On Tuesday, I did my Microteaching II lesson for SED 406. This time we were to do a 35-40 minute indirect instruction lesson. My lesson was on population ecology and asked students to graph and analyze real-world data collected on Canada lynx and snowshoe hare populations. The essential question of the lesson was: How do populations of related organisms within an ecosystem change over time?
I think the lesson went pretty well. I was oddly nervous (I feel like I get more nervous in front of my peers than I do in front of students) and went slightly over time again (blergh!), but in general I think the lesson was a success. I haven't watched the entire video yet, but one thing I was thinking was that maybe I talked with the students a little too much during their exploration time - I think it's important to interact with students during this time to make sure they're on the right track and to push them farther, but by the time we got to the discussion part of the lesson, I felt like I had already had the discussion. Anyway, let's see what my "students" thought...
PS - to my fellow SED 406 students - it's been great getting to know you this semester, hope to have more classes with you as we continue on this adventure!
Hi Jenna!
ReplyDeleteI really loved this lesson. As a student who was never super into science, you made it very interesting, organized and engaging for students. I like that you gave the fata and chart and focused on the why behind the date, however for a longer unit you could even make researching the data part of the students role. I think it was great that you interacted with both groups during our group work and helped us to push beyond just what was on the paper. In whole group discussion you could try arranging it so that the students share with each other instead of you leading by asking the questions that may feel less repetitive. Maybe even try a jigsaw method. But otherwise I think the lesson and the questions you came up were really effective. Great job!
Hi Jenna!
ReplyDeleteLike Michela, I was a big fan of your lesson. In fact, I find your entire unit on Food Webs to be interesting and engaging in an understandable way. Compared to your last lesson, I liked how you progressed to a more developed concept while keeping with the same general idea. I do feel that you may talk a little bit too fast during discussions, so that's something that you might want to continue working on. I also think that this faster talk comes from your positive energy and enthusiasm at the front of the classroom, so it might be best to find a balance between passion and teaching. The exploration portion of your lesson was great- it was unique, engaging, and it progressed from a basic understanding of the data to a more sophisticated approach that required critical thinking. I do agree (with you) that you might have been a little bit too involved during this exploration stage. In the future, it might be a good idea to walk around and just listen to what the students are saying. With this approach, you could pose a few questions for the students to think about for the discussion portion. I think that this would be more effective for the students to think on their own and digest the information prior to the whole class discussion, and this would also lead to a less repetitive, more collaborative discussion. All in all, I really loved your take on this science topic, and thank you for expanding my understanding of food webs and changing ecosystems.
Hey Jenna!
ReplyDeleteGood lesson! It was diversified and balanced. I'm glad you did the video as an introduction to the lynx as a species. Graph was great too. It gave students an actual picture of what was happening the the lynx and hare over time. Also, very interesting that the fur company kept such detailed records. I thought the questions were good and numerous enough and that in an actual classroom it could have served even as a homework assignment. To address your chatty-ness, I like it; I think it's who you are! And, I agree with Dominique; you're generally a passionate person about a variety of topics. However, I really feel that "wait time" while sometimes is awkward, may be a good practice for you to pursue while teaching. It would help give students move time to develop their thoughts and response to the good questions you ask. I think this might also help you with time management. Honestly though Jenna, you're a natural so keep it up!
Hey Jenna! I think that this was a really great lesson! This is something I am probably going to borrow one day! One thing I do have to say is when you asked if there were any questions, comments or observations, your wait time was like <1 second. I know it can be nerve-wracking but relax and take a deep breath. This will help you take that extra 2 seconds to give students the opportunity to raise a hand. I think that this lesson is something that is super practical and the information can be tweaked to better connect to the students world and environment they live in. Great Job! -Emily
ReplyDeleteOne trick, which is also good for ELL students, is just to repeat the question a second time. It's easier for some people than changing their own speech, and gives students who drifted off a chance.
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