{"content":{"sharePage":{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"34507418","dateCreated":"1298069074","smartDate":"Feb 18, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"laffing2","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/laffing2","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/fpsdi.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/34507418"},"dateDigested":1531977338,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Strategy 1","description":"Gina Laffin
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\nStrategy: Response Cards
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\nSetting:
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\nI chose to implement the Response card strategy in each of my four science classes. The number of students in each class range from 26-29. I chose this lesson because I thought it would be a good review of information we had learned the previous day and it would \u201cforce\u201d all students to participate. The previous day we had read and discussed what the main components of air are. There were four main categories and because of the limited choices, response cards seemed like a good fit for this strategy.
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\nImplementation:
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\nI began the class explaining to the class that we were going to be reviewing what we had learned yesterday. I told them that we were going to be using something called response cards. I gave each student four cards, each labeled A, B, C or D. I then put up an example question on the Elmo and asked the students to choose the card that matched what they thought was the correct answer. I told them to hold their card until I said the words \u201cshow me your cards\u201d. We then practiced this with the example question. After I saw that the students understood the directions we proceeded with the actual questions. I put up one question at a time, gave them about 15-20 seconds to choose their card and then said \u201cshow me your cards\u201d. I scanned the room as a means of informal assessment, and then told them the correct answer. I also spoke about why it was the correct choice as a way to clear up any misconceptions that the students may have had. I had a total of 15 questions that I went through with the students.
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\nOutcomes:
\nI thought it went very well. The students were definitely engaged in the activity and were very excited to hear what the correct answer was. I heard a lot of them exclaim, \u201cYes!\u201d or \u201cOh Yah!\u201d when they got it right. I could tell that they enjoyed the activity and it was a great way to review info. instead of just talking about it. I would definitely use this activity again. I plan on making a set of laminated response cards so they can be used over and over. By the end of my fourth class they were looking rough.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"34436350","dateCreated":"1297978474","smartDate":"Feb 17, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"mohrj","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/mohrj","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/fpsdi.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/34436350"},"dateDigested":1531977338,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Stratagy #1 Exit Tickets","description":"Exit Ticket
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\nThe purpose is to process the information that was given in class, while engaging the students. It is an informal assessment that also creates closure of the lesson.
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\nThis is an individual activity, that made a big impact for me.
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\nThe exit ticket is a way that I was able to get feedback of student understanding. I was surprised how the students responded. In my class, I used the exit ticket after I taught about the art element of Space. I taught the students about the Illusion of Depth. When I gave them an exit ticket, I didn\u2019t ask about the way the felt, but asked them to tell me something they learned.
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\nStudents gave honest feedback. Like \u201cWhat you taught made sense to me, I just never thought about how I would draw what I knew.\u201d Or \u201cGoing out in the hall was a fun way to talk about depth\u201d and \u201cIt was nice to get out of the room.\u201d I am glad some students were more specific like \u201cI didn\u2019t understand the position on the page until you gave a couple of examples\u201d and another student said, \u201cWhen you use two illusions, does one over power the others?\u201d I never thought about mentioning that.
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\nTwo things that I was appreciative of and didn\u2019t expect were: 1. It was a way for me to have communication with students whom I rarely have conversations with (specifically shy students). 2. This also became a great way for me to get to know my students, because I could hear their personality in their writings.
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\nI really would like to use this concept in different ways. I like being able to ask students what they learned in the lesson, but I would also like to know what they already knew. I have students that are coming from 5 different building and different teachers, and that can mean they are coming into the art room with different art experiences.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"34507588","body":"Sounds like it really worked for you. I have done this a couple of times and it always surprises me that students I think aren't always listening and how they come up with some great feedback. The only problem is the time that it requires. I feel bad if I can't get to all of them to talk to.","dateCreated":"1298069388","smartDate":"Feb 18, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"laffing2","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/laffing2","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"34508712","body":"If time is of concern, perhaps having students write just one sentence and then pair\/share and have them reach agreement on a sentence so that you've cut your time in half for the discussion.","dateCreated":"1298071520","smartDate":"Feb 18, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"jkossow","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/jkossow","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"34522784","body":"There was no discussion, just written feedback. It was awesome because it took less than 5 minutes of class time and a got great feedback. Because it was written, I can always go back to it too.","dateCreated":"1298132570","smartDate":"Feb 19, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"mohrj","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/mohrj","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"34179198","dateCreated":"1297692869","smartDate":"Feb 14, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"teacherkel14","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/teacherkel14","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/fpsdi.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/34179198"},"dateDigested":1531977338,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Magolan Strategy #1","description":"Paula Magolan
\nStrategy 1 DI Assignment
\n 1. The name of the strategy used is Retelling Flap Book. I found this activity in the book titled, Differentiated Literacy Centers. This strategy is a three flap book used to reinforce story elements including; characters, setting, and main event.
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\n 2. This strategy was used in my Kindergarten class of 22 students. I incorporated this activity in a guided reading group setting. I have four reading groups. The groups were decided by the results from the student's running record which took place during the month of January. The groups levels range from a group reading at a second grade reading level, two groups reading at grade level, and one group of non-readers. There are five to six children per group. This activity had a high degree of success for all of the children as the students were familiar with story elements.
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\n 3. Once I decided what the learning target was, story elements, I tiered the activity based on the students' readiness levels and needs. I chose books for the different reading groups that highlighted these elements. I incorporated variations for this task that were appropriate for students ready for a challenge and appropriate for students whose skills are emerging. In my higher level reading group, I introduced the learning target and then we reviewed the story elements on the SMART board and then I told them to be thinking about this elements when we read the story. Once we finished reading the story, I handed out the flap-book and we read the words on each flap. I then had them open the first flap which was characters and told them they could draw the characters on the bottom flap and write words or sentences on the top flap. I told them to use their books which was good practice for finding information. In my groups that are reading at grade level, I followed that same procedure with a slight variation. They had the choice of just drawing a picture and \/or writing words. This group could also use their books to complete the task. In my group of non-readers, we started out the same, but the activity was completed large group. I made a very large flap-book using roll paper and once we finished reading a story, we completed the book. I would ask someone to come up and tell us a character, and then another could come up and draw the picture, and I would write the words they dictated.
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\n 4. I see my reading groups on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays. This task was done on a Tuesday, so I had Wednesday and Thursday to conference with the students individually and go over their flap-book. The first two elements, characters and setting, were more concrete. The third element, most important event in the story was abstract. We had talked prior to the activity that for this element you could have a different idea then your friend and that was alright as long as you could explain why you thought it was important. So when we did conference, they would tell me what they thought was the most important event and I would ask them to explain why. It was interesting to see those who actually used the book to defend their answer and those who said, \u201cI don't know.\u201d This gave me great information as to who still needed more practice with this skill. With my non-readers I brought out the big flap-book we completed and they had to retell from looking at the pictures. This was difficult for some, but a great opportunity to practice the skill of retelling while learning about story elements. Having the opportunity to meet with each student was very helpful and hopefully it gave them the confidence to continue practicing these skills when reading on their own. I also emailed my parents and told them that they too could ask these questions when they are reading to their child or their child is reading to them. It is always helpful to have a home\/school connection for learning.
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\n 5. I told the teachers who I work closely with what I was doing. I did not share the results because I am already thinking how I could change the flap-book strategy to make it even more productive.
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\n 6. I liked the activity because it gave me information about the students skill levels and areas I need to focus on.. Teaching story elements can be difficult depending on the story being read. I specifically chose books for which these elements were very clear-cut. I would change the wording on the book from main event to, what was the story about. I think in Kindergarten that, what was the story about, is much more concrete. My advice for others doing the activity would be to think of different ways to give feedback. Conferencing with each student is time consuming. If you were doing this with older students you could do some form of written feedback, or a rubric with picture icons
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\n 7. The students loved the flap-book. The activity covered different modalities. The students could draw, write, use their books to find information and the opportunity to retell the story. I was able to use the same learning target for all the students, but the product was different depending on their skill levels. I knew they enjoyed it, when they came to group the next time and asked if we could do another flap-book!","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"34316490","body":"What a great way to review the story elements that we work on in kindergarten! You did a great job of tiering the activity for the different readiness levels of your students. Giving the students the option to draw, write, and use their books to find information gives each child the opportunity for success with this activity depending on their readiness levels. You gathered a great deal of information on each student and where they might need more practice with these skills. The students said it all by asking to do the activity again! I would like to try this with my students!","dateCreated":"1297830930","smartDate":"Feb 15, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"Luann.Roberts","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/Luann.Roberts","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"34389928","body":"Hi Paula,
\nNice job on using the flip book strategy for story elements. I know how hard teaching story elements can be so it was good that you tiered the activity for your students readiness levels. It was a great idea to inform parents of the skill you were working on so parents could reinforce story elements at home. I have a flip book with characters, settings, problems, and solutions that I use for writing ideas\/prompts. It might be an interesting tool to use in a small
\ngroup to help teach story elements. I'll have to show it to you!","dateCreated":"1297914979","smartDate":"Feb 16, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"teacherkel14","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/teacherkel14","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"34101588","dateCreated":"1297475351","smartDate":"Feb 11, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"cruz3","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/cruz3","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/fpsdi.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/34101588"},"dateDigested":1531977339,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Strategy Assignment #1","description":"Ramon Cruz
\nStrategy Assignment #1
\nFebruary 11,2011
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\nThe strategy that I used was the Round-Robin Strategy. The purpose of the activity was to help teachers have a better understanding of the Uncommon Schools concept. Uncommon Schools have a college preparatory mission, high standards for academics and character, a shared focus on accountability and data-driven instruction, rigorous standards-based curriculum and highly structured learning environments. The strategy involved taking turns in an orderly manner and having teachers\/students contribute one answer at a time. The strategy has the following steps:
\n1. Listen to the directions.
\n2. Think about all the possible answers.
\n3. Contribute one answer out loud.
\n4. Listen to the answers that each person will share.
\n5. Contribute an additional answer that no one has mentioned.
\n6. Listen to additional answers from teammates.
\n7. Continue contributing answers.
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\nThis strategy could be modified by having teachers\/students write the ideas down. Writing ideas down will provide confidentiality if needed. The ideas are collected, organized and presented back to the group. This is an excellent strategy because you can get the involvement of everyone.
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\n The strategy was used during a faculty meeting where 32 teachers were present. It was used with the whole group. The topic discussed was the implementation of Uncommon Schools techniques. Our academic coach and I wanted to get feedback regarding the implementation of the Uncommon Schools techniques. We wanted to find out what was working well, what was not working and what needed to be modified. The strategy took about 30 minutes.
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\nI believe the strategy was successful because all teachers were able to participate and we received the feedback that was needed to improve teaching and learning.
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\nI explained the purpose of the strategy to the teachers. Next, the academic coach and I modeled the use of the strategy. Then we had teachers begin providing information regarding the implementation of Uncommon Schools. They took turns taking about what worked well implementing the teaching techniques. After everyone had the opportunity to share their ideas, we had a whole group discussion about the most important ideas. Right after that, the activity was repeated but this time we talked about what was not working or teachers needed helped additional help.
\nThe feedback that we received was very useful to continue with the implementation of the techniques used by Uncommon Schools. The feedback that we provided to the teachers was also useful because they were able to receive positive feedback and what was working well for other teachers and apply what they learned.
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\nI believe this strategy was very practical the way I used with the faculty. Teachers enjoyed the activity and it was evident that they were implementing the Uncommon Schools techniques very effectively. The next day the academic coach and I met to brainstorm about the feedback that we received from meeting and decide the next step to help teachers who were having difficulty with the techniques.
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\nI\u2019m sure I will use this strategy with the faculty again. I will probably try to use it with small groups or by grade levels. I will also try to modify the strategy by having teachers write the answers or ideas.
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\nWhat I liked about this strategy was that it is easy to use and involved everyone. I also liked that it could be quick, especially if used with small groups. If used in small groups, it might help students\/teachers feel more comfortable when presenting their ideas. Students\/teachers might feel comfortable too if they can pass when they have their turn and they do not have an idea to contribute. They might be ready at their next turn again.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"34272686","body":"Ramon, your "Round - Robin" strategy seemed to go over well with your staff. I do like the idea of the modification of having teachers\/students have the opportunity to write down their answers instead of sharing verbally in a group. This is a comfort level shared by many teachers\/students. This strategy also reinforced to all teachers that what is being implemented is working which is always a positive affirmation. However, being comfortable to share what is not working and what needs support or changes is even a greater importance. Being able to share and brainstorm in a comfortable environment is more beneficial for all involved. It sounds like a productive staff meeting which is a great outcome.","dateCreated":"1297796571","smartDate":"Feb 15, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"chrislg","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/chrislg","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"34359972","body":"Ramon, the "Round-Robin" strategy is a great one to use in a large group. That way, all opinions and ideas will be heard instead of only those people who sometimes dominate the group discussion. I think this strategy is great because it can be used with all ages. I use the strategy often in kindergarten when there is a question we have to discuss and I want feedback from all students. The questions are simple, "What is your favorite thing to do at school?", but it is nice to give every student a chance to answer so that you know that everyone is participating. I like that you allowed people to "pass" though because you wouldn't want anyone to feel on the spot if their mind was blank and they didn't have an idea to share at the moment.","dateCreated":"1297888408","smartDate":"Feb 16, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"JillArcher","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/JillArcher","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"34090174","dateCreated":"1297458274","smartDate":"Feb 11, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"JillArcher","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/JillArcher","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/fpsdi.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/34090174"},"dateDigested":1531977339,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Archer-Strategy 1","description":"The first strategy I tried with my class was the \u201cMistake of the Day\u201d. I thought this would be a good strategy to use because it fit right in with the morning message I write each morning on the smart board for the kids to read. The morning message is a routine in the classroom and by adding some mistakes to it I could be sure to fit this strategy in each day without even thinking about it. I decided to focus only on the morning message because I was not sure if the students in kindergarten would be able to point out mistakes randomly all over the classroom. I think that if they get enough practice with the morning message mistake, they will be able to pick out mistakes more easily and I can incorporate more mistakes into my daily routines for them to catch.
\n When writing the morning message on the first day I wrote the word \u201cFriday\u201d without a capital F. When I chose the student who would point to the words while we read the morning message I told the kids I had a put something special in the message for them to find. They were all very excited to hear that I had put a mistake in the message. I had never done this before and so I made sure to clarify what the word \u201cmistake\u201d meant before asking them to identify it.
\n The student who was chosen to be the pointer read through the message as usual and I looked at the students\u2019 faces while reading to see if any of them had caught on to the mistake yet. I could see two of their faces brightening and so I kept their names in the back of my head so that I could call on them first when we were done reading. The two students who caught on first were some of my higher students who excel in many areas in the classroom.
\n When we were done reading the message a few hands were up but it seemed like many of the students were still looking for the mistake. For this reason, I had the students who had an answer wait and we gave the other students some extra time. I called on one of the first students who I had seen light up when he found the mistake in the message. He came up and pointed to the word \u201cFriday\u201d but told me the reason it was a mistake was because it did not have the letter \u201cd\u201d in it. I told him he was very close but Friday did have a \u201cd\u201d in it and I was looking for a different answer. I then called on the second student who seemed to get it right away and he came up and pointed to the word \u201cFriday\u201d again and told the class it was a mistake because it needed an F like the word \u201cFebruary\u201d had. He did have the mistake right but it was interesting to see that he could not tell me in words that Friday needed a capital F, he could only tell me that it needed an F like February. I told him he was right and the class cheered for him. I then asked the rest of the class why Friday needed an F like February. The students told me it needed a capital because it was at the beginning of the sentence so then I had to point out that Friday was in the middle of the sentence and not at the beginning. Then, one of my higher students again raised her hand and told the class that Friday needed a capital F because it was a day of the week and all days of the week need to be capitalized. We cheered her answer too. The two students who had found the mistake and explained why it was a mistake were just beaming so I could tell they were proud of themselves.
\n When we had talked about why it was a mistake and how we could fix it I then wrote a capital F on the board over the lowercase f. I explained to the students that this was called editing.
\n I like this strategy because it helps me target those skills which I am trying to cover in a morning message (capitalization, punctuation, spelling of sight words, etc.) Making these skills into mistakes and then fixing them really helps the kids to see how to correctly use the skill. It also highlights certain skills and focuses the students\u2019 attention on them. I also like this strategy because it shows the students that it\u2019s ok to make mistakes and that mistakes can be corrected. When kindergartners see a teacher making a mistake in school, it makes them feel more comfortable when they make a mistake and lose that perfectionist attitude some of them come to school with at the beginning of the year.
\nI will definitely use this strategy again because I think it brought something new to my morning message time and challenged the students who have become less enthused with the message over time. The first student who found the mistake in the message is one of the students who often becomes restless during this time of the day and often fools around with those around him on the carpet. When I hid the mistake and challenged them to find it I could tell that he was more engaged in the message and it really had him thinking. He sat better at that morning message than he has in a while so I know that it was something that challenged him.
\nAs I use this strategy in the future I would like to see if the students who are getting the mistake are always high students or if some of the students who are at the lower end can also pick out the mistakes as easily. Over time I will add more mistakes so that more than one student can have an opportunity to find one in the message and explain how to correct it. I would also like to give the students white boards or small pieces of paper in the future so that they are all able to write the mistake down individually and all participate. I can then have the students show me their answers all at once rather than having one person answer and the others just sit and listen. That would make it easier for me to see who is getting it and who is not. My class and I really enjoyed mistake of the day and I can\u2019t wait to see how I can develop it in future messages!","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"34140016","body":"
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\nJill, I think the strategy that you used, the \u201cMistake of the Day\u201d was very well done. Starting the day with an activity like that one helps kids get involved in a positive way providing joy to students right away in the morning. It is nice to incorporate the words that they are going to be using later in reading. I can see that you involved all the students and they were leaning from each other. It is good to see that level of student engagement in the classroom. I also think that is very important for children to learn at an early age that we all make mistakes and what is important is leaning from those mistakes.","dateCreated":"1297612520","smartDate":"Feb 13, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"cruz3","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/cruz3","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"34271378","body":"Jill, I really like this strategy also and my kids so enjoy finding the mistakes. It really enhances their knowledge of so many skills plus it can be a quick informal observation about which students need a little more support in one area or another. It is an engaging lesson plus it adds another tool to our bags of learning opportunities. Way to Go!!","dateCreated":"1297795559","smartDate":"Feb 15, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"chrislg","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/chrislg","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"34086080","dateCreated":"1297454088","smartDate":"Feb 11, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"chrislg","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/chrislg","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/fpsdi.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/34086080"},"dateDigested":1531977339,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Strategy #1","description":"Chris Goodman
\nStrategy #1
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\nThe strategy that I introduced to my 23 kindergarten students was the Reading Buddies strategy. My class is now Reading Buddies with a third grade class of 26 students and our goal is to meet with each other every other week. For the first meeting, we met for 30 minutes. During this time frame, the kindergarten students met with their third grade buddy. The students were partnered by readiness, behavior and interest. I used behavior as a partnering tool because a kindergarten student with behavior concerns was partnered with a third grader who also has behavior concerns but has matured throughout the years. Pairing these two students together displayed trust in the third grader to achieve both socially and academically. The interest pairings accord by students who knew someone and this would lead to a comfort level for both students.
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\nThe learning targets that were being introduced and implemented were using reading strategies with nonfiction text. The third grade students modeled how to talk about books for example how to ask questions and how to allow those questions to inspire investigations. The kindergarten students self-selected a \u201cjust right\u201d book to read to their buddy. Their learning target was to share their knowledge of reading whether it is pointing to the words as they read, looking at the picture clues and\/or asking their buddy what they remembered from the story.
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\nStudents\u2019 learning was observed visually and by communication with each pairing. As I facilitated around the room authentic engagement was present by both the kindergarten students and the third grade students. Third grade students read their self-selected nonfiction book to the kindergarten students. The kindergarten students were very interested in the nonfiction text and even shared their own knowledge about the topic. The third grade students modeled asking questions about the text however some pairings needed assistance with this reading strategy. The third grade students also shared their schema files on their prior knowledge and what they learned. I felt this was a valuable tool that they third graders shared with their kindergarten buddy.
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\nThe feedback that was provided to the students was immediate and was based on reading strategies being used as myself and the other teacher circulated around the room to the different sets of partners. Conversations included discussions about prior knowledge and what new information the student had gained from listening to the text. Along with if they had other information they wanted to know. This was a way of doing an informal assessment on comprehension of nonfiction text. As I facilitated around the room, I had to guide some kindergarten students on how to ask a question about the text. For many students this is a new concept with nonfiction text in a new environment and I am hoping in time as we practice this strategy in the classroom and continue to practice it with our buddies that the students will build on and grow.
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\nFor our next buddy reading the third graders informally interviewed the kindergarten students to find topics they are interested in learning more about. The next session will also include a schema file for the pairings to work on together. The students will be able to fill out their schema file by their readiness skills: drawing a picture, writing a word, or writing a sentence.
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\nI have learned from this strategy that kindergarten students are enthusiastic about working with older students. I also learned that third graders are just as enthusiastic about working with younger students and are in amazement at times on how well kindergarten students can read and how well they can communicate about a topic. I have learned that peer teaching is a positive experience and students are able to connect to each other as well as make connections together with text. I believe that this strategy enhances one\u2019s reading ability and instills a compassion for reading along with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Students were actively engaged in the activity. This strategy will continue throughout the rest of the school year and I am excited to observe the growth in my students as well as the growth in the third grade students.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"34103074","body":"Chris, I believe the strategy that you selected worked very well with the the third graders abd the kindergarten students. I'm sure students had a wonderful time working together and the learning procees was more effective. I'm sure reading was more meaningful for them and they learned a lot from each other.","dateCreated":"1297478035","smartDate":"Feb 11, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"cruz3","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/cruz3","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"34360550","body":"Chris, the reading buddy strategy is one I've always wanted to try because I see it working so well in your room. I like how you use 3rd grade buddies instead of 6th grade buddies. I think it's easier for the 3rd graders to relate to the kindergarten students because they remember being in their place since it was such a short time ago. I also believe 3rd graders are at a great age to start being role models in the school to the younger students. It is great practice for the 3rd graders because their reading skills are strengthened just by being the "teacher" of the pair. The third grader may ask questions we as teachers would never think to ask and this is great for new learning. The one-on-one is great for kindergarten because they get so little of it in our large groups and it is great for them to have the full attention of someone older than them while they are learning.","dateCreated":"1297888808","smartDate":"Feb 16, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"JillArcher","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/JillArcher","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"34083722","dateCreated":"1297451656","smartDate":"Feb 11, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"jkossow","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/jkossow","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/fpsdi.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/34083722"},"dateDigested":1531977340,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Strategy 1","description":"Gina Laffin
\n
\nStrategy: Response Cards
\n
\nSetting:
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\nI chose to implement the Response card strategy in each of my four science classes. The number of students in each class range from 26-29. I chose this lesson because I thought it would be a good review of information we had learned the previous day and it would \u201cforce\u201d all students to participate. The previous day we had read and discussed what the main components of air are. There were four main categories and because of the limited choices, response cards seemed like a good fit for this strategy.
\n
\nImplementation:
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\nI began the class explaining to the class that we were going to be reviewing what we had learned yesterday. I told them that we were going to be using something called response cards. I gave each student four cards, each labeled A, B, C or D. I then put up an example question on the Elmo and asked the students to choose the card that matched what they thought was the correct answer. I told them to hold their card until I said the words \u201cshow me your cards\u201d. We then practiced this with the example question. After I saw that the students understood the directions we proceeded with the actual questions. I put up one question at a time, gave them about 15-20 seconds to choose their card and then said \u201cshow me your cards\u201d. I scanned the room as a means of informal assessment, and then told them the correct answer. I also spoke about why it was the correct choice as a way to clear up any misconceptions that the students may have had. I had a total of 15 questions that I went through with the students.
\n
\nOutcomes:
\nI thought it went very well. The students were definitely engaged in the activity and were very excited to hear what the correct answer was. I heard a lot of them exclaim, \u201cYes!\u201d or \u201cOh Yah!\u201d when they got it right. I could tell that they enjoyed the activity and it was a great way to review info. instead of just talking about it. I would definitely use this activity again. I plan on making a set of laminated response cards so they can be used over and over. By the end of my fourth class they were looking rough.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"34049724","dateCreated":"1297399151","smartDate":"Feb 10, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"teacherkel14","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/teacherkel14","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/fpsdi.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/34049724"},"dateDigested":1531977340,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Rille Strategy #1","description":"Strategy Assignment
\nBy: Kelly Rille
\n
\n1. Give Me Five: State a category or problem and prompt multiple responses from students by declaring: Give me five! Hold up one hand to signal students to figure out five or more examples or responses to the topic instead of only one answer. Close one finger on the hand as an example is shared.
\n
\n2. The context in which this strategy was used:
\nGrade: 2nd grade
\nSubject: Co-Taught Math lesson
\nLength of time for Strategy: 10-15 minutes
\nLearning Targets: To subtract double digit numbers
\nNumber of Students involved: 21
\nType of Instruction Used: whole group (our routine is to start every math lesson with all of the students sitting on the carpet together with a mental math warm-up)
\nTo what degree was it was a situation where this strategy has a reasonable chance to succeed? It allows for multiple responses from a common problem or prompt.
\nAny other relevant information: The class that completed this strategy consists of four identified special needs students with a variety of disabilities such as Specific Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder, Bipolar\/Mood Disorder, and Autism.
\n
\n3. Students were involved in their learning by:
\nStudents were actively engaged in learning when they each were completing a math computation problem on their slates. Once the students each completed their math problem, I raised my hand up and asked the group if we can share five different strategies for solving the math problem. Students immediately got excited to try something new and took the challenge of finding and sharing five different strategies for the one given math problem. Students were busy thinking, writing, speaking, and listening.
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\n4. Feedback was given to students:
\nWhen students were working independently writing their math problem on their slates, my teaching partner and myself were walking around quietly discussing and guiding students. I offered help to struggling learners by encouraging them to use math tools such as a number grid and math manipulatives. When conducting the \u201cGive me Five\u201d strategy with the students, my teaching partner and I challenged the class as a whole to clearly explain their responses using math words. When listening to students explain their strategies, we gave explicit feedback and used questioning techniques.
\n
\n5. This strategy was shared\/discussed with other educators by:
\nI shared this strategy of \u201cGive me Five\u201d with my teaching partner prior to the lesson when we were planning together. Her response when I first told her was that she wanted to try the strategy and that she hoped that it would benefit all of our students both on the low and high ends as well as the students in the middle.
\nI also shared this strategy with my first grade-teaching partner. She was eager to use this during our co-teaching 1st grade math lessons.
\n
\n6. This strategy taught me\/what I\u2019d do differently\/advice to others:
\nI learned that this strategy is a simple way to promote multiple responses from students. This strategy can be used across all subject areas and has little to no prep to complete. I learned that wait time is an important component in this strategy as more depth takes thinking time. My plan is that after using this strategy several times as a whole class, I will start to ask students to individually produce five responses to a category or prompt. I can then follow-up a task with students evaluating and marking the best of their five responses. My advice to others using this strategy is to call on your lower learners first so they are able to explain responses that are more simplified or concrete. Then the higher-level thinkers are able to listen to the responses and figure out responses that were more complex with multiple steps to explain. Completing the strategy in this order allowed all students the chance to participate in sharing responses and active listening.
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\n7. Overall effectiveness of this strategy:
\nI have used this strategy a few times now during math as part of our mental math portion of lessons. All students feel they are included in learning when completing this strategy. The wait time importance of the \u201cGive Me Five\u201d strategy helps students in two ways. First, it allows some learners the chance to receive extra help\/explanation from a teacher or another student. Other learners find the wait time beneficial because they are able to challenge themselves into making their responses rich with details.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"34317040","body":""Give Me Five" sounds like it was a great strategy to use to involve all learners, especially being sensitive to the struggling student, and giving them the opportunity to respond first! Using this strategy with both whole group and then individually gives you a great deal of information of where your students are at in their mastery of the skills being taught and where extra practice may be needed. It sounds like you are going to continue to use this strategy with other subjects and grade levels also! I think this would be interesting to try at the kindergarten level too.","dateCreated":"1297832012","smartDate":"Feb 15, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"Luann.Roberts","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/Luann.Roberts","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"34381128","body":"I like Give Me Five, it is quick, easy and can be used for a variety of topics. In Kindergarten it could be very effective for those who just repeat someone else's answer. It would be a great pre-activity for prior knowledge and a great way to review. I am going to use it! I can see how calling on students who struggle with coming up with answers first. It keeps them motivated and engaged.","dateCreated":"1297906001","smartDate":"Feb 16, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"Pmagolan","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/Pmagolan","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"34049362","dateCreated":"1297398407","smartDate":"Feb 10, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"MariaJensen","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/MariaJensen","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/fpsdi.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/34049362"},"dateDigested":1531977340,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Jensen Strategy #1","description":" The differentiation strategies I used within a reading lesson were a modified combination of \u201c4 Corners\u201d and \u201cSummarization\u201d. My second grade students are working on strengthening their story mapping skills, including detailed sequencing of main events within a story. The 45-minute lesson involved all 22 students engaged in various creative drama activities surrounding the story Officer Buckle and Gloria.
\n For a 20-minute portion of the lesson, I used a modification of \u201c4 Corners\u201d to give the students an opportunity to act out the main events of the story in smaller groups. The students were placed into four groups of mixed reading levels and interpersonal skills. I chose to use mixed-readiness groupings because I know many of the students are very verbal, but not necessarily all at the same level of comprehension ability. So I wanted the academic interaction to benefit from the social atmosphere of the lesson. I also wanted to guarantee the full participation of students with special needs.
\n Each of the four groups was given one of the main events of the story to recreate for the rest of the class. The groups were given 5 minutes to go to their corner to work together to verbally summarize the important details of their given event of the story, plan their strategy as to how to portray the details, and then rehearse it before sharing out to the large group. As the groups worked, I walked around to listen in to evaluate whether or not their plan had a beginning, middle, and end to it and give suggestions to encourage this if necessary.
\n Each group was then given the floor to share their collaborative performance with the large group. All groups were given applause after sharing their performances. The students provided their peers with immediate feedback in the form of \u201cI noticed\u2026\u201d statements about details that were observed involving the main event. I prompted students to also share with the group suggestions as to other important details that could have been included within the event portrayal. We discussed the inferences the students had about the characters through the actions that were observed as well. We also discussed the character traits the students chose to use, as well as the clever ways students pantomimed.
\n The value of using a strategy like \u201c4 Corners\u201d guarantees high student involvement in learning. Splitting the students into mixed-groupings gave everyone an opportunity to participate in a shorter amount of time. Every person within each group was actively involved in the process of summarizing important details through acting out a scene. When not portraying an event, the other groups were observing details to share with the performing group. The whole class was engaged in the discussions after each scene to provide feedback to their peers.
\n Overall, I felt this lesson was a huge success. Using \u201c4 Corners\u201d and \u201cSummarizing\u201d gave me an opportunity to informally assess every student in my classroom on their story mapping and sequencing skills in a short amount of time. It provided the students an active way to practice their sequencing skills before they are asked to provide it in written form. This lesson also gave the students a sense of successfully understanding the details of the story regardless of their reading level or comprehension skills. Students also provided me with evidence of insight of understanding the emotional motivation of characters within the story through the peer-sharing element. The \u201c4 Corners\u201d activity also strengthened the feeling of community of our class through a collaborative process that included all students of varying academic and social abilities. Drama provides a unique way of breaking barriers \u263a.
\n I have done similar creative drama lessons to work on comprehension skills. In the past, I have used the \u201c4 Corners\u201d method in the more traditional sense for drama activities when I have had parent volunteers and educational assistants available. However, this is the first time I modified it where the \u201c4 Corners\u201d shared out to the group immediately for peer discussion. I thought the immediate feedback was extremely helpful for students who needed help identifying important details, as well as providing opportunity for me to informally evaluate student understanding of the story as they shared with their peers. It was a nice element to have as a result of using \u201c4 Corners\u201d. Since I had no assistance this year, I am curious to share this trial with my own peers to see what their responses are.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"34114118","body":"Wow, after reading both your lesson review and Kathy's, I want to be a student in both of your classes! I liked how you were able to put the students into mixed groups because the lesson played off the verbal strengths that many students have, even if their written academics don't necessarily match--a good confidence booster for some, as well.
\nI also think that since students students were "reliving" part of the story through their summary presentation, their comprehension likely improved. This is similar to the theory that if you can teach a concept to another rather than simply doing it, you really "know" it. I bet the kids had fun, too!
\nLinda","dateCreated":"1297525080","smartDate":"Feb 12, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"curtisl1","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/curtisl1","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"34385554","body":"I love that 4 Corners idea. I think it would work well with our trade books we do in third grade. I just ended my last novel and had a sequencing activity done on the computer. This 4 Corners idea would work well as a review before that lesson.","dateCreated":"1297909802","smartDate":"Feb 16, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"kathywiemers","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/kathywiemers","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"33975272","dateCreated":"1297315174","smartDate":"Feb 9, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"Luann.Roberts","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/Luann.Roberts","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/fpsdi.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/33975272"},"dateDigested":1531977340,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Strategy Assignment Week 1","description":"Strategy Assignment Week 1
\nLuann Roberts
\n
\n1. A. Games to practice mastery.
\nCenter Activity - Tricky Teen Dice Roll: Each student has a 10s dice and a 1s dice (a 10 faced dice with 0-9) and a recording sheet with the teen numbers 10-19. Each time they roll the dice they record the teen number (a 10 and how many ones). The number which gets to the top first is marked with an \u2018x\u2019. They can continue to roll until their grid is filled.
\nWhole group - Snowball Fight (Paper Wad Review): Tricky Teens are written on a piece of paper, numbers are repeated to have enough for each student. Pass out a number to each student and they read the number. They then wad the paper up and all students throw their \u2018snowball\u2019, have a \u2018snowball fight\u2019. Each student picks up a \u2018snowball\u2019 and reads the number they now have. Repeat several times.
\nSmall group \u2013 Concentration Game with teen numbers, for those as needed.
\nSmall group \u2013 Bingo with teen numbers, for those as needed.
\n B. Mini Workshops (mini lessons) \u2013 to re-teach skills:
\nWriting teen numbers in shaving cream or salt, for those students who need additional practice. Sing songs to help reinforce number formation.
\n C. Flexible grouping \u2013 whole, small, and cooperative
\n2. Grade: Kindergarten
\n Subject: Math
\n Length of time this strategy took: Center activities were 20 to 30 minutes. Other games and mini lessons were about 15 minutes in length.
\n Learning targets: Teen number identification and writing
\n Number of students: 22 students
\n Type of instruction used: Center activity was small mixed readiness groups, student\u2019s choice (students pick from 4 centers, one daily for 4 days). This grouping is used to teach new skills and review skills already taught in previous lessons. Other games to re-teach the learning target were small, flexible groups of students with similar skill needs. These games give students additional practice with the skill. Whole group games give students with more mastery of the skill, opportunity to reinforce skill for struggling students. These different activities and groupings give students of differing learning styles, different avenues to internalize the skill being taught.
\n3. Describe the degree to which this strategy involved students in their learning: Students were very engaged in the learning through the games and activities. Students had numerous turns to demonstrate their level of mastery of the skill. For students who have mastered the teen numbers, both writing and identification, I would challenge them by modeling the teen numbers (and then higher numbers) with stick bundles, 10(s) and 1s.
\n4. Feedback given to students as a result of using this strategy: Feedback was given immediately to students in the learning center as they were recording their teen numbers on the recording sheet, if they were reversing numbers (writing numbers backwards or writing the 1 after the \u20181s\u2019 number, 21 for 12). Corrections were made as needed. Feedback was provided as needed in the other activities, if the student had difficulty reading or writing a \u2018tricky teen\u2019. Hopefully this feedback will reinforce number identification and number writing of the tricky teens and I will continue to use these games and use the center activity in our math games that the students can get out and use when they have some choice time. I will reassess number identification and number writing to 30 in the next two weeks to see the progress of the students.
\n5. How did I share\/discuss this trial with other educators? I will share this with my kindergarten team at our PLC time.
\n6. What did I learn from using this strategy? Using strategies such as games to practice mastery helps to reinforce and remind me as an educator, that different students learn through different modalities. Children are at different readiness levels and by providing a variety of learning games we allow different children to mastery the target skill in different ways.
\n7. Overall effectiveness of this strategy? Students were engaged in their learning and for those who were struggling with number identification and number writing of the teens, I hope to see improvement when I reassess them, after we have had time to practice the skills as needed.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"34164876","body":"Hi Luann,
\nSounds as if your class was busy learning through games! This strategy assignment you completed is filled with so many great game ideas! I liked how you incorporated whole and small group activities in your lesson with your class. I'm sure the students had so much fun having the snowball fight with the teen numbers. They probably had so much fun that they forgot that they were learning. Good plan to reassess your students in a few weeks to determine which students if any need more interventions with number identification and number writing. Thanks for sharing your lesson and I can't wait to try it with my students and Brady too!","dateCreated":"1297651278","smartDate":"Feb 13, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"teacherkel14","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/teacherkel14","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"34382234","body":"You picked a perfect skill to work on. Teen numbers are tricky and the more ways you can incorporate different activities the better chance all students will be successful. We have tried the snowball activity and they loved it. I can not wait to try the other activities.","dateCreated":"1297906834","smartDate":"Feb 16, 2011","userCreated":{"username":"Pmagolan","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/Pmagolan","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]}],"more":true},"comments":[]},"http":{"code":200,"status":"OK"},"redirectUrl":null,"javascript":null,"notices":{"warning":[],"error":[],"info":[],"success":[]}}