My objective for this week was to redesign the Squishy Circuits lesson that I created to teach the scientific method to my biology students. The new lab that I have created is consistent with the Universal Design for Learning framework. The student worksheet for the revised lesson is embedded in the Google Docs page below.
The changes that I made to this lab greatly impact the instructional sequence of the lesson. The revised lesson sequence is as follows:
1) Students will have five minutes to add a post to the class Stixyboard. Their posts should relate to the question: “What do we already know about electricity?”
2) Students will read through a series of online tutorials that provide background information about electricity and simple circuits. Students will then watch a TedTalk about Squishy Circuits.
3) Teacher will reveal the guiding question (big idea) to the entire class: “Which way does electricity flow?”
4) A list of lesson goals will be generated as a class. Students will add these goals in bold to the top of their Google Docs laboratory page.
5) Lab groups will begin to edit their copies of the student Google Docs laboratory. They will complete the purpose, hypothesis, and materials sections first.
6) Students will look at diagrams and models of sample circuits built by the teacher before beginning the lab. Procedure examples will be shown the class at this time as well.
7) Teacher will review the evaluation rubric in the Google Docs page on the projector screen before students begin working.
8) Students will build a circuit using Squishy Circuits to test whether electricity flows from positive to negative or from negative to positive.
9) Students will detail their circuit design in the procedure section of the lab. This design can be represented in many ways (diagram, bulleted list, audio recording, paragraph, etc.).
10) Students will use a diagram, graph, table, or written passage to illustrate which way electricity flowed through their circuit in the results section of the laboratory.
11) Students will write a paragraph for the conclusion section.
12) Students will complete a challenge question in which they will apply their knowledge of circuits to a question that asks about jumping a car battery.
13) Students will complete a self-reflection at the end of the Google Docs page about how well they think they performed on the lab.
Aside from drastically changing the lesson sequence, this revised lesson also includes several modifications/accommodations that were not originally a part of the lesson plan. These changes are include: 1) providing written transcripts of the TedTalk video for students with auditory impairments, 2) providing individualized feedback for students lab reports, and modifying the Google Docs page for each lab group to accommodate special needs.
Part #2:
The lesson revisions listed above were not difficult to make. In fact, I was a bit disappointed that some of these components were not a part of the original lesson. It struck me as I was making these revisions that all of my lessons should follow the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. A lesson that follows the UDL framework breaks down learning barriers, and in doing so, inherently meets the needs of all learners (Cast, 2011). The revisions that I made to this laboratory were mainly focused upon providing students with choices to demonstrate mastery of the content. This is foundational element of the UDL framework. This is evident in the background information, procedure, and results sections of the laboratory. The second way in which I revised this lesson to follow the UDL framework was by providing extra scaffolding for students in need of additional support.
This being said, there were quite a few aspects of the lesson that did not need to be revised because they were already consistent with the UDL framework. For example, the lab reports will be completed in partners to facilitate cooperative learning and teamwork while also accommodating students with motor impairments. The lab report is chunked into smaller sections with individual prompts, and all visual aspects of the lesson will be communicated verbally as well. The classroom environment for the lesson is accepting and supportive, and the lesson includes a variety of activities with varying stimulation levels. These elements of the lesson are all necessary supplements to the revisions that I made this week.
I look forward to incorporating the UDL framework into all of my lessons!
References:
BBC. (2013). Electrical circuits. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/science/physical_processes/electrical_circuits/read/1/
CAST (2011). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.0. Wakefield, MA: Author.
Discovery Kids. (2012). How do electric circuits work?. Retrieved from http://kids.discovery.com/tell-me/curiosity-corner/science/how-do-electric-circuits-work
Soclof, S. (n.d.). How circuits work. Retrieved from http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/circuit1.htm
Thomas, A. (2011). Hands-on science with squishy circuits[Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/annmarie_thomas_squishy_circuits.html
UDLCAST. (2010). Udl at a glance [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDvKnY0g6e4
MAET Program Coursework - Beth Ottolini 