Teaching Lessons Designed For Younger Learners
Young Adult Literature and the History of Slavery Unit
By Rick Vanderwall and Amy Lockhart

Overview

This activity provides two teaching models to facilitate students in teaching the lessons they designed to younger learners. In one model, the student teachers will instruct small groups of younger learners simultaneously. In the second model, student teachers present to the whole group, one lesson at a time. Teachers should either use one of the provided models or both. Some teachers, however, may design a model of teaching that is a better fit the student population they work with.

Student Objectives

Students will:

• Present the lesson they have designed in the selected presentation model.
• Encourage younger students to participate in the lesson.
• Report the results of the teaching experience back to the class.

Skills Attained

Students will be able to:

• Present to a group.
• Facilitate the learning of others.
• Understand the learning process.

Materials Needed

• As needed by each lesson design.

The Lesson

1. Model One: Small Groups


1. Anticipatory Set


1. Divide younger class into groups of five or six students, ensuring that older students:


• Collaborate on division method.
• Select the rotation order.


2. Introduce student teachers to younger learners.


2. Procedures


1. Have each group of student teachers presents the lesson as designed.
   
   
2. Once they have completed their presentation, have student teachers rotate to a new group and repeat. (This process may last more than one period.)

2. Model Two: Whole Group
   
   
   1. Anticipatory Set
      
      
      1. Have student teachers and classroom teachers collaborate on a teaching schedule.
         
         
      2. Make sure that classroom teachers introduce student teachers to the class.
   
   
   2. Procedures
   
   
   1. Have student teachers teach lessons as scheduled and designed. (This process may require multiple periods.)

Assessment

Each lesson design uses an assessment instrument for the younger learners. Following the teaching of each lesson, both student teachers and classroom teachers should assess the success of the activity. Student teachers report the results back to their class. To grade students’ work, use the rubric below:

 

Activity	Grading Element	Points (out of 50 total)
Classroom teacher lesson assessment rubric	Appropriateness of lessons for learners	5
	Materials completed and effective	5
	Lesson organization and presentation	5
	Facilitation of learning	5
Student teacher post-presentation assessment	Appropriateness of lessons for learners	5
	Materials completed and effective	5
	Lesson organization and presentation	5
	Facilitation of learning	5
Student teachers report back to class		10

Amy Lockhart teaches Fifth Grade Language Arts and Social Studies and Rick Vanderwall teaches Sixth Grade Language Arts and Social Studies at Price Laboratory School at the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

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