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Crafting Questions That Drive Projects

Crafting Questions That Drive Projects
Which comes first, the driving question or the learning goals? I think it depends. The most successful projects feed off of students’ passions. Don’t be afraid to tap into them. In my first year of teaching, my fifth graders were obsessed with SpongeBob Squarepants. What adventures would SpongeBob have during the Great Depression? So, to develop a driving question, you can use students' interest as a starting point and then creatively connect learning standards. Some of the learning aims my school had for students in math were working with decimals and graphing data. So, you can start with a topic or you start with learning standards to develop a driving question. Related:  didattica

20 ways to use a tablet in the classroom | Teacher Network Whatever model of Android or iOS tablet you have available, it’s a hugely versatile tool when it comes to educating and entertaining children. Here are some of the best apps and features you can make use of in the classroom – some of which you have to pay for and others that are free. 1 Dive into 360-degree videos This is the most basic form of virtual reality, a full sphere of video centred on the spectator who can view an environment in any direction. 2 Get creative with photo taking The Android and iOS camera apps are simple enough to use and can be deployed to record anything from a field trip diary to the results of a science experiment or a class art show. 3 Make music – no experience required Tablets are well-known as music-making devices, even among professionals, and there are a plethora of apps available that make good use of the tablet’s extra screen space compared with a mobile phone screen. 4 Record radio shows and podcasts 5 Make immersive and interactive notes 10 See the world

10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking | TeachThought 10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking by TeachThought Staff One of education’s primary goals is to groom the next generation of little humans to succeed in the “real world.” Yes, there are mounds of curricula they must master in a wide breadth of subjects, but education does not begin and end with a textbook or test. Other skills must be honed, too, not the least of which is how to get along with their peers and work well with others. Students must be engaged and cooperation must be practiced, and often. 10 Team-Building Games That Promote Collaborative Critical Thinking You can purchase a classroom-ready version of team-building games that promote critical thinking here. 1. This team-building game is flexible. Then, give them something to construct. You can recycle this activity throughout the year by adapting the challenge or materials to specific content areas. Skills: Communication; problem-solving 2. Skills: Problem-solving, creative collaboration 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 10.

Free Graphic Organizers for Studying and Analyzing Introduction In my opinion, the free graphic organizers that I've been finding recently on the Internet are limited in variety and quality. If you are a regular visitor to Daily Teaching Tools, you may have noticed that two of the last three pages I've added to this site along with this new page, have been devoted entirely to graphic organizers. This hasn't been a coincidence. I'm trying my best to offer you quality graphic organizers WITHOUT draining your wallet. The free ones I'm offering on this page focus entirely on studying and analyzing. And now, the Quick Links. Quick Links for THIS Page You may use the following quick links to go directly to what interests you on this page. Analysis Webs The following graphic organizers are designed to reinforce and extend study and analysis skills that will help kids to be more successful in your class. Let's begin with the ones done in portrait style. Here is a brief slideshow of the ones done in landscape style. Author Study Maps Icebreakers KWL Charts

20 Collaborative Learning Tips And Strategies For Teachers 20 Collaborative Learning Tips And Strategies For Teachers by Miriam Clifford This post has been updated from a 2011 post. There is an age old adage that says “two heads are better than one”. Consider collaboration in recent history: Watson and Crick or Page and Brin (Founders of Google). Yes, those two were of course Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the founders of Microsoft. Collaborative learning teams are said to attain higher level thinking and preserve information for longer times than students working individually. Groups tend to learn through “discussion, clarification of ideas, and evaluation of other’s ideas.” Collaborative learning teams are said to attain higher level thinking and preserve information for longer times than students working individually. Many consider Vygotsky the father of “social learning”. What are some ways to include best practices for collaborative learning in our classroom? 1. 2. 3. 4. Successful interpersonal communication must exist in teams. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Cooperative Learning SOS: 5 Questions to Ask When Cooperative Learning Isn’t Working | The TpT Blog Cooperative learning can be a powerful tool for energizing a classroom, motivating students, and raising achievement. However, it’s not always easy to get kids to work together effectively. After a particularly chaotic lesson, you might even get so frustrated that you’re tempted to give up completely and assign seat work for the rest of the year! If you feel this way, don’t give up just yet! 5 Questions to Ask When Cooperative Learning Isn’t Working Think back to your last cooperative learning lesson, and ask yourself the five questions below. 1. When students don’t treat each other with respect, it could be a sign that they don’t feel personally connected to their classmates. If you didn’t start the year this way, don’t worry. 2. Believe it or not, it’s possible for students to like each other yet lack the social skills needed for successful teamwork. Create a T-chart like the “Working Together Skills” chart shown here. 3. 4. 5. Cooperative Learning SOS Wrap Up The payoff?

How to use Google tools in Project-Based Learning When you think about some of the key features of Project-Based Learning (PBL), what do you think of? PBL should be student-driven, with a real-world connection. It should be core to learning, include structured collaboration, and have a multifaceted assessment. Many of the tech tools used in classrooms are made especially for classrooms. Google tools and project based learning Planning: Where do you start when deciding on a project your students will spend significant time on, have some say in, that will address a number of learning goals and be meaningful and relevant? Inquiry: Once you’ve decided what the students will be focusing on, they’ll need more information on the topic. Connecting and Collaborating: As a part of their work, students will likely need to connect with others – with collaborators in the classroom and with folks around the globe that can help them learn about what they need to know. Student Voice: An integral part of PBL is students having a voice in their work.

Driving Questions Now that we have looked at how to ask questions, let's look at why we ask questions. What is our objective? The kind of question we ask our students changes depending on how far along we have progressed in a project and on the mastery level of our students. As students proceed through a project, we can identify two levels of progression: horizontal and vertical. The major horizontal questioning stages encountered in the classroom are outlined below. At the Beginning of a Project: Brainstorming: The driving question is posed to get students' juices flowing about a topic. Organization: These driving questions help organize students' gathered thoughts into several overarching themes. During a Project: Exploration: The teacher chooses about five overarching ideas (key understandings) to focus on and asks open-ended questions to encourage students to expand their thinking on a topic and elaborate on those thoughts. Clarification: Student ask questions to clarify a point or a concept.

Il compito autentico | Oggi Imparo Io! Se sapete cosa è il compito autentico potete saltare questa prima parte introduttiva e passare alla seconda parte. Per chi invece non sapesse di che si tratta parto da una definizione che mi sembra abbastanza completa: “Il compito autentico è un compito che prevede che gli studenti costruiscano il loro sapere in modo attivo ed in contesti reali e complessi e lo usano in modo preciso e pertinente, dimostrando il possesso di una determinata competenza”. In parole semplici: una normale attività della vita reale, ricca e splendida, in cui si utilizzano tutte le capacità acquisite e la creatività per risolvere un problema vero. A scuola in genere le cose funzionano al contrario del compito autentico. Nella vita reale Thomas Edison, inventore della lampadina, ha provato 10000 volte a bruciare fili di tungsteno prima di scoprire come fare quello giusto. Come realizzare un compito autentico Il metodo proposto non vuole essere IL metodo ma solo un metodo per farlo. Buon divertimento!

Objectives Builder - TeachOnline Skip to Content Teach Online9 Learning Objectives Builder Use the ASU Online Objectives Builder tool below to write measurable course outcomes and learning objectives. About Learning Objectives Learning Objectives are statements that describe the specific knowledge, skills, or abilities student will be able to demonstrate in the real world as a result of completing a lesson. Examples of Learning Objectives Describe individual, behavioral, and social factors positively influencing health in the Blue Zones.Calculate the median of a set of values using Excel.Create a needs analysis using Gilbert’s Performance Matrix.Revise a company operations manual to reduce energy consumption.Diagram the main constructs of social cognitive theory.Summarize the scope and source of food waste in the United States. Objectives Builder Tool Use the below objectives builder tool to begin designing objectives. Join the conversation 15 replies Leave a comment Your email address will not be published. IBD podcast Twitter42

The Jigsaw Classroom Collaborative Learning Collaborative Learning Building a Classroom Community Collaborative Learning Collaborative Activities Getting Everyone Involved Building a Classroom Community You will find that each of your classes carries its own dynamic and its own personality. Collaborative Learning Collaborative learning is the act of giving the responsibility of the learning to the students. Collaborative Activities Think-pair-share Phillips 66 Role play Debates Group projects Classroom problems Grouping and pairing activities Case-based learning Jigsaw activity Think-pair-share This activity helps to relieve the anxiety and mental block of being called on to answer a question in class. Getting Everyone Involved Every group has its own mix of quiet students and outspoken students. o Bring several colored pieces of paper into class and tape them under random desks or randomly pass them out during class. top

Positive Attitude - Its Power and Benefits By Remez Sasson A Positive Attitude Leads to Success and Happiness. A positive attitude helps you cope more easily with the daily affairs of life. It brings optimism into your life, and makes it easier to avoid worries and negative thinking. If you adopt it as a way of life, it would bring constructive changes into your life, and makes them happier, brighter and more successful. With a positive attitude you see the bright side of life, become optimistic, and expect the best to happen. Positive attitude manifests in the following ways: Positive thinking. A positive frame of mind can help you in many ways, such as: Expecting success and not failure. A positive attitude leads to happiness and success and can change your whole life. If this attitude is strong enough, it becomes contagious. Visualize and Achieve Your DreamsLearn how to turn your dreams into reality with simple creative visualization techniques. More Benefits of a Positive Attitude: It helps you achieve goals and attain success.

Project-Based Learning (PBL) | Learning Zone Some additional practical resources about getting started with PBL in your classroom are here on my wiki. One very holistic approach that has emerged to put constructivism into action is Project-Based Learning (PBL) which also infuses technology into learning activities in a very natural way. Experts in this field aim to cultivate the life of the child’s mind in a way that develops not only cognitive processes but also emotional, aesthetic and spiritual contexts, as well as social relationships (Katz, 2000). PBL centres around a structure of inquiry that begins with the students’ interests, in collaboration with the teacher. Children make predictions, and investigate through observation, interviews, fieldwork and gathering information from a variety of sources. In the process of gathering information, findings are recorded and shared in an collaborative (usually public) way, with all students accepting responsibility for their part in the discovery process. McGrath, D. (2003, February).

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