Web Based Teaching Resources: A few good finds!

Teaching Methods for Inspiring the Students of the Future | Joe Ruhl | TEDxLafayette

In this TED Talk, Joe Ruhl states that students are wired for choice. The classroom needs to be based on the 5 C’s: student choice, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. The teacher needs to be a guide, not a lecturer. Learning and the classroom needs to be about the students. Then he talks about the 6^th C, caring. It motivates and inspires the students. The teacher is the most important part of school and the most important part of a student’s academic life. 

Teaching Vocabulary to Young Learners Through Brain-Based Teaching Strategies by Setenay Çelik

Setenay Celik is an English teacher in Turkey. She explains how a teacher must understand how the brain works for a child to remember what he or she has learned. The brain needs to feel enjoyment in the process and make connections. Without it, the neurons in the brain will not react and the lesson will not be remembered.  

The Jigsaw Classroom

The Jigsaw Classroom is a cooperative learning technique that enhances student learning. Break up the students into groups. Then break up the assignment into sections. Each person in the group takes charge of one section of the assignment. Once they understand the material of their section of the assignment, “expert” groups are formed. Tge student assigned section A of the assignment in each group form the “expert” group and so on with section B, C,… The experts discuss that section so that they truly understand it. Next, the expert groups disband, and the students go back to their original groups. Each student then presents his or her part of the assignment to the group. The students learn from each other. The last part is to give a quick quiz to the student to check on their comprehension. 

List Group Label

This Reading Rocket video explains the vocabulary strategy List, Group, Label. This strategy helps students understand words by classifying them. The first step has the students list words based on a theme or a passage. Then the students group the words in any way they wish; they simply need to be able to explain why they grouped them that way. The last step in to label each group of words. The students get a better understanding of the words and remember them. 

Reading Rocket has quite a large number of resources. If you are looking for something, check it out. You might find just what you need. 

Play the Bag Game to Learn the Parts of Speech.

Education.com has a variety of activities, worksheets, lesson plans, and more. It is a wonderful resource for all teachers. Simply click on the grade level and the type of activity you are looking for and soon a long list will pop up.

One activity I found and plan to use in the Bag Game used to learn parts of speech. It is simple and fun. First the teacher takes 8 paper bags and writes a part of speech on the front: noun, verb, adverb, conjunction, pronoun, adjective, preposition, and interjection. Review those parts of speech briefly with the students. Then ask the student to write on cards a variety of words, one word per card. As a class, we look at the words and put them in the appropriate bag. Then the students take out one word from each bag and make a sentence. They receive one point for each word they use correctly. The students are bound to make some creative and possibly funny sentences. They will have a great time while learning parts of speech. 

Purpose of this Blog

As a teaching candidate, I am constantly looking at different resources. I need to read books, look at websites, view TED talks, read articles in journals. The list goes on and on. While creating a blog has been a requirement in several of my masters classes. I hope that this blog will develop into a set of notes for me. I can look back through these blog posts and see my research. Which books did I like and should pay attention to in the future? What strategies have I tried and did they work? Honestly, I am not hoping for a public audience. However, if another teaching candidate or a teacher who is just starting out happens upon my blog, I hope that he or she will be able to use some of my insights. Teachers should assist other teachers and share resources as much as possible. I have been saved by tips from other teachers many times. I am happy to help anyone I can.

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.

-William A. Ward 

Tiered Lesson: Classifying Triangles

While researching ideas to help me differentiate instruction, I came across a fabulous article by Rebecca Pierce and Cheryll Adams which gives step by step instructions on creating a tiered lesson. As a teaching candidate and a substitute teacher, I have some experience in differentiating my lessons. However, that experience is limited. I am still not quite sure I am doing it correctly, and it does take me a bit of time to create these lessons. I decided to try out the step by step plan. Will it make differentiated lesson planning easier for me? We will see.

Step 1: Identify the grade level and subject:

4^th grade math

Step 2: Identify standard:

California Common Core State Standards Mathematics

4.G.2: Classify two-dimensional figures based on the presence or absence of parallel or perpendicular lines, or the presence or absence of angles of a specified size. Recognize right triangles as a category, and identify right triangles. (Two-dimensional shapes should include special triangles, e.g., equilateral, isosceles, scalene, and special quadrilaterals, e.g., rhombus, square, rectangle, parallelogram, trapezoid.) CA

Step 3: Identify the key concept and generalization:

Students will be able to identify special types of triangles: right, equilateral, isosceles, and scalene. Students will explain the differences between the types of triangles.

Step 4: Do the students have the necessary background?

The students have been working on 4^th grade geometry. The class has learned lines, line segments, and rays, parallel and perpendicular lines, and right, acute, and scalene angles. Most of the class has mastered all the subjects. However, six students have not demonstrated mastery on the subject of angles. This group will need some reteaching before they will be able to master triangles.

Step 5: Which part of the lesson will be tiered? Content, Process, or Product?

Pierce and Adams state that a teacher can tier all parts of the lesson. But, they recommend that, as a teacher is learning to tier, he or she should take it one step at a time. I will tier the content portion of the lesson.

Step 6: What type of tiers? Readiness, interest, or learning profile?

           I will be tiering based on readiness.

Step 7: How many tiers do you need? Develop the lesson.

           I will create three tiers:

Green group: This is the group that will need a little more attention from the teacher. There are six students who did not quite master the types of angles. They need some reteaching. In addition, there are two EL students who do very well in math but, because there is more writing in English in Geometry, they are having more difficulty than usual, and two students who usually need a little more guidance in math than other students.

                     

                      Blue group: This group of twelve students are on track for 4^th grade.

Yellow group: This set of ten students began our geometry unit understanding many of the concepts. This is the advanced group and will need some enrichment. This group includes one boy with mild autism. He has no learning issues but does have social challenges.  

           

           Materials:

Teacher: Triangle poster, triangle handout, task cards, a lot of triangles cut out in various colors.

Students: Math notebook, pencil, glue stick, colored pens, mini whiteboards

           Warm up:

Teacher: “In our last lessons, we have been learning about lines, rays, and angles. Talk to your elbow partner about what you remember about lines, rays, and angles.” Give students two minutes to talk with their partner.

Teacher: “Time’s up. Let’s come back together and talk what we know or in this case I think we may want to draw it on the board.” Call up volunteers to draw a line, line segment, ray, parallel lines, perpendicular lines, right angle, acute angle, and obtuse angle.

By reviewing the previous lesson, the students get their minds ready for the next step in learning. Activate that prior knowledge.

           Introduce triangles:

Teacher: “Take a look at that right angle. It’s a nice looking right angle. What would happen if I put a line segment here from one ray to another (on the board, teacher closes up the angle with a line segment to create a right triangle)? What do you see?” Most of the class will recognize a triangle. “Yes, a triangle has 3 sides and 3 angles. You have learned that before. But, this is a special triangle. Because it has that right angle, it is a right triangle. Do you see it? There are several other special triangles: equilateral, isosceles, and scalene. You are going to learn about each type in your groups today. 

"In a minute, but not yet, you will get into your groups. Blue will be over there, yellow- there, and green over here. You will need your math notebooks, pencil, and a glue stick. Each group box has your task cards, a few handouts to explain the triangles, and a lot of colored triangles for you to use on your activity. Go to your groups and get started.”

           Activity:

Task cards:

           Green:

1.     Take a handout and look at the types of triangles

2.     Find a colored triangle to match each type of triangle

3.     Glue the colored triangles into your notebook, noting the type of triangle and its characteristics based on the handout

4.     Create a picture using 4 right triangles, 4 equilateral triangles, 4 isosceles triangles, and 4 scalene triangles.

5.     Mark each triangle with the type of triangle it is.

Blue:

1.     Work together to identify the types of triangles.

2.     Find a colored triangle for each type of triangle

3.     Glue the colored triangles into your notebook, noting the type of triangle and its characteristics based on the handout

4.     Create a picture using the different types of triangles.

5.     Note how many of each type of triangle was used.

Yellow:

1.     Work together to identify the types of triangles.

2.     Find a colored triangle for each type of triangle

3.     Glue the colored triangles into your notebook, noting the type of triangle and its characteristics based on the handout

4.     Create a picture using the different types of triangles.

5.     Identify other shapes created with the triangles.

Handout:

The green group has 1 handout per person. The other groups have 3 handouts to share. The green group has an additional handout which shows the names of the triangles written in the first language of the EL students.

                     Poster:

Group work:

Once the students break into groups, the teacher begins with the green group and gives a mini lesson on angles and triangles. By reviewing the angles using the cut-out triangles, the teacher can help the students in making the connections. The teacher can ask each student to find a triangle with a right angle. Students in the group can help each other find one. They might want to make a box on the right angle to visualize the right angle. The teacher can then ask them to find a triangle with an acute angle. “The angle is small and cute, so it is an acute angle.” Next, have them find a triangle with an obtuse angle. Use the hang loose symbol on your hands to remind them to hang loose with obtuse angles.

After a review of the angles, the teacher can introduce an equilateral triangle. All sides and angles are equal. Have the students each find an equilateral triangle and glue it into their notebook. Next, introduce an isosceles triangle with 2 equal sides and 2 equal angles. The students should find an isosceles triangle a glue it into their notebook. Finally, introduce a scalene triangle with no equal sides or angles. Have the students find a scalene triangle to glue into their notebooks. When they each have their triangles glued in, ask them to mark which triangle is which and note use the handout or the poster to note characteristics of each type of triangle. Use colored pens to help identify the characteristics if necessary. Have them complete their task card with their group, each working in his or her own notebook. Be sure to check in with the EL students to make sure they understood the definitions. Ask if they need a translation. The visuals should help the EL students understand the characteristics of each triangle, but the teacher should check in to be sure.  

The teacher should them go to the other groups and answer questions and make clarifications. Check to see if each student understands the difference in the types of triangles. Check on notes in their notebook. How are they doing on the pictures? Are they able to identify the triangles? Are students in the yellow group identifying other shapes?

Step 8: Assessment:

Have the students return to their seats and take out their white boards. Ask everyone to draw a right triangle. They show their boards. The teacher can go through the other 3 triangles and throw in a few other things learned during the unit such as parallel lines. The teacher can mark down who did not draw the right item for reteaching the next day.

Using this Pierce and Adams plan, I was able to tier the lesson’s content for the different levels in the classroom. It did help me to clarify my thoughts as I was creating the plan. I think I will use this again in the future.

For more information on this article, check out “Tiered Lessons: One Way to Differentiate Mathematics Instruction” by Rebecca Pierce and Cheryll Adams. Published in Gifted Child Today (vol 27, Issue 2, pp 50-65).

Problem Based Learning: Debating Independence

Project Based Learning

Project based learning is an instructional strategy which allows the student to grow, discover, and learn on their own based on a problem or a topic. Project based learning helps develop critical thinking and reinforces time management skills. The students research the topic and determine the solution.  

In the lesson plan following, Debating Independence, the students are put into groups and are randomly assigned which colony that group represents. They then work together to research their colony and work separately to research their delegate. Each student will discover the character of their delegate. What was he like? What were his views on independence? Then the students will act out the debate on independence where the students will need to portray their delegate. The students are able to discover the minimums or, if intrigued, can learn more about their delegate.

The student will show their knowledge and creativity during the debate.

Debating Independence: A Lesson Plan Based on Project Based Learning

Learning goals: The students will demonstrate the debate of whether or not to declare independence from England during the Second Continental Congress. Students will describe the lives, views, and impact of members of the Second Continental Congress.

This lesson is part of the American Revolution Unit. During this unit we will cover California Social Studies Standards for 5^th grade.

5.5 Students explain the causes of the American Revolution.

1. Understand how political, religious, and economic ideas and interests brought about the Revolution (e.g., resistance to imperial policy, the Stamp Act, the Townshend Acts, taxes on tea, Coercive Acts).

 2. Know the significance of the first and second Continental Congresses and of the Committees of Correspondence.

3. Understand the people and events associated with the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence and the document’s significance, including the key political concepts it embodies, the origins of those concepts, and its role in severing ties with Great Britain.

4. Describe the views, lives, and impact of key individuals during this period (e.g., King George III, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams).

Materials needed:

·       13 cards. One for each colony.

·       8x10 colored card stock

·       Computer cart

·       Books and articles about the Continental Congress

·       A poster of the Declaration of Independence with a space for students to sign

Planning:

Break students into 13 heterogeneous groups. Be sure a high achiever is teamed with an EL student or low achiever. Having heterogeneous groups will enable the students to help each other.

Plan on 2 periods for the research and preparations and 2 periods for the mock Congress.

Activity- The students learn about the delegates of the 2^nd Continental Congress and their views on independence from England.

• ·       Review with students what happened at the 1^st Continental Congress and what has happened since.
• ·       Explain to the students that they will be taking on the role of a delegate to the 2^nd Continental Congress in Philadelphia. At this point in the Congress, the delegates are debating declaring independence from England.
• ·       Break the students into their groups and explain that each group is a colony. One person from each group picks a random card to determine which colony they will represent.
• ·       The students will research who were delegates to the 2^nd Continental Congress from their Colony. Each student will pick a person to represent in the mock Congress. He or she will learn about that delegate (his name, where he was from, his occupation, his views on independence, and did this person sign the declaration of independence).
• ·        Each student will create a name tag on an 8x10 piece of card stock which describes the delegate. The name tag must have the delegate’s name and colony in writing. The tag should also describe the person in words or images. The tag will be attached to a piece of ribbon and worn around the student’s neck during the mock congress.
• ·       Each student needs to prepare a speech stating the view on independence to be given during the mock congress. The students need to determine what type of person was their delegate. How should he or she portray him?
• ·       The teacher should tell the students that if the colony has more delegates than they have students in their group, pick the more prominent delegates to represent. For example, the Virginia delegation can’t forget Thomas Jefferson.
• ·       Find out who is John Hancock and take that person aside. Let that student know that as John Hancock he or she will act as the President of the Congress and moderate the debate.
• ·       The teacher should circle the room during this process and make sure students are on task. Are the EL students or lower performing students understanding the information? Is everyone participating in the assignment? Are the higher achieving students taking over?

Mock Congress- Time to put the research into action. The students take their roles as delegates and state their opinions on independence.

• ·       John Hancock calls up colonies to voice their opinion. Student should introduce themselves with name and colony then state their opinion.
• ·       Once everyone has stated their opinion, John Hancock should call for a vote.
• ·       Signers sign the Declaration of Independence.

Discussion-Get the students thinking and talking about what they did for the past few days.

• ·       Ask students what they learned about the 2^nd Continental Congress.
• ·       Did any part of the research surprise or intrigued you?
• ·       What do you think happens next?

Final wrap up- The teacher gives a quick review of what the students learned during the mock Congress and lets them know that in the next lesson they will continue with the reaction of the King and the other actions performed by the 2^nd Continental Congress.

Assessment- Students will be assessed on their knowledge of their delegate based on their nametag and their statement during the debate.

Differentiating Instruction: Literature Groups

"Differentiating instruction means changing the pace, level, or kind of instruction you provide in response to individual learners' needs, styles, or interests."
                               -- Diane Heacox
                                              Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom

Everyone learns differently. We all come from different places, and we all learn in different ways. Because of our differences, a teacher cannot expect the students to grasp the subject at the same time through the same medium of teaching. By differentiating instruction, the teacher looks at each student and adjusts learning for that student.

During an ELA block, the teacher can start with instruction about a story topic such as point of view. The teacher might explain it verbally then show a visual chart on the subject. The class discusses the topic and finds examples in stories they have previously read. The teacher, then, breaks the class up into literature groups where the students read a chapter of the chosen book and discuss point of view.

Literature groups are broken up by reading levels with about five students in each group. At the beginning of the literature group, each group of students is given five books at their reading level to choose from. The group works together to decide which book to read. Then they are ready to begin.

Each day, the students read a chapter of the book together and discuss it. The students discuss the subject of the day (for example, point of view) as well as other subjects they might want to discuss. The teacher can have a few sample discussion questions posted for the students to consider.  When they have finished their discussion, the students write in their literature journal about the chapter. The students do not always need to write in paragraph form. They may wish to create a graphic organizer of the chapter or about a character in the book. The student may wish to draw a picture of something about the chapter. Choice is very important in differentiating instruction.

The teacher joins a discussion each day. She can take turns which group to join so that she can spend the entire discussion with the group instead of hearing just snippets of the discussion. The teacher can then understand who is learning the subject and who needs help. After the discussion and while the students are working on their journals, the teacher can talk to students individually to address their educational needs. The teacher also regularly checks the students' journals to access their progress.

At the end of the book, the students can work on a final project about the book.

• write an alternate ending for the story
• draw a picture of the setting 
• write a poem about the main character
• act out a scene from the story
• create a movie poster for the book

Each student can design their own final project based on the above ideas or he or she can come up with an idea on their own. The students take ownership of the project by choosing it. They also choose something that works with their own learning needs. However, on occasion, the teacher might ask the students to step outside their comfort zones at times. 

Differentiating instruction helps all students and helps teachers meet the needs of all students.

All About Me

As a typical mom, I have no pictures of myself. Since I wanted to add a picture of me, I did what any thinking woman would do: I took a selfie. My middle child is taking a photography class at school. His assignment this week is portraits. But, I am not his model of choice. He will have plenty of practice taking pictures of his girl friend. Perhaps I can convince him to take a picture of me later. It would be nice to have one decent picture of just me.

Enough about my picture. My name is Cathryn, and I am a teaching candidate and substitute teacher. I have completed all my methods classes and am waiting for a student teaching position in order to complete my credential. In the meantime, I am continuing to work as a sub and take classes toward my Masters in Education through National University.

I stayed at home with my three children for some time. About four years ago, I decided to go back to work, taking a position as a substitute teacher. I have been a Girl Scout Leader for over 20 years and have been involved in other youth groups most of my life. I have a great deal of experience working with kids, so working in the classroom seemed like a good fit. After a short time working, I had teachers ask me when I was going to get my full credential. I wasn't interested. Then I spent a year with three back to back long term assignments. I realized I enjoyed seeing the same kids everyday and designing the lessons. Plus, I seem to be good at it!

So, here I am! Waiting for a classroom. I had hoped for an internship but none are available in my district. Now, I am waiting for my student teaching assignment in the Spring. I am excited for the adventure ahead of me!