The direct instruction was split into sections on two different lessons. We looked at the NZQA exemplars for the standard we are working on at the moment.
In this session, we read the exemplars for AS91067 all together and compared what the writing for Not Achieved through to Excellence looks like.
In this session, the instructions are about highlighting the texts to show where sections are.
Describing words, reasons why and decisions and links to the architect's work.
Here, the students are brought back together again to talk about looking for where information is shown together in the text rather than in individual pieces.
This video shows some of the ongoing lesson with the students talking about what they were finding in the texts they were reading through.
Lesson Topic :- Reading the NZQA Exemplars
Year Group :- Year 11
Learning Outcome
To be able to read through one of the exemplars from the NZQA website and pull out ad understand some of the key information.
Critically analyse their own and others’ outcomes to inform the development of ideas for feasible outcomes. Undertake ongoing experimentation and functional modelling, taking account of stakeholder feedback and trialling in the physical and social environments. Use the information gained to select, justify, and develop a final outcome. Evaluate this outcome’s fitness for purpose against the brief and justify the evaluation, using feedback from stakeholders.
Thinking - looking for differences in the achievement levels of the examples. Understanding and looking for examples of description words, reasons and architect links.
Using language, symbols, and texts - reading examples from NZQA
Managing self - listening when the teacher is reading to the whole class and working in a small team in a constructive way.
Participating and contributing - giving feedback as a whole class and in small groups.
Relating to others - listening to the opinions of others in the class and their groups.
Prior knowledge
The students have made a start designing their own seating designs based on the work of the architect of their choice.
They have a lot of information about their chosen architect from the previous standard.
Lesson Sequence
Session Outline
Students will be first reading through exemplars from the NZQA website and then picking out key elements from them.
Student Activity
Teacher Activity
Sit round the front table all together with own paper copy of exemplars. Read through them while listening to the teacher read them outloud.
Read the exemplars through with the whole class.
Encourage feedback from the students about the differences they see in the writing of the different levels of achievement.
Roam as they work in their small groups.
Encourage and question to stimulate conversation about what they are highlighting.
Use highlighter pens to focus on describing words used in the exemplars.
Look for reasons why decisions were made in the design work.
Look for and highlight any links to influence to the architect’s work.
Share ideas as a whole class about the differences they see in the levels of achievement in the exemplars.
Work together in small teams and discuss what to highlight on the examples.
We will be continuing with our own design work over the next couple of lessons.
Further in this project
We will be using what we have learned from the exemplars to write notes with our own work. We will then read each other’s work in the same way that we have read the online exemplars.
Reflection and Analysis
What went well.
Lesson Content :- Having the exemplars prepared and printed worked well and really got the students to focus on them
Lesson Pacing :- I think splitting the tasks between two lessons was a good idea as it meant not spending too much of one single lesson doing this and the students were more focussed in the shorter sessions.
Lesson Delivery :- I have not read to my class before so this was a totally new thing for me. I enjoyed it more than I thought. This was helped by the nice reaction of the class.
What still needs work.
Student Understanding :- The were not always clear about when they were reading reasons why design decisions were made. This is definitely something I need to spend more time with them on.
Student Outcomes :- There was not as much talking between the students as I wanted to happen during the highlighting exercise. Hopefully when we do more of this and with our own work, there will be more talk.
Other Comments.
Having the exemplars printed out from the whole project made it easier to focus in on particular designs. Typing them out for the students also helped as they did not have to try and read the handwriting on the examples. This made it much easier for them to compare the achievement levels.
The students are working in pairs and are playing a card game. This involves them DESCRIBING the product that is on the card to their partner.
When we were all together, we played a game with a pack of emoji cards to warm us up. The instructions for the rest of the lesson was to sit in pairs and use the help cards to describe to each other what is pictured on the cards.
Lesson Topic :- Describing Products to Each Other
Year Group :- Year 11
Learning Outcome
To be able to describe a product / object to each other verbally.
Critically analyse their own and others’ outcomes to inform the development of ideas for feasible outcomes. Undertake ongoing experimentation and functional modelling, taking account of stakeholder feedback and trialling in the physical and social environments. Use the information gained to select, justify, and develop a final outcome. Evaluate this outcome’s fitness for purpose against the brief and justify the evaluation, using feedback from stakeholders.
We will continue to do whole class describing of products / things at the start of each lesson.
Further in this project
Describing skills will be used both in their research of existing chair designs and of their own design work.
Reflection and Analysis
What went well.
Lesson Content :- doing the warm up at the start was good as it got the students interested and they were all joining in.
Lesson Pacing :- I allowed them to take as much time as they wanted for the game, and this ended up being about 15 minutes which was good. They stayed on task for the whole activity so this amount of time was just right.
Lesson Delivery :- Although the start of the lesson had the students around the front table for a while, it was a more interactive session as we did the warm up card game all together. I managed to keep my session instructions super short this time so the students could then get on with the activity in pairs. This enabled me to get round the class as they were working and work with the pairs rather than spend too much time with the whole class.
Student Understanding :- They worked well together and helped each other. This helped their understanding and taking turns helped with this too. They seemed to get more comfortable with the describing as the game went on.
Student Outcomes :- I was pleased with the amount of fun they had while doing this activity.
What still needs work.
Lesson Content :- I photocopied / printed the images onto paper so we had to hide the game cards under a sheet of paper so the students could not see what they were as they were a little see through. Card would have been better as you would not have been able to see what they were from the back.
Student Outcomes :- Only 6 students were there today due to various trips out today so the rest of the class missed this.
Other Comments.
It became apparent as they were working that they realised that when they explained how the object was used, it made it a lot clearer what the object was. One team especially was avoiding explaining how the thing could be used as it gave their opponent more chance to guess what it was.
I hope they remember this as they are describing their own designs. Explaining how their design is used or how parts of it work will really help with the understanding of what their design is.
This is some of the ongoing lesson during the describe game.
I have included the full 15 minutes of the game for each team here. I decided to do this as their conversations for the whole time were focussed on the task and they were working hard at the describing that they had to do. These videos also show that they were having fun while doing the activity. Please scrub through to see different sections throughout the videos.
Team 1
Team 2
Team 3
This is the card game we were playing in the warm up