Allison TayloeCEP 804A

Inquiry Project

Section I: Student Information

This semester I transferred from talking over a fourth grade general education classroom to taking over lower elementary special education classroom that consists of students in kindergarten through third grade. The difference between the two settings was distinctive, but I adjusted well to the new caseload. My new caseload consists of 26 students with a range of disabilities including: specific learning disabilities, speech and language impairments, autism spectrum disorders, emotional impairments, physical impairments and other health impairments. Aside from the students on our caseload, my MT and I also pull out small groups of students in kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade and fourth grade two times a week for specialized reading instruction; all students in the intervention groups were identified by their teachers as students who require tier-two reading instruction. However, for this project I chose to focus on the group of third graders on our caseload that I meet with for a half an hour on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. My goal is to make this unit clear and organized that the students can transfer the new strategies they learn into the general education setting.

Although the students that I chose to work with are all in the same grade, they all have unique abilities and interests. One student has a physical impairment (neurological), two have other health impairments (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), one is on the autism spectrum and one has a specific learning disability in basic reading skills, reading comprehension, mathematics problem solving. Therefore, it is important to focus on the diverse interests and needs of the students in my classroom when planning and implementing this lesson. In the same way, I plan to enhance each student’s abilities and create opportunities for all students to grow in their reading, writing and presentation skills; up to this point the students have not been given many opportunities to showcase and present new knowledge to an audience of interest (i.e., the principal, whole general education classroom, parents).

All of the students in our third grade group are at least 1-2 grade levels below the third grade level in reading and writing. Similarly, all students are Caucasian and come from the middle socio-economic class. Duncan Elementary is also equipped with an Elmo Projector, laptops, iPads and access to the library, which will be utilized throughout this Inquiry Project. The students also come to the classroom with positive attitudes and are eager to learn. However, attention is typically a concern. Although students are diverse as far as abilities, attention is a concern across the board. Students require constant movement, hand-on activities, and a low teacher-student ratio.

Aside from educational disabilities, one student is on medication for severe ADHD and must take his medicine each morning and afternoon. If the student fails

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to take his medicine on time, his behavior becomes uncontrollable and he becomes an unavoidable distraction to the entire class. Also, the student with a neurological physical impairment has tumors throughout his body; he has one large visible tumor on his finger, which makes writing difficult at times. This student receives social work due to his emotional condition, and often has short-term memory loss due to tumors on his brain. Overall, the group of students that I chose to complete the inquiry project with are all very diverse and bring unique abilities to the group that can be enhance while working as a team to complete this project.

Section II: Planning My Unit

When planning my unit, I used a bulleted list to first determine all of the key inquiry-based learning strategies that I wanted to implement in this unit. I then went to my MT and asked for her opinions of what I already had (KWL chart, a circle map that we use in class to organize ideas, POWER+P poster, POWER folders, sticky-note strategy for reading, charts for observations, a variety of resources to gather information, and a writing template), and asked if she had any more suggestions. My MT has been a part of research group at the MISD that introduces new ways to make learning “visible”; she provided me with resources to create foldables (one of her new research-based strategies) that could be implemented in my unit. My MT has had a lot of experience with old learning strategies and is currently being exposed to the new strategies in education, so I really valued her input.

Next, with a skeleton format in had, it was time to determine a topic for my third graders. As presented in the “Student Information” section, all of my students for the Inquiry Project are unique and offer a wide range of abilities to the group. Therefore, I decided to use a slightly structure approach when determining a topic/focus area of this project. I decided that it would be best to first have an open conversation with the students about their general interests. After conversing with the students, it was apparent that they all had a general interests with the environment. At this point, I took the topic into my own hands and looked up the Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCE’s) for life science to see if I could find a content area that related to their interests. I chose the GLCE’s: L.OL.03.31 Describe the function of the following plant parts: flower, stem, root, and leaf. L.OL.E.4 Classification- Organisms can be classified on the basis of observable characteristics. L.OL.03.41 Classify plants on the basis of observable physical characteristics (roots, leaves, stems, and flowers).

After determining a topic/focus area, I began to brainstorm ways to engage the students throughout the inquiry project. First, I began to think about the various ways that this topic could be divided amongst students. I decided the best way is to assign each student a part of a plant, and then collaborate as a group to put the information together, and create an introduction and conclusion as a group. I then began to think of the places where an abundance of resources related to this topic readily available; I went to the library and checked out 12 books on plants, found

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two videos related to plant structure, and bookmarked reliable websites for the students to browse. I also decided to create a supplementary experiment in which the students observe their own bean plant (starting from a seed) each class period to engage the students throughout the multi-day project; making observations by the physical characteristics of plants also correlates with the GLCE L.OL.03.41 (making observations based off of physical characteristics).

Now that I had a general outline for the project, and confirmed a topic, I began to gather the necessary materials. I made the POWER+P poster, bought materials for the lima bean experiment, created POWER+P folders for each student to organize their papers in, made copies of all of the graphic organizers that I planned on using, went to the library and checked out 12 books related to plant life and plant structure, rented a plant DVD, and bookmarked reliable plant resources on the classroom laptops. My group five, third grade students were now ready to embark on the inquiry process of plant structure with ample supports.

Section III: Planning, Activating and Building Background Knowledge

Planning, Activating and Building Background KnowledgeDay One: Planning, Activating Background Knowledge and What it Means to be a Researcher

As the students if they have ever wondered about something: “What things do you wonder about? How do you find the answer to your questions?”

o The Teacher facilitates an open conversation about what it means to ask and answer questions (about anything)

What it means to be a researcher: The students watch the video that introduces what it means to be a researcher, and the steps that researchers take to answer a question: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf31xeOjZzw

o Tell the students that they are going to be researchers and work together to find the answers to questions. The class then has an open conversation with about their general interests. After conversing with the students, it was apparent that they all had a general interests with the environment.

Makes the key point that writing is a process and introduce the POWER Game map, that includes the steps of research, on the projector

o Students identify the place on the map where they are at now and the steps that are taken throughout a research-based project.

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Day Two: Tell students that the topic they are going to be researching is plants,

and more specifically plant parts because it aligns with the material that they need to cover in the third grade.

Determine an Audience: Ask the students whom they want to share their information with. After coming up with a list the students unanimously decided on the principal.

o We then came up with many ways to share information. The students decided that they would like to write a paper and then create a video from the information that they learn to share with the principal.

The teacher introduces the POWER+P process to give students an idea of the milestones that must be met to throughout the inquiry process. Students write their names on clothespins and pin to the P (Plan) of POWER+P.

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o Now as a class we revisit the game board from yesterday. Ask the class: What are the game pieces found inside of the P

Planning – Coming up with a research plan. Where do we start?o What are resources? What are our resources? Where can we

research?o Students came up with the list:

Computer Books Movies Videos Interviews iPads Looking at things

o How accessible is the information? Students determine what they can do on their own and how the teacher can help them.

Day Three: Gave each student their POWER folder and created lima bean plants

o Students wrote their initial observations of their lima bean plants on the sheet:

Allison TayloeCEP 804A

Brainstorming/Activating Background Knowledge KWL (filled out the K and W independently), and then came together as a class to fill in a chart together with all of our ideas.

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Day Four: Showed the students the video: Structure and Function of Plants for

Kids (rented from the local public library)o Each student filled out their own worksheet and presented

their ideas to the class using the Doc Camera.

Together we had a discussion about everything that we have learned so far about plants and began to plan the structure of our inquiry project paper.

o We determined that it is best to organize the paper by the plant’s structure. *This conversation leads into Day Five.

Day Five: The teacher gives the students a worksheet where the students are

asked to cut out the various parts of a plant and label the parts of a plant in order to generate background knowledge from the previous week (Day Four occurred on a Friday).

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Together we identified the four main parts of a plant: Roots Stem Leaves Flower

o After identifying the parts, we agreed that we could use resources to research farther to determine the function/purpose of each plant part.

o We assign each student a part of the plant to become an expert on.

Research from the provided library books will begin on Day Six or Day Seven

Day Six: *Each day students continue to make observation of their lima bean plants On Day Five one bean in each bag sprouts*

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Section IV: Teaching Strategies for Gathering, Recording, and Organizing InformationDay Six Continued: Teaching Strategies for Gathering, Recording, and Organizing Information

The first strategy that the students are introduced to is the Sticky Note Method

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As a class, the above passage is read aloud and together we discuss the purpose for this task: to organize information quickly and to get down basic notes/ideas as you read - this information can then be revisited to spark the main idea or purpose of what was read.

Before the students do this method independently, the teacher models several examples of this method using text relevant to plants.

o The teacher shows students (via thinking aloud and projecting book and sticky notes under the Elmo Projector) how to: pull out the main idea from the text, record the page number/paragraph/title of book where relevant information is found in a book, write down a question about the text, and to record an unknown word and look it up.

o The students practice independently with their own relevant texts/sticky notes

Their completed sticky notes are their exit tickets for the day.

Day Seven-Eight Now that the students have been given one new strategy for recording

information, they are provided with the Circle Map Graphic Organizer (that they are familiar with from daily class activities) and sticky notes. Students begin browsing library books and searching for information that is relevant to their topic.

o The plant part goes in the inner circle and important facts that they learn about the plant part goes anywhere in the outer circle:

o The Sticky Notes note page from the previous day is also projected on the white board during work time to remind students of things that they can jot down on their sticky notes.

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Day Nine-Ten Students are introduced to the 2 Flap Book foldable; they must draw two

pictures about what they have learned from their research so far and write facts that correspond to their pictures below.

o The teacher first models how to do one flap under the Elmo Projector with the plant part: Pedal (no other student has this plant part) and the students help the teacher fill in the second flap under the Elmo Projector before they begin work independently.

o The students are also provided with library books, previous notes, and their plant observations to complete this assignment. For now, students are asked to complete only one flap of their flap book using information already gathered (the other flap will be completed in proceeding work days).

Day Eleven The students are now introduced

to the Color-Symbol-Image worksheet from a Visible Thinking professional development (provided by my mentor teacher)

The students are asked to choose a color to represent their topic, a symbol to represent their topic and an image to represent their topic

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o The purpose of this assignment is to focus on new ways to internalize and form connections with new information.

o The students are also provided with library books, previous notes, and their plant observations to complete this assignment.

Section V: Building Additional Background Knowledge (2.5 points)Day Twelve-Thirteen: Building Additional Background Knowledge

The teacher provides each student a laptop with five bookmarked webpages that contain information relevant to plant parts, functions and structures. The students are given the freedom to use whichever strategy they liked best to gather more information relevant to their plant part. This research will continue for two days in order to build additional background knowledge

o Before students begin using laptops the teacher reviews laptop rules with picture clues (this list is also projected on the whiteboard during work time):

Only browse bookmarked webpages Carry laptops with two hands Raise your hand if something pops up on the screen or if you

have a question Sit nicely in your chair with your laptop firmly on the desk

*Observations of plants are still being recorded dailyo The exit ticket for today is to show the teacher one NEW thing that

they learned via research and to show how they used their strategy of choice.

Day Fourteen: The students will record a final observation of their bean plant and reflect on

its changes throughout the past few weeks. Students will write on a piece of paper three ways that the bean plant changed, and will identify the four parts of a plant on their very own bean plants. An exemplary bean plant will be shown under the Elmo projector and parts and functions of each part will be identified as a class.

The students will also revisit their KWL worksheet and fill in three bullet points of three things they learned throughout the inquiry process.

Section VI: Drafting, Editing, and Revising Final Product(s) (2.5 points)Day Fifteen-Sixteen: Drafting, Editing, and Revising Final Product(s)

Students will determine where they are at in the POWER + P writing process and they will discuss as a class the steps that need to be taken in order to complete the writing process.

The following graphic organizer will be provided under the Elmo

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Projector and completed as a classo Plant Function and Structure will be written on the top line and the

four plant parts will be in each box (each student will fill their own copy out as well); each student is responsible for providing information relevant to their topic.

Day Seventeen-Eighteen: Drafting The following writing template will shown under the Elmo projector and

each student will have a copy of their own to write on. As a class we will come up with the “Hook”, “Topic Sentence” and “Closing”.

Students will use their writing template from the previous day to fill in the “Mighty Middle” independently.

*Students also move their clothespins to the “W” on POWER+P

Day Nineteen: Editing Show students the video to prepare students

for the editing process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP5yWz-MNpM

Come up with a list as a class of questions that we can ask ourselves while editing and write on the board. Then introduce CUPS

C is for Capitalization: Find places in your writing where you should have used capital letters and did not.  Find places in your writing where you used capital letters and you don’t need them. {Write over top of them with your colored marker}.

U is for Understanding: Are there still any places that might be confusing to your reader? Will others understand what you wrote? Is your message clear? Even though you and your child have already revised the writing, there may be other places you and your child see fit to change again. {Write what needs to be added or cross out what you don’t need with your marker.}

P is for Punctuation: Find places in your writing where you need punctuation or places where you put it and don’t need it. {Use your marker.}

S is for Spelling: Go through your work and circle words that you think you may have misspelled. If they are sight words or phonics patterns we’ve studied, correct them. 

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Provide the students with red pens and give them time to correct their own work

o The teacher will also give each student a CUPS checklist to use as they are editing their papers.

Day Twenty: Editing Students will be given a new CUPS checklist. They will trade papers with a

partner and with a green pen they will make any necessary corrections to their peer’s paper and write three positive comments about their writing piece.

Day Twenty-One: Revising Final Project Students will be given a blank writing template

and time in class to draft their final writing pieceo Students move their clothespin to the R on

POWER+P

Day Twenty-Two: Revising Final Project Students will divide up the parts of the paper

that they plan on presenting in the videoo Each student will present their own plant

part and they will divide up the “Hook”, “Topic Sentence” and “Closing” amongst themselves

o Students will also identify their plant part on their own bean plant and present it in the video

o The remaining class time will be spent practicing speaking parts with a partner

The teacher will model the proper way to speak to an audience. Likewise, following poster will be shown on the projector throughout practice time as a visual reminder of the proper way to speak to an audience:

o ADD

Section VII: Presenting or “Publishing” Final Product(s)/Assessment and Accountability for Learning

Day Twenty-Three/Day Twenty-Four: Presentation Students are given the first five minutes of class to practice reading (same

poster from the previous day is posted during practice time) The teacher records each student reading their speaking part and showing

their bean plant Students also show and explain their own inquiry process

o Students can show their materials of choice: graphic organizers, POWER+P folders, final writing piece, sticky notes, POWER+P posters,

CUPS Editing Checklist

CCapitalizatio

nU

UnderstandingP

PunctuationS

Spelling

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etc. The teacher puts all video clips together using iMovie and shows the students

o Any changes/edits are made as a class at this time

Day Twenty-Five: Assessment and Accountability for Learning Students will be given a self-rating scale to rate their learning. Students will

also be asked answer the following questions: What did I learn? What was my favorite reading strategy? How was writing a process? What will I research in the future?

Day Twenty-Six The students will invite the principal to the final session of the inquiry

project.o The teacher, principal and students to watch the final video on the

projectoro The students will move their clothespins to the final P in POWER+P