Performance Assessment Reflection

I could teach a lesson on photosynthesis in relation to the environment using both a learning objectives format and an Understanding by Design approach. My behavioral objective would be, “Using notes from class, the student will be able to predict on paper how photosynthesis will change in response to a change in temperature of the environment and will provide an explanation of the reasons for his or her prediction including all 5 points discussed in class.” The Enduring Understandings I could include would address the importance of photosynthesis to the environment, I would also include how they affect one another. These two lesson plans differ in that they look at the lesson from different points of view. The behavioral objectives approach is focused on what the students will be able to do at the end of the lesson. The other approach is more focused on what the students will learn. The Understanding by Design approach is more of a “big picture” approach and the learning objectives approach is more detailed oriented. The lesson objectives approach explicitly tells the students what is expected of them, but risks the students "learning to the test” and not retaining any information. The Understanding by Design approach focuses on what the students will retain, and fosters genuine learning. However, this approach does not give a way to measure this learning. For a three-week lesson plan, I would utilize both lesson plan methods in order to help my students to learn with a big picture approach while still assessing their learning.