Creating First Exposure Assignments: What’s The

Assignment Got To Do With It?

PETALDecember 6, 2007Michelle Erklenz-Watts

Why don’t students complete their homework with the level of thinking that is expected? Brainstorm.

Checklist: Making the grades

A

B

C

D

F

A Accountability

Use it and or collect it Example: Reading Responses

Eduplace.com/graphicorganizer Teachervision.fen.com (search: graphic

organizers) Writedesignonline.com/organizers Graphicorganizers.com

Excerpt from syllabus regarding accountability Portfolio: Portfolios are a tool for both students and teachers to

monitor and evaluate the learning process and progress. Therefore, you must maintain a 3 ring binder of all your class assignments. Each day I may collect your assignment(s) or whole portfolio. We will “revisit” pieces of your work as we progress through the semester. Therefore, your portfolio should be up-to-date, organized, and available at all times. At the end of the semester you will be asked to either write or orally present your own reflection regarding this process and your progress.

Reading Response Assignments – These are either graphic

organizers (GO) or assessment techniques that are provided for you. You must reference the book and page number of your comments as they relate to the reading. If the format of the reading response assignment is stifling to you in anyway, you may come up with your own version of documentation but the same elements must be addressed.

A Authentic

Meaningful now Example: Essential Questions

http://www.k12.hi.us/~dtisdell/webquest/ssessques.htm

http://www.criticalthinking.org/TGS_files/SAM-Questions2005.pdf

http://www.spa3.k12.sc.us/eqtemplate.htm http://www.spa3.k12.sc.us/vietnameq.htm

Excerpt from syllabus for authentic Course Goals/Essential Questions: Through exploring essential questions, candidates will

uncover the social construction of teaching concepts and become fully aware of how the answers to each question directly affects how and what strategies and methods they implement in their teaching. How do you get to know the needs of all

learners (from various cultures and abilities)? How do you effectively manage and organize a

classroom and learning while meeting the needs of all learners?

What is Social Studies? How does philosophy relate to pedagogy? What is good testing and assessment for

all students? How do you engage all students in learning?

Excerpt from syllabus for accountability and authenticity

DateSept. 12

Sept. 19

Topic-Explore essential questions

How do you know the needs of all learners (from various cultures and abilities)?

Readings-

-ROC 4, 30

-HOW chap. 3

-DH Chap. 3

Assignment-

-RSQC2 (Reading Response Packet)

-LPC,

-GO#1

B Build Relationships

Share yourself Ask them to share

Believe in your Students Set high expectations but scaffold for success

Example: Course rubrics (on back of notes sheet), Group member checks, mid-term self checks

Group Member Check Group-Work Check for Process and Product Overall, how effectively did your group work together on this

assignment (Rate 1 to 5, with 5 being the best, and explain)? Out of all the members, how many participated actively? Out of all the members, how many were fully prepared? Give a specific example of something you learned from your

group that you probably wouldn’t have learned working alone.

Give a specific example of something the other group members learned from you that they probably wouldn’t have learned otherwise.

Suggest one change that could improve your group work outside of class.

C Classroom Culture

Professional working environment Example: “Practice like you’ll play”

Collaborative Example: Create classroom commitments

D Disposition

Yours Look to yourself when you are not successful

Theirs Look to yourself when you are not successful

Example for both Disposition Rubric,

http://soe.sjfc.edu/rubrics/pdf/ProfessionalDispositions.pdf

F Feedback

Immediate Before the next assignment is due…if not,

loses meaning (see below) Meaningful

Make it instructional rather than punitive Relates to prior assignments

Example: Track comments

Excerpt from notes on students 9/19, GO#1-very neat tw, asked her to expand on personal experiences, needs to consistently

reference 9/26-LPC with DH ideas, good review of MI’s but needs more off of checklist. No DH ideas are referenced so incomplete 10/3-did not turn in portfolio10/4I emailed her and she responded immediately with apoligies and came right over to my office to drop it off, she just forgot, very organized but GO 2 has no page numbers and GO4 needs to complete section E, LPC 10.3-no ref to readings but good critique 10/10, 1st LP- no SS standards or curric., needs to get prior knowledge or hook, needs to provide handouts, strong rationale, needs some structure for success, no current event, Preconcept not complete on GO, no handout for HOW reading-only had her personal notes 10/17-Materials review list, no reference to at least 3 articles, asked why, not sure about some comments for guidance10/24-2nd LP- no SS standards or curric, has EQ’s but seems more UQ’s, learning outcomes needs to focus on learning not what they will be doing, needs intial motivation, has later, I suggest to move it up, has “talk, explain”-needs to give more detail, has web but not in lesson plan, great organization, rubric and assessment are not matached, rubric needs to make distinctions, DBQ’s for class are incomplete, 10/31-GO#5, identified import points and made connections 11/14- Lesson plan with technology, needs to label adapts and mi’s, not all lo’s are being assessed, lesson suggest inquiry but does not follow through, questions need to be written out and labeled, needs ant set. 12/5 Show What You Know- Lesson plan-75%, reflection: has summary but no real reflection checklist: good but needs to organize

Revisit our initial essential question with an add on. Why don’t students complete their

homework with the level of thinking that is expected?

Brainstorm

So go make the grade---

all of them!!