Icebreaker: Me in Three (Day 1)
Materials:
· Index cards
Description:
The icebreaker is an activity to help participants get to know one another and start to build a sense of community. This is a great way to introduce a group and to find out information that makes each person unique..
Step-by-Step:
1. Give each participant an index card and ask him/her to write his/her name, school and school district on the back of the card.
2. Tell the group that you are going to be giving them three questions to answer.
3. Each person should number the front of the index card from one to three.
4. Write a general statement about yourself---something that could apply to many people in the room. For example, “I am a male.” OR “I am a female.”
5. Write a statement about yourself that is a little more specific but could apply to a few people in the room, such as, “I drive a Toyota.”
6. Write a statement that would apply only to you. Try to make it something that no one in the room would know about you. An example of this could be “I was a lifeguard at Hickory Bend Swim Club in Donelson.”
7. Once everyone has completed this task, take up the cards and shuffle them.
8. Have the group stand up.
9. Choose a card, and as you read statement number one on that card, tell everyone this statement describes to remain standing.
10. If the statement does not refer to someone, then he/she sits down.
11. Repeat this process with statement number two. The one left standing as you read the third statement should then introduce him/herself by name. This person then sits and remains sitting for the remainder of this exercise.
12. Begin the process again with those whose cards have not been read. Play until everyone’s card has been read
Standards Timeline
Materials:
· Yarn/string; images for timeline; envelopes with events on manipulative cards
Description:
After viewing the introductory power point that includes information about the timeline for rolling out the new standards in relation to the American Diploma Project, participants will work together to sort cards with specific events into the correct sequence of events. Small group activity will be followed by group activity that places those events on a larger timeline in the front of the room.
Step-by-Step:
1. In the front of the room, tape the yarn/string to the wall. Tape the symbols at appropriate places along the yarn to give participants hints for their timeline. Note: You may wait and do this as they are sorting their cards. You might also invite a participant to help with putting this up.
2. Tell participants that assessment practices can take forms other than traditional paper and pencil tests. They are going to be assessed on their knowledge of the timeline for the new standards development and implementation.
3. Put them in groups of 4 or 5 and pass out an envelope with the timeline cards.
4. Instruct them to remove the cards from the envelope and place them on their table/desks in the order the events occurred in a HORIZONTAL line.
5. Point out that some of the items took place at the same general time or even on the same day (see key). They may stack those items vertically at the same place on their timeline.
6. This activity is difficult. Ask them to reflect on what they know from previous standards trainings, workshops, and the power point as they try to place the items in order.
7. After 5-7 minutes, ask them to move any cards they have not yet placed to the side.
8. Pass out full-sized cards randomly to individuals. Have the groups call out the cards in the correct order and place them on the timeline.
9. Let groups rearrange their cards as the group timeline is created.
10. Ask if there are any significant events that were not included on the timeline. Discuss these.
11. Wrap up: Tell participants that the most important parts of the timeline are what got the momentum started, how the score of “F” impacted the process, the role of the Governor in maintaining the process, and the potential for our students to become more successful in life and more globally competitive!
12. Extension: Discuss how teachers can use this strategy (manipulatives) in their classrooms. How teachers can give a grade for this kind of assessment (and whether or not they need to give a grade for it).
Group timeline symbols:
TN map – at beginning of line
F – about 1/3 of the way from beginning.
Governor’s picture – a little over halfway if you match to #7; Near the end if you match with #9.
Star – turn the timeline so that, like a graph, the line begins to slant upwards. Put the star at the top of the line.
KEY:
1. Commissioner Lana Seviers collects data from Achieve, ACT, College Board out of concern over discrepancy between TN TCAP scores and NAEP. [late 05-06]
2. Susie Bunch arrives to stacks of reports showing content aligned with other states, but level of expectation focused on knowledge and comprehension. [Sept 2006]
3. Tennessee joined Achieve Network in cohort of 6 states examining 18 states already members. [Jan 2007]
4. Chamber of Commerce report gives TN an “F” in Truth in Advertising about Education. [March 1, 2007]
5. Tennessee reporting 87% proficient on state tests; NAEP says 26% and 23% proficient in Math and Reading. [March 2007]
6. TDOE collects data about education and economic development. [Jan 2007-09]
7. Acting Commissioner of Education Tim Webb receives call to visit Gov. Bredeson’s office. [late March 2007]
8. A. New standards written to higher levels of Blooms. [2007]
B. New standards aligned to national standards. [2007]
C. K-12 ELA standards written with vertical development in mind. [2007]
9. A. Governor Bredeson attends State Board of Education meeting for the first time
ever. [Jan 25, 2008]
B. New standards presented and approved. [Jan 25, 2008]
C. Teachers who worked on new standards are recognized at State Board of
Education meeting. [Jan 25, 2008]
10. Electronic Learning Center developed for statewide PD. [Nov 2008]
11. eTc developed for statewide PD.
Standard Alignment
Materials
· Charts of new Spi’s
· Strips of old Spi’s
· Tape
· Picture of trash can
Description
This is a hands-on activity that will enable participants to visualize the changes in SPI’s, which ones are the same as the old, which ones are new, and which ones have been discarded.
Step-by-Step
- Post charts on the wall.
- Give participants strips of old SPI’s (about 2 per person)
- Ask them to open their notebook and see if they can find these old SPI’s anywhere or something that is similar.
- Tell them when they locate them on the new list, to tape them on the poster over the new SPI if they are the same, beside the new SPI if they are similar, and on the trash can if they are no longer on the list.
- Discuss
- Participants can now highlight the new SPI’s in their notebooks.
Dominoes
Materials
· Set of dominoes with words for review for each group of two to four.
Description
Dominoes are a hands-on activity for reviewing vocabulary. There is only one way to connect the pieces. Students can find out immediately if they are correct.
Step-by-Step
- Give out the dominoes
- Let participants work with a partner
- Connect the cards by matching the words and their definitions. The first card should be labeled START and the other words should create a chain of words/definitions until the END card.
- As an extension, students can mix up the cards and connect them a second time as a race. (Students love competition.)
· Connect the following cards by matching the words with their definitions. The first card should be labeled START and the other words should create a chain of words/definitions until the END card.
· When cutting the cards apart, be sure two blocks are included on each card like the two parts of a domino. (column 1 and 2 together – column 3 and 4 together)
· This can be a timed activity. Pairs of students can compete against each other or against their previous time.
START / central idea of a piece of writing / theme / force working against the main character; may be another character; nature; society or forces within the characterantagonist / conflict type in which a character has problems with another character / man vs. man / writing that tells about real people, place, and events without changing any facts
nonfiction / literature meant to be performed by actors with the story being told by actions and dialogues of the characters / drama / the story is told by someone outside
of the story
third person / end of a story
where the problems
are solved / resolution / angle from which
the story is told
point of view / Similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses. / parallelism / figure of speech that makes a reference to, or representation of, a place, event, literary work, myth, or work of art, either directly or by implication
allusion / problem or struggle between two or more opposing forces / conflict / one of the characters
is telling the story
first-person / main character
or hero / protagonist / writing that comes
from the writer’s imagination
fiction / Sequence of events in the story / plot / The practice of analyzing, classifying, interpreting, or evaluating literary or other artistic works.
critique / Figure of speech in which statements are exaggerated / hyperbole / the highest point
(turning point)
in the action
of a story
climax / a phrase whose meaning cannot be determined by the literal definition of the phrase itself, but refers instead to a figurative meaning that is known only through common use / idiom / Contrast between what happens and what was expected
Situational irony / conflict type in which a character has problems with accepted ways of doing things / man vs. society / a narrator relates thoughts and feelings of all characters
omniscient / time and place
of a story / setting / Repetition of beginning consonant sounds
alliteration / an extended uninterrupted speech by a character in a drama / monologue / A dramatic or literary form of discourse in which a character talks to himself or herself or reveals his or her thoughts
soliloquy / A play on words, sometimes on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words / pun / Comparison of unlike things using like or as
simile / Giving inanimate objects human qualities and traits / personification / form or type
of literature
genre / END
Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech
Materials
· Martin Luther King, Jr. poem, paper, trash can or large paper bag
· Transparencies of speech site/presentation [Use Google Images to locate photos for use; copyright laws prevent including these photos on the CD
· “I Have a Dream” script
· Video clip of speech
· Guided viewing cards
· Paraphrase samples
Description
Prediction Basketball is an active strategy that engages students and forces them to not only make a prediction, but also to explain what evidence from the story led them to make that prediction. If the text reaches a suspense point where a number of things may happen, you could add this strategy to reinforce the skill of prediction.
Reader's Theater is a strategy in which students read from scripts. Lines are not memorized, but students are encouraged to read with expression. Students love to perform Reader's Theater scripts more than once which is a good idea; repeated reading builds comprehension and fluency as it improves students' self-esteem, reading confidence, and enthusiasm for reading. Somebody Wanted But So (SWBS) is a summarizing strategy where the reader identifies the main idea by completing the Somebody (character) Wanted (motivation) But (conflict) So (resolution) graphic organizer. The Guided Viewing Cards give students a purpose for listening. Paraphrase Samples give students a chance to select the best paraphrase for a speech.
Step-by-Step
1. Read the first two stanzas of the poem. Ask the participants to make a prediction about the title of the poem, write their prediction of a piece of paper, wad it up, and throw it in the trash can. Read the prediction of those who get their paper in the garbage can
2. Show transparency #1(Lincoln Memorial on the day of MLK speech). Ask participants to write down 5 things they notice. Share/discuss observations. Then show Transparency #2 (close-up of site). Write down 5 things they notice, questions, connections, etc. What kinds of inferences can we make about this event based on “reading” this photograph?
3. Assign parts and read the script.
4. Discuss the thesis using SWBS.
5. Give participants the guided viewing cards (one for each group of 5).
6. Watch the video clip.
7. Share answers to guided viewing cards.
8. Give out envelopes of paraphrasing.
9. Have participants select the best paraphrase for the excerpt from the speech.
10. Close by pointing out that we could address even more standards with this speech.