From Tree to Paper

Read the Learning Cycle Lesson Plan, From Tree to Paper, on pp. 18– 21. Reflect further on it using the following questions. Write down your responses and, if possible, discuss them with a peer. 

1. What are two different assumptions the teacher made about the prior knowledge and experiences of the young students for whom this lesson was planned?
2. How do the key questions asked in the exploratory introduction tie into the phases of the lesson?
3. What lesson development activities help to explain how events are sequenced by the learner?
4. What is the purpose of the closure at the end of the lesson development phase of the lesson?
5. During the expansion phase of this lesson, how does the teacher help students expand on their more developed abilities, sequencing events beyond what was done earlier in the lesson?
6. How does the teacher “ wrap- up” the lesson?
7. To what extent will the summative evaluation activity let the teacher know how well each student has developed his or her ability to sequence events to a higher level than existed before the lesson?

1. One assumption the teacher made about prior knowledge with the experiences of the young students, was that the students knew what each artifact was.  No where in the lesson does it say the teacher went over the different artifacts to make sure the students knew what they were.  A second assumption is that the teacher didn't explain what each job within the group was.  The lesson says break the students into groups and assign each job.  As a teacher I would explain everything in detail to the younger students.


2. The key questions tie into the phases of the lesson because it asks the students where they think paper comes from.  The second part of the lesson is the paper making process so the students can connect the questions about where paper comes from to the sequence of how paper is made. 


3.The teacher reads From Wood to Paper to the students making sure the students pay attention to the sequence described.  The teacher then models sequencing with three artifacts before the hands the students their artifacts and tells them to sequence it. 


4. The purpose of the closure at the end of the lesson is for the students to sum up everything they just learned.  The closure gives the main picture to what sequencing is allowing the students to all put their input.


5.   The expansion part of the lesson makes the students think beyond what the lesson was asking them. The expansion is asking them to think about what happens to the paper after it is done being made. The students add it to their sequencing chart and have to write a little explanation about it.


6. The teacher has the students briefly describe the sequence of activities within the lesson.


7. The summative evaluation has the student do sequencing of three events on their own using a rubric to follow.  This shows the teacher if the students truly understood what sequencing was without her help.