Task RotationMaking Students as Important as the Standards

KEDC

March 2007

Let’s take a minute to whine……

Why might teachers whine about the standards?

So many…Frequently change…Expectation of mastery level performanceDifferent levels of students…same standardsTeacher Accountability Pressure…Motivation of students….

Think of a time you met someone that at first you didn’t like that much, but later grew to like…

What had to happen to change your perspective? How did you get to know the person?

How might standards seem cold and unfriendly?

How can we make friends with the standards?

DiversitDiversityy

StandardStandard

Two seemingly different ideas that work together.

How might standards seem cold & impersonal?

Big Idea: Culture is the way of life shared by a group of people, including their ideas and traditions. Cultures reflect the values and beliefs of groups in different ways; however, there are universals connecting all cultures. Culture influences viewpoints, rules and institutions in a global society. Students should understand that all people from cultural groups throughout the United States and the World and the issues and challenges that unite and divide them.

A.E. 2.16.1 Students observe, analyze and interpret human behaviors, social groupings, and institutions to better understand people and the relationships among individuals and among groups.

Students will: Analyze cultural elements of diverse groups in the U.S. Describe how belief systems, knowledge, technology and behavior patterns define cultures Analyze historical perspectives and events in the modern world and the United States in terms of

how they have affected and been affected by cultural issues and elements Describe and compare how various human needs are met through interactions with and among

social institutions in the modern world and the United States Explain or give examples of how communications between groups can be influenced by cultural

differences; explain the reasons why conflict and competition developed as cultures emerged in the modern world and in the United States

Describe how compromise and cooperation are characteristics that influence interaction in the modern world and the United States

Compare examples of cultural elements of diverse groups today and those of the past, using information from a variety of print and non-print sources

Making Standards Personal

Mastery

What do I want students to know?

Understanding

What do I want students to investigate and understand deeply?

Interpersonal

What do I want students to be like/ what attitudes do I want students to develop?

Self Expressive

What do I want students to be able to do or create?

Task Rotation: Alignment of Standards and Diversity

Mastery Understanding Self Expressive Interpersonal

Oliver Wendell Holmes There are one-story intellects,

two-story intellects, and three-story intellects with skylights.

All fact collectors who have no aim beyond their facts are one-storymen.

Two-story men compare, reason, generalize, using the labor of fact collectors as their own.

Three-story men idealize, imagine, predict--their best illumination comes from above the skylight.

Four Story Men……..

Four story men apply, connect, reflect, personalize, and work from their heart daring to make the world a brighter and better place to live.

On one hand there are the standards… SC-07-1.1.1 Students will: classify substances according

to their chemical/reactive properties;

infer real life applications for substances based on chemical/reactive properties.

Simple experiments should be performed in order to provide data to support the conclusion that the chemical properties of a substance cause it to react in predictable ways with other substances to form compounds with different characteristic properties. In chemical reactions, the total mass is conserved. Substances are often classified into groups if they react in similar ways. The patterns which allow classification can be used to infer or understand real life applications for those substances. DOK 3

Design and conduct an investigation of different chemicals to determine which would be the best choice for a specific application, then test the results, analyze the data

and form a conclusion.

After testing the substances provided for you at your stations, create a classification chart. Explain how the groups are similar and why you grouped the substances this way. Explain the causes for the differences.

Describe the characteristics of an acid or a base.

Create a chart listing practical applications of different substances and explain why those substances would be appropriate for the applications you

suggest.

on the other is diversity of thought…

Task 1

Task 2

Task 4

Task 3

What is Task Rotation?

Task Rotation Strategy is a deliberate FOUR-STEP approach to an aspect of the curriculum.

In the Task Rotation Strategy, the teacher plans to provide students with a broad frame of reference which results in seeing and interacting with the given content from four specific orientations or styles.

Four Rs

Remember Reason Relate Recreate

Four Learning Styles

Task Rotation Page 4-5

Review the four types of learning styles.

ry to personalize the content.

nspire students to use their imagination

tart with clear expectations

rovide questions that puzzle and data that teases

Goals

Depth

Thinking

Motivation

Flexibility

4

3

2

1 Recall

Concept/SkillsStrategic ThinkingExtended Thinking

Four ThoughtsFour R’s

MasteryREMEMBERING Observing Memorizing Sequencing Categorizing Describing Retelling Error Analysis Demonstrations

UnderstandingREASONING•Comparing •Contrasting•Analyzing•Summarizing•Explaining•Arguing a stand•Inferring•Weigh evidence and respond to counterarguments•Conclusions•Problem solving

Four Thoughts

Self ExpressiveRECREATING Imagining Suppositions Reorganizing, Recreating Hypothesizing Synthesizing Using Metaphors Design Perform Invent Create Interpret

InterpersonalRELATING

•Feelings•Empathizing•Prefer•Value•Evaluate•Judge•Connect Personally•Community service•Project•Decision Making

Examine Samples

What can you learn from samples of other teachers’ work?

How can you bring the Depth of Knowledge to the work of Thoughtful Education?

State Assessment, whose test is it?

The Declaration of Independence states…”governments are instituted among men, deriving their just power from the consent of the governed…”

A democracy derives its power from its citizens. Discuss in detail, THREE ways in which the citizens provide the U.S. government with its power.

Occupation % Change Occupation % Change

Home Health Aides 138% Medical Assistants 71%

Human Service Workers 136%

Personal and Home Care 130%

Computer Engineers 112%

System Analysis 110%

Physical Therapist 93%

Paralegals 86%

Detectives 70%

Correction Officers 70%

Child Care Workers 60%

Travel Agents 66%

Radiology 61%

Research Analysis 60%

The chart shows occupations in the U.S. that are expected to experience the greatest rate of growth in the future.

Discuss TWO changes occurring in American society that offer an explanation for the fast growth rate of TWO of these occupations.

Kentucky Common Released Item

The diagram above shows a cell and its organelles. Select FOUR of its organelles and explain how the structures and functions of those organelles within the cell are similar to the structures and functions of different parts of your school.

An Aspirin a Day

Consider a pregnant woman who is experiencing extreme nausea and who has a family history of heart disease.

A. Identify TWO pros and TWO cons from the article that the woman and her doctor should discuss when considering daily aspirin therapy.

B. Use evidence from the article to support your answer.

A risk behavior is an action that can negatively affect the health and safety of self and others.

A. Identify THREE risk behaviors and explain in detail the potential impact upon the quality of life.

Constitutional rights in the U.S. extend to all citizens. The Bill of Right guarantees: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to assemble and to petition the government, the right to keep and bear arms, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, the right to due process of law, the right to counsel, and protection from cruel and unusual punishment.

A. Select one of these Constitutional Rights listed that you support or that you feel is particularly important. Discuss TWO reasons for your position.

B. Select one of the Constitutional Rights listed that your DO NOT support or that you feel should be amended. Discuss TWO reasons for your position.

You are able to travel through time via a time machine. You choose to travel to the decade of the 1960s because you have a report due for your humanities class. Since your report is about the music of that decade, you visit several years during the 1960s to listen to music of that period.

A. Describe TWO ways that the issues and or events of the 60s affected the music of that time.

B. Describe TWO effects the music had upon social change and/or people’s beliefs in the 60s.

The city council in your town has decided that “cruising” and loitering are problems they must address.

A member of city council has said in the local newspaper, “Many people have come to us complaining that the people cruising and loitering make our town look bad and it hurts our environment. Others claim it is a person’s right to drive back and forth through town or to stand in public places talking. We have to make a decision and we need your input.”

Task: Prepare a speech to be given to the seven person city council outlining your solution to either loitering, cruising or both, but convince the council to try your plan.

Goals of Task Rotation: Depth and Breadth

To help students master basic factual material by asking them to recall facts or definitions, use sequences, use categories, and or use procedures.

To help students increase understanding by asking them to compare and contrast, summarize, prove, and/or establish causal relationships.

To help students to reorganize content by asking them to hypothesize, imagine and elaborate, use metaphors, and/or synthesize.

To help students relate personally to the content by describing feelings, empathizing, express a preference, or make a value judgment or reflect upon decisions and outcomes.

A Style Based Approach to Assessment

Mastery

Read Richard J. Blaustein’s paper, “Kudzu’s Invasion into Southern United States’ Life and Culture.”

Use a graphic organizer to list the advantages and disadvantages of the introduction of this plant into our ecosystem.

A Style Based Approach to Assessment

Understanding

Make a Case

Agree or Disagree

The U.S. made a mistake in introducing Kudzu as groundcover to the United States.

A Style Based Approach to Assessment

Interpersonal

Write a letter to your local Department of Agriculture explaining the impact of introducing this plant to the mountains of Kentucky. Be sure to explain what you think should be done to control the growth Kuduz in your region.

A Style Based Approach to Assessment

Self Expressive

Choose a metaphor…

The introduction of Kudzu to U.S. soil is a(n)….

• foreign invasion

• gift

• scar

• protective blanket

• ugly mask

because…….

OR

Explain how the introduction to Kudzu to the U.S. was both a curse and a blessing.

Planning: Write Your Own Collect your StandardsCollect your Standards Choose a topic and standards you are Choose a topic and standards you are

working on.working on. Identify your PurposeIdentify your Purpose What do you want students to know, What do you want students to know,

understand, be like, and what skills are understand, be like, and what skills are you focusing the work on?you focusing the work on?

Rotate tasks in all Four StylesRotate tasks in all Four Styles Establish activities or task for each of the Establish activities or task for each of the

four learning styles.four learning styles. Create a Scenario and hook to arouse Create a Scenario and hook to arouse

interest and create meaninginterest and create meaning Determine how you will connect the Determine how you will connect the

information to prior knowledge, information to prior knowledge, experiences, and interests.experiences, and interests.

Look for CriteriaLook for Criteria Determine the standards by which the Determine the standards by which the

work will be evaluated.work will be evaluated. Establish a Work PlanEstablish a Work Plan Determine how students will complete Determine how students will complete

the task (i.e. individually, groups) and how the task (i.e. individually, groups) and how much time students will need.much time students will need.

Plan Your Task

Putting the Strategy to Work

Clarify the learning goals. Clarify the four tasks. Provide opportunity for students to choose 2 or

more tasks to complete. Give students time to complete the tasks. Tie the tasks together, facilitate discussion by

analyzing advantages and disadvantages of doing tasks that required different types of thinking.

Survey students’ attitudinal feedback on their preferences and how it relates to style.

Thought is Dialogue with Self and Others Is the purpose clear? Do the tasks align to the standards? Do the tasks deepen understanding? Are the tasks well defined so students

know what the expectations are? Are the tasks age appropriate? Do the tasks align to different styles of

thought?

Task RotationQuestioning in Style

Better Questions ….Better Responses

Think of a unit or a lesson you are presently working on in class.

Write six to eight questions you might ask of your students in this study.

Four Kinds of Questions Four Kinds of Thought

What are three changes brought about by Columbus’ discovery of a new world?

Is Columbus more like or more different than an astronaut?

Suppose Columbus landed on the west coast of the United States. How would our history be different?

How can Columbus’ discovery of America be viewed as both exploration and exploitation?

Think about the questions….

How did the questions invoke different kinds of thought?

Did some questions take more time to think about than others?

Which questions were you most comfortable/uncomfortable with?

What are the advantages of questioning around the wheel of style?

Look back over the questions you ask of your students. How balanced are your questions with learning styles? Do you prefer certain types of questions more than others?

Questioning Around the Wheel of Style

Select a standard and design questions around the wheel of style.

How well did you balance style, standards and depth of knowledge?

Mastery Question

What is the function of government as defined by the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution?

Interpersonal Question

Rank the Bill of Rights in order of most important to least important. Explain which rights are most important to you and give reasons for your choices.

Understanding Question

Explain why “We the PEOPLE..” are considered the most important words in the Preamble?

Self Expressive

How is the U.S. Constitution a contract that is both liberating and restrictive?

Looking Back

What?What?

So What?So What?

Now What?Now What?