Science

COMPREHENSION ACTIVITY – DICTAGLOSS

-         Example in Science

Dictagloss – Finding Main Ideas in a Paired Listening and Note Making Activity

Teacher chooses a text which is interesting and not too long

Teacher reads it first time at normal speed, students just listen

Teacher reads again, students can make notes about what is being read

Students work in pairs to see if they “got” all the key points

They listen to a third reading by the teacher and add in extra points they had missed

They write a reconstructed text – it is not word for word the same

They also write one or two summary sentences

Students share their reconstructed and summary versions together in whole class discussion

SOURCE MATERIAL

PLANET X

For several years, many scientists believed there was an undiscovered planet, ‘Planet X’, beyond Pluto that was responsible for unexplained deviations in the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. When Voyager 2 provided more information about the masses of Uranus and Neptune, it was discovered that both planets were heavier than first thought. New calculations using these more accurate masses were than able to explain the deviations in orbit, ending support for the existence of Planet X.

Example in Science continued...

Notes  (NOTES THAT THE STUDENTS SHOULD COME UP WITH)

Scientists believed

Undiscovered planet – Planet X

Past Pluto

Unexplained deviations in Uranus and Neptune orbits

Voyager 2 – more information about masses of Uranus and Neptune

Reconstructed Text    (RECONSTRUCTED TEXT THAT THE STUDENTS SHOULD COME UP WITH)

Scientists believed there was an undiscovered planet, Planet  X past Pluto which caused unexplained deviations in Uranus and Neptune orbit.  A space shuttle called Voyager 2 gave more information about masses of Uranus and Neptune. It was found they were heavier. New calculations using these masses explained deviations in orbits, ending knowledge of existence of Planet X.

Summary Sentence    (NOTES THAT THE STUDENTS SHOULD COME UP WITH)

Scientist initially believed that a planet called Planet X was responsible for unexplained deviations in Uranus and Neptune orbits it