1. Teachers Development Day
Constructivism in the Classroom
                                                                             
                                                          Pat Alfarone                                                        Michelle Rios                                                     SusanMcBride                                                  Richard Haan

2. Background & History:
The philosophy of constructivism is that learners need to build their understanding of new ideas based on prior learning experiences.  Learners build their ideas piece by piece.  What is learned can then be applied to new situations and problems to solve.
A constructivist learning environment should foster creative learning experiences  and  provide opportunities to support the construction of student understanding.
Traditional classrooms focused only on an end product, characteristics include memorization, repetition, textbooks, teacher directed instruction.

3. Visual Display

5. Contributors to Constructivism
Jean Piaget- Knowledge is built on experience.
Lev Vygotsky - Knowledge comes from culture & social influence.
John Dewey - Knowledge comes from examining and learning from one’s personal experiences.
Jerome Bruner - Learning is an active process, new ideas based on current or previous knowledge.
Bruner's Recent Contribution
The 5Es

6. groovylibrarian.edublogs.org

7. Essential Ideas and various aspects to Constructivist Learning Environment
from BSCS: Biological Science Curriculum Study
Engage:
encounter and identify the task
Explore:
active team learning-teacher is only a facilitator-
Explain:
organize the work to explain to others
communicate in groups
share ideas: video, drawings, recordings

8. Essential Ideas and various aspects to Constructivist Learning Environment
from BSCS: Biological Science Curriculum Study
Elaborate:
expand concepts
make connections
apply your understanding
Evaluate & Assessment
ON- GOING

9. Advantages
Student  Centered
Active learning
Problem Solving Learning

10. Disadvantages Time consuming Who will do the training
            
Who will do the training
Possible teachers who  are
        resistant to change

11. 5 E  Lesson Plan
Title - Life Cycle of a Plant (A 5E lesson) Primary Subject - Science Topic:
Life Cycle of Plants Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, pupils will:
create a power point presentation that states:
*  conditions suitable for the growth of a seed and a plant
*  plant a seed and begin to observe the complete life cycle of flowering plants grown from seeds over a period of time
* Insert images, pictures and/or videos into their Power Point Presentation 

12. Engage Engage: Concepts: Plants have life cycles.
Plant goes through stages of growth and development that includes seed, young plant, and adult plant.
Teacher shows a video of the life cycle of a plant as an example.  Teacher ask pupils:
Students watch the video:
Students engage in a discussion of which part do they think is the beginning part of the plant cycle, what do they think are the stages of a plant cycle

13. Explore
Explore:
In groups, pupils will use the resource room computers to explore for diagrams, information and video's to use in their Power Point Presentation.
Before going power point or internet sites, brief pupils on:
group tasks, computer access
collection of common sites to use
Where and how to save there information

14. Explain
organize the work to explain to others
communicate in groups
share ideas: video, drawings, recordings
    Students use the class wiki, googledocs accounts to collaborate and communicate ideas.

15. Expand
Students will elaborate in a short essay on how the life cycle of the plants is important to the ecosystem. 
Students will find three internet sites that are active in helping to save the world.
The sites and a short explaination of what it is about should be one slide of the final Power Point Presentation.
    

16. Evaluate Evaluate: Brief pupils on their ongoing assignment:
Pupils will follow the rubric designed for the class activity

17. Resources
(slide 3)
(slide 4)