Why is PEEL the Barry Cryer of Education?

Why is P.E.E.L the Barry Crier of Education? from DKMead

A benefit of doing the project first!

Several hours in the making, this data recording sheet should make the upcoming "Where should we BEE? " project a whole lot easier to run. This will help the students gather relevent data and then process it in a useful way once we are back in class. Without it, this project would be chaos.

I could only get my head around this by reviewing several academic journals and getting out and doing a (brief) bee walk, yes that's doing the project first.

Establishing a classroom community.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Establishing, is the wrong word, why build something to let then crumble?


The idea of having an activity at the beginning of the year to build a classroom community (e.g find someone who ....can juggle) is described by Kathy Greely as lame. How is this going to affect the people leaving our classrooms, how will it affect their academic success? The solution is not to think in terms of only establishing a classroom community, but how to maintain and strengthen it.


I have been increasingly concerned over one of my classes of late, it is a class that has a few disaffected students whose behaviour has had to be managed. I'm not adverse to a bit of behaviour management, but in terms of affecting student learning, I'd rather focus my energies elsewhere. I must admit I've had to work hard to establish the basic behaviours in this class. However, a few months after I started writing this post I am seeing a wonderful improvement not only in behaviour, but how they are with one another and how they approach their studies. I'm really pleased for them,

So what did I do to improve the situation. On reflection  the following strategies have been most helpful, in no particular order they are:

1. What good learners do? Agree it, refer to it, amend it. I do this with every class at the start of the year, but the craft is then to use it regularly, when things are going well and when things are not going so well. I'd say this is possibly the central pillar to my classroom practise.

2. Changing groups. Regularly, with the clear stated purpose of we work with everyone in our community, We can learn from and help everyone else learn. The consistency of this approach is key, and not being tempted by groupings that appear to work.

3.Learning intentions, be explicit. Make aspects of how you want students to be as part of lesson success criteria, whether it's a learner attribute or how they are as part of the community.

4. Show how it happens in your organisation. How do the adults do it. We are very fortunate to have glass walls in the offices and work areas so students get to see how the staff interact. However, they are oblivious to this unless it is pointed out to them.

5. Maintain a no put down zone. Vigorously defend each students to make mistakes safely in public, without fear of someone ridiculing them. Praise effort and thank students for their ideas, and use them as useful start points to teaching.

5. Public critique and public exhibition. This is based upon the previous one. However, I think these are an ideal place to strengthen the community. Be sure always to use the Feedback norms, in every session. Inviting outside visitor in to see student work communicates in no uncertain terms that what the students are learning is important beyond their classrooms

6. Refer to the students locality. Establishing a sense of pride of the school and the wider location is good way to help students feel connected to where they are from. This can be a big motivator. I often frame projects to do this.

7. Debrief and feedback. White hat feedback is best as it's non judgemental. This places the responsibility back with the students.  Photographs, quotes, tally, contribution pie charts are all recommended to help do this. I have found these cards helpful in making very clear how I expect the students to act.

8. Establish Quality Criteria for the behaviours that you want, the nature of establishing and agreeing these is in itself useful in developing the community you want. Although these are done by negotiation (and rightly so) they have the huge benefit of having sophisticated behaviours in child friendly language.

Backward planning for the "Where should we BEE? " project.

After doing some substantial reading of academic studies of Bees, a little scouting mission of a potential site, and setting up a potential expert audience. I started by scetching out what the academic poster would need to contain. Hopefully by the last week of this academic year, we will have academic posters with measures of the "ecological health" of Cramlington. Different classes will study Bee population, land and benthic invertebrates and algal growth.

As a department we have determined to invite parents in to see the products and drafts in mini presenatations of learning, following the success and impact of doing this in the "Physics of Project".

We have 5 sessionsof 2.5 hours  to get there, so I plotted backwards to work this out. I find it really helps focus on the essentials, on what will be learned and where some structure will be needed.

 

A lesson plan.

I'm not sure if this at all useful, I may not even press Publish.This is a lesson plan I produced for our recent visit. The lesson is my normal lesson, with the only addition is some differentiation that I wanted to make obvious. It was an ardous task, writing explanations of what I intended to do, or why I was doing a particular task. It also includes all that information about my students that I carry in my head. It's this reason I may publish this. I think shows a whole lessons worth of pedagogical purposes. The lessons went very well , with the students finding stomatal pores "amazing" and students very confident about what Photosynthesis is and why it is important.

I think this lesson worked due to the contextual way  the content was structured, with Key  Questions . This helps with the engagement in the lesson. For example the starch testing practical was used to reinforce Photosynthesis an dnot just have a practical. The use of Formative assessment is used consistently throught the lesson. This is focussed on known misconceptions and the most important ideas being taught. Concession has been made for students remembering these ideas. For example planning to expose the students to the content at least 5 times over the session.

Bellwork	Image of an acorn and a tree and their respective masses. A slightly misleading question to draw out the misconception of “the soil” Random name selector – 5 or 6 passively recieved student answers before seeking whole class vote. Who agrees, and why? Listen out for Carbon dioxide, photosynthesis, the air, sunlight, water. Make sure it is clear that plants do not have big holes beneath them where they have “ate” the soil. BIG QUESTION- How do plants get food?” Just refer to the Bags, holes and leaves part of the learning journey.	Pedagogy explained Students grouped-in mixed ability with word rich and word poor together. Common misconception based on the research by Ross Driver. Random name- for multiple responses- allowing a formative decision to made about “pitch” of input. Big question- is just for the next two lessons. The following two on Photosynthesis a broader view is needed. Learning journey + effective formative bellwork and clear objectives = culminative effect size of 2.91 Geoff Petty.
Intentions	Highlighted are the MAIN Focus for this session Over the next 4 lessons student progress may look like this using SOLO taxonomy Prestructural     Plants get their food from the soil. CORRECTED Unistructural     Plants make their own food. Energy from the sun. Chlorophyll makes plants green The leaf is the organ of Photosynthesis Chlorphyll is a mixture Multistructural Name the raw materials and products Chlorophyll traps sunlight Recall the word equation Palisade cells responsible for photosynthesis Stomatal pores allow carbon dioxide in Relational           Chlorophyll found in chlorophyll traps sunlight Explain how starch proves that photosynthesis. Chlorophyll can trap light of different colours. Explain the process  photosynthesis Extended Abstract          Leaves are thin to allow diffusion to act quickly Describe How temperature, CO2 levels, sunlight levels effect the rate of photosynthesis Plants store food as starch as it doesn’t dissolve easily. The wider importance of photosynthesis is described PLUS – Practicing Scientific drawing and observation skills	To form a better lead into the content and link to key question- key question and learner journey left until return from biome.
Input	In Biome for context. Keywords on coloured paper to help introduce the word equation. BLUE paper – Water RED paper – carbon dioxide (as its toxic) Orange paper- Glucose ( lucozade/ energy) White paper – oxygen Green paper chlorophyll Yellow paper- sunlight Teacher input - Start by asking what’s in the bag? – water (poster start to construct word equation) Then  where did the water come from? Draw out knowledge soil, roots xylem to the leaves stomatal pores ( must be mentioned even as just small holes in the lower surface of the leaf)? Students will come across these during this module. Some may have been covered already depending upon your teaching order. Next ask “why would the plant take the trouble of sending water to the leaves?” a simple answer is useful here anything that suggest its going to be used- TELL them it’s for Photosynthesis. “what else does a plant take in?” possibly rephrased if needed what does a plant breathe in?” Some may respond Carbon dioxide others Sunlight. Take one and start to explain Carbon dioxide – How do you think the carbon dioxide gets into the leaf? – refer back to the stomatal pores- you may want to show how thin it is and link this to diffusion over a short distance. Should have come across this in placenta, intestine, lungs before. Sunlight- which organ of a plant absorbs the sunlight? And How do you know? Darker upper surface, large surface area, green colour all can be linked to a leafs adaptation for photosynthesis. Link the darker surface to the greater quantities of chlorophyll here, talk about how the lower surface would be in shade All the while build up the word equation, bring this back to the classroom and use it as a relevant display. Ask What do plants make with these? Or potentially rephrased as What do plants breathe out?	Structured input – designed to make connections to what they know and give students a sense of awe and place in the universe with regards to this reaction. Coloured paper coding will be used over the subsequent four lessons as a memory aid. Its is part of classroom display that will be added too over the course of these lessons. Students should leave this section really wanting to see Stomatal pores Another misconception is students tend to use breathe instead of exchange gases. This will not be addressed during this lesson, but correct nomenclature will be used at all times and breathed, shown to less favourable. It is expected that many students will be sensitive to this during this lesson. This is the first exposure to this information which will occur at least in 5 different ways with space in between. Nuthalls research shows this is how learning takes place. LEARNING( Progress if that’s your bag) TAKING PLACE- Misconceptions purposefully  addressed. Key terms such as raw materials, products, reaction photosynthesis, stomatal pore, chlorophyll, energy all introduced in a connected an coherent, contextual way.
Construct	Key ideas and what they are learning about are shared Students reminded of how to use a light microscope in technical language.  Reference made to their work from the beginning to year 7 which is back on display. Success criteria from previous project shared once more . Students then use the microscope to observe Stomatal pores, epidermal cells and guard cells.  And make scientific drawings of them . UNDER THE TITLE OF DRAFT 1. Target the following students to ensure understanding of task MH, HE, JS, NS Allow students to focus on them and then begin to draw. This will be the briefest of attempts. Stop and critique Remind students of FEEDBACK NORMS. Kind Specific and helpful feedback against the success criteria. Then draft 2. Differentiated questioning during the microscope part. Consolidate questions-  ALL students How does a plant make food? What gas does the plant take in? What is the other raw material? What is photosynthesis? What is the name of the sugar produced? Extend questions- Where appropriate, dependent upon the response to prior questions. Where does the carbon dioxide get in? Is it good thing that water can get out? Do you think all plants will have the same number of stomatal pores? Looking for ideas of evaporation. Which surface of the leaf will get hottest? Stretch questions- especially DR DH SD JR HOW does CO2 get in? Diffusion and diffusion gradients? **Priority Where would you expect to get most stomata? Why do you think the plant has a waxy cuticle on its upper surface? Introduce the idea of Xylem- other plant tissues.	This is now in context. Yet more relevant display, PROGRESS demonstrated over time, students will quickly understand this technical language and use the microscope proficiently. Differentiated support- these students require confirmation of the task. Critique norms are BIG part of our school culture- how we speak and work and support one another. Drafting is a normal activity valued by students, they see it as a way of enhancing the quality of their work – LEARNING (progress) will be demonstrated between these tasks. Dwecks open mindset is being encouraged by doing this process regularly. Critique norms are always shared, to ensure a positive dialogue between students. It helps build our classroom community. Differentiated questions and discussions within this task. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT OPPPORTUNITY. Check for understanding , re-explain where necessary. This is true for the literacy of the targeted students. The stretch questions are only for a few students. The introduction to this will be based on how they are getting on. Photosynthesis and its concepts are new and abstract. Working memory will only be holding up to 7 items of new knowledge, this is a priority and these are concepts where we could possibly
Demonstrate	Draw a leaf add arrows to show where Carbon dioxide has come from and a flow chart to show where water has come form to the leaf.  Check spelling of keywords on the diagrams Guard cell, stomatal pore, carbon dioxide. For JW, MW, JS, MH, HE, JC, HD	Bring notes together. Test do they know where the raw materials have come from.
Review	Formal review Watch the videos clips- note down what photosynthesis is and why it is important. What keywords should we add to the keyword list.	Return to context and importance of what is being learned. Mention of global warming, places the context in a social sphere. Literacy focus.
Bellwork session two	Which of the key questions can you now answer confidently, hesitantly, not yet? Revisit digestion- when you break down starch with saliva in your mouth, what is made? 5 R stamps for those who go back through their books- in from a class consolidate reflective behaviour	Review and feedback, to promote student ownership of outcomes Rewards
Learning Intentions	Driving question. How can we prove that a plant has photosynthesised? MAIN focus for this session are highlighted Prestructural     Plants get their food from the soil. CORRECTED Unistructural     Plants make their own food. Energy from the sun. Chlorophyll makes plants green The leaf is the organ of Photosynthesis Chlorphyll is a mixture Multistructural Name the raw materials and products Chlorophyll traps sunlight Recall the word equation Palisade cells responsible for photosynthesis Stomatal pores allow carbon dioxide in Relational           Chlorophyll found in chlorophyll traps sunlight Explain how starch proves that photosynthesis. Chlorophyll can trap light of different colours. Explain the process  photosynthesis Extended Abstract          Leaves are thin to allow diffusion to act quickly Describe How temperature, CO2 levels, sunlight levels effect the rate of photosynthesis Plants store food as starch as it doesn’t dissolve PLUS – THINKING AND ACTING LIKE A SCIENTIST	Developing the idea that Scientists require evidence so that they can then make inferences about how our world works. This is an important way in which we
Input	Artist easel activity- Teacher models how to do this. Differentiated task – two different reading levels- teacher issued task. Students read highlighting key ideas. Then draws images to represent this information Folds sheets explains to partner using only the images. Partner points out any gaps in knowledge Student then adds images that are missing.  Teacher to target JS, MW, HE, MH, JV, NS during this. AND any students that have found prior lesson difficult. This will need to identified during period 2. Class practical – sort out jumbled instructions- weak readers supported by scrolling powerpoint. Teacher gives correct method ensuring clear safety ethos.	Differentiation To begin to bring together what Photosynthesis is. Formative assessment opportunity. Peer assessment. Demonstrating learning (progress) Project for Enhancing Effective Learning strategy- designed to allow students to workout part or all of the instructions for themselves, encouraging ownership and understanding, FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT OPPORTUNITY- Student understanding of method checked before moving on
Construct	SO HOW DO YOU TEST A LEAF FOR STARCH? Students test a leaf for starch. Focus on safety. Praise safe behaviour- goggles etc, good teamwork Highlight responsibility Consolidation questions – what is starch made from? What colour does IODINE turn when starch is present?
Demonstrate	Explain where the starch as come from. Differentiated. Key words and connectives. JR DR DH SD GH MH Question prompts. AH Gap fill task. JC NS MH LR	Hugely important task, consolidate what photosynthesis is. This is very difficult, at this point of the 4 lessons. But the students should get there with the correct task. Differentiation This task will be teacher marked and students will respond to it next lesson.
Review	Thumb tool on key questions 321 review I need/want to know more about….. 2 skills/ attributes I have excelled at … 3 most important ideas are	Whole class response And consolidation of key ideas- expecting a variety here, as this is how learning is. Nuthalls measures of uniqueness shows this.

Fishbowl Converstaions- Student examples

This is a follow up post, to show real classroom examples of the students involved in adult like technical conversations. As always, I am taken aback by the complexity, subtlety and maturity Year 8 students can must when given the opportunity.

The example below shows  the roles the students took during this activity. Each student had a turn in the fish bowl, as an observer summating  the topics being discussed and as a coach to begin to consider the quality of the spoken word. It also shows the following parts of this technique


1. First half of the conversation last 5 minutes.

2. I share a tally chart of contributions. It must said that the successive groups grew increasingly aware of me doing this and lack of contribution became less of an issue by the third and final group.

3. The observers  then provide a positive summary of what has been said and then what was was missing. It is therefore useful to have content success criteria here. You might notice me having my two penneth here, and why not. I think this is right, I can listen and make detailed judgements of whats missing with real evidence, and teach to an audience of students who are interested in what I have to say, because it is currently relevant to them. It;s an example of "just in time " teaching.

4. The three students in each group meet, and the coaches start to provide feedback. I think/ hope that it is obvious they too have some structure to help them.

5. The second half then runs for 5 minutes and I am sure that the impact of observers and the coaches is evident. The conversation all were more detailed, had a more balanced approach by all students and quality (eg flow, use of connectives) improves.

The Headlands Project.

I do need to get better at curating student work, I am currently trying to catalogue alot of high quality exemplars. I've just found this one from last years Year 7 Headlands project and had to make a fuss over it. The quality is wonderful.

I'll do my best to organise the drafts.

The Headlands Project Rationale.
Cramlington is a town surrounded by agriculture. How is this managed to produce food and maintain a healthy environment. One method used by farmers is the use of “Conservation headlands”, which are field margins which are not sprayed with feriliser or pesticide. Students undertook an environmental survey, based on invertebrate diversity (using pitfall traps) to measure the environmental impact of these zones. Beneficial insects will identified and used to indicate the economic/ agricultural benefits of such areas.


Students will produce an ecological journal article to compile the findings, sharing this with our collaborators, such as local farmers, University farm managers and National Union of Farmer representatives.
The plan has been dissected here
Below is the work of a Year 7 student. ( 11-12 years old) , I think its beautiful.

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The Headlands Project


Over the past 25 years creatures associated with Agriculture have been in steep decline.

The problem mankind is facing is that as the population of the world explodes not enough food can be produced. So civilians are ploughing more fields which mean habitats for invertebrates and rare animals are being destroyed so the numbers decline. Studies have shown that many 91% of Great Partridges and 70% of Skylarks have been killed through the use of Pesticides and loss of habitat. Pesticides are a chemical that lessens plant harming invertebrates so that the crop isn’t destroyed or eaten. Fertilisers are a chemical that encourages crops to grow taller and richer and produce more. A possible solution to this is Agricultural Headlands. Headlands consist of a hedge, followed by a followed by a 4-6 metre strip. None of this is sprayed by either Pesticides of Fertilisers. The evidence collected by this study will show us if the possible solution is working because there will be more invertebrates in the headlands and more species in the headlands than there will be in the field. Invertebrates are important to Ecology and Food chains because the primary consumers in many chains are some species of invertebrates which shows that the species is prey for many other animals. Invertebrates are important to farming as predator invertebrate species will eat the creatures that devour the farmer’s crop.



The study site is an agricultural field surrounded by 6 metre headland, in East Cramlington (Grid Reference NZ 28055 75991). The study was carried out from the 14th of May to the 21st. The Abiotic Measurements are:

• Soil Ph: 6.5

• Soil Temp: 12.5 degrees

• Air Temp: 12.63333

• Lux: 1061

• Vegetation Height (cm): 57.66667

• Nitrate (mg/l): 10

• Phosphates (mg/l): 8.3333333



How to measure pitfall traps:

The pitfall traps are used to capture insects so that the specimens can be identified to the particular species. They are set on two transects covering the same distance so that patterns can be spotted in Species Richness and Abundance.

1. The contents of the pitfall trap are poured into a jar.

2. The date the substances are collected is written on the jar. So is the trap and transect number.

The Abiotic Factors

The abiotic factors were taken at each pitfall trap to see how the chemical and light levels are at each trap. Abiotic factors are non-living factors so they cannot be controlled, monitored them. The abiotic factors can affect what live where so they have to be monitored in case some invertebrate species take a drop in population.

Measuring Nitrate

1. A sample of soil is collected in a test tube.

2. The soil is then made into a solution by adding distilled water.

3. A nitrate indicator tablet is dropped in.

4. The solution is shook.

5. The distilled water will change colour according to the nitrate concentrations. This is checked against a Nitrate Indicator Chart.



Measuring Phosphate

1. A sample of soil is placed in a test tube.

2. The soil is then made into a solution by adding distilled water.

3. A phosphates indicator tablet is dropped in.

4. The solution is shook.

5. The distilled water will change colour according to the Phosphates concentrations. This is checked against a Phosphates Indicator Chart.



Measuring Air Temperature

1. A thermometer was held 10 centimetres above the ground.

2. When the thermometer stays steady on a temperature, not changing, take the temperature.



Measuring Soil Temperature

1. A thermometer is stuck into the ground.

2. It is left in the ground for one minute.

3. After one minute the temperature is taken and recorded.



Measuring light levels

1. A lux meter is held next to the ground.

2. When it gives a steady reading the temperature is recorded.



Measuring PH levels

1. A small sample of soil is placed in a test tube.

2. Distilled water is poured in.

3. A solution is made by shaking the soil and water.

4. Universal indicator is dropped in through a pipette.

5. When the solution changes colour it is compared to a Universal Indicator chart.

6. The results are recorded.



How the Invertebrates are identified

When identifying invertebrates it is best to use a white tray, because then it is clear and easy to see what is being looked at.

1. An invertebrate is chosen.

2. The identifier observes the shape of the legs, head and abdomen.

3. The identifier looks through an invertebrate book and tries to identify the specimen from its species.

4. The identifier will use many different resources to verify the species. This can include books or the internet.

Graph 1- Average Species Abundance

The pattern of the line on Graph 1, on average shows that the closer you get to the crop the population of the invertebrates decreases. The downwards direction of the line clearly indicates this.

The line strongly shows that Pitfall Number 1 (next to the hedge) collected an average of 15 invertebrates. Pitfall 7, (situated in the crop) averaged 28.4 invertebrates. This is a difference of 13.4 invertebrates.

The average of the Pitfalls in the Headlands (1-6) is 29.66 invertebrates collected but the average of the pitfall in the crop (7) is 28.4. The difference is 1.26 invertebrates. This is a strong difference because there are fewer invertebrates in the crop than there is in the headland. That clearly states that the closer you get to the crop the less abundance the wildlife possess’.

Graph 2 – Average Species Richness

The pattern of the line, on average shows that the closer you get to the crop the variety of the invertebrates decreases. The downwards direction of the line clearly indicates this.

The line strongly shows that Pitfall Number 1 (next to the hedge) collected an average of 7.6 invertebrates. Pitfall 7, (situated in the crop) averaged 5.8 invertebrates. This is a difference of 1.8 invertebrates.

The average of the Pitfalls in the Headlands (1-6) is 6.39 invertebrates collected but the average of the pitfall in the crop (7) is 5.8. The difference is 0.59 invertebrates. This is a strong difference because there are fewer invertebrates in the crop than there is in the headland. That clearly states that the closer you get to the crop the less variety the wildlife possess’.
Abiotic Data Value

Soil Ph 6.5

Soil Temp 12.5 degrees centigrade

Air temp 12.63 degrees centigrade

Lux 1061

Vegetation Height (cm) 57.66 cm

Nitrate (mg/l) 10 mg

Phosphates (mg/l) 8.3 mg



This graph shows the Abiotic factors averaged across the headlands. They are consistent and create a safe environment for wildlife to thrive in.

Overall the results indicate that an Agricultural Headland does help wildlife to survive because the average richness and abundance of the invertebrates caught in the pitfalls in the headland are higher than the average of the pitfall in the field. The headland is beneficial to the wildlife because prey invertebrate species such as Black ants (Lasius Niger) can thrive and breed to improve species numbers. This is also beneficial to predatory birds such as Barn Owls (Tyto Alba) which feed upon the birds that prey on ants, such as Skylarks (Alauda razae) and Great Partridges (Perdix Perdix).

Acknowledgements

We thank the Hartley Farm group and Mr Andrew Crewdson for allowing us to study the site. Without them we could not have carried out this study. So once again, thank you.