Students’ age range: 16-18

Main subject: Arts education

Topic: Descriptive paragraph

 

Description: First session, teacher selected 3 students at random to form groups of 3. Students worked in groups. They created a list of interesting places they had visited, and wrote details about each place, so they completed one chart of graphic organizer about their description. After that they chose the place they would like to write a descriptive paragraph.
Second session of class, they wrote an outline about ideas for their description and organized their topic sentence, supporting ideas and examples. They thought about evidence to support their descriptive paragraph. Also, teacher and students elaborated some critical thinking questions about the topic.
Third session of class, teacher applied Socratic seminar. Teacher explained the rules and after that they set up inner and outer circles. Students listened closely the descriptions of his/her favorite places, thought critically and said comments about the responses of their partners, and the final activity was discussion about seminar with the whole class. They learned vocabulary, phrases and knew beautiful places from their country.

Students’ age range: 10-12

Main subject: Sciences

Topic: Renewable Source of Energy (Wind Energy)

 

Description: “Guided Practice” the Students/Participants will develop competencies Research, Critical Thinking, Design: Make the question that they consider necessary.
Work in group or individually to complete de goals.
Design a Wind Energy Model that can be used in Schools.
Analyze with the Teacher the possibilities of conduct the Service Learning Activity.

Students’ age range: 08-10

Main subject: Sciences

Topic: Cause/effect Item/category Part/whole

 

Description: Step 1: Warm Up Socratic Semminar Ask students to get together in 4 and hand out randomly small lectures with each category inplicitinto them. Cause/effect, part/hole, Item/category Present pictures from internet for giving examples about brainstormings.
Students read the lectures comprehensively (Pre-lecture, lecture, post-lecture), enclosing, underlining, writing down meanings, and main and general ideas. (10 minutes)
Make a Brainstorming for each category and represent each key-word with drawings. (15 minutes)
Step 2: Context / Presentation Teacher’s Activities Show them a video about what a Socratic Seminar is and an example. Present a poster with rules of coexistence into a classroom. Time: 20 minutes Student’s Activities Time: 20 minutes
Ask students to share their information.
Stablish rules of coexistence.
Ask them to make questions one another Answer questions with your own ideas and examples.
They can use their notes and brainstorms.
Step 3: Guided Practice Teacher’s Activities Elaborate a Mental Map

Students’ age range: 14-16

Main subject: Language arts and literature

Topic: The education system is failing our students. The system is not diverse enough and does not met the needs of many students.

 

Description: Before the lesson, students will be told that they will participate in an exercise called a fishbowl discussion. The teacher will ask them to describe an actual fish bowl and its purpose in order for them to make analogies and try to guess why this strategy has been so named. Students may write their thoughts freely on how they think the lesson will proceed. The students will then be shown a short video clip of the fishbowl strategy being used in a classroom. They will be asked to share their views on how they think this can be helpful to them. Again, students will be asked to write their thoughts freely on this. The protocol will be explained to the students and the classroom will be arranged accordingly – five chairs in the middle of the room and the other ten forming an audience around the inner circle. The students will be told to make any necessary notes which they think will help the discussion or which will help them clarify their thoughts. They will be told that they are expected to listen to each other and respect each other’s opinions. If they do not agree or if they have a counter-argument, they must not be judgemental but rather, speak constructively and think about all opinions offered as they try to arrive at their own conclusions. They will be told to try to provide evidence to support their claims. They will be unable to interrupt a speaker and each person must wait until her turn to speak. The topic will be intoduced and all students will be given five minutes to write their thoughts on it. A few articles on the topic will then be circulated among the students in order to help them generate discussion. Students will continue to make notes or write their thoughts and this will continue throughout the lesson. The topic will be displayed on a whiteboard for the duration of the lesson. The first five students will then enter the inner circle and the discussion will proceed. When the students have completed ten minutes within the inner circle, members of the outer cirlce will have an opportunity to ask questions. This will be done for five minutes before the next group takes their place in the inner circle. The lesson will be recorded on an iphone and replayed afterwards in order to let the students evaluate both themselves and the technique. The teacher will intervene as a facilitator when necessary.

Students’ age range: 04-06

Main subject: Language arts and literature

Topic: Creating a language experience story

 

Description: Set Induction:
- Elicit information, through questioning, about where stories can be found.
o Where can stories be found?
- Invite students to share with their classmates where stories can be found. Students answers should include the library/library van, in books, in the new paper, on the computer…
- Ask students if pictures can be used to tell stories.
- Ask students what the word imagination means.
o If students are unable to provide the answer one will be given ~ Imagination means using ones mind to think about stories
- Inform students that the words they say can be used to write a story


Learning Activities/Experiences:
- Invite students to focus their attention on the chalk board where the picture is displayed.
- Tell students that they are going to use their imagination to create a story about the picture they see.
- Give students a few minutes (1-3) to look at the picture and think about what is happening before they share their thoughts with classmates.
- Instruct students to raise their hand to indicate that they want to share what they are thinking.
- Remind students that when others are talking they should show respect for them by listening attentively.
- Record students answers on chalk board.
- Correct any syntax errors made and have students repeat sentences with corrections.
- Reread sentences written with students.
- Remind students that the words written are the sentences they shared.