Appendix 1

LESSON PLAN
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

LESSON ORGANISATION
Year Level: 4 Time: 11:00-12:00 Date: 19/1018 Students’ Prior Knowledge:

Learning Area:
Science

Design and Technology

Strand/Topic from the Australian Curriculum - Students have explored working
independently, or collaboratively when
Design & Technology- Collaborating and Managing
required to plan, safely create and
Work independently, or collaboratively when required, to communicate sequenced steps in Year 3.
plan, safely create and communicate ideas and information
- As part of their previous learning in Science,
for solutions. (WATPPS26) students have explored how living things can
be grouped on the basis of observable
Science- Biological Sciences
features and can be distinguished from non-
Living things depend on each other and the environment to living things.
survive (ACSSU073)
- In the science learning area, students this term
have been exploring the relationship between
animals and the ecosystem, looking
specifically at the process of pollination and
how animals such as bees are a vital member
of the ecosystem.

General Capabilities (that may potentially be covered in the lesson)

Literacy Numeracy ICT Critical and Ethical Personal and Intercultural
competence creative thinking behaviour Social understanding
competence
Inquiring
Pose questions
to expand their
knowledge
about the world.
Cross-curriculum priorities (may be addressed in the lesson)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia Sustainability
histories and cultures
Proficiencies:(Mathematics only)
Lesson Objectives (i.e. anticipated outcomes of this lesson, in point form beginning with an action verb)

As a result of this lesson, students will be able to:

 Verbally pose two examples of open and closed questions.
 Write three open research questions using open question starters (who, what, when, where, why & how)
 Demonstrate active listening and attending skills when working with partner.

1
Teacher’s Prior Preparation/Organisation:
Prepare and print design briefs
Prepare and pre-download two motivation videos
Create letter to class from bee’s perspective
Pre-load exit poll as separate tab.
Provision for students at educational risk:
Student with vision impairment to be seated at front
during mat time.
Teacher also takes focus group of students weak in
English to show prompting videos again and assist in
constructing open questions
Students: (Elijah, Elise, Emma and Ethan)

LESSON EVALUATION (to be completed AFTER the lesson)

Assessment of Lesson Objective and Suggestions for Improvement:

Teacher self-reflection and self-evaluation:

[OFFICIAL USE ONLY] Comments by classroom teacher, HOPP, supervisor:

LESSON DELIVERY (attach worksheets, examples, marking key, etc, as relevant)

Resources/References
Time Motivation and Introduction:
Align these with the
11:00 Introduction to Design Brief segment where they will
be introduced.
1. Teacher firstly instructs students to be seated on mat, while one student is
asked to check the classroom pigeon-hole.
Showing the class a letter
addressed to “Mr Salisbury’s
Year 4’s”, the teacher then
opens and reads the letter with The Letter from the Bees.
appropriate dramatic cues.
Motivation 1- Letter to students Digital copy of Design
brief on IWB
2. After the reading, the teacher https://www.canva.com
/design/DADFLe1icp0/
states whilst displaying design Hqg89OWwIILFj-DS
brief on IWB, “Now this was BUUO6w/view?utm_
content=DADFLe1icp
delivered to me during recess, 0&utm_campaign=des
and I think this is the design brief ignshare&utm_medium
=link&utm_sour
the Bees want you to see. Let us ce=sharebutton
read.”
The teacher also asks class
librarians to hand out design
brief to each student, so they
can follow along or watch IWB
when reading.

2
11:05 3. Teacher reads brief introduction, “The Bees of Notre Dame Primary have
protested that the working conditions are tough. Their biggest problem is that
there are no shelters for them to rest in while they pollinate our gardens.”
*Teacher further elaborates on design brief, focusing on the term lesson
overviews.
“Year fours, we can see on the brief that the bees have firstly asked you to
question and research what they need in a bee shelter. Then in pairs, you will
draw three different designs of what your shelters could look like, and what
materials you would need. In week five, six and seven you will be building
your best design. Finally, in week eight you will need to create an
advertisement using the iPads to sell your shelter to the bees, pointing out all
the important features that will make your shelter stand out. After you have
presented, you will then reflect on and share with the bees how well you went
in building your shelter with your partner using a Google Form.”

Focus Lesson

Teacher then explains the focus of the lesson, including the WALT & WILF
“We need to find out information about what the bees need in a shelter, today
we will be focusing on: How we create open research questions.

Our WALT today is How to create open research questions that will give
us the information we want.
And What I’m Looking For is three open questions that start with our open
11:10 question starters. Please Please The Bees
Gerald Kelly- Storyline
“In order for us to firstly experience what life is like for a bee, and the Online
conditions they face, we are going to watch two videos the bees have left for https://www.storyline
us.” online.net/books/please-
please-bees/
Teacher then presents first QR linked video reading of Gerald Kelly’s Please
Please the Bees. Before viewing, teacher explains that this children’s book
explains how a bear in a similar situation asked questions and built a shelter
to overcome the bee’s tough environment.

After the video, the teacher asks prescribed question to class

- “How did Benedict the bear find out what the bees’ needs were?”
(asking questions, researching, reading books.) Excerpt from Bee Movie
- What questions did he ask/wonder? How am I going to know what the https://www.youtube.com
bees need? What could the home look like? /watch?v=MCVISSHENBs
4. Teacher presents second QR linked video of an excerpt from The Bee
Movie. The teacher explains that this video gives students an insight into what
problems bees face outside the hive whilst pollinating.
“Year 4’s, the bees wanted you to watch this video so you can see what
different dangers and conditions they face when outside the hive”.
After the video, the teacher asks prescribed question to class
- “From what you have seen, what are some dangers bees face outside
the hive?” (Teacher gathers responses such as humans, rain, wind
and animals.)

3
 Lesson Steps (Lesson content, structure, strategies & Key Questions):

Concentric Circles Activity adapted from

Kagan Online
1. After students have been introduced to design brief and watched the two https://www.kaganonline.com
/free_articles/research
prescribed videos, students are gathered on mat area. _and_rationale/330/The-
Essential-5-A-
Teacher explains, “Year four’s, in order to find information about what a bee Starting-Point-for-Kagan-
shelter should look like, we need to firstly learn how to pose questions.” Cooperative-Learning

Teacher instructs boys to form a circle on the mat facing outwards from the
centre. Then, he/she asks girls to sit in a circle facing a male student. If there
is an unequal ratio, teacher asks spare girls to sit on outer circle to create 1:1
ratio. The teacher can also join the circle if there is an odd class total.

2. While all students are seated facing a partner, the teacher explains,
“Year fours, we are going to be doing a questioning activity. I will be setting
the sand timer for one minute, and in that time the outer circle will need to ask
their partner a question that they have after watching the two videos. Once
they have asked their question and their partner has replied the best they can,
the inner circle will ask a different question they have about bees. At the end Personal & Social
of the minute, I will call out ‘switch partners’, and the outside circle (girls) will Competence
need to shift to the partner on your right, and you then start again asking your
question.”

Before activity begins, the teacher states that for the first round of questions,
the students are only allowed to ask closed questions. Teacher clarifies with
students that closed questions are questions that only have yes or no
answers. Example: Are bees insects? Can bees swim?

3. Activity begins and continues for two minutes. The teacher ensures
students ask closed questions, and they are smoothly rotating every minute
as the teacher calls. At the end of the four minutes, teacher calls the students
attention.

Figure 1- Diagram and example of rotation. Variation of Kagan’s ‘Timed Pair Share’

4. Once the teacher has class attention, teacher poses prescribed questions
to students:
IWB Timer
- Did you gain lots of information asking closed questions only? (No/Not
really)
- What were the common closed questions you had?
11:15
Teacher then explains that they will be repeating the exercise, but only asking
open questions. Teacher then clarifies that open questions are questions
that do not have a yes or no answer, but require more information. Example:
How do bees fly? Where do bees travel?

4
 5. Activity repeats and runs for five minutes, as students need more time to
develop open questions and focus on this key skill.

After the activity, the teacher gathers attention of whole class and asks
prescribed questions:
- Which type of question gave you the most information? Open
Questions
- If we wanted to find information about bees, would we ask closed or
open questions? Open Questions
- What were some of the common questions you heard from different
partners? (Varied)
- Were there questions you did not know the answers to? (Varied)
- Did anyone notice what our open questions might have started with?
(leads to next teaching point of question starters)

5. Once students have contributed appropriate answers, showing they have a

sound understanding of types of questions, students are asked to move back
to the front of mat area facing the board quietly.

Demonstration of Posing Questions

1. When teacher has class attention, he/she uses the interactive whiteboard
to demonstrate how an open research question is written. Using a different
example of ants, students gain an understanding of the skill.
IWB
11:25 “If I were to be given a similar task of building a shelter for ants, I would need
to ask questions in order for me to build a shelter that meets their needs. If I Image- Figure 2
was wondering “Do ants live in nests”, I would only be able to gain a little bit of
information. So, when I pose a question I need to make sure that it starts with
a question word to make it open. The six question words that can give us lots
of information are who, what, when, where, why and how. I will show you
how we can use our fingers and palm to remember this”.
*Teacher displays six question starters image on board below.

Figure 2- Kinaesthetic skill of remembering question starters

“Now that I have chosen the question word What, I can start writing the same
question, but now with the question starter:

5
 “What kinds of shelter does an ant live in?”.

Teacher then demonstrates another example starting with the question starter
How, writing question “How do ants enter their habitat?”

2. Teacher then revises critical elements of creating an open question, by

displaying image on IWB. The teacher guides students as a class to call out
each element of starting an open question, ensuring they put each finger in
the air and palm for each element. After two choruses of each element, or
until teacher is satisfied with whole student engagement, teacher re-
emphasises key parts of questions by asking:
- “What kinds of questions will give you more information?” (Open Questions)
- “What are six ways we could start an open question?”
*Asking six different students. (Who, What, When, Where, Why & How)
- “What do we need to remember at the end of a question?” (A Question
Mark)

After demonstration, teacher explains individual activity, where students will

be required to create three open questions that will help them find information
they need to build a Bee shelter.

Individual Activity
11:30
3. Teacher introduces individual activity, “Now that you know how to create
great open questions, you are going to write in your science journals three
open questions you can research about bees that will help you in building the
best shelter that meets their needs.

4. Teacher then instructs class librarians to hand out science journals, as

teacher invites students back to their desks row by row.
The teacher places a twenty-minute timer on the IWB, showing students how
long they have to complete three open questions.

Provision for enabling students.

During this time the teacher takes a focus
group of the four weaker students, guiding
them through constructing simple open
questions, then progressing to deeper level
questions using place card manipulatives for
kinaesthetic learning of question starters.
For prompting, the teacher can replay
stimulus videos to present issues bees
11:50 encounter.

Provision for extending students

When other students finish their three questions, the teacher explains that
they will need to ask their questions to their shoulder partner, gaining
feedback as to whether their question could be answered in a few words, or is
closed.

In the last five minutes, teacher asks four students who have strong open
questions if they would be comfortable with sharing their question with the
class, and to bring their journal to the mat when the time is up.

6
 5. Once the whole class has finished the task in twenty minutes, teacher
instructs students back to the mat for concluding discussion and sharing of
questions.

11:55 Lesson Closure:(Review lesson objectives with students)

1. Teacher places WALT and WILF statements on blank page on IWB, ready
to be written on as students settle on mat area.

2. Teacher concludes by stating “Year fours, today we have been exploring

how to create really great open research questions, that will help us in finding
out what bees need in a shelter. Let’s hear some of your wonderful
questions.”
Teacher invites four students to come to board and read out the best research
question they have written. As they read, the teacher writes their questions
below the WALT and WILF statements.

3. Once the teacher has all four questions on IWB, teacher explains “When
we had a look at our WALT and WILF at the start of the lesson, we said that
we were learning ‘How to create open research questions that will give us the
information we want’. If we look at our four examples of questions, are they all
open questions? (Yes). Do they start with one of our open questions starters?
(Yes). Finally, do they all finish with a question mark? (Yes).

Teacher applauds the four students, and explains that if anybody’s research
questions are not quite open or start with one of the six question starters, they
have time next lesson to fix them before researching.

Teacher then reviews important concepts of creating an open research

question by asking students:
- “Which type of question would give me more information? (Open
Questions)
- What words can we use to start open questions? (Who, What, When,
Where, Why, How).
- What are open questions? (Questions that do not have a yes/no
answer, but require more information)
- Turn to the partner next to you and share an example of an open
question you heard today.

4. In concluding the lesson, the teacher explains, “Year fours, today we have
received a task from the bees of Notre Dame, asking us to build them shelters
for when they pollinate our gardens. In order to meet their expectations, we
have been given a design brief that asks us to pose questions, research,
design, build, present and evaluate.

Our first step today was learning how to create open questions that will help
guide our research in our next lesson.

Transition: (What needs to happen prior to the next lesson?)

As the time approaches lunch, students row by row are invited to tap on one
of the five coloured faces on the IWB as they go to recess.

7
 These range from a red face for students who are not comfortable with the
learning, to a bright green face for students who feel they can answer the
question. This chart acts to feedback to the teacher the student’s level of
understanding and confidence in posing open research questions regarding
bees.
12:00
Students exit classroom for lunch.

Exit poll Strategy

https://www.classroom
screen.com/exitpoll.html

Figure 3- Exit Ticket Feedback

Figure 4- Results of lesson effectiveness and student understanding

Assessment: (Were the lesson objectives met? How will these be judged?)

The formal summative assessment strategy of a rubric provides a fair,

educative, comprehensive and informative method of evaluation for both the
teacher and other stakeholders. The rubric is based on two cognitive and skill
based objectives: Write three open research questions using open questions
starters; Verbally pose two examples of both open questions and closed
questions. The rubric also contains one behavioural objective of students
‘Demonstrating active listening and attending skills when working with a
partner’, which allows for a holistic evaluation of the child through all three
domains.

8
 Assessment Strategy
Jeremiah

Assessment Objective 1 2 3 4
Write three open research Student is unable Student is able to Student is able to write Student is able to write
questions using open question to write question write one question two open research three open research
starters. using open using a correct open questions using correct question using open
starters, or poses a starter. open starters. question starters.
closed question.
Verbally pose two examples of Student is unable Student is limited to Student is able to Student is able to pose
both open and closed questions. to give examples giving examples of verbally pose one two examples of both
of either open or closed questions only example of either an open and closed
closed questions open question or closed questions
question
Demonstrates active listening Student is isolated Student is attending Student attends and Student attends and
and attending skills when or removed from by facing partner, but listens to partner by listens to partner by
working with partner. partner, not there is minimal eye facing them and facing them and
attending or contact or maintaining eye maintain eye contact.
listening to interruptions contact. Student is able Student is able to reply
partner. to somewhat reply to partner with
appropriate comment.

Work Samples- Lesson Objective 1

Figure 6- Example of above satisfactory work sample Figure 5- Example of below satisfactory work sample

Anecdotal Notes

During Concentric Circles activity and class discussions, the teacher uses anecdotal notation to evaluate
the students’ ability to verbally give examples of open and closed questions.
In a grid formation, the teacher highlights and writes notes regarding students throughout lesson who can
give examples of closed and open questions when asked. This method of formative assessment allows the
teacher to evaluate particular students who are capable in the skill, and those that need further assistance
during working time.

9
Grid Assessment
N.B Teacher can use sticky notes or a simple version of the grid for accessibility or personal preference.

Green -Students can verbally give correct two examples of open and closed questions
Yellow- Students can usually give correct examples of open and closed questions.
Red- Students are still developing in giving correct examples of open and closed questions

Mia. W Jonothan Jeremiah Autumn Emma

Ethan Sebastian Kelly Blessing Elise

Grace Taylor Sierra Elijah Willow

Samuel Jose Joseph

Kingston Samantha Akina Cruella Tyson

Isabelle Nathan Anthony

10