Analysis and Revision of a

Science Lesson Plan

Designing Teaching and Learning

102086

Z D Matthews

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Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

102086 Designing Teaching & Learning

Assignment 2
Lesson Plan Analysis

Contents

Original Lesson Plan………………………………………………………….3

Lesson Plan Analysis…………………………………………………………7

Modified Lesson Plan...………………………………………………………10

Academic Justification…………………...…...………………………………14

References………………………………………………..…………………...17

Learning Portfolio Web Link…………………………..……………………..18

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Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

102086 Designing Teaching & Learning

Assignment 2: Original Lesson Plan

Topic area: Stage of Learner: Stage 4 Syllabus Pages:

Temperature, Freezing points
and Chemical reactions.
Date: Location Booked: Lesson Number:

Time: Total Number of students Printing/preparation

Materials for students: 100mm

clear plastic test tubes, test
tube lid or cork, test tube rack,
water at 10oC, salt, sugar,
periodic table, freezer,
teaspoon., marker, timer, foam
spheres of different sizes and
colours to represent the
elements: Na, Cl and H2O. Small
wooden sticks to represent
connections for the elements
and compound.

Additional Materials: Freezer,

monitor in front of classroom,
access to the internet, large
bottles of water at 100C,
correct chemical and physical
equations for both salt water
and sugar water.

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 Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

Outcomes Assessment Students Learn About Students learn to

Chemical World 4 The students will: C. Describe the
(CW4): Different • Explain how effects of factors, eg
types of chemical dissolving salt and temperature and
reactions are used to sugar into water catalysts, on the rate
produce a range of will affect the of some common
products and can freezing point chemical reactions
occur at different depression of (New South Wales.
rates and involve water. Board of Studies,
energy transfer (New • Predict the freezing 2012).
South Wales. Board points of the water
of Studies, 2012). solutions SCLS-4WS: Asks
containing either questions that can be
salt or sugar and tested and makes
which will freeze predictions (New
first. South Wales. Board
• Demonstrate the of Studies, 2012).
ability to record
and analysis the
data collected from
the experiment as
they engage in
critically thinking
about the topic.
• Display the ability
to formulate
equations of salt
dissolved in water
and sugar dissolved
in water.
• Explain the
differences
between a physical
and chemical
reactions

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Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

Time Teaching and learning actions

5 min Start the classroom with a brain storm to draw out students current understanding and
knowledge of freezing points and common chemical reactions.

Ask the question “Ok class what come to mind when you think about the word freeze?

Write the word freeze on the board with a circle around it.

Ask how is relates to the topic chemical world.

Guide their thoughts to the lessons focus without influencing there the responses.

By asking:
How does something freeze?
Why it freezes?
What happens when something freezes?

5 min Explain to the class the aim of the today lesson will be on the freezing points of water, salt
water and sugar water.

Explain safety procedures of the experiment before commences.

10 min Assign students into groups. 4-5 students per group. Give the students roles within the
group: timer (keeps track of the time), recorder (writes down results), handler (mixing the
solutions together) and retriever (takes and places the test tube rack in the freezer).

Explain what to do in the practical and to fellow the methods sheet that was handed out.

Ask the students to make their predictions on what will happen to the three solutions
before and during the practical. Predict the aim of the experiment, if students are
confused or haven’t identified the correct aim help them factor it out or provide the aim
if necessary.

Guide or provide assistance at the start of the experiment without influencing the
students’ thought processes. Walk around the classroom.

After the students record the first lot of results for the practical introduce the boxes foam
spheres representing the elements: Na (Sodium), Cl (Chloride), C12H22O11 and H2O to each
group.

Start with saying: Ok class lets zoom in on what’s happening to the three solutions in the
freezer. I have a box of elements and compounds of the water, salt and sugar

Ask if the students know the common names of elements and compounds of chemical
symbols on the foam spheres. Allow them to refer to their periodic table for guidance.

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 Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

Use sugar as an example:

“Sugar is made up of these elements Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen which of the spheres
has these elements?”

Followed by: “Now what can Hydrogen and Oxygen make and which of the spheres
represents water?”

Instruct the student to predict what is happening to all three solutions using the foam
spheres.

20 min Discussion and evaluation of the practical.

Prepare a table for the combined results of the all class. Have the recorder of each group
write down their result on the table.

Discuss the predictions and errors from each group and compare them with all class.
Correct any misconceptions the students may have.
Ask questions to why the thought that way and how it relates to the topic.

Discuss if by dissolving salt and sugar is a chemical change or physical one referring to the
experiment the student preformed and foam modals.

Demonstrate what the correct formula for salt water and sugar water and the how the
freezing point of water is reduced using the foam spheres.

Video representation of why salt reduces the freezing point of water with similarities to
the foam models (only if time is available)
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkhWV2uaHaA
Similarities in 0:50 seconds to 1:12 minutes of the video.

Discuss and compare the video with the experiment the student preformed and
demonstration with the class.

How am I measuring the outcomes of this lesson?

Learning Outcome Method of measurement and recording

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Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

102086 Designing Teaching & Learning

Assignment 2: QT Analysis

Evaluate the lesson plan according to the following NSW Quality Teaching model elements.

Evaluation score – refer to NSW QTM Classroom Practice Guide for each element
Comments incl. evidence for evaluation score (2 sentences)

1 Intellectual quality
1.1 Deep knowledge
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
This lesson plan sustains the same key idea of freezing point throughout the various activities within
the lesson. While the tasks vary in nature, they are all components of the freezing point topic beign
covered in the lesson.

1.2 Deep understanding

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
For the most part, students are provided the opportunity to express their understanding of the topic
and provide input through the use of different discussion points. However, the specification that the
teacher should make sure students have the “correct” prediction removes a chance for students to
use their understanding to determine why their prediction didn’t match the results.

1.3 Problematic knowledge

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
The use of discussions throughout the lesson do allow students to provide their own perspective on
the content being covered, though minimal. By correcting the hypothesis and having prewritten
methods, students are discouraged from having their own perspectives and input.

1.4 Higher-order thinking

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
By asking students to recall information they have learnt in previous lessons and having a discussion
regarding results allows for higher-order thinking. By having the students create their own
predictions for the experiment, students express higher-order thinking, but this is cut off when the
teacher makes them change their predictions to match the teachers.

1.5 Metalanguage
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
The teacher opts to use the word prediction, instead of hypothesis, which removes key terminology
during science practicals. The incorporation of chemical reaction and physical reaction do suggest
some level of metalanguage, but this is quite basic compared to what could have been used.

1.6 Substantive communication

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
This lesson has high levels of communication through the use of the discussions and experiment,
providing communication between teacher and students, and between students. However, the
teacher led discussions are very generalised and will lead to basic answers from students.

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Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

Quality learning environment

2.1 Explicit quality criteria
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
There are no specified criteria for the students during the lesson, however the safety procedures
provide an unspecified expectation of how students will act during the experiment. The discussion
questions and experimental method however do not explain the quality of work or answers expected
by the students.

2.2 Engagement
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
Each of the outlined activities are designed to be fun and increase student engagement. The use of
discussions and the experiment keep kids interested, however they are not designed in a way that
guarantees all students stay engaged with the lesson, eg the student collecting materials for the
experiment may disengage from that point on.

2.3 High expectations

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
The unclear quality expectations mean students are not specifically being asked to try harder
concepts and take risks in their work. However, some of the topics are of a higher level of work and
students who participate in the discussion do demonstrate their ability to be challenged by the work.

2.4 Social support

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
The discussions and experiment set students up to have social support during the lesson both from
their teacher and their peers. Students who decide they do not want to engage in the lesson however
and not supported as the lesson plan does not require students to partake in all aspects of the lesson.

2.5 Students’ self-regulation

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
The lesson plan does not specifically cover classroom regulation, nor does it allow time for student
distraction. The style of lesson suggests students will regulate themselves during the experiment as
they work in their individual groups, but the discussion components of the lesson are likely to be a
combination of student and teacher regulation.

2.6 Student direction

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
Students are told exactly what they will be doing at each point of the lesson and are provided a pre-
written methods sheet for the experiment. There is no evidence that students have any input on the
direction of the lesson, or how they complete the activities.

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Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

3 Significance
3.1 Background knowledge
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
The initial brain storming discussion draws on the students’ background knowledge on freezing
points. However, the knowledge is based on what they had learnt in previous lessons in the same
module, with little to no connection to the outside world.

3.2 Cultural knowledge

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
This lesson plan does not make connections to the students’ individual cultural backgrounds and
knowledge. The YouTube video at the end of the lesson makes connection to the use of this
knowledge in America, but the plan skips over the direct connection.

3.3 Knowledge integration

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
The lesson shows some connection between topics covered in class by asking students to recall
information from previous lessons. However, there is no connection to other subject areas which
could have been used to create a deeper understanding of the covered material

3.4 Inclusivity
1–2–3–4–5 Comments:
This lesson plan shows no level of exclusion towards any group of students. Students of all diverse
backgrounds are equal within this classroom.
3.5 Connectedness
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments:
The YouTube video at the end would have provided some level of connection to the content and a
current purpose for this knowledge, however this is skipped over. This leads the lesson to be taught
for school sake rather than for life purposes.

3.6 Narrative
1–2–3–4–5 Comments:
This lesson plan does not include any form of story or narrative. As a stage 4 class, this can make
the harder aspects of this lesson more difficult for students to understand.

Identifying Areas for Improvement

Identify the four NSW QT model elements you are targeting for improvement.

QT model
1) 2.6 Student Direction 2) 3.5 Connectedness
3) 1.4 Higher-order Thinking 4) 2.1 Explicit learning criteria

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Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

102086 Designing Teaching & Learning

Assignment 2: Modification of Lesson Plan

Topic area: Stage of Learner: Syllabus Pages:

Temperature, Freezing points Stage 4 (Year 8)
and Chemical reactions.
Date: Location Booked: Lesson Number:
27/5/19 Science Lab (connected to prep
room for freezer access)
Time: Total Number of students Printing/preparation
60 Minutes 24
Materials for students: 100mm
clear plastic test tubes, test
tube lid or cork, test tube rack,
water at 10oC, salt, sugar,
periodic table, freezer,
teaspoon., marker, timer, foam
spheres of different sizes and
colours to represent the
compounds: NaCl, C12H22O11,
and H2O.
A3 sided paper
Experiment materials must be
for 6 groups
3 large clear containers
Molymod kits to build chemical
compounds

Additional Materials: Freezer,

monitor in front of classroom,
access to the internet, large
bottles of water at 100C,
correct chemical and physical
equations for both salt water
and sugar water.

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 Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

Outcomes Assessment Students Learn Students learn to

About
Chemical World 4 Informal assessment: The students will: C. Describe the
(CW4): Different • Create a • Explain how effects of factors, e.g.
types of chemical resource to dissolving salt temperature and
reactions are used to educate other and sugar into catalysts, on the rate
produce a range of students on water will affect of some common
products and can the purpose of the freezing chemical reactions
occur at different the point (New South Wales.
rates and involve experiment depression of Board of Studies,
energy transfer (New (what they water. 2012).
South Wales. Board learnt and • Predict the
of Studies, 2012). how it can be freezing points SCLS-4WS: Asks
applied) of the water questions that can be
solutions tested and makes
containing predictions (New
either salt or South Wales. Board
sugar and which of Studies, 2012).
will freeze first.
• Demonstrate
the ability to
record and
analysis the
data collected
from the
experiment as
they engage in
critically
thinking about
the topic.
• Display the
ability to
formulate
equations of salt
dissolved in
water and sugar
dissolved in
water.
• Explain the
differences
between a
physical and
chemical
reactions

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Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews
Time Teaching and learning actions

5 min Start the class with students breaking into groups of 4 (inform them this will be their
group for the full lesson), give each group an A3 piece of paper.
Have students brainstorm as a group to draw out students current understanding and
knowledge of freezing points
As students add to their mind maps, ask questions to prompt further thoughts such as:
- How does something freeze?
- Why does it freezes?
- What happens when something freezes?
After 5 minutes get students to put them out of the way. If there is time at the end of the
lesson students may want to add more to them

10 min Ask students to stay in their groups of 4.

Explain to the class the aim of the today lesson will be on the freezing points of water, salt
water and sugar water.

As a class come up with a method for an experiment to observe the different freezing
points of water, salt water, and sugar water. Students are to write the methods into their
books as the teacher writes the student designed steps onto the board. The methods
must include all parts of an experimental write up: aim, hypothesis, variables, equipment,
results, discussion/conclusion.

Each student is to create their own hypothesis, ask the class to raise their hand if they
think there will be 1. No difference 2. Freeze at higher temperatures 3. Freeze at lower
temperatures 3. Salt water will freeze before sugar water 4. Sugar water will freeze
before salt water

Each group is to set up their results table themselves, must be able to see the type of
water tested and the temperature

20 min Explain safety procedures of the experiment before commencing.

Guide or provide assistance at the start of the experiment without influencing the
students’ thought processes. Walk around the classroom.

Once results are recorded (or while waiting for the experiment if it is slower than
expected), introduce the foam spheres representing the compounds: NaCl (salt – middle
sized ball), C12H22O11 (sugar – largest ball) and H2O (water – smaller balls). Half fill each of
the 3 containers with foam balls labelled H2O.
Ask if the students know the common name of elements and compounds of chemical
symbols on the foam spheres. Allow them to refer to their periodic table for guidance
Ask 2 students to help by adding either NaCl (salt) or C12H22O11 (sugar) to one container
each, close lid on all 3 and shake.

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Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

Ask students what they observed, they should comment that the water only container
balls settles better. Ask why that happened

25 min Discussion and evaluation of the practical

Discuss the predictions and errors from student hypothesise

Ask questions to why they thought that way, and how their thoughts have changed after
the practical and foam balls

Video representation of why salt reduces the freezing point of water with similarities to
the foam models – play whole video
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkhWV2uaHaA

Use this to fill in their discussion/conclusion. Students may want to fill this in while
watching the video.

Experiment groups are to create or design an educational resource on what they learnt in
the experiment. This may include making a powtoon, website, video or using the
molymod kits to build a model and create a poster to go with it (suggest leaving space for
a photo of the model afterwards). The resource must cover:
- What they did in the experiment
- Explanation of why they got the results they did
- How this can be used in the real world (suggest finding a use other than making
roads useable in America as the YouTube video stated).

How am I measuring the outcomes of this lesson?

Learning Outcome Method of measurement and recording

SCLS-4WS Checking students aim and hypothesis, and create a resource to
explain what they observed and why they were learning it

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Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

102086 Designing Teaching & Learning

Assignment 2: Academic Justifications

The original science lesson plan had a range of positives, there were a similar number of elements

from the Quality Teaching Model (QTM)(Professional Learning and Leadership Development

Directorate, 2006) that were lacking as there were being clearly integrated into the lesson plan. With

almost half of the elements not rating 3 or above, it is clear that students will not be given the adequate

level of understanding for them to truly be able to take away the full benefits of the intended lesson.

The lesson plan received various modifications to enhance the lesson for student learning with a key

focus on four of the QTM elements that were low ranking in the original lesson plan.

Student direction, element 2.6 of the QTM, is one that has only begun to show more prominence

within the classroom in more recent times; older content and teacher orientated methods have been

found to show lower cognitive engagement from students when science classes take this approach to

introducing students to content (Fechner, 2009). The adapted lesson plan sees a shift from teacher

run to student organised in both experiment and the mind map components of the lesson. By doing

this, students are more inclined to participate in the lesson and in turn are more likely to ask questions

and grasp new concepts being introduced during the lesson.

When introducing students to more levels of responsibility in the classroom, particularly in the lower

years, it is important to still give them some parameters to guide them in what they are doing. Element

2.1, explicit learning criteria, provides these guidelines to allow students to have control without as

much risk of students becoming more confused due to tasks being too vague in instruction. Students

are given the control in designing the practical component of the lesson and selecting and designing

their own educational resource as part of their group work, allowing them to better develop their

strategic thinking skills (Zohar & David, 2008). To keep students on task, guidelines on what needs

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Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

to be included were provided to students to tell them exactly what was expected of them without

taking away from their individuality and creativeness. This combination of student direction and

explicit learning criteria allows students to develop their own style of work in conjunction with

learning the required classroom content.

Just being able to remember the content is not the only purpose of receiving an education,

connectedness, covered by element 3.5, explores this need for content to be relatable outside of the

classroom, rather than being taught just for the sake of teaching it. Through the use of the whole

YouTube video, students are introduced to how the knowledge they have just gained is used in a real-

world scenario. The group resource development task at the end of the lesson then provides students

a platform to further investigate how this content that is often deemed irrelevant to life, can actually

play a role in their day to day lives. When students feel a more meaningful relationship to each other,

it adds a stronger feeling of connection to the content (Blatchford, Kutnick, Baines & Galton, 2013).

By connecting the classroom content with the world outside, students are more inclined to take on

that information as they find it more relatable.

The last element of the QTM that was focused on during the modification was element 1.4, higher-

order thinking. The original lesson plan saw little amounts of higher-order thinking, however it was

disrupted and lost due to the teacher centred approach which has been noted as a frequent issue with

chemistry curriculums (Fensham & Alberto, 2013). By removing the specification that all students

needed to have the same ‘correct’ hypothesis before commencing the practical, students gain the

chance to clearly explore their understandings and challenge their own logic. The adaption of the

foam ball component of the lesson took a very basic activity and made it a simple task to illicit higher-

order thinking. It allowed a clearer picture of what was happening and allowed a more direct

connection to why the addition of sugar and salt molecules dropped the freezing point. When students

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Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

are provided that visual aid on an otherwise invisible subject, it allows students to make observations,

such as the influence of size and structure variation, which would otherwise be missed. By trying to

connect what they are seeing to the results they observed, students are required to use those higher-

order thinking skills to make those links.

For any teacher, the Quality Teaching Model is an invaluable tool to help guide teachers to better

their teaching practices. Through the various elements, teachers are able to effectively introduce

students to new concepts and build on existing knowledge, as well as provide connections between

the curriculum content to the world around them, both as a part of society and as an individual. Each

of the adaptions and modifications to the original lesson plan are done so to give students the fullest

education that a teacher can be offering them, and these changes are backed up by various research.

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 Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

References:

Blatchford, P., Kutnick, P., Baines, E., & Galton, M. (2003). Toward a social pedagogy of classroom

group work. International Journal of Educational Research, 39(1-2), 153-172

Fechner, S. (2009). Effects of context-oriented learning on student interest and achievement in chemistry

education (Vol. 95). Logos Verlag Berlin GmbH.

Fensham, P., & Alberto, B. (2013). Higher order thinking in chemistry curriculum and its assessment.

Thinking Skills and Creativity, 10, 250-264

Professional Learning and Leadership Development Directorate. (2006). Quality Teaching in NSW Public

Schools; A Classroom Practice Guide (2nd ed.). Ryde, NSW: Department of Education and

Training

Zohar, A., & David, A. B. (2008). Explicit teaching of meta-strategic knowledge in authentic classroom

situations. Metacognition and Learning, 3(1), 59-82.

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Designing, Teaching and Learning Lesson Plan Analysis Z D Matthews

Weebly Website:
https://zdmatthews.weebly.com/

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