HOW

 TO  BUILD  A  BETTER  LESSON  by  Dr.  Jane  E.  Pollock  

Chpt.  3,  Improving  Student  Learning  One  Teacher  at  a  Time  (ASCD,  2007),  Chpts.  3,4,and  5    Improving  Student  Learning  One  Principal  at  a  Time  (ASCD,  2009)  
 
Components   Chapters   from   What  we  are  trying  to  get  the  brain  to  do   The   Nine   Effective   Strategies   the   Teacher   Learning   Strategies   We   need   to   teach   our  
of  the  Lesson   Classroom   –  the  neuroscience  of  the  brain   should   use   during   this   component   of   the   students  
Instruction   lesson   (from   Classroom   Instruction   that   Each   of   these   thinking   skills   requires   a   process   for  
that  Works   Works)   students   to   learn   to   organize   and   reorganize  
information   in   order   to   retain   it   longer   and   use   the  
information  to  construct  new  ideas.  

G:    Goal   Chapters  8  and  

4  
We  are  trying  to  get  the  brain  to  focus  on  the  
goal;  reduce  impulsivity  and  stick  to  a  task  
Setting  Objectives  and  Providing  Feedback  
Reinforcing  Effort  and  Providing  Recognition  
 
 
Teacher  shares  the  
goal  of  the  lesson  
   
Identify  Similarities  and  Differences  
A:    Access  Prior   Chapters  10,  6,  
2,  and  7  
We  are  trying  to  get  the  brain  to  associate;  
make  analogies  and  compare  
Questions,  cues  and  advance  organizers  
Nonlinguistic  representations  
Compare:  describe  how  things  are  the  same  and  
Knowledge   different  
Identifying  similarities  and  differences   Create  an  Analogy:    substitute  something  familiar  for  
Teacher  accesses  
students’  prior  
Cooperative  Learning   something  difficult  
knowledge   Classify:    group  similar  items  into  categories  
   
N:    New   Declarative  and  
Procedural  
We  are  trying  to  get  the  brain  to  gather  and  
organize  information  
Summarizing  and  note  taking  
Homework  and  Practice    
Information    
Knowledge    
Teacher  shares  
Chapters  3,  5,    
new  information;  
new  information  is   and  11   Use  Analysis  Techniques  
practiced   Analyze  Perspectives:    consider  different  points  of  
view  
A:    Application   Application  of  
Declarative  and  
We  are  trying  to  get  the  brain  to  categorize;  
analyze  perspectives,  construct  arguments;  
 
 
Create  an  Argument  or  Persuade:    to  make  a  claim  or  
of  New   convince  others  to  change  their  viewpoints  
Procedural   extract  themes,  deduce,  analyze  for  logical   Identify  Similarities  and  Differences  
Information   Analyze  for  Logical  Fallacy:    articulate  errors  in  
Knowledge   errors,  systems  analysis,  investigate;  make   Cues,  Questions  and  Advanced  Organizers  
Apply  what  was   thinking  
learned   Chapters  2,  9,   decision,  solve  problems,  create  a  test  and   Generate  and  Test  Hypotheses  
Analyze  as  a  System:    consider  change  to  make  an  
and  10   invent;  follows  complex  directions   Homework  and  practice  
improvement  
 
 
 
 
G:  Goal  is   Chapters  8  and  
4  
We  are  trying  to  get  the  brain  to  “put  a  tab  on  
the  folder”,  make  a  connection  to  the  goal  and  
Setting  Objectives  and  Providing  Feedback  
Reinforcing  Effort  and  Providing  Recognition  
 
revisited   Generate  and  Test  Hypotheses  
  retain  the  information  learned   Homework  and  practice   Make  a  Decision:    select  from  seemingly  equal  choices      
Teacher  reminds  
the  student  about   Solve  a  Problem:    negotiate  obstacles  to  find  a  good  
what  to  “click  and   solution  
save”  and  provides   Investigate:    resolve  issues  about  which  there  are  
feedback  to  the   contradictions  (projective,  historical,  or  definitional)  
student   Invent:    develop  original  products  or  processes  to  
meet  specific  needs  
 
 

 
  

Steps  in  the  Critical  Thinking  Skills  

Identify   Compare:  describe  how  things  are   Create  an  Analogy:    substitute   Classify:    group  similar  items  into      
the  same  and  different   something  familiar  for  something   categories  
Similarities   1.  Select  items  to  compare   difficult   1.  Identify  items  to  classify  
and   2.  Select  characteristics  on  which  you   1.  Identify  a  situation  or  basic   2.  Select  an  item  and  identify  other  
want  to  base  your  comparison  of  the   information   items  like  it  to  combine  into  a  group  
Differences   items   2.  State  the  basic  information  in   based  on  attributes  
3.  Explain  how  the  items  are  similar   general  terms   3.  Choose  a  rule  that  describes  
and  different  with  respect  to  the   3.  Identify  new  difficult  information   membership  in  the  category  
characteristics   in  terms  of  the  familiar  situation   4.  Repeat  with  another  item  until  all  
4.  Summarize  your  findings  and  draw   (general  terms)   items  are  classified  
useful  conclusions   4.  Use  the  similarities  and   5.  If  necessary,  combine  or  split  
differences  as  a  platform  for  new   groups  into  smaller  categories  and  
understandings   state  the  rule  for  membership  
5.  Summarize  new  explanation  (s)   6.  Reclassify  to  consider  different  
about  the  difficult  information   patterns  and  summarize  findings  

Use  Analysis   Analyze  Perspectives:    consider   Create  an  Argument  or  Persuade:     Analyze  for  Logical  Fallacy:     Analyze  as  a  System:    consider  change    
different  points  of  view   to  make  a  claim  or  convince  others   articulate  errors  in  thinking   to  make  an  improvement  
Techniques   1.  Identify  an  issue   to  change  their  viewpoints   1.  Describe  how  information  being   1.    Explain  a  situation  as  a  system  –  the  
2.  State  a  perspective,  the  logic,  and   1.  Make  a  claim   presented  is  intended  to  change   parts  and  the  functions  of  each  part  
evidence  that  support  it   2.  State  evidence  about  the  claim   your  behavior  or  beliefs.   2.    Describe  how  the  parts  affect  each  
3.  State  a  different  perspective  with   3.  Elaborate  on  the  evidence  by   2.  Identify  claims  or  tactics  that  are   other  
the  logic  and  evidence  that  support  it   providing  detail,  both  opinion  and   unusual   3.    Identify  one  part,  change  it,  and  
4.  Repeat     factual  information   3.  Ask  for  clarification  or  more   explain  how  it  affects  the  rest  of  the  
5.  Summarize  the  similarities  and   (4.  To  persuade,  use  techniques  to   accurate  information   system  
differences  among  viewpoints   sway  the  audience  to  accept  the   4.  Summarize  the  errors  and   4.    If  possible,  make  the  change,  and  
claim)   resolution   show  the  results  to  draw  conclusions  
 
Generate  and   Make  a  Decision:    select  from   Solve  a  Problem:    negotiate   Investigate:    resolve  issues  about   Invent:    develop  original  products  or   Experiment  or  Survey:  test  
seemingly  equal  choices       obstacles  to  find  a  good  solution   which  there  are  contradictions   processes  to  meet  specific  needs   explanations  for  things  we  observe  
Test   1.  Identify  a  situation  that  requires  a   1.  Identify  a  goal   (projective,  historical,  or   1.  Describe  a  situation  that  needs   1.  Describe  an  event  or  situation  
Hypotheses   choice   2.  Describe  a  barrier  that  prevents   definitional)   improvement   2.  Explain  what  you  observed  
2.  Identify  different  choices  or   you  from  achieving  the  goal,  causing   1.  Describe  a  hypothetical,  past   2.  State  the  purpose  or  goal  from   3.  Based  on  your  explanations,  
alternatives   the  problem   event  or  concept  to  be  explained     different  perspectives   make  a  prediction  or  hypothesis  
3.  Hypothesize  the  best  criteria   3.  Hypothesize  or  generate  solutions   2.  Explain  what  is  already  known  or   3.  Hypothesize  specific  needs  and   4.  Create  an  experiment  or  survey  
important  to  the  situation   for  overcoming  the  barrier   agreed  upon   restrictions  for  the  invention   to  test  your  prediction  
4.  Assign  each  criterion  a  value  score   4.  If  possible,  test  a  likely  solution  (s)   3.  Explain  the  confusion  or   4.  Develop  a  model,  sketch,  or  outline   5.  Explain  the  results  of  your  
5.  Score  the  extent  to  which  each   5.  If  necessary,  test  another   contradiction   5.  Seek  feedback  on  the  idea  or   experiment  or  survey  
alternative  possesses  each  criterion   hypothesis,  and  summarize  how  to   4.  Hypothesize  a  plausible   product   6.  Summarize,  and  if  necessary,  
6.  Multiply  the  criterion  scores  by  the   resolve  the  situation   explanation  about  the  confusion  or   6.  Improve  the  idea  or  product  by   revise  the  explanation  
alternative  scores   contradiction   editing  or  revising  
7.  Identify  the  alternative  with  the   5.    Summarize  findings   7.  Publish  or  produce  the  idea  or  
highest  score   invention  
8.  Summarize  the  result  or  justify  why  
not  to  elect  that  choice