The Learning Cycle Lesson

Making learning meaningful.

The Learning Cycle Lesson

research-based teaching strategy

effective in planning social studies lessons

promotes conceptual change and increases students’ meaningful learning

Three Phases Exploratory Introduction Lesson Development Expansion

Exploratory Introduction Enables the students to

become more aware of their own reasoning and recognize shortcomings in their prior knowledge.

Ask: What activities will enable my students to:

become aware of and make public their prior knowledge?

have the opportunity to try out their prior knowledge in a new setting?

compare their prior knowledge to the new idea and recognize flaws in their prior knowledge?

The Teacher’s Role present one or two key

questions to confront the students’ thinking

raise questions facilitate the students’

exploration stand back and observe

Important Components of the Exploratory Phase

use cooperative learning groups include interaction and

exploration include a formative assessment

to determine prior knowledge and misconceptions

Formative Evaluation provides the teacher with

information to determine students’ learning

used for monitoring and diagnosing

Lesson Development Discuss results of the exploratory

introduction, providing connections to the new social studies idea.

Teach the new idea. Include interesting practice activities.

Model and/or practice. Provide closure for the new idea.

Ask: What activities will: provide my students with a clear

explanation and sufficient practice to allow them to connect the new idea to what they already know?

enable my students to construct their own “new” knowledge based on the new idea?

The Teacher’s Role explain provide examples check for understanding guide provide closure (a clear

description of the idea or skill with which they have been working)

Important Components of the Lesson Development

Phase provides more than one form of

explanation gives clear examples uses modeling checks for understanding includes a formative assessment

Expansion Phase

Apply and transfer the new social studies idea or skill to different situations.

Ask: What activities will: enable my students to apply the

new knowledge in relevant contexts?

help my students develop successful procedures for making decisions and solving problems while transferring the new idea to other settings?

The Teacher’s Role provides some but less guidance provides activities for the

transfer of the new concept or skill

encourager

Important Components of the Expansion Phase

allow students to apply the new skill or idea into a situation that is meaningful to them personally

include a summative assessment to check for transfer of the new idea into the new situation

Summative Assessment Examines students’ progress at

the end of an activity, lesson, or unit

Any grades that are given are taken from summative assessments and not formative

Formative Assessments Conferences Observations Checklists Questions

and Answers

First drafts Pre-tests Journals self and peer

assessments

Summative Assessments Chapter tests Projects Portfolios Performance

s

Benchmarks State

assessments Final copies

Recap: The Learning Cycle Lesson

References:

Karplus, R. (1974). Science curriculum improvement study teachers handbook. Berkeley, CA: University of California.

Sunal, C. & Haas, M. (2008). Social studies for the elementary and middle grades. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Incorporated.

Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Quick Quiz What are the three phases of a learning cycle lesson?

Why is the exploration phase so important?

What is an important part of each phase that determines if the student is ready for the next phase?

Which phase has the most teacher-direction?