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Programming Power - Assignment Instructions

Key Goals

  • Use a theme word that is a current focus for the children
  • Apply holistic thinking by using the word generator to develop ideas
  • Use the top-down method to organise your program in theme
  • Clarify the emotional kick in an activity using the Fun Loop
  • Clarify cause & effect and logic using the Control Loop
  • Develop logical reasoning (evidence) using the Scientific Method
  • Intentionally hide (lock up) knowledge so children can discover

Remember: every method be it the fun loop, control loop, scientific method, or word generator is a teaching tool.
It's a tool that is only used for a very specific purpose.

Collaborate in-person (or on-line) with colleagues.
After your brainstorming session with colleagues, you can finish your planning on your own.

Implement your plan, and submit your reflection about the word generator and its outcomes.
You will be asked to upload an image of your topic map and images of your interaction.
And you will use the Word Generator Worksheet when you are planning (it is an editable PDF).

Collaboration

If you are the only person In your centre doing this course?
You can approach your centre manager and/or the room leader to seek support.

The centre manager or fellow teacher could:
  • Share their perspectives on how to apply the new idea
  • Support you in the planning
  • Help you determine the best time to apply it in your usual program


If you have other colleagues doing this course?
You can work with your colleagues online (using the learning platform chat, or video conferencing) or in-person

Your colleagues could:
  • Share their perspectives on how to apply the new idea
  • Support you in the planning
  • Help you determine the best time to apply it in your usual program

Assignment Logic

Working through your assignment is very simple and familiar.
You follow the planning cycle!

Observe an Interaction

Choose a topic that children are currently fascinated with.
Make this your key word or starting point for holistic thinking.

Assess the Interactions

Q. How does your current topic connect your other topics?
Q. If the current topic is not in the category of STEAM, how can I make that connection?
Take the time to really understand these questions, then move onto the design.

Design a New Interaction

Use the word generator to create numerous connections.
Do not be quick to sort the new connections, this can limit the ideas and put the breaks on holistic thinking.
Make a note of any new ideas that match another topic you are running in your class, then keep generating ideas.

Once you have a nice collection of ideas, we want to see you:
  • make an interaction that connects the theme word to idea#1 of your choice.
  • make an extension lesson from idea#1 that wouldn't usually be associated with the theme word

e.g in the video lessons, we made a strange  connection between electricity and plant-life.
We want you to apply the same approach.

When you finally decide which ideas you want to teach, ask yourself
Q. at which points could I use the scientific method to guide my investigation?
Q. how can I use the fun loop and the control loop to guide the learning dynamics?
Q. what information or events can I hide from the children so they can experience discovery?

In summary, 
  1. Generate ideas with the word generator
  2. Design a lesson that connects the theme idea to idea#1 of your choice
  3. Run that lesson
  4. Design an interaction that extends from idea#1 and make the extension unusual
  5. Run that lesson

Remember, your designs should be in the category of STEAM education.

Design Guide

This guide is designed to help you animate the key outcomes using the Word Generator

EYLF Practice:
Holistic, integrated and interconnected approaches 
Learning environments 

EYLF Outcome 4.1 and 4.2.

key word: 
the key word is...

etymology: 
the origin of the key word is...

question: 
what's the connection between the key word and the origin word?

key word:
the origin word has a synonym that is...

question:
what's the connection between the key word and the synonym word?

search engine:  
search it in a search engine

repeat...

Note: After your brainstorming session with colleagues, you can finish your planning on your own.

Action Your Plan

Do it!

Reflect on the Outcomes

This is where you look back on how the top-down approach and the word generator influenced holistic learning.
We want to know about your planning session and the outcomes.
You will be asked to upload a PDF of your topic map.
When you submit your assignment, you will need to upload images or videos of your work 
(please do not include children's faces).
Then copy your reflection and paste it when you submit your assignment.

Be sure to have your Word Generator Worksheet ready.