TE 401: Teaching Social Studies to Diverse Learners

Class 8 October 16, 2008

Assessment and Microteaching

Agenda

• Reminders

• Museum Pre-Planning/Explanation of the Assignment

• Assessment

• Microteaching Workshop

• Mochizuki, Baseball Saved Us

Reminders

• A word about due dates

• Free wikis for teachers

• Chicago Public Schools Internship Information Session

• Sunday, October 19th - 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM in the Erickson Hall Kiva.

Michigan Historical Center

October 23, 2008

9:30Am – 11:30 AM

Meet at the Michigan Historical Center

Objectives for this assignment...• Identify and analyze aspects of Michigan mining history to determine significant (big) ideas.

• Create digital stories based on artifacts, exhibits, and information from the museum to engage students with the content.

• Collaborate with peers to plan and implement the digital story.

• Experience effective ways for planning and implementing a field trip for future students.

Critical attributes of field trips...• Pre-planning: Address the logistical and cognitive aspects of the field trip.

• Constructive use of time at the museum: Field trips are more than a “break” from school. Engage students in learning and exploring information, albeit in a new context.

• Post-visit debrief: Build on students’ learning experience(s) at the site to continue their learning in the classroom.

Pre-planning for museum visit...• Read Friggens article (course pack) about mining in Michigan.

• Small group brainstorm about museum organization (in-class).

• Learning with our eyes.

• Learn the basics of digital storytelling.

• Break into small groups (will be the same as microteaching groups)

When we get to the museum...• Greeting by Laurie Perkins (museum education coordinator).

• “Mums the Word” tour with guiding questions.

• Docent-led exploration of Mining gallery.

• Discussion about guiding questions.

• Group work time.

Pre-planning: Focus on mining...• For our stories, we will focus on Michigan’s mining history. What does the mining exhibit hold in store?–http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-17447_1859

5_18596-54214--,00.html

• Note that each link to the different aspects of mining provides helpful background information for your specific topic. Read the section for your topic before the museum visit.

Mining Themes – Digital Storytelling Groups

• Copper – Case Method Group

• Iron – Inquiry Group

• Salt to coal (focusing on other minerals of Michigan, related Michigan geography) – Simulation Group

• Transportation and shipping of ore – Literature Circle Group

• Mining communities – Discussion/Debate

Museum Digital Story

• Teaching social studies skills and content through/with museums and digital storytelling.

Technology needed to create a digital story...

•Digital camera – instructor will provide unless you want to bring your own (including usb cord).

•Laptop – proper software (iMovie, Photo Story 3,)

•Camera and laptop will be used at the museum. Only one per group necessary.

Photo Story 3 and Demonstration

Elements of our digital stories...• Title and name of group members

• A short introduction & rationale for topic and its significance for students

• 10-15 photographs/images

• Voice narration that tells the story and connects it to a big idea

• Reference section outlining appropriate GLCEs addressed by your topic (as opening or closing credits)

• Music (optional, but recommended)

What is assessment?

• Determining what students know and can do; the process of gathering and interpreting information about students in order to plan instruction and evaluate student achievement

• To thoroughly and methodically analyze student accomplishments against specific goals and criteria

Purposes of Assessment

1. achievement of objectives/meeting the standards

2. curriculum evaluation

3. instructional evaluation (how well am I teaching?)

4. sorting and screening students (MEAP – scholarship or special attention)

5. public accountability to show public how school is going, to get accreditation from the state

Assessment Types – Ch. 12 Brophy and Alleman

• Authentic assessment – connects to “real-life” challenges (i.e. Designing a lesson plan to teach in the field and microteaching)

• Preliminary assessment – KWL charts, brainstorming (Seeing Student Thinking)

• Formative assessment – assessments made during a unit (quizzes)

• Summative assessment – assessments (tests and midterms)

• Informal assessment – “checking for understanding”, self-assessment, (Metacognitive Moments)

• Performance assessment – projects (Digital Storytelling)

How assessment fits into curriculum planning

• Objectives drive assessment– Necessitates the need for specific action

verbs: identify, debate, analyze, create– See Objective Verbs

• Assessment drives instruction– Importance of preliminary assessment like

Seeing Student Thinking interview– Helps teacher identify prior knowledge

Micro-Teaching Workshop

• Goals for today:– Discuss with group members how the instructional strategy

works (refer to the readings and write ideas for the paragraph on the assignment that asks you to explain the strategy)

– Select the topic you are planning to teach using your designated instructional strategy

– Craft objective(s) for the lesson grounded in NCSS standards

– Design your lesson and sequence it out, who will be charge of what

Groups will take their own ten minute break.

Baseball Saved Us

• KWL Chart

• unitedstreaming.com

• Read aloud

• Creative dramatics

• Mochizuki, Baseball Saved Us

Japanese Internment Camps

Read Aloud

Creative Dramatics

• Using pantomime in Creative Dramatics – It’s a form of ‘acting’ that uses only facial

expressions and body language• Using faces and hands only (while still seated in your

seats), display:- when the Japanese found out they were being

forced out of their homes– when the boy stepped up to the plate to bat– when he hit a home run

• Divide into 4 groups– 10-12 minutes to decide how to act out the scene

using pantomime – 2 or less minutes each when enacted.

Baseball Saved Us - Scenes

Group 1 - Arriving at internment camp Teddy yelling at Dad

Group 2 - Dad decided to build a baseball diamond, people working on various parts

Group 3 - Baseball scene, guard watching, home run

Group 4 - Returning back ‘home’ after leaving internment camp, lunch, baseball

Performance Routines

– Everyone is listening attentively when one group is performing

– Everyone ‘on stage’ is frozen into position– When you’re ready to begin, say: “3…2…

1…action!” then the engagement begins– When you’re ready to stop, say: “3...2…1…

cut!”

Performance Critiques

• “I like how _____ did ______”

• “I think ______ had really great facial expression when s/he ______”

Be mindful to avoid, “They did good! It was funny!” and replace with more meaningful feedback

Lesson Extensions

• Have students write a 1-page letter. They can choose their perspective, their character, the situation, and their audience. This connects text-to-self

• Letter ideas:– A child writing to a friend from their old school– An adult writing to a family member in Japan– An adult writing to the US government

• Share letters in small groups 2-3, share a few with the class

Metacognitive Moment

• Reflect on the activity:– How did the lesson help build text

comprehension?– How did the activities create meaningful social

studies content-learning?– What were effective teaching strategies

employed in this lesson that you would want to remember?