Part 1

My three lessons concentrate on information processing, gaining facts from multiple resources to answer predetermined questions, that attempt to widen their gaze and the complexity of the world. Allowing students to discover truths about things, that mean something to them, helps them to relate to the topic. If the student has a relationship with the knowledge it is more likely to be effective and promote further learning.

Group work is also integrated into the lessons, opening up channels for communication between the students, which allows for regulated social interaction. Also for the creation and definition of leaders and followers in the group. Questions can be asked freely in this environment.

They need to realise where scientific knowledge has come/evolved from and how it contributes to what we have today. That was the reasoning behind the first lesson.

Initially, I wanted to integrate more inter student teaching/instruction, but I ran out of lesson time. With the questionnaire on the topic of their choice, I was going to suggest another, but have them do it on something their “friend” is interested in, but know nothing about.

The syllabus document I have based my lessons around is the NSW board of studies 7-10 syllabus, stage 4 science.

The NSW model of pedagogy

The three dimensions of the NSW model from Board of Studies.

1 . Intellectual quality refers to pedagogy focused on producing deep understanding of important, substantive concepts, skills and ideas. Such pedagogy treats knowledge as something that requires active construction and requires students to engage in higher-order thinking and to communicate substantively about what they are learning.

2 . Quality learning environment refers to pedagogy that creates classrooms where students and teachers work productively in an environment clearly focused on learning. Such pedagogy sets high and explicit expectations and develops positive relationships between teachers and students and among students.

3 . Significance refers to pedagogy that helps make learning meaningful and important to students. Such pedagogy draws clear connections with students’ prior knowledge and identities, with contexts outside of the classroom, and with multiple ways of knowing or cultural perspectives.