Lesson #6:

Providing Practice

Criterion IVF

Purpose: This lesson emphasizes the role of providing students with practice using new conceptions.

Overview: During this lesson, pre-service teachers explore methods of providing students with practice using new conceptions. Pre-service teachers also apply Criterion IVF to curriculum materials.

When and How to Use This Lesson: This lesson explores methods of providing students with practice. Important points that the lesson stresses is the difference between "the knowing" and "the doing" aspects of learning goals. It also introduces practice in terms of modeling, coaching, and fading. Pre-service teachers analyze curriculum materials based on activity sequences. Therefore, if pre-service teachers are unfamiliar with identifying the purposes of activities within unit sequences, the instructor may need to provide additional scaffolding for the pre-service teachers.

This lesson involves an optional reading and a demonstration. You may want to find a volunteer from outside the class to act as Ms. Strawberry.

Goals:

1. To explore methods of providing practice.
2. To examine the indicators for Criterion IVF - Providing Practice.
3. To apply the indicators for Criterion IVF to curriculum materials.

Activity #22 10 Minutes Establishes Problem

Problem #4 - Student Practice

Introduction of Criterion IVF - 20 Minutes Models Criterion IVF

Providing Practice

Activity #24 20 Minutes Apply Criterion IVF with Coaching

Examination of Food for Plants

Using Criterion IVF

Examining Field Units 20 Minutes Apply Criterion IVF with Fading/

Using Criterion IVF (or Homework) Assessment

What Would You Do? IVF 5 Minutes Generalize & Strategize

Smith, E.L. (1991). A conceptual change model of learning science. In S. Glynn, R. Yeany, & B. Britton (eds), The Psychology of Learning Science. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. (Optional)

Activity #23

1. Examining Curriculum Materials Form IVF - Food for Plants - Blank (1 per pre-service teacher)
2. 
   
Activity #13 - A Visit from a Plant - Food for Plants (1 per group OR 1 for class if you choose to demonstrate this activity)
3. Ms. Strawberry plant parts (optional - see activity)

Activity #24

1. 
   
Activity Sequence for Food for Plants (1 per pre-service teacher)
2. Examining Curriculum Materials
Form IVF - Food for Plants - Blank (1 per pre-service teacher)
3. Examining Curriculum Materials
Form IVF - Food for Plants - Completed (1 per class)
4. Overhead projector or other projection equipment

Activity #25

1. Examining Curriculum Materials Form IVF - Blank (1 per pre-service teacher)
2. Field Units - Pre-Service Teachers need access to units they will be teaching in their field placements.

Poster paper & markers or some other way to record pre-service teacher responses.

Pre-service teachers may not understand the difference between knowing and doing as they relate to the learning goals. Knowing refers to understanding the ideas and concepts in the learning goal. Doing refers to what students should be able to do with what they know. Practice provides students with experience using and applying the knowledge stated in the learning goal. Teachers need to provide a variety of practice opportunities. Practice activities should be arranged from highly scaffolded to less-scaffolded lessons. Sequences of practice activities begin with the teacher modeling application of the learning goal, then move to activities that allow students to apply the learning goal while the teacher provides coaching, and then finally, to practice activities where the teacher begins fading away.

Activity #22 - Problem #4 - Student Practice

1. The instructor may wish to have pre-service teachers read Smith (1991) prior to class.
2. Briefly introduce the difference between knowing and doing as they relate to learning goals.
3. In a group discussion format, have pre-service teachers consider
1. Why do students need to practice the doing part of learning goals?
2. How can the teacher provide this practice?
3. What is the role of the teacher during practice?

Activity #23 Introduction of Criterion IVF - Providing Practice

1. Distribute Examining Curriculum Materials Form IVF - Food for Plants - Blank (1 per pre-service teacher).
2. Briefly discuss the indicators for Criterion IVF.
3. Have Ms. Strawberry visit the class, have Ms. Strawberry enter the class during this discussion and model a practice activity. During this activity, a person dressed as a plant (Ms. Strawberry) enters the class and makes a big deal about not having any food to eat because she has used up all the food in her cotyledon. She asks the class members how she can get more food. Class members provide her with suggestions, and she elaborates on their suggestions to draw out the important points related to the learning goal. This is an example of an apply - with - fading activity.
4. After Ms. Strawberry leaves, debrief the class on how well they thought the "Ms. Strawberry" activity met the indicators for Criterion IVF.

Activity #24 Examination of Food for Plants Using Criterion IVF

1. Distribute the Sequence of Activities for Food for Plants. By this point in the module, they may already have copies from a previous lesson.
2. In small groups, have pre-service teachers examine the Sequence of Activities for Food for Plants for the following features:
1. Identify practice activities.
2. Label activities or groups of activities as "modeling", "coaching", or "fading".
3. Have each pre-service teacher apply the indicators for Criterion IVF to the Sequence of Activities for Food for Plants and complete the Evaluating Curriculum Materials form.
4. In a large group format, debrief the class on how well they thought the Food for Plants sequence of activities met the indicators for Criterion IVF. Possible techniques include
1. Using an overhead or computer projector, complete the Examining Curriculum Materials Form IVF for Food for Plants based on class feedback.
2. Project a completed version of Materials Form IVF for Food for Plants for comparison with class findings.
3. Post a completed version of Materials Form IVF for Food for Plants for pre-service teachers to access later.

This activity can either be an in-class or homework assignment. Pre-service teachers need access to the units or lessons they will be teaching in the classroom. Pre-service teachers should evaluate those units based on the indicators for Criterion IVF by completing the appropriate form. Remind pre-service teachers that they must identify the learning goal of the lesson or unit and apply the indicators to the parts of the lesson or unit that address that learning goal. Pre-service teachers may work individually or in field placement groups. However, each pre-service teacher should hand in the completed forms.

Activity #26 - What Would You Do? IVF

1. In a group discussion format, elicit from pre-service teachers characteristics of the materials they examined, including Food for Plants, that meet Criterion IVF. Use poster paper or a similar method to record responses for each criterion.
2. Ask pre-service teachers how, if they know, their classroom mentor teacher is planning to adapt the sequence of activities for the field units. What are the classroom teachers changing, and why? Record responses.
3. Keep the responses for later use. Pre-service teachers may find them useful for adapting materials later.

Activity #25 serves as the assessment for this lesson. Each pre-service teacher should turn in for evaluation Examining Curriculum Materials Form IVF. Use the following response features for evaluation. After evaluation, provide pre-service teachers with appropriate feedback and revisit key points, if necessary.

Food for Plants

Ms. Strawberry

Sequence of Activities

Examining Curriculum Materials Forms

IVF for Food for Plants - Blank

IVF for Food for Plants - Completed

IVF Blank