Planning for Reflective Teaching

1
Planning for Reflective Teaching

• Nekiba Mayes and Angela Resos
• EDUC 3308/02
• May 5, 2004

2
National Standards

• NBTS
• I.- Understanding Early Adolescents
• II. Knowledge of Science
• III- Instructional Resources
• IV. Diversity, Equity, and Fairness
• V. Engagement
• VI Learning Environment
• VII Understanding Science Pedagogy
• VII Science Inquiry
• IX Contexts of Science
• X Assessment
• NSTA
• B.3, B.4, C.1, C.2a

3
Georgia QCCs

• Topic Ecology/Interdependence of Life
• Standard Describes the characteristics of major
  biomes.
• Describes the location of major biomes.
• Describes the climate and other abiotic factors
  of major biomes.
• Describes the major organisms found within
  biomes.
• Topic Reference Skills
• Standard Selects and uses multiple types of
  print and nonprint sources for information on
  science concepts.

4
Class Profile

• Our 7th grade Earth science class has 30
  children. 40.4 or 12 students receive free or
  reduced lunch. 93 or 28 students are white. 4
  or 1 is Hispanic and 3 or 1 is other. 5 of our
  students are entitled to some form of special
  education. Three of these students are diagnosed
  with ADD/ADHD. In addition, we have one student
  who first language is not English. As a whole the
  students are of average intelligence and ability.
  Because the majority of the students are visual
  or tactile learners, our class is designed for
  discovery and cooperative learning.

5
Lesson Objective

• Students will demonstrate understanding of what
  defines a biome.
• Students will identify five major biomes found on
  the earth.
• Students will recognize differences in the
  climates of each biome.
• Students will describe the types of organisms
  found in each biome.
• Students will be able to use various resources to
  research on biomes

6
Lesson Introduction

• The lesson is introduced by asking the class to
  tell what if anything the class knows about
  biomes. The student responses are listed on the
  board and on the KWL chart. (This is intended to
  record student responses and keep students
  focused throughout the lesson.)
• Examples of typical question
• Describe the area where you live in. What types
  of native plants and animals live there?
• This leads to the next questions
• What is a biome?
• How many types of biomes can be found on Mother
  Earth?
• What kind of animals and plants exists in
  different biomes?
• Has anyone visited/lived a biome different than
  the one they currently reside?

7
Lesson Procedures

• This lesson utilizes co-operative group learning,
  and lecture and discussion teaching methods.
• Display transparency defining a biome for
  students to copy definition into their notebooks.
  Explain they are going to explore five major
  biomes of the earth. Ask students, Based on the
  definition can anyone name any biomes? Then ask
  students, What do you want to learn about
  biomes? Divide students into groups of two or
  three (with our class there is 12 groups of two
  and two groups of six people).
• List five major biomes on board or on overhead
  transparency. (Aquatic, desert, forest,
  grasslands, tundra). Children are to list at
  least two characteristics for each biome. Use an
  example to show how to record the information.
  Assign one person in each group as task manager
  to help keep up with the time.

8
Lesson Procedures (cont)

• Assign one person as the recorder to the
  information. Student will proceed with exploring
  the web for further information beginning with
  this website http//www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossar
  y/gloss5/biome. Additional info. will also be
  available in encyclopedias, classroom text.
  Allow 30 minutes for completing the complete
  assignment.
• Who Am I Game
• Direct students back to their seats. Tell student
  they will remain with their partners for this
  activity. Then have the students share the
  information they found in the form of a guessing
  game.
• Assign homework Students are to pick 2 biomes
  and write two paragraphs on why they think
  specific animals might live in particular biomes.
  Write the following on the overhead or board.
  Components of homework based on the class
  activity
• Are the animals in a particular biome
  predominately mammals or reptiles?
• Why do they think that particular biome can
  support that form of animal life?
• Does rainfall affect the types of animals?
• Does temp affect types of animal life?
• Research Project

9
Implementation of Technology

• Teacher Technology
• Overhead projector
• Websites
• Word program (to create the KWL worksheet)
• Power point (pictures of specific biomes that
  correlate to the what am I? game)
• Video National Geographic Special or Nova
• Student Technology
• Internet database (e.g. Gaileo)
• Encyclopedias on CD ROM
• Word program for journal entries
• Power point (for presentations)
• Printer

10
Ancillary Resources

• A. Teacher will
• Familiarize herself with multiple websites the
  students can use for research.
• Use the world map to point out where different
  biomes exist.
• Be familiar with library books that give more
  information for further research.
• Create the KWL sheet for students to use.
• Set an assignment sheet for students to decide
  which biome they want to research about.
• B. Students will
• Use the World Wide Web for research
• Use encyclopedias on CD ROM
• Use the KWL sheet to focus research goals.
• Use the Who Am I game to help students become
  familiar with the content.

11
Identifiable Motivation Strategies

• The leading questions at the open of the lesson
  are a motivational strategy. The questions are
  designed to get the students thinking about where
  they live and where they have visited and how
  they may differ.
• Using the computers for research is motivational
  because they are being allowed to explore, with
  guidance, the Web instead of book/periodical
  research.
• The computer is a novelty because some students
  may not have a computer.
• Working in teams is motivational because the
  students are competing to see who can find the
  most interesting information.
• Working in groups would create opportunities for
  students to interact with other students they
  usually dont interact with outside school.
• What am I? game is motivational because it is
  fun activity students involved in and offers
  friendly competition with groups trying to stump
  the other teams.
• The assigned homework is motivational because it
  allows the students further exploration of how
  different biomes support different animal life.

12
Assessment Methods

• Informal and Formative Assessment
• Informal assessment for this lesson will take the
  form of student participation in class discussion
  and participation in the
• Who am I? game. The teacher will observe
  which students are participating and which are
  not.
• Formal and Summative Assessment
• The students are required to turn in the research
  done by each group. The assigned homework will
  also serve as formal assessment.

13
Post Lesson Reflection

• We believed the lesson we planned for our
  students went very well because it gave all of
  our students the opportunity to learn fairly
  satisfying both our visual and kinesthetic
  learners, special needs, and students with
  spatial and bodily-kinesthetic intelligences.
• We provided students an exciting and interesting
  lesson by helping students evaluate their own
  experiences then relating it to our lesson. Also
  by playing games.
• We also encouraged creativity among our students
  with their research presentations.
• Group activities helped students to get to know
  each other and to work with students not like
  themselves (eg. ESOL student. And give the lesson
  in a more localized, more personal way (teacher
  going group to group or students helping each
  other).
• Our objectives were based on Blooms Taxonomy and
  were appropriate based on age, grade level, and
  cognitive skills.