SIOP Instructional Practices and Strategies
The unit is structured with the 8 principles of the SIOP model in mind. These principles include:
• Lesson Preparation
• Building Background
• Comprehensible Input
• Strategies
• Interaction
• Practice and Application
• Lesson Delivery
• Review and Assessment
The SIOP model begins with building background knowledge. Each activity in the webquest starts with encouraging students to activate background knowledge. For example Individual activity 1 asks students to fill out a KWL chart before, during, and after watching an introduction video to the oceans. This activating of background knowledge was also encouraged in team activities 3, 4, 5, and 6. Activity 3 introduces the topic of ocean currents through showing a clip from the pixar movie Finding Nemo. Most children have seen this video and will recognize the scene from the video that mentions the EAC. This helps students to connect what they will learn to what they remember seeing in the video about the turtles traveling on the East Australian Current. Activity 4 begins with asking students to think back to if they have ever been snorkeling. This opening tries to connect with students’ prior experiences with marine sea creatures. In activity 5, students create a wordle, compiling the information they know about global warming.
Another major component of the SIOP model is using comprehensible Input. This means delivering the information in a way that makes sense to students and scaffolds where necessary. This can be done through the use of graphic organizers, sharing with peers, paraphrasing to others, etc. Throughout the webquest, comprehensible Input is used. For example graphic organizers are used in Individual activities 1 and 3 as well as Team activity 4 with the animal adaptation wheel. Students are also encouraged to summarize and respond to specific questions in their science journals. This means that students are able to put information in their own words, converting it to comprehensible input. Also many of the questions throughout the webquest encourage students to share with their team members and discuss questions. All of the team activities are discussion based. Also individual activity 4 allows students to practice using science terms by interviewing family members about global warming.
Another large component of the SIOP model are the instructional strategies used. The model makes a clear distinction between instructional strategies and learning strategies. Learning strategies focus on the kinds of strategic thinking and cognitive processes in learning. The webquest focuses on teaching students to use four cognitive strategies and to become aware of their use of these strategies. These strategies include; making predictions, summarizing, using graphic organizers, and determining important information. Students in team activities 1, 2, and 3, are asked to make predictions before carrying out the creation of models. Students summarize what they learn in activities through writing in their science journals. Students use graphic organizers to highlight information and focus on facts. Finally students learn to highlight important information through reading various articles and answering comprehension questions in their science journals that ask students to pick out key ideas from the readings.
The final important aspect of the SIOP model is using authentic assessment. The students utilize authentic assessment through developing a “portfolio” of work in the form of their science journals. Students record information from each activity in their science journals and include any worksheets or activity quizzes in their journals. At the end of the unit students look back at their journals and use the information to create a final presentation to give to the science teachers at their school.
Modifications can be made to the unit for students with special needs. Writing responses in the science journals can be modified to allow students with IEPs or writing difficulties to write less and draw pictures or diagrams as a way to convey ideas instead. Also science journals could be clearly labeled for these students, with the activity and date at the top of each page labeled ahead of time before passing out the science journals to aide in student organization. For students with vision impairments, more audio clips could be found to as an alternative to science videos.
• Lesson Preparation
• Building Background
• Comprehensible Input
• Strategies
• Interaction
• Practice and Application
• Lesson Delivery
• Review and Assessment
The SIOP model begins with building background knowledge. Each activity in the webquest starts with encouraging students to activate background knowledge. For example Individual activity 1 asks students to fill out a KWL chart before, during, and after watching an introduction video to the oceans. This activating of background knowledge was also encouraged in team activities 3, 4, 5, and 6. Activity 3 introduces the topic of ocean currents through showing a clip from the pixar movie Finding Nemo. Most children have seen this video and will recognize the scene from the video that mentions the EAC. This helps students to connect what they will learn to what they remember seeing in the video about the turtles traveling on the East Australian Current. Activity 4 begins with asking students to think back to if they have ever been snorkeling. This opening tries to connect with students’ prior experiences with marine sea creatures. In activity 5, students create a wordle, compiling the information they know about global warming.
Another major component of the SIOP model is using comprehensible Input. This means delivering the information in a way that makes sense to students and scaffolds where necessary. This can be done through the use of graphic organizers, sharing with peers, paraphrasing to others, etc. Throughout the webquest, comprehensible Input is used. For example graphic organizers are used in Individual activities 1 and 3 as well as Team activity 4 with the animal adaptation wheel. Students are also encouraged to summarize and respond to specific questions in their science journals. This means that students are able to put information in their own words, converting it to comprehensible input. Also many of the questions throughout the webquest encourage students to share with their team members and discuss questions. All of the team activities are discussion based. Also individual activity 4 allows students to practice using science terms by interviewing family members about global warming.
Another large component of the SIOP model are the instructional strategies used. The model makes a clear distinction between instructional strategies and learning strategies. Learning strategies focus on the kinds of strategic thinking and cognitive processes in learning. The webquest focuses on teaching students to use four cognitive strategies and to become aware of their use of these strategies. These strategies include; making predictions, summarizing, using graphic organizers, and determining important information. Students in team activities 1, 2, and 3, are asked to make predictions before carrying out the creation of models. Students summarize what they learn in activities through writing in their science journals. Students use graphic organizers to highlight information and focus on facts. Finally students learn to highlight important information through reading various articles and answering comprehension questions in their science journals that ask students to pick out key ideas from the readings.
The final important aspect of the SIOP model is using authentic assessment. The students utilize authentic assessment through developing a “portfolio” of work in the form of their science journals. Students record information from each activity in their science journals and include any worksheets or activity quizzes in their journals. At the end of the unit students look back at their journals and use the information to create a final presentation to give to the science teachers at their school.
Modifications can be made to the unit for students with special needs. Writing responses in the science journals can be modified to allow students with IEPs or writing difficulties to write less and draw pictures or diagrams as a way to convey ideas instead. Also science journals could be clearly labeled for these students, with the activity and date at the top of each page labeled ahead of time before passing out the science journals to aide in student organization. For students with vision impairments, more audio clips could be found to as an alternative to science videos.