Mode Continuum Research Paper

Mode Continuum

Stage 1: Doing an experiment- Students work in small groups to complete different science experiments and therefore when they were done with the experiment students had learned new things from their fellow students. This stage creates a basis of knowledge while working in groups. By students sharing information with each other, students will be able to “think outside the box” and think about a topic in a new way.

Stage 2: Introducing Key Vocabulary- Before sharing their information with the class, the teacher will introduce new vocabulary and relate the new terms to what the groups have just done. After learning new vocabulary, students can make sense of new terms and use those terms in their writing or in further explanation of a topic.

Find out what the student already knows going into the activity. By finding out what the students already knows, the teacher can work off the students’ strengths. It is also important to know what the student already knows so you can keep the student engaged in new information based on a certain topic.

Stage 2: Modeling the text- Build a students’ understanding of the reason behind learning a certain topic and why it is important. Use a text that is well-written and is helpful to display importance of a topic. It is important for the student to know “why”. If a student does not understand the reasoning behind a certain topic, they may lose interest and give up.

Stage 3: Joint Construction- Students start to think about writing and decide on a topic. They use graphic organizers or grids to help organize information. By organizing this information and recording it on paper, students can clearly see the areas in which they might struggle with or might need to ask for assistance with. This is a great way for students to unconsciously self-evaluate the areas in which they struggle and the areas of great