Developmetnal Cognitivism

Developmental Cognitivism

Stage Based Learning

According to Piaget the students I am teaching (third grade) this lesson to are in the concrete-operational stage. This stage encourages a lot of “hands on” thinking. Students can realize that elements can be changed or transformed and still conserve many of their original characteristics. My lesson incorporates a variety of different ways to symbolize the geometry terms. For example, I have them show the symbols with their bodies, I then have them play Geometry says, and then have them look for the symbols around the room. The children are able to realize that even though each symbol is a different, size, shape, color, or medium that it still represents the same thing. This lesson is all hands on, it is the students and I working with lines, shapes, and angles in a variety of different interactive ways.

Uniqueness of Individual Learning:

This lesson allows for a lot of children variability and creativity. When representing the symbols by using their bodies they have the freedom to go as far as their mind will take them, or as simple as is comprehendible for them. When they walk around the room to observe the different symbols they can observe the most basic aspects or the most abstract aspects. By providing a variety of activities to teach about the geometry terms it is more likely that all of the students needs will be met in one way or another.

Experience that Involves Action

The entire lesson is full of action. They get up and move around to experience shapes, lines, and angles through the use of their body. This will help them to make connections with the terms and how they use their bodies to represent them. They get to play Geometry says where they move around have freedom. They then get to walk around the room and observe the geometry symbols all around them. By having these action activities students are able to make connections with their actions and the terms.

Necessity of Social Interaction

Throughout the lesson the students will have the chance to interact with one another. When they use their body to show the symbols they will all be in the same vicinity, where they can feed of each other’s ideas and energy. It will be great for them to even work together to create the symbols. When playing Geometry says it will be similar to the environment of the body activity. They will get to help and inspire creativity in one another. When making observations around the room they can work with each other and give each other ideas as well. Social interaction is crucial for student learning at their young age.

Adaption

In the 2-D geometry lesson assimilation and accommodation can be utilized by students to help learn the material. They use assimilation by connecting the new information into old schemes. An example of this is if any of the students have ever danced before they can make a connection between the movements they use in dance and the geometry terms. Another example would be to take what they know about different objects in the room and connect the geometry term to it. For example, they look at the white board and see 4 right angles. They are connectin g new information with schemes they already have. When students accommodate they create new schemes or adjust old ones in response to new information. An example of this is when they play Geometry says. Their prior knowledge of Simon Says is adjusted to be Geometry says. The rules then change in their minds because they have to show shapes, lines, and angles.

Disequilibrium/cognitive dissonance

At first when students are asked to use their body to show examples of terms that they barely know they will experience disequilibrium. The students will realize they do not fully understand so they will use assimilation and accommodation to learn the material. It is during this disequilibrium that students will learn the most.

Schemas

Throughout the lesson I will try and appeal to the student’s different schemas. I will help them create schemas by having them do different behaviors (actions). When they do the motions with their bodies, bplay geometry says, and record different objects around the room they will use different behaviors to create a schema. I also will appeal to their symbolic schemas by showing the symbols for everything on the board, having them use their bodies to show the symbols, and making connections to things around the room.

Discovery learning

Students will learn through their own discoveries. I will not tell them exactly what body part to use to make the shapes. They will have the chance to be creative and discover all the different ways to use their bodies to make the symbols. They also will go around the room and discover for themselves these objects.

Classification

I will group the terms into different categories so that the students will be able to classify the different groups and symbols within. For example we will first go over different lines. Then we will go over different angles. Lastly, we will go over different shapes. Students will be able to make these classifications. The more advanced they get on the terms they will then be able to make the connection that some of the classes fit into each other.