March 30, 2015

Engage Your Students in Real World Learning 

As a district we are working towards implementing PBLs in an responsible way so we are teaching our TEKS with fidelity while balancing the appropriate amount of instruction time.  This webinar is a perfect way to gain insight on "how to" come up with an idea. Even if you are NOT wanting to do a PBL-deepen your STEM lens by gaining great ideas of turning current event into curricular connections into your classrooms. The webinar was just presented on March 15th by Suzie Boss, an author and Buck Institute faculty member, discusses how to create real world-relevant ideas for project based learning.  

" She’ll discuss how to design academically rigorous projects that are ripped from the headlines; why relevance doesn’t mean “all about me;” and how to use the 3 A’s to guide students toward meaningful action."

http://goo.gl/terTU9

October 27, 2014

team·work noun \ˈtēm-wərk\- the combined action of a group of people, especially when effective and efficient.

During extended planning, the fourth grade team was wanting to find something that truly highlighted the integration of science, math and social studies for their Family STEM Night focus. That conversation lead to "soil elements, capacity and clay making" that served a purpose for Native Americans. At a spur of the moment request, we asked Deborah to come into their planning meeting during her conference time. She DELAYED her team meeting to help out fourth grade and is now planning to co-teach pottery to accommodate their idea. She has art TEKS she is able to incorporate, as well as supporting 4th grade TEKS. 

Kudos to Deborah Highfill for being a flexible, excited team player who was thinking outside of her "plans" to meet the needs of our scholars! Our Specials teachers are eager to support STEM learning in all grades, don't forget to consider how they can support your content(s) as you are designing learning!

October 6, 2014

PLCs

According to an article from Educational Leadership the purpose of a PLC is:

·               Big Idea #1: Ensuring That Students Learn

·               Big Idea #2: A Culture of Collaboration

·               Big Idea #3: A Focus on Results

This past week, this exact process happened naturally in the fourth grade PLC.  I would like to point out that 2 of the members of that team are new to GCISD.  The short version of this planning process happened as they planned their first TEAM PBL. 

The thought process was to link...

Social Studies

1.     Native Americans in Texas developed different ways of life based upon the geographic regions in which they lived

2.      The size, history, and geography of Texas shaped its growth and diversity.

Science

1.     Properties of soil,

2.     Changes to the earth’s surface

3.     Renewable and nonrenewable resources

Basically, if I could have taped this PLC-I would have!!!  The cornerstone task from the first unit of social studies will be used to reflect upon and even “add to or change if needed” to begin the look at the lives of different Native Americans tribes. 

Some of you may already be saying, “Yes, Lisa, we always uses prior knowledge to drive our learning.”  But in this instance, they are using the STUDENTS’ assessment piece (the cornerstone task) to a new and deeper level.  The students will have the opportunity to change/add to their initial learning.  The fact that the cornerstone task is a usable piece of a PBL joined with science is incredible.  I am a nerd at heart and the fact that a cornerstone task is truly not “just one more thing to do” and is a viable piece to drive instruction just makes me smileJ Kudos to Erin and Alejandra!!

If you would like to read this article on PLCs please access it at http://goo.gl/gb9ebm