Spring 2016 Defense of Learning

DEFENSE OF

LEARNING: SPRING

M E N T E E : L U M I C H A N

M E N T O R : C H R I S T I N E R U S S O

F O R T H A M I LT O N E L A R E S I D E N T

D AT E C O L L E C T I O N A P R I L - M AY

2 0 1 6 : P R E S E N TAT I O N J U N E 8 T H 2 0 1 6

STUDENT DATA: BASELINE (SEPTEMBER)

6&7th period class: Double period literacy; all students

scored below a 3 on the 8th grade ELA exam

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

0-55 56-65 67-75 76-85 86-90 90-95 96-

100

Baseline Scores

# of Students

Baseline Essay: Students wrote a five paragraph

essay based on Steve Jobs commencement

speech in 2001. Student were to choose 2 out of

the 3 lessons Jobs describe in his speech.

PURPOSE: DOL1 AND DOL2 DoL1 – Data collection and analysis based on Judith Hochman’s PIE Quick Outline

- Subskills: Writing an introduction sentence, transition sentence, evidence,

explanation, and conclusion sentence

Rationale: Students learned a structural outline in assistance to creating a well

written paragraph. Students can use the outline for any type of essay as long as

they follow the conventions of Topic Sentence, Point, Important Quote,

Explanation and Summary Sentence

DoL2 – Data collection and analysis based on Judith Hochman’s Introduction and

Conclusion Paragraphs

- Subskills: Writing an introduction paragraph for an Argumentative Essay

and Central Idea essay

Rationale: Students have the ability to create a coherent paragraph and now,

students must be able to produce a clear and coherent introduction and

conclusion paragraph in order to write a 5 paragraph essay.

BREAKDOWN

Initial Strategy: Introduction and Conclusion Quick Outline Focus Skill: Constructing a introduction and conclusion paragraph Rationale: Based on the baseline assessment, students lack organization in their essay writing.

Subskills:

1. Forming an Argumentative Essay introduction with a General Statement, Specific Statement and Thesis Statement.

2. Forming an Argumentative Essay conclusion sentence with a Thesis Statement, Specific Statement and General Statement.

3. Forming a Central Idea Introduction with a Central Idea Sentence, Literary Element Sentence, Literary Element Definition Sentence.

Smart goal: Students will be able to compose a complete 5 paragraph essay, with an introduction and conclusion paragraph by May 31, 2016.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

CYCLE 1: INTRODUCTION TO INTRODUCTION

STRUCTURE FOR CENTRAL IDEA ESSAYS

For the first cycle, students were introduced to

the structure of a general central idea

paragraph. Students will first focus on the

structure of the introduction before given

extra steps of modifications.

CYCLE 1 PRACTICE

After going through the

layout of how a

introduction

paragraph, students

practiced explaining

how each sentence

is either a General,

Specific or Thesis

Statement.

CYCLE 1 PRACTICE

Based on the previous play

we read, together as a

class, students

identified each

statement and labeled

them according to the

introduction layout.

CYCLE 1: FBI (CENTRAL IDEA PARAGRAPH)

APRIL

Together as a class, we came up with the

entire introduction paragraph together.

This is the first time students were

required to write an entire introduction.

CYCLE 1

All students for the first cycle created the

same introduction paragraph. This

practice was to help students practice

creating an introduction paragraph.

Thesis Statement

Specific

Statement

General Statement

CYCLE 2: CENTRAL IDEA

Through Literature Circles,

students practiced

continuously with

identifying literary

elements in their

books.

CYCLE 2: SENTENCE STARTERS

The central idea paragraph is structured through a set sentence

structure for students to follow such as…

1) The central idea of “(Article/book name)”, is _______________

_____________________________________________________.

2) One literary element that supports the central idea is through

literary element (mood/tone/conflict/characterization/setting).

3) (Definition of literary element).

CYCLE 2: CENTRAL IDEA WITH LITERARY

ELEMENT

Ciara (Low)

- Students composed their own introduction

paragraph based on the set outline of a

central idea introduction paragraph.

1st Sentence: Identify the Central Idea

2nd Sentence: Identify the Literary Element

3rd Sentence: Definition of Literary Element


ELEMENT

Aaliyah (Medium)





ELEMENT

Abigail (High)




CYCLE 2: LITERATURE CIRCLES (EXTENSION)

Students were able to compose a

introduction based on a central

idea in a text. This extension helps

students develop a coherent and

grounded explanation to their

reasoning, exanding on past skills.

CYCLE 2: LITERATURE CIRCLE PRACTICE (EXTENSION)


Ciara (Low) Literature Circle Practice: “Father”

in Living Up The Street by Gary Soto.


Abigail (High) Literature Circle Practice:

“Father” in Living Up The Street by Gary Soto.

CYCLE 3: ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY INTRODUCTION

AND CONCLUSIONS

Students created their own paragraphs

based on the play Romeo and Juliet.

CYCLE 3:INTRODUCTION VS. CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH

The only difference between the

introduction and conclusion is that

layout is reversed.

CYCLE 3: INTRODUCTION WORKSHEET

All students created the

same introduction

paragraph together.

CYCLE 3: CONCLUSION WORKSHEET

Students individually

created their own

reworded version of the

Introduction Paragraph

outline.


AND CONCLUSIONS

Ciara (Low)

*Resource Room assistance


Conclusion Paragraph


AND CONCLUSIONS

Aaliyah (Medium)




AND CONCLUSIONS

Abigail (High)



FINAL DATA: SEPTEMBER VS. MAY

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

0 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

0-55 56-65 67-75 76-85 86-90 90-95 96-100

Baseline Scores Romeo and Juliet’s Argumentative Scores

Part 2: Argumentative Common Core Rubric

0 – 0-45

1 – 46-55

2 – 56-60

3 – 61-64

4 – 65-80

5 – 85-93

6 – 94-100

25% passing rate

61% passing rate

Student passing rate through

strategies implemented through

DoL1 and DoL2 data collected shows

a 36% passing rate increase.

STUDENT PASSING RATE

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Fall

2015

Spring

2016

Amount of Students Passed

Amount of

Students

Passed

There was a 41% (10

students) increase in

passing rate from Fall

2015 to Spring 2016.

CHALLENGES AND INSTRUCTIONAL NEXT STEPS

Challenges:

1) Students are able to explain their quotes well, but struggle to

relate it back to the central idea. Missing the “HOW”.

2) Students are able to pick out strong quotes, but struggle with

proper citations (Titles, Articles, Page Numbers)

Next Steps:

1) Continue to have scaffold student’s writing through literature

circles. Prompting students to cite and explain the how in their

writing.

RESOURCES & OVERALL REFLECTION

• Mentor, Fellow Teachers at FHHS, Fellow Residents at FHHS, Site

Coach, Fellow English Cohort members

• Hunter Classes:

English Methods SEDC 704 – Building Foundations of Literacy in

Adolescent 7-12

English Methods SEDC 781 - Laura Preisser (Practicum: Activities)

• Professional Development

• Books:

Jeff Zwier’s Building Academic Language: Meeting Common Core

Standards Across Disciplines, Grade 5-12

Reiss, Jodi. 120 Content Strategies For English Language Learners

Teaching For Academic Success in Secondary School

Overall Reflection:

Based on data alone, overall class passing rate on a argumentative essay

is 36%. Although many students are still just meeting the passing score,

they have significantly improved from a 1 to a 3 for the argumentative

essay. Students that have not shown progression are students with

consistent absences and disruptive behavior (in which intervention took

place but no changes shown).

Documents

Spring 2016 Defense of Learning