the 1 penny whiteboard for ela

The 1 Penny WhiteboardFor ELA

Ongoing, “in the moment” assessments may be the most powerful tool teachers have for improving student performance. For students to get better at anything, they need lots of quick rigorous practice, spaced over time, with immediate feedback. The 1 Penny Whiteboards can do just that.

1Bill Atwood: Collins Education 2014

William Atwood

William Atwood

To add the 1 Penny White Board to your teaching repertoire, just purchase some sheet protectors and white board markers (see the following slide). Next, find something that will erase the whiteboards (tissues, napkins, socks, or felt). Finally, fill each sheet protector (or have students do it) with 1 or 2 sheets of card stock paper to give it more weight and stability.


QuestionsWhen posing questions for the 1 Penny Whiteboard, keep several things in mind:

1.Mix low and high level questions2.Mix a variety of standards: you can cover questions from language strands (grammar, questions about compound words, suffixes, alliteration, stanzas) as well as main idea questions.3.Use academic vocabulary (characteristics, author’s purpose, mood, describe, explain, best expresses…).4.Mix verbal and written questions (ones that can be projected and build reading skills)5.Consider how much ink the answer will require and how much time it will take a student to answer. (You don’t want to waste valuable ink and you want to keep things moving.)6.To increase rigor you can: Analyze a mistake, ask students to infer, compare, predict, find evidence…


ExamplesWhat follows are some sample questions that relate to close reading and grammar/conventions/language for grade 3-6.

Each of these can be answered on the 1 Penny Whiteboard.

To mix things up, you can have students “chant” out answers in choral fashion for some rapid fire questions. You can also have students hold up fingers to show which answer is correct.

Remember, to ask verbal follow-ups to individual students: Why do you think that? How does the evidence make that clear? Can you think of another example not in this selection?

Remember that you can also follow up or preview by using the ELA flash cards. Go to www.collinsed.com/billatwood.htm for the ELA Flash Cards!


http://www.collinsed.com/billatwood.htm

Print out the following excerpt for your 1 Penny Whiteboards…

Then tell students to read the passage and get ready to answer questions on the whiteboard.


“We have plenty of food,” Mama said, checking the icebox. “But I do wish we had more milk.” “I’ll go and buy some,” Milton offered.“Don’t be foolish, Milton!” his father exclaimed. “The drifts1 are already climbing to the second story. You would be buried out there.”_______________________________________________1 drifts — piles of snow or sand created by the wind



Circle the characters.

Underline evidence of the setting. (when and where)

Where and when do you think the story takes place?An apartment in the city (second floor)? They can walk to get milk (not country). Could be a house. Happened a long time ago, before refrigeration (ice-box). Happened in winter. (snow)



Circle the verbs that show someone is talking

Circle the place where you can find what the word drifts means.

Find a place that has a character’s exact words. Circle the quotation marks.

vv

vv vv



What does Milton’s father think about Milton’s idea? What is the father’s tone? Circle some evidence that shows supports your idea.

He thinks Milton is making a bad decision. He thinks Milton is crazy. His tone is surprised, shocked, and astonished! The word exclaims shows he is also loud and certain. Maybe he is a little judgmental or angry as if Milton shouldn’t even think this. 11Bill Atwood: Collins Education 2014


Find the word foolish. Circle the suffix.

If you didn’t know what an icebox was, what context clues could help you? Circle them.

What part of speech is foolish?

What if you said, “Don’t be a fool!” What part of speech is fool? Why?



In the fourth line, Milton’s Father uses some personification. He describes something that is not alive as if it were alive (like a person). Find this example of personification and circle it.

Circle the compound word in line one. What two words are put together? Write another compound word that you know.


Dr. Bastian is a scientist who studies dolphins. Read about his experiments with two amazing dolphins, Doris and Buzz. Then answer the questions that follow.

THE STORY OF DORISAND BUZZ,

the Dolphins Who Talked toEach Other

by Margaret Davidson

Dolphins make many kinds of sounds. They squeak, squawk, squeal, mew, rasp, click, and clack. When they are upset or excited they even yelp like dogs. Most of all they whistle.







Circle the Title

Box the sub-title

Bracket the introduction/blurb/italics…

( )







What genre is this?

Circle evidence that supports your idea. Be prepared to explain.

Non-fiction or informational writing

It’s about a scientist, Dr. Bastion, and his experiments. This first four sentences gives mostly information. 16Bill Atwood: Collins Education 2014






Circle the main idea of the first paragraph.

Underline the details that support this main idea.







Underline the 9 verbs that show how dolphins make sounds.

Circle the simile/comparison in this selection.







The author tries to make this selection interesting for young readers. Underline (and number) 3 pieces of evidence that show how the author makes it interesting to read.

3 Uses great language like squeak, squawk, mew, rasp and even yelp like dogs--– makes it interesting by using surprising details too. Amazing that dolphins can do this! Who knew?

1

2

3

1. In the sub-title she writes “Dolphins talked to each other” --- seems incredible2. Uses the word “story” in the title --- makes is seem fun to read



THE STORY OF DORISAND BUZZ




Even though the author is not a poet, she uses some alliteration. Underline two different examples of alliteration.



THE STORY OF DORISAND BUZZ




Underline the commas between the verbs in sentence two. Why are they there?

Series or list…


Read this folktale and answer the questions that follow.

The Billy Goatand theVegetable Gardenretold by Lucía M. González

Once there was a very old woman and a very old man who lived on a farm. They shared a vegetable

garden in which they grew tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, potatoes, beans, and plantains.




Once there was a very old woman and a very old man who lived on a farm. They

shared a vegetable garden in which they grew tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, potatoes, beans, and plantains.

Circle the characters.

Underline evidence of the setting.


Retold- folk tales weren’t written downOnce there was– has that typical once upon a time beginningSimple setting: farmSimple characters: very old woman, very old manHas animals: common to fairy tales, folk

Circle the genre.Find evidence that supports the idea that it is a folktale? Underline the evidence.



Once there was a very old woman and a very old man who lived on a farm. They

shared a vegetable garden in which they grew tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, potatoes, beans, and plantains.


Bill Atwood: Collins Education 2014 25


Circle the title.

Bill Atwood: Collins Education 2014 27Bill Atwood: Collins Education 2014 27

Underline the characters.

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What is the story about? Underline evidence.

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Underline evidence of the setting.

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What is the evidence that shows how Skate feels about Uncle Mort.

the 1 penny whiteboard for ela

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