Learning Fest 2019 E-publication

Sentence Framing on Water and

Changes of State (Condensation)

(UB SC PLT) Choy Yu Wai
Leong Wei Ming Caleb, Wu Zongbing, Su Yizhong, Tan Shew Kee,
PLT Leader: Ong Shi Ting, Ananthy D/O Marimuthu, Benny Saik Weng Loong
PLT Members:

SYNOPSIS

For the topic on Water and Changes of State, students are required to recognise that a change in state
can occur when water gains or loses heat and to investigate the factors that affect the rate of evaporation.
Since these are important concepts for students to master, teachers came up with their own authentic
questions that students could relate to in their daily lives in order to facilitate student understanding. Teachers
created a sentence frame in the Student Learning Space (SLS) and used the department’s thinking routine (CER)
to support student learning and reinforce the subject vocabulary and literacy needed for this concept.

BACKGROUND condensation. Some students may think that
water vapour can be seen. Therefore, through the
Water and Changes of State is one of the most planned activities, students would realise that
important physical science topics for Primary 5. what they are seeing are actually water droplets
Based on our results analysis, this topic is a key and not water vapour.
area of concern, together with the topic on
Electrical Systems. Hence, the team has decided PROCEDURE
on the topic of condensation as the main focus.
Through the careful scaffolding of knowledge During Phase 1 of the SLSPS, where we
through the various activities, we hope to see an established the learning outcome, we identified
improvement in the concept of condensation. We the area of concern (physical science topic of
used a strategy called ‘Sentence Framing’ to help condensation) based on results analysis. From
students answer open-ended questions relating there, once the key concept and learning
to Condensation. outcomes had been identified, we crafted the
success criteria necessary to inform us if students
Some of the misconceptions include thinking that have mastered the content. We then planned our
clouds are water vapour in the air and also the lesson to leverage subject literacy and language
process of condensation, where students often scaffolding strategies (Whole School Approach to
confused the concept of evaporation with that of Effective Communication) where we focused on
Sentence Framing. We also decided to embark on

47

authentic learning, where real-life situations or droplets on the bus window and why a forest
experiences were planned so that it would be appears misty after rain were asked. At Phase 3
easier for students to link and apply concepts where we assessed quality of learning, it was “You
learnt to real-life situations. According to Hung, Do’ where real-life examples were used and
Tan & Koh, 2006, authentic learning is learning students were asked to complete their answers in
designed to connect what students are taught in a thinking routine tool. Examples would be the
school to real-world issues, problems, and condensation of water vapour on a cold can of
applications; learning experiences should mirror drink and the misty appearance of a hot spring.
the complexities and ambiguities of real life. Our The lesson was planned to carefully scaffold
pedagogical approach includes the intentional students’ thinking in answering questions related
use of SLS, where we conducted a pre and post- to condensation.
test to identify misconceptions and learning gaps
so that we could address them during and at the FINDINGS
end of the lesson.
From the heat map obtained, we could see that
During the Phase 2 of the SLSPS, where we students have achieved the intended learning
designed and facilitated active learning with outcomes and achieved the success criteria. We
technology, we also decided to use the SLS also looked at the responses that students gave
thinking routine tool where students were through the thinking routine tool and majority of
engaged in a ‘Discussion’ learning experience and the students were able to structure their answer
plenty of collaboration took place. There were according to the sentence frames that they had
many opportunities for student-student, student- learnt. They were also engaged in constructive
content and student-teacher interactions feedback, commenting on each other’s answers
throughout the lesson. By doing that, students through the thinking routine tool. Students have
would also co-construct knowledge and learning definitely learnt better and their results have
would be enhanced. improved. Students are now better able to
answer open-ended questions relating to
A video on condensation of water vapour on a condensation of water using the sentence frames,
beaker was used to activate learning, and applying their knowledge using CER thinking
different authentic situations were used as routine. Students find that the lessons were
questions to facilitate thinking and promote engaging and fun, and they are able to link their
discussion amongst students and teacher. At that concepts learnt with real-life situations. They also
stage, students were taught to use sentence find that they are able to collaborate and learn
framing where they were introduced to a with minimal help. Students would learn better
structured way of answering open-ended through different modes of teaching platforms
condensation questions. We began with “I Do”, such as ICT. Results for P5 SA1 in Term 2 have
where teacher demonstrated the technique of shown that the students have improved from 43%
answering such questions. For example, we asked in 2018 to 89% in 2019.
students why there would be condensation on
our glasses when we alight from an air- 48
conditioned bus. Next, we moved on to “We Do’,
where students and teacher co-construct
knowledge. Questions like why there were water

Integrating Chalk Talk and Word

Banks to Facilitate the Teaching of

Comprehension

(MTL PLT - Comprehension)

PLT Leader: Mohamed Bahari Bin Rajab

PLT Members: Ng Boon Shuen, Sun I-Feng, Yap Lay Hong, Xie Shuang, Chen Li Qin,

Chen Xiang, Ang Kok Kee, Bambang Edy Sugianto B M B, Norlila Binti

Abdul Ghani, Nuraishah Jamal

SYNOPSIS

The team integrated the strategies of Chalk Talk and Word Bank by using them in different ways to facilitate
the learning of comprehension passages, questions and vocabulary.

The strategies of Chalk Talk and Word Bank were selected as they helped to leverage and activate students’
prior knowledge when attempting the comprehension component in Mother Tongue Languages.

BACKGROUND were not able to answer the questions because
they did not understand the requirement of the
During post-examination discussions on students’ questions or the key words.
performance, MTL teachers have always singled
out comprehension and composition as the main During the PLT discussions, MTL teachers decided
weak areas for students. There could be various to use Chalk Talk and Word Bank strategies to
reasons pertaining to why students were not able facilitate the teaching of comprehension. The
to score or answer comprehension questions. Chalk Talk thinking routine provides an
opportunity for every student to be given a
Teachers have tried different methods to teach chance to be heard. Students’ thinking becomes
comprehension, to varying results. Some students visible and they are encouraged to consider
are able to grasp certain strategies such as others' viewpoints.
annotation, summary and QUESLAC. However,
most students still find answering questions In particular, Chalk Talk was chosen because it can
based on comprehension texts daunting. be used in many ways e.g. to discuss the theme,
plot and characters in a text. Chalk Talk is not only
Teachers have noticed that while students were confined to the passage itself, but can also be
able to understand the story they had read, they
49

used to understand the questions and the key Empowering Learners; Facilitating Collaborative
words in the questions. Learning
Step 3: Questions were pasted on sheets of
The Word Bank strategy is useful for LP students mahjong paper and students had to move around
to help them learn the meaning of certain words. and answer the questions.
It is a powerful tool when combined with Chalk Step 4: The teacher went through each question
Talk as these strategies facilitate students’ and explained if the answer was incomplete or
understanding of comprehension passages and wrong.
questions. Nonetheless, students will still need to
apply their annotation skills. Method 2 (Questions)

PROCEDURE Step 1:
Identification of the goals and success criteria
Empowering Learners; Determining Lesson together with students.
Objectives
Step 1: Step 2: In groups of 4-6, students were given an
Identification of the goals and success criteria adjective for them to write down words / phrases
together with students. If students do not / events that are associated with the given word.
understand their goals, the feedback provided
will not work as well. Step 3: Students moved around to write their
input (Chalk Talk).
Method 1 (Comprehension Text)
Step 4: The teacher went through the words
Step 2: written and clarified any misconceptions surfaced.
- Students were divided into groups of 4. They
Step 5: Students read the text and matched the
had to read the parts given to them and come adjectives with the respective events or actions.
up with a one-liner summary.
- Students would have highlighted words that The collaborative creation of Word Banks and use
they did not know. They would use a hardcopy of Chalk Talk facilitated student-content, student-
dictionary to find out the meaning (Word student and student-teacher interactions.
Bank).
- Students were also encouraged to use some
online dictionaries or even the Google search
engine to do up their Word Bank. Google
Slides and Padlet are efficient platforms for
students to create their Word Bank in groups.
- The students shared their findings on the
visualiser for their classmates to note down
the meaning of the words.

50

FINDINGS

Students were able to answer 4-mark questions
better, especially when they needed to provide
proof for a given statement. They were able to
use and apply their prior knowledge to the text.

Chalk Talk and Word Bank strategies are effective
platforms to allow shy students to have their
voices heard. All students are given the same
platform to share their ideas and the discussion is
richer as compared to purely verbal discussions,
which may be dominated by a vocal few.

Teachers could consider how to incorporate Chalk
Talk strategies using SLS, where students can
complete the activity at home, prior to the lesson
discussion.

51

Leveraging ICT for E-Oral and

Composition Writing Skills

(MTL PLT – Oral and Composition)

PLT Leader: Shoba D/O Mohan, Ting Ning Xin Jessie

PLT Members: Ng Boon Shuen, Sun I-Feng, Yap Lay Hong, Xie Shuang, Chen Li Qin,

Chen Xiang, Ang Kok Kee, M B Sheirin Habibah, Sudha Divakaran

SYNOPSIS

The lesson design is based on the key features of the Singapore ICT Masterplan 4, which emphasises on
new media literacies with a focus on how students learn through curating digital content and information,
connecting and communicating with peers through a digital environment, and creating digital products.
The digital tools utilised in this lesson include the iMTL portal, SLS, Padlet and Ezhishi, which enriched the
online learning experience for students to curate information, connect with one another during the lesson,
and publish their thoughts at the end of the lesson.

BACKGROUND going through the lesson, students were required
to curate information about Sharing from online
The student learning outcomes of this lesson are resources e.g. stories, news articles or videos
aligned to the new 2015 CL syllabus, which related to the theme. The curated information
emphasises on real life experiences and the was collated on the Multimedia Forum of the
relevant speaking skills, writing skills and iMTL portal. Students are connected to one
knowledge. In order to achieve the learning another and able to access the collated
outcomes by leveraging ICT, this lesson consists of information on the Multimedia Forum and its
three main activities - curate, connect, and interactive features.
create.
As a result, as students browse through the forum,
As part of the PLT’s effort to align the lesson to they gain more information about the theme. The
the syllabus, the team went through a specific strong connection can be seen through the Mind-
chapter from the syllabus before the use of the map feature on the portal, where students would
iMTL portal (or any other ICT). For example, a focus on expressing their own thoughts, view
lesson on the theme of Sharing was taught their peer’s work, and improve their mind-map
according to the textbook and the syllabus. After on the theme. In the last activity, students are

52

required to watch a video about Sharing, answer Figure 2. Using iMTL to conduct e-oral training
three questions about this theme, and record
down their answer on iMTL. The students are able Supporting Self-Directed Learning; Facilitating
to listen or view their peers’ work and provide Collaborative Learning
feedback, while their teacher will give further Step 3:
feedback for improvement. In conclusion, these Self and / or Peer Assessment: Students reviewed
three activities are used to enhance students’ their work by comparing their First Draft to the
learning experiences through leveraging ICT. success criteria.

PROCEDURE

Using ICT (iMTL, Padlet) for E-oral training
Empowering Learners; Determining Lesson
Objectives
Step 1:
Identification of the goals and success criteria
together with students. If students do not
understand their goals, the feedback provided
will not work as well.

Step 2:
First Draft: Start of the exercise; Students knew
from the start that this was only their first draft
and that some editing would follow.

Figure 3. Using Padlet for Writing and Peer Assessment

Figure 1. Various activity settings on iMTL

Figure 4. Peer Assessment on iMTL

Step 4:
Second Draft: Students corrected and re-drafted
their work according to the feedback they had
received in Step 3.

53

Checking for Understanding and Providing Figure 5. Students’ Final Draft (Composition Writing) after
Feedback; Providing Clear Explanation teacher’s feedback on Google Documents
Step 5:
Teacher Feedback: Feedback was given by the FINDINGS
teacher on the Second Draft.
A pre-test and post-test on students’ speaking
Empowering Learners skills, writing skills, and knowledge of the theme
Step 6: was conducted. The increment of oral scores after
Final Draft: Students should complete the final the intervention has shown a positive impact on
draft only after receiving the teacher’s feedback. student learning. The learning dispositions of
Step 7: students were also collated through a post-lesson
Grade (if needed): If required, students can grade survey and feedback form. Overall, this lesson
their own work against the success criteria in Step design is useful for enhancing oral and writing
1. It is key that this grading should be kept skills.
separate from the feedback given in Step 5.
Upon review, the PLT assessed that only two
Using ICT for Writing (Padlet, Google Doc) rounds of recording / writing are needed as peer
Activate Learning assessment can be conducted after the first draft.
Students were given a theme to do research on Subsequently, the teacher can assess the edited
e.g. Sadness. Children conducted self-directed second draft. Students are generally focused and
research on phrases to describe that emotion. serious when they attempt the questions and
hence their answers are considered wholesome
Promote Thinking and Discussion by the second draft.
Padlets / Google Documents were used to allow
discussion and peer evaluation. Reading other With the use of Padlet, peer evaluation can now
students’ comments and posts on Padlet helped be conducted concurrently among all students.
to facilitate the thinking process. Children were Teachers can monitor on-site and provide almost
being trained to zoom into the success criteria, immediate feedback to students as well. Learning
which in turn facilitated their learning on how to has become more self-directed, and the activities
write intentionally and with precision. train students to think critically and analytically.

Facilitate Demonstration of Learning Bloom’s Taxonomy helps teachers to understand
Students posted what they had discussed on the the level of thinking skills expected of students
Padlets / Google Documents to demonstrate their and allows them to design success criteria for
learning. Students also completed their individual which feedback can be provided to move the
compositions to demonstrate learning. learners forward. Giving students feedback in the
classroom during the learning process has been
Monitor and provide feedback
The comment function on Padlet allowed 54
students to provide feedback to one another.
Teachers also monitored students’ learning in the
process, gave comments for further improvement
and highlighted strong samples of work to
reinforce the success criteria. Students made the
necessary edits based on the feedback given.

proven to increase learning and improve student
outcomes. When given appropriately, feedback
guides the student in their learning process and
gives them the direction they need to reach the
target or goal of the lesson.
All in all, the lesson design has been useful in the
teaching of comprehension and e-oral skills.

55

Gymnastics Sequence

(PE PLT) Wee Boon Nee, Lim Ai Ying Angie
Mohd Haziq Bin Zailani, Muhammad Syahriel Bin Sukar, Zainal Ariffin
PLT Leader: Bin Kassim, Grace Tan
PLT Members:

SYNOPSIS

In this practical sharing session, participants will experience a concise version of a Gymnastics PE lesson
with the focus on fundamental movement skills to form a sequence. During PE lessons, visual learning
through the use of WALT, WILF and Success Criteria are employed to help students understand and know
what is expected of them during the lesson. It also teaches them to be self-directed by constantly referring
to the success criteria on the whiteboard. Thinking routines and STP teaching actions are also utilised to
better engage the students in deeper thinking. To support students’ learning, differentiated worksheets
and technology (iPads & videos) are used. Students are engaged in peer teaching as they record one
another’s sequence and provide feedback with reference to the success criteria.

BACKGROUND visible, students got lost in the activities and were
not able to monitor their progress effectively. In
Gymnastics i.e. fundamental movements and addition, they were not engaged enough to think
concepts forms the foundation to many of the deeper about what makes good sequencing.
other domains in the PE syllabus e.g. Games and
Sports, Athletics, etc. Although it forms the PROCEDURE
foundation, it is also one of the most challenging
areas. Within Gymnastics, the PLT noticed that In this lesson, the following strategies / resources
many of our students had a challenging time / theories were used in the stated sequence
mastering the skill of sequencing. Common areas below:
for growth include demonstrating a smooth
transition and selection of appropriate skills. Warm-Up and First Activity: Lesson Introduction
and Video Presentation
Previously, the PE department began lesson Determining Lesson Objectives; Providing Clear
introductions without the use of the whiteboard. Explanation
Without the whiteboard, which helps to make the - The lesson objectives and success criteria
objectives and success criteria of the lesson more
were made visible by writing them on the
whiteboard at the start of the lesson.

56

Arousing Interest, Activating Prior Knowledge and reasons that made them place their magnets
Use of Video (ICT) under the respective headings and what they
- A video of a gymnastic sequence was shown could do to improve their self-assessment.

to get students excited. FINDINGS
- A discussion after the video engaged the The use of the whiteboard as a platform to make
learning visible was effective for PE teachers to
students’ prior knowledge of gymnastic skills engage the students well. Prior to this project,
taught earlier. there was no structure / indication of thinking
- Through the video and discussion, students routines and learning outcomes for students to
were guided to see how the correct refer to. Students are now able to practice self-
performance of the individual skills and directedness as they were seen coming back to
appropriate selection of skills helps to the board to refer to what they were supposed to
produce a good sequence with smooth do (e.g. the success criteria). Their quality of
transition. movement (e.g. momentary stillness for 3
seconds) was more evident as they were being
Second Activity: Sequencing and Peer Assessment constantly reminded of what was expected of
Using Questions to Deepen Learning; Thinking them (W.A.L.T/W.I.L.F).
Routine: See-Think-Wonder
- Higher-order thinking questions were used Students were able to self-assess as a form of AFL
by placing magnets under the appropriate
during the video discussion and throughout headings. Through such routines, teachers were
the lesson. able to identify students who required more help.
- The questions posed were primarily targeted
at encouraging a smooth transition between As the school is moving towards improving
skills, clear performance of skills and selection Subject Literacy, there is a need to ensure that all
of appropriate of skills. PE teachers and Dazhong students are able to use
and understand the terminology and key content
Checking for Understanding and Providing vocabulary used in PE.
Feedback; Usage of iPads (ICT)
- Students were given a sequence rubric, which As such, the PLT will be improving this project by
creating a modifiable Word Wall to complement
they used to plan their sequence and to help the “Thinking Whiteboards”. This Word Wall will
them in their peer assessment. have key content vocabulary relating to the lesson
- Students used iPads to record one another’s for students to refer to (e.g. Point-Balance, Patch-
sequences and used the rubrics to provide Balance, Locomotor, etc.).
their feedback.
57
Closure
Checking for Understanding and Providing
Feedback; Using Questions to Deepen Learning
- At the end of the lesson, students did an ‘exit

magnet’ (similar to exit pass) where they
placed their respective magnets under
various headings depending on how well they
had performed in the lesson (based on the
lesson objectives and success criteria).
- Based on the exit magnets, teacher asked
questions to get students to think about the

Mood Creation with Art and Music

(MU PLT) Dawn Kuah
Chang Mei Shan, Herman Bin Ponjio, Samuel Tan Chin Whee, Christine
PLT Leader: Xiao, Jane Ang
PLT Members:

SYNOPSIS

Music and Art teachers have combined their learning from PLT into a common theme—mood creation
expressed through Art and Music. They explored ways to link moods and emotions to music elements such
as tempo and dynamics and visual arts elements such as colour. Subject language scaffolding strategies
such as concept circles were used to support students’ understanding of these concepts.

Skills mastered by students in the arts can be integrated with other curriculum areas to make learning more
visible, joyful and memorable.

BACKGROUND The key content vocabulary includes:

Students were not proficient in using Art and Visual Arts: Warm Colours, Cool Colours,
Music content vocabulary terms to describe their Secondary Colours, Primary Colours, Contrast
creations.
- Students need to know and should be able to Music: Dynamics, Tempo, Beat, Rhythm, Timbre
(Contrast between the words used for Dynamics:
use certain vocabulary words which are learnt loud/soft; Tempo: fast/slow)
during Art and Music lessons.
- Students should be able to appreciate how Lessons were structured based on the teaching of
mood can be linked to music and art concepts. these new vocabulary words and Music / Art
- Students should be able to use these words in activities were used to enhance and deepen
other subjects and apply their knowledge of students’ learning of these concepts.
these words in writing (using Art & Music to
impact other IP subjects). Through the Art-making / Music Creation
processes, students will be able to link these
PROCEDURE words to “what they already know” (prerequisite
knowledge) and “what new knowledge that is
Concept Circles were used to introduce the being formed” (new concepts). With the
content vocabulary words to students. Teachers knowledge and skills students have, students
used this method to brainstorm about other were given experiential learning opportunities
words that students can use with these (Art & Music) before concepts were applied into
vocabulary words to extend their knowledge of their learning.
the words being taught.

58

The success criteria was made clear to all students.
It includes:

1. [Music] Students are able to portray a mood
through playing instruments by varying tempo
and dynamics.

2. [Visual Arts] Students are able to identify
warm / cool colours and create contrast
between the two types of colours.

3. Students are able to use Music / Art Talk to
articulate their thinking about their own
compositions / creations during lessons.

FINDINGS

Students were better able to link the words that
were introduced during the lessons.
- [Visual Arts] Warm and cool collage artwork

showed contrast. Students were able to
identify the warm from the cool colours.
- [Music] Students were able to apply musical
elements (e.g. dynamics and tempo) through
the playing of musical instruments to create
different moods.

Concept Circles are a useful tool for Art and Music
teachers as they can be used to build on
knowledge as well as further extend learning to
other lessons throughout the year. They also help
to reinforce the subject-specific vocabulary of art
and music elements.

59

An e-publication by the
Learning & Development Committee,
Dazhong Primary School, Singapore

60