Advanced Mini-Lessons MiniLessons That Pack a Punch

Norms

Courtesy Be on time Cell phones on

silent, vibrate, or off Be mindful of side-

bar conversations Focus on the task at

hand

Collaborative Promote a sense of

inquiry Frame meaningful

questions Pay attention of self

and others Assume positive

intentions Be reflective

Today’s Outcomes Participants will reflect and examine current

teaching practices to analyze structures that are habitual and structures that are intentional.

Participants will write mini-lessons that are appropriately placed and connect to the larger body of work.

Participants will understand the significance of architectural integrity and will be able to design mini-lessons with this in mind.

Mini-Lessons That Pack a Punch have. . . Intentional Discourse and Feedback

(vs. Habitual) Connectedness to the Larger Ideas of

the Unit Appropriate Placement Architectural Integrity Modeling

Conversation Patterns

Traditional Conversation Pattern

“Sea of Talk” Pattern of Conversation

Analysis of DiscourseMini Lesson – Authoring Ideas About Texts

Questions to ask while analyzing discourse . . . Who is talking? How does the conversation build? What are the structures that are

occurring? Are there set procedures? Teacher’s role? Student’s role? What is the tone? Conversational Patterns?

Mini-Lessons That Pack a Punch have. . . Intentional Discourse and Feedback (vs.

habitual) Connectedness to the Larger Ideas

of the Unit Appropriate Placement Architectural Integrity Modeling

Analyze Connectivity and Placement What unit and/or unit

goals might this mini lesson be a piece of?

Where in the sequence did this lesson take place?

What teaching has already happened prior to this one mini lesson?

What does she do to connect this mini lesson to something larger than this moment?

Analyzing Point of View in Persuasive Texts

Mini-Lessons That Pack a Punch have. . . Intentional Discourse and Feedback (vs.

habitual) Connectedness to the Larger Ideas of

the unit Appropriate Placement Architectural Integrity Modeling

Mini Lesson Look-Fors Mini-lesson is focused, 10-15 minutes, and has a clear learning objective/teaching point. 

The teacher connects new learning to previous learning/ experiences.

There is one clear teaching point.  

The teacher gives and gathers information through modeling and/or using literature.  

Students have an opportunity to try out the new work during the mini-lesson (active engagement).

  Discourse during active engagement is encouraged through turn and talk and/or written response.  

Teacher ends the mini-lesson with a link.   Teaching/strategies are documented during the mini-lesson (ie. anchor chart). Students have continual

access to expectations and strategies.   Mini-lesson connects to the written curriculum of the given unit.

Analyzing ArchitectureTeach Students to Use Domain- Specific Vocabulary Within Information Writing

Mini-Lessons That Pack a Punch have. . . Intentional Discourse and Feedback (vs.

habitual) Connectedness to the Larger Ideas of

the unit Appropriate Placement Architectural Integrity Modeling

ModelingMini Lesson: Reading to Reteach to our Partner

Analyzing Modeling

Mini-Lessons That Pack a Punch have. . . Intentional Discourse and Feedback (vs.

habitual) Connectedness to the Larger Ideas of

the unit Appropriate Placement Architectural Integrity Modeling

Try it OutWriting Mini Lessons

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