LessonPlanCritique

ETEC512
KaraleaHoyano
November30,2014
UniversityofBritishColumbia
JenniferShapka

IhavechosentocritiqueaVisualArtslessonplangearedtowardsgrade1students.
BasedonthetheoreticalperspectivesputforthinETEC512,myanalysiswillevaluatethe
currentlessonwhilefocusingonthefollowingapproaches;VygotskysZoneofProximal
Development,BloomsTaxonomyofcognitivedomainandtheConstructavistprinciples.My
critiquewillincludetheadditionofaKWLchartandWebquestwhichwillhelppullallof
thesetheoriestogetherandencourageamorewellrounded,interactiveandinterestinglesson.
VygotskysZoneofProximalDevelopment
VigotskysZoneofProximalDevelopment(ZPD)isexplainedasthedistancebetweenthe
actualdevelopmentallevelasdeterminedbyindependentproblemsolvingandthelevelof
potentialdevelopmentasdeterminedthroughproblemsolvingunderadultguidance,orin
collaborationwithmorecapablepeers.(Vygotsky,p.86,1978)Currently,thislessonplan
offersnothinkpairshareactivitiesofopportunitiesforcollaborationandcommunicationwith
peers.Byencouragingstudentstosharewithapartner,theyaregoingdeeperintothetheoretical
frameworktowhichVygotskybelieveswillenablestudentstodevelopandlearnonadeeper
level.InthelessonplanthereisseveralcomponentsthatsaysAskstudentsif..,by
encouragingsharewithapartnertimeorexplainwhatyousawwithapartner,thiswouldtouch
onVygotsky'szoneofproximaldevelopment.Bypairinglowerstudentswithstudentsmore
competentwouldencouragescaffoldingwhichiskeytoZPD.Thelessonisontotempoles,
encouragingstudentstoconnectculturetotheirlifewhichisalsoaframeworkbehindZPD.
Allowingstudentstogrowandbuildonthatculturalconnectioniskeyandshouldbeencouraged
morethoroughlythroughoutthelessonplan.Thelessonplanhasavarietyoffocusesandbriefly
touchesonmanyareas,fromlearningaboutFirstNations,thewestcoastpeople,thecarversand

theirstoriesaswellastotempolesandcommunity/environment.Thismaybeoverwhelmingand
outofmanystudentsZPD.Itseemslikealottocoverina20minutelesson.Basedonthe
scaffoldingprocess,thelessonwouldbenefitfromchoosingoneareatofocusonandensuring
studentshaveagoodunderstandingbeforemovingonthethenextconcept.Thelessonitselfis
tryingtoteachalotaboutcultureandhistoryaswellasengageinanartlesson.Basedon
Vygotsky'stheories,thislessonwouldbenefittochallengestudentswithnewinformation
withoutoverwhelmingthem.Itisascaffoldingprocessthatwilltakelongerthanthe20minutes
allotted.
BloomsTaxonomyofCognitiveDomain
Skillsinthecognitivedomainfocusonknowledge,comprehension,application,analysis,
synthesisandevaluation.Forthislesson,whenkeepingtheseconceptsinmindweneedtobuild
toensuretheseareasareallbeingmet.Currently,theyarenotallbeingmetsochangingsome
areasofthelessonarekey.
Knowledge
Beforebeginningthelessonplan,studentsshouldtakeapicturewalkthroughtheTotemPole
book,withoutsayinganythingjusttryingtomakeconnectionstothepictures.Ratherthan
askingwhatatotempoleis,havestudentsconnecttheirpriorknowledgetothepictures.Ifthey
haventseenonebeforeperhapstheycouldbeginbyguessingwhattheythinktheyare.Have
themsharewithapartnerontheirfindings.Bybeginningwiththisastheiractivity,theyare
accessingtheirownknowledgeandscaffoldingtheirownlearning.
Comprehension

Discusstheirfindingswiththeteacher.Thiswillencouragetheteachertolistentostudents
interpretationsanddescriptionsoftotempoles.Teachercanalsoteachthelessonthrough
discussionratherthanlecture.Thisopensthedoorsformorepromptingquestionsanddirection.
Application
Atthispoint,theteachercanreadthestory,theynowhaveabetterunderstandingoftheir
studentspriorknowledgeandthoughts.Astheyreadtheycanstressimportantpointsandbridge
gapsthatweremissingduringpreviousdiscussion.Stoppingonpagesandhavingstudents
discusswhattheyseeornoticeaswellasofferingopportunitiesforstudentstoaskquestionswill
helpensurelearningisgenuine.
Analysis
Theteachercanmakeinferencesandfindevidencethatsupportsgeneralizationsinquestionsand
understanding.Shehasaskedthemtosummarizeverballywhattheyhaveobservedandwhat
theylearned.Ratherthanaskingthemthegeneralizedquestionofwhatdidyoulearn,teacher
couldaskmorespecificquestionslikewhatdidyoulearnonpage4?orwhatwasanimportant
factwediscussed?orwhocandescribe....Bygettingintomorespecificquestions,learning
willbeindepthandtrue.
Synthesis
Thecurrentlessonjumpsfromtotempolesintocommunitiesandwaysvisitorsaregreetedin
communities.Thetietheteacheristryingtomaketototempolesbeingawaytogreetpeopleis
subtleandassumed.Thelessondoesntexplaintheconnectionthatisintended.Inorderto
synthesizethelesson,mysuggestionwouldbetotiethesetwothingstogetherinamorecreative
way.Perhapshavestudentscomeupwithideasofhowtheywouldliketowelcomepeopleinto

theircommunity.Havethemcreateabillboard,signorsomekindofrepresentationoftheir
home,schoolorcommunitythendiscussthecomparisonandsimilaritytowhichtotempoles
havethesamerepresentation.
Evaluation
Thelearningobjectivesforthislessonare
begintounderstandthatideasforvisualexpressionscomefrommanydifferentsources
viewcontemporaryandhistoricalartworks
understandthattherearemanykindsofart
summarizetheirunderstanding(C).
Yet,thereisntadiscussionintomanykindsofart,orvisualartspiece.Iwouldencourage
studentstocreatesomethingtoshowtheirunderstanding.Thiswouldbeagoodwaytoshow
theirevaluationofthelesson.
ConstructivistPrinciples
Constructivistsbelievethatpeoplegainknowledgeandmeaningthroughdirectinteractionand
experiences.Therefor,eachpersonslearningisunique.Fromateachingperspective,buildingon
children'spriorknowledgeiskey.AsvonGlasersfeldstates"...toassessthetruthofyour
knowledgeyouwouldhavetoknowwhatyoucometoknowbeforeyoucometoknowit"
Rightnowthelessonseemsbland,withapicturebookandsmalldiscussionandalthoughthe
lessonispullingontheConstructivistprinciplesandtryingtoaccesschildrenspriorknowledge,
Ithinkthiscanstillbefurtherextendedon.StudentswouldbenefitfromaKWLchartthat
wouldencouragetheConstructivistPrinciples,whichbelievesthatlearningisacontextualized
processofconstructingknowledgeratherthanacquiringit.Byteacherleddiscussions,students

pairandshareandwholeclassparticipationconstructingknowledgetogetherwillbeachieved.
Thechangesmadetothelessonwillencourageamoreconstructedlearningenvironment
ConstructavistvonGlasersfeldwrites,itappearsthatknowledgeisnotatransferable
commodityandcommunicationnotaconveyancemeaningthatknowledgecannotbepassed
frompersontopersonthroughlecturing,itneedstobeconsequentialandeveryoneneedsthe
opportunitytocreateandbuildontheirowncognition.Heisdemonstratingthateverything
needstohavemeaning,andthatmeaningcantakemanydifferentshapes,formsormemories
basedontheindividual.Learnersneedtothinkinordertolearn,andbythinkingtheyare
drawingontheirowndefinitionandinterpretation.Thisisakeyconcepttokeepinmindwith
thislesson.Anothersuggestionforthislessonwouldbeateacherassistedwebquest.This
lessonwasonlyallottedfor20minutes,soitmaynotworkforthisdependingonthe
circumstancesbutcouldbeagreatfollowupactivityasitishandson,bringingindifferent
learningtoolsandresources.Itwouldallowforinteractivetimewithpeersandbeingteacherled
wouldencourageparticipationandfocus.Thisactivitymeetsthetheoreticalframeworklaidout
andwouldhelpstudentsbuildonpriorknowledge,nottomentionvisuallyappealing.
Conclusion
Muchofwhatwasoriginallylaidoutinthelessonwasteacherbased.Askingveryclosed
conceptquestionsandnotallowingadequatetimeoropportunityforstudentstoshowwhatthey
know,understandandhaveacquiredthroughthelesson.Keepingallofthetheoretical
approachesinmindcouldgreatlyenhancethislesson,andanyotherlesson.Studentsneedto
havemeaningful,knowledgerichopportunitiesandexperiences,andbyadjustingthislesson
slightlyandencouragingmoreopenendedquestionsandmorecollaborationtimewithpeersas

wellasopportunitytoshowtheirunderstandingthislessonhasimprovedsignificantly.Itwould
needmorethana20minutetimeslot,howevertherichdiscussionandparticipationthatwill
comefromthislessonwillbeveryimportanttoscaffoldstudentlearningandencourage
meaningfulandconsequential.

ORIGINALLESSONPLAN
Lesson6
Time:20minutes
Component:Cultural/Historical
Supplies/Resources
Approvedreferencebooksabouttheculturalsignificanceoftotempoles(e.g.,TotemPoleby
DianeHoyteGoldsmith)

LearningObjectives
Studentswill:
begintounderstandthatideasforvisualexpressionscomefrommanydifferentsources
viewcontemporaryandhistoricalartworks
understandthattherearemanykindsofart
summarizetheirunderstanding(C).

Procedure
PreparebyreadingthebookTotemPole,beforepresentingittostudentsandselectingpassages
toreadtostudents.Thesectionontotempolesbeginsonpage14.
2. Askstudentsifanyoneknowswhatatotempoleisorifanyonehasseenone.Explainthat
totempolesarepartofthecultureofFirstNationspeopleonthewestcoast.Explainthat

carversareartistswhodesignandcarvethetotempolestorecordtheirpeoplesstories
andhonourimportantpeople.
3. ReadpassagesfromTotemPoleandlookatall
thepictureswithstudents.Makesurethat
studentsunderstandthatatotempoleiscarved
fromasingletree;thatitisaveryimportant
eventwhenatotempoleisraisedina
community;andthatatotempoleisraisedina
placewhereitwillgreetvisitorstothe
community.
4. Askstudentstosummarizeverballywhattheyhaveobservedinthephotographsinthe
book,andwhattheyhavelearnedabouttotempoles.
5. Askstudentsiftheyknowofanyspecialwaysthatvisitorsaregreetedwhentheyentertheir
community.Arethereanysculpturesorbillboardsnearthecommunitylimits?Ifso,do
thestudentsknowwhomadeordesignedthem?
6. Introducethetermbuiltenvironment.Askstudentstoguessatwhatitmeansandhowthe
builtenvironmentisdifferentfromthenaturalenvironment.
TeacherNote:
Donothavestudentscreatetheirowntotempoles.Thisgivesthewrongmessageabouttotem
poles,thecreationofwhichisasacredactwithinaspecificculturalcontext.Itisnotnecessary
forstudentsstudiesinvisualarttoculminateinacreativeactivity.Learningaboutisalso
validinvisualartstudies.

NEWLESSONPLAN
Lesson6
Time:50minutes
Component:Cultural/Historical
Supplies/Resources
Approvedreferencebooksabouttheculturalsignificanceoftotempoles(e.g.,TotemPoleby
DianeHoyteGoldsmith)

LearningObjectives
Studentswill:
begintounderstandthatideasforvisualexpressionscomefrommanydifferentsources
viewcontemporaryandhistoricalartworks
understandthattherearemanykindsofart

 summarizetheirunderstanding(C).

Procedure
PreparebyreadingthebookTotemPole,beforepresentingittostudentsandselectingpassages
toreadtostudents.Thesectionontotempolesbeginsonpage14.

1.

Picturewalkwithstudentsthroughthebook.Donotsayanythingjustallowthemtimeto
lookandmakeconnections.Havethempartnerupanddiscusswhattheysaw,whatthey
recognizedandwhattheythinkthebookisabout.Encouragethemtoguessorpredictwhat
theythinktheysaweveniftheyareunsure.**Itissuggestedtopairuplowerstudentswith
morecreativethinkerstoencouragescaffoldingandlearningopportunities,besuretochange
partnersacoupleoftimes**

2.

Discusstheirfindingswithteacher.Teachercanlistentowhatstudentsnoticedor
recognizedaboutthepicturesinthestory.Bylisteningtostudentsinterpretationsand
descriptionsoftotempolesteachercanguidediscussionandusethisasteachablemoments.

3.

Introducethewordtotempole.CompletethebeginningoftheKWLchartfillingin
whattheKnowandWanttoknowsections.

4.

Teacherreadsthestorytoclass,stoppingonrandompagesandhavingstudentsdiscuss
whattheyseeornoticeaswellasofferingopportunitiesforstudentstoaskquestions.Give
opportunitiesforstudentstoshareexperiencesorconnections.

5.

Oncestoryisfinished,teacherasksclassthefollowingquestions:
a. Whatdidyoulearnornoticeonpage14?
b. Whatwasanimportantfactwediscussed?
c. Whocandescribethemessagethestoryisteachingus?
d. Whatwasremindedofsomethingtheyhaveseeninourcommunity?
e. Allowstudentstoaskquestionsthemselves.

6.

Discussthattotempolesareawelcometoacommunitywhereyoucanlearnabouttheir
peopleandtheirculture.havestudentscomeupwithideasofhowtheywouldliketo

welcomepeopleintotheircommunity.TeachercanleadstudentsonaWebquestthatdescribes
totempolesorwelcomesignsinacommunity.
7.

8.

9.

Havethemcreateabillboard,signorsomekindofrepresentationoftheirhome,school
orcommunitythendiscussthecomparisonandsimilaritytowhichtotempoleshavethesame
representation.
Allowstudentstimetosharetheirwelcome/ideawitheachotherandtheclass.

Introducethetermbuiltenvironment.Askstudentstoguessatwhatitmeansandhow
thebuiltenvironmentisdifferentfromthenaturalenvironment.(Thisleadsintonextweeks
lesson)

References:
HorizonSchoolDivision.(1991)Grade1VisualArtsSampleUnit.Lesson6,Page5.Available
online:http://www.hzsd.ca/Curriculum_Instruction/By%20Grade/S009C00B9.6/Grade
%201%20Visual%20Art%20Sample%20Unit.pdf
Lutz,S.,&Huitt,W.(2003).Informationprocessingandmemory:Theoryandapplications.
EducationalPsychologyInteractive.Valdosta,GA:ValdostaStateUniversity
Availableonline:http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/infoproc.pdf
VonGlasersfeld,E.(2008).LearningasaConstructiveActivity.AntiMatters,
2(3),3349.Availableonline:http://antimatters.org/articles/73/public/73661PB.pdf
Vygotsky,L.S.(1978).Mindandsociety:Thedevelopmentofhighermentalprocesses.
Cambridge,MA:HarvardUniversityPress