Inquiry Learning

With our district's initiative to focus on the three areas of curriculum, instruction, and assessment through the lens of Understanding by Design (Grant & McTighe), it is important to understand how the essential questions and enduring understandings or concepts can connect to new learning opportunities for students.  In Jeff Wilhelm's book Engaging Readers & Writers With Inquiry, he talks about how content area teachers can uses these ideas to push their learners past the content of the course into a true understanding of the concepts.  Below are types of inquiry we can work with students on that are related to content and critical understanding.  Each one of these is applicable depending on where the student or the material is at in a given course.  Moving the student from a straight topical inquiry into a critical inquiry would be a great goal to have them bridge the learning of a course into life outside the classroom.

The E's of Inquiry

Topical Inquiry...

• Engages with a disciplinary questions
• Explores what is already known and thought
• Explains and interprets the established data, articulates connections seen in the data

Critical Inquiry...

• Elaborates and invents--makes new connections, fills gaps by providing new data and insights to what is already known
• Extends and applies--extrapolates what has been learned and finds application for what has been learned
• Evaluates and adapts--reflects on and uses what has been learned in new ways and in new situations, transferring, adapting, and revising understanding as this is done

Wilhelm, 2007

Below are some examples of frontloading activities connected to inquiries that can happen before the unit starts from Wilhelm's book.  If you are interested in seeing these in greater detail or see how they could transfer over to one of your classes, please contact me.

Autobiographical Writing Before Reading

Ask students to write about their own experiences connected to the topic.  Some questions/prompts might be: 

• Most young people want to have dating relationships that are fun, exciting, and long-lasting.  First, describe a healthy, lasting dating relationship that you've been part of or that you've observed.  What does a relationship need to be like in order to grow and last?  Why do some relationships seem to work well?  Be specific, and remember to write about real relationships that you yourself have experienced or watched. (From Brian White, 1995)  Question for Romeo and Juliet
• Think about your parents.  What physical traits or characteristics do you have that are similar to them?  Different from them?  Think beyond your parents to your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins.  Are there any physical traits that you or your parents have that are similar or different than them?  Think about any siblings you have.  Are there any physical traits or characteristics that are similar or different between your siblings?  Write about these physical traits or characteristics.  Why do you think that some family members have these traits while others don't?  For example, why is your mom, dad, and sister right-handed and you are left-handed?  Question for Biology -- Genetics

Ranking Scenarios

Give students a series of passages that gives a different perspective on an enduring understanding you want students to walk away with from the unit.  Ask students to rank the passage as to why one passage is more true for them than the other.  Next, ask them to get into groups to discuss their rankings and come to consensus on one of them.  These scenarios should set students up for some critical discussion that can happen across the unit, as well as be returned to at the end.

Opinionaires

This type of activity may cover different attitudes about the essential or inquiry question you want students to answer.  Student will identify whether they agree of disagree with each statement.  After, they choose one statement that they feel particularly strong about and write a brief comment about what experience explains why you feel this way.  An partial example for Romeo and Juliet is below.

Agree/Disagree

1. Love at first sight is possible.

2. Love takes a lot of hard work.

3. If you are really in love, physical appearance doesn't matter.

4. If someone does not return your affection, the best thing to do is keep trying to change his or her mind.

Wilhelm, 2007

These frontloading activities are just a couple ideas to get students engaged in their learning prior to the start of the unit, as well as to start building schema (or prior knowledge) of the concepts before they start.  In future posts, I will include some during and after activities that continue to promote inquiry during units, but hopefully one of these activities will spark you to try something new in your next unit!

NaNoWriMo

"I admire anyone who has the guts to write anything at all."

E.B. White

In twenty-two days, people from all over the globe will embark on a journey for one whole month entitled "National Novel Writing Month."  This journey is for anyone willing to take on the challenge of writing 50,000 words in the course of thirty days for a total of 175 pages.  The absolutely wonderful thing about this journey is that during this time you are not allowed to edit, revise, etc.  In fact, your only job during this time is to write.  In the rules of this journey, you can win by finishing the novel in time and receiving a certificate.  However, if you lose...what is the worst that has happened?  You write almost an entire novel.  You start a fresh piece of writing you can revisit.  You walk away having risked in the daunting and sometimes scary world of writing.  All of those sound like winning to me!  Despite the fact that I will more than likely have a newborn at home when the month of November begins, I have signed up for this challenge.  I challenge all of you to think about joining the journey, as well as encouraging your students to join as well.  There is a Young Writer's Program connected to the website that provides resources for students interested in taking on the challenge, including workbooks for elementary, middle, and high school students to help guide them in the process.  Below are links to the NaNoWriMo website and the Young Writer's Program.  Pass on the word!

NaNoWriMo

http://www.nanowrimo.org

Young Writer's Program

http://ywp.nanowrimo.org

On Demand Writing/Constructed Response

With NECAP testing right around the corner, I wanted to take an opportunity to share some information about the constructed response task that is asked of our students in the areas of reading (literary and informational), writing, and mathematics. Although the Vermont Department of Education provides release items that allow our students to practice (http://www.education.vermont.gov/new/html/pgm_assessment/necap.html), I also wanted to share some resources that also allow you as a teacher to create and use authentic constructed response questions in the assignments and assessments you give your students.

In some cases, "preparation for writing on demand is often largely disconnected from the curriculum and puts teachers in the position of teaching to the test while students develop an impoverished concept of writing." (Gere, Christenbury, & Sassi, 2005)

According to this site (https://www.msu.edu/~kingdoro/sample_constructed_responses.htm), "Constructed Response questions are open-ended, short answer questions that measure application-level cognitive skills as well as content knowledge. These questions provide students with the opportunity to generate and weave ideas into a short response. The student supplies a response in the form of a few sentences, a graphic organizer, or a simple drawing/diagram with explanation." In addition, Constructed Response questions "can assess higher level thinking:

• comparisons, contrasts, causes, effects, changes


• identify patterns or conflicting points of view


• categorize or summarize information


• construct graphs or charts from data


• state a generalization, conclusion, explanation or prediction" (http://www.edteck.com/dbq/testing/const_resp.htm)

Below are some resources from the Nevada National Writing Project (NWP) that might be useful to you if you are preparing some authentic constructed responses for your students.

A Suggested Process for Writing Constructed Response Questions -- Tips for writing Constructed Response Questions http://www.writingfix.com/PDFs/RICA_PDFS/constructed_response/A_suggested_process_for_writing_constructed_response_questions.pdf

Solid Versus Unsolid Constructed Response -- Uses "Three Little Pigs" as an example, but gives you an idea of what to look for in these questions.
http://www.writingfix.com/PDFs/RICA_PDFS/constructed_response/solid_versus_unsolid_CR_Questions.pdf


Five Question-Making Suggestions
http://www.writingfix.com/PDFs/RICA_PDFS/constructed_response/CR_Team_question_suggestions.pdf


Anatomy of a Good Constructed Response Question
http://www.writingfix.com/PDFs/RICA_PDFS/constructed_response/questionanatomy.pdf


Bloom's Taxomony and Question Stems
http://www.writingfix.com/PDFs/RICA_PDFS/constructed_response/bloomsverbs.pdf


Six Steps for Drafting a Constructed Response
http://www.writingfix.com/PDFs/RICA_PDFS/constructed_response/6_steps_for_drafting_constructed_responses.pdf


Constructed Response Organizer
http://www.writingfix.com/PDFs/RICA_PDFS/constructed_response/CRorganizer.pdf


Post-It Note Checklsit for Constructed Response
http://www.writingfix.com/PDFs/RICA_PDFS/constructed_response/Trait_Based_CR_Checklist_All_Students.pdf


Rubric Template for Constructed Response
http://www.writingfix.com/PDFs/RICA_PDFS/constructed_response/crrubrictemplate.pdf

Examples of Constructed Response from Content Areas
http://sps.k12.mo.us/boyd/CR%20Top%20Quality/Quality%20CRs.pdf

Math Example
http://sps.k12.mo.us/boyd/CR%20Top%20Quality/Quality%20CRs.pdf

Informational Text Example
http://www.measuredprogress.org/assessments/clients/montana/G11ReadingResponse.pdf

Science Example
https://www.msu.edu/~kingdoro/10th_grade_science_constructed_r.htm

History Example
https://www.msu.edu/~kingdoro/11th_grade_american_history_cons.htm

Please let me know if you have questions about resources or if you are interested in working with me on either creating constructed response questions, sharing constructed response strategies, or helping prepare students for on demand writing.

Literature Circles/Discussion Groups for Content Area Teachers

According to Schlick Noe and Johnson (1999), Literature Circles "provide a way for students to engage in critical thinking and reflection as they read, discuss, and respond to books. Collaboration is at the heart of this approach. Students reshape and add onto their understanding as they construct meaning with other readers. Finally, literature circles guide students to deeper understanding of what they read through structured discussion and extended written and artistic response." In the past, this type of dicussion was only reserved for literature. However, these discussion groups can be used in with nonfiction text in a variety of content areas.

Jim Burke has a great handout that explains what about Literature Circles at the Greece Central School website.
http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/instruction/ela/6-12/Tools/litcirclepacket.pdf

In addition, there is more information about different types of Literature Circles at Instructional Strategies online.
http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/strats/literaturecircles/index.html

Nonfiction Journal Prompts are also a way to have students bring ideas to a discussion.
http://web.archive.org/web/20060905194346/home.att.net/~teaching/litcircl/nonfictprompts.pdf


Lastly, Project CRISS has two samples from Social Studies and Mathematics of how to adapt the Literature Circle Discussion roles to the content areas. If you are interested, I can send you a copy.

Blueprinting a Textbook

Textbooks can be one of the hardest pieces of writing for students to read. Reading a textbook is different than reading a novel. Students need to be aware of how different elements and features in a textbook can help them acquire information. In addition, students need to understand that reading a textbook involves using a critical eye.

Types of Text Elements and Features

• Types of Text
• Sidebars and Pull Boxes
• Typography (bold, italics, underline)
• Color
• Symbols and Icons
• Images and Graphics
• Organization
• Headers and Footers
• And more!

Text features like bold, italics, and underlining can help students find important key terms or vocabulary. Maps, graphs, and pictures can provide important information that can't be shared in a paragraph. Other elements such as sidebars and pull boxes can provide relevant information that brings the student beyond the ideas in the textbook.

Providing strategies to help students interact with the textbook at the start of school year can be key in helping them succeed. Below are some links to sites with textbook strategies. In addition, I am available to come in to your class and share some of these strategies with students.

Text Feature Analysis

http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/instruction/ela/6-12/tools/textbookanalysis.pdf

http://www.wmich.edu/asc/files/TextbookReadingStrategies.pdf

SQR3

http://www.webster.edu/acadaffairs/asp/handbook/n.html

http://www.sandburg.edu/trio/workshops/reading_comprehension_skills.pdf

SQRW -- a version of SQR3

http://www.how-to-study.com/pqr.htm

Multiple Textbook Strategies

http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/600INDEX.HTM

Literacy Strategies to Start the Year

In my travels, I found a couple popular literacies strategies that might be helpful as you start the school year. Some of these explanations give examples, but if you are interested in more examples or how you could use them in your classroom please contact me!

Frayer Model -- This strategy is a great one when you are introducing vocabulary. It allows you to provide examples and non-examples. I find this strategy especially helpful in math, science, or history classes.
http://www.adlit.org/strategies/22369

Double-Entry Journals/Dialectical Journals -- These types of journals are great for having students interact with the text. They have an opportunity to ask questions, make predictions, make connections, clarify material, and/or reflect on the text they are reading.
http://www.adlit.org/strategies/22091
http://esaliterature.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/dialectical-journal-handout.doc

Exit Slips or Cards/Entrance Slips or Cards -- Exit/Entrance Slips or Cards are not only a great strategy, but also one example of formative assessment. By collecting information from the students, you get an opportunity to see the questions, connections, and reflections they have about a reading, classroom discussion, lesson, etc. These slips or cards can happen at the start or end of a class. In many ways, they are a great way to begin a discussion at the start of class, as well as clarify any questions students have about the content the next day of class.
http://www.adlit.org/strategies/19805
http://www.centralischool.ca/~bestpractice/exit/index.html
http://webpages.uah.edu/~mathewl/portfolio/321ExitCardsHumanGenomeMovie.pdf

If you have any examples of these strategies, I would love to have them for my collection!

What can I do for you as a literacy coach?

After sharing a brief synopsis of what I can do for you as a literacy coach yesterday, I wanted to give some more tangible examples to help folks see how I can help both you and your students.

• Model mini-lessons around literacy strategies -- I have worked in science and history classes modeling lessons on paraphrasing for students doing research projects. I modeled the lesson in one class section. The teacher presented the same lesson in her other class sections.


• Co-teach lessons -- A history teacher and I co-taught lessons around literature circles for a novel she was teaching about the industrial revolution. I was in her class for the entire two weeks she taught the novel.


• Partner with teachers to scaffold and differentiated literacy lessons -- An English teacher was creating an entire unit of differentiated lessons around Romeo and Juliet. We modeled in the different groups how to work on scaffolded assignments. In addition, we shared ideas for how to create differentiated lessons for the subject matter.


• Analyze student work/assessments to help teachers inform their instruction -- Having two people or a group of people look at student work/assessments allows for teachers to figure out if the assignment is assessing what they think it is as well as to see if students need more instruction in the area. Analyzing work doesn't have to wait until the final project at the end. It can be a short assignment midway to check that the students are understanding the content and skills. Sometimes, it is helpful to have someone outside the classroom faciliate those conversations.


• Help teachers develop formative assessments for their classroom -- Using formative assessment to check students' progress can be more helpful than waiting until the final project to see if they get it. There are quick ways to make this happen.


• Provide resources about literacy strategies for teachers -- Resources will be posted to this blog. In addition, articles and books will be available for teachers to access in my office. If there is a particular topic you are interested in hearing more about, please send me an email. I have resources on a wide range of subjects including comprehension, vocabulary, digital or new literacies, writing, visual literacy, etc.


• Partner with teachers to help create authentic writing tasks to prepare students for on-demand writing -- There are so many types of on-demand writing students are asked to do: NECAP, SAT, AP Tests, etc. Preparing students for these tasks is important, but making the task authentic so the students can use it in life for their on-demand writing is important as well.


• Partner with teachers and librarians on critical evaluation strategies for research -- The internet is a powerful tool for students to use. Helping students develop a critical eye is helpful for determining whether a site is appropriate to use. In addition, students need help with reading a variety of academic text (research articles, text books, etc.).


• Other ideas?

These are just a few ways I can be helpful. I hope that folks will approach me with other ideas.

Part of my job is also working with the Ninth Grade Initiative team, SB's Educational Support Team (EST), and study hall teachers around study strategies for students.

In addition to posts for teachers on this blog, I will also try to include some posts that connect directly to students so they can utilize this information as well.

Please contact me at abackman@sbschools.net with any comments, ideas, or questions. I look forward to the work we will do in the upcoming year.