

Duration: 10 - 15 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to consolidate learning, reinforcing the main concepts and showing their relevance in everyday life and the modern world. This moment of recap and connection helps students internalize the content meaningfully, making it clear how the acquired knowledge applies to their everyday lives and academic future.

Summary

🎉 Summary of the Entropy Lesson 🎉: Today, we traveled through the fascinating world of entropy! We imagined the universe as a big party where disorder is inevitable. We learned that the entropy of the universe only increases (it's an endless party of disorder!), calculated its variations in isothermal processes and phase changes, and explored how it behaves in different systems. We created hilarious memes, simulated complex processes, and even created games that explain these concepts! 🚀

World Connection

🌍 In Today's World 🌍: The lesson showed how entropy is present in everything around us. From melting ice to the aging of stars, entropy is a constant force. We used social media, virtual simulations, and game creation tools to bring these concepts closer to our digital and modern reality. This helped us see how science and technology go hand in hand, shaping the world we live in.

Practical Application

🔍 Applications 🛠️: Understanding entropy is crucial for numerous fields, from engineering to biology. It helps us predict how systems will evolve over time and understand the limits of energy efficiency. In everyday life, understanding entropy can help us perceive the irreversibility of many processes, such as the deterioration of objects or the need to recycle materials.