Lesson 3

Applying Study Skills to Small Group Work

Lesson Overview: Students in small groups use study skill strategies to determine the definition

of unknown words. The learning theories used in this lesson are the constructivist theory and the

behaviorist theory. Using the constructivist theory in this lesson requires that the learners are

using their prior knowledge and skills from the previous lessons, to work together as a group to

complete a task. This lesson is also engaging for students, and requires collaboration between

learners. The behaviorist theory is used in this lesson to promote mastery of the concepts learned

in the unit. The game brings a motivation and rewards students for working together and

completing the tasks with success and speed. The overall assessment is based on the behaviorist

theory, which requires that students master the content and get graded based on the amount of

Frayer Charts they were able to successfully complete. Attaining these skills are important for

the learners because they need practice applying the reading comprehension methods to their

grade level texts.

Resources or Materials Needed

List of teacher created vocabulary words, chromebook (one per group), internet, access to online

dictionary (one per group), writing utensil, paper, bell (one per group), blank Frayer Charts.

Performance Objectives:

Performance Objective 1: When broken up into two small groups and given an unknown word

by the teacher, students will work collaboratively in a group to find the definition of the word,

using their reading comprehension study skills.

Performance Objective 2: After finding the definition of the word, the group of students will

create sentence that the new vocabulary word is correctly used in, and show mastery of this by

using the word appropriately in the sentence.

Time: 1 hour

Step 1: Pre-Instructional Activities

Motivation: Tell the students that they will be applying all the knowledge that theyve learned

from the last two the lessons, and be playing a game against each other (for PBIS points)!

Objective: By the end of the lesson, I will work with my team to determine the definition of

unknown vocabulary words, and appropriately use it in a sentence.

Relevance: This is important for learners because it will help them build their vocabulary

comprehend their grade level reading materials, and is also a great strategy to help with word

prediction and retaining vocabulary. In addition, this assessment is necessary because if

students are able to successfully work in a group using these skills, they should be able to do the

task independently.

Pre entry skills: Students will need to know how to read the English alphabet. They must be

familiar with the sequence of a dictionary. They must be able to access the grade level reading

(i.e. be able to read words in the text). They must be able to look up words in the dictionary and

write the definition. They must be familiar with the Frayer Chart method of vocabulary.

Delivery: For this lesson, the students will be in two small groups. This decision is based on the

content of the lesson, and because they will be playing a game (against each other). This will be

a teacher to student live lecture.

State Standard relation: RL.9-10.4

Step 2: Content Presentation (10 minutes)

Teacher reviews the steps of looking up a word using an online dictionary and using the

Frayer chart. The teacher reviews the rules of the game. The students will have access to a

dictionary, paper, a pen, and bell. The rules are that the first team to provide a definition of the

word and appropriately use it in a sentence, will win that round. The team with 7 points wins the

lesson.

Step 3: Learner Participation (40-50 minutes)

The learners will be participating throughout the whole lesson. Each group member will

work collaboratively with each other to find the definition and think of an appropriately used

sentence. The teacher will intervene only when learners show that they are struggling to the

point where they cannot complete the objective without more guidance.

The activities will go on until one team gets seven words correct. That team will be the

vocab champions of the unit.

Step 4: Assessment

Assessment will be based on group effort, the individuals participation in the group, and

the sentences used in each round. Each group will turn in their definition and sentence paper to

the teacher after the lesson is complete.

Step 5: Follow-Through Activities

 Follow through activities include: continuous game assessment methods, with

increasingly difficult words (when students show that they are retaining more information).

Progress monitoring in their science class and other classes (grades on midterms, viewing

reading comprehension tasks, etc), and continuing to monitor each students word bank and

Frayer Chart section in their binder.