KWL

The KWL introduction/summation exercise has been floating around teaching circles for a looong time. A few years ago I picked up on it and thought, though it seems a bit canned and programmish, I'd give it a try. It's been one of the kids' favorite ways to start a unit. (It's amazing how they chime in when they know their answer will matter).

KWL stands for "What do you Know about [the topic]?" "What do you Want to know about [the topic]?" "What did you Learn about [the topic]?" Obviously, you do K and W when you begin the topic and L when you're done. I never do L, because if I'm teaching the way I think I should I'm not going to ignore their W and teach my own agenda to them. If they want to know some stuff then, of course, by the end of our study that's what they're going to know. Plus, I forget to do L. Just keeping it real for ya.

We began a unit study on Light yesterday. Here is what they Want to know. I have a second grader and a sixth grader and these are their actual responses.

• How fast does light travel?
• Can you measure the brightness of light?
• What is the size and shape of light?
• How do we measure heat from light?
• What did Einstein learn about light?
• When was the light bulb invented?
• Why does light from the sun burn your eyes?

I should be a specialist in Optics by the end of next week.