September 29

In Depth Feedback for Writers with Ease

Feedback is Powerful for Growth

During virtual/hybrid learning, I wanted to continue to provide my writers with specific feedback on their written pieces. Educators know that grading and providing individual written feedback for students can be time consuming. In their article, “The Power of Feedback” John Hattie and Helen Timperley point out, “Feedback is among the most critical influences on student learning.” The question is not whether specific feedback to writers is worth it, it is how do we meet the demands and provide the information with ease? Honestly, how do we use a new system for meaningful feedback? What can we learn from this time that can make the classroom an even richer learning environment?

In the classroom, we benefit from roaming the room and conferencing on the spot with writers in the process of drafting, editing, and revising. We can hold more formal writing conferences with students as well.  We can influence the use of check lists, a rubric, and allow student writers to be in community with one another as they are in the process of writing. It is natural to say, “What are you working on as a writer today?” Those short chats increase personalized instruction and engagement. Sometimes, I just observe my writers without interrupting them and write feedback on a Post-It note that I quietly leave on their desks.

When we were not together, I missed these opportunities, but did not want my feedback to diminish in quality.  I wanted it to improve if possible. We held Zoom small group meetings  and class lessons with a writer’s workshop model.  The students regularly submitted pictures of the changes they made in their personal narrative pieces. The images helped me have the same feel as walking around the classroom and viewing students’ notebooks. There were also formative rubrics on Canvas to help kids see how their progress was making a difference on their piece.  Students chose different publishing methods for their final forms.  Once students get to a final version, they have done lots of revision.  The effort they put in deserves a specific response from the teacher. I wanted my feedback to be in paragraph form and highlight what the students accomplished and also provide questions for the students to reflect.

Google Form for Feedback Creation

I decided to create a Google Form that I could tailor to comments that I would give students for each genre of writing during the year.  I took time to think about what comments make sense for each type of writing and the different abilities of the 5th grade writers that I work with. What order also would make sense for developing a paragraph of feedback?  How do you create different statements that make each writer feel they are getting feedback that fits just them? What reflection stems make the most sense to end the paragraph of feedback? You are welcome to use my Google Form, make a copy, and personalize it for your own use.

Video for How it Works

Feedback Via Google Form

Examples of Feedback Students Received

Your personality and voice come through this piece of writing. The reader gets to know more about you. The events have a logical sequence and are easy to follow. You use great transition words to help the reader know that the location of the action is changing. Your use of inner thoughts really makes the reader connect with you. Thank you for realizing that what you were thinking makes the reader understand you better. I am glad that you attempted dialogue in this piece. It really brought life to your writing! As you look over your work, what are you most proud of in this work?

This feedback was for the writing above. The student was writing at a high level on the rubric.
 

As a writer you created an engaging lead that captures interest and may even foreshadow the content of the story. You gave a description of what the others look like, so the reader can see the image you wanted me to see. The words you chose gave sensory details that help the reader feel like they are in the story setting. Your use of inner thoughts really makes the reader connect with you. Thank you for realizing that what you were thinking makes the reader understand you better. Your dialogue helps bring the voices to life. However, you still need work on punctuation and capitalization with dialogue. Also, be careful with the spelling of the words you use in a final copy. You have some words that were misspelled. This will come with time. Pay attention to what writers do in novels as you read. Celebrate your accomplishments. What do you think you will repeat in your next piece?

This feedback was for a student who has room to grow. However, the feedback for the piece offers lots of writing traits to repeat in future pieces. It is gentle in what to work on, yet honest.

What Students Said in Response to the Feedback:

Reflection is key to helping student recognize what they did well and set goals for future writing pieces.  A next step for us, is to write a goal and a plan for writing.  These goals can be posted to Canvas to share with the teacher and allow their parents to see them.
Category: Digital Learning, ELA Instruction, Feedback | LEAVE A COMMENT
September 29

Hybrid Reading 2020

The Technology Hustle

If you would have told me last year at this time that I would be in a classroom with some kids in-person and some at-home, I would have looked at you funny.  Who could have guessed that we would be juggling the different modes of instruction with in-person and virtual at-home students in the same moment! However, the innovator and experimenter in me is actually enjoying the ideation of how to make this come together.

 I regularly ask myself, How did I do this before and how can I do it now in a rich, meaningful way? 

I choose to explore and try out a new blend in the classroom.  It’s been some moments of trial and error. Suddenly, there are the beautiful moments.  Yes, those teaching moments where it just clicks.  It’s still happening!  This journal is about one of those moments of growth for my students and their interaction with each other.

The Reading Lesson Method

Model

We are starting each lesson with a focus and purpose for reading.  The focus of this lesson was to work on having a thinking moment while reading.

After we go over the reading goal, I always share with the class a book that I have been reading with modeling of the strategy.  I set up my own notebook and with digital instruction, I add a lot of pictures to my slides on Canvas.  This allows both in-person and at-home to see the modeling clearly.

Engage

 Students then spend twenty minutes reading the books they have selected. The learners at-home are put in individual break out rooms for the reading time. During this time, I do reading conferences with readers. I conduct one with a reader online by going to the break out room of the student.  Then I switch to a conference with a reader that is in the room.  I keep alternating with my readers during the twenty minutes.  I keep notes on each reader in a binder-not all things are high tech!

The students were given a Post-It note to jot a thinking moment during the twenty minutes.

Practice

 Next we moved into a time of practice. The students worked on extending their thinking.  I shared with them some previous student examples.  Then they were given time to put the Post-It note in their reader’s notebook and extend their thinking after the reading session.

When a student wants to type, I have them take a picture of the Post-It and then upload the picture to the Notes App.

Just look at that great development to thinking!

 

 

 

 

Reflect

 The fun came when the students were done working.  The students were shown the reflection tool for the day.  They were asked to re-read their work and rate their performance.  If they needed to make changes they were able to do so.  Next, we opened up classroom space to share the thinking and writing.  The kids were excited to volunteer.  My students at-home volunteered to read their work.  You can see that on my laptop, which was projected on the screen for in-person to see.  The in-person then gave feedback for the at-home student.  The magic sparkle arrived on faces when feedback was given and received.
Students in-person shared by coming to the iPad stand to read their work and allow them to be seen on Zoom.  The at-home kids gave the in-person student feedback.  Both groups were able to share great books, thinking, and smiles.  It felt like the “normal” days of reading instruction!
Category: Digital Learning, ELA Instruction, Reflection | LEAVE A COMMENT
September 12

Digital Mentor Text for Advancing “Thinking While Reading”

Use Digital Text to Grab Readers!

As a fifth grade language arts teacher, I have two goals.  One, I want to model great thinking while reading.  Second, I desire to showcase engaging novels that students will desire to read.  In the digital format of instruction right now, I desired to use my strategies of growing readers while still helping virtual learners too.

My blog today will feature how I have used mentor text, show you a layout for presenting, and help you see how to bring this all together in your LMS, particularly Canvas.

Start with using the Libby app to locate text. Libby is another version of the Overdrive app that is available with your public library card.  It is an excellent resource for mentor text and then showcasing for students where to find the book for access, especially right now with learners at home.

Libby App
Locate this app and add to your device.  Login using your Public Library Card information. Make sure to only use a small portion of the text so that you are observing copyright. Here is an article that is helpful on the topic of copyright.

The next step in the process is to pick the section of the book from which you want to model thinking.  While working with the pages on Libby, I added Stickies, a feature on MacBook Air that looks like Post-It notes. However, you could take screen shots and add text my editing pictures.  The method chosen allowed me to model what students could do with Post-It notes in their own books. The screen shots were added to the Google Slides presentation that I was building for modeling and anchor charts. I also added the book cover to the presentation slides to give visual cues to students for remembering the book. Once the pages were set up in the presentation, I was ready to make my video for modeling.

To obtain a copy of this lesson to try with students or use the frame to recreate your own lesson, click here. My lesson opening frame was motivated by @nadinegilkison. I appreciated the model, read, respond set up for the first slide.  To ideate the plan, I have built modeling sections (light blue), sections for readers (light yellow), and responding and reflecting (light purple). The presentation pattern is being used in all of my digital lessons for reading and writing.  Predictability for students is highly important for routines. In Universal Design for Learning, we want to help students navigate digital resources.  You will also notice a timer that is used with students to track reading on their own.  On the Canvas page, written directions are also provided to summarize the lesson presentation.  Rubrics are valuable to add to your LMS to help with guiding reflection and goal setting.  You will see reflection built into the pedagogy of the closing of each lesson.  

Finally, how do you pull this all together for your LMS and easily distribute to students in the classroom or virtual students?  Learn to use embed code in Canvas.  Your students will be able to access your presentation right within the Canvas page.

Using the “file” tab drop down to where it states, “Publish to the Web”.
Select “Embed” and then copy the code to take to your LMS like Canvas.
Click on the HTML editor hyperlink, which is right below the title of the assignment.
Paste the embed code into your assignment.

If you are interested in adding this link to your own Canvas course, you can find it in the Canvas Commons.  Best wishes to you in creating your digital mentor text lessons!  Feel free to share in the comments great ideas that have been working for you too.

Category: Digital Learning, ELA Instruction, Professional Development, UDL | LEAVE A COMMENT
June 8

Peer Feedback on Blogs

Modeling Feedback Impacts the Ability of Students to Give Each Other Better Feedback

One of the benefits of modeling great feedback throughout a school year is the improvement students make in giving feedback to each other. To help students, I use an E-Q-S model with them starting at the beginning of the year. We use this same feedback frame for all genres of writing and it is modeled regularly for students to be effective in the writing community.

E=Encourage

Students are asked to encourage the other writer.  What did the writer do well?  What did you like about the written piece? What stands out? How did you see the writer use the genre effectively? What should the writer do again in another piece?

Q=Question

Students are asked to politely question the other writer’s craft. For example, why did you use a certain word, provide a fact, use a source, give a certain description, or something else they are curious about.  We also encourage questions for helping the writer add more.  What else could you add in a certain spot? How can you describe the setting more? What am I suppose to see in my mind in this spot? How do you think you could improve this piece?

S=Suggest

Students are taught to use what they know about writing to help each other improve.  We want to make suggestions not demands for other writers.  However, sometimes we might find a conventions error more easily in another person’s work. Students may offer better words to make the writing sparkle. An idea for more description can be given. Conventions can be easy suggestions or spots to circle and ask the teacher about.  Overall, writers suggest ideas that could enhance the piece, but the writer decides if the changes are ones he/she wants to make.

Digital Tattoo

Discussion Board Assignment on Canvas in August

I used to tell students that they had a digital footprint on each other’s blogs.  However, I have found that calling it a tattoo is more effective. A footprint may fade with time, but a tatoo is more permanent and is less likely to change. At the start of the year, we did a digital citizenship agreement and discussion board on Canvas. There was also a paper agreement that was added to the interactive composition notebook we use in the classroom.  By making this formal, students had a better understanding of expectations and could practice right away in the Canvas discussion board on the topic of digital citizenship.

We spent time in the classroom working on what positive feedback looks like on a blog and how it is available for others to see.  Using blog comments is a wonderful way to work on digital citizenship in the classroom. The students were provided with a rubric for blog comments on Canvas. As the teacher, in Kidblog, I can control the comment submissions. The teacher is able to set up approval for all comments which allows for successful growth for students. If someone gave a comment that I felt was not meeting the standard while we were still in the classroom, I could use it as a teachable moment by having a conversation with the student. Fortunately, by the time we were on eLearning the students were proficient in leaving each other comments. Seeing their growth in this area was actually a highlight of eLearning!

During eLearning, I continued to model what the expectations for comments were so that students could be successful with their feedback.

 

Commenting Tips for Students
Think before you comment.
 Say something meaningful.
Be polite.
Write comments that reflect you in a positive way.
Only write something you would say in person.
Stay on topic.
Be clear.
Avoid sarcasm.
 Be concise.
 Assume everyone can read your comment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Category: ELA Instruction, Feedback, Positive Learning Environment | LEAVE A COMMENT
May 15

Specific Feedback, Especially While Digitally Learning

Feedback is the path to excellence and growth for students.  Teachers have the power to shape thinking, give guidance, help students adjust, and propel students to the next level.  However, feedback needs to be meaningful and intentional for it to make an impression on students.

Purposeful feedback takes time to craft.  Educators love to see students grow.  In the classroom, it was easier to shape student performance because most of the feedback could be verbal and in the moment.  It could come in the casual side conference while visiting a student’s desk during the work process.  It could unfold in a conference for reading, writing, or monitoring a PBL project.

The classroom environment allowed for ease. The valuable moments where you share and highlight the amazing work you see one student doing propel everyone. Taking advantage of a chance to interrupt and instill how students are applying a mini-lesson into their work is powerful. What about the opportunity to interrrupt a class to shift and redirect when the application of learning needs an adjustment? All of these moments are the ones the kids miss and teachers crave to give during eLearning.

However, we have always faced the evaluation of work while grading at home and interpreting performance after the work was completed. It is tedious and the part of our job that sometimes requires a deep breath before beginning because we know it is labor intensive. Those feelings now are amplified because we are distanced from the process of engaging students in the beautiful moments of classroom learning. How do we truly give feedback in the absence of seeing all of it unfold?

What have I tried?

Mid-Workshop Interruption Videos

When my students were working on writing, I had them send me their prewriting and drafting.  It allowed me to give a mid-workshop interruption videos that I sent as an announcement on my Canvas course.

Writing Conference Feedback Videos for Individuals

For students that I felt I could shift their craft of writing better with specific feedback points, I made a video. This student needed assistance with punctuating dialogue.  Zoom sessions were hosted for students to share and conference, but not all students were able to attend.  Regardless, the student received the feedback that was needed.

Make Sure to Use Specific Rubrics on Canvas Assignments

Canvas Rubric

Use Rubrics on Canvas with Each Step of eLearning.

 Rubrics are always an effective way of sharing the progression of skills for students to use as they are working.  This is an example of a rubric scored for drafting.  Along with the rubric you can add specific feedback through comments or a video as mentioned.

Writing Specific Feedback in Comments on Assignment Submissions

Clipboard History Pro Extension Sometimes as you are grading you tend to state the same things to multiple students.  Spend time crafting a response that meets the need you are seeing.  You can always copy and paste the comment.  If you have multiple comments that you use for various levels of performance use a clipboard extension tool for quick use.

Pro Tip:

Add the Clipboard History Pro extension to your Google Chrome. Also, establish the idea that you want students to master activities. During eLearning, allow students to receive feedback and make changes.  It allows students to return to content and improve.  We want our students to grow and multiple attempts enchance learning. In the video below, you will see how easy Clipboard History Pro extension makes it for me to give meaningful feedback.

 

Category: ELA Instruction, Feedback | 1 Comment on Specific Feedback, Especially While Digitally Learning
May 1

Making Learning Accessible and Interactive

Interactive Read Aloud during eLearning

In this time of eLearning we are all attempting to do our best to use best practices in our instruction while being distant from students.  We want to engage students’ thinking and keep them in an instructional rhythm they have come to expect. Students need us to recognize their variablity and instructional needs, which brings in UDL guidelines.  We also need to be able to utilize our Learning Managment Systems, like Canvas, so students can get to assignments with ease.

One of my favorite components of language arts instruction is the interactive read aloud.  There is nothing better than when a group of students is into a book with you and responding with their thinking, connections, and inferences on what will happen next.  In my twenty years of education, the groan when you close the book has made my heart burst with joy.  You have them hooked. You are making books one of the best choices they can desire.  We build lifelong readers one page, one book, one reading experience at a time.

How can I make this happen during this time?  I mean…really make it happen!  I started off the time by just creating YouTube videos of our read aloud. However, it just did not give me the response back from kids that I am accustomed to receiving.  A next step was to add in Flipgrid, which allowed me to gain a verbal response and did help. Could there be an even better way? Then it occurred to me that I might be able to make Nearpods for each interactive read aloud.

Nearpod Features that Improved my eLearning Sessions:

  • polls: Example-Would you make the same choice as the character? Yes or No. (DOK 1)
  • YouTube Video Embeded: allowed for fewer links that need to be shared.
  • Open-Ended Questions: students could respond with audio or typed response to a higher level question. (DOK 2/3)
  • Collaboration: students could respond and see their classmates responses (DOK 2/3)
  • Matching: students could match characters to their traits; vary by direct traits or inferencial traits (DOK 1/2)
  • Flipgrid: is embeded into the Nearpod so students can have videos for shared thinking and collaboration. Higher level (DOK 3) questions can be debated in this forum.

Adding Nearpod to Canvas Integration

Nearpod can be integrated into many learning management systems.  Since my district is using Canvas the remainder of my blog will feature Canvas.

 Guide for Adding the Nearpod App to your Canvas Course. You will get a unique app code to add to your settings for external tools.  The guide is clear and easy to follow.

Features in My Interactive Nearpod & Canvas Integration

Setting Expectations

Students will have the Nearpod open right in their assignment on Canvas.

A teacher can create Nearpods or use a presentation from the Nearpod library. For my sessions, I created slides on Google Slides or Power Point and added the visuals into the Nearpod session.

This slide shows that I am establishing the tone and objective of the lesson.

Providing Video/Audio of Text

My strategy was to read a chapter and record a video of that chapter for students to be able to listen to me read. Then Nearpod allows you to add the web url for your YouTube video right into your Nearpod.  The video plays right within the session and student stay on the same Canvas assignment page.

Virtual Turn and Talk or Thinking Spots

After students listened to a chapter, I was able to give them thinking space just like we did with our reader’s notebooks or a turn and talk to a partner moment. On Nearpod students may choose whether they want to respond by typing their response or they may respond orally.  Students are able to decide which action and expression fits them best.

Accessibilty

Some students with an IEP need questions read to them. However, all students have the option of using Immersive Reader if they need to have the question read in order to process what it is requiring them to do. This is option is especially important during this time of eLearning so our students can meet their needs and feel independent.

Collaboration

Nearpod has a new feature that allows students to have a virtual bulletin board.  You can pose a question and students can see how their classmates respond.  Students are craving typical connections to each other.  This feature allows a bond between students to continue.  We do not want our learners to feel isolated in their thinking.

We love for students to answer open ended questions and debate.  Adding Flipgrid to the Nearpod allowed for virtual turn and talk discussions.

(It also allowed me to hear and see my students.  I could listen in and give them feedback.)

Adding in a poll allows for “Would you rather..” type thinking.  Also, you can reveal yesterday’s poll results in next session on Canvas. Later, students can see if they agreed.  We must look for ways to keep kids engaged.

 

Settings Necessary in Your Nearpod Account

Please use the visual below to make sure you have all of the settings turned on in your Nearpod Account.  To do this go to your settings and switch the buttons on that you see below.

Grading & Assessing

When you integrade Nearpod into your Canvas assignment, it allows you to use Speed Grader for assessing your individual student’s reports.  This process is much faster than having to go back to your Nearpod account and access a report.  Plus, you can offer specific feedback to each student within the LMS and keep students in one location.  Parents will also be able to see the feedback in their observers view.  Often apps that we use are difficult to go back to for record keeping and completion details.  We are all on our screens a lot right now!  Make it easy for yourself too!

Video Support

To help you in your own development, please use my video to help you with this process.  Reach out if you have any questions.

 

 

Category: Uncategorized | 1 Comment on Making Learning Accessible and Interactive
March 26

Writer’s Workshop & e-Learning

During this time of e-Learning, teachers have had to do what we do best.  We rise to the occasion and make situations the best we can for students.  In the classroom, conducting a Writer’s Workshop requires modeling and works well when there is choice to engage a reluctant writer. Keeping UDL in mind, I knew that kids would need to direct their learning, but also need complete support. I was rattling my brain trying to figure out how I would accomplish this while the students were not with me.  Then it came to me.  I would make a menu of prompt ideas, offer different genres, and model each prompt for students to see a process they could follow.

W

R

I

T

E

Opinion

Narrative

Informational

Opinion

Narrative
Cats and dogs are
just fine pets for
most people. If you
ask me, ______________
would be the best
pet ever. I know
what you are
thinking, but let me
explain.		 Whizzz! The ball
barely avoided
hitting me in the
head. As I looked
around, I noticed
no one was around.		 “Congratulations!
You have just won a dream trip of a
lifetime!’ the
announcer said
after calling me to
the stage.		 If given the choice,
I would definitely
choose
________________ as the
grossest food ever.
By the time I am
finished explaining
why, I bet you will
agree.		 I couldn’t believe
when I saw my
teacher
transformed into an Egyptian mummy princess. What was going on?





Students will be able to have a writer’s conference with me through Zoom.  Also, we will continue to publish our work on Kidblogs.  The students will be able to read a variety of genres from each other and leave classmates feedback, which we have done when we were together in the classroom.

Tips:

  • Model
  • Choice
  • Interactive Conference
  • Interactive Publishing
Category: Uncategorized | LEAVE A COMMENT
March 2

Learning to Monitor Attention

All week, I looked out at one of my students and he was struggling to maintain a sense of focus.  When I see this, I make sure the student understands what they are working on during a check in.  I ask the student to tell me what he/she is focusing on and if he/she has a goal for the work time.  After doing this with my student, I went about helping  another student and he was playing with his pencil, chatting, tinkering with papers.  I would go back and work with him a few minutes to make sure he was getting into his assignment. He knew what to do and yet his attention kept wandering. This went on most of the week.  Sometimes we know the student needs a tool to learn to self monitor the issue.

Since I have been using UDL, I thought about what might be helpful for him to grow in his own regulating. How can he become an expert learner without assistance? I looked to the follow section of the guidelines:

UDL Guideline 9: Provide Options for Self-regulation

Checkpoint 9.1 – Promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation

 Provide prompts, reminders, guides, rubrics, checklists that focus on:
o Self-regulatory goals like reducing the frequency of aggressive outbursts in response to
frustration
o
o Elevating the frequency of self-reflection and self-reinforcements
 Provide coaches, mentors, or agents that model the process of setting personally appropriate goals that
take into account both strengths and weaknesses
 Support activities that encourage self-reflection and identification of personal goals

Attention Monitoring Plan

Together, in conversation about the actions I had been observing, we decided to make an attention monitoring “Level of Understanding” model.  He wanted something that he could have on his desk that would serve as a reminder of his attention.  He was familiar with the 0-4 levels from other uses in class.  With his collaboration, we created a great tool! He was a partner in the process.  Also, we agreed that I would tap the side of my temple and he could share his attention rating number on his fingers.  All of this could be done without really allowing others to know.  What would happen as a result of this plan?

0 1 2 3 4
You don’t know what is going on.  You are distracted. You are not getting work done. You know what to do, and you know you are distracted.  However, you don’t do anything about it. You work for short periods of time and then you are off task. Maybe you are talking to others. You are paying attention. You know what to do. You make progress. You might need a brain break if you start to drift. You might come to a point where you need to ask for help or get feedback on your work. You are working and not distracted. If people are doing things around you, you don’t notice. You are completely zoomed in. Time passes quickly when you are focused.

The Plan in Action

Using the focus chart really helped me think about my attention.  I like having the reminder in front of me.

-Benjamin

My student did such a great job getting out his tool during the week.  He did so unprompted by me.  He allowed me to check in with him on his attention number, which we were able to do quietly without talking about it. He used his hand to share his number.  The chart allowed me to prompt reflection later and praise his attempts at self-monitoring his focus. We are into the second week of the prompting tool and he still is using it. He shared that he thinks others might want to know about his tool.

Lesson Learned

  • Allow your kids to be in the process of developing a tool
  • Set a goal together
  • Use a “secret” reminder for rating
  • Reflect with the student on the process
  • PRAISE!

Try it with your students!

The attention chart is available for your to use and adapt with your own students.  When we work with students and come alongside them, they are very open to trying out new strategies.

Attention Monitoring Chart

Category: UDL | LEAVE A COMMENT
February 15

UDL and Learning Paths

Choice is an anchor to helping students become engaged in a topic.  As a teacher, there are standards which are necessary to the curriculum of your grade level.  Using your learning management system, in my case Canvas, can help you create a learning path for students with essential questions, goals, scaffolding, reflection, and flexibility in assessing the learning. This blog will feature a 5th grade social studies lesson using UDL Guidelines.

Essential Questions and Goals

Students need essential questions to understand what the inquiry of the lesson is for the topic.  It is also important that students know what their goal, “I Can” statement is for the lesson.  It is also appropriate to attach the standard being covered for students to see.

Goal: I can explain the impact the French and Indian War had on use of land in the colonies. I can explain the results of the war.

Standard: 5.3.8 Explain how the Spanish, British and French colonists altered the character and use of land in early America.

Scaffolding

When students are given a topic to explore, it can be helpful to provide a number of different resources to allow students to choose what path they want to take to gain understanding. A variety of modes are important and it is not necessary for students to complete all of the steps.

The first choice is a video that explains the French and Indian War.  The video link was sent to Edpuzzle so that I could add checks for understanding questions for students to answer while watching the video.  Edpuzzle will also provide me with data and which students used this method of instruction.

The second choice is a Brainpop video on the French and Indian War. Students can view the video and take the review quiz to see if they are understanding the information. Students are encouraged to revisit the information if they were unable to answer the questions correctly.

The third choice is scaffolded for students to decide what will be serve them.  There is a ReadWorks article for the students to read.  The student may choose to read on their own or they may select the video where I am reading the article to them and posing thinking questions as I go through the article.  It is up to the student to decide which method will serve them best.

The fourth option on the pathway relates to music of the time period. The song, “Yankee Doodle” was actually written by the British after the French and Indian War.  This option share lyrics and videos that show how the song that was supposed to be an insult on the colonists was actually used by the Americans during the revolution. Learning the music history can help with understanding the road to the American Revolutionary War.

Reflection using Levels of Understanding

Students need to be taught, as developing expert learners, to reflect on their own understanding while in the process of learning. Levels of Understanding comes from Marzano’s work and for this learning pathway is designed to have students monitor their own knowledge of the topic. The main focus is on whether the student can answer the essential questions after choosing options on the pathway.

 

Assessing the Learning

Students can make a choice from an option board to share the learning they gained for the topic of the day. The options share a variety of methods for a teacher to check for understanding of the topic and the ability to answer the essential questions for the standard.

Choices (Choose one)

  1. Write a  paragraph explaining the conflict of the war.  Why was there a war? What were the results? What do people need to know about the war?
  2. Create a sketchnote of the events of the war.  How can you share the French and Indian War in visuals?
  3. Create a Flipgrid video of yourself explaining the French and Indian War. Why was there a war? What were the results? What do people need to know about the war.
  4. 3-2-1 Prompt
    Answer the following details in your journal or on type on the Notesapp:

    • Three things that they have learned from this lesson.
    • Two deep questions that they still have. (These cannot be yes or no questions).  Be prepared to ask the class your questions to lead a post learning discussion.
    • One aspect of class or the lesson that they enjoyed.

 

Administrator Look fors with UDL

What instructional shifts do we want to see classroom teachers making that are implementing UDL strategies?

● Intentional and proactive ways to address the established goals, learner needs, and the assessment plan.

● Establish a plan for how instructional materials and strategies will be used to overcome barriers and support learner understanding.

● A plan that ensures high-expectations for all learners and that the needs of the learners in the margins (i.e., struggling and advanced), anticipating that a broader range of learners will benefit.

● Multiple means of Representation:Teacher purposefully uses a variety of strategies, instructional tools, and methods to present information and content to anticipate student needs and preferences

● Expression & Action: Student uses a variety of strategies, instructional tools, and methods to demonstrate new understandings.

● Engagement: A variety of methods are used to engage students (e.g., provide choice, address student interest) and promote their ability to monitor their own learning (e.g., goal setting, self-assessment, and reflection)

 

Where are you with your understanding of UDL?

For more information the the UDL Guidelines, check out CAST. And don’t worry, one small move leads to big change!

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February 10

More Ideas for Making Anchor Charts Useful

Inference and Synthesizing

You might want to consider new ways of making your anchor charts and documentation interactive for your students. We are currently reading the novel, Ghost Hawk, for our interactive read aloud. For this novel we are also working on improving our ability to infer text information and sythesize an idea.  We are using the Smekens silhoutte approach to serve as a graphic organizer.

After reading sections of the book, I am giving the students a key question related to the book.  We are working together on using the organizer to prepare our thinking. The students view the question, create an organizer in their notebooks, and put down ideas alone for three minutes.  After the students have had time, we are sharing our ideas together. Currently, I have been modeling the thinking they are sharing on the whiteboard when we work as a group.  Students can add to their notebooks the collected ideas.

Next, we are thinking of a way to synthesize the ideas around the head.  Often we take the question and use it to guide our topic.  This process will help readers to prepare to write about the questions with key evidence from the text, which is a standard we are focusing on along with sythesizing.

Working to make a documentation record of our work throughout the novel, I have been taking pictures of our whiteboard and adding the images to a SMORE for Ghost Hawk. On the SMORE, I have been able to model taking the graphic organizer work and turning it into written response.  This way, students can see the next steps they will be taking after they are comfortable with using the organizer.

In the image , you can see that some of the pages of this SMORE were printed to be available as a reminder of the work we have done in the modeling stage. A QR code can also be added so that the entire collection of examples can be available to the student. Make your documentation and anchor charts interactive so they are valuable to the students.

As we go through the process, students will be able to revisit our steps as they transition to doing the process independently.  All of these strategies continue to make learning visible which brings UDL guidelines into the classroom too.

Take a Look at our SMORE collection as we go through the novel.

 

 

Category: ELA Instruction, UDL | 1 Comment on More Ideas for Making Anchor Charts Useful