Flip class lesson plan

Action research flipping

So...because one limiting factor we all have is time......

A vocal  teacher in our building was discussing the laziness of using #flipclass the other day.  He could not believe our principal let lazy teachers use video for notes.  I decided to try to prove him incorrect with data (as any good science teacher would).  One of the classes I teach (anatomy and physiology) is still not flipped for reasons of my sanity and time. I DO however, record all in class lectures for students who are absent or for student review.  I pause the lecture recording while students take notes.  I record my speaking/writing and any questions from the audience.  Here is the data from the last 3 class periods of doing this:

1. Intro lecture on nervous system: total video time: 8 minutes; total class time this took (waiting for students to copy it down, dealing with interruptions, etc.) 29 minutes

2. Lecture on action potential: total video time 12 minutes; total class time this took: 32 minutes

3. Lecture on synapse transmission and reflex arcs:  7:48; total class time: 28 minutes.

I do realize that I could provide students with a lecture outline or some kind of sheet to reduce copying time in class but every time I try that, I have many students tell me that they dislike it because they learn better when they write it themselves. 

In contrast, here are the last 3 days of my 9th grade mainstreamed (which means team taught with a sped teacher for 2 of my 3 classes)  biology flipped classroom.  Students were to watch a 15 minute notes video on the circulatory system (path of blood flow and heart function and parts of blood) as homework.  In the past, these notes took me 2-3 days @ 20 minutes a day to cover because of copying time, etc.

Day 1. discuss notes summary and do an online lab relating blood flow to digestion and excretion. discuss at end of hour
Day 2. discuss how to write a good experiment (again:) ) and have them write and perform an experiment testing a question regarding heart rate. They had to write questions, hypotheses, fill in data, make a claim and explain their claim.
Day 3. Lab group presentations of experiments like (does holding your breath slow heart rate?, does placing your arm in ice water slow heart rate?) Showing their data and stating their explanation.  The rest of the students then assessed the presentation in writing:
             a. How confident are you (1-10) in their results?  Why?
             b. How confident are you (1-10) in their explanation?  Why?
They then shared their assessment verbally with the group that presented.  This led to an hour of discussion on what is good science and how is heart rate related to breathing, ice water,etc.  The interesting thing is that all students were on task for the complete period on this.  The discussions were fantastic.

The point is that with creative use of the time, flipping is the OPPOSITE of lazy.  In fact, I think my students learned more about the heart this year than ever before. I know that much of what they learned is not "testable" but is still important.   I also know that next year, I am flipping anatomy also.  It is a must for a laboratory classroom.