1. The Learning Cycle Lesson
Making learning meaningful.

2. The Learning Cycle Lesson
research-based teaching strategy
effective in planning social studies lessons
promotes conceptual change and increases students’ meaningful learning

3. Three Phases
Exploratory Introduction
Lesson Development
Expansion

4. Exploratory Introduction
Enables the students to become more aware of their own reasoning and recognize shortcomings in their prior knowledge.

5. Ask: What activities will enable my students to:
become aware of and make public their prior knowledge?
have the opportunity to try out their prior knowledge in a new setting?
compare their prior knowledge to the new idea and recognize flaws in their prior knowledge?

6. The Teacher’s Role
present one or two key questions to confront the students’ thinking
raise questions
facilitate the students’ exploration
stand back and observe

7. Important Components of the Exploratory Phase
use cooperative learning groups
include interaction and exploration
include a formative assessment to determine prior knowledge and misconceptions

8. Formative Evaluation
provides the teacher with information to determine students’ learning
used for monitoring and diagnosing

9. Lesson Development
Discuss results of the exploratory introduction, providing connections to the new social studies idea.
Teach the new idea. Include interesting practice activities.
Model and/or practice.
Provide closure for the new idea.

10. Ask: What activities will:
provide my students with a clear explanation and sufficient practice to allow them to connect the new idea to what they already know?
enable my students to construct their own “new” knowledge based on the new idea?

11. The Teacher’s Role explain provide examples check for understanding
guide
provide closure (a clear description of the idea or skill with which they have been working)

12. Important Components of the Lesson Development Phase
provides more than one form of explanation
gives clear examples
uses modeling
checks for understanding
includes a formative assessment

13. Expansion Phase
Apply and transfer the new social studies idea or skill to different situations.

14. Ask: What activities will:
enable my students to apply the new knowledge in relevant contexts?
help my students develop successful procedures for making decisions and solving problems while transferring the new idea to other settings?

15. The Teacher’s Role provides some but less guidance
provides activities for the transfer of the new concept or skill
encourager

16. Important Components of the Expansion Phase
allow students to apply the new skill or idea into a situation that is meaningful to them personally
include a summative assessment to check for transfer of the new idea into the new situation

17. Summative Assessment
Examines students’ progress at the end of an activity, lesson, or unit
Any grades that are given are taken from summative assessments and not formative

18. Formative Assessments
Conferences
Observations
Checklists
Questions and Answers
First drafts
Pre-tests
Journals
self and peer assessments

19. Summative Assessments
Chapter tests
Projects
Portfolios
Performances
Benchmarks
State assessments
Final copies

20. Recap: The Learning Cycle Lesson

21. References: Karplus, R. (1974)
References: Karplus, R. (1974). Science curriculum improvement study teachers handbook. Berkeley, CA: University of California. Sunal, C. & Haas, M. (2008). Social studies for the elementary and middle grades. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Incorporated. Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

22. Quick Quiz
What are the three phases of a learning cycle lesson?

23. Why is the exploration phase so important?

24. What is an important part of each phase that determines if the student is ready for the next phase?

25. Which phase has the most teacher-direction?