Acquisition, Making Meaning, Transfer What might they look like in the classroom?

AMT in the Classroom Social Studies Examples Updated 3/11/15

Three Interrelated Learning

Goals

Acquisition Making Meaning Transfer This goal seeks to help learners acquire factual information and basic skills.

This goal seeks to help students construct meaning (i.e., come to an understanding) of important ideas and processes

This goal seeks to support the learners ability to transfer their learning autonomously and effectively in new situations.

Example U.S. History Unit American Revolution EU - Wars are not always won by the best military force. Geography, strategy, allies and motivation also matter. EQ - How can underdogs defeat world powers?

Text reading, teacher presentation, video, etc. on key details of the Revolutionary War:

Advantages/disadvantages enjoyed by each side

Strategies and leadership

Key battles

Etc.

Students participate in a tug-of-war simulation that parallels the American Revolution. Make up of the teams, rules, rewards, etc. all reflect the American Revolution. After simulation, debriefing occurs to identify the parallels. Students reflect on how the simulation helped them better understand the war.

Analyze a summary of U.S. war in Afghanistan. Many Americans dont understand why this war has taken so long, were a superpower after all. How does the experience of the Am. Revolution help explain/help you understand why this war is taking so long and why the powerful United States has not won yet. Identify parallels between the two wars and reflect on how studying American Revolution helps you explain/ understand the war in Afghanistan.

Example Social Studies (Gr. 1 Rules, Laws, Safety) EU Rules (and laws) at school, at home and in the community are designed to keep us safe and keep things fair. EQ Why do we need rules and laws? (Note As students get older, they learn about additional reasons/goals behind rules and laws. Safety and fairness are a beginning point for 1

st

graders.)

Teacher explains the difference between rules and laws. Teacher explains how laws for a community or a nation are made and changed.

Teacher asks students to suggest rules and laws they are familiar with. As they do, teacher lists the examples in two separate categories without labeling the categories or lists. (Rules designed for safety go in one group. Rules related to fairness go in another group.) After several responses are present in both lists, teacher leads a classroom discussion to determine why their examples were put into two separate groupings. Teacher prompts students to look for similarities and differences in the examples in each list. Discussion leads to two goals for rules/laws safety and fairness.

Students are presented with pictures of familiar situations (community pool, outdoor activity or game, lunchroom or cafeteria, busy street). Students are asked to suggest rules or laws that are needed for each situation and to categorize each law or rule they present as being related to safety or fairness. NOTE For this to be a transfer activity and not simply recall, situations pictured should be ones that have not already been analyzed as part of previous lessons.

NOTE: Acquisition of knowledge and skill does not have to precede making meaning. These two types of learning can occur side-by-side. However, students do need to acquire knowledge and skills, and make some meaning of their learning before they can transfer successfully.