Lesson+Comparison

The sixth grade Castle Unit is at the controlled level of inquiry. A virtual tour, by its very nature, can only go so far. While the student’s are free to explore the tour in any order they want, they are bound to its parameters. When introducing a new topic, this can be good. It will keep them focused on the present subject matter and prevent wandering off topic. An instructor will have a bank of questions that will likely be asked, and should not be taken by surprise.

The eleventh grade Knight Unit is at the guided level of inquiry. While the students can take the journey of inquiry at any pace they want, with whatever material they want, they are still expected to stop at certain ‘landmarks’ and end up in the same ‘location.’ As this group of students has prior exposure to the topic of medieval history, they are allotted more freedom in their projects. While the curriculum standards demand a specific branch of knowledge be covered, guided inquiry also allows room for creativity.

The roles of the instructors at each level are different. For the younger unit, a more monitored and direct style is needed. Lamb (2011) describes several roles of a learning leader. The media specialist is a catalyst and a connector. Through conversations and sharing with other teachers, the media specialist helps foster new teaching ideas and topics. At the higher level, the media specialist adds two more roles. As a coach, they must NOT give a student ‘the answer.’ Learning needs will not be met that way, nor will the students truly learn anything. Finally, as a caregiver, the media specialist needs to create an environment where students can pursue their ideas with support and safety.

Both of the units involve a writing/story component. A short story and a historical character profile. A maturation in how to write can be seen. In a short story, there are rules and a basic pattern. Introduction, climax, resolution are all standard and familiar. In the knight creation unit, while not a STORY, it emphasizes the thought required to create a multifaceted character. What are their views? How do they interact with others? How can we use those views to critique everyday life? It is the hope that the knight unit can show students that a strong character in a story can both entertain and teach.

The specific information standards these units pull from the 2007 AASL for the units are Castle - Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge. Knight - Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge. The difference between these levels comes from how knowledge is used. At the sixth grade, knowledge is simply enlarged. Through lessons and activities, the new facts are cemented into memory. At a higher level, that knowledge is once again enlarged, but also used practically. Whether it is the critical literacy of examining behavior in modern sports or the visual literacy of heraldic crests, higher-level inquiry can be expressed in diverse forms.

Lamb, A. (2011). //Levels of inquiry//, accessed on Nov 14, 2011 at []

Lamb, A. (2011). //Role as learning leader//, accessed on Nov 7, 2011 at []