Rock Brain vs. Flexible Brain

Today in the COPE class, students were discussing the differences between rock and flexible brains in order to learn that there's not one solution to a problem, or one way to present information, or one perspective to consider.

As I popped into rooms, I saw this same philosophy in the instructional practices in our building.  When we give students ownership and choice (and we excel at that!), we teach them flexibility.

Check out how we're creating flexible (not rock!) brains...

Students collaboratively research diseases and teach others how those diseases affect their body systems. How they do that...it's their choice.

As students create towns representing economy, government, and culture in the early 1800s, they enrich their experience through 3-D representation.  This was a student choice.

In analyzing government structures, students depicted the 3 branches in numerous ways:  3-D, symbols, comparisons.  It was their choice.

Students creating tab top notes, use their own words and visuals to make meaning for themselves.  It's their choice.

Writing DBQs allows students to form an argument based on the provided information.  There's no one right answer - it's their choice.

Students creating sustainable structures design on paper before building.  What they choose to make - that's their choice.

Working on some math...it's your choice where you sit.

Students have a lot of ownership within their science notebooks, but for those students who need more structure, there is the choice to have a "chunked" experimental design sheet.

The 6th Grade Student Congress is in session, an opportunity for young senators to write and defend their bills.  They have choice in what they view as a priority.

Building Engagement and DOK with Audience and Purpose

Making learning authentic requires thoughtful consideration of two things:  Who's your audience? What's your purpose?

When we provide students the ability to create, applying newly acquired skills, or opportunities to figure it out for themselves, they are more likely to develop conceptual understanding that lingers long beyond their middle school years.  Knowing their purpose and audience contributes to that process as it adds accountability to their learning.

In each of the below pictures, students are fully engaged with a clear purpose for learning at a higher level of DOK.

7th graders performing "A Midsummer's Night Dream" for their families -  practicing and performing a play is a skill, but designing the set, the costumes, and organizing the production are strategic learning activities.

6th grade students Skyping a performance with students at another school - performing for one another is an essential skill.

Making fire to record observations and draw conclusions as scientists - conducting an experiment and drawing conclusions is strategic learning.

Sketching plans to become engineers - as students have choice in their design and apply their mathematical and scientific skills, they participate in an extended strategic learning opportunity.

Participating in an hour of code to learn computer programming - to design a program through integrated technology skills is a strategic process.