High Tech High Graduate School of Education
LESSON STUDY CYCLE 2
Science and Culturally Relevant Teaching
THE TEAM
Host: Lilly Wageman
Team Members: Michelina Miedema, Dayna Motta
THE RESEARCH QUESTION
How can students in 1st-3rd grade engage in critical conversations, making cultural connections in relation to science?
THEORY OF ACTION
If we use intentional student grouping in a science lesson that focuses on the study of ants through literature, experimentation, and engineering within a 1st - 3rd grade classroom, then students will peacefully collaborate and understand the diverse roles within a society; resulting in successful teamwork and the ability to engage in higher level scientific discourse.
GOALS
Content Goal: Explore the roles of ants and their communities with a focus on comparing human and ant communities.
Equity Goal: All voices are heard and all ideas are valued during the designing and building process. All voices are heard and respected during discourse.
DESIGNING THE LESSON
LEADING UP TO THE LESSON
Lesson 1: Hook /Launch/Inquiry/Story
Task: Hear story about ants. The Life and Times of Ants
What do you wonder and know about ants?
Lesson 2: Students learn about ant life
Task: Research/Share
Lesson 3: Ant Observations
Task: As a class, set up an ant farm and observe ants.
Lesson 4: Ant food experiment
Task: Leave out food see what they prefer? Students make hypotheses and report on their findings.
LESSON 5- ANTS WORK TOGETHER
The final lesson in the series of 5 took two separate days to complete. The lesson focused on students working in teams (colonies) of three to build their own nests. On day one, students started constructing their nests. They were aware that they needed to leave space for two mystery chambers. The following day students discussed what went well from the first day and found out that their new challenge would be to add two chambers to their nest. The chambers had to relate to their own homes and interests and all students had to agree before any new chamber could be added to the nest. Students finally shared their nests and talked about the process and how these nests related to their own homes and communities.
The lesson study team debriefing after a mock lesson with our GSE cohort. To better prepare for the day of the lesson, we had adult learners engage in a mini version of the lesson where they were asked to draw ant nests. From left to right: Michelina, Dayna, and Lilly.
FOCUS STUDENTS AND OBSERVATIONS
FOCUS STUDENT 1
FS1 is a first grade student. He is below grade level in reading and math. He has impulse control issues and can sometimes blurt out in class. Because he is low in reading, he cannot access written information without the help of peers and adults. He has a natural love and interest in all animals, especially insects. Our hope for FS1 is that he would be able to have the upper hand and share his knowledge about ants with his group members. We wanted him to be able to share out in front of the class in a positive way instead of in a disruptive way. FS1 was absent on the final day of building the nests, however, he did get to start the building process with his group.
Lilly's Observation of FS1:
FS1 sketched out a plan for the nest. Another group member sketched one too. The group went with the older student's plan. FS1 appeared to be having a positive experience, adding ants and leaves to the nest. When asked if he felt his group listened to him after the beginning of the building process, he said that he did not think they listened to him. He said they only let him "decorate".
FOCUS STUDENT 2
FS2 is a first grade student. She is at a second grade level in reading and math. She is very quiet and will listen to all rules and directions and never needs redirection. She is very quiet and does not volunteer during full class discussion or want to share during class meetings and compliments. Our groups hope was that putting her in a position where she knew she would have to share in an organized way, would give her the confidence to share in front of the class.
Michelina's Observation of FS2:
More telling than speaking, with 8 times being interrupted. It was difficult for the 3rd grader to share the process, but FS2 non-verbally communicated her wants and needs with supplies and ideas. There was some reluctance, but she was smiling the whole time and stood up for herself (ie. pipe cleaner incident).
She seemed excited to share, and generate her ideas and contributing. She was very positive with the project process. She did not mention her “spa” idea in the whole group share, and instead mentioned other chambers co-created.
FOCUS STUDENT 3
FS3 is a third grade student. She is at grade level academically. She does struggle to complete work on time because she is a perfectionist. She is very artistic and loves making her work beautiful. Our hope for FS3 was that she would serve as somewhat of a leader for her group because she was the oldest in the group.
Dayna's Observation of Focus Student 3:
She took initiative, made the decision. She did things for the other kids, babied them a little bit. The 2nd grader seemed like she wanted to do more. She was very focused on making ants, she needed a prompt from the teacher to make chambers. Her group had an unfinished product they were happy with their contributions and roles. She was very focused on tiny details. She was in charge the entire time. I feel that she was listening to others ideas but then overpowered other’s ideas. I think the first grader needed that type of support, but the 2nd grader felt a little frustrated at times. Overall I felt that it was peaceful and they were not arguing. They really were collaborating. One of my wonders is that if the students should have stood near their work instead of being in their circle spot. Her hand was up every time that Lilly asked something. I like how Lilly gave her a job in the end.
STUDENT WORK AND THINKING
All students were engaged during the lesson. There was very little off task behavior for the duration of the lesson. Although one group (FS3's) did not complete the model of their nest, all students that did, were able to create and label all of the separate elements of an ant nest. The chambers that they chose to add were important to them as a group, they were able to work in effective teams, and they were able to use the scientific terms we had learned about ants. Some groups included more chambers than necessary because they knew that a real ant nest would contain more chambers than those required on their checklist. In the closing of the lesson, one student related the queen's chamber to the room of his mom and dad, he said they are in charge of his family's home, the same way that the other ants report to the queen. That was a beautiful close to the lesson as it was the content goal of the lesson.
LESSON STUDY TEAM DEBRIEF AND REFLECTION
MICHELINA
I am beyond proud of our team’s hard work. I have never seen a lesson shift in so many directions before finally landing on something so beautiful and amazing! I am thankful for Lilly’s interest in stepping out of her comfort zone. Dayna and I have strong science backgrounds and we were eager to get her excited about science! Together we used our research to investigate new and different ways that we could create a series of culturally relative, play based, science lessons for Lilly’s students. Ultimately Lilly was able to find a balance with her classroom and all of these new elements. Her students learned collaboration, dove into their backgrounds, and bad some incredible science projects!!
DAYNA
In reflection to the lesson study process, I really enjoyed data/resource collection from the USCD's Geisel Library. This allowed our team to have a little off- campus field trip in a different learning environment. We were able to gather more research materials and to dive deeper into the process of designing and refining our study lesson. During this lesson cycle, our class had also devoted more time and reflection on the "Literature Synthesis", in which I felt further growth in that area as well. Throughout the weeks of research and data collection in both reading and interviews, our team developed/ tracked other big ideas that we wanted to keep in mind for the study lesson planning, as well as the project that reflects the study lesson cycle. I found this lesson study process to be quite an enriching learning experience, as we discovered more ways to develop and co-create the upcoming lesson plan/s together.
LILLY
This lesson study cycle seemed more focused. Our team really tried to focus on finding resources that linked science and culture so that we could create something special for my class. I think we achieved our goal to create a science lesson that would educate students on a new topic, as well as connect to them on a cultural and community level. What I realized after the lesson is that we should have focused more on how to facilitate successful group work. While we came up with our own strategies, doing more research could have helped our final lesson. Overall, I am happy with how the lesson turned out and I look forward to having my students participate in more group work.