Decomposers Lesson 1 Talk and Writing

At this stage in the unit, the students will be Expressing Ideas and Questions. The table below shows specific talk and writing goals for this phase of the unit.

Talk and Writing Goals for Expressing Ideas Phase

Teacher Talk Strategies that Support this Goal

Curriculum Components that Support this Goal

 

Treat this as brainstorming and elicitation.

Remember, there are no “right” answers at this point. We want to hear all ideas.

Unit Pretest

My Students’ Answers

Listen for ideas about what is happening to matter and energy at different scales.

Where did the energy come from?

Where does the matter go next?

Are you talking about matter or energy?

What about the atomic-molecular scale?

What about the cellular scale?

Unit Pretest

Expressing Ideas and Questions Process Tool

Listen for a wide range of student ideas. Press for more complete ideas.

Who can add to that?

What do you mean by _____? Say more.

So I think you said _____. Is that right?

 

Have students compare, contrast, and document their ideas.

Who has a different idea?

How are those ideas similar/different?

Who can rephrase ________’s idea?

Let’s record our ideas so we can come back to them and see how our ideas change.

Sticky notes on the class poster

Activity 1.2 PPT

Encourage students to provide evidence for their ideas.

How do you know that?

What have you seen in the world that makes you think that?

Sticky notes on the class poster.