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Literacy Trekker: Living in Harmony

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Literacy Trekker - Plant Photosynthesis 

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Literacy Trekker - Plant Photosynthesis 

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Simo and Nichole

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Literacy Trekker on the history of buttons

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Literacy Trekker on the history of buttons

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ELA.SL.5.1a

Common core State Standards

ELA: English Language Arts

SL: Speaking and Listening Standards K-5

5: 5th Grade

1a:
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and
texts, building on others' ideas and expressing
their own clearly.

a. Come to discussions prepared, having read
or studied required material; explicitly draw
on that preparation and other information
known about the topic to explore ideas under
discussion.

b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and
carry out assigned roles.

c. Pose and respond to specific questions by
making comments that contribute to the
discussion and elaborate on the remarks of
others.

d. Review the key ideas expressed and draw
conclusions in light of information and
knowledge gained from the discussions.

Download Common Core State Standards (PDF 1.2 MB)

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Discussion and Supporting Materials

Thought starters

How does this strategy enrich discussion?

What is the difference between the Post-it strategy and traditional note-taking?

How could you use this strategy to encourage reluctant students to participate?

School Details

Stevenson Elementary School
14220 Ne 8th St
Bellevue WA 98007

Data Provided By:

Teachers

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Post-its: Little Notes for Big Discussions

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Fifth grade teacher Stacy Brewer has her students use Post-its to take notes on a text in preparation for class discussion. Stacy explains how this strategy helps students remember what stood out to them when reading. After taking notes with Post-its, students come together to discuss the text.

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Even the smallest things, like the living cell, become big enough to grasp in Rob Olazagasti's middle school science class, where he enables students to learn by creating, remember by experiencing, and show what they know by teaching.

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Even the smallest things, like the living cell, become big enough to grasp in Rob Olazagasti's middle school science class, where he enables students to learn by creating, remember by experiencing, and show what they know by teaching.

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Masterful Teacher: Jonathan Winn Makes Calculus Cool | Edutopia

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Jonathan Winn, San Diego's 2011 High School Teacher of the Year, has developed a high voltage classroom atmosphere that inspires students to get excited about math and excel at AP calculus.

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Access Google Sites with a personal Google account or Google Workspace account (for business use).

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Rubric Development

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Guidelines for creating and using a rubric to communicate expectations.

What is a rubric?

Rubrics are formal systems for deciding how to describe the quality of a variety of products, activities, processes, and behaviors. These descriptions may be used for formative feedback, determination of student grades, or data for assessment of performance on a specific student learning outcome.

Examples of materials that can be evaluated with a rubric

research reports

answers on essay exams

works of poetry or fiction

musical recitals

theatrical performances

athletic performance

individual and group presentations

poster presentations

participation as a member of a team or group

grant proposals

portfolios

Rubrics can be used in a variety of ways

communicate expectations about "what counts" as high-quality versus lower-quality work

reflection and self-assessment of one's work

assigning grades to student assignments and exams

guidelines to structure the feedback provided by supervisors of field experiences or internships

evaluating grant proposals, portfolios for award of prizes, application portfolios for prospective employees, etc.

assessment of specific student learning outcomes by departments for evaluation of curriculum and teaching strategies

Types of Rubrics

Holistic Rubric
Rubric consists of a set of descriptors that generate a single, global score for the entire work.

Analytic Rubric
Rubric is comprised of a set of focused holistic rubrics for specific components that will be evaluated independently. These components might be reported separately or they might be combined to create a global score that is used for determining a grade.

Components of a rubric

Performance Elements

Describe the major attributes of the work that will contribute to the overall evaluation.

Category Scale

Describe the method used to assign work to global categories or to assign points for the performance element. Points need not be assigned to categories unless you plan to combine the performance elements to compute an overall grade. If performance elements will be used as independent assessments of a specific learning outcome, category names without numerical values will be as useful as point values. If performance elements will be combined to compute an overall grade, elements can be weighted differently (or varying amounts of points assigned to categories) so that different elements can contribute more or less to the overall grade, based on their importance for the assignment.

Descriptors of the criteria used for classifying work or assigning points for an element

Describe the characteristics of the performance or work that must be present for the work to be assigned to a given level of achievement. These descriptions may include the following types of information:

Descriptions of the general characteristics of work assigned to each level of quality.

Specific, concrete examples or telltale signs of what to look for at each level of performance. These examples are useful for providing specific feedback to students without writing marginal notes. Examples may include characteristics that contribute to a higher rating (e.g., assertions are always supported with empirical evidence or a cited work) or common errors that lead to a lower rating (e.g., frequent errors in spelling or grammar).

Steps for constructing a rubric

Determine the elements or criteria that will be used to evaluate the work.

Identify the difference between good work and weaker work.

Describe the procedures used for making judgments (or assigning scores). Write clear descriptions of the types of work that will be assigned to each category or level of achievement. These descriptions will help users apply the rubric consistently over time, increasing the reliability and perceived fairness of the evaluation process.

Examples of scales describing levels of quality:

Below Expectations

Meets Expectations

Exceeds Expectations

Missing or Serious
Problems

Below Expectations

Meet Expectations

Excellent Work

Scale for evaluating behavioral elements in a rubric (in class, in group activities, as team members, during a presentation, etc.)

How do I develop the descriptors for the categories?

One strategy is to begin by describing the characteristics of the "ideal" and the "worst case." Intermediate examples can then be described by identifying the most common errors that make an example fall short of "ideal" or the redeeming qualities that make an example better than the "worst case."

Another strategy is to use samples of existing work. Sort the examples into three piles corresponding to three levels of quality - the "best" work, the "worst" work, and "intermediate" work. What are the common characteristics of the examples in the "best" pile? These are the descriptors for the top category. What are the typical problems seen in the "worst" work? These are descriptors that should be included for the lowest category.

Don't reinvent the wheel! Look at the descriptors used in an existing rubric and revise these to adapt them for your assignment. See the Examples of Rubrics page for links to a variety of rubrics.

Rubrics are fluid. Expect that after you develop your first rubric, you will think of ways to modify it the first time you use it to evaluate student work.

Use the rubric to give students feedback about their work

If you make notes on a copy of the rubric during grading, you can easily provide detailed feedback to your students by circling or highlighting components of the rubric that describe relevant qualities of the student's work that determined your decision to assign one category of quality instead of another. This strategy can save graders time. You are no longer writing the same marginal notation on paper after paper.

This is one reason why you might want to refine and edit the rubric. You may discover characteristics or errors that appear in student work that you didn't think about when the first rubric was developed. These can be added in the next version of the rubric.

Why use a rubric? How will using a rubric help me as a teacher?

Rubrics create a focus on instruction and learning.

Rubrics improve the clarity of the feedback provided to students - students get a clear description of their strengths and weaknesses.

Rubrics characterize the desired results/products of student work objectively - they give students clear instruction about the instructor's expectations for an assignment.

Rubrics are operational definitions for the standards used to evaluate performance - enables multiple graders to evaluate student work consistently and reliably.

Students can use a rubric to assess their own work - they can have a better idea about whether they are meeting expectations before they submit their work for formal evaluation; thus, rubrics develop competence in self-evaluation.

Rubrics engage students in the learning process - when students can describe exactly what is expected of them, they may be more strongly motivated to work to meet these expectations.

Template for creating a rubric

The below link is to a Word file that contains a template for a rubric including instructions for how to use and modify the template to meet individual grading needs. Instructors can download this file and modify it as needed to construct their own rubric: Rubric Template (doc).

How good is your rubric?

Want to evaluate the quality of your rubric (or one you are thinking about adopting)?

Bonnie Mullinix created A Rubric for Rubrics‌ to evaluate rubrics for Monmouth University.

Additional Information about rubrics
Additional websites with information about developing rubrics can be found on the "Web Sites on Rubric Development" web page. Updated: 03/31/15 ecr

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Guidelines for creating and using a rubric to communicate expectations. Rubrics are formal systems for deciding how to describe the quality of a variety of products, activities, processes, and behaviors. These descriptions may be used for formative feedback, determination of student grades, or data for assessment of performance on a specific student learning outcome.

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Considerations when developing rubrics

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Novak Educational Consulting is the premier organization for designing and delivering high-quality, evidence-based professional development on multi-tiered systems of support, evidence-based tiered interventions, evidence-based literacy models, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and effective leadership practices. Our presenters are completely flexible and can design any type of presentation to meet your needs.

Without the proper supports, professional development, and resources, it can be difficult - if not impossible - to improve your teaching game. And even when professional development is available, it sometimes falls short. Our response is to provide universally designed online courses to help you better understand UDL, MTSS, and inclusive practice. Courses will provide you with the theory you need but will focus on practical methods for improving daily practice.

Novak Educational Consulting has a team of consultants who can help to introduce and scale the implementation of inclusive practices and Universal Design for Learning in your school or district. We have consultants who have spent their careers in urban, rural, and suburban districts, PreK-12 and higher ed. We offer in person and virtual professional learning, instructional coaching, and technical assistance.

How we are changing education across the USA and the world by providing engaging and inspiring professional development opportunities

Novak Educational Consulting is the premier organization for designing and delivering high-quality, evidence-based professional development on multi-tiered systems of support, evidence-based tiered interventions, evidence-based literacy models, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and effective leadership practices.

Deeper Learning seeks to empower students to think deeper, collaborate better, and problem-solve meaningfully. As employers turn their focus to "skills" like dependability, self-motivation, and problem-solving, teachers, schools, and districts must do the same.

Debunking the common myths and misconceptions about Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Let's be honest. Our vision statements, that strive for success for all, are out of reach if we continue to design systems and instruction the way we have always designed them.

In the past few months, we have had to unlearn many of our favorite routines and habits. Unlearning means that we have to consciously think about and put forth the effort to change.

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Novak Educational Consulting is the premier organization for designing and delivering high-quality, evidence-based professional development on multi-tiered systems of support, evidence-based tiered interventions, evidence-based literacy models, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and effective leadership practices. Our presenters are completely flexible and can design any type of presentation to meet your needs.

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UDL math 2nd grade lesson - PS 110M - NY

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In this video you will see Ms. Bakian teach her 2nd grade class a math lesson incorporating the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.

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Sharing
standard language with students 

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Sharing
standard language with students 

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PLEASE CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT OR LOG IN TO ACCESS THIS CONTENT

Enjoy your first three pieces of content for free. Subscribe for unlimited access.

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Discussion and Supporting Materials

Thought starters

How does talking explicitly about the Common Core affect students?

What could you do to adapt Ms. Novak's strategies for your grade level?

How could sharing the Common Core with your students enhance your own understanding of the standards?

School Details

Col Moses Parker School
75 Graniteville Road
Chelmsford MA 01824

Data Provided By:

Teachers

Pre-K Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 / Administrator

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Sharing Common Core Language with Students

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Eighth grade ELA teacher Katie Novak uses the Common Core State Standards to communicate her expectations to students. Katie gives each student a copy of the CCSS and refers back to them as she teaches. Katie explicitly uses the language of the Common Core with her students, sharing the importance of teaching students the "how", "what," and "why" of her expectations.

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ELA.SL.5.1a

Common core State Standards

ELA: English Language Arts

SL: Speaking and Listening Standards K-5

5: 5th Grade

1a:
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and
texts, building on others' ideas and expressing
their own clearly.

a. Come to discussions prepared, having read
or studied required material; explicitly draw
on that preparation and other information
known about the topic to explore ideas under
discussion.

b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and
carry out assigned roles.

c. Pose and respond to specific questions by
making comments that contribute to the
discussion and elaborate on the remarks of
others.

d. Review the key ideas expressed and draw
conclusions in light of information and
knowledge gained from the discussions.

Download Common Core State Standards (PDF 1.2 MB)

PLEASE CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT OR LOG IN TO ACCESS THIS CONTENT

Enjoy your first video for free. Subscribe for unlimited access.

Have questions about subscribing? Click Here to learn more.

PLEASE CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT OR LOG IN TO ACCESS THIS CONTENT

Enjoy your first video for free. Subscribe for unlimited access.

Have questions about subscribing? Click Here to learn more.

Discussion and Supporting Materials

Thought starters

How does this strategy enrich discussion?

What is the difference between the Post-it strategy and traditional note-taking?

How could you use this strategy to encourage reluctant students to participate?

School Details

Stevenson Elementary School
14220 Ne 8th St
Bellevue WA 98007

Data Provided By:

Teachers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Post-its: Little Notes for Big Discussions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Fifth grade teacher Stacy Brewer has her students use Post-its to take notes on a text in preparation for class discussion. Stacy explains how this strategy helps students remember what stood out to them when reading. After taking notes with Post-its, students come together to discuss the text.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Even the smallest things, like the living cell, become big enough to grasp in Rob Olazagasti's middle school science class, where he enables students to learn by creating, remember by experiencing, and show what they know by teaching.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Even the smallest things, like the living cell, become big enough to grasp in Rob Olazagasti's middle school science class, where he enables students to learn by creating, remember by experiencing, and show what they know by teaching.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Masterful Teacher: Jonathan Winn Makes Calculus Cool | Edutopia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Jonathan Winn, San Diego's 2011 High School Teacher of the Year, has developed a high voltage classroom atmosphere that inspires students to get excited about math and excel at AP calculus.

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Cheryl Butler 11/3 Homework

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Nice refresher on Reading Instruction.

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Find reading passages based on lexile or key words
Thank you for sharing Sarah Martin

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ReadWorks | Award-Winning, EdTech Nonprofit Organization

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ReadWorks is an edtech nonprofit organization that is committed to helping to solve America's reading comprehension crisis.

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UDL Ingredients

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This non-verbal representation of the Essential Ingredients of UDL include: Blue/Green/Purple pipe cleaners, which represent the Principles of UDL [Engagement/Representation/Action & Expression], from which the Gorilla of Goals hangs, and beneath that sits the idea of Learner Variability working on demonstrating [Action & Expression] using technology.
UDL is ZOO-TASTIC!

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UDL Practices are really best teaching practices that apply to all students.

Goals: Clear expectations of method and content standards.

Variability: A deliberate and gradual release of responsibility from the teacher to the learner by planning for variability through multiple means of engagement, representation, and action & expression.

Context: Intentionally creating a context that is necessary for some and used by all.

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Describe the 3 essential UDL ingredients

Engagement with the purpose of sustaining effort and persistence with content vs method

Representation by offering alternatives for visual learners by providing multiple resources such as: color coded power point to address focused understanding

Action and Expression providing options for expression and communication by allowing students to offer summative information in various forms of media or other social tools to express their knowledge to the best of their ability, h/useri�0�{T

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Essential Elements: UDL @spedtechMia3

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Cheryl's 3 Essentials of UDL

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Your GOALS! Keep the end in mind. VARIABILITY! Allow voice and choice. CONTEXT! What you do for some can help for all.

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Your GOALS! Keep the end in mind. VARIABILITY! Allow voice and choice. CONTEXT! What you do for some can help for all.

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3 Essential UDL Ingredients of Variability Symbol

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3 Essential UDL Ingredients of Variability Symbol

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Light bulb- represents Engagement=coil to engage with electricity, Representation=the universal symbol for knowledge is a light bulb and Action/Expression= giving off of light through the filament itself

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UDL

1.    SS.6.G.1.5  Use scale, cardinal, and intermediate directions, and estimation of distances between places on current and ancient maps of the world.

2.    Method

3.    Take the scale you created and use it to find intermediate directions (NE, SE, SW, NW) and estimate distances between two places on current and ancient maps of the world

4.    Yes

5.    No

6.    Using the scale you created, how would a person get from UPMS to Walmart, then from Walmart to Publix.

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MAFS.3.MD.3.6: Method Standard

2.Measure areas by counting unit squares (square cm, square m, square in, square ft, and improvised units)

3. Measure area  (how much space is inside a shape) by counting unit squares(square cm, square m, square in, square ft, and improvised units)

4.YES: the means is counting

5.NO,

6. You can have students use their bodies or any object to measure the area of something in the room. You can define unit by other objects to make the concept more concrete.

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Science