Exploring Education: Then and Now Kay Bassen Education 200 Final Presentation April 29, 2003

Context of Lesson Plan  This lesson could be used for grades 7-9, depending upon ability level of the classroom.  This lesson would work well in a suburban school district. ( ie NY suburb)

Exploring Education: Then and Now Monday Form Groups Lesson Introduction Pass out Handouts Tuesday Students work with primers Group monitored for ability Wed Students work with texts Break from primers Thursday Students work with texts Break from primers FridayPrimers Group evaluation sheets C.A.R evaluation sheets Plans for next week’s project Students work on making their own primers based on last week’s assignments Continue work on group primers using Classic primers and current texts Students continue work on group projects Group projects presented to teacher and rest of class (3 groups) Group presentations ( 3 groups) Finish evaluation and primer handouts.

Lesson Plan Objectives 1.To set a classroom tone and standards for entering students. a. Cooperative learning (group organization) b. Teacher as facilitator who encourages inclusion of outside materials, creatvity and provides continuous feedback. c. Critical thinking skills (reading, writing, planning of writing) d. Relationship of process to product, including group/self evaluation. 2. To focus students in an English class on English skills related across the curricula. a. reading and writing for various purposes b. punctuation, capitalization, grammar 3. To provide students with a sense of ownership of their own education a. compare and contrast methods of education from 100 years ago. b. recognize student’s own preferred learning modalities

Objectives Adhering to CT Framework  In this lesson, there are several objectives that adhere to CT framework guidelines for grades 5-8 as well as They are: –“Students will produce written, oral, and visual texts to express, develop and substantiate ideas and experiences.” –“Students will plan, organize, create and revise visual, written and oral pieces at a level of elaboration appropriate for middle school.” –Students will evaluate explicit and implicit information within a work to others with similar topics, themes, and characters, or problems.” –“Students will apply collaborative skills to elaborate on concepts being addressed and to describe processes used in achieving results.”

Monday’s Lesson Plan  Form six groups: Count off from 1-5  Pass out handouts: Read them through aloud –Discuss lesson objectives –Primer question sheet –Group evaluation sheets  Pass out primers for each group: each student receives their own photocopied primer that will be collected at the end of class  Discuss one specific primer with entire class as an example for further group discussions

Tuesday’s Lesson Plan  Students organize into assigned groups.  Pass out primers for students to evaluate and read together.  Students compare primers with current educational materials.  Teacher watches groups to make sure students are working well together.  At the end of class, collect photocopied primers from each student.  For homework, each student will review a text from another class and compare/contrast with their assigned primer.

Wednesday’s Lesson Plan  Students will choose their text from those brought in as a homework assignment. This will encourage group work and get each student involved.  Students will use these texts and primers to create group primers at the end of the entire lesson.

Thursday’s Lesson Plan  Students will continue to work with textbooks and note vocabulary and content as compared to the primers.  Wednesday and Thursday act as interim days for the students to digest their new group positions and acclimate to the new school year.

Friday’s Lesson Plan  Students will work with their assigned photocopied primers.  Primers will be rotated amongst groups as much as needed. It may not be necessary to review all six primers depending on group ability.  Students will work on evaluation sheets and note group progress throughout the week.  Students will also work on Classic American Reader worksheet.  Students will begin preparation for their group primers for next week’s project.

Monday’s Lesson Plan (One week later)  Students begin work on group primers combining information found in Classic American primers and current texts  Students will choose the primer’s content and illustrations according to group’s organization. They will be expected to hand it in by the end of the week.  Students will contribute the group primers by assigning themselves specific roles within the group. (ie, illustrator, writer, note-taker).

Tuesday’s Lesson Plan  Students continue working on their primers for the duration of the week.

Thursday’s Proposed Lesson Plan  Students hand in group projects.  Students present their projects to the rest of the class.  Students will demonstrate their interpretation of the century old primers in relation to the current texts offered in their classes.  If primers take longer to create (more than three days) than students will present in on the following Monday, giving them the weekend to meet and work on the projects.

Friday’s Proposed Lesson Plan  Students should be presenting primers in class.  Students should complete another group evaluation and primer sheet for the work done in the second week.  Using the evaluation sheets and group primer, students will receive group grades.