Prepared for the Professional Learning Network of the

VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS

by Dan Mulligan, Ed. D., flexiblecreativity.comFebruary 2014

CELEBRATE THE STRUGGLE:EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO DEVELOP A DEEP

UNDERSTANDING OF ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, PROCESSES, AND VOCABULARY

EssentialVocabulary Essential

Skills

EssentialKnowledge

LEARNING TARGET

HIGH EXPECTATIONSFocus Area:

English K – 5

Resources

to share…

Hampton Road’s Natural Law of School

Lots of snow days in January and February

Last faculty meeting of 2013 -2014 in July!

Three types of curricula exist in any classroom:The Intended Curriculum: content/skill specified by the state, division, or school at a particular grade level.The Implemented Curriculum: content/skill actually delivered by the teacher.The Attained Curriculum: content/skill actually learned by the students.

Intended Curriculum

Implemented Curriculum Attained

Curriculum

Effective Instruction: focus on essential knowledge, skills, processes, & vocabulary

“Seven Survival Skills for the New Economy”~Tony Wagner, The Global Achievement Gap

1. Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving 2. Collaboration across Networks and Leading by

Influence 3. Agility and Adaptability 4. Initiative and Entrepreneurialism 5. Effective Oral and Written Communication 6. Accessing and Analyzing Information 7. Curiosity and Imagination

“Rigor” is using academic knowledge to create new knowledge/content and to solve real problems.

“Engagement” begins with the MIND, not with the HANDS (that is a very loose paraphrase) — activities & action do not equal “rigor”

4 – second partner

Find a NEW friend in the room from a different school and/or division.

Find 2 comfortable seats and relax.*Please bring a pen(cil)!

Work collaboratively (e.g., construct viable arguments, critique, agree) to identify key

words that capture the essential elements of

instructional strategies with

fidelity.

Enjoy working with your new best friend.

instructional strategiesPlease send a table

representative to pick-up a resource for each team

member.

Good Instruction(Keep it Simple…Keep it Real)

“We can, whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already

know more than we need to do that. Whether or not we do it

must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we

haven’t so far.” ~Ron Edmonds

If you want a learner to

truly understand

and own essential

knowledge, expand your exploration

from ‘what it is’ to also ‘what it is

NOT’.

Work with your partner to prepare a

conceptual example that can be shared with your staff.

4 – second partner

Introduce your partner to your table team members.

I just love these Dan Mulligan workshops!Did you bring your handout with you?

here we are…

“A positive attitude may not solve all of your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth it.”

-Maya Angelou

Essential Vocabulary page 6

Find out which words are "your" words. Read the Curriculum Framework for your grade level, highlighting the words you think your students won't know. Then go back to each year prior to yours and highlight those words. Next, create a pre-assessment for your students with these critical words and glue it in their Interactive Notebook. A simple list of words followed by columns marked "Yes" (I understand), "No" (I don't understand) and "Maybe" (I might understand) is a start. Use this information and your professional judgment to decide which words have not yet been mastered and require instruction.

IDENTIFYING THE WORDS TO TEACH…

WORD SORT +Rigor with Nurturing

page 7

Book Apage 2

Book Apage 4 & 5

Common Core and College and Career WordsMcREL researchers estimate 85% of achievement test scores are based on the vocabulary of the standards. Students from poverty, ELL students, and other at-risk students are particularly in need of learning these words in ways that meet their specific learning needs.

CRITICAL VERBSAnalyze Articulate Cite Compare Comprehend Contrast Delineate Demonstrate Describe Determine Develop Distinguish Draw Evaluate Explain Identify Infer Integrate Interpret Locate Organize Paraphrase Refer Retell Suggest Support Summarize SynthesizeTrace

page 2

CRITICAL NOUNSAlliteration Analogy Argument Central Idea Conclusions Connections Connotative Language Details Evidence Figurative Language Illustrations Interaction Metaphor Mood Point of ViewRhetoric Simile Stanza Structures Theme Tone Trace

Sample VA SOL

Item Stems

As many as thirteen of the critical words can be found in the VA SOL kindergarten standards.

Extra for ExpertsAs many as thirteen of the critical words can be found in the ELA kindergarten standards.

With a partner, create a set of five questions that involve the use of as many critical words as appropriate to the standard.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Spin the Wordmodified

• Remove the cards from the bag.• Place the deck of cards face

down in the center of the table.• Determine the order of playing

by each person rolling the die.• Each card contains:

• Math vocabulary word, and• Method of giving clues

• Remember:• Each person has a turn,• Each person has a lifeline!

• Enjoy!

VA SOL Essential Nouns

and Verbs

Nouns and

Verbs

nouns

Click on the arrow to start and stop spinner.

A six-step process for teaching vocabulary: 1. The teacher provides a description, explanation, or example of the new

term. 2. Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in own

words. 3. Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representing the

term. 4. Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their

knowledge of the terms in their notebooks. 5. Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another. 6. Involve students periodically in games that allow them to play with the

terms.

WHAT EDUCATORS CAN DO TO IMPROVE VOCABULARY?

page 7

page 30

Leslie Williams, Hampton City Schools!

Be an active reader!

Work with your partner to annotate the text:

• Place a box around and number each paragraph.

• After reading the passage Box each main idea; Underline supporting

details; and Cloud any word that

you think someone in our class would struggle to understand its meaning.

Use context clues or root words to help you understand the word.

• Have fun!

Answer the Questions… Question

the Answers…Working with your partner –

• Refer to the boxed and underlined information in the passage to identify at least five thinking questions from the list.

• Discuss the value of each question in developing essential skills and processes for your students.

• Enjoy!

Answer the Questions…

Question the Answers…

VOCABULARY REVIEW ACTIVITIES AND GAMES

Jigsaw• Form groups of four. Letter off as A,

B, C, and D.• Form a temporary team of like letter

teams • As an expert team, review the

activities/games (pages 8 - 20) and record a summary of each strategy.

• Return to your home team to share your focus activities/games.

• Identify the TOP 3 to share with your staff.

Team A: Strategies 1 -4

Team B: Strategies 5 – 8

Team C: Strategies 9 – 12

Team D: Strategies 13 – 17

Extra Time…

Check out the bonus structures on page 21 to 24!

1 2

3

What is a strategy students experience in your school that has proven effective in deepening student’s understanding of essential vocabulary? Why is it effective?

How do teacher(s) effectively engage students in higher-order thinking as required by Virginia’s revised SOL (and beyond)? Does it involve differentiation, technology, project-based etc.?

What is one effective strategy teachers used in your school to prepare students for the SOL assessment?

1 2

3

What is a strategy students experience in your school that has proven effective in deepening student’s understanding of essential vocabulary? Why is it effective?

What is one effective strategy teachers used in your school to prepare students for the the SOL assessment?

How do teacher(s) effectively engage students in higher-order thinking as required by Virginia’s revised SOL (and beyond)? Does it involve differentiation, technology, project-based etc.?

Premise of the Workshop

As the United States continues to compete in a global  economy that demands

innovation, the U.S. education system must equip students with the four Cs:

1. critical thinking and problem solving,2. communication, 3. collaboration, and 4. creativity and innovation.

The Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition Model offers a method of seeing how computer technology might impact teaching and learning.  It also shows a progression that adopters of educational technology often follow as they progress through teaching and learning with technology.  

While one might argue over whether an activity can be defined as one level or another, the important concept to grasp here is the level of student engagement. One might well measure progression along these levels by looking at who is asking the important questions.  As one moves along the continuum, computer technology becomes more important in the classroom but at the same time becomes more invisibly woven into the demands of good teaching and learning.

SAMR model developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura  http://www.hippasus.com/

Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition Model

Page3 & 4

Depth of Knowledge (Thinking)

Level 1Recall of a fact, information, or procedure

Level 2Use information or conceptual knowledge, two or

more steps, etc.Level 3

Requires reasoning, developing a plan or sequence of steps, some complexity, more than one possible answer

Level 4Requires an investigation, time to think and

process multiple conditions of the problem

WHO AM I ?

Digging Deeper:

Depth of Knowledge and

Reading

Sharing a DOK Resource aligned to the VA Curriculum Framework

page17 - 18

Depth of Knowledge Essential Understanding:Unlike Bloom’s system, the DOK levels are not a taxonomical tool that uses verbs to classify the level of each cognitive demand. The DOK level is determined by the degree of mental processing required by the student to meet the objectives of a particular classroom activity. In the case of assessment, DOK is the cognitive demand required to correctly answer test questions.

pageA.23page

36

Fiction Text Nonfiction TextComprehension Strategy The True Story of the Three Little Pigs Chapter 3 “The American Revolution”

Previewing What is the story about?What might I guess?What do I know about stories like this?

What do I already know about the American Revolution?What can I learn from the headings and subheadings?Are there pictures with captions?

Self Questioning Why is the Wolf telling the story? Why did this war occur?

Making Connections How does this pig story compare to others I have heard?How is the character of the wolf similar or different to wolves in other books I have read?

How does the information in this chapter compare to the movie we saw? How does it compare to the historical fiction I read set at the same time period?

Visualizing Is my mental picture of the wolf still good? Should I change it?

What did an American soldier look like? A British soldier? Could I draw a picture for a friend who had not read the chapter?

Knowing how words work Does the word make sense in the sentence?Do I know chunks of the word?

What clues in the test can be used to figure out the word? Can I find a prefix or suffix that will help?

Monitoring Does what I am reading make sense? Do I need to go back and reread?

Does what I am reading make sense? Did French soldiers fight in this war? How can I find out?

Summarizing What has happened so far? What is the most important information in the chapter?

Evaluating Do I believe the Wolf’s story? Why? How does this story rate to others I have read?

How would my life be different if we had not won this war?

DOK 3: Strategic Thinking & Reasoning

Nonfiction Fiction

Advanced OrganizersUse Visuals

Advanced organizers help students organize the information and retain 5 times more of the information.

Musical/RhythmicSing itCreate a beatRap itMake a cheerCreate a jingleHum itIdentify soundsReact to soundsListen to soundsConnect to musicWrite a poem

Verbal/LinguisticRead itSpell itWrite itListen to itTell itRecall itUse “you” wordsApply itChunk informationSay itUse mnemonics

Logical/MathematicalMake a patternChart itSequence itCreate a mnemonicAnalyze itThink abstractlyThink criticallyUse numbersProve itInterpret the dataUse the statistics

Visual/SpatialMind mapsGraphic organizersVideoColor codeHighlightShape a wordInterpret a graphicRead a chartStudy illustrationsVisualize itMake a chartCreate a poster

Body/KinestheticRole playWalkaboutDanceLip syncSkits/charades/mimesConstructionMath manipulativesSign languageSportsActivity centersBody language

IntrapersonalMetacognitionUse self-talkWork independentlySolve in your own wayUnderstand selfJournal itRehearse itUse prior knowledgeConnect itHave ownership

InterpersonalThink-Pair-ShareJigsawCooperative groupingDramaDebatesClass meetingsRole playMeeting of mindsPeer counselingTutors/buddiesGiving feedbackShared Journals

NaturalistLabel itCategorize itIdentify itForm a hypothesisDo an experimentAdapt itConstruct itClassify itInvestigate itDiscern patterns

Name a noun. Form a sentence.

Name a verb. Name an adjective

? ?

How can you use the Where do I belong? structure to support your

role as teacher/administrator?

A = bh

Opposite sides equal

1 right angle

Right Triangle

4 sides

3 sides

4 right angles

A = ½ bhRectangle

One side is the longest

Responding to Nonfiction vs. Responding to Fiction

1. Create an Environment for Learning– Helping students know what is expected of them, providing

students with opportunities for regular feedback on progress, assuring students they are capable of learning content and skills

2. Helping Students Develop Understanding– Integrating prior knowledge with new knowledge– Procedural knowledge: constructing a model of the steps

required of the process and practicing its variations; using the process or skill fluently or without any conscious thought

3. Helping Students Extend and Apply Knowledge– Moving beyond ‘right answer’ learning to an expanded

understanding and use of concepts and skills in real-world contexts.

Framework for Instructional Planning McREL, 2012

Hey…This looks familiar…

Which of the high yield

instructional strategies do

you see in this structure?

PAGE 7

Name a noun. Form a sentence.

Name a verb. Name an adjective

Thank you for your commitment to children!

"It's your attitude, not just your aptitude that determines your ultimate altitude."

--Zig Ziglar Dan

KEY QUESTION: Why are common assessments so important?

“You can enhance or destroy students’ desire to succeed in school more quickly and permanently through your use of assessment than with any other tools you have at your disposal.”

Rick Stiggins, Assessment Trainers Institute

WHY do we ASSESS:1. INFORM INSTRUCTIONAL

DECISIONS

2. ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO TRY

SPREAD the LOVE

Introduce your partner to the other people at your table.