Models of Instructional Design

Whole Task Approach

The whole task approach is learning a task as a whole instead of a set of individual sub-skills.  There are many sub-skills that can be taught when introducing elements as pure substances and teaching the difference between elements and compounds.  These include, breaking down elements into their smallest substance, reading element blocks and comparing and contrasting elements and compounds.  Rather than teaching each concept step by step, building upon each other the lesson is taught looking at the “big picture” in its entirety; the Periodic table as a whole and what makes up compounds. 

Scaffolding

In teaching students about elements and compounds with the scaffolding method, I would start with the most simplified task first and build upon each skill as they are mastered; which is the opposite of Whole Task approach.  First students would learn the basics, breaking down elements into their smallest substance. From there I would build on the basics by looking at the periodic table and all the elements and the properties in the element blocks, including reading the element blocks and what all the properties mean and where they are located.  I would show examples and do some hands on activities about elements, before moving on to what the difference is in elements and compounds.  Tasks gradually increasing in difficulty.

Mathemagenic

Students then have the opportunity to reflect on concepts and put them into practice.  Allowing students to see examples, modeling different atoms of elements, students designing their own experiment identifying elements as pure substances, and showing students real world components dealing with elements brings variability into practice and students become more familiar with the information and thus promotes a powerful learning experience.