MODULE 3. BLOCK 7: Differentiated classroom

MODULE 3

BLOCK 7-Assignment

Differentiated classroom

  Differentiated learning activity:

Context:

                    Area: Science/ESL

                    Year: 6

                    Topic: Pollution

1-ESTABLIHING previous knowledge:

SS think about what they know about pollution and are assigned a colour, First of all they complete the two first columns of KWL charts.

-I understand what pollution is and its effects and could explain to others. 

SS have to create a pollution situation using C&S (Consequences and Sequels) thinking routine and present it to others. After that, they write some questions about what they would like to learn.

-I have heard about it, but I need more information.SS use the "Question Key" thinking routine (Toni Ryan's thinking keys). They are presented a statement about this topic and then, they have to create different questions to reach this answer. After that, they write questions about what they would like to learn.

-I have very little notion of it.

SS have different sources: Cards with text, pictures and a video, which explain what pollution is and its different effects. Then, pupils write their own questions about it and about what they would like to learn.

2-Then, children EXPLORE about pollution. They reasearch and go deeper, they collect some information from the internet guided by the teacher and complete a graphic organizer about the types of pollution and real examples. (They can choose between different types of graphics or create a new one) They compare and contrast their information in groups and  discuss about what they do in their lives in favour and against (to avoid) pollution. 

Examples of some models:

3- EXPERIENCE:SS do a trip to a recycling plant and then make a plan to recycle at their homes.

4-EXPLAIN: Children explain to others what they've learn about recycling and their recycling plans through a Chroma Key, and infographic,a song, a poem, a video, a prezi...

5-EXTEND: "KEY ACTIVITY ON DIFFERENTIATION"

SS are going to create a performance about pollution in order to raise the audience awareness of it.

In the creation process, SS played different roles.  

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES 

 

 

-VERBAL-LINGUISTIC: Children create the script. In order to do it, they use OPV (Others People Views) thinking routine to create the role of each character.

-LOGICAL-MATHEMATICAL: Children design the costumes, they have to select the different sizes.

-VISUAL-SPATIAL: Children create a poster, a comic script, a graphic... to advertise the performance and engage the audience.

-BODILY-KINESTHETIC: Actors and actress. They use also the OPV thinking routine to create the role of each character.

-MUSICAL-RHYTHMIC: They create a coreography for the end of the performance and design or select the background music and sound effects.

-NATURALISTIC: Children think how to adapt materials to  new use. They select different materials or recycled resources that they can use to make the costumes, the complements, the decoration, etc.

-INTRAPERSONAL: Each student have a diary of his/her experience and they write their feelings on the process, what they have learned, review and visualize his/her work.

-INTERPERSONAL: They carry out some interviews after the experience to other SS to know how they have feel and share perspectives. 

 REFLECTION ON HOW AND WHAT IT DIFFERENTIATES

   

-SS have the opportunity to choose according their prior knowledge. Teacher gathers the background information.

 

-Input is presented in different ways: text, video, cards.. and when children have to explain the content to others can choose between different options, such as: chroma Key, and infographic,a song, a poem, a video, a prezi, etc.

 

-It is an open ended lesson. The final output is a performance and each student carrry out the task which fits better with him/her. 

-Learners are encourage to use different ways of thinking, some thinking routines are promoted.

-Competition is tried to be avoided. Every student get what they need to be succesful in each own way.

-The performance challenge each student appropriately and engagingly according their personality.

-SS make groups according to their interest.

-Varied use of materials and resources.  

 

6-EVALUATE: Teacher evaluates the process through direct observation, field notebooks and rubrics and the what I've learned column of the KWL charts.

MODULE 4. Block 5. Reflection of learning

MODULE 4

 BLOCK 5

Assignment: Reflection of learning

 

MODULE 4. Block 7. Project Based Learning

MODULE 4. Block 7

Activity for D&T related to Legoland Park (Saturday 25th session)

Learning outcomes: 

 SS will be able to...

1-create a mock up of aragoza Legoland park.

2- recognize different properties of materials (connected with SCIENCE)

3-decide between different prices and quantities (connected with MATHS)

4-use expressions like: "We need.. It's necessary.."

5-explain each others projects: "There is a restaurant here, if you want to have a coffe, you can...")

PRE-TASK:

1-SS make a graphic or drawing for the design of the park before building the mock up.

2-SS make a list of the different materials that they need for the mock up (this will be connected with the area of SCIENCE in which they learn about the properties of materials)

3-Create a budget for the materials they need. (they will do it in the area of MATHS)

TASK:

Mock up building.

 ACTION! 

 

POST-TASK:

SS explain each other their mock up. They will use expressions likes: There is, there are, if you need to ... you can ..., etc.

MODULE 3. Block 7

2nd session on DIFFERENTIATED CLASSROOM

 

Visual notes on Differentiation:

 

Content group summary: 

 

MODULE 3. BLOCK 4. THINKING & LEARNING

MODULE 3

BLOCK 4 Assignment

Development of thinking and learning for CLIL and ELT classrooms

 PLUS, MINUS INTERESTING (De Bono Tools)

PMI (plus, minus, interesting) is a critical thinking tool developed by Edward de Bono to encourage the examination of ideas, concepts and experiences from more than one perspective. 

This tool enable learners to make decisions by analysing the pros and cons, reflecting on and evaluating different points and identifying strengths and weaknesses for future improvement. SS first carry out an exploration about a specific issue and then, they will be ready to make a decision.
The goal of PMI could be to help participants see different sides of an argument and think more broadly about an issue.

Children make, for example, a chart with three columns and they consider the positive things, or advantages of the specific issue which they are working around, the negative aspects or weaknesses and the points that are not positive or negative, but they consider interesting to direct attention to.
After scanned these different aspects belonging to the three categories, SS are able to make a judgement and make a final decision.

We could also use the following methods to implement it in the classroom:

• Whole Class Approach: When used as a whole class activity, the format can be drawn on the board and students are encouraged to voice out their ideas that are in turn written in their respective columns. It can also be used along with the carousel technique to generate maximum ideas.
• Scoring: When deciding on whether or not to take a particular course of action, we can use a scoring system along with the PMI tool. Each idea in the plus, minus and interesting category is given a scoring from (-3 to +3). After scoring each idea, we can tally up the figures to decide if an action should be taken or not.
• Sorting: A variation of the tool is the “Keep it, junk it, and put in the cloud method.” In this, the important information is placed under the “keep it” category, the not so important information in the “junk it” category and those that are to be put aside for further introspection in the “cloud” category.
• Review: Students can also use a PMI tool to review the books read during the year.
• Feedback and Evaluation: PMI tool can be used as a closure activity for students to write down the takeaway or key points of the lesson. It can also be used as a feedback tool and to evaluate our teaching performance.

From my point of view,this tool could also be used in the EFL classroom as a prewriting activity in which SS would have to make judgements about a topic, for example, we can imagine a context in which learners are working around pets and they have the following statement: "Everybody should have a pet". The first would write about the plus, the minus and the interesting ideas and then they would be able to start building a piece of writing.

In the same way, this thinking routine could be used before a debate, as a way of organising the ideas about the topic and clarify the points that are going to be defended, criticized or simply highlighted.

An example for a CLIL classroom (Science): Imagine we are working around renewable energies, more specifically a lesson about solar energy, and students are asked: "Should we use solar panels in our houses?"





Video tutorial-explanation about Plus-Minus-Important routine:

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MODULE 3. BLOCK 2. PROJECT SCOUT

PROJECT SCOUT

A project for the collaborative chart

"Dissections"

http://modelsofexcellence.eleducation.org/projects/dissections-emily
 

It is an interesting project which combine the teaching and learning of science and arts.

SS could carry out the specific experimentation (dissections of the animals) following the scientific method, guided by these questions which help them to create their hyphotesis and then, after the experince to draw conclusions.
   
   How do living things change and adapt to a dynamic environment? 

   How are all living things on Earth connected?
  
   What are similarities and differences between humans and other animals? 

   How do different organisms meet their biological needs in order to survive? 


SS work Art in context, the investigation of scientific facts through a hands-on experience. They could work in groups so that they can create their scientific journals. 

Audiovisual input is included through the videos about the animals that children watch to get informed about them. In addition, creativity is involved, as pupils use their own ideas to represent in different ways their work on the scientific journals.

 
"Beekeeping"

They can learn about what is an endangered animal, the causes and effects of this danger, the importance of bees, in this case, to our lives.

SS learn how to buy and sell things, they create their own bussiness, thus, Maths are presented along this project.

Maths, Science, and Arts are implied in this experience. Furthermore, it is connected to the real world, as it show SS a real current problem and make them reflect about it. Second language communicative skills are also promoted, since children try to raise people awareness of this environmental problem.

This is a really motivational project. Learners create their own products and make money with that.

MODULE 4. Block 4. Scientific methodology

MODULE 4

BLOCK 4: SCIENTIFIC METHODOLOGY

Assignment

 Lights and shadows:

Stage: Year 2

Nº of SS: 15

Nº of science hours: 2.30h/week

About 2 weeks for this proposal.

Est.CN.1.3.1. Est.CN.1.3.2. Expone oralmente, de forma pautada, experiencias y tareas utilizando con claridad y adecuación al vocabulario específico trabajado.                                                  

1-Activating previous knowledge: SS are shown a wordcloud which from they brainstorm some ideas about the topic.

 

2- Some questions are proposed to SS, such as:

What is ligth?

Where can we find light?

Is the sun always in the same place  of the sky?

What are shadows?

Has everything got a shadow?

Why are shadows produced?

Has a shadow got always the same size?

Do you think that a shadow shape can change?

Etc.

Different sheets with these questions are hanged on around the class' walls. SS stand up and place next to the sheet they think they can give an answer. SS comment on every question together and with the guideline of the teacher.

3-Next, they are asked the following driving question: Why shadows change along the day?

Now SS are encouraged to use their devices, computers or tablets, and go to this website of BBC learning where they can try to experiment online with ligths and shadows:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/7_8/light_shadows.shtml


4-Then, children are explained the experience which they are going to carry out. It is the following one: In the playgroud they are going to measure each other shadows at different hours (for example: 9.15, 13,30 and 4.30) and with a chalk marking the shape of the shadow on the floor, then they compare the different shapes.

After explaining the experience, they have to create their hypothesis guided by the teacher, who point out different aspects that they have to take into account, like: The relationship between the direction of the shadow and the position of the sun, the size of the shadow, changes according to the time.

Thus, SS create their hypothesis in groups of 3, and they represent their hypothesis through and infographic. When the infographic is finished the different hypothesis are presented to the rest of the class.

5-SS carry out the experiment during and entire class journey at the different selected hours. They take photos of the experience at each time.

6-The groups which had made the hypothesis together are encouraged now to complete a graphic organizer comparing and contrasting what happen with the shadow at different hours. They can write and draw in each gap the state of the shadow at each specific hour, taking into account the aspects through which they had made their hypothesis.










 7-Conclusions: The whole class try now to answer the first 

questions. Each group presents the data collected in their 

graphic organizers, explaining their experience and the steps

followed to the rest of the class, and then all together try to 

establish a whole conclusion. 


Finally, each group creates a lapbook with the differents 

pictures taken, showing the experience and the conclusions 

reached. SS will present their lapbooks to other classes, 

explaining their experience.



8-Along this lesson SS have been completing the next chart

 which shows the different stages of the scientific method.