Length
60 minutes
Curriculum Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.5
Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text contribute to the whole.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.7
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
Materials
Instructions
- Begin the lesson by asking students if they've had a class where the teacher was knowledgeable about the content but could not effectively teach the material.
- Allow students to share their experiences.
- Then explain that this lesson defines and explains pedagogical content knowledge.
- Distribute the Pedagogical Content Knowledge: Definition & Explanation lesson, play the video, pause at 01:29, then start the following discussion:
- Define pedagogical content knowledge.
- Provide examples of pedagogical content knowledge.
- Now restart the video, pause at 05:24, then pose these discussion points:
- Explain how to combine content and pedagogical strategies.
- Why is it important to understand student perceptions?
- How would you suggest a teacher analyze the more difficult aspects of a subject?
- Discuss important teaching strategies.
- Afterwards, play the 'Lesson Summary' and distribute the lesson quiz. You may also show the lesson quiz on the screen.
- Allow students to work on the quiz in pairs, then review the answers.
Activity
- Prior to this activity, create a critique worksheet with 10 columns and 4 rows. Type the numbers 1 - 10 in each column (this will correspond with the number of groups you have completing the activity) and the following pedagogical content features in each row:
- Combining Content and Pedagogy
- Understanding Student Perceptions
- Deciding a Subject's Difficulty
- Knowing Teaching Strategies
- Begin the activity by asking students what they learned about pedagogical content.
- Then explain that this activity will enhance their understanding of the application.
- Divide the class into 10 groups, then allow each to choose one of the following topics:
- social media
- sports marketing
- nonverbal communication
- diversity
- online dating
- social injustice
- globalization
- fashion consciousness
- democracy
- college
- Afterwards, explain these instructions:
- Imagine you are teaching the assigned topic to high school students
- Peruse the hard copy lesson and outline the pedagogical content features
- Discuss how you would teach the topic using each feature
- Create an outline for how you would teach the topic using all 4 components
- Ask each group to present their plan to teach their topic to high schoolers
- Distribute the critique worksheet to each student and ask them to evaluate each group's teaching outline using this rating system:
- 1 - exceeds expectations
- 2 - meets expectations
- 3 - needs improvement
- Lead a debriefing discussion after each group completes their presentation.
