Episode 9 (2).mov

Direct Instruction

This lesson is a continuation of the previous lesson. In this lesson, the children created their glider (which they designed in the previous episode). They used materials provided to them, such as card, cardboard, paper, popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, fabric, toothpicks and skewers.

In this lesson, learners then participate in a competition to see whose glider would fly the furthest. They created two reflective videos to explain the process of creating and then flying their gliders.

Extended plan here

Reflection

Throughout this learning experience, I found myself considering the balance between allowing learners opportunities and time to problem solve collaboratively with their peers, and providing explicit teaching in small groups. In this situation, I decided that time to problem solve collaboratively with peers was more valuable. It is important to remember, that just because I was not explicitly teaching new concepts, it did not mean I was not undertaking deliberate acts of teaching. Such deliberate acts of teaching which I used included prompting, questioning and giving feedback. These were occurring as I wondered around the class and spoke with small groups or individual students.

I have realised that deliberate acts of teaching are difficult to show on a camera which is set up on a tripod when you are not stationary. Therefore, it has made me wonder whether in a learning experience like this, I should be using a Go Pro (or similar camera which can travel with me).

Learning Site Content

WALT understand the forces of flight.

WALT build on our prior knowledge about forces and flight and carry out investigations, using a number of scientific texts to support us.

WALT create a glider and reflect on the process.

Week 9: Create your Glider

Week 10: Competition Time!

Monday

Complete your glider so it is ready to fly!
Record a video diary showing and describing your final product.
- - - How is it going to fly?
    - What materials did you end up using?
    - Did you change your design whilst making it or did you stick with your original design?

Tuesday

COMPETITION
- - - Get ready to describe your glider to your classmates.
Record a video diary explaining how your glider flew/ if you could have made any other changes to make it fly better/ why it did or didn't fly successfully.