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As part of this week’s application I had to complete a lesson plan that introduced both the 5 E method and the STEM Approach. For those unfamiliar with either of those terms please look below.
Engage – Hook S -Science
Explore – Experiment T - Technology
Explain – Introduce new material E -Engineering
Elaborate – Real world connections M- Math
Evaluate – Assessment
Honest Moment: To sum up this experience I can only think of one word, OVERWHELMING. I am not trying to be a downer but, really how many concepts can be squeeze into a lesson plan? Learning styles, multiple intelligence, unifying themes, STEM, the 5-E approach, differentiation for curriculum, and the list goes on and on and on ….for real!! Ok, I’m done with my tirade, back to the reflection.
Since I don’t have a lot of time to waste, any time I have to prepare a lesson plan, I try to make it coincide with the content that I currently covering (2 birds, 1 stone). Thus, since we are starting a unit covering simple machines, my lesson plan started with this concept. Since I teach at an IB school I have to take into consideration the IB standards and Area of Interaction first and foremost. After I had pinpointed what my current objectives were, I then looked the culminating activity and planned activities that will help students accomplish this task (backward design). In regards to using the 5 E’s structure, I found some parts to be very helpful and others to be somewhat restrictive. I enjoyed developing strategies to help students engage, explore, and elaborate. I had problems tying in the real world application where they wanted it, so I was confused about whether I could move that E to another area. CAN I ? Some my discomfort lies with my inexperience using this method, I have never created a lesson plan using this structure. I believe that as I use this method more often I will become more proficient with it. I also believe that as I design lessons with the STEM approach in mind, this too will become easier (I hope).This process was radically different from the format that I use in my system to design lesson plans. We are required to turn in lesson plans every two weeks. Our lesson plans look at different criteria and focus on different teaching strategies. If I were to implement this plan my biggest logistical issue would be time. Currently my classes are only 60 minutes and I do not think that I would be able to get this entire lesson accomplished in that time frame.
PS. If anyone has any good hands-on labs for simple machines I would really appreciate it. Thanks
Candace,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comment about how time consuming using the Instructional Plan Template can be. I like it, I feel that it is worth its weight in gold, but along with you, I do not have a lot of time to do it justice. I like how the 5 E's use the same letter, in itself it is engaging. You mention that you work in an IB school. What does IB mean?
My new blog site has changed from scienceguy1 to mrbertrand@wordpress.com
Hi Patrick,
DeleteThat is a great question that I am still trying to figure out :). IB stands for International Baccalaureate school. Because we are a middle school, we have been accepted in the middle years program (MYP). Basically this program requires that we teach students in a more globally aware way so that they can develop a sense of belonging in the ever-changing and increasingly interrelated world around them and to foster a positive attitude to learning. Our lessons are suppose to provide a framework of rigorous learning that encourages students to embrace and understand the connections between traditional subjects and the real world, and become critical and reflective thinkers. (I got this from the IB booklet).
What we really do is enhance our lessons by adding multiple layers of globally focused learning activities. These activities are suppose to be rigorous and relevant, while encouraging higher order thinking.
I hope this explains the IB program a little..
Candace, I love your blog. I agree with you completely. If I did my lesson it would take over a week. I had collaborative groups of six. Some group members were to create a model of the ocean floor, some to create a graph on the computer and some doing research. I really wish I could do a lesson like this. However, my time constraints to cover standards limits me to a lesson like this. Maybe after the CRCT. My new blog is cheryllawson.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteThanks Cheryl,
DeleteI agree, with our pacing guides, I too am challenged to create elaborate lesson. I have set aside some of my funner activities/ lessons for after the CRCT :).
I agree that initially the lesson plan is cumbersome. But afterwards, you do not have to recreate it from scratch again. I found the pacing and structure of the 5e's lesson to be easier than the lesson plan I have at my school. I wish we had this to use!
ReplyDeleteI liked doing the 5-E portion of the lesson plan it was the rest of lesson plan that became to time consuming. I think most of us already implement parts of the 5-E method, don't you agree?
DeleteCandace,
ReplyDeleteI, too, was frustrated with this week's lesson, not because it was completely foreign in its approach to lesson designing, but because of the time it took to go through so many pieces, that like you, I believe aren't entirely necessary. Honestly, for me, I would say go with your gut and what you know is important. Are the students interested? (Engage) Do the students get the opportunity to explore the materials to make learning meaningful? (Experiment) Will the students be able to connect new learning to something they already know? (Explain & Elaborate) And can students demonstrate their new learning and understanding so that the cycle can begin again? (Evaluate). I suspect you are doing all of this already. Now there's just this fancy nemonic to remember it. :)
Janie
Hi Janie,
DeleteI agree that I already plan most of my lessons using some methods that are similar tot he 5-E method. Thanks for the comment.
Candace
I agree with the overwhelming aspect. I got to the bottom of a page adn thought, "Oh, good, I am done!". Only to turn the page to find not just another, but many still to go. So many pieces to the puzzle.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Janie's comment above; we are all probably planning lessons that include all the E's. This lesson plan template just made us pay more attention to those r important parts of a lesson.
Hi Georgianna,
DeleteThat's exactly how I felt. Was this lesson plan ever going to end?
And yes I do agree, I am sure we all incorporate methods similar to the 5-E method.
Thanks
Candace