Learning Outcomes | Teaching and Learning | Assessment and Evaluation | Printing Version
| Title: | Volcanoes | ||
| Writers: | Sylvia Insley and Don Benn | ||
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| Overview | This unit is written for secondary English language learners to develop the skill of explaining as a scaffold to NZ Curriculum science learning area achievement objectives. It focuses on building topic-specific vocabulary through listening and speaking. | ||
Learning Outcomes(What do my students need to learn?) |
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| What are my students’ current strengths and learning needs? Use previous assessments (e.g. vocabulary levels tests, ESOL unit standards, oral language assessments) alongside The English Language Learning Progressions (ELLP) oral language matrix to establish the level at which students are working and their current strengths and needs. The unit includes activities designed to ascertain what learners already know about the topic. Tasks in the Science Assessment Resource Bank (ARB) could also be used for this purpose. |
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| Curriculum Links | Assessment Links | ||
| Learning area: English (ESOL) | Summative assessment: Students explain how a volcano works using a cross-section model Students could be assessed formatively or summatively using the following ESOL unit standards: Unit standard 27991: Participate in simple spoken exchanges on personal and familiar topics (expired) Unit standard 28022: Demonstrate understanding of simple spoken information on familiar topics (expired) Unit standard 28052: Demonstrate understanding of detailed spoken instructions (expired) |
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| Focus: Oral language | |||
| English: Listening and Speaking AO L4: Purposes and audiences Show an increasing understanding of how to shape text for different purposes and audiences. Language features Uses a range of language features appropriately, showing an increasing understanding of their effects |
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| English Language Learning Progressions: Students will be working at ELLP stage 2, towards stage 3. |
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| English Language Intensive Programme: The language features and text complexity focused on relate most closely to ELIP stage 2. |
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| Learning area achievement objectives: Science: Planet Earth and Beyond AO L5: Investigate the composition, structure, and features of the geosphere. |
Students could be formatively assessed for formatively using the following science ARB tasks related to volcanoes and volcanic eruptions: PE 8009 (L3) Completing a diagram of a volcano PE 8027 (L3) Observing the stages of a volcanic eruption PE 7564 (L5) Describing aspects of a volcanic eruption PE 8520 (L5) Describing signs and geological events linked to volcanic eruptions PE 8528 (L5) Explaining ash fall depths and related problems Summative assessment: Students explain how a volcano works using a cross-section model |
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| Key Competencies: all five with particular emphasis on: Using language, symbols and text: to interpret and use specialised words to access and communicate scientific explanations Thinking: to develop understanding, construct knowledge and reflect on their own learning |
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| Specific Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to:
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| Language learning outcomes | |||
| Key vocabulary: ash, a cone, to cool, the core, a crater, crystals, the earth's crust, to erupt, lava, magma, magma chamber, the mantle, molten, rocks, vent, volcano |
Text features of explanations: Structure: logical sequencing classification / description followed by explanatory sequence Language: general nouns and noun phrases e.g. timeless present tense e.g. cools, burn, relating verbs e.g. is, has action verbs e.g. heats, flows passive voice e.g. is forced cohesive devices including conjunctions showing cause /effect (e.g. because, as a result, so ), temporal relationships (e.g. first, when, then, finally) See also: Features of text forms: Explanations ELIP stage 2 sample explanation genre texts with language features annotated: ‘The Life Cycle of a Grasshopper’ 8(c); ‘The Beginning of Digestion’ 8(d); ‘The Water Cycle’ 14(c) ; ‘The Formation of Fossils’ 14(d) For more complex sample explanation texts see ELIP stage 3: Aluminium Recycling’ 3(c);‘ How do Hurricanes and Tornadoes Occur?’ 8(c) or ‘The Life Cycle of Ants’ 8(d) |
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| Suggested Duration | 3 - 4 weeks | ||
Teaching and Learning(What do I need to know and do?) |
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| Teacher background reading: Knapp, P. & Watkins, M. (2005) Genre, Text, Grammar. Sydney: University of NSW The genre of explaining , pages 125-152 NZ Curriculum Exemplars: Transactional Writing: Explanations Schoenbach, R.et al (2003) Apprenticing Adolescents to reading in Subject Area Classrooms Phi Delta Kappan pages 133-138 |
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| Some teaching and learning resources: |
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Assessment and Evaluation(What is the impact of my teaching and learning?) |
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| Summative Assessment Assessment Task: Students explain how a volcano works using their model – or Powerpoint slide - as a demonstration prop. This assessment can be done as a formal presentation or in a conversational setting with a partner asking questions to guide the explanation, but each student is assessed individually. All explanations must be recorded on DVD. Assessment schedule requirements must be clearly explained to students prior to summative assessment. Note that this task could be differentiated for groups or classes by the inclusion or non-inclusion of labels on the volcano cross-section. See the assessment task (Word 28KB) and schedule (Word 34KB) . Reflection The teacher can view selected DVD explanations with the class to provide feedback / feedforward for students. |
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Updated on: 17 Apr 2019
