SOLO matching activity What is my level of thinking and understanding?

Teacher notes This activity is a matching activity where students match examples of thinking and understanding to a SOLO level (pre-structural, unistructural, multistructual, relational or extended abstract). Equipment needed: SOLO laminated cards, print-out of student SOLO activity sheets, scissors, answer sheet for the teacher

Activity 1 (Whole class demonstration) Explain SOLO to students. Use the SOLO PowerPoint. Tell students they will now do an activity with you to further understanding SOLO. Separate students into groups of 2 or 3. There should be a maximum of 3 students in each group. Hand out the laminated SOLO cards to each group and the student sheet for chicken nuggets. Students to cut out the 5 stripes. Explain to students that pre-structural is when you not sure about topic. So box that says I am not sure whether chicken nuggets are healthy or unhealthy will be pre-structural because the thinking is unsure. Tell students to place that box next to pre-structural on their SOLO cards. Repeat for the rest of the boxes. Refer to the answer sheet if you are unsure.

Activity 2 (Small group activity) Give each student group a different student sheet. So one group will have rock cycle, another group will have cell theory, etc. Each group will work together to decide which box goes with each SOLO level. Walk around to each group and ask students to explain why they have placed a box at a particular SOLO level. At about 5 minutes before ending this activity, tell students that one person from each group will present to the class and read out each box for each SOLO level and explain why they have placed the box at that level. Activity 3 (Whole class presentation) Each group will nominate a speaker to present to the class by reading out each box for each SOLO level and explaining why they have placed the box at that level.

What is my level of thinking and understanding?

My level of thinking and learning is Pre-structural Im not sure about Example of thinking and learning

Unistructural I have one relevant idea about

Multistructural I have many relevant ideas about

Relational I have many relevant ideas about. I can link these ideas together Extended abstract

Extended abstract I have many relevant ideas about I can link these ideas together with the big picture I can use these ideas to make a generalisation, judgement, prediction or product

What is my level of thinking and understanding on chicken nuggets? (Student activity sheet)
Instructions: Below are some boxes that show different levels of thinking and understanding on chicken nuggets. Cut out each box and decide whether each box demonstrates pre-structural, unistructural, multistructural, relational or extended abstract.

I know that chicken nuggets are not really chicken. Only half of a chicken nugget is made up of muscle meat. The rest of the nugget is made of a combination of fat, blood vessels, nerves, bones and cartilage. I am not sure whether chicken nuggets are healthy or unhealthy. I know that chicken nuggets are unhealthy because they are not made of muscle meat from chicken. Not only are chicken nuggets made of fat, blood vessels, nerves, bones and cartilage, they also have high levels of fat and salt. Too much fat and salt are unhealthy for the human body because it can lead to obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease. I can create a poster that informs people about the health dangers of eating chicken nuggets and change their behaviours when choosing what to eat. The poster I create will convince people to eat more healthily. I know that chicken nuggets are not really chicken.

What is my level of thinking and understanding on the cell theory? (Student activity sheet)
Instructions: Below are some boxes that show different levels of thinking and understanding on the cell theory. Cut out each box and decide whether each box demonstrates pre-structural, unistructural, multistructural, relational or extended abstract.

Cells make up living things. I dont really know what a cell is. Is it some kind of room? Humans are living things because we are made of cells. We have different types of cells like red blood cells and nerve cells. Each type of cell looks different because they have different functions. For example red blood cells look like circular disks or UFOs because this shape will give a red blood cell the most area for carrying oxygen. Nerve cells are long and have many branches because they need to send and receive messages from many other nerve cells in order to control the body. Cells make up living things. All cells come from pre-existing cells. Cells can make more of themselves by dividing into two. There are different types of cells. Humans are multicellular organisms, which is why they have different types of cells. Some examples of these different types of cells are red blood cells and nerve cells. Red blood cells are shaped like discs because this shape will give them the most area to carry oxygen. Nerve cells are long and have many branches so they can send and receive messages from many other nerve cells to control the body. All different types cells have their own specific jobs, but they also work together in order to form tissues, organs and body systems in order to keep humans alive. All multicellular organisms have different types of cells that work together.

What is my level of thinking and understanding on the rock cycle? (Student activity sheet)
Instructions: Below are some boxes that show different levels of thinking and understanding on the rock cycle. Cut out each box and decide whether each box demonstrates pre-structural, unistructural, multistructural, relational or extended abstract.

Sedimentary rocks are made from pieces of other rocks. An example of a sedimentary rock is sandstone. Sandstone is made from pieces of sand being laid down and pressed together over thousands of years. Sedimentary rocks are made from pieces of other rocks. How sedimentary rocks are made are like how rocky road is made. Rocky Road is a snack made of chocolates and marshmallows mashed up together. The chocolate and marshmallows are like different types are squashed and mixed together during the cooking process to make Rocky Road. This is like how sedimentary rocks are made from different pieces of rocks that are squashed and mixed together over a long time. Sedimentary rocks are made of rocks made from pieces of other rocks. They are made by the processes of weathering and erosion. Weathering is when pieces of rocks or sediments are blown off or washed off from the original rock. Erosion is when these sediments are carried away to another place by wind or water. Weathering and erosion of sedimentary rocks can create new sedimentary rocks elsewhere and is how the landscape of our Earth is formed. Mountains eventually get smaller and smaller by weathering and erosion and new mountains are made elsewhere. I am not sure what the rock cycle is. I think it might be something to do with rocks.

What is my level of thinking and understanding on Earth in space? (Student activity sheet)
Instructions: Below are some boxes that show different levels of thinking and understanding on Earth in space. Cut out each box and decide whether each box demonstrates pre-structural, unistructural, multistructural, relational or extended abstract.

Most places on Earth have four seasons summer, autumn, winter and spring. There are different seasons on Earth because of the Earths tilt as it revolves around the sun. The Earth is tilted at 23.5 . This tilt causes some places on Earth to have different intensity of sunlight. When the southern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, it has a high intensity of sunlight so it is summer. At the same time the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun so it will have a lower intensity of sunlight and will therefore be winter. I dont really know why we have seasons. It might be because of how the Earth moves around the sun. If Mercury has no tilt, I predict that it will not have seasons. This is because a planet needs to be tilted in order to have different intensities of light shining on the different hemispheres. If Mercury has no tilt, then the whole planet will have the same intensity of light shining on it at all times. Therefore Mercury will have no seasons. Most places on Earth have four seasons summer, autumn, winter and spring. Places near the equator do not have four seasons, but have dry and wet seasons instead. Some cultures have six seasons like some Aboriginal cultures and some Indian cultures.

What is my level of thinking and understanding? Chicken nuggets answer sheet

My level of thinking and learning is Pre-structural Im not sure about I know that chicken nuggets are not really chicken. Example of thinking and learning I am not sure whether chicken nuggets are healthy or unhealthy.

Unistructural I have one relevant idea about I know that chicken nuggets are not really chicken. Only half of a chicken nugget is made up of muscle meat. The rest of the nugget is made of a combination of fat, blood vessels, nerves, bones and cartilage. Multistructural I have many relevant ideas about I know that chicken nuggets are unhealthy because they are not made of muscle meat from chicken. Not only are chicken nuggets made of fat, blood vessels, nerves, bones and cartilage, they also have high levels of fat and salt. Too much fat and salt are unhealthy for the human body because it can lead to obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Relational I have many relevant ideas about. I can link these ideas together Extended abstract

I can create a poster that informs people about the health dangers of eating chicken nuggets and change their behaviours when choosing what to eat. The poster I create will convince people to eat more healthily.

Extended abstract I have many relevant ideas about I can link these ideas together with the big picture I can use these ideas to make a generalisation, judgement, prediction or product

What is my level of thinking and understanding? Answer sheet cell theory

My level of thinking and learning is Pre-structural Im not sure about Cells make up living things. Example of thinking and learning I dont really know what a cell is. Is it some kind of room?

Unistructural I have one relevant idea about Cells make up living things. All cells come from pre-existing cells. Cells can make more of themselves by dividing into two. There are different types of cells. Multistructural I have many relevant ideas about Humans are living things because we are made of cells. We have different types of cells like red blood cells and nerve cells. Each type of cell looks different because they have different functions. For example red blood cells look like circular disks or UFOs because this shape will give a red blood cell the most area for carrying oxygen. Nerve cells are long and have many branches because they need to send and receive messages from many other nerve cells in order to control the body.

Relational I have many relevant ideas about. I can link these ideas together Extended abstract

Extended abstract I have many relevant ideas about I can link these ideas together with the big picture I can use these ideas to make a generalisation, judgement, prediction or product

Humans are multicellular organisms, which is why they have different types of cells. Some examples of these different types of cells are red blood cells and nerve cells. Red blood cells are shaped like discs because this shape will give them the most area to carry oxygen. Nerve cells are long and have many branches so they can send and receive messages from many other nerve cells to control the body. All different types cells have their own specific jobs, but they also work together in order to form tissues, organs and body systems in order to keep humans alive. All multicellular organisms have different types of cells that work together.

What is my level of thinking and understanding? Answer sheet rock cycle

My level of thinking and learning is Pre-structural Im not sure about Sedimentary rocks are made from pieces of other rocks. Example of thinking and learning I am not sure what the rock cycle is. I think it might be something to do with rocks.

Unistructural I have one relevant idea about Sedimentary rocks are made from pieces of other rocks. An example of a sedimentary rock is sandstone. Sandstone is made from pieces of sand being laid down and pressed together over thousands of years. Multistructural I have many relevant ideas about How sedimentary rocks are made are like how rocky road is made. Rocky Road is a snack made of chocolates and marshmallows mashed up together. The chocolate and marshmallows are like different types are squashed and mixed together during the cooking process to make Rocky Road. This is like how sedimentary rocks are made from different pieces of rocks that are squashed and mixed together over a long time.

Relational I have many relevant ideas about. I can link these ideas to together Extended abstract

Extended abstract I have many relevant ideas about I can link these ideas together with the big picture I can use these ideas to make a generalisation, judgement, prediction or product

Sedimentary rocks are made of rocks made from pieces of other rocks. They are made by the processes of weathering and erosion. Weathering is when pieces of rocks or sediments are blown off or washed off from the original rock. Erosion is when these sediments are carried away to another place by wind or water. Weathering and erosion of sedimentary rocks can create new sedimentary rocks elsewhere and is how the landscape of our Earth is formed. Mountains eventually get smaller and smaller by weathering and erosion and new mountains are made elsewhere.

What is my level of thinking and understanding? Answer sheet Earth in space

My level of thinking and learning is Pre-structural Im not sure about Most places on Earth have four seasons summer, autumn, winter and spring. Example of thinking and learning I dont really know why we have seasons. It might be because of how the Earth moves around the sun.

Unistructural I have one relevant idea about Most places on Earth have four seasons summer, autumn, winter and spring. Places near the equator do not have four seasons, but have dry and wet seasons instead. Some cultures have six seasons like some Aboriginal cultures and some Indian cultures. There are different seasons on Earth because of the Earths tilt as it revolves around the sun. The Earth is tilted at 23.5 . This tilt causes some places on Earth to have different intensity of sunlight. When the southern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, it has a high intensity of sunlight so it is summer. At the same time the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun so it will have a lower intensity of sunlight and will therefore be winter.

Multistructural I have many relevant ideas about

Relational I have many relevant ideas about. I can link these ideas together Extended abstract

If Mercury has no tilt, I predict that it will not have seasons. This is because a planet needs to be tilted in order to have different intensities of light shining on the different hemispheres. If Mercury has no tilt, then the whole planet will have the same intensity of light shining on it at all times. Therefore Mercury will have no seasons.

Extended abstract I have many relevant ideas about I can link these ideas together with the big picture I can use these ideas to make a generalisation, judgement, prediction or product