Understanding The Importance of Background Knowledge, Motivation and Engagement
Lesson 2: Understanding The Importance of Background Knowledge, Motivation and Engagement
Introduction
Being able to gauge our students' background knowledge can help teachers create lessons that are culturally relevant. Being able to use this knowledge to help foster a classroom where students are motivated and engaged with the material is paramount to creating an environment where students can learn effectively. This lesson will help you understand the importance of background knowledge and how you can use it to create lessons that help motivate and engage students.
This lesson will mark the beginning of the lesson creation process for you. You will pick a topic and also begin to plan for a lesson dealing with mindful engagement in a Social Studies classroom. You will be asked to write a short paper where you will provide a rationale for you lesson and tie it into a mindful engagement approach to learning.
Objectives
Objectives:
By completing this lesson, participants will be able to:
- Read the appropriate articles and participate in a discussion based on the student motivation and background knowledge.
- Understand how background knowledge can affect student motivation and engagement.
- After participating in an online discussion and reading the appropriate material, the learner will create a basic format for a lesson using mindful engagement in a Social Studies Classroom.
Readings
1) Building and Activating Students' Background Knowledge: It's What They Already Know That Counts by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and Diane Lapp.
This is a great article detailing the importance of background knowledge when considering objectives and activities for a given lesson. It is important to understand how this knowledge fosters critical thinking in the classroom. Pay attention to the the author(s) rationale and think about how you can apply this knowledge to your own practice.
2) Moving Beyond Readability: Considering Choice, Motivation and Learner Engagement by Pauline Moley, Patricia Bandre, and John George.
This Article will provide for you a better understanding of motivation and engagement in the classroom. Think about how background knowledge and and motivation are connected, and how they tie into the framework of mindful engagement.
Tasks
1) Read Articles Found Above
2) Discussion Activity
After reading the articles above, answer the following questions in an initial response:
- What are some effective ways to activate students' background knowledge in the classroom?
- What are some of the ways you have used these strategies in your own practice?
- What is the relationship between choice of text in a lesson and students' motivation? What are some of the ways to ensure our students' are motivated and engaged by the material we choose for them?
IMPORTANT:
- Make one initial post answering the questions
- Respond to at least two of your classmates initial post
- Comment to all students who post under your initial post.
3) Beginning Your Sample Lesson
Pick one of the texts from the list below and create a topic for your sample lesson. Write two paragraphs to discuss your rationale for the lesson and the text involved. Discuss how you can make the text appealing for your students. Make sure you read the checklist in the Assessments section of this lesson to ensure proper completion of the lesson.
1) Thomas Paine, Common Sense
2) Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence
3) Various, Articles of Confederation
4) Alexander Hamilton - John Jay - James Madison, The Federalist Papers
5) Various, The Anti-Federalist Papers
6) James Madison, United States Constitution
Assessments
1) See Discussion Rubric at the bottom of Lesson #1
2) Sample Lesson Requirements For Lesson #2
- Pick one book/work to focus on for your project.
- Write two paragraphs that detail the following:
- Rationale for the book/work you chose
- Describe the works historical significance
- Describe the real world application this book could have that will spark interest amongst your students.
More On Engagement and Motivation!
Article: How Do I Motivate My Students?
YouTube: Student Engagement and Motivation Strategies and Tips
Move on!
Move on to Lesson #3
or
Go back to Lesson #1.
References and Resources
1) Fisher, Douglas, Nancy Frey, and Diane Lapp. "Building and Activating Students' Background Knowledge: It's What They Already Know That Counts." Middle School Journal 43.3 (2012): 22-31.
2) Moley, Pauline, Patricia Bandre, and John George. "Moving Beyond Readability: Considering Choice, Motivation and Learner Engagement." Theory and Practice 50.3 (2011): 247-53.