Inspiration from Sappington...

Today, I participated in district walk-throughs, visiting Sappington Elementary and observing a wide array of instructional best practices.  Often, we think that elementary learning looks so different than learning at the middle level, but should it?

In the classroom....

Math Anchor Charts:  As students work in math stations, these charts provide reference for increased student independence.

Learning Objectives as "I can" statements

Integration of Science and Writing:  In this 2nd grade writing unit, students are writing about force and motion, providing specificity and clarification of scientific terms in their writing and developing an index of main ideas.

Math Review:  As students worked independently to review their concepts, the teacher conferenced with small groups of students.

Math Review:  A combination of high and low tech

Math Review:  Conferencing with small groups of students to identify and remediate misconceptions.

Anchor charts to work on closing paragraphs in writing.

Student Writing and Publication:  Go to Seesaw to learn more about the student's book.

In the Library....

Dash and Dots:  During library time, students program their robots to catapult objects, reading a Level 4 DOK.

Students have suggestions for using technology for higher levels of DOK.

An Idea Shelf:  Whatever the theme, students determine how to represent it and expand on the idea through their own creativity.

 In the Gymnasium....

Core Workouts:  Students scoot along the rope  as if acrobats in training.

Who thought you couldn't paddle board in a land-locked gym?

What used to be a recess staple...

 

Rock Climbing

Ropes and Swings

Building a shelter

Virtual Kayaking

Todd!

Todd!

 The energy of this PE class was amazing as students had outdoor adventure inside!  The criteria was that students access each station once and check their heart rates periodically.  This fun and engaging lesson connected kids to fitness in the real world.

Making Direct Instruction Engaging - A Rare Occurrence

There are a few components of our new teacher observation tool where it's difficult to reach proficiency in the student engagement section: Presentations, Question and Answer, and Direct Instruction to name a few.

Student Presentations are greatly engaging for the student who has designed the presentation, but for those students on the receiving end, it's a challenge to ensure that their learning is progressing through active engagement.  Since we can't expect middle school students to deliver a highly engaging teachable moment, that's up to us to design a system where they are responsible for the information provided from their peer.

For Question/Answer, to make it engaging there has to be more than compliance.  Whole class Q and A is most frequently in the emerging category.  If you add required whole class involvement in Q and A (such as fist to five or other similar formative feedback), it'll move to developing, but to be proficient, students have to be held accountable at a higher level.  Most likely, this includes partner sharing or justification of their response.

Today, I saw my first example of student engagement proficiency using the Direct Instruction strategy.  Typically, direct instruction is emerging or if there is compliance in note-taking, you may see developing in this area.  But, to progress learning, we need more than just compliance and everyone on task - we need learning demonstrated.  Today, I saw it!

As the teacher provided the direct instruction about a new concept, students listening and reformulated the information into their own project.  This wasn't note-taking -- it was "note-applying."

The design process was presented as students outlined their own project, applying the components of their new learning.

The complexity of this task was increased as students cross-referenced their project directions with the design process.

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.

The Trial of Gus Capone

In one class, students reenacted the trial of Al Capone, presenting evidence of the crimes of the famed gangster.  This example reminds us that by having 7th graders act out events of the 1920s, they conceptualize history.  Through their research, students create their presentation, design their roles, and demonstrate their understanding.  Plus, it's fun!

The formal presentation of the trial

Planning the presentation.

The backstage work - some students are the cast and some are the crew.

Practicing for the big event.

Elimination of Waste

Sixth graders could be heard saying, "I guess I'll just draw poop" and laughing with their partners as they found symbols of waste.  But, don't worry, it's perfectly relevant as they discuss the elimination of waste as one of the characteristics of life.  And, while those students are drawing "waste" and using fecal emojis, it brings to mind that the elimination of waste is not just a characteristic of life, but it's also a characteristic of learning.  In learning, we have the wade through the junk to get to the heart of what's real.  Whether it's eliminating incorrect answers on the ASPIRE test or brainstorming ideas where only one reigns supreme, the elimination of waste is a valuable learning tool.  

Consider how you can eliminate the waste in your classroom:  Are there lessons/units that no longer meet your standards?  Are there timebound traditions that are near and dear to your hear that no longer meet the needs of our students?  As educators, we don't just teach about the elimination of waste, we need to model it.

Elimination of Waste Emoji - a perfect addition to the 8 characteristics of life project

Students plan their 8 characteristics of life project, including the elimination of waste as one characteristic

Giving feedback on student-created books to eliminate the waste of unnecessary/irrelevant information

Students brainstorm, write, and plan, eventually eliminating the waste of ideas that won't lead to a polished product.

2 truths and a lie - students eliminate the waste of ideas that are untrue about the historical event. 

Topographical Maps - students eliminate the waste of the wrong map as they connect the correct rock to the correct map.

Conferencing with students - a way to eliminate the waste of misconceptions (and not wasting a perfectly good half-moon table).

Kahoot - eliminating the waste of inaccurate information

Students plan their perfect school in Spanish, eliminating the waste of subjects that they don't deem necessary.