5E Instructional Model Analysis

As a middle school education student, I am taught to create engaging lesson plans and units based on the 5E instructional model. This model splits learning units into four major parts: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. These steps get students involved in their learning, allowing them to connect with the information being taught, helping them to better retain it. “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn,” said Benjamin Franklin. This is important, especially when teaching an event like the Revolutionary War. I have developed a basic learning unit plan, based on the 5E instructional model, for teaching the Revolutionary War in an elementary school classroom. This unit could last between one …show more content…
During the “explain” step in the 5E method, teachers should encourage students to share what discussed while in groups. Definitions and explanations using students ' ideas should then be provided in addition to new ideas and concepts to teach additional material. Many routes could be taken with the explain portion of the Revolutionary War unit. A good way to begin this step would be by reading some of the information found in the provided textbook. It is important to utilize, but not depend on the textbook. Make sure to emphasize key points such as the patriots and loyalists, the intolerable acts, colonists’ reactions to these acts, and how the Revolutionary War affected the land, people and economy in the colonies. Elementary-age students need to be taught about the importance of this war, but should not be bombarded with every detail, as these will come later in their …show more content…
Though dreaded, the “evaluation” stage of the 5E method allows students to demonstrate their understanding of concepts, compare their ideas with others and assess their own progress in their learning. This may test major vocabulary words, terms, and facts in the case of historical events. To conclude the revolutionary war unit, a test should be given to assess the students newly-learned knowledge. A simple assessment would be several multiple choice questions testing knowledge of vocabulary words like “loyalist,” or “patriot,” a few fill in the blank questions testing knowledge of the Intolerable Acts, and, perhaps, an open ended response asking students to take on the perspective of a colonial American by writing how they “feel” about the intolerable acts and the Revolutionary