Creating Absorb Activities

Creating an Absorb Activity

Absorb activities enable learners to obtain information through reading, listening, and watching (Horton, 2012). For the learners to succeed, the information shared must be formulated in an age and developmentally appropriate manner. Students find success in learning when they are engaged and involved in the learning process. The students learn through presentations, readings, filed trips and stories by the teacher. All lesson planning occurs with the preliminary absorb activities when the teacher ask: what do I want the students to learn?

 

ABSORB ACTIVITIES: LIFE CYCLE OF BUTTERFLIES

Learning objectives:

 

•           Learners will be able to define new vocabulary.

•           Learners will create connections from relevant prior

            knowledge to new concepts.

•           Learners will represent and compare data collected.

•           Learners will be able to identify life cycle of butterflies.

 

Readings

A variety of textual resources are available including: text books, story books, online and printed formats of journals/publications/books/magazines, manuals, and blogs. Reading activities directs learners to well researched, organized and written format to gain important information (Horton, 2012). When selected reading materials to be used the teacher should know the children’s reading and comprehension levels.

Read/Listen:

 

 

 



The Very Hungry Caterpillar by: Eric Carle

 

 

From Caterpillar to Butterfly by: Deborah Helligman

 

 

Clara Caterpillar by: Pamela Duncan Edwards

 

Presentations

Many formats can be used to share instructional information in person or by sharing and viewing on the internet. The format can use a face to face representation or demonstration or the use of various web 2.0 tools. Some of those include: discussions, physical demonstrations, informational files, dramas and slide shows. PowerPoint’s used have a clear and well organized logical sequence (Horton, 2012).

 

Watch/Listen:

Butterfly Life Cycle (metamorphosis) song retrieved from:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YVqHnw0W-Q

Life cycle of a butterfly whiteboard animation retrieved from:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6R5cn3DQ_o

 

Stories by the Teacher

 

Story telling creates a bridge from experiences to content learned. The leaner is able to form their own connections to their personal experiences. The stories give concrete instances of subject matter, humanize subjects by providing effects relevant to the learners, encourages and motivates a learner to overcome difficulties (Horton, 2012).

Listen:

Teacher will introduce the unit and provide the children with new information to connect with their prior knowledge. The introduction will include the vocabulary words and definitions. The teacher will explain that all living creatures grow through life cycles. Students will learn butterflies are insects and the parts of the butterfly including their characteristics and key components that make them an insect.

 

Field Trips

 

Field trips allow for extensions to learning where the learner is able to make concrete connections to classroom information and applied knowledge. They provide concrete examples, orient learners with new environments or and encourage discovery (Horton, 2012). With the use of technology field trips are not limited to the immediate area or fiscal budget of the school. Virtual tours are available with many free of charge through websites. The learners can discover the world from greatest reaches’ of the earth from the comfort and safety of their classroom or home.

Watch:

Field trip opportunities in Charlotte, NC:

>>>click the location names to be redirected to their websites<<<

Charlotte Nature Museum: visit the butterfly pavilion

1658 Sterling Road Charlotte, NC 28209 (704) 337-2671

Discovery Place: Flight of the butterflies IMAX movie

301 N. Tryon Street Charlotte, NC 28202 (704) 372-6261

Wing Haven Gardens: explore nature first hand exploring these gardens

248 Ridgewood Avenue Charlotte, NC 28209 (704) 331-0664

 

Field trip opportunities in surrounding areas:

>>>click the location names to be redirected to their websites<<<

All a Flutter-Butterfly Farm

7850 B. Clinard Farms Road High Point NC (336) 454-5651

Museum of Life and Science: Magic Butterfly House

433 West Murray Avenue Durham, NC 27704 (919) 220-5429

 

Needs Assessment:

What do the learners know?

All learners present should have encountered caterpillars and butterflies. The learners have relevant background knowledge of living and non-living things.

What do I want the learners to know?

The life cycle of a butterfly, key vocabulary, sequencing, parts of a butterfly, identify and explain the stages of growth.

What are you trying to measure, determine, and define?

How background information is present in discussion. Are the learners making connections from prior knowledge to new experiences? Evaluate the most effective learning tool for the children: lectures, songs, demonstrations, or field trips for further activities.

How will you collect and record information?

Charting and recording the children’s responses to discussions.

Are all interested groups included in planning and continuing the needs assessment?

The teacher will be conducting the planning and assessment of all activities. The continuation of activities will be determined by the children’s participation and overall enthusiasm to activities.

 

 

 References: Horton, W. (2012). E-Learning by design (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Wiley.