In-Class: Guest Lesson
This is a face-to-face class
Guest Presenter: Modified Grade 11/12 Chemistry Lesson
The instructor will introduce the guest presenter (name, role, school, board, previous experience).
The guest will teach a modified Grade 11/12 Chemistry lesson that involves differentiation and universal design. The guest will explain where the students are in the unit and what they have previously done. For this lesson, you should focus on the engagement strategies and how you are always kept on task by the guest.
Example Lesson
In this lesson on stoichiometry, students are working on activities differentiated based on readiness. Students will select the activity based on their needs while the teacher will check in to ensure that the task is at the right level. Students will also work with their peers to assess their work.
Some of the differentiated activities include stoichiometry problems scaffolded at different levels (e.g., without limiting reagent, with limiting reagent), open questions, and distinguishing between colloquial and academic language.
Required Materials and Technology
- Dependent on guest presenter
Debrief
After the guest's lesson, you will share your experience of the lesson through a think-pair-share.
The three main topics that the guest will focus upon are differentiation, universal design, and backwards design.
Differentiation
You differentiate based on interests, preferences or readiness. This is where students are streamed or have choice in picking an activity that best suits their needs. Readiness is often a challenge experienced in the classroom because some students are approaching mastery while others are not. To ensure that all students are engaged in an activity that allows them to work in their zone of proximal development, differentiation based on readiness helps ensure that students are working to meet the learning goal or are enriching their understanding.
In the sample lesson, this was explored through parallel tasks and open questions.
Universal Design
Whether its an English Language Learning (ELL) support or a Special Education requirement, all students can benefit from these accommodations. Work with your students by identifying what challenges some of your students may face and integrating it with your lesson.
The sample lesson addresses ELL needs with language. It's very helpful to work students on their language because colloquial language is different from academic language.
Backwards Design
Plan with the end in mind. Backwards design helps you visualize what the curriculum looks like through assessments. At the same time, you can determine what skills and concepts connect with each other in a unit.
A common strategy is to begin with the curriculum expectations and group them based on the big ideas and message of the subject. After grouping, skills that connect with these expectations are identified. Putting this together, assessments (for/as/of) are designed and help show what the curriculum looks like. You can also do the assessments you create to empathize with your learners. From here, you can start planning your lessons.
Jigsaw Station Rotation
You will get into a group of three and decide where each member will visit. At the end of the station activity, you will re-connect with your team members and share your findings.
During the station rotation, the instructor and guest will be floating through each of the stations to provide:
- Encouragement
- Clarification
- Guidance
There will be three choices for the station rotation. At each station, you are encouraged to work in small groups of 3-5 people.
Differentiation
There will be sample skeleton lesson plans available that you can choose. Based on the lesson plan you choose, create differentiated activities for the students.
If you choose to differentiate based on readiness, you are encouraged to create open questions and parallel tasks.
Example for Open Questions Activity
Closed Question - only have ONE answer
When 1.50 g of AgNO3 reacts with excess MgCl2, what mass of AgCl can be produced?
Open Question - can have multiple possible answers
For the reaction between AgNO3 and MgCl2, what conditions and amounts could be used to produce 2.56 g of AgCl?
Example for Parallel Tasks Activity
One Task - the typical question that is assigned to everyone regardless of readiness
If 1.23 g of hydrochloric acid reacts with 0.89 g of zinc metal, what mass of gas will be produced?
Parallel Tasks - like the scaffold levels for a complex task, students choose a task based on readiness
Select one of the following stoichiometry questions to answer:
- Balanced chemical equation provided, no limiting reagent, amounts given in moles
- Skeleton equation provided, no limiting reagent, amounts given in moles
- Word equation, no limiting reagent, amounts given in moles
- Word equation, limiting reagent, amounts given in moles
- Word equation, limiting reagent, amounts not in moles
Resource: More Good Questions: Great Ways to Differentiate Secondary Mathematics Links to an external site.
Back to Jigsaw Station Rotation
Universal Design
There will be sample skeleton lesson plans and some Individual Education Plans (IEP) for sample students. Based on the lesson and the IEPs Links to an external site., create activities for the class.
Example Lesson and IEP
Sample Lesson
In this lesson, students will solve stoichiometry questions that do not involve limiting reagents.
Key points from the sample IEP
Based on this IEP Links to an external site., this student requires support with number and mathematical, problem solving, and reading and writing skills among other areas.
We will focus on how we can address these skills and our lesson plan requirements.
Connections between the lesson and the IEP
Numerical and mathematical skills - Stoichiometry is basically math
Numbers and operations were identified as areas of need. Before the stoichiometry lesson starts, review unit analysis and proportional reasoning. Scaffold this for all students. Provide visuals when showing real life examples and when moving into chemicals.
Problem solving - Stoichiometry involves a lot of problem solving
Provide students with annotated examples (co-constructed and models) for stoichiometry questions. When first teaching these lessons, do not solve fraction reduction method in one step. Break down the fraction reduction method into multiple steps and co-construct a problem solving flow chart with students.
Reading and writing skills - Stoichiometry involves a lot of short answer questions
Work with students on annotating questions and organizing data (e.g., using GRASS).
Resources: What is Universal Design? - Centre for Excellence in Universal Design Links to an external site.
Back to Jigsaw Station Rotation
Backwards Design
You will examine the curriculum documents and create a calendar for one unit using the method of backwards design.
You are encouraged to:
- Group the curriculum expectations by overall expectations, similarity, and skill
- Plan in the assessments (for/as/of)
- Place the assessments in a calendar
- Set the lesson topics
Once you are done, start designing the final assessment for the unit.
Resources: Growing Success (2010) Links to an external site.
Ontario Secondary Curriculum Documents Links to an external site.