UNIT1 - WEEK 3
Effective Communication with Academic Language
Week 3 - Lesson 1 |
Topic of the Day/Driving Question:
How can we present mathematical ideas to a broad audience while still using academic language? Good Questions:
In class activity/Teacher’s Notes: Begin the class by introducing a topic such as polynomials without any pre-teaching or explanation of what the academic terms you are using mean. Teach the sample lesson for about a minute or two or until a student raises their hand requesting additional information. Start the classroom discussion here. Ask students how they felt when you started to speak about something that they had no idea about and lacked the skills to understand? When else have they been in a position where they didn’t understand something? Ask students to discuss this in pairs and share their ideas in an online forum that you have created in your LMS. They should be discussing topics such as (but not limited to):
Once students have contributed their ideas, discuss as a class. Ask them if there is something that you, as the educator, do well to ensure students are following. Is there room for improvement for you (be careful and ensure you have the correct rapport with students before tackling this topic). Create a mind map or some other graphic that lays out the class’ findings and use this as the guideline to drive discussion over the course of the next week. It may be useful to find a permanent spot for this mind map somewhere visible to students as presentations will happen often over the course of the semester. Teacher Resources: Khan Academy YouTube |
Week 3 - Lesson 2 |
Topic of the Day/Driving Question:
Let’s teach each other something new two minutes! Good Questions: What is a passion that you have that you want to share and teach to the class? What is a skill that you have that you can teach the class in a two minute lesson?
In class activity/Teacher’s Notes: We continue with the idea of important information and will challenge students today by asking them to teach a two minute mini-lesson on a topic of their choice. Ask the students to brainstorm on their own a topic that they are especially interested in - if they choose to do a simple topic such as tying their shoelaces, remind them that the lesson still has to be thorough enough that all aspects are explained in detail. Once students have picked a topic, ask them to begin the process of writing down a script of what they want to say, a materials list of items they may need in order to make the lesson more effective. Students are given the rest of class to work on their lesson. As you circulate, ensure you address issues that you may see such as brevity, large aspects missing (background, a certain step etc), problems you may see in implementing the lesson. Let students know that you will ask the school principal or another teacher to join the class presentations to provide additional feedback. Aspects students need to consider (but not limited to):
Homework Students should practice their presentation on at least one peer and someone at home such as a parent or guardian. Feedback should be considered and the presentation should be modified accordingly. Next day, all students will have a chance to present so they must arrive prepared. |