New York State Academy for Teaching and Learning
Learning Experience/
Information Form
Personal Information: Jennifer Twist
Address: 2467 Parker Blvd. Tonawanda NY 14150
Street City State Zip
Home Phone: (716) 695-6952 Home FAX: N/A
E-mail:
Current Teaching Position:
Grade level(s) Four Subject(s): ELA
School District Name: Orchard Park
School Name: Ellicott Road Elementary School
School Address: 5180 Ellicott Road Elementary School
Street
Orchard Park NY 14127
City State Zip
School Phone: (716) 209-6278 School FAX: 209-6203
E-mail: http://www.opschools.org/
Title of Learning Experience:
Find My Meaning
Standard area:
English Language Arts
Performance Indicator Level:
Elementary/Beginning Level Intermediate Commencement Alternate/Students with
Disabilities
Peer Review Focus Questions:
1.) Can you provide me with suggestions for a creative learning experience title?
2.) Are there any additional ways I can implement technology within my lesson?
3.) Is my Vocabulary Rubric (appendix 3) too advanced for the students?
Final Date: December 14, 2006
Date of Peer Review: October 26, 2006
I. Learning Context:
1. Purpose:
The students will become familiar with the following vocabulary words associated with the story “Train to Somewhere”: adopt, atlas, carriage, couple, misery, and platform. The students understanding and familiarity with these terms prior to reading “Train to Somewhere”, will significantly increase their fluency and overall comprehension of the story.
2. Objectives:
1.0: The students will be able to reference their textbook glossary in defining the following six vocabulary terms: adopt, atlas, carriage, couple, misery, and platform.
2.0: The students will be able to complete the vocabulary word and definition worksheet.
3.0: The students will be able to cooperatively work in pairs, engaging in a game of vocabulary matching.
3. Enduring Understanding/Learning Experience Goal:
· Using student created vocabulary memory cards, the students will cooperatively and independently familiarize themselves with the vocabulary terms associated with the story “Train to Somewhere.”
4. Guided Questions:
(Stated in students friendly terms)
· What do the following vocabulary terms mean?
· How will I find the definitions to each of the following terms: adopt, atlas, carriage, couple, misery, and platform.
· How will these terms help me to read/listen to “Train to Somewhere” on cassette tape?
5. Grade Level/ General Ability of Students Participating in the Lesson:
This learning experience is designed to instruct students in a fourth grade self-contained (ten students) and blended classroom (two students). These students have various disabilities ranging from mild cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and audio processing disorder. The students participating in this lesson from the bended-general education classroom regularly join our class for all ELA related instruction. In addition, the students also receive a variety of additional resources including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech. Each student, including those fully engaged within the self-contained classroom for all academic instruction, as well as those two students present only during ELA, have IEPs.
6. Overview: What the Students Need to Know:
In order for the students to be successful participants of this learning experience, they must adhere to a specific set of designated criteria. The students must be able to, using their reading textbooks, locate each vocabulary term and write the corresponding definition within in the appropriate spot on their Vocabulary word and Definition Worksheet (appendix 1). In order for the students to successfully play vocabulary memory, they must have completed a set of vocabulary memory cards. Once the students have located each definition and cut/pasted the vocabulary terms onto the provided squares of colored construction paper; the students must be able to cooperatively play a game of vocabulary memory. In playing this game, the students will be required to use inside voices and assist their partner in reading and understanding the terms/ definitions. Also, the students must read each term and definition when it is selected by their partner. In completing their vocabulary memory cards, the students will be required to work independently in locating the terms. In addition, the students will be expected to adhere to the following classroom rules: use inside voices, raise their hand when they would like to participate in class discussions, and stay on task by continuing to work on the required assignment for the entirety of the time allotted for ELA.
7.) Curriculum Alignment:
In aligning with the Orchard Park Central School district, teachers are required to implement the Scott Foresmann reading program. Prior to beginning a story within the basil reader, teacher’s frequently review important vocabulary. Considering this lesson was first implemented within a self contained classroom, student benefited a great deal from additional review and exposure to key vocabulary terms. Following this lesson, the students would begin reading the story “Train to Somewhere.” In addition, the vocabulary cards which are created during this lesson will not only assist students in developing an increased fluency when reading, they will also be used as a study tool when preparing for the “Train to Somewhere” vocabulary quiz.
7. Congruency Tables:
New York State Learning Standard: English Language Arts
Area: ELA
Content Standard: Standard 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Key Idea: Reading
Level: Elementary
Grade Level: Fourth
Performance Indicators/Core Guide Information / Instructional Task(What the Standards mean in your own words) / Learning Objectives / Student Work / Assessment Tool· (f) Recognize and use organizational features, such as table of contents, indexes, page numbers, and chapter headings/ subheadings, to locate information
* Glossary
Pg17 / The students will be guided (by the teacher) in locating two out of the six vocabulary terms. Next, the students will work in pairs of two or three locating the remaining four terms within their text glossary. / The students will be able to reference their textbook glossary in defining and writing the six vocabulary terms. / The students work will include six vocabulary terms and six corresponding definition cards. / The students will be informally assessed, by means of observations, based on their ability to participate and engage in a discussion regarding the location of the vocabulary terms within their text glossary. In addition, while working in pairs of two or three, the students will be informally assessed based on their ability to independently locate the remaining four vocabulary terms.
New York State Learning Standard: English Language Arts
Area: ELA
Content Standard: Standard 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Key Idea: Writing
Level: Elementary
Grade Level: Fourth
Performance Indicators/Core Guide Information / Instructional Task(What the Standards mean in your own words) / Learning Objectives / Student Work / Assessment Tool· (a) Take notes to record data, facts, and ideas both by following teacher direction and by writing independently
Pg 19 / Once the definitions have been located within the glossary, the students will be responsible for taking notes on each term’s definition, utilizing the provided vocabulary definition strips. / The students will be able to take notes, writing the definition to each term on the vocabulary word and definition worksheet. / The students will be guided (within whole class instruction) in taking notes for their first two definition strips. Next, the students will work in pairs of two or three, taking notes on the remaining definitions. / The students will be assessed based on their ability to take notes on required six definition strips.
New York State Learning Standard: English Language Arts
Area: ELA
Content Standard: Standard 4: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction
Key Idea: Speaking
Level: Elementary
Grade Level: Fourth
Performance Indicators/Core Guide Information / Instructional Task(What the Standards mean in your own words) / Learning Objectives / Student Work / Assessment Tool· Use the rules of conversation, such as avoid interrupting and respond respectfully
Pg 21 / By means of participating in pairs of two or three, the students will play a game of vocabulary matching. Here, the students will be required to wait until their partner has finished his/her turn before continuing the game. In addition, the students will be expected to allow their partner an opportunity to share his/her ideas and point of view regarding the game. / The students will be able to cooperatively work in pairs, engaging in a game of vocabulary matching. / At the conclusion of this assignment, the students will submit twelve completed memory cards, including six definition cards and six vocabulary term cards. All of which will be cut and pasted onto pre-cut squares of construction paper. / The students will be informally assessed based on their ability to cooperatively engage in a game of vocabulary memory. The students’ success within this activity will be highly contingent upon their ability to respond to their partner and engage in a meaningful conversation regarding their vocabulary memory game.
II. Assessment Plan:
Formal Assessment:
1.) The attached rubric (Vocabulary Memory-appendix 2) assesses the students’ level of participation in playing vocabulary memory. This rubric also includes a section for teacher evaluation as well.
2.) The attached checklist (Vocabulary Memory Checklist-appendix 3) assures that each student has individually completed their portion of the vocabulary memory cards and fully participated while playing vocabulary memory.
The Vocabulary Memory Rubric is based on a four point grading system; one being the lowest and four being the highest. Each portion of the rubric assesses a specific aspect of the students’ performance. The first portion titled, “working as a pair” assess the students’ ability to work cooperatively with their partner. In order to receive a four, the students must have completed all of their vocabulary memory cards, use appropriate inside voices, and take turns while playing the memory game. The second portion of the rubric titled “completing the matching activity”, focuses on the students’ participation while playing the memory game. In order for the students to attain the highest score “4”, they must assist each other in reading the vocabulary terms/definitions, and remain on task without being prompted by the teacher to complete the activity. In addition to the students’ self-assessment, the teacher will also individually assess each students’ performance while playing the vocabulary memory game. Third portion of the rubric, titled “note taking” assess the students ability to take notes. Utilizing their textbook glossary, the students will be responsible for correctly stating each definition (as it is written in their glossary). In addition, the students will be required to attend to correct spelling as well.
The Vocabulary Memory Checklist allows the students an opportunity to individually assess their final product prior participating in the memory game. The checklist includes two distinct sections. The first portion requires the students to document their completion in each definition as it is located within their textbooks. The second section requires the students to document each vocabulary word/definition as it is cut and pasted onto the squares of construction paper, placing a checkmark in the table provided.
Informal Assessment:
Throughout the course of this lesson, the teacher will informal assess the students by means of observations and individual class participation. Also, as the students are completing the activity, both independently and cooperatively, the teacher will be sure to observe each students’ behavior,
Name: ______
~ Student copies of this worksheet would included additional space for writing.
adopt / ____________
______
carriage / ______
______
______
atlas / ______
______
______
platform / ______
______
______
misery / ______
______
______
couple / ______
______
______
Name:______
Your Partner’s Name:______
Directions:
· As you write the definitions on your worksheet, place a checkmark next to each word.
· As you cut and paste the vocabulary words and definitions onto your squares of construction paper, place a checkmark in boxes below.
Vocabulary Memory Checklist
Vocabulary Word / Checkmark / Vocabulary Words / DefinitionsCut / Paste / Cut / Paste
adopt
atlas
carriage
couple
misery
platform
Teacher’s Initials: ______
Teacher Comments:
Name: ______
Your Partner’s Name: ______
Vocabulary Memory Rubric
Directions: Please circle the number you feel best describes how you and your partner worked together.
4 / 3 / 2 / 1Working as a pair / My partner and I:
~completed all of our vocabulary words and definitions
~used inside voices
~took turns playing the memory game / My partner and I (one or both of us):
~did not finish 1 or 2 or our memory cards
~we used inside voices
~we took turns playing the memory game / My partner and I (one or both of us):
~ did not finish more than 4 of our vocabulary cards
~ had to be asked once or twice to use our inside voices / My partner and I (one or both of us):
~ skipped our partners turn more than three times
~ completed one or the memory cards
~ had to be asked more than three times to use our inside voices
4 / 3 / 2 / 1
Completing the matching activity / My partner and I :
~talked quietly about the vocabulary memory game
~ helped each other understand the definitions
~ played the game and we read each definition / My partner and I:
~ played the vocabulary memory game
~ did not read one or 2 of the definitions / My partner and I:
~ did not finish the game because we were talking about other things
~ did not read 3 or 4 of the definitions
~ had to be reminded to asked to talk to us to stay on task more 2 times / My partner and I:
~ did not play the vocabulary memory game at all
~ had to be reminded to stay on task more than 3 times
4 / 3 / 2 / 1
Note Taking / ~ I used my glossary to complete all of the definition cards
~ I pasted all of my vocabulary words and definitions onto ,my memory cards / ~ I used my glossary to complete at least 3 of my definitions
~ I have 2 or 3 spelling errors.
~ I cut and pasted at least 3 of my vocabulary words and definitions / ~ I used my glossary to complete at least 2 of my definitions
~ I have 3 or 4 spelling errors
~ I cut and pasted at least 2 of my vocabulary words and definitions / ~ I only used my glossary to complete 1 or my definitions
~ I have more than five spelling errors
~ I cut and pasted only one of my vocabulary words and definitions
Teacher Score: ______