Primary Mission: EDTE 280, Group Four Presentation Concept Attainment

Group Members Susan Bruno Randall Ulrich Mela Bennett Carl Thelen Derek Oliver Summary & References Handouts Introduction Lesson

Introduction yellow yellow Our lesson is about colors. The location is a classroom, though this lesson can really be used anywhere. The level is first grade, so the audience is six-year-olds. As kids grow up, they learn their colors. However, for them colors are just colors -- they don't have any different categories. Yet. Our lesson introduces them to the most basic category of colors, the Primary Colors. You remember those, right? Red, yellow, blue. Not the new-fangled RGB used in computer graphics, or Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black used in printing. Just red, yellow, and blue, like our shirts.

Introduction rule Yellow yellow Per Pritchard's plan including concept, rule, and critical attributes: Our concept is Primary Colors. The rule is: Primary colors are Red, Yellow, and Blue. The critical attributes are: A) It's a color. B) It's red, yellow or blue C) The object doesn't matter; only the color matters.

Introduction We will try to use both the concept attainment model and multiple intelligences in our lesson, using visuals and physical toys. And shirts. So Susan will begin with background information and the lesson....

Image Placeholder The Wonderful World of Color!

Scaffold Concepts

Attention Class! Now that you are all six years old again, please give Mela your attention. She has a fun activity for you!

Does it fit?

Does it fit?

Does it fit?

These are Primary Colors! Red,Yellow&Blue

Boulware & Crow Article The Concept Attainment Strategy is an instructional technique proposed by Jerome Bruner (Bruner, 1966; Joyce, Weil, & Calhoun, 2004) that targets the “big idea” or concept. The strategy focuses on the meaning or understanding of a concept rather than on what the concept is called. Learners are given specific steps to scaffold their thinking, which include viewing examples as well as nonexamples of a concept. Phase 1: The Concept to Be Taught. Phase 2: Testing Attainment of the Concept. Phase 3: Analysis.

Joyce, Weil, & Calhoun Book Concept Attainment versus Concept FormationConcept Attainment versus Concept Formation o Concept Attainment: "search for and listing of attributes that can be used to distinguish exemplars from nonexamplars" (quoting Bruner, Goodnow, and Austin (1967)). (p. 108.) o Concept Formation: basis of the inductive reasoning model. (p. 108.) Exemplars: a subset of a collection of data. (p. 111) Exemplars: a subset of a collection of data. (p. 111) Attributes: data that has features. (p. 111) Attributes: data that has features. (p. 111)

Joyce, Weil, & Calhoun Book Joyce, Weil, & Calhoun, quoting (Tennyson and Cocchiarella (1986): "...the first positive exemplars presented should be the clearest possible prototypes..." (p.116)

References Boulware, B., & Crow, M. L. (2008, March). Using the concept attainment strategy to enhance reading comprehension. Reading Teacher, 61(6), Retrieved January 20, 2009, from ERIC database. Johnson, J., Carlson, S., Kastl, J., & Kastl, R. (1992, November/December). Developing conceptual thinking: The concept attainment model. Clearing House, 66(2), Retrieved January 20, 2009, from ERIC database. Joyce, B., Weil, M., & Calhoun, E. (2009). Models of teaching (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education. Williams, P., & Carnine, D. (1981). Relationship between range of examples and of instructions and attention in concept attainment. Journal of Educational Research, 74(3). Retrieved January 19, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database. Pritchard, F. F. (1994). Teaching thinking across the curriculum with the concept attainment model. Descriptive report. Retrieved February 2, 2009, from ERIC database. References available in accompanying handout

Thank you…any questions?