Teaching Context Clues: Context Clue Challenge: A Fun Way to Engage Students

I haven't taught this lesson yet, but I think it looks like fun.  I'm hoping we can share some links and/or lessons we've used or look fun that can be adapted across the literacy curriculum.
Teaching Context Clues: Context Clue Challenge: A Fun Way to Engage Students

Notes from the School-Based Teacher Leader Meeting 2/15/12

Common Core Curriculum

Changes to come

·      How much nonfiction should you be teaching

·      All teachers are literacy teachers

·      Increase lexile range scores

·      Writing for the common core will be argumentative

·      Big changes are taking place at the elementary level

·      Strands

o   Reading

o   Writing

o   Speaking and listening

o   Language

o   Media literacy

o   Research

·      Reading

o   Balance of literature and informational texts

o   Text complexity

·      Writing

o   Emphasis on argument and informative/explanatory writing

o   Use of technology to facilitate interaction and collaboration

·      Persuasive vs. argumentative writing

o   Kids can’t just make an emotional appeal

o   Well-reasoned argument required

o   What is argument?

·      Text complexity

o   We will need to teach more complex texts

·      Explicit strategy instruction

o   Create awareness

o   Model (that’s not at or above their frustration level) & demonstrate

o   Practice

o   Apply

·      Previewing text

o   Activating prior knowledge

§  Ex. Anticipation guides (to build interest or get a base-line; be a discussion starter; there does not have to be a correct answer)

o   Text impressions

§  Key phrases or ideas from text in order they will encounter them

Example

§  Cats

§  Skyscrapers

§  Window

§  Veterinarian

§  Scientific paper

§  Explain how these words will fit together in a text

§  A cat lived in the penthouse of a skyscraper always staring out the window.  His owner became so concerned that he took him to the veterinarian who wrote a scientific paper about them.

o   Radiolab (podcast?)

·      Argumentation

o   Requires some research

o   The way of presenting information to be most persuasive

·      Making inferences

o   Lowest on every test

o   Inside + outside

§  Inside the text + outside the text + my answer (connecting “inside” and “outside” details)

o   Making inferences about photographs, paintings, etc.

·      Distinguishing fact from opinion

o   Words signaling opinion

o   Because you say it’s a fact doesn’t make it a fact.

o   Who is authoring the piece? Would they want to influence you in a particular way?

o   Interrogation of media, specifically advertising

·      Argument

o   Debate

§  How can we use this to promote good argument

Math:

·      Corestandards.org

·      What should we teach?

·      How should we teach it?

·      NCTM

·      International Standards

o   TIMSS

·      Fewer topics year to year

o   Concrete

o   Pictorial

o   Abstract

·      Common Core State Standards

o   Fewer standards=slow down the pace to insure understanding

o   Focused and more coherent

o   Build deeper understanding of content

·      Students want the teacher to set the problem up so that they can solve, but setting up the problem is the key part.

·      Conversation about how student solved problem (discuss process)/ justification of answer

·      Concretizing math

·      Mix of discovery vs. direct instruction

·      Word problems—application

·      Ask “are you sure?” whether they are right or not. This will lead to them owning their answer.

o   If you say “good job” when a student answers correctly and “are you sure” when they answer incorrectly, then you are tipping your hand.

·      Visualization=concretizing the abstract

·      Bruner (UK; concrete, abstract, pictorial)

·      Draw out the problems when possible

·      PARCC assessment state…software based assessment

Feedback on Constructed Responses

There has been some great feedback on the PSSA/constructed response effort so far.  I understand that there are still some questions, but I must thank everyone for the effort. I've installed a column at the right side of the page for "useful links". I hope they help. Also, I'd like to see if people are able to initiate posts and not just leave comments, so please give it a try. 

First Post--Hopefully of Many

I have created this blog in an attempt to find a way to connect us all--Parkway's English Department--in a more visible, easy to access way.  Often times we exist in our own bubbles; we have great ideas but they live and die with us in our classrooms.  I think there are times that email becomes too cumbersome. Please, post as often as you'd like.  Add links or resources you've found useful. Also, I see this as a way to keep each other updated on progress with constructed responses, etc.  First of all, I have added a link to PSSA reading 8th and 11th grade released items.PSSA released items for reading via PA Dept of Ed site. Let me know how things are going.

Leo