The teacher is discussing with colleagues on how to
plan an intentional lesson as stated on the teacher standard rubric? As a first year teacher or even a veteran
teacher may ponder this question ensuring students are given high-quality
education.
After the teacher has determined the study theme for
the week this intentional lesson will focus on reading related story (literacy
component), view or use multi-media (resource PBS Learning Media) and
differentiation of activities that reinforce study theme (related to different
domain skill levels). You will be
introducing the study theme in three different ways to connect with student’s
learning styles. Below is an example on
how to plan an intentional lesson.
1. Study
theme is “Weather” for students to gain an understanding of weather changes,
2. Engage
the students in discussion about clouds, rain and weather changes. This will give you student’s knowledge on the
study theme to build upon,
3. Inform
the student’s they are going to be “scientist” today (like Sid the Science Kid) and investigate
clouds and rain,
4. Select
a book related to “weather” such as “Little Cloud” by Erik Carle, “The Cloud
Book” by Tomie dePaola. Read the story
and post open-ended questions to enhance the student’s critical thinking
skills. And remember you select the book
that works best for your student age developmental level,
5. Select
a multimedia resource to view with the students. PBS
Learning Media is a great resource if you are unsure what can be
shown. You can use “Rain, Rain Don’t Go
Away” from Sid the Science Kid or the
poem “I Like it When It’s Mizzley” from Between the Lions. Discuss what was shown reinforcing what they
know and what they learned or if they had questions of what they wanted to know
more about,
6. Plan
different level activities that are related to study theme students can engage
in such as create cloud pictures using recyclable materials, create a weather
cycle song and perform to class at-large, collect water when it rains (relate
to Sid video clip), go on a weather
walk and observe in journal when it has just rained and so forth, and
7. Summarize
and/or review with the students what they did today and this assist with
assessing their understanding and application skills to activities.
These are ideas to implement as you are planning an
intentional lesson that embeds literacy, technology and hands-on
activities. Knowledge is powerful and as
educators the intentional plan must engage students.
