Direct Instruction

The lesson a reading lesson on Global warming. Students have read a text on global warming prior to this lesson. The whole idea is so complex for children to understand that they needed lots of visits to understand it well.

Extended Lesson Plan

Over all reflection - The concept of global warming was new for the students and it required lots of understanding, explaining and discussing. The text itself provided a lot of challenges in terms of vocabulary. I have on purpose started to choose texts at Level 3 because this is where my students need to be. Handling difficult texts becomes easy when the whole class is involved there is good engagement from students to discuss, read, re-read, learn new words, explain, question and use new vocabulary in oral and written language. We were successful in understanding the concept and I was able to maintain the interest of my students through vocabulary games and lots of positives throughout the lesson.

What went well.

Lesson Content :-.The topic of global warming fits in very well with our inquiry topic. The content was well in line with what the students were learning about.

Lesson Pacing :- The pace of the lesson was slow because there was lots for students to take in. I think it was fine to be slow because students needed to grasp the content as well as the language at the level they were pitched.

Lesson Delivery :- I could maintain the engagement of the students by chunking the lesson down to little bits. Vocabulary games also came to rescue as they learnt it in a fun way. Narrating the ideas orally before writing also helped in the supporting students in learning and continue to remain engaged in the task.

Student Understanding :- Students understood what global warming was and what could be the effects of global warming on us.

Student Outcomes :- The writings at the end of the lesson showed that students had gained new words and could use these fluently to explain the phenomenon of global warming.

What still needs work.

Lesson Content :- A few students took longer than others to understand the idea. They were also not able to say their ideas fluently like many others. For such students I asked them to draw their ideas and then speak to them. This allowed them to have more chances at recycling new vocabulary and transfer this into writing.

Lesson Pacing :- Students who needed longer to understand the concept needed more more to learn the phenomenon of global warming.

Lesson Delivery :- A few students who did not understand the concept well, drew their ideas and this helped them to talk a bit about the topic.

Student Understanding :- All students understood why Earth was getting warmer and what could be the dangers of this phenomenon.

Student Outcomes :- Very pleased with the outcome. I realised that comprehension was possible even after pitching the lesson at the level they should be reading. Students can learn and explain complex ideas like global warming. They need the tools of vocabulary to explain their thinking. They also need to be facilitated in small steps so they feel successful. I have enjoyed the lesson as I could feel the success of my students and bask with them in the glory of achievement.