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The reason for the seasons!. By: Melanie Byers. School Information. Our school has a little over 1000 students 35% of which are on free or reduced lunch. predominately white I teach 7 th grade science I have about 100 students
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The reason for the seasons! By: Melanie Byers
School Information • Our school has a little over 1000 students 35% of which are on free or reduced lunch. • predominately white • I teach 7th grade science • I have about 100 students • I have one Arabic speaking student, and I have 15 students with learning disabilities
Indicator Standard: Earth and space science, benchmark A, Indicator 1 Describe how objects in the solar system are in regular and predictable motions that explain such phenomenon as days, years and you guessed it, SEASONS!
Lesson Overview • Play winter spring summer or fall song • Pre test • Student directed season model (act out using props) • Rotation/ revolution Simon Says game • Direct instruction using earth ball and sun puppet • Interactive smart bd. activity • Model building (including 23.5degree tilt) and rotation direction • Student check of each others’ models • Rotation/ revolution flash cards with pictures, season drawings • Post test
Assessments: • Formative: Pre-test, Simon says, model making, Smart board activity, flash cards with pictures, questions while facilitating small groups Summative: Post test, drawings
Data Interpretation • Most class averages went from a D or an F to an A on the pre/ post test!!!!! • The inclusion class had the largest increase in scores. YES! • Almost all students did very well on the seasons drawings. The drawings showed me who needed help with understanding and I helped them on an individual basis. • 7 students still missed the question about what celestial body is in the middle of the solar system. Hmm I guess I needed to stress where the sun is located. • The data tells me that the lesson was successful. Most points lost were on the short answer because I expected detailed explanations as to why Ohio experiences a change in seasons. • My students could use help writing short answer responses.
Overall reflection • This lesson went well and as always it improved throughout the day. • Students LOVED the rotation and revolution game. They were eager to tell who was out! • The smart board interactive activity was a hit as well. • Kids became a little frustrated trying to measure the 23.5degree angle and needed a little more direct instruction on how to use the protractor. • The summative assessments showed that students did in fact increase understanding of the cause of the seasons. • Checking each others’ models worked out great and the students were into it. • Two weeks after the lesson one of my “cool” students told me that he heard that “fall song” at Meijer. Maybe he was touched by music • Differentiation was embedded in the lesson through heterogeneous grouping and by addressing a variety of learning styles. • Modifications were made as needed by the intervention specialist.