{"id":381,"date":"2023-02-26T13:00:09","date_gmt":"2023-02-26T13:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eduflections.blog\/?p=381"},"modified":"2024-08-04T10:14:49","modified_gmt":"2024-08-04T10:14:49","slug":"ibdp-biology-revision-using-powertools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eduflections.blog\/?p=381","title":{"rendered":"IBDP Biology: Revision Using PowerTools"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One of the most useful books that I’ve read in the last few years for enhancing the instruction in my classroom is Powerful Teaching<\/a> by Pooja Agarwal and Patrice Bain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I haven’t used everything from the book yet, but it’s likely you’ll recognise and have tried some of it before too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I enjoyed it so much I thought I would share with you a few of the highly usable takeaways and a few resources (scroll down) made for IBDP Biology with much of the book in mind – revision time is here and so these might be useful for your students as the exams approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Brain Dumping:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love this one. Especially when we do it on the desks (and make a lovely mess) with chalk pens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Practicing and rehearsing<\/strong> finding information in our brains is incredibly important<\/strong>, brain dumping helps with that. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

To get the most out of this in a classroom:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Pour everything out of your brain onto the desk – don’t worry about it being pretty.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Read through, try to stimulate some connections.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Visit someone else’s desk and look what they have done, add to it if possible (using a different desk pen colour). You can visit another couple of desks…<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Go back to your own, add in things that you missed and think about what other people have added to it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    To get the most out of this at home:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Pour everything out of your brain onto a sheet of plain paper – again, don’t worry about it being pretty.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Read through, try to stimulate some connections. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Take your time, there is no rush, this is about what is in your head, not how fast you can get it out.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Use your notes, specification and resources to add to your page with a different colour pen.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Spaced Retrieval:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Why is it important? It allows us to assess<\/strong> what is held well in our brain<\/strong> and find the information that we need to secure a little better <\/strong>– and then it helps <\/strong>us to think<\/strong> about and create<\/strong> the steps<\/strong> needed to secure<\/strong> the knowledge a little better! It allows us to reflect in real time.<\/strong> This isn’t new, and those teaching science and involved in Cog Sci Sci<\/a> will have likely used Adam’s Retrieval Roulette which uses the same concept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      I use this in my planning ALL THE TIME! <\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      Homework<\/strong> is based on it!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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      Lesson<\/strong> start tasks are planned using this!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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      Revision<\/strong> is planned using this before going on Formative.com!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      These sheets <\/a>are for homework\/revision, students have the option to complete them on their iPad or on paper. I find it useful to bulk plan in general and so having Google Slides<\/a> of this planned out for the students is helpful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      In Practice: Revision<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      Example QR coded sheet for a monthly revision program<\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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      Using the above I put together a 28 day program<\/strong> of questions for students to do 15 minutes of Biology per day<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Each day consists of 5 MCQ’s, 1 short and 1 long answer question. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      March 28 Day SL Version<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      March 28 Day HL Version<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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      I also really loved the concept of Retrieve-Taking<\/strong> which is outlined in the book. This is done rather than traditional note taking, I’ve been trying it with a Grade 11 class. Ensuring that students are really paying attention<\/strong> and not attempting to multi-task<\/strong> whilst I’m explaining a concept is great. That being said, I try to limit note taking in general and try to ensure that tasks and sheets are made to cover what students need to walk out of the lesson with.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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      Using information on Interleaving<\/strong> and Metacognition<\/strong> from the book I quickly put together some question packs for the SL and HL course (there are no mark schemes and the options aren’t included). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Please feel free to download and share with your students and any other IB Biology teachers that may find them useful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n