A number of us at my school have been working with WBT since the beginning of the school year two weeks ago. Everyone is enjoying it, but we are having a hard time figuring out how to plan lessons. Is there time for independent work and reading?

Thank you.

Remember that WBT is meant to be flexible based on what you need it to do. The following is a modified version of the 5 Step Model that I use with my 8th graders:

First: Intro new vocabulary, or review vocabulary from yesterday, Teach-OK (5 min)

Second: Main Topic (10-12 minutes)

• Introduce topic (2-3 min)
• Have class talk with partners and decide the two most important points. (1 min)
• Have them explain why that is most important, agree or disagree, support your opinion with facts. Class discussion. (5 min)
• Microlecture/Teach-OK the results (1-3 min)
• Take notes, with the partners on the important points. (1 min)

Third: Video clip, review game, lab, or activity, review a previous lesson with them doing some of the teaching, quiz, individual or small group work. Anything that is a little different (10-12 min)

Fourth: Continue main topic, or introduce the next one, same steps as above under Second. (10-12 min)

Fifth: Have them use the two topics you have introduced, and combine them to show the connections. Use foldables, thinking maps, science journals, graphs whatever you like. Small group work. Take up the results for anyone who is finished. Anyone who is not it is homework due tomorrow morning. (10-12 min)

Sixth: Review the connections made in Fifth, Teach-OK! Review connections. Use one of the activities you did not use in THIRD and finish out the last few minutes. This is assuming hour long classes.

Did this help?

This is very helpful. Thank you for sharing it. I will pass this on to the teachers at my school who are working with the WBT model.

I don't even teach a higher grade level, but seeing this spelled out in such detail is ahhhh-mazing! I am pumped to take what you wrote and scale it down for my class. I'm still tweaking the 5-step lesson plan, and even though I'm not a pro at it, it's becoming my favorite aspect of WBT!

I am glad I could help. If you have more questions on planning feel free to ask here, or email me. I am happy to help.

Jeff

I am about to post this example on my blog!!!! This is really helpful. Some days I feel like I'm the one who was in the lead all period long, other days I feel like have allowed students to take the lead but at the cost of the scoreboard and other WBT techniques!!

Roxi,
WBT Intern 2011/12

That's extremely useful for me as well, Jeff, if only to see that I'm not way off base.

I've been having my students do a lot of inquiry based projects, and trying to fold WBT concepts into that has been weird, because I'm not doing a lot of "telling" that they can repeat to each other; they're interacting as part of the project. But I do use it anytime I have something explicit to tell them.

WBT Intern
2011-2012