Week 4 8.2: A Local Ecosystem

Describe one learning cycle activity you would use in a Biology lesson. Give reasons why you chose this for your particular syllabus point.

8.2:A Local Ecosystem

I will be looking specifically into 8.3.2.2.8 which states identify and describe in detail adaptations of a plant and an animal from the local ecosystem. One learning cycle from Kolbe's learning styles (experiencing, reflecting, theorising and experimenting) I would like to implement on this syllabus outcome is experimenting by using the method of PCK. The experimenting phase would be associated with PCK's deconstruct and construct steps which would allow students to firstly engage in a deconsructing activity as a pair or in groups and then construct the concepts in an individual manner. An example would be giving out a set local environment ie hot and arid environment and getting students to work in pairs or in groups, determine what type of adaptations would occur in animals and plants and getting students to draw and describe these adaptations for the individual animal and plant. The constructng aspect of this activity would be to get students to individually reflect on what they  have just done in pairs or in groups and then focus on one animal and plant and give detail reasons (cause and an effect) to why these adaptations have occured and their significance for the animal and plant.

I shpse this for my particular syllabus point becuase there are some syllabus points that do not maximise the use of a learning cycle activity or PCK, but this syllabus point allowed students to be able to truly experiement what they are learning in groups or pairs and individually.