After I attended the first NUA offsite training, I worked with Teacher S to implement some of the strategies with his Geometry class.
Journals Each student has their own composition book. Each journal has a table of contents and is organized chronologically instead of by topic. For example, instead of a section for notes, a section for homework, and section for handouts, etc., the students always turn to the next page in the book and write the date, topic, and page number in the table of contents. Handouts are folded and attached with glue sticks. Teacher S is grading the jounals on whether or not they are complete and organized exactly as specified. There is a para in Period 4 who keeps a journal as well. Students can refer to it if they were absent, and it is the model for grading purposes.
Grading Teacher S is beginning a seating chart this quarter that is connected to student improvement. All students were randomly assignmed seats on day 1. After the first week, each students' percentage was calculated and recorded based on homework and assignments from the first week. This first score is the base score. All students' base scores were given to them on Monday. The following Monday, new scores will be calculated. If the student sitting in the second row IMPROVES more than the student in the first row, then those two students switch places. If the 3rd students improves more than the second, they switch, etc. It's like a bubble sort. It is only possible to move up one chair per week, but it is possible to move back more than one chair. At the end of the quarter, each student receives AT LEAST the letter grade they earned. However, they could earn a higher letter grade based on their seat. If a student with a C average ends up in the first seat, he earns an A for the quarter. A student with a C average in the second seat receives a B. However, you grade will not be lowered. If you have earned an A you will receive an A even if you are not in the first seat. Note: This grading strategy does not come from NUA.
To begin the 2nd quarter and begin the unit on volume and surface area, we used the following strategies:
1. A-Z Taxonomy for "Topics from First Quarter Geometry". Students put the date and topic "A-Z Taxonomy" in their journals and the page number. They turned to the new page and wrote the letters A-M in the first column and N-Z in the second column. They had 3 minutes to silently write a word beginning with the corresponding letter. They did not have to use each letter, and they could write multiple words on each letter. After 3 minutes they shared with a partner. They were directed to increase their taxonomy by getting at least 5 words from their partner. Next, in a whole class format, students shouted out their favorites and they were written on poster paper in the front of the room. All students were encouraged to share their favorite word. The final poster was taped on the whiteboard and the following day compared with the taxonomies from the other classes. It went really well because the students were very engaged. A photo of the Period 4 taxonomy is included above.
2. To introduce volume, they turned to a new page in their journal, noted it in the table of contents, and wrote the word volume with a circle around it. In 3 minutes, they silently wrote words that they associate with the word volume - math or not math related. This is a significant change from how Lizzy and I did it. We were way to focused. We wrote "direct variation" and had students write words from the definition. The circle map for defining needs to start with a broad concept - not a specific definition. We included a frame for which the question was, "How do you know these words?" A photograph of the period 4 circle map included above.
3. Next, I actually wrote the definition of volume on poster paper along with an association.
"Volume is the amount enclosed.
Volume is the amount occupied.
The volume of the metrodome is enormous.
The volume of an iceberg is enormous."
I said it three times like a chant (but within my comfort level!). The students repeated it back once while looking at it, and then again but with the poster covered. Hand movements were included. This activity went well, but it takes a little convincing that chanting a definition isn't just for little kids!
4. Next, we had several toy blocks and the students were asked to find the volume and surface area of each. Each student got two different blocks and a ruler. They wrote the date, topic and page number in their journal and were asked to sketch each block before finding its volume and surface area. This was much more challenging than expected. Some students thought l, w, and h had to be specific sides and they didn't know which sides were which. The real challenge was surface area. We prompted with suggestion like, "How many surfaces are there?" and "Find the area of each surface and add them together." We will finish the activity on Wednesday, and from their experience try to write a meaningful definition of surface area.
Journals Each student has their own composition book. Each journal has a table of contents and is organized chronologically instead of by topic. For example, instead of a section for notes, a section for homework, and section for handouts, etc., the students always turn to the next page in the book and write the date, topic, and page number in the table of contents. Handouts are folded and attached with glue sticks. Teacher S is grading the jounals on whether or not they are complete and organized exactly as specified. There is a para in Period 4 who keeps a journal as well. Students can refer to it if they were absent, and it is the model for grading purposes.
Grading Teacher S is beginning a seating chart this quarter that is connected to student improvement. All students were randomly assignmed seats on day 1. After the first week, each students' percentage was calculated and recorded based on homework and assignments from the first week. This first score is the base score. All students' base scores were given to them on Monday. The following Monday, new scores will be calculated. If the student sitting in the second row IMPROVES more than the student in the first row, then those two students switch places. If the 3rd students improves more than the second, they switch, etc. It's like a bubble sort. It is only possible to move up one chair per week, but it is possible to move back more than one chair. At the end of the quarter, each student receives AT LEAST the letter grade they earned. However, they could earn a higher letter grade based on their seat. If a student with a C average ends up in the first seat, he earns an A for the quarter. A student with a C average in the second seat receives a B. However, you grade will not be lowered. If you have earned an A you will receive an A even if you are not in the first seat. Note: This grading strategy does not come from NUA.
To begin the 2nd quarter and begin the unit on volume and surface area, we used the following strategies:
1. A-Z Taxonomy for "Topics from First Quarter Geometry". Students put the date and topic "A-Z Taxonomy" in their journals and the page number. They turned to the new page and wrote the letters A-M in the first column and N-Z in the second column. They had 3 minutes to silently write a word beginning with the corresponding letter. They did not have to use each letter, and they could write multiple words on each letter. After 3 minutes they shared with a partner. They were directed to increase their taxonomy by getting at least 5 words from their partner. Next, in a whole class format, students shouted out their favorites and they were written on poster paper in the front of the room. All students were encouraged to share their favorite word. The final poster was taped on the whiteboard and the following day compared with the taxonomies from the other classes. It went really well because the students were very engaged. A photo of the Period 4 taxonomy is included above.
2. To introduce volume, they turned to a new page in their journal, noted it in the table of contents, and wrote the word volume with a circle around it. In 3 minutes, they silently wrote words that they associate with the word volume - math or not math related. This is a significant change from how Lizzy and I did it. We were way to focused. We wrote "direct variation" and had students write words from the definition. The circle map for defining needs to start with a broad concept - not a specific definition. We included a frame for which the question was, "How do you know these words?" A photograph of the period 4 circle map included above.
3. Next, I actually wrote the definition of volume on poster paper along with an association.
"Volume is the amount enclosed.
Volume is the amount occupied.
The volume of the metrodome is enormous.
The volume of an iceberg is enormous."
I said it three times like a chant (but within my comfort level!). The students repeated it back once while looking at it, and then again but with the poster covered. Hand movements were included. This activity went well, but it takes a little convincing that chanting a definition isn't just for little kids!
4. Next, we had several toy blocks and the students were asked to find the volume and surface area of each. Each student got two different blocks and a ruler. They wrote the date, topic and page number in their journal and were asked to sketch each block before finding its volume and surface area. This was much more challenging than expected. Some students thought l, w, and h had to be specific sides and they didn't know which sides were which. The real challenge was surface area. We prompted with suggestion like, "How many surfaces are there?" and "Find the area of each surface and add them together." We will finish the activity on Wednesday, and from their experience try to write a meaningful definition of surface area.
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