102086 Designing Teaching and Learning – Luke Delailoa 18640449

Assessment 2 – Lesson Plan Analysis Bin Liner

Luke Delailoa – 18640449

Chosen Lesson: Lesson 1 Bin Liners

Learning Portfolio Link: https://ldelailoa.weebly.com

This assessment can be found under Standard 1.

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102086 Designing Teaching and Learning – Luke Delailoa 18640449

102086 Designing Teaching & Learning

Assignment 2: QT Analysis Template

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: Knowledge is deep because focus is sustained on key ideas or concepts throughout the
lesson. Continuously goes deeper into the issues of polyethylene from what the problem is, why
and how to resolve it.

1.2 Deep understanding

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: Almost all students demonstrate deep understanding throughout the lesson. A lot of
questions are asked to and answered correctly by a variety of students throughout the class.

1.3 Problematic knowledge

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: Knowledge is treated as open to multiple perspectives, seen as socially constructed and
therefore open to question.
Students worked together to find the pros and cons of polyethylene but were not given a chance to
form their own opinion about it, rather just told it is bad and told to make an alternative, however
considering the nature of the topic it is difficult to be socially constructed.
1.4 Higher-order thinking
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: Students primarily demonstrate routine lower-order thinking a good share of the lesson.
There is at least one significant question or activity in which most students perform some higher-
order thinking. Students were mainly only told the information however the one task that required
all students do undergo higher order thinking was their redesign of the paper bin liner.
1.5 Metalanguage
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: No metalanguage. The lesson proceeds without the teacher or students stopping to
comment on the language being used. The language is kept quite simple in this lesson however the
one difficult word used ‘polyethylene’ wasn’t questioned or explained, possibly because of student
prior knowledge.
1.6 Substantive communication
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: Substantive communication, with sustained interactions, occurs throughout the lesson,
with teachers and/or students scaffolding the communication. The teacher mainly uses a question
and response method to have the lesson flow with all answers linking to the next part/task of the
lesson.
Quality learning environment
2.1 Explicit quality criteria
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: Only general statements are made regarding the desired quality of the work. All students
seem to be right with answers they share so the teacher is only seen telling them they are correct,
sometimes asking them to explain.
2.2 Engagement
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: Serious engagement. All students are deeply involved, almost all of the time, in
pursuing the substance of the lesson. All students are answering questions and participating in class
discussion, even being quite and listening when the teacher explains something.
2.3 High expectations
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: All students participate in challenging work throughout the lesson. They are encouraged
(explicitly or through lesson processes) to try hard and to take risks and are recognised for doing
so. All students are asked questions and asked to share their answers about the topic with the class
in discussion, they answer mostly correctly and are recognised by being reaffirmed of their good
work by the teacher, the most challenging part of the lesson might have been to come up with
creative modifications to make to the bin liner.
2.4 Social support

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1–2–3–4–5 Comments: Social support is strong. Supportive behaviours or comments from students and the
teacher are directed at all students, including soliciting and valuing the contributions of all. The
classroom demonstrates that there is mutual respect by all students listening to the teacher and each
students answer, the teacher reaffirming correct answers and students working together to develop
answers demonstrates strong social support.
2.5 Students’ self-regulation
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: All students, almost all of time, demonstrate autonomy and initiative in regulating their
own behaviour and the lesson proceeds without interruption. No student plays up and requires
discipline and all students demonstrate autonomy when asked to complete a task or answer a
question.
2.6 Student direction
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: Low student direction. Although students exercise some control over some aspect of
the lesson (choice, time, pace, assessment), their control is minimal or trivial. Almost no student
direction except when asked to make their own creative modifications to the bin liner.
3 Significance
3.1 Background knowledge
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: Students’ background knowledge is mentioned or elicited several times, is connected
to the substance of the lesson, and there is at least some connection to out-of-school background
knowledge. The teacher connected the class to their background knowledge of plastic bag use and
when asked to answer true and false questions.
3.2 Cultural knowledge
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: No explicit recognition or valuing of other than the knowledge of the dominant culture
is evident in the substance of the lesson. No link was made with other cultures and their plastic bag
use.
3.3 Knowledge integration
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: Several meaningful connections are made between topics or subject areas by the teacher
and/or the students during the lesson. Some questions and tasks required knowledge or skills from
outside of science like experience at home or at the shops, creating the bin liner could have even
linked with subjects like art.
3.4 Inclusivity
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: Students from all groups are included in all aspects of the lesson and their inclusion is
both significant and equivalent to the inclusion of students from other social groups. There was no
negative discrimination and all students were given chances to work individually, as a small
group/pair and as a class during discussion.
3.5 Connectedness
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: Students recognise and explore connections between classroom knowledge and
situations outside the classroom in ways that create personal meaning and highlight the significance
of the knowledge. This meaning and significance is strong enough to lead students to become
involved in an effort to influence an audience beyond the classroom. The lesson has meaning
beyond the classroom in that students are taking information about an everyday item they use at
home. They also learnt how to make a bin liner they can use at home.
3.6 Narrative
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Comments: Narrative is used on occasion as a minor part of the lesson and/or is loosely connected
to the substance of the lesson. Narrative is very loosely used to describe the life of a plastic bag but
not focussed on largely.

Identifying Areas for Improvement

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

QT model
1) Narrative 2) Cultural Knowledge
3) Explicit Quality Criteria 4) Student Direction

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Modified Lesson Plan – Bin Liners

Syllabus: Science Stage: Stage 4 Topic: Earth and Space

Outcomes Assessment Students learn about Students learn to

SC4-13ES Explains how Informal formative ES3 Scientific knowledge Classify a range of the
advances in scientific assessment. influences the choices Earth’s resources as
understanding of Question and answer people make in regard to renewable or non-
processes that occur during discussion. the use and management renewable.
within and on the Earth of the Earth’s resources.
influence the choices Investigate some
people make about strategies used by people
resource use and to conserve and manage
management. non-renewable resources,
e.g. recycling and the
alternative use of natural
and made resources.

Note: Not all activities may be captured by the video. Assume they were covered by the teacher.

Time Teaching and Learning Actions

5 min Lesson Preliminaries/Administration
 Settle students into the classroom.
 Mark the roll.
15 mins Direct Instruction
 Welcome students and remind them of the topic.
 Introduce students to high density polyethylene as a non-renewable resource used to
make plastic bags.
 Key ideas for this lesson are cause and effect with questions being “why and how do we
use so many plastic bags in Australia?” and “what is the effect on the environment?”
 Another key idea is solutions with questions being “what have governments done to
solve problems caused by plastic bags?” and “what can citizens do to solve problems
caused by plastic bags?”
 Give overview of how different cultures may use plastic bags or dispose of them.
 Give overview of activity:
 Designing renewable alternatives to plastic bags using newspapers. Teacher will
show students a design and they will improve that design.
 Give overview of outcomes, how important it is for future assessment and what level of
work you expect.
 Give overview of thinking tools to be used:
 Think-pair-share
 Cause-effect map
 Pros-Cons-Questions

10 mins Think-Pair-Share Activity

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 Give students true/false statements worksheet with questions like “the average plastic
bag is used for only 5 minutes but can take up to 1,000 years to break down in the
environment.”
 Students have 2 minutes to individually answer the questions (think).
 Students then have 1 minute to discuss their responses with the student sitting next to
them (pair).
 Teacher will then lead class discussion based on worksheets for 5 minutes (share).
 Have students write down any information they know about plastic bags, tell students
they have 3 mins (think)
 Discuss that information with the students next to them and write down any information
they didn’t have, tell students they have 2 mins (pair)
 Have students lead a class discussion with teacher guidance based on the information
they have, correcting any answers as it goes, tell students they have 5 mins (share)
 To enhance the narrative of the lesson, see if students have a story about when they
used plastic bag they remember or share one of your own
10 mins Cause-Effect Mapping Activity
 Have students tell the life of a polyethylene bag as you write it on the board to truly
understand the extent of the issue, guide the answers if they are not exactly correct
 Give students cause-effect map worksheets.
 Students have 2 minutes to think of as many reasons for why we use so many plastic
bags in Australia.
 Go around the class to check student understanding. Highlight the link between the
causes identified and the production of high-density polyethylene bags.
 Give students the options to work as a class or individually to list as many sub-effects of
the production and use of plastic bags. Circulate to assist students.
 Teacher leads Have students lead a brief class discussion to summarise the
environmental effects identified by the students.
5 mins Direct Instruction
 Teacher to show students how to construct a biodegradable bin liner by folding 4 sheets
of newspaper. The bin liner will fit into the teacher’s waste-paper basket.
 Have students as a class design and construct a biodegradable bin liner, using 4 sheets
of newspaper to fit into the classroom bin, guide the design if to difficult for students
5 mins Pros-Cons Activity
 Teacher invites students to highlight the pros and cons of the biodegradable bin liners.
 Have students discuss the pros and cons of the biodegradable bin liner for other cultures
to, possibly reflect on their own culture if the class is culturally diverse.
10 mins Student-Centred Activity
 Students to identify ways to improve the bin liners using the MAS sheet.
 Students to work in pairs Have students decide if they want to work in pairs or as a class
to refine the newspaper bin liners. Circulate around the room to assist students.
 Students demonstrate their improved designs to the teacher, using the teacher’s waste
paper basket as a test.
 Teacher to encourage peer support during demonstrations.
 Summarise and close the lesson.
How am I measuring the outcomes of this lesson?
Learning Outcome Method of measurement and recording
SC4-13ES Informal questioning of student understanding as the lesson
progresses.

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Academic Justification
The changes made to the bin liner lesson plan were made to address four areas of improvement from
the Quality Teaching Classroom practice guide, they were narrative, cultural knowledge, explicit
quality criteria and student direction. These were selected as they were lacking in the lesson, and
even though it was still a very strong lesson the improvement of these will result in even better
engagement and student relation to the topic. As outlined by Waring & Evans (2014) a high quality
pedagogy is important in ensuring student understanding, this justification of the modifications made
to the lesson plan will attempt to demonstrate the improvement made and how it will increase student
understanding of the topic.

Vandermause & Townsend (2010) found that narrative in lessons “is a way to enliven teaching that
can lead to thoughtful practice” (pp. 433). Considering this modifications were made to the lesson
plan to improve the narrative of the lesson by having students recall the average life of a plastic bag
and what happens to it from the start to end to establish a storyline of a plastic bag, having this occur
at the beginning of the cause and effect mapping activity is effective in . In order to do so students
are required to recall their experiences with a plastic bag and as a class come up with the most
accurate life of a plastic bag, from production to landfill. The good use of narrative within a classroom
is essential as storytelling helps educate and send a message in a creative way, it is with narrative as
found by Vandermause & Townsend (2010) that may make it easier to recall information at vital
times.

Improvement to cultural knowledge is important in broadening a student’s view on topics beyond

their dominant culture. To improve cultural knowledge in the lesson, modifications were made by
having students discuss how other cultures use plastic bags or dispose of them. Simply discussing
how other cultures in or outside of Australia are affected by the topic is a good way in demonstrating
the importance of using less polyethylene. Because Australia is a very multi-cultural country linking
a lessons topic to other cultures can help students to connect deeper with the topic as it may resemble
their culture or background and in turn possibly trigger more interest and more work being done.
Ladwig & Gore (2006) explain how improved cultural knowledge within a lesson is important
because knowledge about a wide range of other cultures can assist a students learning.

To improve the explicit quality criteria of the lesson, modifications were made so the teacher specifies
to the class how long they will be completing each task, more in depth instructions about what is
expected of the students during the lesson and an improved method of informal assessment has been

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incorporated instead of students answering true or false questions on a sheet. The key ideas of the
lesson have been expanded on and the required outcomes are now told to students at the introduction
of the lesson. Gore (2007) explains how as a part in narrowing achievement gaps these modifications
to improve explicit quality criteria are important as incorporating what, how, why and how long and
providing students with the quality requirements “serve as guides to best practice” (Howard &
Sanders, 2005) within the lesson and in turn result in more efficient learning as students will know
what to take in and what to focus on.

To improve the Student Direction modifications have been made to the lesson plan to allow for
students to have more input to the lesson, from what and how to do it. These include whether they
want to work as a group or individually. It is important with student direction that the lesson stays on
track and requiring the teacher to guide discussions but not fully lead them is important and is similar
with going around and ensuring students have the right understanding. With more student direction
students may feel more connected to the lesson as they may feel a sense of control, by permitting
them to make choices can allow them to choose the type of work they would rather do and in turn
result in a benefit to the work. Hass (2000) states that the benefits that come with improved student
direction can “include improved performance on academic tests, improved proficiency in critical
reasoning abilities, and the acquisition of communication and interpersonal skills”.

After analysing and modifying this lesson plan it is clear with these justifications that these
modifications would benefit both the teacher and the students. Improvement to these four key areas
were made with reference to the Quality teaching model and therefore are modifications made as the
best practice for a NSW classroom. Overall the lesson and lesson plan was already very successful
however these modifications were required to take it to the next level.

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References
Gore, J. (2007). Improving pedagogy: The challenges of moving teachers towards higher levels of
quality teaching. In Making a Difference (pp. 15-33). Brill Sense.

Hass, M. A. (2000). Student-directed learning in the organic chemistry laboratory. Journal of

Chemical Education, 77(8), 1035-1038. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-
com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/docview/211972646?accountid=36155

Ladwig, J. G., & Gore. J. (2006). Quality Teaching in NSW Public Schools: A Classroom Practice
Guide (2nd ed.). Ryde, NSW: The Directorate

State of NSW, Department of Education and Training Professional Support and Curriculum
Directorate. (2003). Quality teaching in NSW public schools: A classroom practice guide.
Retrieved from: https://app.education.nsw.gov.au/quality-teaching-
rounds/Assets/Classroom_Practice_Guide_ogogVUqQeB.pdf

Vandermause, R. K., & Townsend, R. P. (2010). Teaching thoughtful practice: Narrative pedagogy
in addictions education. Nurse Education Today, 30(5), 428-434.

Waring, M., & Evans, C. (2014). Understanding pedagogy: Developing a critical approach to
teaching and learning. Routledge. Retrieved from:
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uwsau/detail.action?docID=1829352