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Explain Strategies. Students explain their understanding of the concepts and processes they are learning. Teachers clarify students’ understanding and introduce new concepts and skills. What the teacher does:. Encourages students to explain concepts and definitions in their own words.
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Students explain their understanding of the concepts and processes they are learning. • Teachers clarify students’ understanding and introduce new concepts and skills.
What the teacher does: • Encourages students to explain concepts and definitions in their own words. • Asks for justification (evidence) and clarification from students. • Formally provides definitions, explanations and new labels. • Uses students’ previous experiences as the basis for explaining concepts.
What the student does: • Explains possible solutions or answers to others. • Listens critically to one another’s explanations. • Questions one another’s explanations. • Listens to and tries to comprehend explanations the teacher offers. • Refers to previous activities. • Uses recorded observations in explanations.
HOW? Ways to foster and focus group discussions and explanations: • Numbered heads (or shoulder partners) • Share and post graphic organizers • Jigsaw techniques Individuals: journals, written reflections
How does reading fit in? Read for a purpose – examples: bacteria minimuseums and protist puzzle posters • Prior experience (explore): microscope labs; video clips, everyday examples of related items and products, picture book scavenger hunts • Students read and discuss reading selection from textbook or trade book in order carry out the project. • Team: create the product (museum or poster) – discuss among themselves the relevant concepts, labels, etc. as the teacher circulates to help • Individual: written explanation (for museum display) or of the analogies on the poster.