Thoughts on Assessment - Lesson Planning.

In my most recent lesson planning, I decided to build a unit for RI.5.7, and I’ve been thinking about formative assessments.

In case you don’t know the difference, the Eberly Center website (n.d.) says “the goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning,” in contrast, “the goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark.”

The objective:

At the completion of day 4 of this 5 day unit, 90-95% of students will be able to examine print and digital resources for 10 minutes and use in order to quickly locate answers with 80% accuracy.

This will be a short reminder of how to skim and scan for information. Then students will be given two articles on the same subject. Then I will follow up with a graduated release of responsibility close read using the I do, We do, You do method and ending in a completed group scavenger hunt worksheet. There are many ways I can assess this, but since I’m really looking at the formative, I wanted to talk about a few assessments I’m considering as part of this lesson plan.

1-     Think-Pair-Share– West Virginia website (n.d.) says the “Think-Pair-Share is a summarization strategy that can be used in any content area.” I will discuss with the students what they know and what we’ve previously learned about the three techniques used in this particular lesson; close read, skimming, and scanning. They will then pair and share what they think. We will then repeat for the branches of government.

2-     The close read. – In close reading students look closely at the text and notice how the article has been segmented and draw connections between the texts (Greenstein, n.d.). I can watch students as they close read to see if they are highlighting the important information in the text. I feel that this small step alone can make or break a student’s ability to find accurate information. If students have highlighted the important sections and circled powerful vocabulary in the text, it is quite likely that they have highlighted or circled the answers to the questions.

3-     Reciprocal Discussions – Dodge City Middle School (n.d.) says during Whisper-Skim-Scan students use fingers “to skim and scan the text, while they whisper key words.” This will help students to find key terms that might be in questions they must answer. Skimming and scanning are great tools for reading and finding information quickly (Beale, 2013). Listen to student discussion for signs of understanding how to skim and scan and what information is integral and what is superfluous. This will allow me to see if students understand how to use close reading and scanning to find information quickly and accurately.

References

Beale, A. M., (Feb 4, 2013). Skimming And Scanning: Two Important Strategies For Speeding Up Your Reading. Retrieved from http://www.howtolearn.com/2013/02/skimming-and-scanning-two-important-strategies-for-speeding-up-your-reading/

Dodge City Middle School website. (n.d.). Formative Assessment. Retrieved from http://dodgecitymiddleschool.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/61883414/Formative%20Assessment.pdf

Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation. (n.d.). What is the difference between formative and summative assessment? Retrieved from https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/basics/formative-summative.html

Greenstein, L., (n.d.). What Teachers Really Need To Know About Formative Assessment. Retrieved from http://www.ocmboces.org/tfiles/folder874/DailyFormativeAssessment.pptx 

West Virginia Dept of Ed website. (n.d.). Think-Pair-Share. Retrieved from https://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/Think-Pair-Share.html

Picture from Wiki Commons

The original uploader was Hwilliams at English Wikibooks https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lesson_Plan_Template.pdf

More Thoughts on Lesson Planning.

I’d love to share my thoughts on creating lesson plans. It’s important to really think about all the parts and pieces of a standard while creating a lesson plan.

Unpacking a standard

Unpacking a standard helps a teacher to reflect on all the parts of a standard and discover how many activities are hidden within the standard.

Example standard;

(5.RI.3) “Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.” (AZ Dept of Education, 2010)

This standard is not simply about the relationships between two or more individuals in a historical text. It has many layers. Even the simple difference between explaining the relationships and explaining the interactions can require a teacher to use two lessons. Another way a teacher might have to alter the instruction would be the specific texts. The standard does not simply call for historical texts, it also mentions scientific and technical texts. It’s important that a teacher see all the parts of a standard and address them. This gives students the best opportunity to succeed in tests and in life.

Backwards mapping

This type of lesson planning helps a teacher develop a more interesting and pointed plan. The teacher knows what assessment he/she intends to give, and can tailor the lesson to that particular assessment. It also helps the teacher stay focused on the lesson at hand, instead of veering off on a possible tangent that isn’t needed for the current standard and does not enhance the standard.

Example standard;

For this standard, I might begin with an assessment where students must discuss the interactions between multiple figures during the revolutionary war. Alternately, I might have students enumerate the relationship between two scientific theories they are reading about.

Writing objectives

Writing SMART objectives helps a teacher verbalize their final goal for student understanding.

Smart Goals are Specific, Measurable or observable, Attainable for the audience, Relevant and results oriented, Target to learner and desired level of learning. These goals help the teacher measure if a lesson was effective for the bulk of students and offer an expected time frame for this student learning.

Example standard;

This standard should be effective for 80-90% of students. They should be able to explain the interactions between multiple figures in the revolutionary war with 80% accuracy.  

Resources

Arizona Department Of Education Website. (June, 2010). Arizona’s College and Career Ready Standards English Language Arts. Retrieved from https://cms.azed.gov/home/GetDocumentFile?id=550c579caadebe15d072a992

Planning my RI.5.7 Unit

I’m creating a unit lesson for my students to work on and I thought I’d show you how I plan to create the lessons in the unit. I teach 5^th grade elementary, so I’ve chosen a common core standard from the state of Arizona’s 5th grade curriculum. I want to explore this standard because the fifth grade students I work with are developing their logic and they need help with exploring different articles and finding information in those texts.

RI.5.7 --- Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.

There are several lessons that can come from this standard, once it has been unpacked that should lead to them being able to do the following proficiently (note how each one rolls into the next to make a unit);

1.     Students can use multiple print sources to find information.

2.     Students can use multiple digital sources to find information.

3.     Students can locate answers quickly in digital and/or print texts.

4.     Students can use multiple print and digital sources to solve a problem in an efficient manner.

5.     Extending the standard - Students can use multiple digital and print sources to debate and defend their solution.

How will I know the students got these skills? The assessments;

1.     Students will complete a worksheet with questions from two newspaper articles on a similar topic.

2.     Students will complete a worksheet with questions about the three branches of government.

3.     Students will have 20 minutes to find and write out the answers to 20 questions.

4.     Students will read multiple “witness accounts” of the same mystery or crime.

5.     Students will write debate notes and verbally defend their solution.

How will I get them there? The activities;

1.     Students will use multiple print sources to answer questions correctly.

2.     Students will use multiple digital sources to answer questions correctly with cited sources.

3.     Students will work in groups to complete a timed online scavenger hunt and locate answers quickly in digital and/or print texts.

4.     Students will use multiple print and digital sources to solve a mystery in an efficient manner.

5.     Extending the standard - Students can use multiple digital and print sources to debate and defend their solution to the mystery.

Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is more important to classroom management than consequences, in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong, there is certainly a place for the turned card and the parent phone call, but I believe that positivity begets positivity. Because of this, I want to spend a few hundred words discussing the behavior management strategies in my school and classroom.

The most important thing to remember according to Smith (pg. 2), is that “what may be extremely motivating for one student may be entirely useless for another.”   That’s why teachers must have many different routes to travel as far as their behavior management.  Here is my typical mental process when I need to discipline students.

A closer view of this diagram is included at the end of the blog.

In my class, I use a lot of token reinforcement which, according to Smith (pg. 1) “involves awarding points or tokens for appropriate behavior. These rewards have little value in themselves but can be exchanged for something of value.” So you will see a few examples of this below.

Here are a few examples of what I would do in specific situations.

Misbehavior

1)      A female student isn’t working. She isn’t bothering anyone, but she is sitting in silence and creating origami stars out of paper.

For this student, I need to act quickly, but I do not need to address it aloud. I’d walk up silently. If she didn’t change her behavior, I’d tap her desk quietly. When she looked up, I would take the paper then tap her class work.

2)      A male student is taking the pencils off other student’s desks and breaking them. He has just snapped a pencil during math.

For this student, I need to address it immediately. I’d tell him, in a quiet but firm tone, to put it down and clip his card. I would then give the other students a problem to work independently. If he did not comply, I would tell him that he needed to do what I asked, or he would face further problems. If the student continued to refuse, he might end up with a write up or phone call home.

Appropriate student behavior.

1)      A female student is on task, working hard to complete her assignment in spite of some quiet chatter around the room.

I would walk up and place a paw-sitive slip on her desk and when she looked up, I would give her a smile or nod to show her that I approved of her behavior. I might then walk around with a few paw-sitives held very obviously in my hand, looking for more students who were on task to encourage other students to improve their behavior.

2)      A male student is waiting as the class line as they return from specials. As the class enters the room, the student in front of him drops her backpack and he stops to help her pick them up.

When we enter the classroom, I would say to the class that I saw a student being an exemplary model employee. I would then say what he did and add give him a bonus slip he could use to buy something from the class store. This might get him a no homework pass or a physical object.   

Here are examples of positive student reinforcement; school-wide and class-wide.

Resources

Smith, K., (n.d.) Positive Reinforcement... a proactive intervention for the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.cehd.umn.edu/CEED/publications/tipsheets/preschoolbehavior/posrein.pdf

Three Teaching Strategies

Roller coaster science 

The strategy-

Behavioral and Academic expectations

This project-based strategy calls for good student behavior, and it will get that behavior, because students will find the learning interesting. The students aren’t just reading about what they are learning, they are actually learning by doing.  As far as academic learning goes, this assignment will foster learning in many areas. The teacher is building their 21^st century skills and deepening their knowledge by making them consider every part of the project, from funding and design to planning and execution. The roller coaster must be safe, cost effective, and fun.

Norms, rules, and procedures

Students each have their own jobs. Some must attend the planning meeting and discuss the logistics of their rides, others have to act as accountant, and yet others have to enter the information into the computer program. 

The teaching style comparison

While the other videos’ teaching styles have their own benefits, this is the best style, in my opinion. Bie.org (n.d.) explains that in project based learning, “students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge.” In this style, students are given ownership of their own learning. They must complete their part in the assignment, and many standards can be taught within the one assignment. The other styles don’t allow for the level of individual thought and growth I see in this style.

I love hands-on projects. My students were struggling with simple expressions and the abstract nature of problems like 6 X (4 + 13). I used project-based learning (involving cookies and plastic bags) to explain simple expressions. After we completed the lesson, the students were able to understand simple expressions far more clearly.

Chinese math

The strategy-

Behavioral and Academic expectations

This rote strategy has been around for more than 2000 years. As such, students, parents, and teachers know what to expect of the curriculum and the learners. Instant and highly responsive behavior is expected from students. In addition, students are expected to perform academically alongside other students.

Norms, rules, and procedures

The teacher is achieving high levels of engagement because she is not giving the students a moment to rest. Though, at the same time, she is not giving them a moment to think. The students are expected to pay attention and respond constantly and instantly to the cues she gives, and use the memorized facts to find answers.

The teaching style comparison-

This form of memorization, while not as effective alone, can certainly lay the groundwork for learning. Johnson (2010) says that “knowledge without comprehension is of little use, but comprehension requires knowledge and it takes time and effort to acquire.” I love creating hands-on projects, as I mentioned, but helping my students memorize the basics is as important to me as taking those basics and turning them into advanced methods and thoughts. For example, my students often play sparkle or number circle to help them memorize the facts they need to learn. Number circle is where students stand in a circle and we all name multiples of a number up to ten, like by 8s to 80, and I choose a certain number (40, for example) to sit down. We then go around the circle until all the students are sitting. This helps the students memorize the more difficult math facts, like the 7s and 8s.

Whole brain teaching

The strategy-

Behavioral and Academic expectations

Students are expected to follow commands and repeat information to facilitate memorization in this Rote strategy.  Students are given information from the teacher, then expected to go back and forth “teaching” the information to each other. Academically, students are expected to aid their memory by creating hand gestures or following teacher-provided hand gestures. Students are given little time to think, and are expected to be “mirrors” for their teachers the instant the command is called out.

Norms, rules, and procedures

The students are expected to pay attention all the time and repeat what the teachers say. Students are to teach each other at the teacher’s command, and the students are expected to memorize many commands and rules, which they must also be prepared to repeat at a moment’s notice.

The teaching style comparison-

Battle (n.d.) said “Whole Brain Teaching is an approach designed toward maximizing student engagement, and focusing on the way the brain is really designed to learn.” 

There are some things I love about this method. The engagement really is impressive. For things that need memorization, this method can be very effective. I adore the way that neighbors are encouraged to “teach” each others. I also love the speed reading process that can be seen in the video, and the scoreboard or leader board method that I read about while researching really appealed to me.

I really love to acknowledge student achievements, as the leader boards do. I had one student, years ago, that struggled with alphabetizing his spelling words. I praised every improvement and within 3 months, he was getting all his alphabetization correct. This year, I have a student that struggled with spelling. I have seen similar results in my current student’s spelling tests based on my praising his improvements.

This method is similar to the Chinese math method, but it can be used with all types of lessons. If the information can be memorized, this method can be used.

References

Bie Website. (n.d.). What is Project Based Learning (PBL)? Retrieved from https://www.bie.org/about/what_pbl

Johnson, B., (Feb 26, 2010). When Rote Learning Makes Sense. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/rote-learning-benefits

Battle, J., (n.d.). Whole Brain Teaching: Learning the Way the Brain is Designed. Retrieved from http://www.advanc-ed.org/source/whole-brain-teaching-learning-way-brain-designed

Artwork

Shieldforyoureyes Dave Fischer https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Chinese-abacus.jpg

Shannan Muskopf https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/Brain_hirez.jpg

Developing a Positive Classroom Environment

As a teacher, I must create a caring and safe environment for all students.

Diverse Cultural Backgrounds

Students with different backgrounds have different needs. Some cultures are quiet, while others are vocal. Many cultures find tradition to be of great importance, whereas others place far less value on it.

I have to address every student’s needs while maintaining an impartial classroom. Santora (2004) says “Children need to see themselves, and people who represent the diversity of their families, their communities, and their world, in the environment in which they live, work, and play.” I cannot allow my classroom to appear to be heavily biased toward any culture or cultures. I also must make sure the other students in class show the same respect for the other students in class.

Positive Relationships in the Classroom

As I learned, while researching positive relationships in the classroom, a teacher must share who they are in an honest manner. I will share stories of myself and my past with students so they can understand where I come from. My students will be encouraged to share themselves as well. Morning meetings, classroom etiquette talks, and rules discussions would be great times for this sharing to occur. As students get to know each other, they will bond and be more likely to create and maintain a friendly and positive environment in the class.  

Anti-bullying In and Out of the Classroom

“Bullying Intervention” (n.d.). suggests including “students who might be left out.” I strongly agree that this encouraging mentality is an important part of the positive classroom. To this end, I have my students write something nice about every other student in class. I then have students draw their own likeness and write all the kind comments around them. Students love to read the sweet things others in class have said about them. They rarely walk away from those posters without a smile.

Positive Engagement

Allred (2008) suggests “teachers help students understand that people are likely to feel good about themselves when they engage in positive actions.” This is why I will be reading books and sharing videos that encourage students to engage in positive behaviors. Each Kindness is a great book to help with this. It will help students to understand that we must do kind things while we have the chance, or the opportunity might be lost.

Making Mistakes

It's important that students feel comfortable enough to be themselves. This video calls to the viewers attention how important it is for students to feel comfortable making mistakes. I try to maintain a safe classroom environment. The students in my class have to feel safe to make mistakes, work at their own pace, and try without fear of embarrassment. 

In Conclusion

If the environment is positive, students can feel free to learn and grow at their own pace. They will be less likely to bully and more likely to be invested in the class as a whole. It is my goal, as a teacher, to create this environment for my students every day.

Resources

Allred, C. G., (Sept. 2008). Seven Strategies for Building Positive Classrooms

The Positive Classroom V66 (issue 1) Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept08/vol66/num01/Seven-Strategies-for-Building-Positive-Classrooms.aspx

Bullying Intervention Strategies That Work.  (n.d.). Education World. (issue 103) Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_issues/issues/issues103.shtml

Santora, L., (2004) How Can You Create a Learning Environment That Respects Diversity? NYSAEYC Report, Winter 2004. Retrieved from http://www.adl.org/assets/pdf/education-outreach/How-Can-You-Create-a-Learning-Environment-That-Respects-Diversity.pdf

Picture Resources

Eddie~Shttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bully_Free_Zone.jpg

Frerieke https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diversity_and_Unity.jpg

A Fun Learning Game for the Classroom

Mobile Learning in the Classroom – Uses and Best Practices

 There are many uses for mobile devices in (and outside of) the classroom.

 Audiobooks and Text to speech can be used to read books and articles to help students with disabilities and students who are English Language Learners.   Redford (n.d.) says, “Listening to audiobooks is a way to deliver words and ideas to a child with limited access to an adult reader.”

In my classroom, I will help my student with attention deficit by allowing him to listen to the audio CD of the weekly story. Also, I will allow my ELL students to use audio CDs of readings and articles. 

Students can use browsers and GPS to join in digital scavenger hunts, play games, and take quizzes. Librarians at North Carolina State University have Library orientation programs where students use iPads and Androids in a scavenger hunt fashion to encourage students to discover facts about the library (Burke & Lai, 2012).

In my classroom, I love to use quizzes and games as practice time and for pre-assessment. Also, I’d like to use mobile devices to initiate a QR code scavenger hunt around the school, and an online scavenger hunt could be exciting as well.

Video and picture capabilities can be used to report findings, notate facts, and practice for presentations. Perhaps, students can even post video assignments online. Feldmann (2016) believes that “Students work harder on their videos when they know that they'll have a wider audience than just their teacher.”

Students in my classroom will take notes for a report. When notes are complete, students will use them to create and record a presentation. Students can then watch each other’s presentations and offer feedback to improve the presentation.   

Students can use ipads and other mobile devices to organize and complete homework. In addition, parents can comment on shared class and homework projects. Graham (n.d.) suggests that mobile apps “help students better organize their assignments.”

I think it would be fun to have students use mobile devices to create mobile learning apps. Also, I could give students the opportunity to collaborate on an assignment through those devices and a wiki site. 

Best Practices

In a fifth grade classroom, there are several best practices required for mobile learning.

Rules - Students should understand the rules of mobile device usage in the classroom. Usage - Students need to know how to use the devices.

Play/Expectations- Students must understand how to navigate games and activities,   as well as the expectations and how to complete the assignments. 

Timed – Students should be able to complete assignments in a timely fashion.         

Fifth graders need information that is easy to access, interactive, and goal-oriented (Chaffe, 2016).   

Guiding Principles

My fifth graders also need me to follow certain guiding principles.

Use technology judiciously- Not all lessons can be taught with mobile devices.        

Keep activities social- Fifth graders are social creatures, so assignments should be group assignments more often than not.

Realistic goals- Specific and realistic goals are integral at this age. If they do not have a solid goal, they may be confused and drift from the assignment.

 Content should match the standard and the technology should be part of your overall learning structure (Caul, 2013).

Resources

.Burke, A., and Lai, A., (May 4, 2012). iPod Apps, Mobile Learning, Game Dynamics: This Ain’t Your Typical Library Orientation. Retrieved from http://www.loexconference.org/2012/sessions.html

Chaffe, S., (Mar 5, 2016). Getting Mobile Learning Right: 6 Best Practices. Retrieved from https://elearningindustry.com/getting-mobile-learning-right-6-best-practices

Feldmann, A., (Feb 24, 2016). 5 Apps to Transform Teaching and Personalize Learning. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/apps-transform-teaching-personalize-learning-ann-feldmann

Graham, E., (n.d.). Using Smartphones in the Classroom. Retrieved from
http://www.nea.org/tools/56274.htm

Redford, K., (n.d.). How Parents Can Build a Word-Rich Life for Dislexics. Retrieved from http://dyslexia.yale.edu/PAR_wordvocab.html

Caul, R., (Aug 1, 2013). Create a mobile learning strategy. Retrieved from https://www.trainingjournal.com/articles/feature/create-mobile-learning-strategy