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A compilation of instructional resources to support all types of instruction that occur at JMCS sites: direct instruction, credit recovery and skills acceleration.

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Published by rwegner, 2019-07-28 01:24:32

JMCS Instructional Guide

A compilation of instructional resources to support all types of instruction that occur at JMCS sites: direct instruction, credit recovery and skills acceleration.

4 Cs: How will some or all of the following be incorporated into the lesson?
Communication –
Creativity –
Collaboration –
Critical Thinking –
Closure: (recap key concepts, helps students consolidate knowledge)
Assessment/Self-reflection: (how will you assess the students’ level of achievement of t
Student Product: (what will the students produce that provides evidence of the stated leve

4

?

the benchmark/learning objectives)
els of rigor?)

48

Unit Plan Template Topic: ESLR:
Time Frame:

Overview:

CA State Standards/Muir Benchmarks: Credits Possible:

Assignments for Full Credit:

Assessments: Resources:

49

Sample Unit Plan

Time Frame: Topic: ESLR:

2 weeks Nutrition Life Skills

Overview:

In this unit, students will explore basic elements of nutrition. They will learn how to determine the
nutritional value of a food, the components of a healthy diet, specific dietary guidelines for their
individual health goals as well as study the effects unhealthy diets and lifestyles may have on their
future well-being. The unit will be presented in the context of the rise of the obesity epidemic in
America and why one individual's well-being matters on a larger scale - why one should care about their
own health as well as care about the health of our society.

CA State Standards: Credits Possible:
2 Health
Health: Nutrition and Physical Activity - 1, 2, 3, 7 2 English
English: Reading Comprehension, Speaking and Listening,
Writing (*Research) 2 Life Skills

*Ch. 9 or 10 of the Health book
complete with a chapter project can be
assigned for an additional 1/2 credit.

Assignments for Full Credit:

1. Current Statistics: presentation of why it all matters with class discussion

2. Nutrition Information PowerPoint pop quiz

3. Nutrition Information: How to Read a Food Label, What It All means PowerPoint with notes

4. Reading Nutrition Labels activity (trip to grocery store)

5. Choose My Plate worksheet (www.choosemyplate.gov - Daily Food Plan)

6. Choose My Plate reflection

7. My Daily Food Plan log

8. Make-a-Plate art activity (using current store ads, categorize the foods into their food groups)

9. "Food Deserts" article with pre-, during- and post- questions

10. Health Effects of Obesity (intro activity and expert presentations)

11. Socratic Seminar final activity

12. Variety of homework assignments: ex. relevant news articles to read and respond to

13. *Guest speaker from local nutrition organization/WIC/EBT office

Assessments: Resources:

PowerPoint pop quiz Various technology equipment

Choose My Plate reflection write-up Worksheets + local store ads
Expert presentations www.choosemyplate.gov

Socratic Seminar "Food Deserts" + current news articles
*Ch. 9 or 10 Health test optional Grocery store access + Guest speaker

50

THE CORE SIX GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS
Reading for Meaning Graphic Organizer

Evidence For (True) Statement Evidence Against (False)

51

Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizers

Item 1 Item 2

Similarities

Item 1 Criteria for Comparison Item 2

52

Inductive Learning Graphic Organizer

Evidence For Prediction Evidence Against

53

Circle of Knowledge Discussion Strategy

Question (pose a question that requires thinking)

Silence & wait time (3-5 seconds to process

question)

Probe (ask probing questions, ask for evidence and

examples)

Accept (accept every response – do not affirm or

correct)

Clarify (ask students to re-state their own and others’

ideas)

Elaborate (ask what if ?s, present counterarguments,

draw conclusions)

54

Write to Learn Graphic Organizer

Beginning Middle End
Introduction Key Points, Evidence Closing

55

Vocabulary’s CODE

Connect (form a strong initial connection)

• Word Wall
• Power decoding
• Asssociations
• See it, say it, show it, store it
• Glossary
• Word catcher

Organize (relationship between terms)

• Prioritize
• Concept maps
• Fist lists and word spiders
• Word banks
• Group and label
• Diagraming relationships

Deep-Process (develop deep conceptual

understanding)

• Visualizing vocabulary
• Storytelling
• Metaphors and similes
• Defining characteristics
• Etymologies
• Three-way tie

Exercise (meaningful review and practice)

• Vocabulary games
• Use it or lose it
• Vocabulary carousel
• Practice makes perfect
• Three’s a crowd
• Peer practice

*For strategy explanations, review pages 68-69 from The Core Six

56

Active Participation Strategies

1. 12 word Summary

In 12 words or less, summarize the most important aspects from today’s lesson.

2. Evidence Bag

Your ticket out the door is to write down two ideas you learned from today’s lesson.

3. Numbered Heads

• Students number off in teams, one through four.
• Teacher asks a series of questions, one at a time
• Students discuss possible answers to each question, for a set amount of time (30-90

seconds).
• Teacher calls a number (1-4) and all students with that number raise their hand, ready

to respond.
• Teacher randomly calls on students with the specified number to answer on behalf of

their team.

4. Spectrum

Use a spectrum when asking for student opinion on a topic or question.
• Place a line on the chalkboard or masking tape on the floor in front of the room.
• Label one end of the line “Strongly Agree” and the other end “Strongly Disagree.”
• Students line up according to their opinion on the topic.
• Other label ideas: Most Important/Least Important, Greatest Effect/Least Effect

5. A-B Partner Teach

Partner A turn to Partner B.
Tell your partner the two most important things you have learned so far about...

6. Idea Wave

• Each student lists 3 to 5 ideas about the assigned topic.
• A volunteer begins the “idea wave” by sharing one idea.
• The student to the right of the volunteer shares one idea; the next student to the right

shares one idea.
• The teacher directs the flow of the “idea wave” until several different ideas have been

shared.

57

• At the end of the formal “idea wave,” a few volunteers who were not included can
contribute an idea.

7. Think-Pair-Share

• Take a minute to first silently and independently think about your own answer to the
question(s).

• At the signal, turn and face your partner so you can discuss your answers face to face.
• Explain clearly to your partner your own answer and your reasons for making this

decision.
• Listen carefully to your partner’s answers, and pay attention to similarities and

differences in your answers.
• Ask your partner to explain more if you don’t understand or agree with his or her

answer.
• At the signal, be prepared to share your opinions with the class.

8. Learning from A to Z

• The objective of this activity is to provide words, phrases, or sentences that are
related to the topic that is being studied.

• The teacher gives the student the topic they need to brainstorm.
• The teacher establishes a timeframe to complete the activity.
• Students work individually or together in pairs or groups, to brainstorm words related

to the topic that begin with each letter of the alphabet.
• When the time limit expires, the teacher guides the students through discussion of

their entries for each letter. Answers can be recorded on an overhead transparency.
• Students use Learning From A to Z as a study guide.

9. Quick write

Use a quick write to activate background knowledge, clarify issues, facilitate making
connections, and allow for reflection.
• Students write for a short, specific amount of time, perhaps several minutes, about a

designated topic related to...

10 - Graphic Organizers

This strategy provides an alternate system for organizing and beginning a piece of
writing. These are visual tools that help students to organize their thoughts and ideas.

58

11 - Exit Slip

1. What made learning easy for you today?
2. What made learning difficult for you today?
3. What do you still need to know before we move on?
4. What did you learn today?
5. What should our next steps be?

Students can answer self-selected questions/s or teacher selected questions/s.

12. Fishbowl

This strategy provides students an opportunity to engage in formal discussion and to
experience roles both as participant and as active listener; students also have the
responsibility of supporting their opinions and response using specific textual evidence.
• Students are asked to engage in a group discussion about a specific topic - there will

be two circles:
• Inner circle students will model appropriate discussion techniques...while the
• Outer circle students will listen, respond and evaluate.

13. K-W-W-L chart

What I Know - Where I learned It - What I Want to Know - What I
Learned

This strategy helps students organize, access, and reflect on learning which increases
comprehension and engagement.
• To activate prior knowledge ask, “What do I know?”
• To acknowledge source ask, “Where did I find the information?”
• To set purpose ask, “What do I want to know?”
• To reflect on a new learning ask, “What did I learn?”

14. Talking Chips

Pose a question for students to discuss.
• Each member is given a “chip” (small square of construction paper or a “real chip”)
• Each student takes turns “talking” by placing their CHIP into the center of the table.
• The first person to talk may only talk at that time - and may not speak again until all

in the group members have placed their “chip” in the middle.
• Repeat process...

59

15. Four Corners

The teacher posts questions, quotations, photos, etc, in each of the corners of the room.
The teacher assigns each student to a corner...or students choose.
• Once in the corner, the students discuss the focus of the lesson in relation to the

question, quote, etc.
• At this time, students may report out or move to another corner and repeat the

process.
• After students have moved, as a writing assignment, they should be encouraged to

reflect on changes in opinion or new learning.

16. Jigsaw

• Students read different passages from the same text or selection from several texts.
• After reading the passage, they take on the role of an expert with the specified text.
• The “experts” then share the information from their specific reading with a specific

group or the entire class.
• Students can read different sections of a chapter, short story, newspaper article,

diary/journal, biography, etc.

17. Gallery Walk

• Select several “quotable quotes,” important passages, or concepts from a text.
• Place each quote or passage on a separate piece of butcher or chart paper and hang

them throughout the room.
• Ask students to quietly take a “gallery walk” reading each poster carefully and talking

to no one.
• Have each student select one that interests or intrigues them - one that they would like

to talk more about.
• Ask the students to return to their seats and free-write about the selected quote or

passage for five minutes.
• Then ask students to take their free writing and to stand by the quote or passage they

have selected.

18. Give One and Get One

• Write your name legibly at the top of a piece of paper. List 3 to 5 ideas about the
assigned topic.

• Draw a line after your last idea to separate your ideas from those you select from your
classmates’ lists.

• Get up and interact with one classmate at a time. Exchange papers, read your
partner’s list, and then ask questions about new or confusing ideas.

60

ANNE DOWIE PHOTOGRAPHYEssentials for
Project-Based
Learning

Some “projects” border on busywork.
Others involve meaningful inquiry that
engages students’ minds.

John Larmer
John R. Mergendoller, PhD.
Buck Institute for Education

s Mrs. McIntyre walked
around the high school
science classroom, she
plopped a packet of
papers on each student’s
desk and announced
a “project.” Each student would
create a poster about a water-borne
bacterium that can be harmful to
humans, the bacterium’s effects, and
disease prevention and treatment.
The handouts included an assignment
sheet with due dates and grading
policy, a rubric, a guide for designing
the poster, and a list of websites and
books. The teacher would display the
best posters.
• ••

Students at Mare Island Technical Academy in Vallejo present their project work to an audience.

61

Sound familiar? When you were in Project Based Learning is sometimes teacher’s suggestion that they should learn
school, did you make posters, dioramas, mistakenly believed, based on old something because they’ll need it later
and models of buildings or volcanoes? stereotypes, to be an ineffective vehicle in life, or for the next course, or simply
If you are a teacher, have you asked for teaching content. But while is it is because “it’s going to be on the test.” With
students to research a topic and present true that a teacher cannot “cover” (which a compelling student project, the reason
information with PowerPoint slides? isn’t, after all, the same as “teach”) as for learning relevant material becomes
These are all-too-common examples of much material in a project as he or she clear: I need to know this to meet the
the kind of meaning-lite assignments that could through lectures, worksheets, and challenge I’ve accepted.
teachers bill as projects. A classroom filled textbooks, students in a well-designed
with student posters may suggest that project understand the content more 3. A Driving Question
students have been engaged in meaningful deeply. Teachers should plan a project After the discussion about beach
learning. But it is the process of students’ to focus on important knowledge and pollution, Ms. McIntyre led students in
learning and the depth of their cognitive concepts derived from standards. The brainstorming possible solutions, such
engagement – rather than the resulting content should also reflect what the as enacting laws, designing better waste-
product – that distinguishes projects from teacher thinks is essential to understand treatment systems, and raising public
busywork. about the topic. And students should find awareness about the need to reduce
the content to be significant in terms of contaminants. Students created a Driving
What Every Good Project Needs their own lives and interests. Question to focus their efforts, focusing on
A project is meaningful if it fulfills two a specific, local area: How can we reduce
criteria. First, students must perceive it 2. A Need to Know the number of days Foster’s beach is
as personally meaningful, as a task that Imagine that on the first day of the closed because of poor waterquality?
matters and that they want to do well. infectious disease unit, Ms. McIntyre
Second, a meaningful project fulfills an showed a video depicting scenes of a A good driving
educational purpose. Well-designed and beautiful beach, which ended with a question captures the
well-implemented Project Based Learning shot of a sign saying, “Beach Closed: heart of the project
(PBL) is meaningful in both ways. Contaminated Water.” Suppose watching in clear, compelling
this video led to a lively (and sometimes language.
As educators with the Buck Institute for disgusting) discussion in which students
Education, we provide professional shared their experiences with suspicious A good Driving Question captures the
development to help schools set up a water quality, discussing times when heart of the project in clear, compelling
sustained program of in-depth Project beaches had been closed and why. The language, which gives students a sense
Based Learning throughout a district, teacher could then introduce the project of purpose and challenge. The Question
network, or state. In our work with by telling students that they would be should be provocative, open-ended,
teachers, we have identified eightessential learning more about ocean pollution and complex, and linked to the core of what
elements of meaningful projects. Let’s look taking action to combat it. you want students to learn. It could be
at each element by considering what the abstract (When is war justified?); concrete
fictional Mrs. McIntyre could have done • •• (Is our water safe to drink?); or focused on
to create a meaningful project instead of solving a problem (How can we improve
handing out prepared packets. Teachers can powerfully activate this website so that more young people
students’ need to know content by will use it?).
1. Significant content launching a project with an “entry event”
Back when she began planning the project, that engages student interest and initiates A project without a Driving Question is
Ms. McIntyre started with her content questioning. An entry event can be almost like an essay without a thesis. Without a
standards. She knew the standards about anything: a video, a lively discussion, thesis statement, a reader might be able to
microorganisms and disease werereflected a guest speaker, a field trip, or a piece pick out the main point a writer is trying
in high number of items on her state’s test, of mock correspondence that sets up a to make; but with a thesis statement, the
and her own judgment told her this was scenario. In contrast, announcing a project main point is unmistakable. Without
an important topic for young people to with a packet of papers is likely to turn a Driving Question, students may not
understand. She also thought her students students off; it looks like a prelude to understand why they are undertaking
would find the topic significant, since busywork.
bacteria and disease had concrete effects
on their lives. Many students find school work
meaningless because they don’t perceive
• •• a need to know what they are being
taught. They are unmotivated by a

62

a project. They know that the series of As they worked, each team regularly websites, experts, and visits to Foster’s
assigned activities has some connection paused to review how well they were Beach.
with a time period, a place, or concept. collaborating and communicating, using
But if you asked, “What is the point of all rubrics the class had developed with the As these learners found answers, they
these activities?” they might only be able teacher. To boost collaboration skills, Mrs. raised and investigated new questions.
to offer, “Because we’re making a poster.” McIntyre used role-playing and team- Students synthesized the information they
building activities. She showed students gathered and used it both to inform their
4. Student Voice and Choice how to use time and task organizers. They individually-written papers on the Driving
Once her students’ interest was piqued practiced oral presentation skills and Question and to help create their team’s
by a challenging question, Ms. McIntyre learned to produce videos and podcasts. product related to that question.
explained the requirements for the “Don’t
Close the Beach” project, which included Students find • ••
an individually written paper, a product project work more
of the students’ choice created by teams, meaningful if they Students find project work to be more
and an oral presentation of their work conduct real inquiry. meaningful if they are asked to conduct
accompanied by media technology. real inquiry – which does not mean
Students chose to develop media kits In writing journals, students reflected finding information in books or websites
for journalists, video public service on their thinking and problem-solving and pasting it onto a poster. In real
announcements, web pages, brochures, processes, which they knew they would inquiry, students follow a trail that begins
and letters to government and industry need to explain in their oral presentation. with their own questions, leads to a search
officials, among other products. for resources and the discovery ofanswers,
• •• and which ultimately leads to generating
• •• new questions, testing ideas, and drawing
A project should give students their own conclusions. With real inquiry
This element of Project Based Learning opportunities to build 21st century comes innovation – a new answer to a
is key. In terms of making a project feel competencies such as critical thinking, Driving Question, a new product, a new
meaningful to students, the more voice collaboration, communication, and solution to a problem. The teacher does
and choice, the better. However, teachers creativity/innovation, which will serve not ask students to simply reproduce
should design projects with the extent of them well in the workplace and life. This teacher- or textbook-provided information
student choice that fits their own style and exposure to authentic skills meets the in a pretty format.
students. second criterion for meaningful work
– an important purpose. A teacher in To guide students in real inquiry, refer
On the limited-choice end of the scale, a Project Based Learning environment students to the list of questions they
learners can select what topic to study explicitly teaches and assesses these skills generated after the entry event. Coach
within a general Driving Question or and provides frequent opportunities for them to add to this list as they discover
choose how to design, create, and present students to assess themselves. new insights. The classroom culture
products. As a middle ground, teachers should value questioning, hypothesizing,
might provide a limited menu of options 6. In-Depth Inquiry and openness to new ideas and
for creative products to prevent students After the discussion about encounters perspectives.
from becoming overwhelmed by choices. with pollution, in addition to choosing a
On the “the more the better” end of the Driving Question, Ms. McIntyre’s students 7. Critique and Revision
scale, students can decide what product as a whole class generated a list of more As they developed their ideas and
they will create, what resources they detailed questions about diseases, bacteria products, student teams reviewed and
will use, and how they will structure and their effects, and sources of water critiqued one another’s work, referring
their time. Students could even choose a contamination. Questions included, What to rubrics and exemplars. Ms. McIntyre
project’s topic and Driving Question. diseases can you get from water? Do you checked research notes, reviewed rough
have to drink it to get sick? and Where do drafts and plans, and met with teams to
5. 21st Century Competencies bacteria come from? The teams fine-tuned monitor their progress.
Once Ms. McIntyre’s students had decided their questions and discussed how to find
on actions that would help them respond answers from their teacher, books, articles, • ••
to the Driving Question, they got to work.
Collaboration was central to the project. Formalizing a process for critique and
Students formed teams of three or four revision during a project makes learning
and began planning what tasks they would meaningful because it emphasizes that
do and how they would work together. creating high-quality products and
performances is an important purpose of

63

the endeavor. Students need to learn that
most people’s first attempts don’t result in
high quality and that revision is a frequent
feature of real-world work.

In addition to providing direct
feedback, a teacher should coach students
in using rubrics or other sets of criteria
to critique one another’s work. Teachers
can arrange for experts or adult mentors
to provide feedback, which is especially
meaningful to students because of the
source.

8. Public Audience ANNE DOWIE PHOTOGRAPHY
In Ms. McIntyre’s class, teams presented
their analyses of water contamination Students at Tamalpais High School in California study U.S. History in a project.
issues and their proposals for addressing
the problem at an exhibition night. The Rest of the Story Exhibition Night – and the team stood
The invited audience included parents, The hypothetical project described nearby to explain it. To create the poster,
peers, and representatives of community, here was inspired by a real project, students engaged in an extended process
business, and government organizations. “Media Saves the Beach,” carried out by of inquiry, critique, and revision. They
students at High Tech High in San Diego, learned important things in the process. In
Students answered questions and California. In this real-life project, students short, even a poster can be meaning-heavy
reflected on how they completed the worked alongside established local groups if it’s part of a project embodying the
project, next steps they might take, and to advocate cleaner shorelines. Several eight essential elements of Project Based
what they gained in terms of knowledge government agencies came through with Learning.
and skills – and pride. funding for water monitoring at local
beaches. Author’s Note: Individuals and
• •• some place names in this article are
In truth, one of the products students pseudonyms.
Schoolwork is more meaningful when created was a poster. What made that
it’s not done only for the teacher or the poster different from the meaning-lite John Larmer (415-883-0122; john
test. When students present their work one Ms. McIntyre had assigned? The [email protected]) is director of product
to a real audience, they care more about High Tech High students chose to do development and John R. Mergendoller
its quality. Once again, it’s “the more, the their poster because it was an effective ([email protected]) is executive director at
better” when it comes to the authenticity. way to communicate their message at the Buck Institute for Education, 18
Students might replicate the kinds of tasks Commercial Blvd., Novato, CA 94949.
done by professionals – but even better,
they might create real products that people
outside school use.

Buck Institute for Education
18 Commercial Blvd.
Novato, CA, USA 94949
ph: 415-883-0122
www.bie.org
youtube.com/biepbl
twitter.com/biepbl

Originally published as “7 Essentials for Project-Based Learning,” by John Larmer and John R.
Mergendoller, in Educational Leadership, 68(1). © 2010 ASCD. Reproduced and updated March 2012
with permission of ASCD. For more information about Educational Leadership, go to www.ascd.org.

64

Six A’s of Project­Based Learning
Adapted from Real Learning, Real Work, by Adria Steinberg

Routledge, New York, NY, 1998

Academic Rigor
Projects address key learning standards identified by the school or district and helps
students develop habits of mind and work associated with academic and professional
disciplines.

● Does the project lead students to acquire and apply knowledge central to one or
more disciplines or content areas?

● Does the project challenge students to use methods of inquiry central to one or
more disciplines (e.g., to think like a scientist)?

● Do students develop higher order thinking skills and habits of mind (e.g.,
searching for evidence, taking different perspectives)?

Authenticity
Projects use a real world context (e.g., community and workplace problems) and
address issues that matter to the students.

● Does the project emanate from a problem that has meaning to the student?
● Is it a problem or question that might be tackled by an adult at work or in the

community?
● Do the students create or produce something that has personal and/or social

value beyond the school setting?

Applied Learning
Projects engage students in solving semi­structured problems calling for
competencies expected in high­performance work organizations (e.g., teamwork,
problem­solving, communication, etc.).

● Does the learning take place in the context of a semi­structured problem,
grounded in life and work in the world beyond school?

● Does the project lead students to acquire and use competencies expected in
high performance work organizations (e.g., teamwork, appropriate use of
technology, problem solving and communication)?

● Does the work require students to develop organizational and self­management
skills?

65

Active Exploration
Projects extend beyond the classroom and connect to work internships, field­based
investigations, and community explorations.

● Do students spend significant amounts of time doing field­based work?
● Does the project require students to engage in real investigations, using a variety

of methods, media and sources?
● Are students expected to communicate what the are learning through

presentation and/or performance?

Adult Connections
Projects connect students with adult mentors and coaches from the wider community.

● Do students meet and observe adults with relevant expertise and experience?
● Do students have an opportunity to work closely with at least one adult?
● Do adults collaborate on the design and assessment of student work?

Assessment Practices
Projects involve students in regular exhibitions and assessments of their work in light
of personal, school and real­world standards of performance (e.g., internships,
field­based investigations, and community explorations).

● Do students reflect regularly on their learning using clear project criteria that they
helped set?

● Do adults from outside the classroom help students develop a sense of real
world standards for this type of work?

● Will there be opportunities for regular assessment of student work through a
range of methods, including exhibitions and portfolios?

66

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT EXPRESS

PROJECT NAME:
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:

PRINCIPLE DESCRIPTION IDEAS & PROJECT ELEMENTS

ACADEMIC Projects address key learning standards
RIGOR identified by the school or district and helps
students develop habits of mind and work
associated with academic and professional
disciplines.

AUTHENTICITY Projects use a real world context (e.g.,
community and workplace problems) and
address issues that matter to the students.

APPLIED Projects engage students in solving
LEARNING semi-structured problems calling for
competencies expected in
high-performance work organizations (e.g.
teamwork, problem-solving, communication,
etc.).

ACTIVE Projects extend beyond the classroom and
EXPLORATION connect to work internships, field-based
investigations, and community explorations.

ADULT Projects connect students with adult
CONNECTIONS mentors and coaches from the wider
community.

ASSESSMENT Projects involve students in regular
PRACTICES exhibitions and assessments of their work in
light of personal, school and real-world
standards of performance.

Adapted from Real Learning, Real Work by Adria Steinberg

67

BACKWARDS PLANNING FOR PBL

Planning Backwards—Part 1: Vision

1. YOUR VISION OR PROJECT “SEED” What will the students learn?

What do you want students to create, build, or do? List
ideas of final products:

Who is the authentic audience for your students’ work? Where will your products “live” after the project ends?

2. PURPOSE & ENGAGEMENT
Why does this work matter? What is authentic about this project? What will make students excited to come to school every
day to participate in this project? How will this work make a positive difference?

How will you launch your project? Will students develop and/or discover the essential question at this time?

3. YOUR ESSENTIAL QUESTION
What is your essential question? (Teacher-driven or student-driven?)

Adapted from a project planner created by the Orange County Department of Education 1

68

Planning Backwards—Part 2: Academic Content and Literacy

1. ACADEMIC CONTENT
What specific ACADEMIC CONTENT will the students learn? How will they learn it?

CONTENT GOALS (Include Standard Number) How?

Opportunities for INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION How?
CROSS-CURRICULAR COLLABORATION

2. LITERACY
What will students READ?

What will Students WRITE?

DIFFERENTIATION:

Reading Supports: Writing Supports:

Special
Needs/IEP

English Learner

Ready for
Challenge

Adapted from a project planner created by the Orange County Department of Education 2

69

PBL: Project Planning Template
Project Name

Begin with the End in Mind

Summarize the theme or “big ideas” for this project.
Identify the content standards that students will learn in this project (two to three
per subject)
Identify key skills students will learn in this project
List only those skills you plan to assess (two to four per project)
Identify the habits of mind that students will practice in this project (one to two per
project).

Crafting the Driving Question

State the essential question or problem statement for the project. The statement
should encompass all project content and outcomes, and provide a central focus
for student inquiry.

Plan the Assessment

Step 1: Define the products and artifacts for the project:
Early in the Project:

During the Project:
End of the Project (Final Product):

Plan the Assessment

Step 2: State the criteria for exemplary performance for each product
Product:
Criteria:
Product:
Criteria:
Product:
Criteria:

70

Map the Project (CHECK APPROPRIATE BOX)

Product: ALREADY TAUGHT TAUGHT
HAVE BEFORE THE DURING THE
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NEEDED LEARNED PROJECT PROJECT

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Materials Needed:

Map the Project

Draw the storyboard for this project, with activities, resources, timelines, and
milestones.

Differentiation and Reflection

List preparations necessary to address needs for differentiated instruction for
ESL students, special-needs students, or students with diverse learning styles.

How will you and your students reflect on and evaluate the project?

Use the Tuning Protocol with other teachers or a group of students to refine the
project design or guide you further in your planning. What other thoughts do you
now have on the project?

71

What is the passion driving this project? (This might
share.)

What is the driving question that you want students
process of this project?

What product(s) would you like Who is the
students to create? audience for th
project?

7

t be a passion you have or a passion your students
s to be able to answer through the experience and

What content and skills do you want
his students to learn through this project?

72

New Tech Network ACCEPTABLE

PROJECT IDEA RUBRIC

UNACCEPTABLE

Authenticity • Project has little or no connection with • Project simulates “real world” activities. Adults are lik
the outside world or other curricular the problem or questions addressed by the project
areas
• The problem or question has meaning to the students
• The problem or question has little or a clear “need to know”
no meaning to the students
• Project has several possible correct solution
• Problem has a single correct answer

Academic • The project is not based on content • The project is derived from specific learning goals in
Rigor standards standards

• Project demands little specific • Project demands specific knowledge of central conce
knowledge of central concepts
• Student develop and demonstrate life skills (e.g. colla
presentation; writing)

Applied • New skills and knowledge are not • New skills and knowledge are applied toward solution
Learning applied toward solution development • Students are required to work in groups where curric

• Students work primarily alone and with skills are discussed and debated in context of the pro
little self-management • Students use self-management skills informally

• Learning occurs out of context of
project

Active • Little independent research is • Students are required to conduct own, independent re
Exploration required. • Students gather information from authentic, but limite

• Students gather majority of information sources provided by the teacher.
from textbooks or encyclopedia-like • Students use raw data provided by the teacher.
materials provided by the teacher.

Adult • Students have no contacts with adults • Students have limited contacts with outside adults (e.
Connections other than the teacher(s) speakers, parents).

• Teacher uses role playing or other staff members to s
“expert” contact.

Assessment • Students are not provided with clear • Students are provided with a clear explanation of the
Practices explanation of the assessment process and expectations in the early stages of the pr
process or and expectations.
• Students use structured journals or logs to track prog
• Assessment of project is summarized
into a single final grade. • Assessment of project includes an evaluation of cont
knowledge as well as life skills and/or habits of mind

• Final product is a culminating exhibition or presentati
demonstrates their ability to apply the knowledge the

Adapted from Adria Steinberg’s 6 As, Real Learning, Real Work.

7

PROJECT:
AUTHOR:

EXEMPLARY

kely to tackle In addition to “Acceptable” attributes:
s and provides • Entities or persons outside of the school will use the product of student work
• Students will present and defend solution to a real and appropriate audience for the student

work

content area In addition to “Acceptable” attributes:
epts • There is a well defined, clear driving question that is derived from specific national, state or
aboration;
district content standards
n development • Project demands breadth and depth of specific knowledge of centralconcepts.
cular topics and • Students develop habits of mind (e.g., concern for evidence, viewpoint, and causeand
oject
effect; precision of language and thought; persistence)
esearch.
ed number of In addition to “Acceptable” attributes:
• Students apply new knowledge to a realistic and complex problem
• Students use high-performance work organization skills (e.g., work in teams, use technology

appropriately, communicate ideas, collect, organize and analyzeinformation)
• Students formally use self-management skills (e.g., develop a work plan, prioritize pieces of

work, meet deadlines, identify and allocate resources)

In addition to “Acceptable” attributes:
• Student are required to do field-based or experimental research (e.g., interview experts,

survey groups of people, work site exploration)
• Students gather information from a variety of sources and using a variety of methods

(interviewing and observing, gathering and reviewing information, collecting data, model-
building, using on-line services)

.g., guest In addition to “Acceptable” attributes:
simulate • Students have multiple contacts with outside adults who have expertise and experience that

e assessment can ask questions, provide feedback, and offer advise.
roject. • Students have the opportunity to observe and work alongside adults in a worksite relevant to
gress
tent skills / the project.
ion that • Outside adults provide students with a sense of the real-world standards for this type of
ey have gained
work.

In addition to “Acceptable” attributes:
• Students help in establishing assessment criteria.
• Students have many opportunities for feedback on their progress from teachers, mentors,

and peers.

Copyright (c) 2012 New Tech Netwrok.
All rights reserved. Use of this material constitutes your agreement to the terms of use.

73

More PBL Resources

From the JMCS Curriculum Resource Center (projects developed and taught by JMCS
teachers):

• Citizenship PBL (Government, History)
• Creating a Self-Guided Tour of your Community
• iProject
• Exploring Undocumented Immigrant Female Workers in the US Food Industry
• Save Water, Save Us
• What if Romeo Snap-Chatted a Selfie?
• Investigating Homelessness
• Hero Project

Compilation of Resources from High Tech High:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B2fmmPNB_77_V1g3Ymk0aHppSWs&usp=sharing
OR short URL:
http://alturl.com/x9gui

• Leadership Project Planning Documents
• PBL Planning Documents
• Protocols
• Readings

Compilation of Resources from the JMCS LiveBinder “PBL Resources”:

http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=1640069
OR short URL:
http://alturl.com/psunu

• 12 PBL Resources
• Resources from High Tech High
• The Teacher’s Guide to PBL
• Buck Institute of Education
• High Tech High Projects
• PBLU (PBL University from Buck Institute of Education)
• Useful Websites for Project Components
• PBL Planning Resources
• Readings on PBL
• Protocols

74

Awarding Credits for Individual P

CATEGORY 0.5 credit 1 credit

Circle a credit allottment for each category and take the average

Any project should not exceed 3 cred

Sources Student uses 1 source that Student uses 2-3 sour

may not be valid or relevant. are mostly valid and r

Revisions Student work does not go Student work goes th
Final Product through any revision cycles. revision cycle with fe
from 1 adult or 1 peer

Final product is basic: flyer, Final product is basic:
poster, powerpoint, etc...and poster, powerpoint, e
does not show evidence of shows evidence of eff
effort, planning or planning and organiza
organization.

Exhibition of Work Student work is not exhibited Student work is exhib
or is exhibited only to the the teacher and classm
teacher. an informal setting.

7

Project-Based Learning at JMCS

2 credits 3 credits

of the credits in order to determine final credits for the project.

dits without prior director approval.

rces that Student uses 3 or more Student uses 3 or more

relevant. sources that are valid and sources that are valid,

relevant. relevant and properly

formatted and cited.

hrough 1 Student work goes through at Student work goes through 3
eedback least 2 revision cycles with or more revision cycles with
r. feedback from 1 adult and 1 feedback from at least 1 adult
peer. and 1 peer.

: flyer, Final product exceeds the Final product far exceeds the
etc...and
fort, norm of student projects: norm of student projects:
ation.
video, blog, podcast, organizing a community

mulitmedia presentation, service event, building a 3D

etc...and demonstrates a object, creating a website,

strong level of effort, planning publishing a book, community

and organization. activism, etc...and

demonstrates a high level of

effort, planning and

organization.

bited to Student work is exhibited to Student work is exhibited to
mates in the teacher, classmates and the teachers, classmates and
members of the client agency members of the community in
or community in an organized an organized, formal setting.
setting.

5

WORD Kate Kinsella Vocabulary Model
PICTURE

OTHER FORMS OF THE WORD

Synonym Antonym
IN MY OWN WORDS:

SENTENCE:

76

SAMPLE: Kate Kinsella Vocabulary Model

WORD PICTURE
FATALISTIC

OTHER FORMS OF THE WORD
FATAL

FATALIST
FATALISM

PESSIMIST OPTIMIST

Synonym Antonym

IN MY OWN WORDS:

Fatalistic means to think negatively about things and to feel like nothing will ever turn out right.

SENTENCE:

She had a fatalistic view of her future and felt like she would never reach her goals.

77

Frayer Vocabulary Model

DEFINITION: CHARACTERISTICS:

WORD

EXAMPLES: NON-EXAMPLES:

OTHER FORMS OF THE WORD:
SENTENCE:

78

SAMPLE: Frayer Vocabulary Model CHARACTERISTICS:
Negative
DEFINITION: Pessimist
To accept things as they are; to submit to Quitting
fate
Fixed mindset

EXAMPLES: WORD NON-EXAMPLES:
FATALISTIC

Quitting track because you can’t Going to track practice every
run fast enough and don’t feel you’ll day because you know you will get better
ever improve
over time
Not studying for your math test because
you always do poorly anyway Studying hard for your math test and
working with a tutor to help you with the
trickiest problems because you believe you

can learn it

OTHER FORMS OF THE WORD:
Fatal, fatalism, fatalist
SENTENCE:
She was fatalistic about her ability to earn a college degree since no one in her family had ever done it
before.

79

Latin Root Common Latin Roots Example

ambi Definition ambiguous, ambidextrous
aqua aquarium, aquamarine
aud both audience, audition
bene water benefactor, benevolent
cent to hear century, percent
circum good
contra/counter one hundred circumference, circumstance
dict around contradict, encounter
duc/duct against dictation, dictator
fac to say conduct, induce
form to lead factory, manufacture
fort to do; to make conform, reform
fract shape fortitude, fortress
ject strength fracture, fraction
jud break projection, rejection
mal throw judicial, prejudice
mater judge malevolent, malefactor
mit bad maternal, maternity
mort mother transmit, admit
multi to send mortal, mortician
pater death multimedia, multiple
port many paternal, paternity
rupt father portable, transportation
scrib/script to carry bankrupt, disruption
sect/sec to break inscription, prescribe
sent to write bisect, section
spect to cut consent, resent
struct to feel; to send inspection, spectator
vid/vis to look destruction, restructure
voc to build televise, video
to see vocalize, advocate
voice; to call

Reproduced with permission from Corwin Press.

80

Greek Root Common Greek Roots Example
anthropo anthropologist, philanthropy
auto Definition autobiography, automobile
bio man; human; humanity
chron biology, biography
dyna self chronological, chronic
dys life
gram time dynamic, dynamite
graph power dysfunctional, dyslexic
hetero bad; hard; unlucky
homo thing written epigram, telegram
hydr writing graphic, phonograph
hyper different heteronym, heterogeneous
hypo same homonym, homogenous
logy water hydration, dehydrate
meter/metr over; above; beyond hyperactive, hyperbole
micro below; beneath hypothermia, hypothetical
mis/miso study of biology, psychology
mono measure thermometer, perimeter
morph small microbe, microscope
nym hate misanthrope, misogyny
phil one monologue, monotonous
phobia form; shape morphology, morphing
photo/phos name antonym, synonym
pseudo love philanthropist, philosophy
psycho fear claustrophobia, phobic
scope light photograph, phosphorous
techno false pseudonym, pseudoscience
tele soul; spirit psychology, psychic
therm viewing instrument microscope, telescope
art; science; skill technique, technological
far off television, telephone
heat thermal, thermometer

Reproduced with permission from Corwin Press.

81

Which Words Do I Teach and How? – A Visual Guide

TIER THREE WORDS

Must be taught explicitly and repeatedly
Found in informational text
Specific to a domain of study
Generally explained in the text

Students have not normally been exposed to these words
Examples: economics, isotope, amino acid, axis, deposition

TIER TWO WORDS

Should be taught explicitly and repeatedly
Words not common to everyday speech
Characteristic of mature language users

Academic words that appear in literary and informational texts
May have multiple meanings

May require understanding roots, prefixes and suffixes
Examples: masterpiece, fortunate, industrious, benevolent

TIER ONE WORDS

Do not need to be pre-taught but can be taught in the moment
Words common to everyday speech

Generally learned through conversation
Examples: run, dog, orange, study, animal, law

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Which Words Do I Teach and How?

Excerpted from The Significance of Vocabulary in the Common Core State Standards for ELA/Literacy
David Liben - Student Achievement Partners, Winter 2013

…Words that can be quickly explained should be explained in the moment of encounter. This often includes concrete
words, words with single meanings, and words reflecting meaning or shades of meaning that are part of the students’
experiences. The explanation will enhance and not impede comprehension because it was swift and unobtrusive
(Biemiller 2010). Words that need more explanation will ideally be taught in context, and then reinforced after, as these
explanations will be more elaborate and time-consuming (Beck McKeown and Kucan 2007, Biemiller 2007). This
includes words that are abstract, words with multiple related meanings, and words reflecting meanings or shades of
meaning that are likely not part of the students’ experience.

Understanding how words are classified into tiers can help educators plan effective vocabulary instruction. All text can be
broken down into three tiers of words (Beck and McKeown 2002), each with its own implications for instruction:

Tier one words are the words of everyday speech usually learned in the early grades, though not at the same rate
by all children (Biemiller 2007). These words are extremely important to early learning, but because they are
learned largely through conversational language, they are not often considered challenging beyond the early
grades. (Biemiller’s work shows us that though many students learn these words in the elementary years, lower
income students learn them later, thus slowing their vocabulary growth and making catching up to their more
affluent peers extremely difficult…)

Tier two words are “words that characterize written and especially academic text—but are not so common in
everyday conversation” (Beck, McKeown, and Kucan 2008). Tier two words appear in all sorts of texts:
academic texts (relative, vary, formulate, specificity, accumulate), technical writing (calibrate, itemize, structure),
and literary texts (misfortune, dignified, saunter, faltered, unabashedly). Tier two words are far more likely to
appear in written texts than in speech. The Standards refer to tier two words as academic vocabulary. These words
require particular instructional attention as they are often vital to comprehension, reappear in many texts, and
frequently are part of a word family or semantic network. The challenge to teachers is to be alert to the presence
of tier two words, determine which ones need to be taught, and which words deserve more time and effort for
richer understanding. Tier two words can carry disproportionate weight in conveying the meaning of a text, and a
reader who doesn’t understand even a single such weighty word might have his or her comprehension thrown off
track. This is equally true of informational and literary text. For these reasons, the CCSS demand significant
instructional attention to these words. Instruction of tier two words might begin with carefully looking at the key
role these words play in the text (followed by examining the variety and shades of meaning for each of these
words). This in turn would be followed by careful attention to the spelling, pronunciation, and morphology of the
words so they can become a firm part of the students’ vocabulary. This focus on precise meanings in varied
contexts, combined with morphology, will also provide necessary repetitions...

Tier three words are far more common in informational passages than in literature. They are specific to a domain
or field of study (lava, fuel injection, legislature, circumference, aorta) and key to understanding a new concept
within the text. Because of their specificity, tier three words are often explicitly defined by the text and repeatedly
used. Thus, the author of the text takes care to have the text itself provide much support in the learning of tier
three words. In addition, as they are the words that contain the ideas necessary to a new topic, teachers often
define and reinforce tier three words prior to and after students encounter them in a text. Therefore, students’
acquisition of tier three words is generally encouraged by teachers as they know that the student has likely not
encountered these terms before.

83

“11 Alternatives to "Round Robin" (and "Popcorn") Reading”

DECEMBER 1 , 2014 WWW.EDUTOPIA. ORG

Round Robin Reading (RRR) has been a classroom staple for over 200 years and an activity that over half of K-
8 teachers report using in one of its many forms, such as Popcorn Reading. RRR's popularity endures, despite
overwhelming criticism that the practice is ineffective for its stated purpose: enhancing fluency, word decoding,
and comprehension. Cecile Somme echoes that perspective in Popcorn Reading: The Need to Encourage
Reflective Practice: "Popcorn reading is one of the sure-fire ways to get kids who are already hesitant
about reading to really hate reading."

Facts About Round Robin Reading
In RRR, students read orally from a common text, one child after another, while the rest of the class follows
along in their copies of the text. Several spinoffs of the technique offer negligible advantages over RRR, if any.
They simply differ in how the reading transition occurs:

• Popcorn Reading: A student reads orally for a time, and then calls out "popcorn" before selecting another
student in class to read.

• Combat Reading: A kid nominates a classmate to read in the attempt to catch a peer off task, explains
Gwynne Ash and Melanie Kuhn in their chapter of Fluency Instruction: Research-Based Best
Practices (PDF, 177KB).

• Popsicle Stick Reading: Student names are written on Popsicle sticks and placed in a can. The learner whose
name is drawn reads next.

• Touch Go Reading: As described by Professor Cecile Somme, the instructor taps a child when it's his or her
turn to read.

Of the thirty-odd studies and articles I've consumed on the subject, only one graduate research paper claimed a
benefit to RRR or its variations, stating tepidly that perhaps RRR isn't as awful as everyone says. Katherine
Hilden and Jennifer Jones' criticism is unmitigated: “We know of no research evidence that supports the claim
that RRR actually contributes to students becoming better readers, either in terms of their fluency or
comprehension." (PDF, 271KB)

Why all the harshitude? Because Round Robin Reading . . .

• Stigmatizes poor readers. Imagine the terror that English-language learners and struggling readers face
when made to read in front of an entire class.

• Weakens comprehension. Listening to a peer orally read too slowly, too fast, or too haltingly weakens
learners' comprehension -- a problem exacerbated by turn-taking interruptions. (PDF, 177KB)

• Sabotages fluency and pronunciation. Struggling readers model poor fluency skills and pronunciation.
When instructors correct errors, fluency is further compromised.

To be clear, oral reading does improve fluency, comprehension and word recognition (though
silent/independent reading should occur far more frequently as students advance into the later grades).

84

Fortunately, other oral reading activities offer significant advantages over RRR and its cousins. As you'll see in
the list below, many of them share similar features.

11 Better Approaches

1. Choral Reading
The teacher and class read a passage aloud together, minimizing struggling readers' public exposure. In a 2011
study of over a hundred sixth graders (PDF, 232KB), David Paige found that 16 minutes of whole-class choral
reading per week enhanced decoding and fluency. In another version, every time the instructor omits a word
during her oral reading, students say the word all together.

2. Partner Reading
Two-person student teams alternate reading aloud, switching each time there is a new paragraph. Or they can
read each section at the same time.

3. PALS
The Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) exercises pair strong and weak readers who take turns reading,
re-reading, and retelling. (PDF, 177KB)

4. Silent Reading
For added scaffolding, frontload silent individual reading with vocabulary instruction, a plot overview,
an anticipation guide, or KWL+ activity.

5. Teacher Read Aloud
This activity, says Julie Adams of Adams Educational Consulting, is "perhaps one of the most effective
methods for improving student fluency and comprehension, as the teacher is the expert in reading the text and
models how a skilled reader reads using appropriate pacing and prosody (inflection)." Playing
an audiobook achieves similar results.

6. Echo Reading
Students "echo" back what the teacher reads, mimicking her pacing and inflections.

7. Shared Reading/Modeling
By reading aloud while students follow along in their own books, the instructor models fluency, pausing
occasionally to demonstrate comprehension strategies. (PDF, 551KB)

8. The Crazy Professor Reading Game
Chris Biffle's Crazy Professor Reading Game video (start watching at 1:49) is more entertaining than home
movies of Blue Ivy. To bring the text to life, students . . .

• Read orally with hysterical enthusiasm
• Reread with dramatic hand gestures

85

• Partner up with a super-stoked question asker and answerer
• Play "crazy professor" and "eager student" in a hyped-up overview of the text.

9. Buddy Reading
Kids practice orally reading a text in preparation for reading to an assigned buddy in an earlier grade.
10. Timed Repeat Readings
This activity can aid fluency, according to literacy professors Katherine Hilden and Jennifer Jones (PDF,
271KB). After an instructor reads (with expression) a short text selection appropriate to students' reading level
(90-95 percent accuracy), learners read the passage silently, then again loudly, quickly, and dynamically.
Another kid graphs the times and errors so that children can track their growth.
11. FORI
With Fluency-Oriented Reading Instruction (FORI), primary students read the same section of a text many
times over the course of a week (PDF, 54KB). Here are the steps:
1. The teacher reads aloud while students follow along in their books.
2. Students echo read.
3. Students choral read.
4. Students partner read.
5. The text is taken home if more practice is required, and extension activities can be integrated during the

week.
I hope that the activities described above -- in addition to other well-regarded strategies, like reciprocal
teaching, reader's theater, and radio reading -- can serve as simple replacements to Round Robin Reading in
your classroom.

86

87

acter would call in to and then cre­ event in the novel. Under each pic­ after reading The Crazy Horse Elec­
ate th e conversation he or she would ture or cartoon, write a few lines of tric Game by Chris Crutcher (1987,
have with the radio advicegiver. explanation. Dell) you might want to discuss th e
issue of runnin g away from home.
10. Movie recommendations. 16. Word collage. Write the Includ e people to represent several
From all the movies you've seen in title of the book in the center of a points of view on the issue. You
the last couple of years, pick five sheet of paper. Then look through might include characters from the
you would recommend that your magazines for words, phrases, and book, a social worker, a police offi­
character see. Give a brief summ ary sentencesthat illustrate or tell some­ cer, a gang member, etc.
of each movie and explain why you thi ng about your book As you look,
think the character should see it. think in term s of the theme, setting, 21. Dream vacation. Where
plot line, as well as characters. Work do you think your character would
11. Create a home page. Se­ to get fifty such words, phrases, or most like to go on a vacation? Pick a
lect several characters and design a sentences so the whole sheet of spot, describe it , and explain why he
home page for each of th em, picking paper will be covered. The visual im­ or she would want to go there or
out appropriate background s and pact of the collage should tell a po­ download information from th e In­
pictures and then creatin g inform a­ tential reader a lot about the book ternet on the place. Then write a
tion that would tell a viewer about day-by-day itinerary of what the
your character. Also, create links to 17. Yearbook entries. Imagine character would do each day and
at least five different sites that you what thr ee or four characters from why you think the character would
think your character would be inter­ your novel were like in high school. enjoy this activity.
ested in. Then write up and post on Cut out a picture of a person from a
the page an explanation of how you magazine to represent each charac­ 22. Scrap book. Think about
made the decisions you did and ter. Mount one pictur e per page and all the kinds of mementos you
what you believe this tells us about und er each picture place the follow­ would put in a scrap book if you
the character. ing inform ation which you will cre­ had one. Then create a scrap book
ate: nickname of character; activi­ for your character, cuttin g out pic­
12. Chat room conversations. ties, clubs, sports they were in and tures from magazines or drawing
Imagine th at your character has what years; class mock award such the mementos he or she would have
found other people to talk with as "class clown"; quotation th at in a sc rap book Think about Willie
while in a chat room he or she found shows somethin g about the person in The Crazy Horse Elect ric Game by
while surfing the Internet. Describe and what is imp ortant to him or her; Chris Crutcher. He would probably
the chat room your character was in favo rites such as colors and foods; a have something in his scrapb ook to
and why your character would be book that has had a great impact on represent his baby sister, his love of
drawn to the kind of group that op­ him or her; voted "most-likely-to" base ball, his accident, his experi­
erates the chat room. Then construct what?; plans after high school. ences in L.A., and so on.
the conversation your character had
with others while in the chat room. 18. Letter exchange . Create a 23. . Photos or magazine
letter exchange between a character pic­ tures . Find two or thr ee
13. E-mai l directory. Create and the auth or or write a series of photos or magazine pictures th at
the e-mail directory of all the people self-reflective letters from several would have special significance to
you can imagine your character characters on what the charac ter your charac­ ter. Mount them on a
keeping in touch with on e-mail. learned about him self, others, and sheet of paper and write an
Explain why you selected the people life. explanation of why they would
you did and what it shows about be important to your character.
your character. Then construct sev­ 19 . Awards. Create an awa rd
eral exchanges between your char­ for each of the main characters 24. Music. After reading a
acter and some of the people in your based on their actions in the novel. novel, figure out how you would di­
character's director y. One might be awarded "most coura­ vide up the book into section s. Then
geous" for fighting peer pressure, select a piece of music th at you
14. Title acrostic . Take a sheet another might be awa rded "wisest" think captures the feel or tone of
of construction paper and write the for the guidance he or she gave other each section. Record the pieces and
title of the book down th eside of th e characters. For each award , write a if possible do voice-overs explaining
paper. For each letter in the title, paragraph th at explains why this what is happening in th e novel dur­
construct a sentence th at begins character deserves this awa rd . ing the piece of music and why you
with that letter and th at tells some­ felt this piece of music fit the section
thin g significant about the story. 20. Talk show on issues in of the novel.
novel. Create and perform a talk
15 . Cartoon squares. Create show around one of th e major issues 25. Poetry. Write three poems
a series of six drawings in six or themes in the novel. Forexample, in response to the novel. The poems
squares th at shows a significant

English Journal 93

88

can be about the characters, where Electric Game, his girl friend, his the name is suitable and in what ways
the book took place, or the themes mom, dad , and friends all had dif­ the name does not fit the character.
in the book. ferent views on his runnin g away.)
Then write up two or thr ee charac­ 36. A character 's fears. One
26. Twenty questions. Three ters' opinions on the same event in way we get to know characters is to
classmates are each assigned the role the form of monologue (one person think deeply about them and make
of one of the characters in the book. talking to him or herselO. inferences based on their actions
You and your fellow classmates have and on what they and others say
to figure out which person is which 32. Make up a word test for about th em. Through a person'sac­
character. Only 20 questions may be the novel. Think of fifteen words tions we can learn what th ey fear
used. Create the questions th at you that are essential to the und erstand ­ and what they want to avoid the
and your classmates can use to fig­ ing of the book. Explain why you most. Select several charac ters from
ure out the identity of each of the picked the words you did and how your novel and write short essays on
three stud ents. you would define them in terms of what you believe they fear the most
the story. and what evidence you used to
27. File a complaint. Adapt come to this conclusion.
the persona of one of the characters 33. Answering machine mes­
who you feel was portrayed in a sex­ sage. Answering machine messages 37. Current events. Select five
ist or racist manner. Write up a com­ have gotten more and more creative current news or feature stori es from
plaint explai ning what you feel was over the years, reflectin g the inter­ television or news magazines that
unju st in your portrayal and explain ests and idiosyncrasies of th e owner. you think your character would be
the ac tions you would like th e au­ Select five characters from the novel interested in. Then explain how
thor to take to remedy th e biased you have just read and create an an­ your character would respond to
portrayal. swering machine message from each each of the stori es and the opinions
of them. Pay particular attention to your charac ter would have abou t
28. Tangible or intangible diction and tone. what was happening in the story.
gifts. Select a character and figure
out what twoor thr ee things you be­ 34 . Found poems . Select a 38. Advertisements. To show
lieve your charac ter most needs or chapter from the novel you have just your und erstanding of a charact er,
wants. Draw or cut out pictur es to read th at you consider powerful or go th rough several magazines and
represent these "gifts" and write to interestin g Then select words, lines, newspapers looking for adver tise­
your character an explanation of and phrases th at you think project ments of goods you think your char­
why you picked these thin gs out for strong images and show the impact acter would like. Cut out the pic­
him or her. the chapter makes. Arrange this ma­ tures, mount them on a poster
terial into a poem. board, and und er each picture write
29. Talk to the author. Write a a few lines abou t why this product
letter to the author of the book ex­ The following example comes would appeal to your character.
plaining to him or her why you thin k from Chapter Twenty in Spit e Fences
he or she wrote the book and what by Trudy Krisher (1994, Delaco rte): 39. A pamphlet. Think of an
he or she was tr ying to showthrou gh issue th at was very important to your
the book. Be sure to explain what Violence at the Lunch character. Then create a pam phlet
you got out of the book If the aut hor Counter Sit-in aimed at persuading others of the
is still alive, send the letter to the au­ im portance of the issue. Includ e fac­
thor via the publisher of the book. Fist slamm ed into George tual information , testim onials, pic­
Hard y's face tures or graphics, etc. For instance ,
30. Point of view column. Charlotte from The True Confessions
Write an opinion column like those Glasses slid to his chin of Charlott e Doyle by Avi (1990, Or­
that appear on the editori al page of Shattered into a spider'sweb. chard) might want to create a pam­
the newspaper. Choose a theme or River of red blood phlet explaining the reasons women
topic from the novel you just read Running from his nose . should have more life choices.
and write the column from the point It was the red color of the fence
of view of one of the character s. Your The red color of the ea rth 40. Draw a scene. If you are
character might write about the im­ on which I stood artistic, think of an importan t scene
portance of edu cation or why we It was red and draw it the way you see it. Place
should accept people who are not The color of my life this summer the characters in the scene too and
like US. The color of Kinship. then figure out where you were in
relation to the characters when you
31. Character monologues . 35. Name analysis. Select a few read the book. Then write or tape
Selec t an event in the stor y that of the characte rs from the novel. your explanation s of why you drew
characters have different views on. Look up each of their nam es in a the scene the way you did and why
(For instance, Willie in Crazy Horse name book to see what the name
means. Write all the meanings down
and then write a short essay for each
character explaining in what ways

94 January 1998

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Think Alouds: Modeling What Good Readers Do

*Reading a book aloud with your students is the perfect opportunity to model what good readers do. Here is
more information on how to do a think aloud while reading aloud:

Think-alouds

from http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/think_alouds

Think-alouds have been described as "eavesdropping on someone's thinking." With this strategy, teachers
verbalize aloud while reading a selection orally. Their verbalizations include describing things they're doing as
they read to monitor their comprehension. The purpose of the think-aloud strategy is to model for students how
skilled readers construct meaning from a text. Watch think-alouds in action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi7RfnlkTL4#t=41

Why use think-alouds?

• It helps students learn to monitor their thinking as they read and improves their comprehension.
• It teaches students to re-read a sentence, read ahead to clarify, and/or look for context clues to make sense of

what they read.
• It slows down the reading process and allows students to monitor their understanding of a text.

How to use think-alouds

1. Begin by modeling this strategy. Model your thinking as you read. Do this at points in the text that may be
confusing for students (new vocabulary, unusual sentence construction).

2. Introduce the assigned text and discuss the purpose of the Think-Aloud strategy. Develop the set of questions to
support thinking aloud (see examples below).

o What do I know about this topic?
o What do I think I will learn about this topic?
o Do I understand what I just read?
o Do I have a clear picture in my head about this information?
o What more can I do to understand this?
o What were the most important points in this reading?
o What new information did I learn?
o How does it fit in with what I already know?
3. Give students opportunities to practice the technique, and offer structured feedback to students.
4. Read the selected passage aloud as the students read the same text silently. At certain points stop and think

aloud the answers to some of the pre-selected questions.
5. Demonstrate how good readers monitor their understanding by rereading a sentence, reading ahead to clarify,

and/or looking for context clues. Students then learn to offer answers to the questions as the teacher leads the
think-aloud.

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*Give students this checklist to use during your think aloud to encourage active participation:

92

The Big List of Class Discussion Strategies

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Jennifer Gonzalez http://www.cultofpedagogy.com/speaking-listening-techniques/

Higher-Prep Discussion Strategies

Gallery Walk
a.k.a. Chat Stations
Basic Structure: Stations or posters are set up around the classroom, on the walls or on tables. Small groups of
students travel from station to station together, performing some kind of task or responding to a prompt, either
of which will result in a conversation.
Variations: Some Gallery Walks stay true to the term gallery, where groups of students create informative
posters, then act as tour guides or docents, giving other students a short presentation about their poster and
conducting a Q&A about it. In Starr Sackstein’s high school classroom, her stations consisted of video tutorials
created by the students themselves. Before I knew the term Gallery Walk, I shared a strategy similar to it
called Chat Stations, where the teacher prepares discussion prompts or content-related tasks and sets them up
around the room for students to visit in small groups.

Philosophical Chairs
a.k.a. Values Continuum, Forced Debate, Physical Barometer, This or That
Basic Structure: A statement that has two possible responses—agree or disagree—is read out loud. Depending
on whether they agree or disagree with this statement, students move to one side of the room or the other. From
that spot, students take turns defending their positions.
Variations: Often a Philosophical Chairs debate will be based around a text or group of texts students have read
ahead of time; students are required to cite textual evidence to support their claims and usually hold the texts in
their hands during the discussion. Some teachers set up one hot seat to represent each side, and students must
take turns in the seat. In less formal variations (which require less prep), a teacher may simply read provocative
statements students are likely to disagree on, and a debate can occur spontaneously without a text to refer to (I
call this variation This or That in my classroom icebreakers post). Teachers may also opt to offer a continuum
of choices, ranging from “Strongly Agree” on one side of the room, all the way to “Strongly Disagree” on the
other, and have students place themselves along that continuum based on the strength of their convictions.

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