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       Contextual content knowledge is applied when students are talking, writing, thinking, creating, or speaking about the subjects that pertain to the students outside of the school day. It also refers to the teacher’s ability to explain concepts, skills, and ideas related to the topic being taught in meaningful way. This information should be presented in a variety of ways, so it reaches meaning within a variety of students. This is important because it allows students to see that they can apply the knowledge they learn to the world outside of the classroom.

            One example of how I apply contextual concept knowledge to my own classroom is through my teaching of science. During science I make sure each topic is applicable to the students, so they understand why we are learning about that specific topic. Before we even covered any science topics we discuss what a scientist does. We did this by talking about it and writing about the behaviors of a scientist, on an anchor chart. Once the students knew what a scientist does, they were all told that during science time they were expected to act like scientist. This was an important expectation to set because, student now know the experiments they perform in class are like what scientist do in the lab.

           Another example of how I have applied contextual content knowledge during science, is when students where learning about the moon. First students simply observed the moon for a month noting any changes. Students then conducted a research project on the moon. They researched the moon as a group, and then wrote down their findings and tried to see if they could find anything to explain their observations. After this project, students got to attend a presentation from an aero-space engineer where he talked about missions to the moon and brought in a telescope, so students could view the moon! The research project acted as a foundation skill for researching. However, the presentation showed students how a real-life scientist also researched on the moon and how he used that information on his missions while working with NASA. This gave students great contextual concept knowledge on specifically the moon but overall, with science.

            It is vital to allow student the opportunity to not only discuss write, think, behave, and create but, to also allow them to create meaning through their content. This is important for their self-motivation and overall will to learn. As a teacher it is my mission to present their content in a way that is meaningful and that they can apply to the world around them.