SAMPLE DIRECT

INSTRUCTION LESSON PLAN






NAME: Laura Rose___SUBJECT: Mind Mapping ________GRADE LEVEL(S)___4TH______

LESSON TITLE: ____Mind Map for Research____________________TIME___30-40 minutes_____

PRIOR LEARNING (OPTIONAL) Earlier today, we brainstormed a list of Australian animals. We have read lots of picture books about them.

MATERIALS: For Teacher:______An overhead projector and a mind map overhead

For Students: _____A copy of a mind map, pencils

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DESCRIPTION OF YOUR MODEL OR STRATEGY(S) HOW WILL THEY ALL LEARN?

Students will be engaged by the Direct Instruction model to learn to use a mind map to do research.

LESSON OBJECTIVE(S) WHAT WILLL DIRECT INSTRUCTION HELP THEM LEARN TO DO?

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to create questions about an animal of their choice, using a mind-map. They will be using this in a later lesson to actually record their research data.

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SET Girls and boys, we have been learning about life in Austranlia, and you have been asking lots of questions about the animals there. They are so different from other continents. Today I am going to show you a simple and terrific way to do research so that you can learn more about the animals that really fascinate you. You are each going to do a research project and report your findings to the class. In today's lesson, you are going to record your own questions.

STEPS OF THE LESSON

  1. (input/model) Have students read over their list of animals and take a moment to decide which one they want to know more about. Then I'll show them my mind map on the overhead projector and pick an animal from the list that no one selected. I'll use the scaffold that follows to show students how to fill it out. I won't write the blueprint out for them; they'll learn it just by doing because it is simple.
SCAFFOLD:

1. Look at our list of brainstormed Australian animals. Select one that you would like to do some research one. Pick one that you don't already know much about.

2. In the circle in the middle of the mind map I give you, put the name of the animal you have decided to research.

3. Get a picture of the animal in your mind's eye, and let your mind wonder about this animal. As a question occurs to you, share the idea with your partner, and if you agree, write it down in any of the outer circles.

4. Continue until all circles are filled.
  1. If you have even more questions, or if you have a question that your partner didn't agree on, you can draw more circles and put the question in that circle.
6. You and your partner check your paper over and sign it to show that you agree to share the grade on this work. 2. (check for understanding) After I've filled in 3 or 4 circles with questions, I'll let the students make suggestions for the rest of the questions. This will help them understand the process. Then I'll do some oral together questions to be sure they know the order of the process and are ready.

3. (guided practice) Each student will get a mind map and put their chosen animal in the middle. Then they will use the scaffold to work with a study buddy who has the same animal to help each other finish the assignment. The partners don't have to have all the same questions.

4. (closure and assessment) They are to sign their partners' paper when done, and raise their hands for me to look at it and check it as a the correct format. When about half the class is done, I'll ask students to read some of their questions that were not on my model. This should help the rest finish.
 
 

(optional) INDEPENDENT PRACTICE or EXTENSION___Tomorrow I will gather resource material on all of the animals, and I'll demonstrate how to read the material and fill in the answers to their questions. Then we will decide how to share this information with the class.
 

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