Assignment:
This discussion gives you a chance to map out your early ideas for the Week Six Final Project and to receive feedback from your instructor and peers that could help you produce the highest quality instructional plan in Week Six. In turn, your understanding of brain-based learning is put to work through your provision of feedback to selected peers. As previously experienced, engaging in reciprocal feedback allows one to serve as both giver and receiver to expand upon one's understanding and skill-set.
Prepare
- Revisit the Week Six Final Project requirements, noting the specific age/grade level and subject of your proposed lesson.
- Revisit the Weekly Lesson in Week Three for information regarding Gradual Release of Responsibility
- Review the Sharing Early Ideas sample discussion post.
Reflect
Consider your learning and the big ideas you have synthesized in the course regarding brain-based teaching and learning, engagement, and motivation. Think about the depth of understanding that you want to elicit from your learners and how utilizing the neuroscience of learning influences the design of your lessons. "Brain based learning starts with the learner, not the content" (Jensen, 2008, p. 210). Focus on your learners as you think through the components of your lesson plan before you start your post.
1. Think through the following sections of the plan:
- Lesson Overview (subject, grade/age level)
- Standards (choose your specific content standards or professional/program standards)
- Lesson Objectives (two specific, measurable, student-centered objectives aligned to your standards)
- Summary of the Learning Stages (Seven Stages of Brain-Based Planning)
- Questions (include questions/concerns or specific areas that you would like feedback on)
Write
Type your response directly in the Discussion Forum rather than formatting it using the template from Week Six. (You will use the template for your Final Project.)
- Lesson Overview: Include the subject, age/grade level of learners (e.g., P-12, post-secondary, adults, etc.).
- Standard(s): For P-12th grades, include the content specific standards from your state or the Common Core. For adult learners, include organizational or professional standards or program-specific standards.
- Lesson objective(s): Include no more than two specific, measurable, student-centered objectives that align with your standard(s).
- Learning Stages: This is an abbreviated version of what is expected in Week Six. You are not expected to have every nuance of your plan mapped-out at this stage. Summarize how the Seven Stages of brain-based planning will be included. Recall that the stages of Gradual Release of Responsibility as supported by Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development should correspond with the brain-based stages of planning. Share early ideas as well as concerns you have for any gaps you may already identify.
- Questions: Pose specific questions, concerns, and requested feedback you would like your peers to pay particular attention to and respond to.