NAL
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Tied to known and researched learning styles and teaching styles
Can be adapted to be used in all subjects and grade levels
Built around a visual organizer
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The pattern: 1) present information (roughly 5 minute chunk)
2) pause and use structured questions that appeal to
different learning styles to help process
3) present more information (roughly 5 minute chunk)
4) pause for another processing session
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At the end students are given a summative activity to bring it all together
NAL
Note that the questions throughout the lecture correspond to the
learning styles each of the questions appeals to:
Mastery—questions which require remembering
Understanding— questions which require reasoning
Interpersonal—questions which require relating to the topic
personally
Self-expressive—questions which require reorganization of
information
Let’s see an example!
FROGS AND TOADS
Hook
Think about what you know about classifying. How do we do it? Who can do it? What
might we classify? Talk with a partner then share with the group.
Bridge
Good! You already know a lot about classifying! Let’s build on what you know!
Visual organizer
Let’s use a Venn diagram to figure out the similarities and differences between frogs
and toads.
Frogs
Toads
FROGS
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Members of the family Ranidae, containing more than 400 species.
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These frogs have the characteristics of:
two bulging eyes
strong, long, webbed hind feet that are adapted for leaping and swimming
smooth or slimy skin (generally, frogs tend to like moister environments)
tend to lay eggs in clusters
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Can be found on every continent except Antarctica. They are referred to as the
"true frogs" because of their generalized body form and life history: the so-called
generic frog.
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Members of this family include the bullfrog, common frog, green frog, leopard
frog, marsh frog, pickerel frog, and wood frog.
PAUSE
Fill in Venn diagram for frogs
Mastery
What are the characteristics of frogs?
Understanding
Hypothesize 1) why frogs have smooth or slimy skin
2) why frogs tend to lay eggs in clusters
TOADS
Did you know that all Toads actually are Frogs!
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Members of the family Bufonidae, containing more than 300 species.
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These types of frogs have are characterized by:
stubby bodies with short hind legs (for walking instead of hopping)
warty and dry skin (usually preferring dryer climates)
paratoid (or poison) glands behind the eyes
tend to lay eggs in long chains.
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Can be found worldwide except in Australasia, polar regions, Madagascar, and
Polynesia
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The family includes 25 genera, all of which, like the frogs, are of the class order
anura
PAUSE
Fill in Venn diagram for toads
Interpersonal
How would you feel if you found a toad outside today? Do you like frogs or toads
better? Why?
Self-Expressive
Create a short poem about the characteristics of a toad
SYNTHESIS
Sometimes the features of frogs and toads appear mixed or less obvious, and certain
species even legitimately fall into both categories. It is not uncommon, for
example, to find a warty skinned frog that isn't a toad, or even a slimy toad!
Fill in Venn diagram for similarities between frogs and toads. Erase differences if
necessary.
Write a paragraph to tell what you know about frogs and toads.
NAL BRAINSTORM
How can you use this in your classroom?
RESOURCES
Dorota. (2006). Frogs and toads. Retrieved from:
http://allaboutfrogs.org/weird/general/frogtoad.html
Silver, H.F. Strong, R.W. & Perini, M.J. (2007). The strategic teacher:
Selecting the right researched-based strategy for every lesson.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD.