Background

The format for these lessons was developed by the Geography Alliance movement -- coordinated and supported by the National Geographic Society.  The foundation of the Geographic Alliances are the Teacher Consultants (TCs) who have attended an Alliance Summer Geography Institute (ASGI).

At the geography institutes, TCs learn a lesson style called the "BINKO" format.  The Binko format is named after Professor Binko of Towson State University, who developed this style as a way for teachers to tell other teachers how they teach lessons.

In brief, the normal lesson format that you are used to (e.g. the Hunter Model) exists as "Proceedures" within the Binko lesson.  The rest of the Binko format is to help teach teachers how to teach lessons.

The alliance movement completely believes in teachers.  Instead of trying to look over your shoulder, the alliance movement completely believes in teachers. We start with assumptions:

* that some of the most effective innovation comes from teachers;

* that innovation that starts elsewhere (administrators, consultants, professors) is most succesful when teachers adapt ideas for use in their classes;

* that teachers sharing what works for them in their classrooms is what other teachers trust; and

* that teachers deserve the opportunities for professional growth that the national network of Geographical Alliances bring.

Warning: Some of the sample Binko lessons have evolved over years of teaching and suggestions from peers.  I do not expect that your lessons turned in for this class will match those master lessons.

Suggested Level of Detail: A more reasonable expectation is for you to write these lessons for substitute teachers.  In other words, the Binko Format provides the sort of detail that is the perfect lesson for a substitute.

Title

Your name, Arizona Geographic Alliance

Purpose

Overview of Main Ideas

Connection to the Curriculum

Grade Level

Connections to the National/Arizona Geography Standards

Time

Materials

Objectives

       Students are expected to

Suggested Procedures

       Preparation for the Lesson

       Opening the Lesson

       Developing the Lesson

       Concluding the Lesson

Assessing Student Learning

Extending the Lesson

The Binko format is intended to have a component of guided practice, such as would be given at an Arizona Geographic Alliance GeoFest conference (http://alliance.la.asu.edu/azga/ and click on GeoFest)

Guided practice is the key to learning from an in-service (see Table 1).

TABLE 1. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMPONENTS OF IN-SERVICE AND OUTCOMES (adapted from an address by B. Joyce at the National Staff Development Council in Anaheim, California, March 1982)

	Outcome:	Outcome:
Components of In-service	Awareness and Concept Understanding	Skill Attainment and Application
Presentation of Concept	85%	15%
Modeling/Demonstrating	85%	18%
Guided Practice and Low Risk Feedback	85%	80%
Coaching	90%	90%