Teaching Strategies
Extended Constructed Response (ECR)
Extended constructed response questions provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate the extent of mastery within a given content area while building capacity for sustained critical thinking. Students will be provided an essential question (i.e., How do the laws of thermodynamics influence tropical cyclone development? Use data to support your claims.), every two weeks, that complements an observable phenomenon or data-driven inquiry lab. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) heavily emphasize students’ ability to rationalize phenomena. Last year, students dramatically improved literacy skills and produced higher quality responses. To encourage a growth mindset, multiple drafts are required prior to final submission. The iterative process provides numerous opportunities for students to refine their rationale and improve the mechanics of their responses. The process must be done with fidelity and with opportunities for students to peer-review.
Station Rotation with Heterogenous Groups
Station rotation facilitates the engagements of students through several concurrent activities throughout the class period or week, depending on the model. This instructional strategy allows students multiple opportunities to refine conceptual understanding and mastery by participating in activities that target various modes of learning (e.g., kinetic, auditory, visual). Students will spend approximately 20 minutes working independently or in groups on activities. As a class, students will share findings, observations, and misconceptions that persist, once every student has rotated through each station.
The unit will concentrate heavily on deconstructing energy transformations from a myriad of observable phenomenon. Thus, it is imperative that students take detailed notes and effectively communicate their thoughts to peers. Students will be expected to take Cornell Notes, a system of notetaking that actively engages the students to ask questions, organize information, and summarize key ideas. Student groups will be compiled from pre-assessment data, attendance, and behaviors from the first 2-3 weeks of the year. At the conclusion of every semester, student groups will be reassessed and reassembled. The number of stations may vary based on the number of students and classroom dynamics. Station rotations have been shown to be an effective strategy for students to maximize their learning and to develop skills of independent problem solving.
Inquiry Activities
As a science, physics offers opportunities for students to apply a multitude of mathematical concepts and arithmetic skills when describing physical phenomena. This unit will seek to strengthen students’ content mastery of energy transformation while simultaneously refining laboratory skills and engaging in discussion. From my experience at Jackson Reed High School, kinesthetic activities, with a summary discussion at the end of class, have often led to the most successful lessons. This unit will utilize inquiry as an access point for student ingenuity and provide the context for students to revise their ideas about the concepts being introduced. The activity will vary in duration and rigor, requiring students to work in collaborative groups.
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