by Elaine Gallagher
These stories definitely are NOT intended to be used as a quiz, homework, or class assignment!
READING ALOUD is a stimulating technique to promote oral listening and spoken fluency for children of all ages. DAILY reading aloud, for all ages, is our goal. The same story can be read several times during a week. The students actually enjoy hearing them over and over, because the tale will begin to make more sense, and fluency builds
(Eager and apt readers, may also read these stories by themselves.)
NOTE: Words in BOLD PRINT are suggested vocabulary words.
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SECOND GRADE TOPIC SEVEN: “MY BIRTHDAY” ART PROJECT: an acorn STORY: “Party Time”
PARTY TIME
“My birthday is next week, on Friday, but I will have my birthday party on Saturday, because on that day, there is no school,” said Samantha to her friend, Mari.
“What do you want for a present?” asked Mari.
“I do not need a gift. I will be happy if the children from our class in school are at my birthday party.
(SHOW: Two girls talking.)
“How old will you be next Friday?”
“I will be eight years old. I want nine birthday candles on my cake. Eight for my age, and one for good luck!” exclaimed Samantha.
Samantha began to plan her birthday party. She sat on a chair near her bed, and made a list of food for her party.
“Let’s make a list for my party, Mari. Will you please help me?”
“O.K. Samantha,” replied Mari.
Mari and Samantha began to plan. Samantha wrote:
- Hamburger sandwich and hot dogs
- Cookies and birthday cake
- Pizza
- Milk shakes made with ice cream and milk
- Sodas
“It sounds delicious! What else do we need?” asked Mari.
“We need to have fun, too. We can swing on the swings, we can fly a kite, and we can play ‘fish’ with paper fish and magnets,” answered Samantha.
“I have an idea, too,” exclaimed Mari. “On Wednesday or Thursday, I can go to the big oak tree and pick up acorns that have fallen from the tree.
We can use them for a game I know. I can teach the game at your party.
We blow up balloons, and then try to hit the balloons with the acorns. If you break a balloon, you win.”
“That sounds like fun. What’s an acorn?” asked Samantha.
“It’s a nut, a big seed that the oak trees drop. If you plant them, they can grow into big oak trees.”
(SHOW: a big oak tree and tiny acorns on the ground below the tree.)
The two girls went to the kitchen to give the list to Samantha’s mother. She read the list, and said, “ Samantha, it sounds like you will have a wonderful birthday party! I am glad that Mari is able to help you. I think we will have all the food you have on your list because I want you to have the best birthday I can give you! “
Mari and Samantha looked at each other and smiled, and Samantha gave her mother a big hug!
(SHOW: a girl hugging her mother.)
THE END
TEACHER: You will show students how to make an acorn using origami if you know how. If not, look one up, and have students draw an acorn, then a big oak tree, with little acorns on the tree.. Since most kids will not know what an acorn is, try to locate real acorns, and bring some to class for the students to see and touch.
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SECOND GRADE TOPIC EIGHT “ MY TOYS” ART PROJECT: an eggplant STORY: “Time to Clean My Room”TIME TO CLEAN MY ROOM
Ricardo is eleven years old. His mother always says, “Please, clean your room! It’s a mess! Keep your toys in the toy box, not on the floor, not under your bed.”
But every day, Ricardo’s room was a mess. He put a toy plane in the toy box, but the rest of his toys were under the bed, on the bed, or in the closet.
(SHOW: a bedroom with tons of toys all over the place, a real mess.)
One day, when Ricardo’s mother was cleaning the house, she went into Ricardo’s room. “What’s this?” she asked, picking up a vegetable on the floor.
“I don’t know what it is, Mama. What color is it, I’m not sure?”
(SHOW: an eggplant)
Mother answered, “It’s dark purple and green. I think it is an eggplant. What’s an eggplant doing in your room? Ricardo, I want you to clean your room. It is a big mess! Where is your toy box?”
Ricardo felt sad that his mother was angry. He answered, “The eggplant vegetable I found in the back yard. It was growing under the tree. The toys are a mess because I put my toy box in the closet so I do not see it. I promise, I will clean my room now.”
His mother left Ricardo’s room and brought the eggplant to the kitchen to wash it and to cook it.
Ricardo began to clean his room. “Where’s my bike?” he thought to himself. “I remember, it’s in the garage. I will make mama happy. I will finally clean my room.”
He found his toy box and took it out of the closet. He found eighteen marbles under his bed. He put the eighteen marbles in the toy box. Then he saw twelve blocks on the floor. He put the twelve blocks in the toy box. There also were seventeen small toy cars all over the room. What a mess! His mother was right! Ricardo put the seventeen toy cars in his toy box.
(SHOW: a boy putting toys in a toy box, with blocks, cars, all over.)
Ricardo continued to clean. He found a doll under the bed. It was a G.I. Joe doll, with army stuff for boys to play with. Then he picked up his kite and his skates, putting them in his toy box. It was starting to get full, but he knew that he had more toys to clean from his room.
He found a bunch of tennis balls, maybe fourteen or fifteen. He put them all in the toy box. Ricardo was almost done. He found a toy boat, with the number ‘thirteen’ painted on the side. It was old. He had had it since he was a small boy.
Ricardo looked around his room. Wow! It is clean! It is clean! All the toys were in the toy box. “Mama! Come to see my room.”
Ricardo’s mother went into his room. She looked around. She looked in the closet. She looked on the bed. She looked under the bed.
(SHOW: a woman standing in a bedroom, looking around. The room is clean. There is a toy box in the room.)
Mother smiled. “Ricardo, thank you! Thank you! Your room is finally clean. There is no mess. All the toys are in the toy box. I am so happy! I hope you will always keep your room clean like this. Thank you, Ricardo.”
Ricardo smiled, and hugged his mother. He thought, “I will always keep my toys organized so Mama will be happy.”
(SHOW: Mother and Ricardo hugging.)
THE END
TEACHERS: You will show the children how to make an origami eggplant or to draw an eggplant. Since most of the children do not know what an eggplant is, bring one to school to show them.
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SECOND GRADE
TOPIC NINE: “HAVING FUN” ART PROJECT: grasshopper STORY: “Time for Action!”TIME FOR ACTION!
Having fun is what all children want to do and love to do. Brothers, sisters, friends, everyone…they all are happy having fun. What do they do? They are doing many things.
(SHOW several kids: one is jumping rope, another is reading, another is riding a bike.)
They play ball, kicking it or catching the ball. They ride a bike, riding a bike as fast as they can. Children love to have fun. Fun can be quiet, like reading, and watching TV, or it can be active, like jumping the rope if they have a jump rope, or flying a kite, or skating with ice skates.
Some boys and girls like to play with a puppet, and clap when the show is done. They like running, and singing, and swimming. Others like dancing and doing things like having a picnic, eating under the sun , sitting in the grass, watching grasshoppers jump.
After a very busy day, having fun, most boys and girls want to sleep because they are tired. They had fun, they played, and they now they are tired, so they go to bed. As they are sleeping, they may dream this poem that they learned in school:
(SHOW : a person sleeping in bed, with bubbles coming from the head, as if he is dreaming.)
I like these, I like those, I like this, I like that. Who’s wearing a rose, How old is that hat? I like these, I like those, I like this, I like that. Singing and dancing, She’s happy, my cat. I like these, I like those, I like this, I like that. Your grasshopper’s toes Are on Elephant’s hat. I like these, I like those, I like this, I like that. I’m dreaming of clothes, And a cat that is fat.(SHOW: a hat with a rose on it, a grasshopper on top of a hat that an elephant is wearing, and show a fat cat…….it’s a dream)
THE END
TEACHER: Showstudents how to make an origami grasshopper OR show them a picture of an enlarged grasshopper so they can see the details. Note how many legs and how many body segments it has. (6 legs, 3 body parts are the distinguishing characteristics of all insects.) Then have the students draw a grasshopper, or, in pairs, they can make a 3 dimensional grasshopper using pipe cleaners or other objects. Be creative.
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THE END OF SECOND GRADE STORIES
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by Elaine Gallagher
These stories definitely are NOT intended to be used as a quiz, homework, or class assignment!
READING ALOUD is a stimulating technique to promote oral listening and spoken fluency for children of all ages. DAILY reading aloud, for all ages, is our goal. The same story can be read several times during a week. The students actually enjoy hearing them over and over, because the tale will begin to make more sense, and fluency builds
(Eager and apt readers, may also read these stories by themselves.)
NOTE: Words in BOLD PRINT are suggested vocabulary words.
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SECOND GRADE TOPIC FOUR: “MY CLOTHES” ART PROJECT: a fox, or make a poster of magazine pictures of types if clothing. STORY: “Dress-up Night”DRESS-UP NIGHT
Marianna and Pedro were so excited! Their grandmother and grandfather were coming to Saltillo for a visit. They were arriving that evening. They would stay for two weeks at Marianna’s and Pedro’s house. The grandparents live in Madrid, very far away, so they did not come often.
(SHOW: a boy and a girl, about 8 and 10 years old.
ALSO: SHOW a small map of Mexico, with Saltillo indicated by a dot. ALSO: Show a map of SPAIN, with a dot indicating Madrid.
“What clothes are you going to be wearing tonight?” Mother asked Pedro and Marianna. “This is going to be a Dress-up Night. We need to look special to welcome grandmother and grandfather.”
Marianna answered, “ This is great! I love to dress up! I am going to wear a dress with a jacket, and black shoes and white socks,” answered Marianna.
“What color dress?” Mother asked.
“It is the yellow one with the yellow jacket,” she replied.
(SHOW: a dress, a jacket that matches the dress, a pair of shoes, and socks.
“Pedro, what are you going to wear tonight?” Mother questioned.
He replied, “I am going to wear brown pants, these tennis shoes, white socks, my blue shirt, and this blue sweater with the fox design on the pocket.”
(SHOW: a sweater, with a pocket, and a fox picture on the pocket.)
“What’s the fox picture doing on the pocket?” Marianna asked.
“It’s just a design,” Pedro told her.
“What are you going to wear, Mother?” Marianna asked.
“I will be wearing a skirt and blouse, a sweater, and a hat because it will be cool tonight when we go to the bus station to meet Grandmother and Grandfather.”
“What color are your clothes for tonight, Mother?” Pedro asked.
She answered, “My skirt is black. The blouse is pink. My sweater is black, too. My shoes are black, and my hat is pink, like my blouse.”
“We will look terrific when we go to the bus station tonight!” Mother said.
“Now let’s finish cleaning the house so it will be ready for grandmother and grandfather when they arrive! Tonight we will have Dress-up Night, and tomorrow we will begin to have fun enjoying their visit!”
(SHOW: Mother, Pedro, and Marianna smiling.)
THE END
(TEACHER: You will show the children a fox in a book or from Internet. Then, they can draw a fox. OR they can draw and color some of the clothes described in the story.)
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SECOND GRADE TOPIC FIVE: “MY HOUSE” ART PROJECT: a goldfish STORY: “I Love to Go Home.”I LOVE TO GO HOME.
“Today, boys and girls, we are going to draw a map of your house,” said Mr. Aguirre, the second grade teacher of group 2-D. He continued, “Each of you has a different house, so each of you will have a different map. See, here is a map of my house so you can see what you will do.”
(SHOW: a floor plan…map…of a house, with 2 bedrooms, a kitchen, a living/dining room, and a bathroom.)
Mr. Aguirre had a big poster of a map of his house. He pointed to the parts of the drawing and told his students about his house.
“I love to go home after school and relax in my chair, reading a book or a newspaper, or watching TV. Do you students like to go home, after school, too?” asked their teacher.
“Yes,” many students answered. Some students said they love to stay school and be with Mr. Aguirre, too.
That is good,” he said. “I am glad that you love to go home after school, and you love to be in school when you are here. Now let me show you my house map.”
Mr. Aguirre pointed. “What’s this?” he asked.
“The kitchen,” they replied.
“What do you do in the kitchen?”
“Cooking and eating,” the children answered.
“What are these?” the teacher asked as he pointed to pictures from a magazine that he had glued on his house map.
A rectangle object is the stove. The round object, like a circle, is a table. The square object is the refrigerator.
“What’s this, on the sink, Maria?” Mr. Aguirre asked.
Maria replied that she did not know the word in English. No one knew, so Mr. Aguirre said, “Don’t worry. We are learning. That is a FAUCET. Water comes out of the faucet, into the sink. Now, students, say ‘faucet’.”
They all said the word, faucet.
“Very good,” praised Mr. Aguirre. “Now let us continue looking at the house map so you can draw one of your house.”
(SHOW: a male teacher in front of a classroom of children.)
Mr. Aguirre continued. “Now let us look at the house map. What’s this? What do you see, Juan? ”
“I see a bathroom. It has a bathtub, a sink with a faucet, and a closet for towels.”
“Very good,” said Juan’s teacher, Mr. Aguirre,
“What do you see, girls?”
All the girls answered, “A bedroom, with a bed, a table with a lamp, and a closet for clothes. Someone is sleeping on the bed.”
“O.K. boys,” Mr. Aguirre asked, “What do you see that I am pointing to now?”
(SHOW: a living / dining room with a table, a TV on the table, a sofa, and a bookcase.)
“We see a dining room and a living room together. There is a sofa, a table with TV, a bookcase, a table to eat on, a triangle-shaped window, and some chairs.”
“How many chairs?” asked Mr. Aguirre.
“Four”, the students answered.
“Where do people go to eat?”
“The dining room…or the kitchen,” replied the class.
“Where do we put books?”
The students replied, “On the bookcase.”
The teacher showed a picture of a boy playing with a toy car and girl watching TV .
Then he asked, “What are they doing, Ana?”
“She’s watching TV,” she replied. “And he’s playing with a car.”
“O.K. class…the last question,” said Mr. Aguirre. “Who is sleeping in the bed?”
The class looked at the picture, but they could not see who was in the bed. The person was covered with a blanket.
“That question is too hard because we cannot see a person», students said.
“You are right,” said their teacher. I have another question. “Who is swimming in that glass goldfish bowl?”
The students laughed. “That is easy, Mr. Aguirre! It is our pet goldfish!”
(SHOW: a goldfish swimming in a bowl.)
“You did great work today. You really know the parts of a house. I bet you can make a map of your house and use magazine pictures to show furniture and people. Next week we will work on a house map…For now, we are going to make something else.”
“What, what???” asked the students.
“We will make a pet goldfish for you to take home!”
THE END
(TEACHER: Show students how to make an origami goldfish, or make a gold fish by cutting out 2 fish shapes, color them yellow. Make stuffing from a tissue, then staple or tape the 2 fish drawings together with the stuffing between them. Remember to make eyes, gills, and fins. You could also make a classroom mural of an aquarium scene.)
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SECOND GRADE TOPIC SIX; “ANIMALS” ART PROJECT: a horse STORY: “Animal Friends”ANIMAL FRIENDS
One day Junior, a big, big, big German Shepherd dog, decided he was going to go for a walk all by himself. He wanted to see what was in the world outside his house. His name was Junior.
(SHOW: a big German Shepherd dog)
“It is a nice day, with the warm sun in the sky, so I will see what’s out there,” thought Junior. He was a smart dog!
First he saw a little, little, little bug. It was a lady bug. It did not see Junior, so Junior kept on walking.
Then he saw something. “Is that a snake?” he asked himself. When he got closer, Junior saw that it was a worm, not a snake. So, he kept on walking.
(SHOW: a picture of a hippopotamus, seen small, as if from a distance.)
“Wow! It’s a hippopotamus!” said Junior to himself. But when he got closer, he was disappointed. “It’s only a horse.
(SHOW: a horse)
Junior kept on walking. He saw a cat, a cow, and a duck in front of a barn. “They’re friendly I hope. I will say something to them,” thought Junior.
“Hi!” Junior shouted to the animals. “Will you be my friends?”
“Yes, we will be your friend. Where do you live?” the animals asked Junior.
“I live in the white house with the big tree in front. It’s not far from here.”
“Good,” said Junior’s new friends. “You can come to visit us every afternoon when the sun is out,” the horse said. “The cat does not fight with dogs, so you have to be good to her.”
“OK, I will be good, “Junior said to the horse. “See you tomorrow. I have to walk home now.”
On his way home, Junior saw a bird fly over his head.
(SHOW: a German Shepherd dog walking, and a bird flying by over his head.)
Then he saw a small pond. In the pond were a fish and a frog. The fish swam away quickly when he saw Junior. The frog hopped away quickly when he saw Junior.
“I guess they don’t want to be my animal friends,” thought Junior. “But I have my new friends, the cat, the cow, and the horse , so I am happy. I had a good walk and a good visit with my new animal friends.”
THE END
TEACHER: Teach the students how to make a horse. First show them a picture, so they can have a guide to use when they draw and color the ho
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Elaine Gallagher by Diego Devesa Laux
by Elaine Gallagher
These stories definitely are NOT intended to be used as a quiz, homework, or class assignment!
READING ALOUD is a stimulating technique to promote oral listening and spoken fluency for children of all ages. DAILY reading aloud, for all ages, is our goal. The same story can be read several times during a week. The students actually enjoy hearing them over and over, because the tale will begin to make more sense, and fluency builds
(Eager and apt readers, may also read these stories by themselves.)
NOTE: Words in BOLD PRINT are suggested vocabulary words.
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SECOND GRADE STORIES TOPIC ONE: “MY CLASS” ART PROJECT: a bus or other idea STORY: “The First Day of School”The First Day of School
“Which color book bag isyours?” asked mother.
“This one. The blue and green one on the chair,” answered Robert.
The yellow and brown book bag is Robert’s sister’s. It is on the table. She is two years old and does not go to school, but she likes to have a bookbag for her pencil, a book, and a marker.
(SHOW: A book bag on a chair and a book bag on a table.)
“I am so excited!” exclaimed Robert. “It is the first day of school. I am in second grade. I’ m a big boy now. I know how to read in Spanish and in English!”
“I am very proud of you, Robert. Now you are eight years old. What class are you in? What’s your teacher’s name?”
Robert answered, “My class is 2-B, and my teacher’s name is Mrs. Ramirez. She has a big desk in front of the class.”
“Can you count in English, Robert?” asked his mother.
“Yes. Listen to me count. One, two three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.”
“You will have a great first day of school this morning,” Mother said. “Now here comes the yellow school bus. Good- bye Robert. Do your best! Remember to say good-morning to your teacher.”
“No, I won’t forget”, said Robert as he got on the big, yellow school bus.
“Hello, Robert,” said the bus driver. “It’s time for the first day of school.”
(SHOW: a picture of a school bus)
THE END
(TEACHER: The children will draw a school bus. If they make a large one, they can use clear cellophane or plastic wrap for the windows.)
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SECOND GRADE TOPIC TWO: “MY FAMILY” ART PROJECT: a dog STORY: “How Big Is My Family?”How big is my family?
Robert is in second grade. His baby sister, Anita, stays home. She is two. Robert’s teacher, Mrs. Ramirez, is asking questions to the class about their families.
(SHOW: a teacher in front of a class.)
“How many men and women do you have in your family, Robert?”
Robert answered, “I have a small family. I’m the only boy. There is a girl, my sister. She’s a baby, only two years old. The man in the family is my father. He’s thirty years old. His name is Robert, too. The woman in my family is my mother. She’s thirty years old, too.”
Mrs. Ramirez said, “That is interesting. Do you have any other family in your house, Robert?”
“Yes. We have a cat named Angel and a dog named Barney.” “Look at this picture”, Roberto said to his teacher.
“Who’s this?” asked Mrs. Ramirez, pointing to a picture.
(SHOW: a dog and a cat.)
“That is my dog, Barney,” answered Robert.
“Thank you for telling us about your family,” said Robert’s teacher. Mrs. Ramirez continued, “Now boys and girls, we will say good bye for the day. Everyone had a chance to tell me about his or her family. For homework, I want you to draw an apple, an egg, and a baseball bat. Copy the words now so you will remember to do your homework. Good bye class. See you tomorrow.”
Mrs. Ramirez told Robert, “Say hello to Barney and Angel for me.”
“O.K.” said Robert, happily, as he left the class with his friends.
(SHOW: children leaving a classroom and a teacher waving good bye.)
THE END
TEACHER: You will show the students how to draw and color a dog. (Barney) They can use fur-type cloth for the body, or stuff a sock and use markers for the face details
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SECOND GRADE TOPIC THREE: “MY BODY” ART PROJECT: a raven STORY: “Everyone is Beautiful.”
EVERYONE IS BEAUTIFUL
A clown with orange hair came to school to visit the students and to teach about the human body. As he pointed to parts of the body, he asked the students to say the name of the body part he pointed to.
(SHOW: a clown pointing to his head.)
“What color are my eyes?” asked the clown.
“They’re brown,” said the students.
“How many fingers do I have on one hand?” asked the clown.
“Five!” shouted the students.
“How many feet do I have?”
“Two.”
The clown asked, “How many toes do I have on one foot?”
“Five,” answered the students again.
The clown told the students that he would use a picture of a body and for them to name the parts of the body he pointed to.
(SHOW: a picture of a human body.)
“What are these?” asked the clown as he pointed.
The students answered together as the clown pointed to each part:
“An arm! An ear! A face! A knee! A leg! A mouth! A nose!”
The clown asked the students, “Is my nose big or little?”
“Big,” the students answered.
“What is this?” asked the clown as he continued pointing to the picture.
(SHOW: a monster picture.)
“It’s a monster!” the students responded.
They continued, “It has a big head, and his hand has a green thumb.”
One girl said, “His long hair is black like a raven.”
“What is a raven?” the clown asked her.
The girl with long, yellow hair, in a pink and blue dress answered, “ A raven is a big, black, beautiful bird.”
(SHOW: a raven)
“All of you are so smart,” the clown exclaimed. “And you are all so beautiful. When you smile, you are all very beautiful.”
“Thank you, Mr. Clown. Thank you for saying we are all smart and beautiful. Thank you for teaching us about the names of the body parts.”
“Now”, the clown said, “I will show you how to make an origami raven. Let’s get paper and begin.”
THE END
(TEACHER: Students will make a raven. Show students a picture of a raven from Internet of an encyclopedia.)
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by Claudia Rojo*
I have spent a lot of time navigating different social networks to determine how schools can use them, and we ultimately reached the conclusion that there simply aren’t any set rules. It really is a fundamental shift in the way organizations reach people, and part of that change is accepting that it’s often going to go in directions you didn’t expect.
We see social media as useful insofar as it serves an established purpose. Creating sites or profiles for the sake of having them is a waste of time. (I’ve seen some schools use six or seven social media sites, but then ignore them for years at a time.) We thus limit our activity to two primary sites: Twitter and Facebook. The former is used primarily as a means of disseminating key information and dates to the school community, particularly during crisis (as can happen quite often here). It otherwise isn’t used heavily.
Facebook is used to target both the current school community and the greater RS community. We use ads and promoted posts to raise our visibility, and primarily use multimedia content for posts, as it produces the highest level of interaction. I screen all content to ensure that it aligns to our brand standards and school vision. We have seen positive results over the past two years, as our school name has become much more recognized and respected.
In terms of focus, we don’t limit the content to a single aspect of the school community for a simple reason: We want to celebrate our dynamic culture. Thus, photo albums, event teasers and other posts may at different times relate to students, staff and parents. This has allowed us to use it as our primary means of news and updates for our customers, and after simply including links on our website and encouraging them to visit, it has become widely used.
Finally, in respect to the issue of negative content (comments or posts) from viewers, we have had virtually no problems. I definitely do recommend limiting the number of page administrators to two or three (in order to post as the page), but I see no reason to prevent others from posting content or comments. The only issues we encountered were a few younger students once making immature comments on photos–which we used as a learning opportunity–and questions from parents–which we again saw as an opportunity to better explain our policies and procedures.
In summary, I’d recommend following a few simple principles. Align social media sites and content to our brand standards and school values. Use it to supplement other marketing efforts by raising our visibility, but don’t expect it to bring in many new students. The reality of social media is that it’s highly organic, and there is simply no way to be prepared for every contingency. Simply make sure you have competent, knowledgeable individuals managing it, and you’ll be well on your way.
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* Mtra. Lic. Claudia R. Rojo Casas Dirección General COLEGIO EUROPEO DE MEXICO RS www.rs.edu.mx colegioeuropeo@gmail.com www.facebook.com/pages/Colegio-Europeo-de-Mexico-RS/76493377923 www.colegioeuropeors.blogspot.com
by Elaine Gallagher
These stories definitely are NOT intended to be used as a quiz, homework, or class assignment!
READING ALOUD is a stimulating technique to promote oral listening and spoken fluency for children of all ages. DAILY reading aloud, for all ages, is our goal. The same story can be read several times during a week. The students actually enjoy hearing them over and over, because the tale will begin to make more sense, and fluency builds.
Following are the final three stories for 1st graders.
Reading aloud to students
(Eager and apt readers, may also read these stories by themselves.)
NOTE:Words in BOLD PRINT are suggested vocabulary words.
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FIRST GRADE TOPIC SEVEN : “THE PLAYGROUND” ART PROJECT: A SUNFLOWER STORY: “ FUN IN THE PLAYGROUND”(SHOW: a playground with swings, a jungle gym, and slide)
FUN IN THE PLAYGROUND
“Wow! It is windy out here,” yelled Juan.
Juan was in the playground of his school with all the other children of first grade. He and some friends, William, Terri, and Miguel, were playing on the slide. They all loved to slide down the slide. Over and over again, they played on the slide.
(NOTE TO TEACHER: Explain that the word “slide” is used here as a NOUN and as a VERB. ( a “thing or object…something you can see and touch” and “as an action…something that you do.” Have children identify in the story when “slide” is an action, and when it is an object.)
(SHOW: a slide with 2 boys and 1 girl in line to slide, and 1 child sliding down the slide.)
“Let us hop ten times to get to the swing,” said Juan.
“O.K.”, said the other children. The children hopped to the swing.
“Hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop!” counted the children as they went to the swing set. William, Terri, and Miguel were the loudest.
(NOTE TO TEACHER: Explain again that “swing:” , like “slide” can be used to tell about a “thing”, or to explain an action.”
(SHOW: four children hopping and a swing set, with four swings hanging from the pole.)
“This is fun,” the four children said together. “I love to swing, “ said Terri as she swung higher and higher.
“Be careful,” said Mrs. Garza, their teacher. Mrs. Garza was the first grade English teacher.
“You have fifteen more minutes to play. After we leave the playground”, explained Mrs. Garza to her children, “we will have art class. We are going to make a big sunflower.”
Some of the children were climbing on the jungle gym.
(SHOW: a jungle gym)
Others were on the swings, and others were on the slide. Juan, Terri, William, and Miguel were playing with a big, red ball. They were passing it from one to another.
(SHOW: 3 boys and 1 girl in a circle, passing a ball from one to another.)
After five more minutes, Mrs. Garza told the children, “It’s time to go back into the school! Recess is over. We have to leave the playground. Get off the swing set. Get off the slide. Get off the jungle gym. Time to go into the school. We will have fun because we are going to do an art project. We will make a sunflower. You will have a sunflower to bring home.”
So all the children left the playground, went into school, and went to their class with Mrs. Garza.
“After everyone goes to the bathroom and everyone washes his or her hands, we will begin our art project. We will make a sunflower.”
“This was a fun day! We had fun in the playground,” the children exclaimed. “And we will have more fun making a sunflower, “Mrs. Garza answered.
(SHOW: a big sunflower)
T H E E N D
(NOW : the students will each make an sunflower. It will look nice if you have the students glue real seeds in the center of the flower.)
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FIRST GRADE TOPIC EIGHT: “ANIMALS” ART PROJECT: A PENGUIN STORY: “ANIMALS IN THE ZOO”(SHOW: a zoo, with some animals in cages, and some trees, and people walking.)
ANIMALS IN THE ZOO
Grandma Olivia told her two grandsons, Daniel and Alan, that she had a surprise for them. “In fact, I have two surprises for you,” she said.
“What are they? What are they?” the two boys asked.
“You will love the surprises“, said Grandma Olivia.
“Tell us! Tell us!” shouted Daniel and Alan.
(SHOW: two young boys talking to their grandmother.)
“We are going to the zoo this afternoon, after lunch,” Grandma Olivia told her two grandsons.
“I called the zookeeper, and she will have an animal show this afternoon. The zookeeper is having feeding time for the animals at 4:00 p.m. We will go to see the animals eat. It will be fun! First, you have to telephone your mother to get permission. Then we will go after lunch.”
The boys were spending Saturday with their grandmother as they did almost every Saturday. Daniel is older than Alan, so he went to the phone to call his mother.
“Mama, Grandma Olivia invited Alan and me to the zoo this afternoon. May we go? P L E A S E ! We will see the zookeeper feeding the animals. I have never seen the zoo animals eating.”
(SHOW: a boy talking on the telephone.)
“Allright. O.K. You may go. Be respectful to your grandmother. I will see you tomorrow when your grandmother brings you home. I love you. “
“I love you, too, Mommy”, said Daniel.
After lunch, Grandmother Olivia, Daniel and Alan took the number 17 bus to the zoo. The boys were very excited.
“What is our other surprise?” Alan asked his grandmother.
“What do you mean?” asked Grandmother Olivia.
Alan said, “You told us you have TWO surprises for us today. One surprise is a trip to the zoo. What is the other one? “
“Oh,” Grandmother declared. “You have a great memory, Alan! You are right. After we go to the zoo, we are going to make something for you to bring home. It will be an art project. It will show you an animal we will NOT see in the zoo. Later you can guess what animal we are going to make.”
They arrived at the zoo, and Grandmother introduced her two grandsons to the zookeeper. “You will see many animals receiving their food. Some, like the tiger, eat meat. Others, like the elephant, eat plants.
(SHOW: a tiger and an elephant…in separate areas, as they are natural enemies.)
Grandmother, Alan, and Daniel stayed three hours in the zoo. They saw the zookeeper feed hay to the elephant, and fruit to the monkey. The bear received a fish and some berries. The seal, too received several pieces of cut-up fish.
(SHOW: an elephant, a monkey, a bear, and a seal…all in appropriate zoo areas, all of them eating appropriate food.)
They continued walking and saw large cages, with an area of trees and grassland, so that the animals could run for exercise. The children and their grandmother passed by a big lion, and three smaller lions, and three baby lions. They were eating pieces of meat.
“Look at the baby lion. Listen!” exclaimed Daniel. “The baby lion meows like my pet cat.”
They listened. “Meow! Meow! Meow!” meowed the baby lion.
“Why isn’t the baby lion eating the meat that the zookeeper fed the lions?” Daniel asked.
Grandmother asked, “Why do you think?”
“I know why, exclaimed Alan! “The baby lion still drinks milk from his mother. His teeth are not strong enough to eat meat. When he is bigger, he will eat meat. Now, he only drinks his mother’s milk.”
(SHOW: a group of lions….a big male lion with ruff around his neck, 3 adult female lions, and 3 baby lions…)
“Here are some tigers”, grandmother said.
The tigers also ate big pieces of meat. There was one baby tiger and three larger tigers. The baby tiger also meowed like Grandmother’s pet cat at home. It sounded just like the baby lions.
“Lions and tigers belong to the cat family”, said Grandmother, “so sound alike when they are babies.”
Alan, Daniel, and Grandmother continued walking. They saw a huge cage with many birds, big ones and small ones. One bird did not say “Tweet, tweet”, like the other smaller birds. This bird was large with beautiful feathers of red, yellow, blue, and green. He had big claws and a big beak.
It was a parrot. It did not say, “Tweet, tweet”. It talked. It said, “Hello beautiful!” whenever a woman walked by.
When Grandmother passed by the bird cage, the big bird said, “Hello beautiful!”
(SHOW: a parrot in a huge cage with some other, smaller birds in the same cage.)
Everyone laughed.
“Now let’s go home to make our art project”, Grandmother told the boys. She continued, “What animal didn’t we see at the zoo?” she asked.
“We don’t know. There are so many animals in the world. We did not see them all”, Daniel complained.
“I will give you a clue”, grandmother told him. “It is black and white.”
“A zebra,” yelled Alan.
“No, we saw zebras in the zoo today”, grandmother said. “Another clue: it looks like it is wearing a tuxedo!”
“We know! We know”, shouted both boys together.
“A PENGUIN!!!”
(SHOW: a penguin)
“Yes,” said grandmother. When we get home, we will make a penguin out of paper. We will have fun!”
They arrived home and grandmother’s dog , Barney, greeted them. “Bow-wow,” Barney barked.
“Hey”, said Daniel, “ Barney barks just like the seal we saw at the zoo.”
“Yes, seals do sound almost like dogs”, grandmother noted. “Now, let’s have a snack, and then we will make a penguin”.
“Thank you so much for a wonderful day, grandmother, the boys said.
THE END
(Now the students will each make a penguin from a pattern, then gluing black and white paper in the appropriate places. Color the beak yellow.)
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(SHOW: balloons, party hats, and party horns, with a sign hanging over the door that says, “Happy Birthday!”)
MY BIRTHDAY PARTY
“How old are you, Ana?” asked her teacher, Mrs. Brown.
“I am seven,” answered Ana. “I will be eight tomorrow and my mother is going to give me a BIG party!”
“That is wonderful,” exclaimed Ana’s teacher. “What will you have at your party?” asked Mrs. Brown.
“We will have a sandwich, and a cookie, with a glass of lemonade to drink.”
(SHOW: a big plate with a sandwich, a cookie, and a glass filled with liquid.)
(NOTE TO TEACHER: Explain to students that “drink” can be a thing, (A NOUN) or an action word (A VERB.))
Ana continued, all excited. “ We are going to have cake and ice cream, too. My cake will have eight candles because I will be eight years old tomorrow. My mother will also have a big plate of fruit.
It will have apples, bananas, oranges, and grapes. It will be great party!”
(SHOW: a plate with an apple, a banana, an orange, and a bunch of grapes.)
Ana’s teacher told her, “Enjoy your party tomorrow!”
“I will,” answered Ana.
The next day, Saturday, was Ana’s birthday. She saw a man and woman getting out of a car in front of her house. They had a big, red balloon that had words on it. The words said, “Happy Birthday!
“Grandma! Grandpa!” shouted Ana. She ran to hug them.
Other friends came to Ana’s house, too. The party began.
Ana’s mother served everyone a cup, a plate, with a spoon and a fork.
They ate lunch. Then Ana’s mother lit the 8 candles on the cake.
(SHOW: a birthday cake with 8 candles lit on the cake.
Everyone sang as Ana blew out the candlesand made a wish.
They sang, “Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy Birthday, dear Ana, happy Birthday to you.”
Ana had a wonderful day.
After everyone ate, Ana’s mother said, “Now we will make something else to eat.”
Ana said, “ I am so full of food. I can not eat anything else.”
“Don’t worry,” answered her mother. “We are going to make a paper watermelon. It will be fun, and we do not have to eat it!”
Ana and her friends and her grandparents all laughed.
“O.K.” they said. “Let’s learn how to make a paper watermelon!”
(SHOW: a whole watermelon and a slice of watermelon)
THE END
(Then the students will make a watermelon. Cut a paper plate as a wedge of watermelon. First color it red. Then glue real watermelon seeds on it…or, draw black seeds on the slice of watermelon.)
END OF FIRST GRADE STORIES.
by Elaine Gallagher
These stories definitely are NOT intended to be used as a quiz, homework, or class assignment!
READING ALOUD is a stimulating technique to promote oral listening and spoken fluency for children of all ages. DAILY reading aloud, for all ages, is our goal. The same story can be read several times during a week. The students actually enjoy hearing them over and over, because the tale will begin to make more sense, and fluency builds.
Following are three more stories for 1st graders.
Reading aloud to students
(Eager and apt readers, may also read these stories by themselves.)
Note: Words in BOLD PRINT are suggested vocabulary words
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FIRST GRADE TOPIC FOUR: “MY CLOTHES” ART PROJECT: A BUTTERFLY STORY: “ IN MY CLOSET”IN MY CLOSET
I wonder what is in my closet. It is time to clean my clothes closet because the weather is getting cold and rainy. I need to put my clothesin order.
(SHOW: a closet with clothes hanging inside, and messy stuff in the closet, on the floor..)
I will put the clothes for hot weather together. I love my skirtwith the butterfly shapes. I wear it in hot weather. My sandals, my purple shorts with rectangle shapes, the orange dress with theyellow butterfly on the shoulder, and the short dress with triangles all will be on one side of my closet. I will not need them until hot weather comes again in summer. I will miss my clothes with the butterfly shapesbecause I think that a butterfly is so beautiful!
(SHOW: several butterflies….and a variety of clothes: sandals, shorts with rectangle shapes,, and a dress with triangle shapes, and another dress with a butterfly shape on the shoulder.)
Now I will look at my clothes for cold and rainy weather. They will be in the middle of my closet. I will need my purple umbrella for the rainy days. My black shoes and warm socks I will need every day when it is cold.
I need a hat, a sweater, pants, a warm shirt, and a jacket, for the cold days. My blouse with long sleeves will also keep me warm.
I am now done organizing my closet. It feels good. Here comes my mother.
“Thank you, Ceci, for cleaning your closet. It looks so good! I am so proud of you!”
“You’re welcome, Mommy. It feels good to be organized. I will miss my clothes for the hot weather because I love the butterfly shapes.”
Ceci’s mother said, “Winter will be gone soon. Then you can enjoy your clothes for hot weather and see the real butterflies, not just the butterfly shapes on your clothes.”
Now that you know about Ceci’s clothes in her closet, what is her favorite shape?
You’re RIGHT! A butterfly! Now you will make a butterfly to take home with you.
THE END
(Students: will make a butterfly. Using a cardboard frame and tissue paper for the wings, will make it look nice!)
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FIRST GRADE TOPIC FIVE : “MY TOYS” ART PROJECT: A ROCKET STORY: “ MY FAVORITE TOYS”(SHOW: various toys on the floor and on shelves in a bedroom)
MY FAVORITE TOYS
“Jorge, please clean your room”, said his mother.
“Mama wants me to clean my room. I have toys all over the floor,” thought Jorge. “Here is my toy car and the white truck. I want to keep them. These are my favorite toys.”
(SHOW: a toy car and toy truck in the hands of a little boy.)
Over there are more toys. Jorge saw an airplane, a game of dominoes, a toy boat, and a pink ball, that was his sister’s. The doll was his sister’s, too.
(SHOW: a toy airplane, a ball, and a doll.)
In the corner were more toys. There were seven blocks, and a teddy bear , and six more toy cars. There was a bridge made from blocks. Jorge used the bridge to drive his toy cars over there to the other side. He would blow a whistle when he wanted to drive the cars and white truck over the bridge.
(SHOW: a teddy bear a bridge made of blocks, a whistle, and some toy cars.)
Jorge loved to play with his toys. He wanted a rocket, but he did not have one. His mother said that he had to clean his room. Jorge put all his toys on a shelf. His room looked good! It was clean.
(SHOW: shelves with toys on them: cars, a truck, blocks, a doll, a ball, a boat, an airplane…all neatly arranged.)
When Jorge was finished, his mother came to see his room. She was very happy. “Thank you, Jorge”, said his mother.
“You’re welcome”, said Jorge to his mother.
Jorge’s mother said, “Now we will make a rocket! You cleaned your room. It looks good! Let us go to the kitchen. I will teach you how to make a rocket!”
“Thank you, mama”, said Jorge. Then they went to the kitchen to make a rocket.
(SHOW: a rocket)
END
(Now the students will make a rocket.)
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FIRST GRADE TOPIC SIX: “HELPERS” ART PROJECT: A PENCIL STORY: “ MY NEIGHBORHOOD”(SHOW: a street with several buildings, and a bus, and a taxi driving on the street.)
MY NEIGHBORHOOD
Ana Elisa and her brother, Ramon, live in the city. There are many cars and buses, and taxis. On their street are eight stores and offices.
Ana Elisa and Ramon take a bus to school because the school is far from their house. The bus driver is very nice. He stops for them every school day. The police officer helps them cross the street to catch the bus. He holds their hands so they can cross the street safely.
(SHOW: a police officer crossing the street with a boy and a girl holding his hand.)
One day, a fire truck drove quickly down the street. There was a firefighter on each side of the fire truck. Ramon counted the firefighters.
“There are nine firefighters on the fire truck!” shouted Ramon.
“There are many”, said Ana Elisa. She began to count them. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…and nine!” Ana Lisa was proud she could count all the way to twenty. The fire truck passed by quickly.
(SHOW: a fire truck speeding by)
After school, Ramon and Ana Elisa’s mother called a taxi because she wants to go to the doctor for a checkup, and there were bo buses to get there. The taxi driver arrived in eight minutes and drove them to the doctor’s office.
The nurse asked, “What do you want?”
“I want a checkup because I have a cold,” mother said to the nurse.
(SHOW a doctor checking a woman.)
When the doctor checked Ana Elisa’s and Ramon’s mother, he told her that she needed to take two aspirins, drink juice, and rest in bed.
Then they went to the drug store. Mother told the salesperson to please sell her a bottle of aspirins. When she bought the aspirins, they took a taxi home, and mother went to bed to rest.
“Don’t forget”, said Mother. “Tomorrow you both have a dentist appointment. We will go at 11:-00 a.m. because tomorrow is Saturday. There is no school tomorrow. Now I will rest.”
(SHOW: a woman in bed resting.)
Ana Elisa and Ramon watched TV. They also want to draw pictures, but could not find a pencil.
“Let’s make a pencil,” said Ramon.
“How?” asked Ana Elisa.
“I will show you,” said her brother. “We can make a pencil for you, and one for me.”
Ramon got some paper, and he showed Ana Elisa how to make a make-believe pencil out of paper.
“When we have a real pencil, we will make a list of all the helpers that we see in our neighborhood”, said Ramon. “There is the firefighter, the taxi driver, the bus driver, and the salesperson.”
“Also, “said Ana Elisa, “ there is the doctor, the nurse, the dentist, and the police officer.”
(SHOW: a police officer, a firefighter, a doctor, and a nurse)
“There are many helpers that are near our home”, said Ramon. “Now let’s make pencils.”
(SHOW: two pencils)
THE END
(NOTE TO TEACHER: Now the students will each make a pencil.)
_______________________________________________
by Elaine Gallagher
My philosophy of teaching is based on respecting the dignity and individuality of each student.
Recognizing that my students have distinctive ways of learning (Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences), and that teaching needs to provide critical thinking opportunities for the students (based on reaching higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Thought), it is important that I plan each lesson well to include activities that go beyond the book. Activities I use combine several types of intelligences to reach all students. I make sure that my activities arrive at the “Application” level (or higher) on Bloom’s Taxonomy. I also make sure that my activities include visual, auditory, and tactile experiences for the children, not only for little ones, but for older learners, as well.
One example of a successful lesson I taught:
First graders who are learning to add single digit numbers.
- Before even opening the book, I will sing a number song with the students, such as “One-two, buckle my shoe…” to put them in the mental framework of “math”, and to begin the new lesson with something they already know.
- Then, I will have students in groups of 3 or 4 come to the front off the class where I will give them 1 or 2 items each, such as a ruler, pencil, pen, crayon, paper clip, etc.The students in the front will hold up the objects so that the seated students can see them.Then I will guide the students to count the objects, 1,2,3,4,5, etc. asking them to give me a TOTAL number of objects that the group in front has demonstrated. If there are 8 objects, I will have a student write “8” on the board.
- REPEAT this activity with each group, only concentrating on the total number, gradually using the term “SUM” as a synonym of “TOTAL”.
- Once the entire group of students has had the opportunity to be in front and arrive at a total/sum of objects, I will have 2 students come up front, and give them several objects each.
- This time, when the seated students count the objects shown by the first student (3, for example), the student helper will write 3 on the board.
- When the seated students then tell me that the second student has 4 objects (for example), the student helper will write 4 on the board.
- I will ask the class to tell me the TOTAL/the SUM of the objects that the two student have shown. They will say” 7”.
- Then all students are seated…and I will write 3 + 4 = 7.
- We will discuss what we did, learn the words add/plus/equals/total/ sum. I will also explain that “equals” means “the same as”, and we will use those words synonymously with “equals”, as: “Three plus four is the same thing as seven.” OR “Three plus four equals seven.”
- Once they are able to use these words and exhibit understanding, I will then go to the corresponding pages of the math text to continue with the lesson.
- I will precede each lesson with a hands-on type of activity such as the previous one.
- Follow-up activity (perhaps another day): Students will be given several small sheets of colored paper, which they will use to cut out shapes of their choosing, to paste onto a clean sheet which has been divided into 4 sections (folded into quarters). At the bottom of each quarter, the students will copy an addition example that they can choose from their books, such as 4+2=6. Then they will cut and paste objects to reflect the equation they wrote, using written + and = signs as demonstrated by the teacher.
**** + ** = ******
4 + 2 = 6
Second example:
To help third or fourth graders (or older students with weak math skills)
My objective here was to help students with poorly developed number concepts, such as with multiplication. I have found that most students who do not do well in multiplication, that it is sheer torture for them to memorize the “tables”, have a problem in common. They simply do not understand that multiplication is a shorter way to add.
- First, I give pairs of students envelopes in which are 30 small squares of colored construction paper, or similar items to be used to count/add.
- I work with the students in addition, giving them several repetitious adding problems, such as 5+5+5+5+5 = ? The pair of students manipulate the squares, so they have five groups of 5 squares each. They count the squares, and write “25” as their answer.
- We repeat the activity several times: 3+3+3 =? 4+4+4+4+4+4=4 =?
- Then I ask the students if they can see what we have been doing…Is there a shorter way to write an equation to demonstrate what we have been doing?
- Most students come up with the answer, which is: oh….there are 7 fours, so 7 groups of 4 = 28. The teacher or a student can then demonstrate math “shorthand”: 4 x 7 = 28.
- We will then continue to demonstrate that the reverse is also true: 7 groups of 4 is also 28….
- Once the students grasp this idea, and it may take several sessions over several days, they finally truly understand what is multiplication. With practice using concrete objects and examples, they will find it much easier (because it is more meaningful) to remember the multiplication tables.
- Follow-up activity: Another day, and can be used with all primary levels.…Students will need to see that there are many different ways to express numerical value. If they do not understand this basic concept, it will slow their progress in math processes.
- Ask a student to write a number on the board…..(a number within the span of math studies of the class). If he/she write “ 9 “, ask the class, “What other ways are there to show “9”? At first, they my not understand what you mean, so you may have to demonstrate: 8 + 1 + 9. or 7 + 2 = 9.
- Have students express these in drawings: ******** + * = 9 ******* + ** = 9
- Then continue with other numbers, other example, using concrete objects, and/or drawings.
- When students REALLY understand this, they will expand too include various math processes, and have fun: EXAMPLES: 9 = 3+3+3 9 = 10 – 1 9 = 2+2+2+3 9 = 3 x 3 9 = 100 – 91, etc.
FINAL COMMENTS:
- The activities that I chose, use a wide variety of Multiple Intelligences: linguistic, musical, kinesthetic, interpersonal, spacial/visual, logical- mathematical.
- With Bloom’s Taxonomy, they begin with Knowledge and Comprehension, reach Application level (at which Bloom said, “Real learning begins at this level”), and some go on to Analysis and Synthesis.
- Since research shows that 88% of learners learn BEST visually, 10% auditorally, and 2 % tactilely, but we do NOT know which is prominent in each student, we need to use all 3 methods in all of our activities. The activities I use incorporate all three vehicles for learning: They SEE (the board, the book, a worksheet) , they LISTEN (to the other students, to the tecaher, to a CD of music or a story), and they DO (writing, cutting, coloring, etc.).
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Find more articles by Elaine at The English Corner.
Foto:© Igor Terekhov/depositphotos.com
Written by a mythical, tired English teacher
Last week I observed a tired classroom.
We are barely beginning the course, and my students are tired. My English 101 class looked bored and uninterested in the discussion we were having. I observed one student intently working on a crossword puzzle. He was engaged. Another student was sneaking a peek at her mobile device every so often and then quickly looked back in my direction. She was almost engaged. Some students were simply staring at me so intently that I assumed they had painted eyes on the exterior of their eyelids.
Quick. React. What do you do hot shot? What. Do. You. Do?
There have been many conversations about transforming classrooms and in fact just one this week on transforming the entire educational system in #edchat. Change can be overwhelming for anyone, whether you are a new teacher, or if you are a year away from retirement, but what is a good pace for change in our classrooms? Do we really need to overhaul the entire system overnight or simply take a micro approach and create small, incremental steps within our own classroom? Is it really true that there can be no real transformation in education if there are no changes in the classroom? Maybe that’s the key. Perhaps change begins with ME.
I came home from class and watched several videos by Michael Wesch, Robert Marzano, scanned Twitter for insight, and put on some music to ease my troubled mind. Then I reacted. I did not have time to sit around and wait. These students needed me and I was not living up to my personal standards. I took those tired faces and placed them around my computer screen and reexamined my approach to English 101. Here’s what we did.
Without disrupting the progression of the classroom too much, I decided to present the class with some new expectations for the class. I added a class wiki to facilitate our new path. Here is my list of expectations:
1. HAVE FUN
I hope that this project will make writing a paper a more engaging process. Many times, students go through the motions in pursuit of the grade while missing out on the learning. This is where I hope this project will take us in a different direction. Too many times grades are obtained and learning is left behind. This is where that routine changes. I want you to become an expert on the issue you are covering and enjoy the process of research and writing.
2. LEARN BEYOND THE WALLS
Every week we enter our classroom and shut the door. There are no windows, one computer, and eight outlets. However, most of you possess devices that connect you to the outside world and to numerous contacts. Some of you are probably reading this on a mobile device. What is wrong with this picture? It is a skewed vision of what learning should be. Therefore, this project will take our class beyond the walls and windowless concrete and carry us into a world that is constantly connected and moving.
3. EXPAND YOUR AUDIENCE
I read your paper. I edit your paper. I grade your paper. Yawn. While I am an objective, worthy audience, I am simply one person. Today’s student has the ability to reach out to millions on a daily basis and simply ask, «Is this good?» This project will present many windows to your work and engage you in a learning community beyond the walls of the school building.. Learning should be transparent and open. Please allow others to collaborate with you as we engage in a new learning community.
4. COLLABORATE
One of our best resources as learners is our ability to connect. We can connect like never before and have the opportunity to engage with others from around the world on a daily basis. If we can learn anything from the web 2.0 generation it is that the ability to share and learn from each other is limitless.
5. BE TRANSPARENT & OPEN
This project will open up your research and allow others to see how you are progressing. This project will model an environment of constructive criticism, critical thinking, and intellectual discourse. Use the higher levels of verbs in Bloom’s Taxonomy to complete your work. There is no room for low-level thinking, teacher bullying or inappropriate criticism. This environment will employ transparency so that we can share and learn from each other.
6. MAKE SOME MISTAKES ALONG THE WAY
Unlike traditional assignments where mistakes are marked wrong, this project will mark your mistakes as learning steps. As CLIL philosophy accepts errors as a path to new language learning, I encourage you to take risks and seek out information beyond what you think may or may not be right. In this forum, being right is hardly the end goal. Rather, the pursuit of greater understanding while exercising all of your options within a moral and ethical framework.
7. SHARE
What happens when you take notes within a notebook? You eventually close that notebook and put it into a bag, or drawer. Only you possess that information. This is hardly the way our world works today and hardly the way we will conduct our research for this project. By conducting research that is transparent, it will allow us to use a variety of sources and learn from each other.
8. PROVIDE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
One of the benefits of transparent learning is the ability to not only receive feedback from the instructor but to seek feedback from a much larger audience. This community we are creating will allow us to bounce ideas and critique work as we progress. While I will also take part in this critique, I urge you to consult your classmates for feedback and suggestions.
9. EAT A SANDWICH & DRINK SOME COFFEE.
A sandwich is like a well-constructed argumentative essay. It contains several layers but is constructed in a central…….Ok, I can’t continue with this nonsense. Just make a sandwich and enjoy it.
10. ENGAGE OTHERS
This type of work will require you to engage an audience and be a participatory learner. It is hard to sit back and coast in this format. This work will require each student to be an active participant in the learning process. I look forward to learning from each of you and creating a community of resources.
After I made this list, I sat back and imagined the project unfolding. What did this student learn from my English 101 class? How are they different? My learning objectives were clearly stated from the beginning, but I wanted more for them. I wanted them to go beyond reading critically, critical analysis, evaluating a writing task for purpose, audience, etc. I wanted them to not only write about this world, but also engage with it. My hope is that they understand that learning can take on various forms. The classroom is only one learning environment.
No matter the level of teaching experience we have all encountered moments where we feel disconnected from our students. This hardly means we are an awful teacher and need to forget everything we have learned and start over, but simply react. Find the best way to connect with students and realize that not all connections will suit every student. Connections can be made through a variety of ways. The key is not to overhaul the entire system, but simply adapt and change as YOU progress. Set a course for learning and be prepared for rough seas. Create a practical alternative or adaptation that blends elements of what we have been doing and what we would like to do better. The connections will follow. You’ll be doing your personal best.
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By Elaine Gallagher, Ph. D.
PART 7 – FINAL ANALYSIS and YOUR ROLE IN A GOOD ENGLISH PLAN
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TEACHERS:
The previous six sections have presented you with information, ideas, and activities to support your teaching for the 21st Century, preparing our students to be strong, secure, confident, and fluent English users, guided by the philosophies of bilingual education the 21st Century….on the road to school transformation: CLIL, flexible assessments, oral fluency, planning and management skills, and overall, consistent teacher growth.
- On-going teacher improvement means on-going student improvement.
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END OF PART 7
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PART 8 – TEACHER RESOURCES
- Basics a professional educator should know
- Professional glossary
- Annotated Bibliography
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1. BASICS A PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR SHOULD KNOW
Fundamental people and programs you need to know about IF you want to be a “professional educator.»
Know about, and be able to discuss, the research and results from these essential thinkers:
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HOW MANY OF THESE EDUCATORS OR TERMS DO YOU KNOW?
THE BASICS FOR A PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR
Know about the research and results from these essential people / topics:
Benjamin Bloom on higher-order thinking sills
Tony Buzan on mental mapping and graphic organizers
Jack Canfield on self-esteem
Lee Canter on assertive discipline
CLIL Content and Language Integrated Learning (David Marsh)
Virginia Collier on second language acquisition and success
Barbara Coloroso on discipline
Art Costa on higher-order thinking skills
Common European Framework: International language standards
Jim Cummins on second language acquisition
Carolyn Evertson on classroom management
Thomas Guskey on evaluation
Madeline Hunter on effective teaching practices
David and Roger Johnson on cooperative learning
Stephen Krashen on second language acquisition
Robert Marzano on effective school practices
Abraham Maslow on self esteem and reaching one’s potential
Maria Montessori special needs students & preschool
Jean Piaget research on the four stages of child development
Carl Rogers on humanistic psychology and education
Mike Schmoker on school reform and improvement
Lev Vygotsky on language learning and social interactions
Harry Wong on classroom management
Add more names as you grow more articulate about educational leaders.
Stay current to be a real professional.
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2. PROFESSIONAL GLOSSARY
(Words that are commonly used in Bilingual Education)
acquisition: To learn something gradually, in an informal way, such as by games, songs, social interactions, and life experiences.
CEFR: Common European Framework of Reference: a document completed in Switzerland in 1991 outing the characteristics of language learning in the four basic skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening, distinguishing the various levels among these four skills into six descriptive categories: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, with A1 being the most basic and C2 the most proficient.
CENNI: Certificación Nacional de Nivel de Idioma.A scale used in Mexico to distinguish language abilities, similarto CEFR. but with 20 divisions of abilities.
CLIL: Content and Language Integrated Learning is a philosophy of language acquisition developed in Finland, under the leadership of David Marsh, and leading educators/linguistic specialists. Dr. Stephen Krashen’s «Natural Approach» to language acquisition strongly influenced CLIL philosophy.
critical thinking: is the thinking required when questions asked require multiple answers or various points of view….using the higher order verbs in Bloom’s Taxonomy can result in the use of critical thinking.
filter: is a psychological «block» that humans construct when they want to exclude themselves from a lesson, a response, or a conversation
fine motor skills: are the muscle skills required to perform physical actions using small muscles, such as writing, sewing, cutting with pointed scissors, coloring, etc.
gross motor skills: are the muscle skills required to perform physical actions that use large muscles, such as running, throwing a ball, kicking a ball, etc.
higher order thinking: thinking using the application, analysis, synthesis, and/or evaluation levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.
MKO (More Knowledgeable Other): refers to anyone who has a better understanding or a higher ability level than the learner, with respect to a task, process, or concept.
production: being able to produce something from the brain that has been memorized over time, such as vocabulary words.
recognition: refers to the fact that humans can recognize words in a language, and follow oral instructions BEFORE being able to produce these words from memory.
UNESCO: United Nations Education, Social and Cultural Organization, which supports projects world-wide in these three areas.
ZPD (The Zone of Proximal Development). The ZPD is the distance between a atudent’s ability to perform a task under adult guidance and/or with peer collaboration, and the student’s ability solving the problem independently. According to Vygotsky, learning occurrs in this zone.
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3. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Armstrong. Sarah. 2008. Teaching Smarter with the Brain in Focus. Scholastic, New York and Buenos Aires.
This book is full of practical support on building a thinking classroom, and explains how to structure lessons appropriately, using brain-based guidelines. The author gives ideas on how to integrate movement, visual, musical, and social interactions in ways that spark learning.
Blanchard, Kenneth, et al.1990. The One Minute Manager Builds High Performin Teams. William Morrow and Company, Inc. New York.
This is a classic book in the «One Minute Manager» series, simplifying team-building for positive results.
Blankstein. Alan. 2010. Failure Is NOT an Option. 2nd edition. National Education Association and Corwin Publishing, jointly published with the Hope Foundation.
This book explains and clearly illustrates the six principles for making student success the only option. Collaborative teaming, involving schools, teachers, the families, and community, helps to build sustainable leadership capacity.
Bloom, Benjamin S. 1980. All Our Children Learning. New York: McGraw-Hill.
This book reviews and explains Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Thought, first presented in 1956, and still in use today because of its clear vision of how humans learn and develop critical thinking skills. No other educator explains it better, so Bloo is still in vogue and highly regarded among educators, despite the age of his theory.
Buzan, Tony . 2003. Mind Maps for Kids: An Introduction. Thorsons.
Canter, Lee & Marlene. 1993). Succeeding with Difficult Students. Santa Monica, CA: Canter and Associates.
Collier, Virginia. & Thomas, W.P. 2004. «The Astounding Effectiveness of Dual Language Education for All Students». NABE Journal of Research and Practice.
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. 2001 Learning, Teaching, Assessment. Council of Europe. Cambridge University Press.
Coyle D. 2007. CLIL: Content and Language Integrated Learning: «Towards a connected research agenda for CLIL pedagogy». International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, pages 543-562
Cummins, Jim. 1985. Bilingualism and Special Education: Issues in Assessment and Pedagogy. Amazon.com ISBN-10:0887441327 ISBN-13:9780887441325
Edwards, V. (2009) Learning to be literate: multilingual perspectives. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
Gallagher, Elaine, Jiménez, Elsa Patricia 2004. How Do I Know If I Am Teaching Well? Secretaria de Educación Pública, de Coahuila, México.
This is a teacher handbook with 7 self-quizzes, describing various techniques on how to be an excellent teacher.
Gallagher, Elaine & Garcia, Cristina. 2009. «A New CLIL Method», (Chapter 7). Aplicaciones Didácticas: Consejería de Educación, Junta de Andalucía, CETA, Universidad de Córdoba, SPAIN
Gardner, Howard. 1985. Frames of Mind. Harper Collins.
The introduction to Gardner’s theory of «Multiple Intelligences».
Goleman, Daniel. 1995. E.Q. Emotional Intelligence. Bantam Books.
Explains the basis of skills to be developed for children to exhibit emotional intelligence
Jensen, Eric. 2005. Teaching with the Brain in Mind. 2nd edition. ASCD Press. Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development Press.
This book looks at brain-based teaching and gives concrete examples and ideas on how to connect brain research with curriculum, student achievement, and staff development. It is full of research-based information, mentioning many of the educators listed in this bibliography.
Kagan, S. 1994. Cooperative Learning. Kagan Cooperative Learning.
Krashen, S. 2003. Explorations in Language Acquisition and Use.
Heinemann. Portsmouth, N.H.
Krashen, Stephen D. 1987. Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Prentice-Hall International.
Krashen, Stephen D. 1988. Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning. Prentice-Hall International.
Dr. Krashen is one of the world’s educational leaders in theories of second language acquisition, the natural approach, and bilingualism. Much of his research, which began in 1984, was incorporated into CLIL philosophy.
Marzano, Roberto. Nine Essential Elements to Classroom Success. 2003. ASCD Press. Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development,
This book gives a simple formula on how to have successful students. The nine elements are highly compatible with UNO. The key to success is that the entire staff needs to follow all nine strategies; therefore, staff development and cooperation from the administration will be imperative to implement all nine of Marzano’s recommendations.
Schmoker, Mike. 2005. Results Now! Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development: ASCD Press.
This book looks critically at educational practices that waste time, and that do not reach intended goals of teachers and school, directors. Schmoker continues with suggested solutions so that schools, with strong commitment to excellence, can obtain positive results…now!
Tomatis, Alfred A. 1991. Pourquoi Mozart?. Paris, France.
This book is about the use of music therapy in the classroom to both relax and stimulate students’ thinking abilities
Vygotsky, S. Vygotsky, L.S. (1962). Thought and language. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. (Original work published 1934).
Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in Society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Wiggins, and McTighe, 1998 First Edition; 2005, 2nd Edition. Understanding by Design, ASCD Press. Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development Press.
This book presents ideas for reaching learning goals, by using «big ideas» as a core, then deciding on the «essential questions» to be asked during the lessons, based on Wiggins’ «backward by design» model, meaning you have to know where you want to go in order to plan the steps to get there. «Back-mapping» and a «formal task analysis» are other names for models similar to «backward by design». The goal of these models is the same: to reach understanding of the material being taught.
Wiggins and McTighe, 2004. Staff Development Workbook for Understanding by Design, ASCD Press.
This workbook has designs and templates to use in planning and development of the «learning by design» philosophy / method.
Wong, Harry and Rosemary. The First Days of School. 2nd Edition. 2009. Harry Wong Publications, San Francisco.
This classic book of classroom management ideas that work is now in its second edition.. Based on the experiences of 1000’s of teachers, the Wongs’ text clearly gives examples of how to achieve mastery with students, classroom management skills, and being a «professional educator».
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THE END
AUTHOR: Elaine Gallagher, June 23, 2013
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Foto: Diego Devesa Laux
By Elaine Gallagher, Ph. D.
PART 6 – ASSESSMENTS
- On-going, informal, anecdotal
- Tools to asses: Rubrics, checklists, portfolios (Samples)
- Self-assessment (Samples)
- Team Projects (Samples)
- Teacher Self- Assessments
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PART 6 ASSESSMENTS
NOTE: A grateful thank you to UNO Senior Coach, Mariela Boone, for her creative ideas contributing to the section of Student Projects, grades 1 -8.
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There are many views of «evaluations» or «grading» or «marking» students. The view of this writer is that evaluations have a negative connotation, in that we are placing a score to someone’s performance. That is unrealistic because no one’s performance can be reduced to a single score. There is no correlation between traditional school marks and success in life. Success is based on things that we do not «evaluate» or «grade», such as initiative, the ability to function well in a group/team, a self-starter, someone who has persistence, great interpersonal relations, empathy, task -committed. These are all areas of emotional intelligence.
Assessing someone’s work, as evidenced by written, oral, and physical performance can be achieved by the use of rubrics, self-assessments, and portfolios. Measuring growth and accomplishments by checklists, narrative reports, and time lines are fair, logical, user-friendly, and lead students to want to improve and grow. They do not threaten; they support. Educators in the 21st century are moving towards a more humanistic, less defeating and humiliating form to assess and measure students’ growth.
Join us on the quest, emphasizing the use of portfolios, not transcripts.
ASSESSMENTS
- On-going, informal, anecdotal
These are short quizzes, teacher-developed, or from texts, that are intended to measure where a student is, so that the teacher will be aware of the student’s progress, and necessities.
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- Formative
These are quizzes that a teacher uses to find out the students’ knowledge of a topic, so that the teacher will know how to plan future lessons for students’ growth.
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- Summative
This is a «final exam» type of assessment, where the teacher will give a variety of types of questions or activities, or projects for the students to demonstrate what they have learned about the topic, theme, or unit of study.
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NOTE: The terms «Formative» and «Summative» are becoming obsolete. In their place, educators are using «progress evidence», or similar terms, indicating that learning is progressive, gradual, and on-going. Furthermore, «tests» or «exams» do NOT actually measure what a student knows, can produce, or can exhibit. They only exhibit good test-taking techniques. Consequently, 21st century educators are moving more towards portfolios and assessments, not transcripts and examinations.
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- Tools to assess:
Rubrics, checklists, portfolios
SAMPLES BELOW
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SAMPLE #1 Rubric assessment tool for your project
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FRONT SIDE:
RUBRIC FOR A CREATIVE PROJECT
by Elaine Gallagher, Ph.D.
SCORING:
20 points = 100 % EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS!
18 = 95% EXCELLENT!
16 = 90 % VERY GOOD!
14 = 85% GOOD
12 = 80% MEETING EXPECTATIONS
10 = 75% MINIMUM
8 or below = NOT ACCEPTABLE
Re-doing the project
= 65 – 50% BELOW EXPECTATIONS
Your improved project must be re-submitted on the 3rd class day after you receive notice to re-submit it.
There is NO option to fail.
Students can help each other…but there is to be NO adult help!!!!
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STUDENT: ______________________________________________________
PROJECT TITLE:__________________________________________________
SCORE: __________ ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
REVERSE SIDE:
|
RUBRIC FOR A CREATIVE PROJECT |
|||
| Criteria | |||
| Quality Points |
5 |
3 |
1 |
| Creativity/ Originality | The project exhibits 4 to 6 forms of expression (art, music, writing, pictures, etc.), all of which show a great deal of thought and planning in the creative or unusual way that the project is presented. | The project exhibits 2 or 3 forms of expression (art, music, writing, pictures, etc.), which show some planning in the area of creativity for the project concept. | The project uses only 1 method to present the information. The work is mundane. There is no strong spark of creativity evidenced. |
| Content Completeness | The student included most of the guidelines in the project description, plus, he/she added more ideas so that the project is thoroughly complete. | The project is good, but several important guidelines provided were ignored, yet the student did not replace them with other ideas. | The project was not complete. Many important items weremissing and project appeared incomplete. |
| Depth of Knowledge Exhibited | The level of vocabulary and content material appear to be at a maturity level equivalent to high school, with evidence of research exhibited in the final product. | The student understands and expresses work at a high level, and at a depth that good students, serious about their work, will often exhibit. Research is evidenced in the project. Vocabulary used is at grade level. | Very little evidence of research. The vocabulary level exhibited is below grade level of the student. |
| Attention to Detail | Neatness and effort are clearly evident, with obvious attention to the smallest detail. Drawings, exhibits, written work, models, etc. are first-class! | The work is neat with very few errors in the written or model material.A few details are overlooked (such as forgetting to paint one side of a model). | Project seems rushed with little attention to details. Appears to be of first draft quality rather than a finished product. |
________________________________________________________________________
SAMPLE #2 Proof.Reading Checklist for Students
(To be used by students to check their work. Students may work and help each other to check written material.)
Your name: ______________ Date ______
- ___ Did I spell all the words correctly?
- ___ Did I indent each paragraph?
- ___ Did I write each sentence as a complete thought?
- ___ Do I have any run-on sentences?
- ___ Did I begin each sentence with a capital letter?
- ___ Did I use capital letters correctly in other places?
- ___ Did I end each sentence with the correct punctuation mark?
- ___ Did I use commas, apostrophes, and other punctuation correctly?
- ___ Did I read my paper aloud to myself or to a friend?
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SAMPLE #3. STUDENT’S NAME: _________________________________
GENERAL ASSESSING
Sometimes you may want to use a different way to evaluate or score your students’ work. Here is a list of several ways: points, words, or percentages. Feel free to use them as you want.
5 = Excellent / Exceeding expectations (95-100)
4 = Very good /Above expectations (85-94)
3 = Average / Meeting expectations (80-84)
2 = Below average/ Below expectations (74-79)
1= Should be much better / Minimum effort exhibited (below 74)
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SAMPLE #4 COMMENTS about the PRESENTATION STUDENT
TOPIC OF SPEECH ____________________________________
|
A sample RUBRIC to assess oral presentations & listening |
||||
|
CATEGORY |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| Speaks Clearly | Speaks clearly and distinctly all (100-95%) the time, and mispronounces no words. | Speaks clearly and distinctly all (100-95%) the time, but mispronounces one word. | Speaks clearly and distinctly most ( 94-85%) of the time. Mispronounces more than one word. | Often mumbles or cannot be understood OR mispronounces many words. |
| Preparedness | Student is completely prepared and has obviously rehearsed. | Student seems pretty prepared but might have needed a couple more rehearsals. | The student is somewhat prepared, but it is clear that rehearsal was lacking. | Student does not seem at all prepared to present. |
| Posture and Eye Contact | Stands up straight, looks relaxed and confident. Establishes eye contact with everyone in the room during the presentation. | Stands up straight and establishes eye contact with everyone in the room during the presentation. | Sometimes stands up straight and establishes eye contact. | Slouches and/or does not look at people during the presentation. |
| Listens to Other Presentations | Listens intently. Does not make distracting noises or movements. | Listens intently but has one distracting noise or movement. | Sometimes does not appear to be listening but is not distracting. | Sometimes does not appear to be listening and has distracting noises or movements. |
| Enthusiasm | Facial expressions and body language generate a strong interest and enthusiasm about the topic in others. | Facial expressions and body language sometimes generate a strong interest and enthusiasm about the topic in others. | Facial expressions and body language are used to try to generate enthusiasm, but seem somewhat faked. | Very little use of facial expressions or body language. Did not generate much interest in topic being presented. |
In this rubric, a score of ONE is the lowest and FOUR is the highest. Students should have access to the rubric before they have a speaking assessment so that they will be able to set their goals.
__________________________________________________
20 = Highest score
11 – 15 = Meeting expectations
16 – 20 = Exceeding expectation
5 – 10 = Below expectations
5 = Lowest score
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- Projects
SAMPLE #5. VARIOUS PROJECTS
1ST GRADE: CREATE A FOREST
Due on _____________
You will have to investigate about a kind of plant or animal, make a model about it, and present it in class.
- You will gather information about the animal or plant you chose to investigate by ________________ (date).
My team chose to investigate about: _________________________________________
- You will bring art material to the classroom to create an image of your plant or animal. When you finish you will stick it onto a craft stick.
- You will present your animal or plant to your classmates explaining the characteristics of your animal or plant.
You will work in your project in the classroom everyday so there is no need to work at home.
Create:
- An image of my animal or plant so we can glue it onto a craft sticks and then to a Styrofoam block to create a forest.
- Use materials that you already have and use your imagination!!! The more creative you are the better project you will have.
Get as much information as you can from different resources such as brochures, magazines, and the internet.
Suggestions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html
Assessment Criteria- Oral presentation:
- Investigation 30
- Craft of animal or plant 30
TOTAL 100 %
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MONTHLY PROJECT
1ST GRADE: COMMUNITY MAP
Due on ___________________
Objective:
To create a community map that shows what can be found in a community.
Materials:
- Nonfiction picture books and magazines.
- Poster board.
- Pencil, paper.
- Markers, glue, scissors.
“Research”
Have groups find samples of maps to show the class. Show them how they can use simple graphs to obtain helpful information such as the population of an area.
“Brainstorming”
Discuss with children what kinds of places are found within their community, Help children make a list of things they would like to include on their map.
“Plan”
Children are going to use the list from class to start drawing a map about their neighborhood. Children are going to prepare a brief explanation of the things that can be found near their homes.
“Complete the map”
Have children complete their maps and then display them for the class. Have them explain where they placed things within their community.
Assessment Criteria
- Oral presentation
- Research and preparation 30
- Map 30
TOTAL 100 %
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PROJECT: Dinosaurs
4TH GRADE
Due on ___________________________
YOU WILL:
- Interview a dinosaur.
- Half the group will take the dinosaur´s role, and the other half will take the interviewer´s role
- Students will create a puppet that represents each character.
- The puppet will be free style, but very original.
ASSESSMENT:
- Oral Presentation:
- Creativity of your puppet 20
TOTAL 100 %
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PROJECT: Creating a machine
5TH – 8TH GRADE
Due on __________________________________
Objectives: To work as a team and to create a new machine, explaining its use.
RULES:
- Form a team of 5 students
- Make a design of a machine and a list of the materials needed.
- Build the machine with recycled material: play dough, news paper, stones, foam, leaves, branches, fabric, etc
- Bring the material from your house. Work must be done at school.
- You will make a poster describing how the machine works, what are its parts and why you decided to create it. What does it do?
- You will present your machine to the class .
- Each member of the team must explain something when you present.
Your team will present on ______________.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
- Originality, creativity and design 20
- Use of recycled materials 10
- Team work 10
- Oral Presentation:
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ANOTHER PROJECT: “Amazing people”
GRADES 5 – 8
Due on ___________________________
RULES
- Students in pairs will talk about famous people who have brought important achievements to society or to general history around the world.
- You MUST use as much information as you can get from different resources about the famous person you chose.
- You have to share work in teams. Teacher will announce the day when you give the presentation.
- You CANNOT read during your presentation.
- Both team members must speak during the presentation…about 2-3 minutes each.
USE
- newspaper
- glue
- paints
- paper
- cardboard
CREATE
- Name of the person and achievements he/she has made.
- A poster with biography of the person you will be talking about. .
- Highlight and mention the things he/she has made and explain how these changes have influenced history or society.
EVALUATION
- Oral presentation
- Creativity of the presentation and poster 20
- Use of the requested material 10
- Poster with information 20
TOTAL 100 %
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ANOTHER TEAM PROJECT
5TH – 8th GRADES
Due on: _______________
PROCEDURE:
- You will work with your team to develop two things:
- A restaurant, describing what kind it is, what people it attracts (rich, families with kids, etc.) what it looks like, how big it is, and its decorations: You can draw a picture, or cut out pictures to show it.
- Develop a menu for your restaurant, with food, drinks, desserts, etc. and realistic prices.
- You MUST use as much information as you can get from various resources.
- EACH team will present ONE original copy of the menu, and a sheet listing the name of each team member and his/her contribution to the whole project. (Who did the writing? Who did the drawings? Who……? etc.)
- A team assessment sheet must be attached.
- The menu needs to look realistic.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA (Maximum Total 100 pts)
- Correct grammar use, and correct spelling 25
- Creativity of the activity 15
- Contents of the written work 25
- Neatness and overall organization of the material 20
- Drawings, pictures, photos, graphics 15
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- SAMPLE # 6. SELF-ASSESSMENTS
Samples
ORAL PRESENTATION
Assessed by Teacher, Peer, or Self
Person Presenting: ____________________________
Topic: _____________________________________
Please rate each of the following criteria on a scale of 1 to 5:
(needs improvement >) 1 2 3 4 5 ( <excellent)
| RATING 1. ___ The presenter spoke clearly. I could understand the words easily. 2. ___ The presenter spoke at a good volume: not too loud, not too soft.
3. ___ The presenter spoke at a good pace….not too fast, not too slow. 4. ___ The presenter faced the audience and made eye contact. 5. ___ The presenter appeared relaxed and enthused about the topic. 6. ___ The presenter stood up straight with good posture. 7. ___ The presenter used effective hand gestures. 8. ___ The presenter made eye contact with me. 9. ___ The introduction caught my attention so that I wanted to hear more. 10. ___The presenter provided some good examples, and/or had a prop to show. 11. ___The conclusion wrapped up the speech with a clear ending. 12. ___ I found this topic interesting. and well-presented. |
Comments/Specific Notes on Strengths and Weaknesses
12 – 24 = Below expectations
25 – 36 = Meeting low expectations
37 – 48 = Meeting high expectations
49 – 60 = Exceeding expectations
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SAMPLE # 7. A sample RUBRIC to assess oral presentations & listening
COMMENTS about YOUR ORAL PRESENTATION
STUDENT ________________________________________
TOPIC OF SPEECH ________________________________
|
A sample RUBRIC to assess oral presentations & listening |
||||
|
CATEGORY |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| Speaks Clearly | Speaks clearly and distinctly all (100-95%) the time, and mispronounces no words. | Speaks clearly and distinctly all (100-95%) the time, but mispronounces one word. | Speaks clearly and distinctly most ( 94-85%) of the time. Mispronounces more than one word. | Often mumbles or cannot be understood OR mispronounces many words. |
| Preparedness | Student is completely prepared and has obviously rehearsed. | Student seems pretty prepared but might have needed a couple more rehearsals. | The student is somewhat prepared, but it is clear that rehearsal was lacking. | Student does not seem at all prepared to present. |
| Posture and Eye Contact | Stands up straight, looks relaxed and confident. Establishes eye contact with everyone in the room during the presentation. | Stands up straight and establishes eye contact with everyone in the room during the presentation. | Sometimes stands up straight and establishes eye contact. | Slouches and/or does not look at people during the presentation. |
| Listens to Other Presentations | Listens intently. Does not make distracting noises or movements. | Listens intently but has one distracting noise or movement. | Sometimes does not appear to be listening but is not distracting. | Sometimes does not appear to be listening and has distracting noises or movements. |
| Enthusiasm | Facial expressions and body language generate a strong interest and enthusiasm about the topic in others. | Facial expressions and body language sometimes generate a strong interest and enthusiasm about the topic in others. | Facial expressions and body language are used to try to generate enthusiasm, but seem somewhat faked. | Very little use of facial expressions or body language. Did not generate much interest in topic being presented. |
In this rubric, a score of ONE is the lowest and FOUR is the highest. Students should have access to the rubric before they have a speaking assessment so that they will be able to set their goals.
____________________________________________________
20 = Highest score
11 – 15 = Meeting expectations
16 – 20 = Exceeding expectations
5 – 10 = Below expectation
5 = Lowest score
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SAMPLE #9. SELF-ASSESSMENTS FOR TEACHERS
HERE ARE A SERIES OF SEVEN SELF-ASSESSMENTS FOR TEACHERS TO CJECK SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES WHICH SUPPORT GREAT TEACHERS. THE BETTER YOU SCORE, THE MORE IN-TOUCH YOU ARE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS BY EXPERTS FOR 21ST CENTURY TRANSFORMATION.
AT THE END OF THE SEVEN TESTS, THERE IS A SECTION TO FIGURE OUT AN OVER-ALL AVERAGE OF THE SEVEN. SELF-ASSESSMENTS
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SELF-QUIZ #1: Human Relation Skills
Use the scale to plot where you think you are today. You can check yourself again over the next several months, scoring with a different color pen.
Each number on the scale corresponds to the seven characteristics we just covered, Good Human Relations Skills».
Mark the answers to these questions on the graphs that follow, selecting LOW, NORMAL, or HIGH.
#1. My sense of humor is:
#2. My level of empathy with others is:
#3. My sincerity level is:
#4. My level of dependability is:
#5. I have a wide variety of personal experiences, such as taking trips, hopes, extensive reading, seeing plays, films, concerts, opera, symphonies, etc:
#6. I am a dynamic speaker.
#7. The level of my self-confidence is:
Scoring:
Place yourself along the scale at a number that describes your levelat this time. Use a different color ink or marker for future assessments in order to plot progress. There are three opportunities to check your progress. Perhaps once every 4th month you can give yourself this quiz to see how you grow during a year.
Date: ___________ Date: ___________ Date: _________
Average score: _______ Average score: ________ Average score: _______
1 (low level) 5 (normal level) 10 (high level)
#1________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
#2 ________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
#3_________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
#4________________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
#5_______________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
#6 _______________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
#7 _______________________________________________________________
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
What is your average in the area of good human relation skills?
To find the average, add the numbers you circled to find the sum. Then divide the sum by 7. That will give you an average at this time.
Re-take it in 4 – 6 months. Note your improvement.
With practice and experience, your human relations skills will become more refined. Remember to plot this score at the end of these 7 tests, to obtain an overall view of where you are on the road to being a GREAT teacher.
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SELF-QUIZ #2: Good Planning Skills
In this quiz, you will answer “Always” (worth 4 points), “Never”(1 point), “Sometimes”(3 points), or “Rarely” (2 points). Place an X under the qualifier that most honestly responds to these statements.
|
Topic |
Almost Always |
Sometimes |
Rarely |
Never |
|
(4) |
(3) |
(2) |
(1) |
|
| 1. I preview thoroughly every text I use before I present it to my students. | ||||
| 2. I make yearly plans consistently every year. | ||||
| 3. I review my yearly plans from time to time to make sure I am staying within my schedule. | ||||
| 4. I make weekly plans. | ||||
| 5. My weekly plans are completed at least two-three weeks in advance. | ||||
| 6. I make my weekly plans once a month, four weeks at a time, based on my monthly plans. | ||||
| 7. I specifically list which vocabulary words will be studied in my lesson plans. | ||||
| 8. I list page numbers and topics in my plans. | ||||
| 9, I make sure to include ideas of modified work for special-needs students in my classes. | ||||
| 10. I include at least one group activity and/or a music/art activity in my weekly plans. |
How did you do? Add up your points. What is your total? ________
30 points is a good score.
Below 20 points: You need to concentrate on areas to be improved and begin a plan with a few colleagues so that you can improve your planning skills.
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SELF-QUIZ #3: Classroom Management
This quiz will be checking your management skills. Give yourself 5 points for every “Yes”, 3 points for every “Sometimes”, and 1 point for every “No”.
|
Question |
No (1) |
Sometimes (3) |
Yes (5) |
| 1. I post class rules on the wall in my classroom. | |||
| 2. I post class rules on the wall in my classroom. | |||
| 3. I also list consequences with the rules list. | |||
| 4. I also list group & individual rewards on the rules list. | |||
| 5. I group chairs/tables/desks for cooperative learning activities. | |||
| 6. I have examples of students’ work posted on the walls. | |||
| 7. My students are respectful and quiet when I speak. | |||
| 8. Students’ noise level is acceptable. | |||
| 9. Students follow directions the first time. | |||
| 10. Students are in their seats when class begins. | |||
| 11. Students come to class with all the tools they need: pencil/pen/notebook, etc. | |||
| 12. My students are well-behaved and allow me to teach with rare disruptions. |
What is the total of your points? __________
(36 points is an average score.) My score
========================================================
SELF-QUIZ #4: Teaching Strategies (A)
Give yourself 2 points for each technique listed below that you have used in the past two weeks.
Check each one you have used in the right hand column.
Add up the check marks and multiply by 2 for your score.
YOUR SCORE: _______
A score of 20 is average.
| Technique | +2 each |
| 1. I say a student’s name after I ask the question. | |
| 2. I have and use flash cards with students’ names for calling on them. | |
| 3. I consistently teach using higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. | |
| 4. My teaching always includes vocabulary development. | |
| 5. I vary the activities in my class, such as writing, speaking, etc. | |
| 6. My explanations always include examples of what I’m teaching. | |
| 7. I avoid calling on students in a predictable way, such as by rows. | |
| 8. I have singing or creative art activities to keep interest high. | |
| 9. When a student doesn’t know the answer, I prompt him/her. | |
| 10. I have activities or questions that reach Bloom’s highest level. | |
| 11. I frequently ask questions as I teach to promote understanding. | |
| 12. I vary types of responses I expect: group, individual, oral, written. | |
| 13. My lessons reach at least the application level on Bloom’s Taxonomy. | |
| 14. I call on EVERY student at least once every two days. | |
| 15. I want to be the best teacher I can be and look for ways to improve. |
=======================================================
SELF-QUIZ # 5: Teaching Strategies (B)
This quiz is to check your general awareness of some strategies. Give yourself 5 points for each “Yes”, 3 points for each “Sometimes”, and 1 point for each “No”. Then add up your total points.
How many points? _______
30 points is an average score.
| 1. I spend less than 5 minutes on non-teaching tasks in my class. | |
| 2. My students are on-task 90% of the time. | |
| 3. My students know my rules well and follow them. | |
| 4. I have a system of rewards and consequences for my students. | |
| 5. I communicate with the parents of my students. | |
| 6. I have high expectations for all my students. | |
| 7. My students have high expectations of me, and expect the best. | |
| 8. I arrange the environment in my class to allow motivation to grow and bloom within my students. | |
| 9. I vary activities about every 15-20 minutes. | |
| 10. Students feel comfortable yet challenged in my classroom. | |
| 11. I have developed at least 5 negative consequences for students. | |
| 13. I have developed at least 5 positive consequences for students. | |
| 14. My students are aware of the + and – consequences I have. | |
| 15. I believe I have done a good, effective job at least 3 – 4 days every week. |
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SELF-QUIZ # 6: Knowledge of Content
Teachers of various subject matter will be taking this self-quiz, so it will be generic, but it will also take into consideration the more well-read and well-rounded we are (and I don’t mean body shape), the more interesting we can be for our students. The more interesting we are, the more students learn because they come to our classes more highly motivated. Also remember, more experienced teachers may score better than newer teachers. As in any career, there are some benefits to experience on the job.
Each item on the list is worth 1-10 points. Check off the ones that apply to you. Then add the corresponding points, shown in the parenthesis, to see where you are on the scale of knowledge of content. A score of 40 points is average. If you score 80 or above, your students are very lucky to have you as their teacher.
YOUR TOTAL SCORE: ________________
| 1. I have fewer than 5 years of teaching experience. |
(3) |
| 2. I have 10 or more years of teaching experience. |
(8) |
| 3. I have held at least 2 other paying jobs besides my teaching job. |
(7) |
| 4. I have the equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree: 4 years university. |
(5) |
| 5. I have a Master’s degree: 6 years university. |
(7) |
| 6. I have a Ph.D. or other Doctor’s degree. |
(10) |
| 7. I have traveled to 2 continents including North America. |
(9) |
| 8. I have traveled to 3 continents or more, including North America. |
(10) |
| 9. I have lived and worked for at least one year in another country besides my country of birth. |
(10) |
| 10. I know two languages well, including my native language. |
(7) |
| 11. I read for pleasure at least 10 hours per week. |
(5) |
| 12. This school year I have taken at least one course or seminar of duration 10 hours or more. |
(10) |
| 13. I meet with colleagues regularly (at least 2 times a month) and we talk about school, students, our jobs, the classes we teach. |
(7) |
| 14. I use the Internet regularly to find ideas to enhance my teaching. |
(10) |
| 15. I use films, slides, and/or guest speakers to enhance my class. |
(10) |
| 16. I have taken my students on at least one field trip this year. |
(5) |
| 17. Besides books for pleasure, I often (monthly) read books or articles about teaching, or to enhance my general knowledge. |
(10) |
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SELF-QUIZ # 7: Selection & Use of Texts and Materials
This quiz will check your use of materials, exemplifying your ability to be creative in the use and choice of texts and materials. Score 5 points for every YES, and 1 point for every NO. 40 points is an average score.
Your score: ______________
| 1. I use the chalkboard/whiteboard/ i-Pad, at least 3 times per week. | |
| 2. I use an educational film at least once each grading period. | |
| 3. I go to a library or book store once a month to learn more. | |
| 4. I know how to prepare Power Point programs, and give one or two Power Point lessons per semester. | |
| 5. I make posters or charts twice a month to use in my teaching. | |
| 6. I involve students monthly in a creative activity (art/music/filming/acting/role playing/poetry-prose writing, etc). | |
| 7. I have at least one hands-on project per marking period. | |
| 8. I have served, or am willing to serve, on a teacher education team. | |
| 10. I often bring supplementary materials to enhance my class. | |
| 11. I know how to use an i-pad, Power Point or transparencies, and use them in class. | |
| 12. I find myself reading texts or magazines in my field at least twice a month so I can learn new ideas. | |
| 13. I believe that I am a creative and interesting teacher. | |
| 14. I may NOT be interesting or creative, BUT I want to be, so I’ll work hard to learn to improve my skills. |
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Interpretation of My Seven Self-Quiz Scores
Instructions:
Add up the scores to all quizzes. Use the final sum to rate yourself at this point in your career. Check your final sum total against the scale listed below. Re-take the test every four to six months so that you can plot your progress.
A second scoring place is included in the chart below.
Even when you arrive at the score you want, keep checking yourself so that you will always be aware of your personal level of knowledge, implementation of proven techniques, and professionalism as a teacher.
|
TEST |
Minimum Score |
Maximum Score |
Your Score(First time) |
Your Score(Second time) |
| #1. Human Relation Skills |
1 |
10 |
|
|
| #2. Good Planning Skills |
10 |
40 |
|
|
| #3. Classroom Management |
12 |
60 |
|
|
| #4. Teaching Strategies (A) |
12 |
30 |
|
|
| #5. Teaching Strategies (B) |
3 |
42 |
|
|
| #6. Knowledge of Content |
10 |
133 |
|
|
| #7. Selection & Use of Texts |
13 |
65 |
|
|
|
T O T A L |
|
|
||
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INTERPRETATION OF YOUR TOTAL SCORE:
1-80: You are either a new teacher, who can improve with good mentoring, or a person who should consider another career because this score places you in the lowest 25% and teaching may not be the best choice for you.
81-176: You are having some trouble and you’re struggling in teaching,either with your students or with yourself. Frustration level is high. You need to join a group of other teachers who can support each other, or ask your principal or team leader to assign you a mentor to give you support while you are developing skills that they have identified you need.
177-270: You are above average and on your way to being an effective and efficient teacher. You have skills in a variety of areas and you are respected by students and colleagues. With more time and growth, you will be among the top teachers in your field.
271-above: You are in the top 25th percentile in your career. That is to say that 75% of other teachers have scored lower than you on these various self-quizzes. Keep up the great work, stay current in your area by reading, coursework, or workshops. Share your talents with other newer or less successful teachers. We’re all in this together, and need to do what’s best for our students by helping each other..
____________________________________________
This is the end of Part 6.
Next, on to part 7, «Teacher Resources»