Elements of a Good Science Lesson

1. Elements of a Good Science Lesson

2. Objectives • To share a common understanding of what we mean by ‘learning’ • To consider the elements of an episodic lesson • To apply these elements to an example lesson

3. What do we mean by ‘Learning’ In pairs discuss what the term learning means to you. “Learning is the active construction of understanding and knowledge by the learner, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences.”

4. The Constructivist theory Model: Learning is the construction of neural networks Cell body Axon Synapses A neuron

5. Developing and building neural networks – ‘learning’ • Repetition and practise • By being challenged, questioned, supported and encouraged to reflect

6. Episodic Lessons In order to facilitate effective learning each lesson should comprise the following elements: • The ‘Starter’ • Collecting Information • Processing Information • Reflection on the thinking and strategies that have been developed

7. The ‘Starter’ • Children’s current level of understanding is established through questioning, ‘brainstorming’, mind-maps etc • The content of the lesson should build on from their current level(s) • The learning objectives of the lesson are established and shared with the children – ‘By the end of this lesson you should be able to………’etc

8. Collecting Information For example: • Carrying out practical work • Reading • Listening • Watching – observing events, demonstrations, teacher modelling

9. Processing Information • Activities that help the children to build on this prior knowledge by providing challenge and stimulus • Should be at a level appropriate to the needs of the child • Should require the children to think about what they are doing • Should involve effective questioning by the teacher/TAs and other children

10. Reflection • Should take place whenever the children have processed information and at the end of the lesson to establish whether the learning objectives have been met – ‘mini plenaries and plenary’ • Should require the children to think about how they have been handling the information, what they found difficult and why • ‘What can we do now/What do we know now/What else do we need to find out?’ • Reviewing their own progress

11. So, what might a lesson like this look like? Using a section from the QCA Scheme of Work for Science think about how you would plan the lesson so that each element we have discussed is covered. Include examples of questions, learning objectives and learning outcomes for the children, possible assessment opportunities.

12. Reflection • How does what we have discussed relate to what you already do in science/other subjects? • What are the benefits of an episodic lesson in terms of children’s learning?