Blog Posts - Ideas for Educators

Finding Evidence that Answers the Question

9/25/2019

Yesterday’s learning target in language arts was:

“I can analyze documents to find text evidence that answers the question.”

As a special educator, my approach to a lesson is to think about IEP goals and how I can transform a lesson to make it more accessible for students. Many students with IEPs have goals related to reading comprehension of expository text. I consider what about the target or lesson will be difficult. Students can usually find text evidence – but it is not always linked directly to the question being asked! So I wanted to emphasize the need to connect text evidence to the question, while infusing the lesson with something engaging and multi-sensory.

Our documents were about hurricanes with the question “Why are hurricanes dangerous?” with a focus on cause vs. effect, or why vs. what.

We started by sharing the story of Pecos Bill, the cowboy who was so expert at lassoing that he once lassoed a tornado. I brought in a homemade lasso and demonstrated what happened if you throw it but don’t hold on to the rope! We then gave every student their own miniature lasso (string tied with a slip knot) and showed them how they can lasso evidence but have to connect or hold the end to the question. (see photo) They first used the lassos and then circled with pencil the evidence that answered the question, underlining evidence that was more focused on the effects.

Students were highly engaged as they explored the documents, deciding whether the evidence was connected to the “Why” in the original question. I am excited to have one more tool that I can use to make text work more interactive, as well as a memorable analogy to help students make connections.

Which Strategy Do Students Like Best for Procedural Text?

8/29/2019

Complex procedural text can be tough to follow, even for the strongest readers. When I am reading lengthy directions that are presented in paragraph form, I sometimes use strategies to help me follow along. My co-teacher and I taught two of these strategies today, while also using colored magnets for group assignments and voting.

This is a flow map for our group configurations. We started with a co-led whole group activator and then moved into two mixed-readiness groups. Each teacher taught one of the strategies, then students flipped so they received instruction in both. Finally, we came back together for a co-led whole group closure. Using a flow map like this can illustrate and clarify our plans, guaranteeing that we use a majority of our time for small group instruction.

Students were highly engaged from the spilled water activator (see entire lesson plan here) to the magnet voting in our closure. My co-teacher and I will continue to reinforce use of both the List and Checkbox strategies whenever students encounter multi-step directions or procedural text.

Reading Comprehension Booster

8/28/2019

Are you an elementary teacher or specialist with access to at least one iPad? If so, check out the Reading Comprehension Booster app.

Based on the idea of paper bookmarks, each booster encourages the child to record responses, while they are reading, based on a specific reading focus. No more wondering if your child or student was actually paying attention while s/he was reading! Teachers can also use the app during a whole group read aloud to show students how to interact with books while reading.

Reading Comprehension Booster bookmarks are based on essential instructional elements identified in literacy, brain and learning research. Each booster has a variety of interactive options to tap into different ability levels and interests. Users can read or listen to directions, draw, type, drag or record responses, and much more. Children can choose from Characters, Connections, Story Seeds and other bookmarks, or use several simultaneously. Children can easily email their work to a parent or teacher for review and support.

"We have evaluated this app and find it to be wonderful! We have included it in two places on our list of Recommended iPad Apps. It is listed on the Must-Have page for Elementary and again on the Language Arts page under Reading Practice. The app is truly excellent and I commend you for it. Thank you for sharing it with us." Lori Gracey, TCEA Executive Director

Blanket the Table Active Alternative for Brainstorming

7/23/2019

After an exciting week at the National Train the Trainer Institute Co-Teaching that Works, I received a lovely email from one of our participants. As you can see, she had great success with a strategy I shared called Blanket the Table. I have written about it in the past, but thought I would share it again because it works well and requires NO PREP!

Each student needs to rip up paper into 4 pieces. I use paper from the recycling bin.
Place students in heterogeneous groups of five or six. Ask them to stand around a cleared desk.
Put two minutes on a visual timer.
Explain to the students that the goal is to brainstorm enough ideas to Blanket the Table (cover the desk top.)
When they have an idea, they say it aloud to their group, then write it on their scrap of paper and drop it on the table. We use the phrase "Say it, Write it, Drop it."
Give the students their brainstorming topic - i.e. types of animals, countries in Africa, etc. – about ten seconds of silent think time and then say, "Go!" as you start the clock.
When time is up, ask the students to give their teammates a High Five or Fist bump.
At this point you can choose to have students prioritize or categorize their ideas, share their favorites aloud, or just move ahead with the lesson.

Our next Train the Trainer Institutes will be in Boston, December 10-13, 2019 and in Anaheim, January 21-24, 2020. More information and registration details can be found at http://www.ber.org/seminars/CourseInfo.cfm?seid=VXB0F1-BOS

Word Toss Vocabulary Practice

7/15/2019

I recently received a request for my Word Toss sheet, so I thought I would post my original description of this vocabulary activity from 7 years ago. Enjoy!

To mix things up a bit, last week I asked a co-teacher to replace her use of the Frayer Model in algebra with a Word Toss activity. We placed students into pairs and provided each pair with a die and a Word Toss worksheet. Students were directed to role the dice and perform the task associated with the number on the face of their die.

The change in routine increased alertness by adding some novelty and tactile interaction to the lesson. Afterward, my co-teacher and I brainstormed alternative tasks that could go on the Word Toss worksheet:

Act it out
Develop a metaphor
Develop an analogy
Create a multiple choice question
Perform word surgery (dissect into root, prefix, suffix)
Transform it (add prefix or suffix)
Career Track it (think of a job for which you would need this word)
Create a crossword clue

FREE Tool for Turning Photos into Posters

5/29/2019

I know summer vacation is just starting, but...When you begin to think about decorating your classroom for next school year, check out this FREE tool!

Rasterbator.net (horrible name, although it is memorable) allows you to upload your own photos and turn them into multi-page posters of any size. It splits the image into multiple pages that you then trim and tape together.

Super convenient for anyone traveling to a conference or working in a variety of spaces – just pack the poster in a file folder! Students could print posters from photos they take for a school project. Keep in mind that it will use a lot of ink, depending on your final product size. You can also print in black and white if you don’t have a color printer.

Highly Engaging Differentiated Math Fact Practice

5/6/2019

It was such a pleasure to observe a co-taught math lesson at Little Chute Elementary School this spring. Lisa Klein and Karla Baier have been co-teaching kindergarten together for several years. Their fluidity and parity is top-notch! It is clear that they plan together, being thoughtful about ways to address IEP goals, various levels in the room, executive function and language skills and the need for multi-modality learning.

The lesson started with both teachers reviewing the learning target, embedding lots of gestures and choral rehearsal. The co-teachers then acted out various work behaviors and asked students to discuss whether they were appropriate or inappropriate behaviors. Finally, it was time for students to build cup stack math facts!

The teachers prepared three different colors of plastic drinking cups. The blue cups included basic addition equations, minus the solutions. The red cups had a single digit (solutions.) The green cups had higher level addition and subtraction facts. To avoid any stigma with the levels, Karla announced that she had run out of blue cups and asked 3 students to help her out by hunting for the green cups instead. Cups were scattered around the room so that students had to hunt to find them.

The movement and manipulatives boosted engagement and learning! After the lesson, cups can be rinsed off for other content - word families, synonyms, nouns and verbs, etc. The possibilities are endless!

Thanks, Lisa and Karla, for sharing this idea and for collaborating for student success!

Alternate Analogy Cards

4/24/2019

Years ago, I read Rick Wormeli’s book, “Metaphors and Analogies.” Filled with great ideas, the book motivated me to use analogies more frequently in my teaching. They are a such an effective way to help students see connections between new and familiar concepts. To add some challenge to a recent lesson, I created Alternate Analogy Cards.

Print out these cards and laminate them.
Fill in the blanks with the content from your lesson. In the photo example, you can see that the lesson was using dominoes as a way to explain cause and effect.
Hand the cards to students who are ready for a greater challenge. Ask them to think about an answer during the lesson and then share with the class as part of the lesson closure.
Keep the cards readily accessible so that you can pull them out whenever you find yourself using an analogy.

Instead of providing only a few students a card, consider writing the challenge on the board for all to think about during your lesson!

Collaborative Check System Your Students Can Use Tomorrow!

3/27/2019

Here's a great idea from Rudy Botz and Brian Ryczkowski, math co-teachers at Little Chute High School.

Number your board according to how many problems or questions your groups are solving.
Give each group a corresponding number of sticky notes.
Explain to students that whenever they finish a problem, they should write their group name and answer on a sticky note. Someone should bring it to the board and post it.
If there is already a note posted, they should compare the two answers. If their answers are different, the two groups have to partner up to determine which answer is correct and why.

This strategy can be used across content areas - whenever you have groups of any age working on answers together. I love the collaborative nature of it, with students helping peers to correct errors.

The Check Box Strategy

3/18/2019

Many of the students I teach struggle with lengthy, multi-step directions. While I can help direct them, it is more valuable if I can teach them strategies that will lead to independence. This is especially true as we head into high-stakes testing season, when students must comprehend and follow test directions on their own. Now is a great time to start teaching and using the Check Box Strategy with your students, so that they are comfortable with it before your high-stakes tests begin.

How to:

1. Provide the students with a print version of a lengthy, multi-step direction. It is best if it is an authentic task. Here is an example from one of our recent language arts lessons.
2. Place a copy of the directions under your document camera and project to the class so that you can model the strategy.
3. Tell students that you will be teaching them the Check Box Strategy, placing boxes wherever specific tasks are mentioned. Explain to students that as they go through the tasks, they will be able to check them off to insure that they have completed everything that was required.
4. Ask students to read along. Stop whenever a “to do” or task arises, and model how to place a small check box over the direction. Continue modeling two or three times.
5. Direct students to read the next few sentences and talk with peers about where they think they should put check boxes.
6. Bring students back together to share ideas and discuss.

Some students will need more direct instruction and practice with this strategy than others. This is a great opportunity for brief, small group work.

Taking assessments in a digital environment? Tweak this strategy by having students make a numbered list on scrap paper, drawing a box next to each number and writing a word or phrase that captures the idea of the task. They can then check these off as they complete the assignment.