Jose Santiago – EDPC 605 - 5 Lessons

Direct Link: http://goo.gl/2I78Zl

Week 8 - Assignment 2

Week 8 - Assignment 1

Video: https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/designing-rubrics?fd=1

What does Ms. Hobbs take into account when designing rubrics?

In this video Ms. Hobbs is using Project Based Learning (PBL) to teach 9th grade geometry. When designing her rubrics she first thinks of what she wants the projects to look like and uses that as her starting point. When designing project rubrics, Ms. Hobbs thinks about what should be included in a project and how much each part should be weighted. In each rubric she provides an area for students to write down ideas about what they think they will have to do in order to gain full credit. In order to keep consistency in her projects she has an equally weighted writing portion in each rubric.

How does designing rubrics fit into your planning process?

Since my instruction primarily revolves around a project based learning model, I frequently use rubrics to grade student work. Rubrics have become an integral part of my planning process, they allow me to provide students with clear expectations and allow me to grade fairly. That said, I do not find the process of creating rubrics an event that I like. As a fairly new teacher I often find myself chasing time in order to create rich classroom content. While I value what rubrics can do in the classroom environment, I find creating them to be a daunting task.

What do students learn from doing a mid-project rubric review?

The benefit of doing a mid-project rubric review is that it serves as a checkpoint for students. It allows students to pause and evaluate their work prior to completing their projects. By doing this, students can see where they are deficient and reflect on what they can do to improve their grade. This time is also used to answer any common questions students may have about the project. I have used this method in the past and I find that many of my students increase productivity and quality of their work.

Week 7: Assignment 2 - Analyzing: Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man

Direct Link: http://goo.gl/6tYYM9

Week 6 - Reading Lesson

Jose Santiago

Reading Lesson

Lesson Topic: Identifying the KEY details that support the central idea of a text, while eliminating the EXTRANEOUS details of a text.

Learning Objective: The students will be able to distinguish the difference the between key details that support the central idea of the text. Also, identify the extraneous details in a text and how they do not support the main idea(s) of the text.  

Common Core State Standards:

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.2 Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.8 Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).  

Common Core Skills:

• Students will use reasoning to determine the KEY details that the support the main idea of the text and eliminate the extraneous details.
• Students will read a non-fiction text to determine the main idea, key details and extraneous details.

Vocabulary:

Main Idea(s), Central Idea(s), detail, Key detail(s), Extraneous detail(s), text

Materials:

Various leveled non-fiction texts, highlighters, graphic organizers when necessary

Full Class Activity:  “I DO”

Readers, I have been re-reading this article about Bird and their nests and eggs, and trying really hard to pay close attention to the details of the article but there are so many. Do you ever read a text and have a hard time deciding which details are the key details and which are the extraneous, extra details? Me too! So let me show you what I do to help me decide if the details I am reading are KEY DETAILS or EXTRANEOUS DETAILS.

Individual/Partner Activity:  “WE DO”

Ok, let’s look at this article together about Let’s look at this article about Birds together and find the KEY details and the EXTRANEOUS details about the nests and eggs of birds. Watch me as I show you what I mean by identifying KEY details versus identifying EXTRANEOUS details in this article.  (The students will watch the teacher read the first two paragraphs and highlight the KEY details one color and circle the EXTRANEOUS details.) Ok, Ladies and Gentlemen did you hear what I was saying to myself and watch what I was doing as a reader. Yes, great now turn and tell your partner what I did as a reader to find the KEY details and EXTRANEOUS details.

Independent Activity: “YOU DO”

Now, I want you to try this out with your partner. Please read the next two short paragraphs and try and identify the KEY details and the EXTRANEOUS details.  (The teacher will listen in as the partnerships try to identify the KEY details over the EXTRANEOUS details, as the teacher listens in she will try to identify some kids who are facing difficulty identifying the KEY details versus the EXTRANEOUS details. If a student is having difficulty the teacher will give them a post it, after the link the teacher will ask the students with post-its to stay on the rug for an extra strategy lesson.)

Differentiated Instruction for Multiple Entry Points:

Small group instruction based on the reading levels of the students, Additional ELL support provided to the various language proficiency levels in the class.

Link: As readers, we need to be able to identify KEY details that support the main idea(s) or central idea(s) of a text and also be able to eliminate the EXTRANEOUS details. I have supplied each group with a common text to read to try out this strategy or any other non-fiction reading strategy.  Remember that this is a strategy that you can use today and everyday to help you better understand the main idea(s) or central idea(s) by identifying the KEY details and eliminating the EXTRANEOUS details.

H.O.T. Questioning:

How do I know if a detail is a KEY detail and not an extraneous detail?

How do these KEY details help me to determine the main idea of the article?

Assessment:

Informal assessment: Teacher listens in to partner talk to determine whether or not the students understood the difference between the KEY details and the extraneous details.

Students can summarize the leveled passage read orally with partner or small group and then put summary in written form. 

Closure: Select students will share how they determined what the KEY details were in their leveled texts versus what were the extraneous details.

Homework:

Students will read a new leveled, nonfiction text, identifying the KEY and extraneous details and determine the main idea of the passage.

Lesson Reflection: In order to address the various reading levels of students in the class the teacher must provide the students with multiple access points to the text.  The teacher will know if the lesson was successful when the students are able to apply the skill to additional texts.

Next topics:

Main Idea/Main Ideas of reading passages

Using Non-Fiction text features

Evaluation of Lesson:

Strengths:  Something of the strengths of the lesson are the various reading levels of the texts

Partner reading to help build the comprehension of the text.

Week 6 - Writing Lesson

Jose Santiago

Writing Lesson

Activity-Based Lesson Adjusted To The Common Core

Lesson Topic: Adding appropriate text evidence to the body paragraphs of comparative literary essay drafts.

Learning Objectives: 

• The students will be able to add appropriate text evidence to the body paragraphs of their comparative literary essay drafts.
• The current essays the students are working on are comparing two different characters and their traits.
• The students will also be able to use the appropriate transitional phrases in each body paragraph.

Common Core State Standards Addressed in this lesson:

• W.5.1 - Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
• W.5.1a - Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
• W.5.1b - Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.
• W.5.1c - Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically).
• W.5.1d - Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
• W.5.9 - Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
• SL.5.1a - Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
• SL.5.1b - Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
• SL.5.1c - Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.
• SL.5.3  - Summarize the points a speaker makes and explain how each claim is supported by reasons and evidence.

Common Core Skills:

• Students will use two excerpts from larger texts to create several claims about the characters and support their claims with textual evidence.
• Students will use various tools to self assess their literary comparative essays.
• Students will discuss claims and textual evidence within a partnership.

Vocabulary: Comparative Literary Essay, Plan, Graphic Organizer Thesis/Claim, Character, Traits, Structure, Transitional Phrases, Text Evidence, Details, Quotations, Text, Passage

Materials: Thesis/Claim for your essay, Opinion Writing Checklist, Self/Teacher comparative literary assessment, Excerpt from Paper Bag Princess, Excerpt from Because of Winn Dixie.  

Motivation:  Ladies and Gentlemen, we have been doing some great, challenging work on our comparative literary essays. Today, we are going to add on to the work we have done yesterday.  We are going to use what we have already planned for as writers, by using our Literary Comparative essay organizers and our boxes and bullets plans. Yesterday, we moved our plans for our essays, into crafting introductions that stated our thesis/claims for our essays. We then wrote at least the first body paragraph, including text evidence to support our claims about the trait of characters.

                  
Last night, as I was reading through your drafts I noticed that some members of the class still need some additional practice and demonstration about how to add text evidence, to support a claim made about a character’s trait. So that is what I want us to try out right now.

Full Class Activity:  “I DO”

Ladies and Gentlemen, based on where we are in our unit and what I noticed last night as I was reading your writing.  I was thinking that I would practice writing a body paragraph with text evidence. Then, you can reread what you already have written for your body part paragraphs and if you did everything you needed to do to add the text evidence. This way you can see me add the text evidence that supports my claim about the character trait. Please pay careful attention because I am going to ask you to tell a partner what I did as a writer. (Teacher demonstrates writing a body paragraph using transitional phrases, stating the claim of the body paragraph, referring back to the text being used for text evidence that supports the claim about the character’s trait.)  

Individual/Partner Activity:  “WE DO”

Before we move on to the last body paragraph, I would like you to turn to someone close to you, and to name out across your fingers what I did as a writer. Now I want you to reread carefully to your partner your body paragraphs that you have so far and pay careful attention to the way you added your evidence to support your claim. OK I heard some of your have an “AH HA” moment. You are noticing that might not have added your text evidence, or you did not explain that evidence. Great!   Now, I need some help from you guys to write the final body paragraph of my essay where I am contrasting Elizabeth from Paper Bag Princess and India Opal from Because of Winn Dixie.  I have found some text evidence from the passage that will support my claims about how the two characters are different.  I am sort of struggling with which text evidence is the strongest evidence to use in my essay.  I will read each of the pieces of evidence to you and then I want you to turn and talk to a partner, try to help me decide which piece of evidence is the strongest. I am doing this because I want to make sure I am listing the strongest text evidence first. (Teacher will read the evidence and then the class will turn and talk about which is the strongest evidence.) Ok I was listening into your reasons and I want a few of you to share you ideas.  Thank you for your advice and I think I am ready. Lets try this out. (Teacher quickly writes the last body paragraph

Independent Activity: “YOU DO”

How do you think that went? I think it went well too. I hope that working together on adding text evidence to my body paragraphs will better help you to do the same in your writing.  So as you go back to your seats and work on your body paragraphs, please keep in mind that the text evidence that you are adding to your body paragraphs should be the strongest evidence that you can find to support your claim. Please don’t forget to use a quote sandwich to explain your text evidence. How many of you think you are going to be able to do something like this in your writing today.  When you feel you have completed your body paragraphs whisper read them to a person near you at your table and then use their comments and questions to revise on the go.  

Differentiated Instruction for Multiple Entry Points: Ladies and Gentlemen, on my table I have placed a few things you may need to help you along your way as a writer.  I have revise Literary/Comparative Essay organizers, Self-assessment final checklist to use to evaluate your writing when you have finished the entire essay and conclusion. Please remember you have a toolbox of resources to use to help you complete your essays, just try to pick the best tool that works for you.

The teacher will revisit a group that she worked with yesterday to help them build on their essays comparing and contrasting the characters. She will then move on to pull another group of students that also need assistance on their writing specifically adding the evidence that best supports their claim.

Modifications for ELL’s and SPED students:

• Graphic Organizer
• Literary Comparative Essay Organizer
• Leveled Questioning
• Small group instruction
• Peer Buddies for revisions and editing on the go

H.O.T. Questioning:

How can you use strong text evidence to support you claims about the characters in your comparative literary essay?

How do you determine which is the strongest piece of text evidence?

Assessment:

Literary Comparative essay checklist

Final published literary comparative essay

Closure:

The teacher will ask a student or two to read the original work they started with today and then read a revised version of the writing produced after work time. 

Ask Question: Who can tell me what we worked on in our writing?

Homework:

Complete the body paragraphs and conclusion if possible.

Lesson Reflection:

In order to address the needs of the different students in the class, which consist of students with IEP’s, students with various ESOL/ELL levels and general education students. The teacher will know if the students have achieved the instructional objectives successfully with this task when the teacher sees partnerships discussing their thinking, working to add stronger evidence to their writing.

Next topics:

Editing of essay-Peer Editing/independently/ Final edit completed by teacher.

Published essay with all necessary components

Evaluation of Lesson:

Strengths: Students are working collaboratively to decide on the strongest textual evidence to be used in their literary comparative essays.

The teacher makes the teaching point of the lesson explicit.

Weaknesses:

Lesson is used in the context of the unit being taught. May not being appropriate for all writing genres.

Tools for revision may not fit the needs of all learners.

Areas to work on/Things to change:

More varied tools for revision

I.e.: checklists, rubric

Week 6 - Video Assignment

Grappling with Complex Informational Text - Common Core Literacy

Teacher: Andrew Hossac

Grade 5 - ELA

Analyze Teaching: Hossac's style allows students to think for themselves by guiding them and giving the proper tools for success.  By giving the students purposeful, relevant text he allows for learning to become personal. He gives his students the opportunity to speak and has created an environment that promotes discussion. In one scene you see students using questioning techniques and others adding to the questions. The environment immerses all learning skills by promoting perseverance through a differentiated learning approach. He keeps allows students to move freely by using his classroom as a tool for instruction, this allows students to learn while feeling comfortable and engaged.

Instructional Procedure:

• Instructional Goal:  Students are exploring culture through various case studies about the Indigenous people of western New York
• • Lesson designed to see the connection between important details and main idea.
  • What is the Gist? What is it about? 
  • • Important Words: Main Idea or Big Idea
  • Criteria for Text Selection:
  • • Worth reading 
    • Related to a unit of study 
    • Complex enough to push students
    • • New academic vocabulary
        
• Close reading process:
• • Read entire text without stopping
  • • just to get the flow of the text (students read it on their own for the first time, help perseverance)
  • Read and circle important and unfamiliar words. Write the gist for each section or paragraph in the margin.
  • • Get the gist in small sections
    • Students jot their initial sense about what the text is mostly about.
    • This helps with differentiation because students can break the text down into manageable sizes for their level.
    • • The teacher will break down text into smaller portions so they do not see all of it at a time. This helps them not get overwhelmed with a large piece of text. "Dividing the text into smaller chucks helps students persevere."
  • Read and record important details.
  • • Students jot the main idea down based on their notes.
    • Students go deeper by discussing the details in the text.

Assessment:

• Teacher works with students to make sure they are jotting notes.
• Teacher posts details on interactive white board and discusses with students.
• Teacher posts details around the room on chart paper.
• • Students use it post-its to write a response to the detail and determine it's value in the connection to the main idea.
• The class shares their thoughts with the class in order to synthesize information.