Planning High School-Level Mini-Lessons
Cliches usually contain an element of truth. There is always a first time. Everyone starts as a
beginner. No one improves without practice. While you try to figure out what will work and to
develop your own particular classroom style, it is helpful to build lessons up from their
component parts and practice presenting mini-lessons either for colleagues in secondary
education classes or for small groups of students. Essentially, a mini-lesson is a piece of a lesson,
usually consisting of only one activity. Working on one part of a lesson, a particular idea,
teaching skill, or approach, allows you to focus in on an area you need to strengthen or
something you want to experiment with. However, even though you will be designing and
teaching only a part of a lesson, you need to keep in mind a vision of the lesson as a whole and
where this piece fits in. As you prepare, a mini-lesson the following are some things you need to
continually consider:
•
Who are my students (both socially and academically)?
•
What are my goals (short-term goals for this activity and lesson and long-term goals for
an entire unit and curriculum)?
•
What are my strategies to help this particular group of students achieve these short-term
and long-term goals?
•
What materials do I have available?
•
How will I assess the success of my strategies in achieving my goals?
SUBJECT: Science/Physics
GRADE: High School, 11 or 12
LESSON AIM: Can “something” be both “mass” and “energy”?
CONCEPT(S): Change of state, complexity, multiple perspectives,
physical properties of matter.
MATERIALS: Hot plate, beaker, water and ice; headline on overhead projector.
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY:
A) Project headline: “Room in the Universe for Ancient Beliefs and Modern Physics.” Explain
that the article claims that traditional Buddhist philosophy makes it easier for Japanese scientists
to understand complicated physical principles such as duality and transformation. Can someone
© Taylor & Francis 2013
give me an example of something that is a duality? What makes something a duality? How do
things transform?
B) Boil water. Insert ice cube. What happens to the ice? the water? Which is really “water”—
solid, liquid, or gas?
TRANSITION: Why does water appear to have three very different forms? Can anyone suggest
other examples of physical dualities and transformations? Can anyone suggest other simple
experiments that demonstrate duality and transformation?
ASSESSMENT: Was I comfortable and fluid in front of the class? Was I able to respond to
student questions? Did the depth and breadth of student participation in discussion demonstrate
interest in and understanding of the subject matter?
“Room in the Universe for Ancient Beliefs and Modern Physics” by Malcolm W. Brown (The
New York Times, June 9, 1998, F.4)
Hilda Village, Japan, June 7—Everywhere in this restored 17th century village, old wayside
shrines remind visitors of the belief that Buddha could assume several manifestations, each
representing one of the deep tenets of Buddhist teaching.
Barely a mile away from the old wood houses of this village is the modern provincial town of
Takayama, where trailblazing physics is coming to light at an international conference on
neutrino particles.
Despite the contrast between the carefully tended icons of Hilda (which bespeaks ancient
religious mysticism) and the research that has been unveiled nearby during the past week, many
Asian scientists view the two worlds as complimentary rather than conflicting.
“We say that the Buddhist tradition makes it easier for us to grasp the dualities and
transformations of particle physics,” said one of the Japanese scientists here, who spoke on the
condition he not be identified.
“For example, the duality of particles and waves manifested in all the ingredients of matter
has long been known, but although everyone accepts this duality intellectually, the idea may be
hard to feel in your heart unless you are Asian,” he said.
The announcement last Friday that a coalition of Japanese and American scientists had found
strong evidence that neutrinos undergo transformation from one type to another (and therefore
have mass) also evokes comparisons with Buddhist traditions.
© Taylor & Francis 2013
SUBJECT: Introductory Italian
GRADE: High School, 9 (developed by Maria Tartaro Musacchia)
LESSON AIM: Che tempo fa? (What is the weather like?)
CONCEPT(S): II Tempo (weather); useful vocabulary; oral expression.
MATERIALS: Vocabulary sheet, flashcards, cotton balls, spray bottle, sunglasses, scarf and
gloves, hand fan, stickers.
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY:
A) Model weather expressions while using cotton balls (as snow), spray bottle, sunglasses, scarf
and gloves, and hand fan for dramatic effect.
B) Ask students, “Che tempo fa?” Hold up visual flash cards and ask volunteers to identify the
weather in Italian. Go through the cards again and call on nonvolunteers. Sprinkle students with
cotton balls to simulate snow. Spray with water to simulate rain. Put on sunglasses to act out a
sunny day and gloves and scarf when it is cold. Flicker classroom lights for lightning and bang
on a desk for thunder.
C) Students are given a vocabulary sheet with weather expressions. Working individually, they
have three minutes to identify as many expressions as they can. Next, they share their answers
with a partner.
TRANSITION: Repeat until every student is able to identify the weather in Italian and to
pronounce words correctly
ASSESSMENT: Was I comfortable and fluid in front of the class? Was I able to respond to
student questions? Did the depth and breadth of student participation in discussion demonstrate
interest in and understanding of the subject matter?
SUBJECT: English/Shakespeare
GRADE: High School, 10 or 11
LESSON AIM: Why does Shakespeare have a witches’ chorus in Macbeth?
CONCEPT(S): Dramatic structure (scenes), complexity, multiple perspectives, narrative.
MATERIALS: Handout (or overhead projection) of an excerpt from Macbeth.
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY:
A) Students read handout on Macbeth and answer questions. What is the setting? Who are
Graymalkin and Paddock?
B) Volunteers act out scene.
© Taylor & Francis 2013
C) Do you believe in witches? Why? Why not?
TRANSITION: In your opinion, what do the following lines mean: “When the battle’s lost and
won” and “Fair is foul, and foul is fair”? Why does Shakespeare have the witches’ chorus recite
these lines?
ASSESSMENT: Was I comfortable and fluid in front of the class? Was I able to respond to
student questions? Did the depth and breadth of student participation in discussion demonstrate
interest in and understanding of the subject matter?
ACTIVITY SHEET: Why does Shakespeare have a witches’ chorus in Macbeth?
DO NOW: Read the opening scene from Macbeth and answer questions 1–3.
1. What is the setting for the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare?
2. Who are Graymalkin and Paddock?
3. In your opinion, what do the following lines mean?
a. “When the battle’s lost and won.”
b. “Fair is foul, and foul is fair”
Scene I. Scotland. An open place.
Thunder and lightening. Enter three witches.
Witch 1—When shall we three meet again, In thunder, lightening or in rain?
Witch 2—When the hurlyburly’s done, When the battle’s lost and won.
Witch 3—That will be ere the set of sun.
Witch 1—Where the place?
Witch 2—Upon the heath.
Witch 3—There to meet with Macbeth.
Witch 1—I come, Graymalkin!
Witch 2—Paddock calls.
Witch 3—Anon!
All—Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air.
SUBJECT: Math/Algebra
GRADE: High School, 9
LESSON AIM: What is Algebra?
CONCEPT(S): Algebra, unknown, and balance and equality.
MATERIAL: Balance scale.
© Taylor & Francis 2013
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY:
A) Students should attempt to solve the following equations (from the board):
a. 7+8=X
X=
b. 10+5=X X=
c. 21-6=X
X=
d. 27-12=X X=
B) Examine a balance scale. How does it work?
C) What does the equal sign mean in math? In arithmetic, where do we usually place the
“balance scale”?
TRANSITION: In algebra, we move the unknown. (10+5=7+X
X= )
What do we have to do to maintain balance?
ASSESSMENT: Was I comfortable and fluid in front of the class? Was I able to respond to
student questions? Did the depth and breadth of student participation in discussion demonstrate
interest in and understanding of the subject matter?
SUBJECT: Social Studies/Global History
GRADE: High School, 9 or 10
LESSON AIM: Can violent revolutions improve the world?
CONCEPT(S): Revolution, complexity, multiple perspectives, impact of revolution on people
and society.
MATERIALS: Recording of Bob Marley and the Wailers, “Get Up, Stand Up,” and The Beatles,
“Revolution.”
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY:
A) Explain that today we are going to examine the debate between two famous philosophers
about the value of violent revolutions. I am going to play statements by them and then we will
discuss their ideas.
B) Listen to songs by Bob Marley and the Wailers, “Get Up, Stand Up,” and John Lennon and
The Beatles, “Revolution.”
C) What are they saying about revolution? Whose philosophy comes closer to your views? Why?
TRANSITION: What criteria should historians use to evaluate whether violent revolutions
improve the world?
© Taylor & Francis 2013
ASSESSMENT: Was I comfortable and fluid in front of the class? Was I able to respond to
student questions? Did the depth and breadth of student participation in discussion demonstrate
interest in and understanding of the subject matter?
SUBJECT: Music (developed by Dean Bacigalupo)
GRADE: Middle School or High School
LESSON AIM: What is the message in this music?
CONCEPT(S): Musical imagery, content, context.
MATERIALS: Recording of a sample piece of music.
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY:
A) Explain that we are going to listen to sample piece of music. Our goals are to learn how to
listen carefully, how to describe what we hear, and how to discover the ways that music makes
us feel and stimulates us to think.
B) Listen to a sample piece of music.
C) Describe the musical content (speed, volume, voices, or instruments). Who do you imagine is
listening to this piece of music? Why? Where and when do you think it is being played? Explain.
TRANSITION: How does the music make you feel? What does it make you think? How do the
composer and musicians use the music to present a message?
ASSESSMENT: Was I comfortable and fluid in front of the class? Was I able to respond to
student questions? Did the depth and breadth of student participation in discussion demonstrate
interest in and understanding of the subject matter?
© Taylor & Francis 2013