Comments on Lesson Plan Development

• Here is my lesson plan using constructivism.  Please read and comment.  Thanks.
  
• I use personal observations to give the group assignment grade, but that's a great idea to have the students take part in that area of assessment. I'll have to try that next time. Thanks for the idea.
  

• No problem!  Let me know of anything else you need me to do.
• I liked how you made sure to keep it a constructivist lesson by not assigning specific websites, but allowing the children to construct their answers on their own.  Sounds like a fun lesson!
• I've never seen them made w/ dirt, only clay.  Do they have to turn the dirt into mud or do they just pack it down tightly?
  
• Sounds good to me!
  
• Maybe we could add a Multimedia Encyclopedia or Electronic book to the cognitivism lesson plan to emphasize that the teacher has planned what the students will learn.  If we're not specific it might seem to constructivist.  What do you think?
  
• I love rubrics too!  I think it would be nice to include them if you have an informal assessment, like a project.  If you have a formal assessment, like a quiz, I think that would be okay too.
  
• On the behaviorism lesson plan it doesn't really justify why that learning theory is appropriate.  It just says what they're doing.  Maybe we could add in why starfall.com works for behaviorism.  Also, maybe we could be more specific in listing the "at" books and list a few titles.
  
•  would have it as 2 students per group - sorry I should have kept my wording consistent. I did not include the computers b/c every school is so different. In my particular classroom, I would use a laptop cart, but you could easily modify it to a lab or rotate groups with computers in your class. You would need to make the lesson plan work for you and your school! Since this is a constructivism lesson plan, I did not include jobs. I like to leave it open to the students on what type of project they will make and how they will divide the work. This way they are making the choices and are constructing their own knowledge, not just completing assigned jobs.
  
•  really liked how you included Skype into your lesson plan. This is becoming such a popular way to communicate! The checklist was also a good idea. Will students have access to the checklist or will it just be for the teacher? Also, in the lesson you say the students have choice in their pictures, etc. but then the checklist lists each item separately. Do they have to include all of them or only the ones they choose to help them construct their knowledge and how will the checklist convert to a grade?
  
• I really liked your lesson!  I teach 2nd grade and this could easily be adapted.  I like how you had a webquest, but it was still open-ended enough to be considered constructivism.  The choice of graphic organizer worked really well too, instead of having children just complete one that the teacher selected. I also liked how the think/pair/share built on the social aspect of this learning theory. Great job!