Reflection 1: earthquake

This is the eighth lesson of the Hend Alyammahi

“How the world works” unit and it
Lesson Student
talks about the relationship
unit/page teacher
between earthquakes and civil
engineering.
MST Mr. Joseph Townsend School RAK Academy PYP

Class Grade 4B Date October 4, 2018

Overall aim and context of the lesson

In this lesson the students are going to build earthquake proof structures Then they are going to test
how long (stopwatch) it can stand up under the stress of an earthquake.

Select (S):
Identify a lesson and what standards are you addressing

Lesson: How earthquake affect building and what can we do to prepare.

Strand: Earth and Space (how the world works?): Natural disaster: Earthquake
Describe (D):
Who is the lesson for?
Where did the lesson take place?
What were you trying to achieve in your lesson?
What did the students do?
I conducted the lesson with grade 4B (in the class) in RAK academy PYP school. By the end of the
lesson the students were supposed to be able to build the best earthquake proof structure that can
stand the longest under the stress of an earthquake. Luckily, the students conducted the experiment
by building two structures that are differ in size using marshmallow and sticks. Next lesson they will
test them by placing them in a jelly plate to test their prediction.
Analyze (A):
Why do you think the students responded the way that they did?
How well did your teaching relate to the students’ prior understanding?
How well did you engage the students?
The students were fully engaged after watching the video about earthquakes. They got an idea of how
an earthquake looks like and what happen during an earthquake. Some of them already know what an
earthquake so I tried to let one illustrate the movement of plate tectonics on the board. I tried to show
them the difference between the formation of earthquakes and the formation of mountain (from
previous lesson). They also liked the idea of creating their own structures using marshmallow and
sticks.
Appraise (A):
Explain the nature of the experience from the students’ perspective
The students already know about the changes that plate tectonics make on our planet earth. When I
asked them to illustrate the movement of plates to form an earthquake by their hands and on the
board. I was trying to use the styles of learning (visual, auditory and kinesthetic). I tried to guide the
students during the experiment and ask them high blooms questions to have them come up with the
conclusion that: the shorten more composed structure are better earthquake proof than taller and
furthered apart ones. I think most of the students got the idea and started to change their designs.

Did your lesson meet your teaching goals?

After discussing the lesson with my MCT, she said that I used verity of high question. Which means I
achieved my goal and will keep working on my questioning for next times.

Transform (T):

How might you enhance student learning of this lesson in the future?
For further implementation, I think it will be better to use plastic balls instead of the marshmallow
because the marshmallow milted and could not hold more than one stick.

What are the implications for your professional practice?

For my next lesson, I would like to keep improving my questioning and to have more confidence when
delivering the lesson and give clear instructions to the students. For the fact that some of them didn’t
understand the task of today. That causes some classroom managements and students confusion.