Concept Attainment Lesson Plan

Learning Objectives

After this lesson, students will be able to:

• define concept attainment
• explain how concept attainment is used to learn
• demonstrate understanding of concept attainment

Length:

• 1 hour

Materials

• Paper
• Index cards

Curriculum Standards

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.1

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.2

Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text's explanation or depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary of the text.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.3

Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks, attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text.

Instructions

• Show students a concept attainment model and ask them to observe and conclude. Discuss answers.
• Tell students they just participated in a learning model called concept attainment. Share and discuss prior knowledge.
• Start the video lesson Concept Attainment: Model & Strategy and pause at 0:58. Discuss:
  • What skills does the concept attainment model use?
  • Are there differing levels of concept attainment?
  • Besides pictures, what can be used in the concept attainment model?
  • How does the concept attainment model work?
• Restart the video and pause again at 2:46. Ask:
  • Explain why concept attainment works using an example.
  • When and why do educators use the concept attainment model?
  • What is your experience with the model?
  • Does the model work for you?
• Resume the video and allow it to play to the end.
• Ask students to talk to a partner about the process of using concept attainment. Have them recall the three tips and list them on the board.
• Answer any remaining questions.

Activity

• Students will create their own concept attainment model. Allow them to brainstorm a theme, then draw images or words. Attach to paper or index cards.
• Have students display their concept attainment model on their desktop and number their work (one for each student.)
• Now have students take out a sheet of paper and number it, one for each student.
• Instruct students to walk around the classroom, visiting each desk. Students should record their guess for the themes on their paper.
• When finished, have each student share their thinking as others correct their guesses. Discuss and offer feedback.

Extensions

• Have students research how the concept attainment model is used in instructional preparation.
• Research other work and philosophies by Jerome Bruner.
• Instruct students to research other cognitive theorists. Compare and contrast.

Related Lessons

• Brain-Based Learning: Theory & Strategies
• Jerome Bruner's Theory of Development: Discovery Learning & Representation
• Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development