User:Learning Team B/Sandbox

Four Trends to Differentiating Instruction in Science and Mathematics
===Hands-on Learning=== Hands-on learning involves students’ active participation in the educational process. Student engagement comprises a crucial component of academic success; many long suspected passive learning via lectures loses many students’ attention. A study researching the distinction between hands-on learning and lecture-based learning entailed two groups of students. One group learned about water quality and the impact humans have had upon it through traditional textbook and lecture means. The second group studied the same topics by building design models of water purification systems (Ash, 2009, para.2). All students in the hands-on group demonstrated more comprehensive knowledge of the subject, especially English Language Learners, than those students in the textbook and lecture group (Ash, 2009, para. 2). Neuroscientists’ studies indicate “movement encourages the brain to process information more effectively” ("Kinesthetic learners and," para. 4). Even the act of writing with a pencil qualifies as a low-level hands-on activity. “As students write about information, they reconstruct the thinking process; they internalize the activity” (Reaves, Flowers, & Jewell, 2000, para. 3).

==Team Teaching== Vernice info goes here ==Interactive Learning== Vernice info goes here ==Critical Thinking Skills== Diverse learners respond well to relevant and contextual content which promotes critical thinking. Improving critical thinking can be channeled through structured dialogue, graphic organizers, responding to and developing great questions and plenty of manipulative activities. Educational content is relevant when it is student-based which encompasses student’s life, student’s family and friends, community, society today, and current trends (Critical thinking, 2011).
 * Scaffolding thinking
 * Planning for thinking
 * Assessing thinking about content
 * Recognize the level of thinking each student demonstrates
 * Manage teaching and learning level for desired thinking level
 * Describe relevance
 * Think, pair and share
 * Role playing
 * Blank paper assignments: Concept mapping, KWL and KIM charts, inference charts, cause and effect reasoning, cooperative learning communities, quick writes and inference T-charts.

Nathan info follows: The following trends apply primarily to mathematics _____ and here is why.

The following trends apply primarily to science _____________ and here is why.

===Instructional Uses for Diverse Learners===
 * Establishing and supporting a culture of evidence,
 * Demonstrating improvement of learning,
 * Translating learning research into practice,
 * Selecting appropriate models and strategies for learning,
 * Providing tools to meet growing student expectations,
 * Providing professional development and support to new audiences,
 * Sharing content, applications and application development,
 * Addressing emerging ethical challenges- diversify environment,
 * Understanding evolving the role of academic technologies.

Hands-On Lesson Plan: Valentine’s Day Candy Hearts Graph
Hands-On Lesson Plan: Valentine’s Day Candy Hearts Graph

Grade: Kindergarten

Length of Lesson: 60 minutes

Standards:

Subject: Mathematics

NM- New Mexico Standards

Subject: Mathematics

Strand: NUMBER AND OPERATIONS

Content Standard: Students will understand numerical concepts and mathematical operations.

Grade Range/Benchmark: K-4 Benchmark: Understand the meaning of operations and how they relate to one another.

Grade: K

Performance Standard 1: Represent numbers using pictures, objects, or numerals.

Performance Standard 2: Use concrete objects to solve simple addition and subtraction story problems (e.g., oral not written).

Objectives: 

Content Objective: Students demonstrate knowledge of counting with understanding and demonstrate ability to create a representative graph. Students answer simple questions about the graph they create. Students demonstrate ability to use concrete manipulatives to answer simple addition arithmetic problems and to write corresponding number models.

Language Objective: Students use key vocabulary terms appropriately.

Key Vocabulary: more than, less than, the same as, most, least, tallest, shortest, height, addition, plus, column, graph, sorting, color

Materials: one box candy hearts per student, one candy sorting chart per student, one blank candy graph per student, one addition arithmetic sheet per student, assortment of crayons, one pencil per student

Lesson Overview: Students sort the Valentine’s Day candy hearts by color using a sorting chart, demonstrating the ability to sort by attribute and to count with understanding. Students next graph the candies by color on the graph, e.g., eight red candies equates to eight squares colored in the red column of the chart. Finally, students use the groups of candy to solve simple arithmetic problems and write equations, e.g., students count with understanding red candies with blue candies to determine together the red and blue make 13. The students then write the corresponding number model for the word problems, e.g., 8 + 5 = 13. The students complete this work on small groups, incorporating peer modeling. The graphing portion of the assignment uses crayons (and specifically not markers) to further develop proper grip, muscle development, and fine motor skills.

Lesson Sequence:


 * 1) Preparation: The teacher gathers all necessary materials, ensuring the materials are adequate in number and accessible.
 * 2) Anticipatory Set: Motivation: The teacher initiates a discussion with the class, reviewing key vocabulary terms.
 * 3) Introduction: The teacher introduces the key vocabulary encountered and necessary to the assignment.
 * 4) Lesson Sequence:
 * 5) The teacher ascertains the necessary supplies are prepared and accessible
 * 6) The teacher predetermines the small groups
 * 7) The teacher considers skill levels, special needs, and personalities when determining the small groups
 * 8) The teacher gathers the students in a common area
 * 9) The teacher displays the candy sorting chart, a blank candy graph, a completed candy graph, and a blank addition arithmetic sheet
 * 10) The teacher invites students to share previous knowledge of graphing
 * 11) The teacher expands upon students’ recollections
 * 12) The teacher invites students to share previous knowledge of addition
 * 13) The teacher expands upon students’ recollections
 * 14) The teacher demonstrates how to sort the candy by attribute on the candy sorting sheet (by color)
 * 15) The teacher demonstrates how to complete the graph for one color of candy by coloring in the correct number of squares in the column
 * 16) The teacher demonstrates how to use the candy hearts as concrete manipulatives to complete the addition arithmetic sheet, e.g., blue candy hearts counted with red candy hearts equals 13 candy hearts
 * 17) The teacher dismisses students to predetermined small groups
 * 18) The teacher uses student assistance to distribute one box of candy, one candy sorting chart, one graph, and one pencil per student in addition to an assortment of multicolored crayons per group
 * 19) The teacher circulates the room
 * 20) The teacher observes students’ progress sorting the candy hearts by attribute (color)
 * 21) The teacher intervenes and offers guidance as needed
 * 22) The teacher pays close attention to ELLs and special needs students
 * 23) The teacher circulates the room
 * 24) The teacher observes students’ progress graphing the candy hearts  by attribute (color)
 * 25) The teacher intervenes and offers guidance as needed
 * 26) The teacher pays close attention to ELLs and special needs students
 * 27) The teacher verifies the accuracy of each student’s  graph as they complete it
 * 28) Students’ graphing results will vary depending upon the contents of the box of candy hearts
 * 29) The teacher asks each student simple questions about the graph he or she created, e.g., Which color has the most? Which color has the least? Which column is the tallest? Which column is the shortest? Are there any columns the same height?
 * 30) The teacher circulates the room
 * 31) The teacher observes students’ progress solving the addition arithmetic problems
 * 32) The teacher observes students’ progress writing number models
 * 33) The teacher intervenes and offers guidance as needed
 * 34) The teacher pays close attention to ELLs and special needs students
 * 35) The teacher verifies the completed work of each student
 * 36) Once the graph and addition arithmetic sheet is verified accurate or the student corrects errors with teacher guidance, the students may eat the candy.
 * 37) Closure: The teacher allows the students to eat the candy.
 * 38) Review/Assessment: The teacher verifies each student’s graph is completed correctly, ascertaining accuracy before he or she eats the candy. The teacher verifies each student wrote the correct answers on the arithmetic sheet. Informal observation substantially forms the bulk of the assessment, e.g., a student who struggled and required intensive assistance but ultimately wrote correct answers needs more future guidance than one who completed all work unassisted and answered two problems incorrectly or made one error on the graph.
 * 39) Modifications: 

ELL: ELL students paired with higher achieving students to model and support. Vigilant adult support and guidance provided.

Gifted and Talented: GAT students are expected to solve double digit problems or ones of increased complexity, e.g., add the blue candy hearts to the red and the yellow candy hearts or determine how many candy hearts all together.

Special Needs: Special needs students are provided extra adult assistance and guidance as needed. These students will be provided the option of only completing the graph and not the addition arithmetic sheet or completing it with intense one-on-one assistance from the teacher. This modification will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

References

Ash, K. (2009, January 30). Hands-on learning versus lecturing - digital education - education week. Retrieved from http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2009/01/engaging_students_in_stem.html

Critical thinking. Retrieved July 13, 2011 from http://cfisd.net/dept2/curricu/rrr10/resources/resources/rrr_2010/lin_kuz/lin_kuz.pdf

Instructional issues with diverse learners. Retrieved July 13, 2011 from www.educatingdiverselearners.org

Kinesthetic learners and learning. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.classroom-management-success.org/kinesthetic-learners.html

Reaves, R. R., Flowers, J. L., & Jewell, L. R. (2000, June 28, Last Modified 2000, August 17). Effects of writing-to-learn activities on the content knowledge, retention, and attitudes of secondary vocational agriculture students. Retrieved from http://pubs.aged.tamu.edu/jae/pdf/Vol34/34-03-34.pdf