Identifying Key Facts Lesson Plan
Time |
Year Level |
Prerequisites |
Materials [This lesson plan is supported by the Identifying Key Facts Teacher Resource.]
|
|---|---|---|---|
1 - 2 lessons |
9 - 10 |
Before undertaking this lesson students will have demonstrated: an understanding that written texts come in different forms; the ability to read complex texts; a beginning level of critical discussion; and a beginning level of self-directed learning. |
Overhead display or whiteboard. Eleanor Lucas wiki page. Word processor or workbook and pen. A small selection of books for demonstration purposes.
|
Lead in
Introduction, or re-introduction, to the project that will follow from this lesson. e.g. Create a Publicity Brochure for the Lucas Clothing Factory in 1919.
Brief explanation that before starting the project the group needs to ensure that everyone has the right key facts to search for useful information.
[If you are using this lesson as a follow-on from the Identifying Key Terms Lesson Plan include a brief summary of that lesson and what was learned.]
What do students know?
Teacher-lead discussion using the following questions...
- Question 1: What are key facts?
- Question 2: How do we know what the key facts are when we are reading from source material? (Use your small selection of books to demonstrate the key concepts: who; what; why; where; when; how.)
Activity
Introduction and motivation
[Students need to be able to see the Eleanor Lucas wiki page - an overhead display would be preferable, but individual computers will work.]
Briefly - have students call out the key facts on the Eleanor Lucas wiki page, using the key concepts demonstrated with the selection of books. {Have them substantiate that it is a fact by asking them to suggest the question to which their suggestion would be an answer.)
Introduce the secondary concepts - the hyperlink (blue, purple or red) text are usually also key facts on a wiki page, but not all of these key facts are as useful for searching for information as some.
[This list needs to be saved - unaltered - for inclusion with the reflection on learning.]
On their own, students are to identify and record what they believe are the key facts on the Eleanor Lucas wiki page. That is, key facts that would be useful for searching for more information about Eleanor Lucas.
Exposure to conflict situations
[Before beginning to list the key facts identified by the students, prompt students to think about whether they agree with all of the suggestions and why they are right/wrong. (Be clear that at this point there is no feedback on the suggestions.)]
On an overhead display or whiteboard record every fact identified by all students - including a count of how many times the same fact is suggested.
Construction of new ideas
[Be sure that students know that questions are to be answered without interruptions from other students - that opportunity for discussion will occur after the questions.]
Students to paricipate in a structured critical discussion of the key facts.
Discuss all of the facts that haven't been suggested by all students. Begin with those suggested by only 1 student and work up to the most common. (This will allow you to 'trim' the lesson if time is short and still get the most valuable learning experiences for the students - through discussing the most contestable facts.)
- Question 1: (To the student or students who suggested the fact.) Why did you choose this as a key fact?
- Question 2: (To the other students.) Why did you decide this wasn't a key fact?
- Question 3: (To all students.) Has anyone's opinion of whether this is a key fact changed? Why?
Repeat for all facts - or as many as you can in the time you've allowed for the lesson.
Evaluation
[Students to add this agreed list of facts to their document/workbook - to be submitted with their reflection on learning.]
Agreement on key facts - development of a coding system for further research of Eleanor Lucas.
- Question 1: Are there any facts that all students agree are key facts?
- Question 2: Are there any facts that have only been suggested by one student?
- Question 3: What is the minimum number of students suggesting a fact is key before we all agree to it?
All key facts identified by these rules to be written into a list.
Application of new ideas
Students to use the agreed key facts and use the 'search' function of the wiki to identify and record other wiki pages that may be used for further research of Eleanor Lucas.
Reflection on learning
[Recommended to be used as a homework task.]
Students to write a reflection on learning by responding to the following questions and prompts...
- How did I identify key facts during the first activity?
- What categories did I use to sort the facts on the wiki page into key facts and other facts?
- What ideas did other students express about the key facts with which I agree? Why?
- What ideas did other students express about key facts with which I disagree? Why?
- How is my original list of key facts different from the final list? What ideas were expressed throughout the lesson that help me to understand why the lists are different?
- My understanding of key facts has changed in these ways...
- The group discussion has helped my understanding of key facts by...
- My understanding of other peoples' values and ideas has changed in these ways...
- The group discussion has helped my understanding of other peoples' values and ideas by...
Closure
Explain how the work done in this lesson will be used in the project - and briefly introduce what will be happening in the next lesson.
Individualising learning
Remedial
For students with low reading and comprehension abilities, it is suggested that the individual exercise be modified in the following way...
Before you lead the lesson make a print-out of the Eleanor Lucas wiki page and create a cloze passage (fill-the-blank) sheet - so that students are finding key facts as identified by you.
Prepare them for the critical discussion with these questions...
- Why is [insert fact] a key fact? (Hint: Can it be the answer to a question starting with who, what, why, where, when, or how?)
Extension
Have students look at the new wiki pages the agreed list of key facts has helped them to find and generate a new list of key facts for each subsequent page they read.
- Question 1: How do the new key facts change the way you think about researching Eleanor Lucas?
- Question 2: Do the new key facts help you think of other sources for researching the Eleanor Lucas? (Other than the Ballarat and District Industrial Heritage Project, that is.)
Assessment
The assessment for this lesson is based on the written reflection produced by the student after completing the entire lesson.
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information processing skills | Demonstrates observation and recall of all key concepts discussed – where to find key facts in conventional texts. (Who, what, why, where, when, how.) Demonstrates observation and recall of secondary concepts discussed – that key facts occur as hyperlinks in the text and may/may not be useful for further searches of Eleanor Lucas. | Demonstrates observation and recall of all key concepts discussed – where to find key facts in conventional texts. (Who, what, why, where, when, how.) | Demonstrates observation and recall of 2-3 key concepts discussed – where to find key facts in conventional texts. (Who, what, why, where, when, how.) | Demonstrates observation and recall of 1 key concepts discussed – where to find key facts in conventional texts. (Who, what, why, where, when, how.) |
| Find relevant information | All key facts identified and recorded would be useful for further searches of Eleanor Lucas. Uses categories discussed (Who, what, why, where, when, how.) to organise the key facts. | 8 key facts identified and recorded would be useful for further searches of Eleanor Lucas. All are useful. | 4 key facts identified and recorded would be useful for further searches of Eleanor Lucas. Includes key facts that would not be useful. | Less than 4 key facts identified and recorded would be useful for further searches of Eleanor Lucas. Includes key facts that would not be useful. |
| Compare and classify information | Draws key facts from all categories discussed and shows clear evidence of adapting new categories in further key fact choices. | Draws key facts from all categories discussed. (Who, what, why, where, when, how.) | Draws key facts from 3-5 categories discussed. (Who, what, why, where, when, how.) | Draws key facts from less than 3 categories discussed. (Who, what, why, where, when, how.) |
| Develop evaluation criteria | Identifies development of their understanding of key facts. Identifies elements of the group discussion that have prompted this development in all instances. | Identifies development of their understanding of key facts. Identifies elements of the group discussion that have prompted this development in most instances. | Identifies development of their understanding of key facts. Identifies elements of the group discussion that have prompted this development in some instances. | Identifies development of their understanding of key facts. Fails to identify elements of the group discussion that have prompted this development. |
| Apply evaluation criteria | Identifies changes in their list of key facts. Arguments that promoted change identified in all instances. | Identifies changes in their list of key facts. Arguments that promoted change identified in most instances. | Identifies changes in their list of key facts. Arguments that promoted change identified in some instances. | Identifies changes in their list of key facts. No arguments identified. |
| Express judgment of the value of information and ideas | Identifies ideas with which they agree and disagree. Arguments relate to key concepts (Who, what, why, where, when, how) and secondary concepts discussed. (Key facts occur as hyperlinks in the text and may/may not be useful for further searches of Eleanor Lucas) Arguments for and against inclusion of key facts are persuasive and suit the purpose (further research of Eleanor Lucas). | Identifies ideas with which they agree and disagree. Arguments relate to the key concepts discussed. (Who, what, why, where, when, how.) Arguments for and against inclusion of key facts suit the purpose (further research of Eleanor Lucas). | Identifies ideas with which they agree or disagree. Arguments relate to the key concepts discussed. (Who, what, why, where, when, how.) Some arguments for and against inclusion of key facts suit the purpose (further research of Eleanor Lucas). | Identifies ideas with which they agree or disagree. Arguments for and against inclusion of key facts do not suit the purpose (further research of Eleanor Lucas). |
Review Suggestions
Student Engagement Did time management allow for proper communication between students and teacher? Did activities allow students to practice critical skills?
Student-centred teaching Did the lesson cater for the needs of all students? Could feedback and assessment have been improved?
Links to next lesson
Identifying the Source Lesson Plan
Internal Links
Understanding the Activity Types
Understanding the Assessment Types
References
External Links
--Beth Kicinski 13:57, 12 June 2012 (EST)