Class+Profile

Class Profile

**__What do my learners already know?__**

**__﻿__** Formally learners have demonstrated in scientific activities both collaboratively and individually how to plan and conduct investigations, hypothesise, question and discuss science and reflect on everyday situations by exploring through inquiry learning the wonderment of the world, both physically and naturally and the society around them. Informally learners know and understand that by pushing, pulling, kicking, throwing objects effects force and movement drawn from real life experiences such as sport. They also can relate to when a car brakes, that the force is being stopped some how and that the concept of gravity is a force of movement that comes downwards.

Learners grade 3 National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy results from last year showa range of levels from as low as one, to as high as five. Reading, writing and spelling is a concern for the below average sector of the class and two individuals have limited teacher aid support and at least six others are boarderline and my observations tell me they would achieve better results with assistance.

**__Where does my learner need/want to be?__**

**__﻿__** **English** – Speaking and Listening Language Elements Writing and Designing **The Arts** – Dance and Drama || **SOSE** – Place and Space __Cross-curriculum priority__ **ICT** – Inquiring, Creating, Communicating, Operating and Ethics and Issues ||
 * **Science** – Energy and Change


 * **__Knowledge and Understanding__**


 * The greater the force on an object, the greater the change in motion
 * Forces may need to be in contact with an object to affect it
 * Speakers can adopt different roles, and make language choices appropriate to the level of formality
 * Statements, questions and commands generate and maintain discussions and conversations
 * The purpose of writing and designing includes informing and describing
 * Text connectives signal how things, ideas and information are related
 * Fine motor movements are used to create actions for short movement sequences
 * Environments’ are defined by physical and human dimensions || **__Ways of Working__**


 * Pose and refine simple questions, and make predictions to be tested
 * Plan activities and investigations, identifying and using elements of a fair test
 * Select and use materials suited to the activities and investigations
 * Draw conclusions that are supported by evidence
 * Identify main ideas and the sequence of events, and make inferences
 * Reflect on learning to identify new understandings and future applications
 * Considering different purposes, using arts elements and language ||


 * **__Declarative Knowledge__**


 * Understand about forces and motion and the effects on objects at a distance and in direct contact


 * How to capture activity participation


 * How to share experiences of different sized forces on rolling cans and cylinders in a hands on activity


 * How to describe, predict and document findings in a sequenced storyboard


 * Understand how to observe, identify and investigate different frictional forces between objects and surfaces


 * Understand how gravity makes objects fall and its force around the world


 * Know and understand how to represent forces and motion by actively participating in a real life scenario role play


 * Know how to investigate variables of different sized forces of pulling an elastic band on a match box weighted with a specific number of paper clips || **__Procedural Knowledge__**


 * Identify with forces in motion by experimenting with relevant games and judging the effects


 * Operate a digital camera to produce images


 * Interpret and summarise findings in a class discussion


 * Create and design a storyboard in power point.


 * Hypothesise, compare and brainstorm their experiences and transfer findings into a digital mind map


 * Recognise and define meaning by analysing a on-line video on gravity
 * Compose and justify a role play demonstrating force with actions, gestures, oral narrative and produce a video recording


 * Construct a bar graph with different variables, weight, length of stretch and type of surface effecting the matchbox (object) in Microsoft word/excel ||

__**How** **does my learner best learn?**__ __**﻿**__ __**﻿**__  **﻿**  Constructivism and connectivism theories of collaborative learning and networking construct eLearning environments with real connection, through respecting individual experiences, knowledge and perspectives of the world. (Schuman, 1996) These learning theories were evident within our elearning for assessment one, particularly because of the constructed scaffolding of content and group work that took place.

Whilst with my grade four learning it is the responsibility for the teacher to construct group work andscaffold content to acquire and integrate knowledge by using it meaningfully,with extending and refining (Marzano, R. J & Pickering, D.J, 1997). It is quite the challenge as this grade isvery diverse in personalities and cultural backgrounds, has levels from one to five in numeracy and literacy and varied learning styles and multiple intelligences.The majority being kinaesthetic (are and like being active in sport/dance) and most enjoyed working with other students (group smart) and others by themselves (self smart). With twenty eight in all, including only six boys, (who need to be split up most of the time) some have diagnosed disabilities and others learning difficulties, others demonstrate inappropriate behaviour and there are the slow and quick learners and the gifted and talented to also consider.

The student example in appendix 1 is from one of the quick and gifted learners and from my observations and teaching thus far, requires extension work in the majority of her lessons and needs space at times from other students as not be held back and feel underlying frustration. The other extreme is where a student with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder needs space (time out) to just colour in when learning or instruction gets overwhelming. Other students have attention deficit disorder, Turner syndrome, intellectually impairment and there are those students that are not diagnosed with learning difficulties.

Learners are learning best when the teacher plans and facilities using different supportive learning strategies, for instance there are 4 different groupings for collaboratively learning to suit individual needs. Students are within similar levelled groups and diverse level groups to build upon weaknesses and enhance strengths. Where collaboratively learning and connectedness works in some situations, there is definite needs for learner centred support for self regulation and reflection. Facilitation needs to be flexible and flow due to absenteeism, behaviour and change of plans on any given day; so much of the focus is really reading and knowing your learners to instinctively promote a happy and safe learning environment and drawing on as many tools and strategies you can.