RUNNING HEAD: DETERMINING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Determining Prior Knowledge

LaMar S. Brown
National University
Instructor: Casey Cuny
Content rea Literacy
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Below you will ,ind an outline ,or c-ec.ing/ assessing and 0uilding u1on a
student 1rior .nowledge ,or a -ig- sc-ool +
t-
grade $art- Science class.
Lesson: $art-2ua.es
"rade: +
t-
Prior Knowledge Needed:
%-e lesson a0out eart-2ua.es 0uilds on 1rior .nowledge ,rom 1revious lessons dealing
wit- 1late tectonics and volcanoes. ,air amount o, understanding o, 1late tectonics and
volcanoes 0ro.en down in t-e ,ollowing .ey 1oints 30elow4 will greatly -el1 t-e student
as t-ey 1rogress t-roug- eart-2ua.e lesson.
). Plate %ectonics and movements
(. Mantle convection/ ridge 1us-/ sla0 1ull
5. 6olcanic activity
Determining Students Prior Knowledge:
%o -el1 ensure and measure t-e students 1rior .nowledge a0out eart-2ua.es t-e
,ollowing actions 0elow will occur 0e,ore t-e lesson 0egins 3McKeanna 7 !o0inson4.
). Free Recall8 I will attem1t to ta1 into t-e student9s memory 0y as.ing .ey
2uestions ,rom t-e 1revious lesson suc- as/ :'-o remem0ers w-at 1late tectonics
are;< :'-at does Mantle convection/ ridge 1us-/ and sla0 1ull -ave in common;<
(. Recognition Questions: %o get a more accurate idea o, w-ic- students -ave 1rior
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.nowledge a,ter t-e Free Recall I will 1ass out a 0rie, wor.s-eet 1osing t-e same
2uestions. %-is way students -ave a second c-ance to demonstrate .nowledge
a,ter listening to t-eir classmates answer t-e free recall 2uestions.
5. Lastly I will collect all t-e s-eets and loo. over t-em to gage w-ic- students
understands t-e material and w-ic- ones are not. %-is will 0e com1leted w-ile
t-e students read t-e ,irst introductory c-a1ter or watc- a 0rie, video to introduce
eart-2ua.es.
Activating Prior:
I, it is determined t-at t-e ma=ority o, t-e students are not a0le to recall t-e 1revious
in,ormation needed to success,ully com1lete t-e ne>t lesson a com0ination o, t-e
,ollowing will 0e administered.
). Introduce t-e new material to 0e learned and connect it wit- 1revious .nowledge.
$>am1le: I would introduce t-e ne>t to1ic and e>1lain -ow eart-2ua.es and 1lat
tectonics and volcanoes are related i.e. t-e cause and e,,ect.
(. Class discussion: as. t-e students w-at ot-er ways eart-2ua.es/ 1lat tectonics or
volcanoes may0e related.
$>am1le: In t-is o1en discussion students will discuss ot-er 1ossi0le ways 1late
tectonics/ Mantle convection/ ridge 1us-/ sla0 1ull/ and volcano activity may 0e
related to eart-2ua.es. %-is will encourage critical t-in.ing a0out t-e relations-i1
and -el1 draw u1on 1rior and new .nowledge.
5
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English Language and Special Education Learners:
%o 1rovide o11ortunities ,or $L students in my $art- Science classroom I will
1rovide t-e ,ollowing strategies ado1ted ,rom National Science %eac-er ssociation.
). Support learning opportunities in different classroom formats I will allow my
student to learn in colla0oration wit- ot-er students. I will 1air my $L student
wit- anot-er 0ilingual student or a to1 student. In t-e colla0oration I will 1rovide
t-e student assisting t-e $L student wit- e>tra credit.
(. Communicate science ideas by using multiple modes of representation (gestural,
oral, pictorial, graphic, and textual). ll -andouts will 0e visual ,or all students
and will include 1ictures to -el1 ma.e general and $L students ma.e t-e
connection. I will also use o0=ects/ 1osters and 1ower 1oints in t-e classroom to
convey my instruction.
5. ro!ide additional time" @or 1ro=ects I will allow additional time ,or $L students
to com1lete assignments. $>am1le: w-ile 1er,orming t-e 1rior .nowledge
wor.s-eet my $L students will -ave more time to com1lete t-e assignment.
Students with Learning Disabilities
). ro!ide instruction that reaches the full spectrum of di!erse learners. A I will
1rovide e>am1les using a variety o, sources. Suc- as s-owing a video t-at will
aid in teac-ing conce1ts and ideas to 0e learned.
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(. ro!ide ade#uate time. A I will 1rovide students wit- disa0ilities enoug- time to
answer 2uestions and as..
5. ro!ide !arious means of assessment 8 I will allow students to answer 2uestions
in t-eir own way. $>am1le i, a student is a0le to ade2uately answer t-e 2uestions
in t-e 1rior .nowledge wor.s-eet 0y drawing 1ictures/ t-is will 0e acce1ta0le.
Rational
%-e a0ove strategies will -el1 assess all students9 1rior .nowledge 0e,ore ,ully moving
onto t-e ne>t lesson. %-e met-ods a0ove use a variety o, ways to ta1 into t-e student9s
.nowledge to 0ring ,ourt- 1revious ideas. In addition to t-e classroom discussion written
activities will -el1 trigger .nowledge as well. %-is will all aid in 0uilding u1on 1rior
.nowledge and -el1 t-em move on t-e new content. %-e strategies also address a variety
o, ways to -el1 $L and s1ecial needs students 0e success,ul 0y allowing t-em more time
and multi1le ways to answer 2uestions cou1led wit- 1roviding active instruction.
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Resources
NS% Board o, Directors. 3Decem0er (**+4. Science ,or $nglis- Language Learners. In
$ational Science %eachers &ssociation. !etrieved Novem0er *D/ (*)(/ ,rom
-tt1:EEwww.nsta.orgEa0outE1ositionsEell.as1>.
McKenna/ M./ 7 !o0inson/ !. 3(**+4. %eac-ing %-roug- %e>t: !eading and 'riting in
t-e Content reas. Boston. llyn 7 Bacon.

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