EFFECTIVE TIPS AND TOOLS FOR CREATING LESSON PLANS
 Sequence of visual instructions for Bridge Building Activity  Mand Lab Kit Manual exposes students to technical instructions and encourages independent exploration.  Students trying to figure out new Photoshop software. A little prior knowledge and a lot of collaboration and encouragement are producing amazing outcomes! | What Students See as they walk into the classroom is a tip-off to the value and purpose I have given the lesson. As they enter the room I see students search for simple clues: expectations and instructions on the board; supplies set out on the counter or table; and a teacher ready to start the lesson once attendance has been taken. What they see when they walk through the classroom door is the most effective "hook" I have to engage my students authentically. What Students Hear is usually 50% of what I say and 50% of what I provide visually. Students listen with greater intent when they are visually tracking what is being said. Students love to decipher sequential instructions in activities that require collaboration. As I introduce the lesson and expectations students can easily identify which part of the lesson is a personal strength and which area of the lesson will require guided practice from their peers or teacher. What Students Want is the permission to take in new knowldege in which the expectation is to experiment, fail, learn and repeat. This expectation is easily set by including goals, objectives, constraints and criteria for success when introducing the lesson. Providing differentiated levels of instruction (see pictures) improves students academic performance across the curriculum. Understanding deepens when students create connections to the process and purpose of what, when and how they learn. |
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