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Motivate students by offering tiered activities to improve comprehension of the solar system. Enhance reading, writing, and scientific skills through differentiated tasks.
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Debbie Walch Motivating my students using tiered activities “Have the ability to overcome the lack of interest in reading and writing to learn. Allen, Janet, 2004; “Tools For Teaching Content Literacy.” Stenhouse Publishers. Portland, Maine
My Experience • I have taught 6 years in a parochial school. I have had the opportunity to teach at numerous grade levels over the years and have drawn from each experience. I started my career as a Pre-K teacher using centers and then moved on to 1st and 2nd grade using cooperative learning. My final year was with 4th and 5th grade continuing with cooperative learning. I will be starting a new position this year at another parochial school teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Science.
The Challenges • Teaching in a parochial school has its issues when you have 2 grade levels at the same time. I felt like my time was stretched and that my students didn’t make meaningful connections within the lessons. How do I motivate my students to make meaningful connections? Will giving them more choices in their learning by using tiered activities motivate them to make those connections?
My Definition of Reading • Students make sense out of what they are reading by making meaningful connections. Reading requires students to decode text by making sense of the letters, sounds, words, and sentences. They also have to then comprehend the text and make a connection to their personal background to internalize their learning.
Reading and Writing Strategies • Imagery • Journaling • Sequencing • Cause/ Effect • Comparisons • Visualizing • Summarizing • Synthesizing • Making connections • Prior Knowledge • Inferring • Evaluating • Questioning
Time frame for lesson: • 4 weeks – open to change based on student interest and enthusiasm.
Procedures: • Pre-assess using KWL • Brainstorm ideas with students that they may want to do that’s different from mine. • Inform students of the 3 levels they must go through and how many they must complete in each level. 600pts total.
Objectives • Students will identify characteristics of objects in our solar system including the sun, planets, meteorites, comets, asteroids, and moons. • Students will collect data by observing and measuring. • Students will analyze and interpret information to construct reasonable explanations from direct and indirect evidence.
Level C = 40 ptsSun http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_kids/AskKids/sun.shtml • Take notes in journal of lecture (5pts) • Learn vocabulary using flash cards, crosswords, games, etc. (10pts) • Draw a diagram of the sun and label it. (20pts) • Create a travel brochure of an imaginary vacation trip to the sun. Include sites to visit, a map and travel tips. (20pts) • Make a 3-D model of the sun and label it. (20pts) • Write a book about the sun. (20pts) • Watch a video or web quest about the sun and summarize it. (10pts)
Level C Cont.Inner Planets http://www.kidsastronomy.com/solar_system.htm http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/index.cfm?Display=Mercury • Take notes in journal on lecture. (5pts) • Learn vocabulary using flash cards, crossword, games, etc. (10pts) • Make a chart comparing the characteristics of the inner planets. (10pts) • Draw and label the inner planets. (10pts) • Make a poster about exploring the inner planets. Include a timeline. What spacecraft was used? What difficulties did they encounter? (20pts) • Write a story about taking a trip to the inner planets. Describe how you would get there and what you would see and experience. (20pts) • Make a 3-D model of each of the inner planets. (20pts) • Make a power point presentation of the inner planets and share with the class. (20pts)
Level C ContOuter Planets • Take notes in journal on lecture. (5pts) • Learn vocabulary by using flashcards, crossword, games, etc.) • Make a poster showing the characteristics of the outer planets. (10pts) • Make a chart comparing the characteristics of the outer planets. (10pts) • Look at the planet diameters and design a scale model that shows the relative size of each of the outer planets. (20pts) • Design a scale model of the outer planets that shows their relative distance from the sun. (20pts) • Make a chart or a poster showing important discoveries related to the outer planets. (10pts) • Make a chart showing how long it takes each of the outer planets to get around the sun. (15pts) • Identify and describe the systems of the outer planets. (10pts)
Level C Cont.Comets, Asteroids, and Meteors • Take notes in journal on lecture. (5pts) • Learn vocabulary by using flashcards, crossword, games, etc. (10pts) • Describe a comet system using any form of communication you want. (5pts) • Make a model of a comet system. (5pts) • Make a chart comparing and contrasting comets, asteroids, and meteors. (15pts) • Make a timeline showing major discoveries of comets, asteroids, and meteors. (15pts) • Describe an asteroid using any form of communication you want. (5pts) • Make a model of an asteroid. (10pts) • Describe a meteor using any form of communication you want. (5pts) • Make a model of a meteor. (10pts)
Level C Cont.Space Travel • Take notes in journal on lecture. (5pts) • Learn vocabulary by using flashcards, crossword, games, etc. (10pts) • Make a timeline of travel in space. (20pts) • Make a chart comparing and contrasting rockets, satellites, and space stations. (20pts) • Build a rocket. (20 pts) • What equipment is needed in space? Describe it and explain its use and why its needed using any form of communication you want. (20pts) • Design a space colony. Draw a rough sketch and include water, electricity, air and food. (20pts) • Design a tool to be used in space. Remember to consider gravity and how to use it. (15pts) • Pretend you are the first human explorer to land on _______(pick a planet). Write at least 5 journal entries about your experiences on the planet. What did you explore? What problems did you have? What is the planet like? Use at least 10 facts about the planet in your entries. (20pts)
Level C Cont.Moon and Phases • Take notes in journal over lecture. (5pts) • Learn vocabulary using flashcards, crossword, games, etc. (10pts) • Design a chart that compares and contrasts solar eclipses and lunar eclipses. (10pts) • Design a children’s book that explains the phases of the moon and why they happen. (20pts) • Describe how we can know the time by looking at the moon using any form of communication you want. (10pts) • Design a chart that compares and contrasts spring and neap tides. (10pts) • Observe the moon for 5 days. For each day draw the surface features you see and include the phase it is in. (10pts) • In a group of 3 or 4 write and perform a skit about the phases of the moon. (20pts)
Level BChoose 1 for 50pts. • Put together a trip through the solar system. What problems will you encounter and how will you overcome them? What will you see? Put together a brochure. • Design a game that teaches the solar system or the moon and its phases. • Make a model of the entire solar system. • Design a bulletin board with facts about the solar system. Use color. • Design a children’s book about the solar system. Be sure to include a title, 10 facts about the solar system and pictures. Your book must be colorful and neat. • With no more than 2 other people, write a song or a skit about the planets or the moon and its phases. Include at least 2 facts about each planet or each phase. Perform for the entire class. • Design our own space craft. (Use this website for ideas) http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/kids/papermodels.cfm
Level AChoose 1 for 50pts. • Using 2 sources, write a 3 paragraph paper answering one question from below. The first paragraph should be an introduction. The second paragraph should give facts and information about your question, such as pros and cons. The third paragraph should give your opinion based on your research. Be sure to list your sources. • Should Pluto have been declassified as a planet? • Should humans try to colonize Mars? • Should humans be concerned about large objects in our solar system hitting the Earth? • Could there be life on other planets? • Should we continue to exploration of the moon? • Interview 2 or 3 adults regarding t he subject of using satellites as devices for spying. Should they be used or not? Write a 2 to 3 paragraph opinion paper. • Write 2 paragraphs on the topic of space junk. Use the internet or library to research the topic. Look for answers to what should we do about how we can deal with it, what will eventually happen if we ignore this subject, and how much junk is really there. • Write your own science fiction short story about humans colonizing ___________(pick a planet). It should be at least 2 pages long, and include 5 facts about the planet in the story.
Extension Activities: Choose 1 for 60pts. • Design and illustrate an informative timeline that shows major cosmic events. You should begin with the Big Bang Theory and end with the first appearance of dinosaurs on Earth. You should include important events such as the creation of galaxies, the formation of our Sun and Solar Systems, and the beginning of life on Earth. • Research the internet for articles about the first Apollo lunar landing and moon walk. Reenact this event through a video documentary, a play, or a front page news article. Compare today’s space missions with the missions of nearly 40 years ago. • Create a map that shows any geological regions on Earth that match the geology of other planets or moons. You should describe these geological formations and indicate which planets have similar structures. • Design a life form that would thrive on one of the other planets or moons in our solar system. Give examples of where the life form might also exist in an extreme environment on Earth. Include food and habitat requirements. “Students that are engaged are 1.)attracted to their work, 2.)persist in their work despite challenges, and 3.)take joy in accomplishing their goal.” Strong, Richard; Silver, Harvey F., Robinson, Amy, 1995; “What Do Students Want (And What Really Motivates Them?)” Educational Leadership.
Assessments • Diagnostic- involves pre-assessing the students to find out what they know and what they are interested in learning. Using this assessment a teacher can adjust his/her lessons to better fit her students’ needs. KWL, Observations, Brainstorming • Formative- is done throughout the unit to assess students’ learning. It gives feedback to the teacher and then she and her students are able to again make adjustments and enhance the learning experience. Observations, Journal Entries • Summative- can be used at the conclusion of the unit to assess the overall learning of the students and their understanding of the key concepts and objectives. Final projects, Rubrics, Tests
Reflections • New Questions-Will I truly motivate my students using tiered activities? YES. How do I go further with these ideas? It’s all in my hands and I’m running with it!!! • Ideas that made an impression-Everything! Using the internet for research and games, and You Tube educational videos! • Surprises-The amount of ideas out there! Never ending!
References • http://www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/bestpractice/tiered/index.html • http://www.bertiekingore.com/tieredinstruct.htm • http://www.eht.k12.nj.us/~Jonesj/Differentiated%20Instruction/Tiered%20Instruction.htm • www.ascd.org • www.specialed.about.com • www2.scholastic.com
