WOW ~ Working on the Work

Design Qualities to Encourage Active Engagement

WOODLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL

 

 

                                     SAFE ENVIRONMENT

 

1.                 Foster an environment where all students are treated equitably and with respect.

2.                 Talk about student diversity with students (i.e. culturally, ethnically and intellectually)

3.                 Access to Guidance /STARS

4.                 Classroom rules / school rules

5.                 Small group activities

6.                 Student ownership of classroom procedures

7.                 Procedures / Safeguards for unruly students

8.                 Supportive peer evaluations

9.                 Empower students to report violations (to themselves and others)

10.             Consistency

11.             D.A.R.E.

12.             School Resource Officers L

13.             Personal interest in knowing your students

14.             Focus period used to help, encourage, process, and address failure

15.             Respect for Self and Others

16.             No tolerance for name calling

17.             No teacher sarcasm

18.             Address crowded buses

19.             Use of video cameras

 

ORGANIZATION OF KNOWLEDGE

 

1.                 Rubrics

2.                 Note cards

3.                 Order (of operation, chronological, plot, time lines, physical puzzles, alpha)

4.                 Prerequisite Skits

5.                 Graphic Organizers

6.                 Pre-test & Post-test

7.                 Post-it Posters / outline ~ textbook headings/subheadings

8.                 Summarizing

9.                 Sing Songs / Rap

10.             Pneumonic Devices

11.             Layering

12.             Outlines

13.             Technology

14.             Student Guides

15.             Fold it Flip books

16.             Portfolios

17.             PowerPoint Presentation

18.             E-Clicks

19.             United Streaming

20.             Textbooks on CD

21.             Weekly Plans on Website

22.             Personal Folders

23.             Design Personal Deadlines / mini goals throughout creation of project

24.             Interactive Notebooks

25.             Agenda

26.             Check List

27.             Web Pages (student design)

28.             Web Research Tool

29.             Outlining / Note Taking

30.             Student Created Study Guides

31.             Lexile Levels

32.             Instructions (Clear)

33.             Assessment Checklist

34.             Timeline

35.             Indicators in Organizers

36.             Reminders (verbal & visual)

37.             Contracts

38.             Student Repeating Instructions

39.             Orientation (Summer)

40.             Note Taking

 

 

CONTENT and SUBSTANCE

 

1.                 Pre and Post Tests

2.                 Interest Surveys

3.                 PBAs – Choice!

4.                 Analysis of TCAP, IAI, Gateway data, IEP info

5.                 Curriculum - on – Line, Hardcopy (County, State and National)

6.                 Grade/subject level meetings where expectations & outlines are determined

7.                 Use of Course Syllabus

8.                 Stating Daily Objectives

9.                 Exit Cards – Interest Inventories – Learning Styles

10.             Using text books as curriculum supplements

11.             SPI’s (state performance indicators)

12.             Communicate Expectations to Parents

13.             Interdisciplinary Teaching

14.             Multimedia

15.             Group Work

16.             NCLB

17.             Informal and Alternative Assessments

18.             Consider and assess background knowledge to make educational decisions

 

AFFIRMATION

 

1.                 Projects on web site

2.                 WCS Courier

3.                 Outside Speakers (Junior Achievement)

4.                 Community Displays

5.                 School/Student Displays

6.                 Honorary Clubs

7.                 Band concerts, Drama/Music Performances

8.                 Open House

9.                 Parent Conferences – student led

10.             Sporting Events

11.             Awards

12.             E-Merits, Honor Roll

13.             Academic Contests

14.             “At-A-Boy/Girl”

15.             Yearbook, Newspaper

16.             Spelling and Geography Bee

17.             Youth Leg., Model UN

18.             Math Contest

19.             Any Project Presented

20.             D.I., Forensics

21.             On a daily basis acknowledge “a good try” as well as the correct answer

22.             Community Service Projects

23.             Talent Show

24.             Pictures on Website

 

NOVELTY and VARIETY

 

1.          Stained Glass

2.          Floor Plan and Cost of Home

3.          Essay – biography with digital picture

4.          Jelly Bean Illustrations of a Theme

5.          Character Portrayal

6.          A Resume – 20 years in the future

7.          Design Thanksgiving Cards for Soldiers

8.          Utopian Communities

9.          Scale Models of a Game Board or Sports Field

10.      Business Letters - follow up - teaching – observations

11.      Person Coat of Arms

12.      Civil War Battlefield Replica

13.      Develop a Concept Car and Write a Descriptive Paragraph

14.      Build CO2 car and Bridge Building

15.      Design and Illustrate Colonial Brochures

16.      Editors Workshop (essay sharing)

17.      Develop Math Board Games

18.      Cell Models

19.      Growing Bacteria

20.      Peer Teaching/Tutoring

21.      Multimedia

22.      United Streaming

23.      Catapults

24.      Music Videos

25.      Sculpting

26.      Improv

27.      Scripting Plays

28.      Vary the Teaching Setting

29.      Motion Detectors/ Graphing “a la Sykes”

30.      Video Presentation

31.      E-Clicks

32.      Dioramas

33.      Newspaper Articles Summarized/Current Events

34.      Scavenger Hunt

35.      Gamer – Jeopardy – Invent Games

36.      Simulations

37.      Team Teaching / Student Teaching

38.      Create Recipes

39.      Student Input

40.      Evaluating for Novelty

 

CLEAR and COMPELLING PRODUCT STANDARDS

 

1.                 6-Point Writing Rubric

2.                 Rubric (teacher and student designed)

3.                 Checklist

4.                 Models (benchmarks – examples of good/bad)

5.                 County/State/National Curriculum

6.                 PBS’s

7.                 NCLB

8.                 Gateway

9.                 TCAP

10.             Writing Assessment

11.             CCA Tests

12.             Practice TCAP Testing

13.             SPI’s (state performance indicators)

14.             Contract – Academic and Behavior

15.             Assessment – Individual Conferences / Performance Task Assessment

16.             Peer Evaluation – Model UN and Mock Trial

17.             Self Evaluation

18.             County Spelling/Geography Bee

19.             Academic Competitions

20.             Athletic Skills Test

21.             Delayed Gratification – Unlike the “Microwave” Society (college scholarships, jobs, etc.)

 

AUTHENTICITY

 

1.          Design the Rubric for the Assignment

2.          Input into the Components of the Product

3.          Current Interest Literature/Media as Basis for Tasks

4.          Portfolio/Resume – Evaluation Showcase Work

5.          Real Life Applications: stock market, trip planning, designing, careers

6.          Activities Relating to Personal Life

7.          Maintain and Balance a Checkbook

8.          Practical Reading (driver’s manual, labels, cans)

9.          Square Footage/Cost of Home in? Different Areas/Calculate the          

          Cost of Carpeting and Fencing (perimeter)           

10.      Service Projects

11.      Teach students how to order off a menu and how to calculate the tip.

12.      Learn how to set a table to learn how to write a sequential essay

13.      Debate to Learn How to Support Your Ideas /Positions

14.      Webbing/Graphic Organizers

15.      Role Playing (Mock Trial)

16.      Individual Assessments

17.      Interest Inventories and Career Aptitude Assessments

18.      HIV Life Skills

19.      Inclusion in Ensemble Activities (i.e. sporting events, performances)

20.      Simulations/Lab

21.      Guest/Professional Speakers

22.      Field Trips

23.      Design Real Life Experiences – Crime Scene Investigations

 

 

CHOICE

 

1.         Complete lessons individually or exhibit knowledge learned       

         Independently through creating a game collaboratively     

2.         Allow students to use technology to complete assignments and  

    present PowerPoint.

3.         Assignment Alternatives

4.         Tiered Assignments

5.         Program/Schedule Choices

6.         Multiple Intelligences

7.         How to Present Work

8.         Choosing Group Partners

9.         Self Assessment

10.     Student Input on Evaluation Process

11.     Varied Technology Used in Study

12.     Pre testing/Contracts

13.     Media Alternatives

14.     Alternate Test Formats

 

AFFILIATIONS

 

1.                 Mock Trial

2.                 Research Project

3.                 Lab (Science)

4.                 Literature Circles

5.                 Study Groups

6.                 Peer Tutors

7.                 Forensics

8.                 Guest Speakers

9.                 Community Volunteers (Junction Achievement)

10.             Career Fairs

11.             STARS

12.             Band Concerts

13.             Book Club

14.             Video Projects

15.             Group Projects

16.             D.A.R.E.

17.             Singing / Songs

18.             Food / Cultural Activity

19.             Group Discussion

20.             Family Reading Night / Study

21.             Team Sports

22.             Drama / Plays

23.             Science Fair

24.             Clubs

25.             School Programs / Service Projects (Choices Count, Chorus “on the road”)

26.             Contests

27.             Homework Hotline

28.             Interdistrict Collaboration

29.             Internet Conferencing (I Ming)

30.             Video Conferences

31.             Blogging

32.             Interviews

33.             Student Led Parent Conferences

34.             Talent Show

35.             Shadowing

36.             Cross Mentoring

 

PRODUCT FOCUS

 

1.                 Directions / Rubric Given to Students

2.                 Directions shown on paper, Homework page, board

3.                 Project Sheets signed by Parents

4.                 Students Have High Interest and Take Pride in Work

5.                 Example of Projects (rock collection, book report on cereal box, challenges for seats, lyric poem for CD case)

6.                 Students Given Choice of Product – relevant to student

7.                 Presentation of Product

8.                 Displaying Student Work – Publishing Work (teacher highlighting things done well)

9.                 Vision Exam

10.             Projects from the Past Illustrating a “10”, “9”, etc.

11.             Update Homework Page

12.             Sending Home Portfolio Every 9 Weeks

13.             Test Preparation

14.             Reteaching / Review for Mastery

15.             IEP’s

16.             Student Created Rubrics Cube

17.             Teachers and Students are in Agreement on Expectations

18.             Writing Process (rough, revised, final)

19.             Product Based Assessment

20.             State Standards/Objectives Go Home and on Teacher Website

21.             Students Verbalize Objectives

22.      TCAP Data Analysis