APST 3:2 Plan structure and sequence learning program's
Standard 3
Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning
Focus Area 3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs
Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning
Focus Area 3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs
Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
Australian Curriculum
Learning Area: Science, Year Level: Year 3
Australian Curriculum content descriptions
Science Understanding
Earth’s rotation on its axis causes regular changes, including night and day ACSSU048
Recognising the sun as a source of light. ACSSU048
Modelling the relative sizes and movement of the sun, Earth and moon ACSSU048
Learning Area: Science, Year Level: Year 3
Australian Curriculum content descriptions
Science Understanding
Earth’s rotation on its axis causes regular changes, including night and day ACSSU048
Recognising the sun as a source of light. ACSSU048
Modelling the relative sizes and movement of the sun, Earth and moon ACSSU048
School Context
School Mandurah Baptist College
Level Year 3
Related Subject Science
Stage of Schooling Primary School
Type Private School
Location Lakelands, Mandurah
Level Year 3
Related Subject Science
Stage of Schooling Primary School
Type Private School
Location Lakelands, Mandurah
Learning Context
The students in this year 3 class have a range of learning needs. Science is a focus in this classroom, as the year 3 teacher is the science specialist for the primary school. There is an emphasis to have students engaged with authentic science activities that show real world relevance to students. As the pre service teacher, I have planned a lesson sequence in science, exploring and testing how students learn through practical inquiry, analysing data and sharing results. My learning goal was to expose students to activities that had real world relevance to them.
Illustration of Practice:
To
enable students to understand that the Earth revolves around the sun.
Situation
Situation
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When preparing for this lesson, I discussed with my mentor teacher what prior understanding students had of the Earth revolving around the sun. My mentor teacher said there was some knowledge, but most students were not confident in being able to explain or draw an illustration to show their understanding. In consultation with my mentor teacher, I discussed presenting an educational video to give all students a good understanding of how our solar system worked.
Modelling the relative sizes and movement of the sun, Earth and moon ACSSU048 |
Action
i used the Plan Teach Assess cycle to ensure I would achieve effective learning outcomes. Effective planning leads to focused teaching. With this understanding of what the students knew already (and didn't know), I reviewed the Australian Curriculum to see what learning outcomes were listed, and to consider the elaborations and activities. After careful consideration I began my lesson with a visual video clip to show students how the Earth rotates around the sun. I believe that students should be actively questioning, connecting, inferring, discussing, debating and inquiring about the world around them. This means that they are surfacing their thinking by talking and writing about it.
i used the Plan Teach Assess cycle to ensure I would achieve effective learning outcomes. Effective planning leads to focused teaching. With this understanding of what the students knew already (and didn't know), I reviewed the Australian Curriculum to see what learning outcomes were listed, and to consider the elaborations and activities. After careful consideration I began my lesson with a visual video clip to show students how the Earth rotates around the sun. I believe that students should be actively questioning, connecting, inferring, discussing, debating and inquiring about the world around them. This means that they are surfacing their thinking by talking and writing about it.
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After students had viewed the educational video, they were required to complete a drawing of what they understood about the Sun and how it rotates around the Earth. They were also asked to draw how the suns light gave day and night to our Earth, by creating 'My Day and Night Poster'. Reviewing the students posters, I look for evidence that the students have correctly understood that the Earth revolves around the Sun. I also take the opportunity to discuss what the students have drawn and ask students to explain their thinking.
Recognising the sun as a source of light. ACSSU048 |
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To scaffold students understanding of the previous lesson, 'My Day and Night Poster', and to ensure students had a better understanding of how the Earth has day and night, students were able to engage in an interactive ICT activity. This interactive process allowed students to connect and understand why the Earth has both day and night.
Earth’s rotation on its axis causes regular changes, including night and day ACSSU048
Earth’s rotation on its axis causes regular changes, including night and day ACSSU048
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Outcome
Learning isn't meaningful because students learned to understand the ideas only as an algorithmic procedure, but rather in a real world context (Jonassen, 2008). Everything physical in the world involves physics, so I allowed students to take their learning outside the classroom to engage in tracking the suns movement over the Earth. At different times during the day, the year 3 class measured the outline of their partners shadows to show how the Earth rotates around the Sun. This activity was really successful, and it had real world relevance to the students. Using the 'Plan Teach Assess' cycle ensued me that that my planning and teaching was a success. Effective planning allowed students to move through a series of lessons that finished with an authentic learning activity. |
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Action Plan
I have received several teaching resources from my mentor teacher Mrs Sasha Blockley at Mandurah Baptist College and also approached the head of science at Austin Cove Baptist College to ask for the opportunity to be included in any future PD sessions on science. Mrs Blockley introduced me to a Science Website called Jonnos Science, created by Ric Johnson, a Science Specialist Support Teacher at Rostrata Primary School in Perth Western Australia. This website is an outstanding resource because it has a focus on the Australian Curriculum. I have also created my own science website page that I will continue to develop as I undertake my teaching journey.
