IPT 301: Social Constructivism Lesson Plan

IP&T 301 Modified Lesson Plan:  Social Constructivism

What Shape Am I?

SOURCE: http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=10715

AUTHOR:   Utah Lesson Plans

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:   1st grade; Math

Objective: Students will identify, describe, and create simple geometric figures.

Materials:

• Shape Poems and Songs (pdf)
• Attribute blocks or paper models of shapes

This lesson is an example of Cognitive Apprenticeship. In this lesson, I will teach my students what shapes look like, what they are called, and how to compare and contrast the different shapes. For my lesson, the students are learning from a more knowledgeable other, the teacher (me). I know the four shapes I will be teaching to my students and will therefore serve as an expert and resource to help students with any questions they have or problems they encounter. The cultural tools used in this lesson are the shapes themselves (symbols) and the academic language relating to the shape names that I (the teacher) will be using to help my students learn the socially accepted terms given to those symbols. I will teach within my students’ zone of proximal development. This means that the lesson activities the students will participate in to learn the required information will be at a student instructional level. In this lesson, students will be able to complete most requirements on their own but will have appropriate levels of support as needed. Scaffolding is an integral part of this lesson plan. I will use scaffolding as I help the students with hints, provide examples of shapes, and encourage them to think about shapes and what are some shape similarities and differences. I will be demonstrating different tasks the students must complete and I will monitor the classroom as students work to ensure that all students who need help have ready access to it. I will expect my students to be “shape spies” on their own. If they need clarification on directions, have a question, or are confused, I (the more knowledgeable other) will be there to help. I will encourage my students to use their critical thinking skills when being “shape spies.” If a pair of students is really struggling at any point in the lesson I would work with them (dialectical relationship) to guide them to hopefully result in the right ending point. I will foster a safe classroom environment where all students are encouraged to think for themselves, but understand that I (the teacher; more knowledgeable other) have concrete knowledge about the shapes and the concepts surrounding shapes. Throughout my lesson, my students will be able to ask questions and receive any help they need. In my classroom, students will be expected to first problem-solve in their partnerships and if they still have a question, I can then assist them.

Filing Cabinet Link-Google Earth

Here is the link to my Google Earth Underground Railroad Tour: http://sites.google.com/site/mlesiptstuff/my-files-1
Enjoy!

IP&T 301 Modified Lesson Plan: Developmental Cognitivism

What Shape Am I?

SOURCE: http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=10715

AUTHOR:   Utah Lesson Plans

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:   1st grade; Math

Objective: Students will identify, describe, and create simple geometric figures.

Materials:

• Shape Poems and Songs (pdf)
• Attribute blocks or paper models of shapes

1. Stage-Based Learning:

I know that students in my classroom will be in different developmental stages. Some students may be in the preoperational stage, while others may be in the concrete operational stage. Considering the different stages my students are in, I would explain the directions for each activity in small, simple steps and in two ways to facilitate student understanding and comprehension. The matching model shapes to shapes in the classroom will be good for students in the preoperational stage and students early in the concrete operational stage because of the hands-on element and the use of concrete props.

2. Uniqueness of Individual Learning:

In addition to the students in my classroom being in different stages, each student will also have a unique background and therefore, a unique set of background knowledge. Most children will have some knowledge of shapes, but in order to capture student’s attention (and hopefully activate any preexisting background knowledge) I will start the lesson with the “I spy” game. The students will then name shapes that they know as I write them on the board. Having students be “shape spies” will help students add new information by connecting their existing knowledge of shapes to the new information about shapes they will learn. In addition, the lesson has a variety of activities to facilitate individual learning styles—there will be a discussion, a hands-on activity, working in partners, a Venn diagram, and shape song chants to help them remember their shapes.

3. Experience that Involves Action:

When students are able to participate in a lesson, they usually have more fun and their learning of the concept being taught is more concrete and stored in their long-term memory. My entire lesson involves student participation: the “I spy” game, having student’s be shape spies while finding and matching model shapes to shapes in the classroom, filling out a diagram with a partner, having a class discussion, and learning to recite the shape song chants. Each of these activities will help students learn about shapes and internalize that knowledge in their long-term memory.

4. Necessity of Social Interaction:

Throughout the lesson, students will have the opportunity to learn from and work with each other. Students will listen to classmate’s comments and ideas and contribute their own comments and ideas when we are playing “I spy” and having a class discussion. Students will work in partners as “shape spies” to find and match model shapes to shapes in the classroom. Students will also work in partners to fill out the Venn diagram. By participating in class work and partner work, students will be able to learn and help each other.

· Adaptation (assimilation):

I will begin my lesson with the “I spy” game and then have students list shapes they know as I write them on the board. Students will then be “shape spies” as they match model shapes to shapes they find in the classroom. This will help students connect their existing schema about shapes to the new information they will learn about shapes.

· Disequilibrium/Cognitive Dissonance:

Disequilibrium, or the “out-of-balance” state, contributes to student learning. When students experience disequilibrium or conflict, learning will result. In this lesson plan, I will foster an environment where disequilibrium will exist, but monitor student learning to avoid creating a situation where frustration overpowers learning. I will use adaptations to help the students internalize the new information about shapes into their schemas.

· Schemas:

As previously mentioned, my students will have unique backgrounds and therefore, they will have a unique set of background knowledge or schemas. Throughout the lesson, I will try to help students make connections to their schemas so students will understand that shapes are everywhere and they are important in daily life.

· Discovery/Guided Discovery Learning:

In this lesson, students will be able to participate in guided discovery learning as they are “shape spies.” Students will locate shapes in the classroom and try matching the shapes they find to the provided model shapes. Students will be able to discover which model shape fits with different shapes they find in the classroom. In addition, students will have to find out if the model shape matches with a classroom shape by manipulation—they may have to turn one of the shapes to make a match. Also, students will have to determine if the size of the classroom shape fits the size of the model shape and if that fact makes a difference. In this activity, students are working together to problem-solve and discovering new information about shapes through hands-on experience without help from me, the teacher.

· Classification:

When the students are done being “shape spies,” they will work together as partners to fill out the Venn diagram. Students will write down the differences and similarities between different shapes. This will help students who are in the preoperational stage share their own ideas and learn from the ideas of their partner. We will then have a class discussion about shapes as we classify the shapes into student-generated categories.

Google Earth Tour

Here are my plans for a Google Earth Tour of the Underground Railroad.

Location	Activity	Google Earth Content
1. Wilmington, Delaware	Write a 2 stanza Poem about Harriet Tubman.	Wikipedia Link, Image of Harriet Tubman
2. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Make a paper lantern to hang on the hitching post signifying the house is safe. Follow the instructions explained at http://familycrafts.about.com/od/chinesenewyears/ss/eplantern.htm.	Wikipedia Link, Link to Lantern Instructions
3. Rochester, New York	After reading about Susan B. Anthony, create a motto that exemplifies her life ambitions for the Susan B. Anthony dollar.	Wikipedia, Image of Susan B. Anthony
4. Canada	Approximately how many slaves escaped to Canada? You are a journalist in Canada. Create at least 5 questions to ask during your interview with a recently escaped slave.	Wikipedia
Details of image overlay / path / polygon:	The image overlay will be a path connecting the various stops of the Underground Railroad.

TPACK Questions:

The content I am using for this lesson comes from the Utah State Core Curriculum for 5th Grade Standard 4, Objective 2, Indicator c. This indicator states: "Identify the range of individual responses to the growing political conflicts between the North and South (e.g. states rights advocates, abolitionists, slaveholders, enslaved people)." For this lesson, students will focus on the Underground Railroad. During their explorations of this key system, students will learn about the different types of people who helped along the Underground Railroad, including escaped slaves, abolitionists, and born-free blacks. The pedagogy for this lesson will include various activities that will challenge students to gain a deep understanding of this system. These activities will be designed to help students place themselves in the shoes of a slave making his or her way to freedom as they examine those who risked their lives helping others. The technology used in this lesson will be Google Earth. Through Google Earth, students will be able to see the location of the events and have access to the different activities corresponding to that event. Google Earth will also allow the students to read about the specific details of the event.

Digital Storytelling

Messy Room

IP&T 301 Modified Lesson Plan: Behaviorism

What Shape Am I?

SOURCE: http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=10715

AUTHOR:   Utah Lesson Plans

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:   1st grade; Math

Materials:

• Shape Poems and Songs (pdf)
• Attribute blocks or paper models of shapes

Behavioral Objective: Students will be able to identify and recognize simple geometric figures by matching a paper shape model to a shape they will locate in the classroom and by completing a listening activity with 85% accuracy.

Cueing/Prompting: I will use cueing and prompting when the students pick and work in partners. Working with a partner will be the cue. As a class, we will discuss the expected behaviors for working with a partner such as staying on task and treating each other kindly. I will use prompting by creating a behavior checklist that outlines the previously discussed expected behaviors. After students are finished working with partners to locate and match the paper shape models to a shape in the classroom, each student will evaluate him/herself by completing the behavior checklist.

Positive Reinforcement & Observational Learning: When the class has successfully completed the partner shape activity, I will draw, in random order, different shapes on the whiteboard. After students provide the correct answer, I will leave the shape on the board, write the name underneath it, and move to a different section of the board to start drawing the next shape. Students will raise their hands when they know the correct name of the shape. During this activity, students will have the opportunity to earn shapes to complete their “shape puzzle” picture. The first student to raise his or her hand and correctly identify the shape will earn that shape for his or her “shape puzzle.” By providing students with the opportunity to earn shapes for their “shape puzzle,” students will be more focused and there will be more active student participation because students want to earn shapes. After finishing the white board shape game, students will then draw and name each shape on their own piece of paper. This is an example of observational learning because students are able to watch the teacher draw and write each shape name before drawing and naming each shape on their own.

Vicarious Reinforcement: If at any point during the lesson I notice students who are messing around and not staying on task, I will use vicarious reinforcement by reinforcing other students who are behaving appropriately and working on task to complete their work. This will hopefully change the behavior of the students who are off-task and help them realize that they should be acting more like their peers that I reinforced.

Positive Practice & Reinforcement Schedule: Throughout the lesson I will promote positive practice by encouraging students to immediately correct any mistakes they might make. By helping students immediately correct their mistakes, they will understand how to do it correctly and hopefully they will not dwell on the mistake they’ve made, but instead concentrate on the correct way to avoid future mistakes. In addition, throughout the lesson, I will use every opportunity to reinforce correct student work. I will praise each student for identifying shapes correctly.

Task Analysis: Students will complete the following listening activity with at least 85% accuracy:

The students will:

1. Outline the circle red
2. Color the triangle blue
3. Fill the square with orange strips
4. Make yellow polka dots in the rectangle
5. Name a minimum of 3 objects that look like these shapes

Storyboard & TPACK Questions

Storyboard

TPACK QUESTIONS

The content I was focusing on in my lesson comes from the Utah State Language Arts Core, Standard 1, Objective 1. This standard states that students will develop language for the purpose of effectively communicating through speaking, viewing, and presenting. The students will be able to speak clearly and audibly with expression in communicating ideas in their storyboard presentation. The students will base their storyboard on a Shel Silverstein poem of their choice.

Students will be using aspects of Bloom’s Taxonomy to create, analyze and interpret a poem storyboard.

In this part of my lesson, students will search for poems by Shel Silverstein on the internet--a list of approved sites will be provided. After picking their favorite poem, students will use digital cameras and internet images (searching for pictures from approved sites only) to create a storyboard outline. In the second part of the lesson, students will incorporate their pictures and chosen text into a video presentation using PhotoStory. This is a good fit with content and pedagogy because students will be able to interpret and express their interpretation of a poem using found or created pictures. In addition, students will make their poem creation “come to life” by creating a storyboard video, which will include incorporating music and narrating the poem text.

IP&T 301 Modified Lesson Plan: Cognition

What Shape Am I?

SOURCE: http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=10715

AUTHOR:   Utah Lesson Plans

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:   1st grade; Math

Objective: Students will identify, describe, and create simple geometric figures.

Materials:

• Shape Poems and Songs (pdf)
• Attribute blocks or paper models of shapes

Step 1: Hook

I will being the lesson by having students play I Spy. For example, I will ask questions like:

· I spy something that is large and has four sides and four corners. This object can be used to write on or hang pictures on. What is it? (whiteboard)

· I spy something that has no sides and no corners but it does have hands. What is it? (clock)

I will then ask students to name some shapes they know as I write them on the board. I will explain to students that we are going to be shape spies today.

This activity will capture students’ attention and activate their schema. It builds upon background knowledge of objects they are familiar with before introducing the new shape concepts. One strategy used is elaboration because students will be adding new information by connecting their existing knowledge of shapes with the new information about shapes they will learn.

Step 2: Instruction

The students will be more ready to focus their attention on learning new shapes because of the experience of guessing the ‘I spy’ shapes and the idea of being a shape spy. When their attention is focused, they can then prepare to transfer the information from their sensory memory, the system that holds sensory information very briefly to their working memory, the information that a person is focusing on at a given moment. The transfer from sensory memory to working memory must occur before students will eventually be able to transfer the information into their long-term memory. In order to have students transfer from sensory memory to working memory, students will choose a shape and identify it by describing its attributes. After picking partners, the students will walk around the classroom and compare their shape to an object in the classroom. Students will place the shape on top of an object to make sure they match. This is also activating perception, the process of detecting a stimulus and assigning meaning to it and is constructed based on both physical representations from the world and existing knowledge. Students will return to their desks and fill out one part of a Venn-Diagram. Students will then choose a different partner and complete the activity of choosing a shape and comparing it to an object in their classroom surroundings. They will once again return to their seat and complete the Venn-Diagram. This is an example of distributed practice because students are practicing one shape and using time to complete the worksheet as a rest interval before starting in on a new shape.

Venn-Diagram

Step 3: Practice

As an example of an acronmyn (a technique for remembering names, phrases, or steps by using the first letter of each word to form a new, memorable word) and a chain mnemonic (a memory strategy that associates one element in a series with the next element—in this case, because the words make sense as a sentence), students will learn the sentence Cindy Sees Red Trucks to remember the first letter of the four basic shapes- C for circle, S for square, R for rectangle and T for triangle. In order to prevent decay, the weakening and fading of memories with the passage of time, I will teach them the following shape song chants:

Cindy Circle

Cindy Circle is my name.

Round and round I play my game.

Start at the top and around the bend.

Up we go, there is no end.

Sammy Square

Sammy Square is my name.

My four sides and angles are just the same.

Slide or flip me, I don’t care

I’m always the same, I’m a square!

Ricky Rectangle

Ricky Rectangle is my name.

My four angles are the same.

My sides are sometimes short or long.

Hear me sing my happy song.

Trisha Triangle

Trisha Triangle is the name for me.

Tap my sides one, two, three.

Flip me, slide me, you will see...

A kind of triangle I’ll always be!

By learning these shape song chants, students will be able to rehearse or practice their newly acquired shape knowledge and will remember it, being able to transfer between their long-term memory and their working memory when needed because of the fun song chants that they learned to go along with each shape.

TPACK Questions

The content I was focusing on in my science lesson was the phases of the moon. This lesson teaches students how to identify the different phases of the moon.
The pedagogy I am using is discovery and hands-on learning. Through this lesson, students are able to discover what the moon’s phases are and when they will occur. They are then given the opportunity to use this knowledge and look at the moon in the night sky, seeing how Stellarium’s predicted view of the moon compares to the view the student actually sees. In addition, students are able to actively participate in the cookie activity portion of the lesson. Students are able to either eat or cut the cookies into the phases of the moon. The hands-on portion of the lesson helps students to develop concrete connections between the knowledge they gained using Stellarium and the first-hand experience they had with the cookies.
It is a good fit with the content because students need to be involved to discover and understand the fascinating world of science.
The technology that I’ll be using is Stellarium. This allows students to see a predicted picture of the moon, determine the date the moon will be in that phase, and verify that prediction by observing the night sky.
It is a good fit with the content and pedagogy because it enables students to see the actual phases of the moon by using technology. In addition, Stellarium requires student participation in order to complete the lesson activities.

Tech Savvy Teacher Article

Mmmmm… Mmmmm… Moon!

Tech savvy teachers are always in need of some great activities and ideas to liven up their classrooms. Here is a great idea for teaching sixth graders about the phases of the moon. This activity and lesson helps to fulfill Utah’s Core Curriculum for 6th grade Science, Objective 1: Explain patterns of changes in the appearance of the moon as it orbits Earth. For this activity, students will need access to Stellarium and some fantastic cookies. Stellarium is a program that allows viewers to see what the sky looks like at any specific time and place. Stellarium helps to outline the constellations, view planets and moons close up, and explore other aspects of astronomy.
During this lesson, students will use Stellarium to capture screen shots of the different phases of the moon. Beginning at the current date, students will use the search function of Stellarium to find the moon and zoom into a close view. Fast-forwarding through time students will look first find the next full moon. They will then look for each of the other phases of the moon. As each phase is reached, students will return to real time to take a screen shot, as directed by the teacher. As each screen shot is taken, students will make note of the date that phase of the moon. These screen shots will then be arranged into a cycle of the moon with the use of Microsoft Word. Below, screen shots taken in February through March 2009 are shown with the appropriate date and phase of the moon.

February 10, 2009
Full Moon

February 12, 2009

Waning Gibbous

February 15, 2009

Last Quarter

February 19, 2009

Waning Crescent

February 23, 2009

New Moon

February 28, 2009

Waxing Crescent

March 4, 2009

First Quarter

March 8, 2009

Waxing Gibbous

March 11, 2009

Full Moon

Students will also be given the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have gained about the phases of the moon by creating the phases of the moon out of cookies. Each student will be given two cookies. They will then get to eat the cookies into the shapes of the various phases of the moon. Have the students copy the teacher’s demonstration of eating the cookies, stopping each time a new phase of the moon is created. If students did not want to eat the cookies into the various phases, they could follow along with the teacher by cutting the cookies into the phases of the moon. This could also be done using cheese or fruit. The following pictures represent what the cookie eating process will look like at each phase of the moon. (NOTE: Starting at the full moon, students will get the second cookie after the new moon has been created. The new moon is reached when the first cookie is completely devoured.)

Full Moon

Waning Gibbous

Last Quarter

Waning Crescent

New Moon

Waxing Crescent

First Quarter

Waxing Gibbous

The technology was used to enhance the learning experience by allowing students to observe all the phases of the moon in a short period of time. This also allowed them to stop and examine each individual phase of the moon as it occurred. Through the use of Stellarium, students are capable of determining what the next phase of the moon will look like and the date it will occur. This will allow students to further extend their knowledge by observing the moon on the predicted date and seeing how it actually looks compared to what they predicted with Stellarium.