WHAT IS

EFFECTIVE

INSTRUCTION?

Activating Prior Knowledge

Lesson Design Component

Today’s ObjectiveToday’s Objective

To understand To understand howhow to activate prior to activate prior knowledge and knowledge and why it is importantwhy it is important to do to do

soso. We will practice activating prior . We will practice activating prior knowledge by knowledge by connectingconnecting the the new new contentcontent to something that students to something that students

have experienced, are familiar with, or have experienced, are familiar with, or have been previously taught. have been previously taught.

Activating Activating Prior KnowledgePrior Knowledge

The practice of explicitly providing students with a connection

between something they already know and the content they are

going to learn.

APK helps students toAPK helps students to

Retrieve pertinent information from long-Retrieve pertinent information from long-term memory and move it into the working term memory and move it into the working memory.memory.

More easily learn the new content, and More easily learn the new content, and Develop a comprehensive understanding Develop a comprehensive understanding

rather than remembering bits and piecesrather than remembering bits and pieces Move from memorizing information to Move from memorizing information to

meaningful learning, andmeaningful learning, and Apply learning in contextApply learning in context

What APK is NotWhat APK is Not

It is not a pre assessment…It is not a pre assessment…

Who knows the definition of a right Who knows the definition of a right triangle?triangle?

It is not asking students to tell all they know It is not asking students to tell all they know about a broad topic.about a broad topic.

What do you know about WWII?What do you know about WWII?

How to Activate Prior KnowledgeHow to Activate Prior Knowledge

Connect prior knowledge to new learningConnect prior knowledge to new learning Use a universal experience or previous Use a universal experience or previous

event as an example.event as an example.

Review prior academic experience by Review prior academic experience by reviewing a previously taught reviewing a previously taught skillskill or or conceptconcept..

Steps to Take with APKSteps to Take with APK

1.1. Activate Prior Knowledge using a Activate Prior Knowledge using a universal experience or a review of universal experience or a review of prerequisite skills and/or concepts.prerequisite skills and/or concepts.

2.2. Facilitate student interactionFacilitate student interaction

3.3. Explain the connection to the new Explain the connection to the new learning.learning.

APK – Points to RememberAPK – Points to Remember

Activate, don’t assessActivate, don’t assess Carefully review the lesson learning Carefully review the lesson learning

objective to select the appropriate objective to select the appropriate knowledge to activateknowledge to activate

Do not use new vocabulary during APKDo not use new vocabulary during APK The APK process should take about 5 The APK process should take about 5

minutesminutes APK can precede the Learning ObjectiveAPK can precede the Learning Objective

APK – Review of a APK – Review of a Prerequisite SkillPrerequisite Skill

Why this is important…Why this is important… Can fill in gaps of student’s knowledgeCan fill in gaps of student’s knowledge Brings relevant prerequisite information into Brings relevant prerequisite information into

students’ working memorystudents’ working memory Assists students in applying the previously Assists students in applying the previously

taught skills many times over in the context of taught skills many times over in the context of the new learningthe new learning

Provides students with additional practice of Provides students with additional practice of the previously taught skillsthe previously taught skills

APK – Sub Skill ReviewAPK – Sub Skill ReviewAn ExampleAn Example

Lesson objective – Students will order Lesson objective – Students will order rational numbers from least to greatest.rational numbers from least to greatest.

Sample set contains rational numbers Sample set contains rational numbers written as common fractions and decimalswritten as common fractions and decimals

Teacher reviews the skill of converting Teacher reviews the skill of converting common fractions to decimals with common fractions to decimals with students actively practicing the reviewstudents actively practicing the review

Teacher connects review practice to Teacher connects review practice to today’s objectivetoday’s objective

Steps to APK Steps to APK

1.1. Identify the concept and/or skill in the Identify the concept and/or skill in the new lessonnew lesson

2.2. Set the learning objective Set the learning objective

3.3. Plan to activate prior knowledge Plan to activate prior knowledge based on what students are based on what students are expected to expected to learnlearn from the new from the new lessonlesson

Steps to APK - continuedSteps to APK - continued

4.4. Decide which process of APK will be Decide which process of APK will be most effective in this lessonmost effective in this lesson

5.5. Decide on the order of the presentation – Decide on the order of the presentation – which to teach first, lesson objective or which to teach first, lesson objective or activate prior knowledgeactivate prior knowledge

6.6. Plan student engagement and CFUPlan student engagement and CFU

7.7. Plan how to connect the prior knowledge Plan how to connect the prior knowledge with new learningwith new learning

APK – Guided PracticeAPK – Guided Practice

ELA – identifying author’s purposeELA – identifying author’s purpose Universal experienceUniversal experience

ELA – Compare and contrast characters in ELA – Compare and contrast characters in a story.a story. Review prerequisiteReview prerequisite

Math – adding two digit numbers with Math – adding two digit numbers with regroupingregrouping Review prerequisiteReview prerequisite

APK – Independent PracticeAPK – Independent Practice

Selected ELA standardSelected ELA standard Develop a lesson learning objectiveDevelop a lesson learning objective Plan how to review a prerequisite skillPlan how to review a prerequisite skill to to

activate prior knowledgeactivate prior knowledge Connect the APK to the lesson objectiveConnect the APK to the lesson objective Plan for students’ interaction Plan for students’ interaction Remember, APK should take not more Remember, APK should take not more

than than 5 minutes 5 minutes of the lessonof the lesson

APK Summary:APK Summary:Three Things to RememberThree Things to Remember

1.1. Link - Link - it must it must LINKLINK prior prior knowledge to new contentknowledge to new content

2.2. All students - All students - It must work It must work for for ALLALL students students

3.3. ShortShort - - It must be It must be SHORTSHORT