Introduction - Module 6

Web Search for a Lesson

Introduction

The Worldwide Web is an extraordinary resource both for general information and complete lesson plans which teachers can access at any time. In this module, we will explore some of the sources available to us for a myriad of subjects. As you prepare to do your search, think about something which you would like to know more about and that you would like to teach to children. Keep in mind that teachers such as yourself must always use their own keen sense of evaluation when considering any materials they intend to use in the classroom, whether they be from print or internet sources.

Module 6 Insights...

When we consider curriculum development, we know that we must begin with a philosophical orientation. This assists us in recognizing our purpose as educators, as well as the goals we pursue in our work. As we recognize the valuable resource which the internet now provides to educators and students, we must examine how we can align our goals with the wealth of materials available to us via computer.

Level I goals are broad statements which are typically developed by schoolboards. Level II goals relate to the goals established by school boards, butare the response of the school itself as it identifies a specific description of the process that will be used to achieve them. Teachers have a critical role inLevel III goals, since it is here that they identify what students will be able todo and how their performances will be assessed. Level III objectives are involved in classroom work and guide teachers in planning the learning activities which will result in achievement levels defined in behavioral terms.BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES as the name suggests, state specifically what observable behaviors the teacher will see when students have demonstratedlearning. The specific nature of such objectives can be a help both to students and teachers. For students, the behavioral objective identifies for them exactlywhat they are expected to know, do, and/or accomplish. The teacher can"measure" whether or not the behavioral objective has been achieved because of its specific nature. This is because the behavioral objective possesses three important characteristics:

a. it names an observable behavior by the student

b. it describes specific conditions under which the behavior will be observable

c. it identifies the parameters of acceptability...in other words, it specifies levelsof passing or failure

An example of a behavioral objective might be the following:

After being given a twenty-minute period of time on threesuccessive days to study a list of ten spelling words, studentswill be able to write seven of the ten words correctly when hearing them spoken and used in a sentence by the teacher.

As we see, this behavioral objective meets the three criteria:

a. It identifies what the student(s) will be able to demonstrate.

b. It specifies the conditions under which the behavior will be observed...and

c. It gives a clear measure of mastery.

Try writing some yourself...it may seem awkward at first, but your behavioral objectives will improve quickly. As you practice, don't worry about whether you are being too harsh or too lenient in your expectations. Concentrate, instead, on including the three essential characteristics of observable behavior, conditions under which it would occur, and measure of success. When you become more comfortable with designing behavioral objectives you can turn your attention to the adjusting expectations.

In addition to the three characteristics of behavioral objectives, teachers need to be aware that objectives for their students encompass more than just the realm of learning as it might be narrowly defined. Often we expect that learning is demonstrated when a student can recall, for example, a list of words and definitions. HoweverÖÖ

You will also want to keep in mind that education does not relate exclusively to what students know. When we plan a curriculum we want to be sure that we include three areas, or taxonomies of learning, which are called DOMAINS, identified extensively in the work of Benjamin Bloom. The cognitive domain refers to knowledge and its appropriate use for recalling and applying factual material, as well as employing it to analyze or synthesize information and evaluate its value. But in addition to the "knowledge" education seeks, learners, as human beings, are expected to experience feelings, which relate to their knowledge. This "feeling" aspect of learning is referred to as the affective domain. Gaining knowledge and having an emotional response to that knowledge area elaborated further by the psychomotor domain that relates to the physical responses necessitated by some kinds of learning (handwriting, for example). All domains are important in developing a comprehensive curriculum.

Finally, we want to keep in mind our obligation to encourage students to reach and develop their critical thinking skills. This means that in selecting and implementing lessons, we are consistently working to move our students beyond the knowledge level of thinking to higher objectives in the realms of analysis,synthesis and evaluation. In particular, we must be certain that we, as educators, are keeping these important considerations at the forefront of our criteria inselecting materials for students, whether from the computer or other resources.

Task - Module 6

Search the internet and download a lesson prepared for children, which deals with any curriculum subject from a source of your choice. Be sure to evaluate your selection based on the Insights section of this module, as well as the reading you have completed in your text.

Provide the exact web address of the lesson, with directions if necessary, so that your Distance Buddies can view your lesson without difficulty. (10 points)

Provide a one paragraph description of the lesson, in your own words. (20 points)

Provide an age recommendation for the lesson you have found. (10 points)

Evaluate the lesson for quality in your own words, paying particular attention to ways in which you believe the lesson provides for encouraging critical thinking skills. (30 points)

Proofread and edit your work to be sure it provides a good language model. (10 points)

Post it on the bulletin/discussion board with the following heading in the subject field: Module 6 - A Good Lesson. Be sure to type the heading exactly as you see it here.

Distance Buddy Interaction - Module 6

Read the submissions for Module 6 posted by your Distance Buddies. Select one and click on the "reply" button above their work. Send a message to your Buddy indicating how you would add a creative activity of your own to their lesson. Be sure to proofread and edit your work. (20 points).

Format & Grading Rubric - Module 6

Correct web address of lesson: 10 points

Description: 20 points

Age Group Recommendation: 10 points

Conventions of language observed: 10 points

Evaluation: 30 points

Distance Buddy Interaction: 20 points

TOTAL: 100 points

Subject Module 6: A Good Lesson

Message no. 1297 Posted by C on Sun Oct 07, 2001 16:25

Lesson Plan Address:

http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ArtScienceFish.htm

Lesson: Creating See Through Fish (Science)Ý (I believe

an Art Lesson as well).

Lesson Description:Ý The actual lesson did not go into

any details; it simply stated the materials, objectives

and the prescribed procedures.Ý However, I would begin

this lesson with a brief lecture on the ocean and how

less light penetrates, as the water gets deeper.Ý I

would have a small aquarium in the classroom that

contained see through fish.Ý Then, I would show how

light penetrates less and less through matter by placing

a flash light on a stand and putting a piece of light

fabric over the flash light (piece by piece), until the

light is dim.Ý I would explain that this same thing

occurs as the light travels down into the depths of

water and that is why water is darker at the bottom and

why water up at the top of the ocean is light and clear.

Objectives:Ý Students will construct a picture of a fish

or other sea life using Elmerís glue.Ý Students will use

a watercolor wash to represent the ocean. Procedure:

During a unit on oceans the teacher will talk about the

color of the ocean and why the bottom is darker.

Students will then draw pictures of fish or jellyfish or

other sea life with Elmerís glue.Ý The pictures need to

be filled in with the glue, not just outlined.Ý It may

be easier to draw the picture first with a pencil and

then fill it in with glue.Ý The glue pictures need to

dry overnight, thoroughly, no white glue showing.Ý After

the glue has dried, students wash the picture using blue

watercolor.Ý They should try to make the bottom of the

page darker than the top to represent the depth of the

ocean.

Evaluation:Ý Did the students wash technique work?

(Dark bottom to lighter top)

Age Recommendation: PrimaryÝ (1-3)

Evaluation for Quality: I believe this lesson utilizes

several cognitive domains.Ý It first uses the lower

order of thinking skills: knowledge, comprehension and

application.Ý This is achieved by the student

participating in the class lecture, processing the

information, observing the ìsee throughî fish in the

aquarium and watching the demonstration on how light is

blocked.Ý Each student would then take the information

and produce a picture with their own understanding of

the subject matter, utilizing their creativity.Ý This

would fall under the higher thinking skill of synthesis.

 As the students are working on this project, the

teacher can ask questions that will tap into their

abilities of analysis.Ý Those questions might be: How

would you begin to apply the watercolor to your picture

to show darkness?Ý Why would you use more water up at

the top of your picture?