EDU 542 General Lesson Plan Template/Rubric

Honorio Gonzalez- Lesson Plan #3

Pros and Cons of Space Exploration

Socratic Seminar Model
The Socratic Seminar Model- pgs. 380-415
8th grade- Science
1. MATERIALS/PREPLANNING
Materials IPads or tablets, smart board, pencils and papers, YouTube videos
Vocabulary Space exploration, financing, solar system, planetoids
Literature The Socratic Seminar model is an instructional model that uses structured
questioning with debate or dialogue to promote learners development of critical-thinking
skills and exploration of ideas (Kilbane and Milman, 2014, p. 383).
1. OBJECTIVE
The students will discuss the pros and cons of space exploration by reading different
articles presenting each side of the space exploration debate and then discuss with each
other the different points related with scientific progress (Kilbane and Milman, p. 384).
State the Cognitive Taxonomy and/(Affective/ Psychomotor) Level The level is that of
Synthesis and Evaluation.
List the standards met by this objective- It helps integrate quantitative or technical
information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed
visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table). It helps to distinguish
among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text. It
helps to compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations,
video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.
2. ASSESSMENT
Key question: Will the students be able thoroughly discussed the pros and cons of space
exploration without choosing a side before the end of the discussion and what side will
they choose at the end of the discussion and why?
The students will be able to thoroughly engage in a conversation discussing the pros
and cons of space exploration. They will choose a side of the debate they think suits
their belief on the subject. They will also be able to discussing the financing of space
exploration and how discoveries of planetoids in the solar system further impact future
space exploration.
I would assess the students in the lesson by looking at how they shared ideas on the
pros and cons of space exploration between each other in their discussions. I would also
asses them on how they discussed the financing of space exploration and the impact of
new planetoid discoveries in the solar system impacted the funding of future space
exploration. I would also test the students by asking them what they discussed and
learned in their discussions and also by having them write down in a paragraph or two
everything they told me. I would also assess the students using a grading rubric that
would lay out the grading guidelines for students performances in the lesson.
My method of assessment would be both formal and informal. It would be informal
because I would ask the students to share with me everything they discussed in their
discussion on the pros and cons of space exploration and where they stood in the
subject at the end of their discussions. It would also be formal because I would then
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have them write down in one to two paragraphs everything that they had shared with me
orally.
The assessment links with model because it helps the students to collaborate coconstruct their knowledge of the subject along with the help of the teacher. It also helps
the teacher guide the students toward a more complete understanding by having them
collaborate with each other. This assessment also helps the students understand the
complex and diverse debate on the pros and cons of future space exploration on a level
that makes them ore interested on the subject.
Below is a link to the rubrics that I would use:
http://schools.bvsd.org/p12/boulder/faculty/carroll2/Shared%20Documents/AVID/Socratic
%20Seminar/Soc%20Sem%20observation%20assessment%20tools%5B1%5D.pdf
https://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/stw/edutopia-kipp-criticalthinking-lessonplansrubricrubric-socraticseminar.pdf

4. LESSON OPENING/PURPOSE
The students will benefit from this lesson because they will know they will know the pros
and cons of space exploration and the reasons for why or why not it is important to
continue it. The students will also know how the financing of current and future space
exploration missions work and their impact in scientific discoveries in space. The
students will also know and discuss how current space exploration has led to the
discovery of planetoids in our solar system and how they gave impacted our knowledge
of the solar system. The students will then be able to decide at the end of the dialogue on
whether or not they support future space exploration.
I am spending time on this lesson because it is important for the students to know how
space exploration will affect the future of further scientific discovery in space for the
human race. The students would also need to know and discuss the current politics and
financing of space exploration and how it will further affect any future space exploration
missions. The students would also need to know how all of current knowledge of space
has been made in the last century and how it has impacted our perception of future
space exploration. This would foster in the students the curiosity to learn more on space
exploration and would motivate them to learn more on this subject on their own there by
expanding their academic knowledge of the universe and space exploration.
5. MOTIVATION FOR LEARNING
The type of motivation that is being used in the lesson is a mix of both intrinsic and
extrinsic motivation. It is intrinsic because it challenges the students to think deeply on
the pros and cons of space exploration and get the students to come up with ideas to
share with fellow students on the topic. It also helps the students to develop their own
opinion on the topic of space exploration while sharing ideas with fellow students on this
subject. It is extrinsic because it requires the students to share ideas with each other in
order for the discussion to continue. It also requires them to share with the teacher
everything that they discussed in their dialogue and then requires them to write it down
as proof of their learning. The students also their use their tablets to look at articles and
videos discussing the pros can cons of space exploration.
I will try to make this lesson as interactive and fun as possible in order to foster the
students interests in the class activity that I would have them do with each other. I would
have the students engage in dialogue about their ideas of space in general and then have
discuss the pros and cons of space exploration. I would then show the students articles
and videos on their tablets and on the Smart board on the topic of space exploration. I
would then have the students discuss what they liked about the subject of space
exploration and whether they would like to visit space if given the chance. This would all
encourage the students to find out more on the topic of space exploration and the
universe and expand their horizons on learning.
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6. LESSON BODY
Follow the steps provided in the text for the general lesson format. These first steps are
found in most all models.
Adjust this format to match the exact teaching model you are preparing according to the
model description provided in the text. Clarity is the key.
Step 1

The Socratic Seminar model is a powerful learning tool for many reasons. It
provides both a structure and a purpose for students analysis of content-based
materials and an authentic accountability measure (Kilbane and Milman, 2014, p.
383). This would allow the students to share with each other in dialogue their
ideas on the space exploration. It also allows me to ask them what they learned in
their discussions and then allow me to write it down so that I can grade them on
their student performances.

Step 2

Students today you will learn about the pros and cons of space exploration and
why it has become an important topic among many people today. You will also
learn how space exploration had affected scientific discoveries of space in the
last century and how it has shaped our current understanding of the universe. You
will also learn about the current and future financing and funding of space
exploration and how it will affect future space missions. You will also learn about
how current and future space explorations missions our being planned and how
they will affect our colonization of the moon and mars in the fifty years.

Step 3

- I would begin by asking the students to gather in groups and then telling them
the goals for their participation in the discussions. The guidelines for the
discussion would then be told to them in order for them to begin their
discussions.
- I would then ask them to discuss the pros and cons of space exploration. The
students would then begin to answer questions that I had previously asked them
concerning the pros and cons of space exploration. They would also share with
each other ideas that they had concerning space exploration and its pros and
cons. I would also continuously check on each group to make sure they stayed on
task in their group discussions and asking quick questions on what they were
discussing.
- I would then ask the students to share with me everything that they had
discussed in their dialogue with each other on space exploration.
- I would the grade and evaluate the students on everything they has shared with
themselves in their discussions and with me by having them write down and
reflect on everything they had learned.
- This would also allow me to grade their student performances in the class
activity as a whole after everything was done.

Step 4

Guide Practice, Assess Performance, and Provide Corrective Feedback

Questioning What did you learn about the pros and cons of space
exploration during these discussions?
How have these discussions challenged the understanding of space
exploration you held before the start of this lesson?
What can you do with everything you have learned about the topic of space
exploration?
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Step 5
-

Step 6

How has everything you have learned in these discussions change your
understanding on the topic of space exploration and future space
missions?
What opinions have you develop on the subject of future space
explorations a result of these discussions?
Correcting Errors- I will use the grading rubric to test the students
academic knowledge on the subject of space exploration and also to grade
their individual performance in the group discussion.

Assign Independent Practices, Assess Performance, and Provide Corrective

Feedback
I will hand back the graded sheets that the students wrote their discussion points on
to let the students know their student performance grades and give them an
encouraging remark that I will always be their to help them. I would also tell individual
students on how they did on their group discussion review of the class activity.
Review Periodically Build in review of lesson in future lessons
- I would then at a later date test the students on the discussion points of the
space exploration dialogue to see if they retained the knowledge of what
they had discussed among themselves. I will also give the students
information on space exploration missions and how they have impacted
our knowledge of the universe in recent years.

7. Student Work Examples/Technology Support

http://schools.bvsd.org/p12/boulder/faculty/carroll2/Shared
%20Documents/AVID/Socratic%20Seminar/Soc%20Sem%20observation
%20assessment%20tools%5B1%5D.pdf
https://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/stw/edutopia-kipp-criticalthinking-lessonplansrubricrubric-socraticseminar.pdf
http://apecsec.org/pros-and-cons-of-space-exploration/
https://sites.google.com/site/gettingintospacetoday/231
http://caro1120.hubpages.com/hub/Space-Exploration-Advantages-vs-Disadvantages
http://demo.alphawpthemes.com/source/pros-and-cons-of-space-exploration/
http://debate.yukozimo.com/pros-and-cons-of-space-exploration/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3TnwakYzxw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZBjrwqxfnk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCULGeWtoLI
8. Reflective Thinking/Curriculum Evaluation _50 Points____
Reflection is a very important part of each lesson. Please take the time to thoughtfully
prepare your reflections. Follow the format provided below. Carefully edited and thorough
writing is expected.
SLOs- Candidates earning a master of science in education will be scholar practitioners who in the context of the Christian
worldview:
1. Demonstrate advanced understanding of the trends, issues, and research associated with education in general and with their
respective specialization.
2. Evaluate and conduct research to improve instructional practices and institutional cultures.
3. Employ leadership practices to optimize educational and institutional outcomes.
4. Articulate worldview and perspectives for enhancing student learning.
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Reflective Statement for: Socratic Seminar Model

SLO 3- Employ leadership practices to optimize educational and institutional outcomes.

Relevance: Why is this assignment relevant to demonstrating your competence with this SLO?

This assignment is relevant because it helps me put into practice everything I have learned on
preparing to teach students and also on how to prepare lesson plan that will benefit the
educational goals of the students. The Socratic Seminar Model allows the participants to
collaborate with each other and build on what they have all constructed together in the discussion.
It also allows the teacher to become a co-participant in the learning and guide the students to
different interpretations of knowledge that they may discuss in the group dialogue. It allows the
teacher to facilitate the learning of the students by have the students become an active thinker and
explainer. In this manner, the students are allowed to interpret and choose an interpretation they
believe suits their belief the best. They choose from among the many interpretations that the
teacher presented to them thereby allowing the students to choose and construct their own
knowledge based on the interpretation they chose from among the many presented to them by the
teacher. Therefore, this model is relevant because it helps me to optimize and maximize the
educational learning that the students can engage in and participate in. By having the students
engage each other on a given subject, the students are able to become active thinkers and are coconstructing their knowledge thereby maximizing class participation and giving the students the
chance optimize their educational learning to its fullest potential. Therefore, this model is helping
me employ a leadership practice that will help to optimize the educational learning of the students
and thereby meeting the educational goals the school and myself may have set for them. Thus, I
am able to optimize the educational and institutional outcomes to their fullest potential with this
model.
Significance - Why is competence with this artifact significant for a professional educator? Using
careful analysis and evaluative thought:

Competence with this model is necessary because it helps the students reach levels of deeper
learning when they are engaging each other in dialogue on any given subject. While the students
are engaged in dialogue for example on the pros and cons of space exploration they will be able
to discuss the complex and diverse reasons for why space exploration is an important subject for
those in the scientific and business community. The students will be able to discuss the politics
and financing of space exploration and how it makes current space exploration possible. The
students will be able to identify the trends behind space exploration and when space exploration
becomes a space race like the those during the 1960s. They will be able to identify the patterns
on how every few years the topic of space exploration becomes a national topic and how it spurs
rapid funding and development of space exploration technologies. The students will also identify
the ethical considerations of how in the future companies or goverments will try to claim
sovereignty over certain parts of space and how this will impact further space exploration.
Finally, the students will be able to look at the future of space exploration and how different
people will look at it. A historian, economist, and futurist will all have different views on how
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space exploration will affect the human race and the students will be able to understand why all
this views matter and how they will help further space exploration for years to come. When
teaching English Language Learners (ELL) with this model the methods and results may be
similar to that of regular students. With ELL students I will be able to have the students engage
in dialogue discussing a certain English word or phrase that they may not understand. It will help
them become active thinkers and construct their own knowledge and interpretation on what they
believe the word or phrase really means through which they will be able to advance their
understanding of English. Thus, competence with this model will allow to become a professional
educator by helping me to guide the students in co-constructing their own knowledge and
interpretations and becoming active thinkers which will benefit them in their future educational
goals by helping them put into practice everything they have learned while being taught under
this model.
Link to Theory - How is this artifact supported by a competent research base?

A competent research base supports this model because it falls under the umbrella of the
Constructivist theory. This lesson supports the Constructivist theory because it helps the students
enter into a dialogue with each other on any given subject. Under this lesson the teacher guides
the students into a dialogue on any subject and explains the goals for the student participation
before the start of the dialogue. The guidelines for the dialogue are then given and then the
students begin to discuss the topic that they have been given to them by the teacher. After the
teacher explains the topic of discussion the students will answer various questions related to the
topic the teacher gave them. They will share ideas with each other in order to arrive at answers
that will respond to the questions presented to them. The teacher will also be able to assess
student performance in this class activity by asking question to individual groups that will
require the students to further discuss ideas through which they will deepen their learning of the
dialogue. The teacher will then ask the students to review the main points that were discussed in
the dialogue and simultaneously evaluate the students performance in the discussions by asking
them to write and reflect on the main points that they had just told the teacher. This all falls under
the Constructivist view that the teacher is a co-participant in the educational learning of the
students who task is to guide the students in their learning. However, they will only present
various interpretations and its up to the students to collaborate with each other and co-construct
their knowledge in a group in order to be able to choose an interpretation they believe fits the
knowledge base they have constructed with each other. Additionally, this also fits into the Big
Idea that learners benefit from hearing or reading the ideas of others. Since the learners are ingroup dialogue with each other they are able to shares ideas and thereby co-construct knowledge
that will lead them to choose an interpretation that suits their knowledge base in any given topic.
Thus, the learners are able to expand their knowledge base when in dialogue with each other and
benefit from hearing each others ideas on whatever the dialogue may be about.
Resources/Technology- What technology did you select to support this lesson? Include interactive
applications and videos any/all technology suitable.

The technology that I used were videos from YouTube and tablets since these would be
the most helpful in an English Language Learning and Science class. These technology
items benefited me the most based on the lesson I would be present the class with.
Professional Actions/Areas for growth - What are your next professional steps in this area to keep
moving forward as a professional?
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The next steps that I would take in order to keep moving forward as a professional would be to
use some one the teaching methods provided by the Socratic Seminar Model. I can use parts of
this model to help students become deeper and more active thinkers. In this manner when they are
in class they will be able to engage each other in dialogue and co-construct their knowledge on
whatever may be the class activity that day thereby helping them choose an answer that will help
them with the class activity of the day. I will also pride more students with the opportunity to
share the main points of their dialogue through which their learning of the subject will be
reinforced and sustained in the students knowledge base. I will also have to read on the many
other teaching models that fall under the Constructivist viewpoint in order so that I am able to
implement my leadership practices in order maximize and better optimize the educational and
instructional goals and outcomes that have been set for the students in the classroom. However,
learning other models from other theories will also help me to accomplish because I will be able
to take the best from each model and theory and add it to my own educational repertoire which
will help me to grow and learn as both as a teacher and as a working professional educator.