March 11
"It is not the strongest
of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent,
but the one most responsive to change."
~ Charles Darwin
In the News
One teacher wrote on the teachers.net listserv about project
based learning: I teach in a school that is about 98% ELL. I believe in project
learning because it is authentic assessment. My students have a project due
every 2 1/2 weeks that goes with the guided reading book they are currently
using. My students have 14 tasks to complete in this period. Most of them are
really easy -- like ABC order, Working with Words, etc. They also have a webquest
to complete along with the project. They love it and so do my parents. I use
only informational text so my kiddos are constantly widening their knowledge
base.
Newton's Castle: http://www.tqnyc.org/NYC051308/index.htm
Students can learn about Earth's rotation, optical illusions, logic puzzles,
color, and more at this interactive Web site dedicated to the discoveries of
Sir Isaac Newton. The site, which also offers thought-provoking questions for
teachers or students to use to foster further discussion, was created by the
students at John F. Kennedy High School, in the Bronx, in collaboration with
kids at England's Thomas Hepburn School.
PALS: Performance Assessment Links in Science: http://pals.sri.com/
"The National Science Education Standards (NSES) outline what students
need to know, understand, and be able to do to be scientifically literate at
different grade levels." "PALS is an on-line, standards-based, continually
updated resource bank of science performance assessment tasks" that measure
student performance on those and various other standards frameworks.
Public-School Students Score Well in Math in Large-Scale Government
Study: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/28/education/28tests.html?_r=1
When it comes to math, students in regular public schools do as well as or better
than comparable students in private schools, the study found.
Module 5: Algebra and Functions from My School
Lab: http://www.mylabschool.com/
Video Clip 8: Pre-Algebra Strategies
Summary: Children are engaged in pre-algebra activities, such as looking for
patterns and generalizing to solve simple word problems.
Key Concepts: Numbers, patterns
Question 1: Explain why the activities taking place in these two classrooms
are considered prealgebra strategies.
Question 2: Why are patterns important in mathematics? What is their relationship
to algebra?
Video Clip 9: Equations
Summary: A teacher reads a story problem, and students write and solve addition
and subtraction equations. Small groups enable the teacher to focus on the skill
level of each student.
Key Concepts: Equations
Question 1: What is the benefit of teaching equations in small groups?
Question 2: Once the students have written an equation for the problem, how
could you extend the activity?
Question 3: Explain how the concept of a balance scale helps children understand
equations.
Video Clip 10: Linear Equations and Graphing Calculators
Summary: Students learn to use a graphing calculator to visualize linear equations.
It enables them to connect 3 of the 5 representations for functions: equations,
charts or tables, and graphs.
Key Concepts:
Graphing calculators, linear equations
Question 1: What was the teacher's goal in this lesson?
Question 2: What do students this age learn from a graphing calculator?
Question 3: Under what circumstances (content, objectives, etc.) would you allow
students to use a calculator?
This site began in March 1998 by Janet Luch. This page was last
updated on
December 28, 2006
.
Email comments and questions to studyplans@yahoo.com.