Teaching-Learning Cycle: From Design to Implementation

Teaching-Learning Cycle:From Design to Implementation

Octaviano James Beltran IIIScience Specialist/Dean of Instruction

Kingsville ISD3/20/2014

Analyze TEKS• Readiness, Supporting,

Process Skill• SE Verb, Content,

Context, DOK

Identify Resources, and Link Resources to SEs & Instruction

Formalize Plans & Assessments

Provide Instruction

Examine Data• Successful/unsuccessful

SEs• Item Analysis• Align SEs to Instruction

Share Successes & Address

Deficiencies (RTI)

InstructionalStrategies

LessonDesignCycle

“Capturing Kids’ Hearts”

Classroom Management

Robert Gagne’s 9

Steps

Madeline Hunter’s ITIP

Model

5E Instructional

Cycle

Fundamental Five

LessonFrameworks

Comparison Matrix


Comparison MatrixGagne’s 9 Steps Hunter’s ITIP Model 5E Model Fundamental 5

Gain Attention Anticipatory Set

ENGAGE Frame the Lesson (Introduce)Inform Leaner of

ObjectiveState the Lesson Objective(s)

to the StudentsStimulate Recall of Prior Knowledge

Input/Model

EXPLORE Work in the Power Zone

&Purposeful, Small-

group Talk

Present the MaterialEXPLAINProvide Guidance for

Learning

Check Performance Check for Understanding EXTEND/ELABORATE Recognize & Reinforc

eProvide Feedback

Assess Performance Provide Guided Practice

EVALUATEWrite Critically

Enhance Retention and Transfer

Assign Independent Practice

Frame the Lesson (Reflect)

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Eval

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Robert Gagne’s 9 Steps of Learning

1. Gain Attention: Present a problem/new situation, OR use an "interest device" to grab learner attention.

2. Inform Learner of Objective : Describe the goal of a lesson, state what the learners will be able to accomplish, and how they will be able to use the knowledge.

3. Stimulate Recall of Prior Knowledge: Remind the learners of prior knowledge relevant to the current lesson in order to provide them with a framework to help learning & recall.

4. Present the Material: Chunk the information to avoid memory overload. Blend the information to aid in information recall.

5. Provide Guidance for Learning: Instructions on HOW to learn. 6. Elicit Performance: Practice by letting the learner do something with the newly acquired

behavior, skills, or knowledge, OR demonstrate (model) it.7. Provide Feedback: Show correctness of the learner's response & analyze learner's

behavior (test, quiz, or verbal comments). Feedback needs to be specific, and should include: why they are doing a good job or provide specific guidance.

8. Assess Performance: Test to determine if the lesson has been learned. 9. Enhance Retention and Transfer: Discuss similar problem situations, provide

additional practice, put the learner in a transfer situation, & review the lesson.

Madeline Hunter’s Instructional Theory Into Practice (ITIP) Model

1. Learning Objective: Select an objective at an appropriate level of difficulty and complexity, as determined through a task analysis, diagnostic testing, and/or congruence with Bloom's cognitive taxonomy.

2. Anticipatory Set: Motivate instruction by focusing the learning task, its importance, or the prior knowledge/experience of the learners.

3. State the Lesson Objective(s) to the Students 4. Input: Identify & teach main concepts/skills, emphasizing clear explanations,

frequent use of examples/diagrams, and active student participation. 5. Check for Understanding: Observe and interpret student reactions by frequent

formative evaluations with immediate feedback. Adjust instruction as needed and reteach if necessary.

6. Provide Guided Practice: Follow instruction by having students answer questions, discuss with one another, demonstrate skills, or solve problems. Give immediate feedback and reteach if necessary.

7. Assign Independent Practice: Provide students with opportunities to solidify skills & knowledge when they have demonstrated understanding.

5E Instructional Cycle• ENGAGE: Pique student interest and get them personally involved in the lesson, while

pre-assessing prior understanding. Students make connections between past and present learning experiences, setting the organizational ground work for upcoming activities.

• EXPLORE: Students interact directly with phenomena and materials, working together in teams, to build a set of common experiences which prompt sharing & communication. The teacher acts as a facilitator, providing materials and guiding the students' focus. Emphasis is placed on: Questioning, Data Analysis and Critical Thinking.

• EXPLAIN: Learners communicate what they have learned, sequencing events into a logical format. Communication occurs between peers, with the facilitator, and through a reflective process.

• EXTEND/ELABORATE: Students expand on the concepts they have learned, make connections to other related concepts, and apply their understandings to the world around them in new ways.

• EVALUATE: Teacher determines if the learner has attained understanding of concepts and knowledge. Tools include: rubrics, teacher observation, student interviews, portfolios, and project/problem-based learning products.

Fundamental Five

• Frame the Lesson: Introduce the learning objective at the beginning of the lesson, AND reflect on whether the learning objective was met at the end of the lesson.

• Work in the Power Zone: Move about the room checking on everyone. Reinforce positive behaviors. Perform frequent and ongoing formative assessments. Continually micro-adjust instruction.

• Purposeful Small-group Talk: 10-15 minutes of teacher talk is followed by 3-5 minutes of student talk.

• Recognize & Reinforce: Make a big deal of small victories & reinforce the work it takes to be successful.

• Write Critically: Provide students with opportunities to organize, clarify, defend, refute, analyze, dissect, connect, and/or expand on ideas or concepts (e.g., lists, comparison paragraph, summary, mind map, graphic organizer, purposeful note taking, exit ticket, or essay).

Instructional Strategies

Tips for Success

MCP

AVID

KAPS

Lead4Ward

Kagan’s

Bloom’s Question

s

Marzano’s

Vocabulary Development

Matrix

Tips for Successful Lessons• Chunking – space out lectures into 5-10 minute chunks, interspersed

with student activities.– Activities can include: student talk, working with manipulatives, oral/written

summaries, or checks for understanding (questioning).• Scaffolding – provide opportunities & examples for students to use prior

knowledge as a scaffold to “hang” new learning upon.• Visuals – use graphics, word walls, and student products as a means to

teach concepts, build vocabulary, & communicate expectations.• Purposeful Movement – provide students with opportunities to engage

in learning through physical activity rather than observing a lecture or demonstration… this also gets the blood flowing to the brain, facilitating learning.

• Learning Environment – optimize the environment in your classroom in order to help students learn and retain information.


Model Classrooms Project

Instructional Continuity

Content:• Greeting &

Warm-up• TPO

Assessment:• Quizzes/Tests

• Projects

Reflection:• Wrap-up

• Data Analysis• Instructional

Modification

Product:• Kinesthetic• Visual• Oral• Written

Thinking:•MCP Questioning Strategies•Bloom’s Questions

Facilitation:•Kagan’s Instructional Strategies•Marzano’s Strategies


Beginning a Lesson: Greeting & Warm-up

• Greeting (before class begins):– Meet students at the front door with a smile and a handshake. – Welcome them to class & provide direction as needed with warm-up activity.– Correct dress code, acceptable use of technology, etc. as students enter the

class.– Monitor the hallways & remember our PBIS.

• Warm-up (3-5 min…right after the bell):– Should be related to material learned the previous day, OR– Used to diagnose prior knowledge, OR– As a means to link prior knowledge with new material…– Should be done daily & kept in a dedicated place (I.e. bookshelf or file folder).– Should be TIMED…timer should be visible by students.– Use this time to walk about the room, making sure students are on-task while

taking attendance.

MCPMatrix

Beginning a Lesson: Three-part Objective (TPO)

• TPO (3-5 min):– Consists of:

• Cognitive verb – level of thinking the students will be engaged in during the lesson.• Content – specific TEKS student expectation that will be learned by the students.• Product – tangible thing that the students will produce during the lesson to demonstrate

understanding/mastery of the content…should match with the level of the cognitive verb.– Should be read aloud by the teacher or students (preferably the students)– Questions should be asked about all three parts with the students being called upon

randomly or required to respond chorally. In particular, the student should be able to:• Understand what level of thinking (effort) is required to be successful & should know synonyms

for the cognitive verb.• Reiterate the meaning of all academic vocabulary used in the objective & what specific

knowledge they should leave class with.• Describe what the product is and understand what their role in completing that product is

(I.e. Are they part of a group or expected to complete it on their own?)– When TPO is carried over to the next day, make sure to reiterate to ensure students are

informed– It is ok to use the same TPO on a multiple-day lesson, but the cognitive verb should

change to show increases in rigor as the lesson progresses.

MCPMatrix Marzano’s

MCP Questioning Strategies

MCP

MCP Product PossibilitiesKinesthetic Visual Oral Written

1. Board game2. Charade3. Collection4. Concept cube5. Demonstration 6. Diorama7. Display 8. Dramatization9. Etching 10. Experiment11. Flip book 12. Kite 13. Mime14. Mobile15. Model 16. Monument17. Movement game18. Origami19. Puppet20. Puzzle21. Relief map 22. Role play 23. Sculpture24. Simulation25. Skit

1. Advertisement2. Award3. Banner4. Brochure 5. Blue print 6. Book jacket 7. Bumper sticker 8. Calendar 9. Collage 10. Comic strip11. Commercial12. Cross section 13. Flash cards 14. Graph/chart/diagram15. Multimedia presentation 16. Outline 17. Picture dictionary 18. Plot graph 19. Political map 20. Poster 21. Rebus story 22. Time line 23. Tee Shirt24. Video tape 25. Web page

1. Anecdote 2. Book report 3. Class discussion4. Debate 5. Show & Tell6. Explanation7. Fable 8. Haiku 9. Legend 10. Limerick 11. Mock interview 12. Monologue 13. Myth 14. Newscast 15. Nursery rhyme 16. Oral report 17. Panel discussion 18. Radio commentary 19. Radio commercial 20. Rap 21. Reading 22. Round table discussion 23. Small group discussion 24. Speech25. Story telling

1. Article2. Autobiography/biography 3. Brochure4. Classified ad5. Critique6. Dictionary 7. Dialog 8. E-mail 9. Editorial 10. Essay/research paper 11. Explanation 12. Fable/fairy tale/folk tale 13. Greeting card 14. Interview script 15. Job description 16. Journal entry 17. Legend 18. Letter19. Limerick 20. Manual 21. Newsletter 22. Obituary/Epitaph23. Recipe24. Report 25. Travel log

MCP

Ending a Lesson

• Wrap-up (3-5 min):– This is a time to…• Refer back to the TPO…“Was the objective met?” “How

do we know?”• Have students clean-up their work area.• Give a short (5-10 questions) formative assessment.• Do a quick write summary ($3 summary), followed by a

quick share-out.• Have the students answer an “exit ticket” question

about the material…”What did you learn?”

MCPMatrix

Kingsville Academic Plan for Success (KAPS) Strategies

• Focus is on 4 classes of instructional practices, each selected by KISD teachers as being most effective & easiest to implement:– Write-to-Learn– Classroom Talk– Collaboration– Questioning


Dialectical Journals (ELA/SS): a split-entry journal in which students record information and ideas taken from readings, discussions, etc. in order to encourage verbal response to materials being studied, and provide a record of information & reactions that may be useful for writing papers, participating in discussions, and studying for exams.

Interactive Notebooks (Math/Sci.): a variation of the dialectical journal wherein the notebook is divided into Right Side (inputs from teacher) and Left Side (output by student) portions. Students record discussion/reading notes and information from labs/activities, as well as insert important handouts on the right side, and reorganize new information in creative formats, express opinions/feelings, and explore new ideas.

Revise/Re-write: students either work together REVISING a document that has already been written in order to work on focus, organization, support, and use of jargon, or REWRITING something for a different purpose or audience.

Divide The Work: students are placed into groups in order to investigate a problem/issue, and are assigned a section of the greater work to complete. Each student prepares a draft of his or her section, then the group as a whole must synthesize a cohesive document from the disparate pieces.

Peer-To-Peer: student response groups work on all stages of major assignments, including:1. Brainstorming about possible topics.2. Bringing in plans/notes for

feedback from group members.3. Checking that criteria for the

assignment are being met.4. Editing/revising completed drafts.5. Writing critiques of completed

documents.

Focused Freewriting: students write about a particular subject or question which has been posed, but unlike true freewriting (which tends to be too unstructured for many educators), this activity is focused in order that all students will be able to write something.

Sample questions:

1. What did you understand least about today’s assignment?

2. What points in the article you read for today are the most (or least) convincing?

3. Of what value is this knowledge? How does what you are studying apply to the world around you?

4. Had you been a peasant during the French Revolution, what do you feel your greatest fear would have been?

5. What assumptions do you make about the author of the piece you have just read?

Entry/Exit Slips: students respond to questions the teacher poses either at the beginning (entry) or the end (exit) of class. They usually take no more than five minutes and teachers can use these to tell very quickly if students are understanding the material, can identify the key points, and compare/contrast relationships.

Pre-writing Vocabulary: students write about a key term within a topic/concept before it is discussed in class. They share their definitions of what the word means to them and then the teacher brings the discussion back around to the topic/concept. This method helps to broaden students’ perspectives based on what they already know and/or think.

Write-To-LearnJournals/Notebooks Group Writing Focused Freewriting Entry/Exit Slips

Pre-writing Vocabulary

KAPSMatrix

Socratic Seminar: a method of teaching through whole-group discussion wherein students are encouraged to think for themselves rather than being told what to think. Consists of four elements:1) The Text- drawn from readings

in literature, history, science, mathematics, or current events.

2) The Question- is open-ended & has no right or wrong answer.

3) The Leader- a teacher or student that has dual role as leader (facilitator) and participant.

4) The Participants- study the text, listen actively, and share their ideas with the other participants.

Philosophical Chairs: students are given a central topic or question that they must choose to agree, disagree or be neutral regarding the answer. Topics that work best are ones that are important to students or that they feel strongly about. Set-up includes: • Arrange chairs in a “U” formation

with students facing each other.• One side will argue in favor & the

other will argue in opposition. • Students can be neutral (sitting in

the curve), but they must take notes & explain their position.• Students must speak one at a time;

others are listeners.• Students must address each other

by first names & briefly summarize the previous speaker's points before offering his/her own comments.• The teacher can call time-out to

clarify, reflect on the process or content, or refocus the discussion.• Comments should address the

ideas, NOT the person.

Jigsaw: students are divided into groups (or “families) of four to six students, each of which is given a specific task or portion of a document to research. Individual members of each group then break off to work with the "experts" from other groups, working on the task or researching the part of the material being studied. After intense review, students return “home” to their “families” in order to share what task they completed and how it relates to the whole group, or to teach that portion of the research.

Think, Pair, Share: students are assigned partners for the activity, a topic/problem is provided to the students, and they are allowed at least 10 seconds to THINK of an answer. Students PAIR with their partner to discuss the topic/problem and are called on SHARE their ideas.

Applications:Science - Making predictions about or discussing the results of an experiment, analyzing charts & graphs, drawing conclusions, etc. Social Studies - Discussing political viewpoints, analyzing causes/effects of historical events, discussing contributions of important figures, etc. Math - Asking students to think about the steps for solving a problem, discussing strategies for solving the problem, and working out the problem &comparing answers. ELA - Discussing character traits and motives, making predictions about plot, making guesses about vocabulary words based on context clues, etc.

Classroom TalkSocratic Seminar Philosophical Chairs Jigsaw Think, Pair, Share

KAPSMarzano’s

Cooperative Grouping: students are put into groups and given a specific task to perform (I.e. complete a lab, model/simulate a concept or process, play a learning game, etc.). Each student is given an assigned role to perform and is held individually accountable for their part of the greater work.

For projects, roles might include:• Leader/Facilitator: organizes the

group and ensures that the project meets the standards set out by the instructor• Recorder/Secretary: takes notes and

keeps track of group data/sources/etc. • Timekeeper: makes sure that the

group stays on track & gets through a reasonable amount of material in the given time period.• Checker: double-checks data,

bibliographic sources, or graphics for accuracy and correctness.• Spokesperson/Webmaster:

responsible for the technical details of the final product, summarizing the group's progress & findings.

Engineering Design Applications: involves a series of steps that lead to the development of a solution to a problem or a new product or system. The process is not a random process and incorporates a logical sequence of steps, including:

STEP 1: Identify the Problem

STEP 2: Identify Criteria and Constraints

STEP 3: Brainstorm Possible Solutions

STEP 4: Generate Ideas

STEP 5: Explore Possibilities

STEP 6: Select an Approach

STEP 7: Build a Model or Prototype

STEP 8: Refine the Design

Inside-Outside Circle: students stand in two concentric circles, facing a partner, and use flash cards to ask questions of their partner or take turns responding to teacher questions. The outside circle students ask, listen & then praise or coach their partner on the inside, and then roles are reversed. After each question or set of questions, students in the outer circle rotate to the next partner.

People Hunt: students receive a list of statements/questions to answer & complete, and must find classmates who can help them answer a question or complete a statement. The teacher facilitates a discussion of the information with the students.

Numbered Heads Together: students are grouped by the teacher, are provided some content or task & then must work together to ensure all members understand the content or process. One student is randomly selected to answer for the group. That student must answer the question individually, using:• response cards• chalkboard response•manipulatives• slate share

Corners: students move to different corners of the room, depending on their point of view. Students are given a small amount of time to think & then are directed to discuss the reason(s) for their choice. The teacher selects a few students from each corner to share out.

CollaborationCooperative Grouping Engineering Design

Applications Inside-Outside Circle Numbered Heads Together

People Hunt Corners

KAPSMarzano’s

Simultaneity: The teacher employs a variety of methods in order to obtain close to 100% participation in answering a question. Includes:

•Pair-Share – All students talking in pairs with one speaking and one listening then reversing roles.• Choral Response – The teacher’s

question is answered by all of the students at the same time.•Visual Cue – All students holding

up an answer card or giving another nonverbal response at the same time.•Quick Write – All students

writing an answer for a short amount of time.• Timed Thinking – All students

thinking silently on a prompt for a short period of time.

Randomness: The teacher employs a variety of methods in order to ensure that close to 100% of students are participating in an activity through questioning students on content and/or processes. A sufficient number of prompts is provided by the teacher so that any one student should be called upon multiple times. Tools for employing randomness include the use of :

• Popsicles Sticks - students’ names (written on large popsicle sticks) are randomly drawn out of a cup.• Dice Roll - students are assigned a

number & two 12-sided dice are used to chose a student.• Pupil Picker - iPhone App that

allows teachers to designate a list of students to be chosen from.• Deck of Cards - similar to “Dice Roll”• Random Number Generator - Smart

Board App that randomly chooses numbers tied to students.

Wait Time & Coaching: The teacher provides assistance to a student struggling with an answer by giving them time to think and receive help from another student or from the teacher (coaching). Wait time should vary from 10 -30 seconds. The coaching process includes:

• Identifying Content Gap – teacher asks probing questions beginning with close-ended questions over basic knowledge, and moving toward open-ended analysis questions in order to find the content gap.• Bridging The Gap – teacher assists

student in linking previous knowledge to new content via associations with real-world situations or comparisons with simplified models.• Sealing The Gap – teacher

reinforces student success through verbal and/or nonverbal praise.

Cognitive Verbs in Questions: Teacher use of cognitive verbs in objective- or content-based questions asked of the students.

(Ex. Can you describe for me the what is occurring during each of the stages of the cell cycle?)

Cognitive Verbs in Praise: Teacher use of cognitive verbs in praising students for effort and/or correct responses.

(Ex. Excellent job justifying your opinion as to the author’s point-of-view in this piece of literature!)

QuestioningSimultaneity Randomness Wait Time & Coaching Cognitive Verbs in

Questions

Cognitive Verbs in Praise

KAPSMatrix

Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Strategies• Based on 4 classes of instructional practices

(WICR)… uses similar strategies as KAPS.– Writing– Inquiry– Collaboration– Reading


sample

AVID

AVID WritingMarzano’s

Bloom’s Critical Thinking Questioning Strategies

• Bloom’s NEW Taxonomy is based on six levels of thinking:• Remembering Analyzing• Understanding Evaluating• Applying Creating

• Effective questioning techniques build from one level to the next.

• STAAR test questions focus on “Applying”, “Analyzing”, and “Evaluating”. – We must ensure that students are challenged to

answer questions at each of these levels.

Matrix MCP


“Remembering” Question StemsWhat happened after _______________?How many _______________?Who was it that _______________?Can you name the _______________?Described what happened at _______________?Who spoke to _______________?Can you tell why _______________?Find the meaning of _______________?What is _______________?Which is true or false _______________?

Bloom’s

“Understanding” Question StemsCan you write in your own words _______________?Can you write a brief outline of _______________?What do you think might happen next?Who do you think about _______________?What was the main idea?Who was/were the key character(s)?Can you distinguish between _______________?What differences exist between _______________?Can you provide an example of what you mean?Can you provide a definition for _______________?

Bloom’s

“Applying” Question Stems If you could put yourself in the place of one of the

characters, what would you have done? What would result if __________? Compare and contrast __________. What questions would you like to have answered? How do you believe the character would solve the

similar situation of __________? If you could put the main character in another story

setting, how would he/she act? If you had to plan a vacation for the main character,

where would they go?

Bloom’s

“Analyzing” Question Stems What motive does __________ have? What conclusions can you draw about __________? What is the relationship between __________? How is __________ related to __________? What ideas support the fact that __________? What evidence can you find that __________? What inferences can you make about __________ ? What generalizations can be made about __________? What assumptions do you make about __________? What is the theme of the __________?

Bloom’s

“Evaluating” Question Stems Compare two characters in the selection: which was a

better person? Why? Which character would you most like to spend the day

with? Do you agree with the actions of __________? How could you determine __________? Why was it better that __________? What choice would you have made about __________? How would you explain __________? What data was used to make the conclusion? Would it be better if __________?

Bloom’s

“Creating” Question Stems What would happen if __________? What advice would you give __________? What changes would you make to __________? Can you give an explanation for __________? How could you change the plot? Suppose you could __________, what would you

do? How would you rewrite the section from

__________’s point of view? How would you rewrite the ending of the story?

Bloom’s

Kagan’s Instructional Strategies

Blind Sequencing Line-Ups Showdown Telephone

Brainstorming Mix-Freeze Group Similarity Groups Think-Pair-Share

Carousel Feedback Numbered Heads Together Simultaneous Round Table Three-Step Interview

Corners One Stray Snowball Who Am I?

Fan-N-Pick Pairs Check Spend-A-Buck

Find My Rule Pairs Compare Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up

Find The Fiction People Hunt Spin-and-Review

Formations Rally Robin Stir-the-Class

Inside-Outside Circle Rally Table Talking Chips

Jigsaw Round Table Team Chants

• Focus on understanding how to implement cooperative learning in the classroom in ways that meet adolescent needs and make learning effective.


Marzano’s MCP

Kagan’s Instructional Strategies: 1 of 16

• Blind Sequencing: Teams work to sequence cards in their proper order, but there is a catch – each student holds his or her own cards, and no one else can see what is on them.1. One student on a team will be the dealer. He equally distributes cards among team members face down making sure no one

can see what’s on the cards.2. Students mark the back of their cards with initials, a number, letter or geometric shape to identify them as their cards.3. In turn, each student describes his or her cards as well as possible to teammates in an attempt to make it easy for the team

to sequence the cards.4. After all the cards have been described, the team works together to put the cards in the proper order. Students sequence

their cards face down on the table. No card is set on the table unless all teammates agree. If the team gets stuck, only the original card holder can peek at the card and describe it to the team.

5. Once the team thinks they have properly sequenced the cards, they flip over the cars and check to see how they did. If the sequence is correct, they celebrate with a team cheer. If the sequence is incorrect, they correct it and discuss what went wrong and how they could do better next time.

• Brainstorming: Each student is given a special role and contributes to the team’s “storm” of ideas.1. Teacher assigns roles

a) Speed sergeant – encourages speedb) Sultan of silly – encourages silly ideas tooc) Synergy guru – encourages teammates to build on other ideas too.d) Sergeant support – encourages all ideas, suspends judgmente) One student will also serve as secretary and record each idea on a slip of paper (can be in addition to another role).

2. Teacher announces a topic which prompts students to generate creative ideas. A prompt should have no right or wrong answers; it should be open-ended enough for students to come up with loads of creative ideas.

3. In teams, students generate ideas. Remind them of their roles. The secretary is not to stack or hold the slips of paper but to lay them out for the team to see.

Kagan’s

Kagan’s Instructional Strategies:2 of 16

• Carousel Feedback: Teams rotate from project to project to give feedback to other teams.1. Teams stand in front of their own projects.2. Teams rotate clockwise to the next project.3. For a specified time, teams discuss their reactions to the other team’s project – no writing at this time.4. Person #1 records feedback on feedback form.5. Teacher calls time.6. Teams rotate, observe, discuss, and give feedback on next project. A new recorder is selected each round.7. Teams continue until each team rotates back to its own project or until the teacher calls time.8. Teams review the feedback they received from the other teams.

• Corners: Students move to different corners of the room, depending on their point of view. This activity may help them see that not everyone shares the same point of view, and it may stretch their own way of thinking.1. The teacher announces “corners.” Then she announces the choices for each corner of the room. “If you

were to be a doctor, which specific profession would you choose: cardiologist, psychiatrist, dermatologist, or pediatrician?”

2. Students are then given a small amount of silent think time to make a choice. They will write the name of their corner on a piece of paper but should not discuss it with anyone else.

3. Teacher tells students to go to their chosen corners. Once they are in their corner, they must find a partner to talk with – someone not on their regular team.

4. Pairs will then discuss the reason(s) for their choice. Teacher will then select a few students from each corner to share what his or her partner shared.

Kagan’s

Kagan’s Instructional Strategies: 3 of 16

• Fan-N-Pick: Students play a card game to respond to questions.1. Student 1 holds question cards in a fan and says, “Pick a card, any card!”2. Student 2 picks a card, reads the question out loud and allows five seconds of think time.3. Student 3 answers the question.4. Student 4 restates the answer.

a) For right or wrong answers, Student 4 checks and then either praises or coaches.b) For higher-level thinking questions which have no right or wrong answer, Student 4 does not check for

correctness, but praises and paraphrases the thinking that went into the answer.5. Students rotate roles one clockwise for each new round.

• Find My Rule: A great strategy for encouraging logical thinking and inductive/deductive reasoning. This activity works well for introducing a new unit, grouping students randomly for cooperative learning, and for developing problem-solving and categorizing skills.1. Teacher prepares identity cards, related to an overall theme and to each other by a “rule” (one per student).2. Teacher announces that students will need to form groups of a given size by circulating throughout the room to

locate students who have identity cards that are connected or related to their own by some commonality or “rule.”3. Teacher gives an example and checks for understanding.4. Teacher passes an envelope containing all identity cards around the classroom.5. Students take one card each and circulate around the room to try and find others who have identity cards that are

related to theirs.6. Once all members of the group have been found, the group will find a place to sit together.7. Group members will articulate the rule that connects all their identities and will try to guess the theme

to which all the groups are connected.

Kagan’s


• Find the Fiction: Students pick out the fictitious statement from a set of three statements.1. Teammates write 3 statements: two true, one false.2. One student on each team stands, then reads his or her statements to teammates.3. Without consulting teammates, each student writes down his or her own best guess as to which statement

is false.4. Teammates discuss and reach consensus on their “best guess.”5. Teammates announce their guess.6. The standing student announces the false statement.7. Students celebrate: If the team guessed correctly, the standing student claps for teammates. If the team

was stumped and didn’t guess correctly, teammates clap for the standing student.8. The next teammate stands to share. The process is repeated from Step 2.

• Formations: This activity might be particularly appealing students with bodily/kinesthetic intelligence.1. The teacher announces a “formation” and the ground rules to all teams.2. Each team puts their heads together to discuss how they will form the shape, letter, number, etc., making

sure they follow the ground rules, involve everyone in their team, and use only their bodies to form the shape.

3. The team then creates the formation.

**Try with alphabet letters, nature shapes, polygons, road signs,or household objects.**

Kagan’s


• Inside-Outside Circle: In concentric circles, students rotate to face new partners and answer questions.1. Students stand in two concentric circles, facing a partner. The inside circle faces out; the outside circle

faces in.2. Students use flash cards to ask questions of their partner, or take turns responding to teacher question(s).3. Partners switch roles: outside circle students ask, listen, then praise or coach.4. After each question or set of questions, students in the outer or inner circle rotate to the next partner.

(Teacher may call rotation numbers: “Rotate three ahead.”)

• Jigsaw: This is a great way for students to feel like experts and share information about what they know!1. Each student on the team becomes an “expert” on one topic by working and sharing with members from

other teams assigned the corresponding expert topic.2. Upon returning to their teams, each one in turn teaches the group about his/her expert topic. Works well

for acquisition and presentation of new material and review.

• Line-Ups: Students discover that they each occupy a unique position in the class, and the class can see at a glance where everyone stands.1. Teacher describes how students should line up (e.g. alphabetically, by birth date, shortest to tallest)2. Students must find out where they stand relative to classmates.3. Students may talk to a partner next to them to share how they feel about their position in the line-up.

“How do you feel about your name?” “What do you wish your name could be?”4. The teacher may then call for a different line-up.

Kagan’s


• Mix Freeze Group: Students rush to form groups of a specific size, hoping not to land in “Lost and Found.”1. Students mix around the room.2. Teacher calls, “Freeze!”3. Students freeze4. Teacher asks a question to which the answer is a number or corresponds to a key with a number. 5. Students group according to the number and kneel down.6. Students not in groups go to the Lost and Found.

Optional: Once students know the game, students in Lost and Found may be the ones to generate and ask the question. After they ask the question, they rush to join a group.

• Numbered Heads Together: Teammates work together to ensure all members understand; one is randomly selected to be held accountable.1. Students count off numbers in their groups.2. Teacher poses a problem and gives wait time (Example: “Everyone think about how rainbows are formed. [Pause] Now

make sure everyone in your team knows how rainbows are formed.”)3. Students lift up from their chairs to put their heads together, discuss and teach.4. Students sit down when everyone knows the answer or has something to share or when time is up.5. Teacher calls a number. The student with that number from each team answers question individually, using:

a) Response cardsb) Chalkboard responsec) Manipulativesd) Slate share

Kagan’s


• One Stray: One teammate strays from his or her team to a new team to share information or projects.1. Students are seated in their teams and share information on a topic.2. Student One stands up. The remaining three teammates remain seated but raise their hands.3. Teacher calls stray.4. Student One strays to a team which has their hands up.5. Teams lower their hands when a new member joins them.6. Students work in their new teams to share information tested or to solve problems.

• Pairs Check: In pairs, student stake turns solving problems. After every two problems, they check answers and celebrate with another pair.1. In teams, shoulder partners are formed. Partner A in each pair does the first problem, talking

out loud. Partner B watches and coaches. Partner B praises.2. Trade roles: partner B does the next problem. Partner A watches, coaches, and praises.3. Pairs check with their eyeball partners after every two problems. Teammates coach and

correct if needed.4. The team celebrates after reaching agreement on the two problems.

Kagan’s


• Pairs Compare: Pairs generate multiple responses to a question, then compare their answers with another pair, and then team up to create additional solutions.1. Teacher provides topic or question.2. With their shoulder partners, students Rally Table ideas or answers.3. Teacher calls time.4. Pairs pair up with another pair.5. Partner A in Pair One shares; Partner A in Pair Two adds item to the list, or if already listed, checks it off.6. Partner B in Pair One shares; Partner B in Pair Two adds or checks off the item.7. Partner A in Pair Two shares; Partner A in Pair One adds or checks off item.8. Partner B in Pair Two shares; Partner B in Pair One adds or checks off item.9. Steps 5 through 8 are repeated until all items are shared.

Team Challenge: As a team, student Round Table adding more additional ideas or answers.

• People Hunt: This activity has the added advantage of socialization!1. Students receive a list of statements or questions to answer or complete about a topic.2. Students circulate in the classroom trying to find classmates who can help them answer a question or

complete a statement on their sheet. Other students may answer and sign their names only once on another student’s sheet.

3. The students hurry to see who can be first to find answers for the questions or complete the statements.

4. After the people hunt, the teacher will process and debrief the information.

Kagan’s


• Rally Robin: In pairs, students alternate generating oral responses.1. Teacher poses a problem to which there are multiple possible responses or solutions.2. In pairs, students take turns stating responses or solutions orally.

• Rally Table: In pairs, students alternate generating written responses or solving problems.1. Cooperative teams are given one piece of paper and one pen or pencil.2. Teacher poses a problem or provides a task to which there are multiple possible answers,

steps, or procedures.3. The teacher provides an example and checks for understanding. A time limit is set.4. The teacher selects a student to begin in each team.5. Students quickly write their word or phrase and pass their paper to the team member on the

left.6. The paper continues to go around and around the table as each student adds to the team’s

list.7. The teacher calls time. All pencils/pens are placed on the team table.8. The teams take turns sharing their responses with the rest of the class.9. Students celebrate their success.

Kagan’s


• Round Table: In teams, students take turns generating written responses, solving problems, or making a contribution to the team project.1. Students sit in teams of four.2. Each student takes a turn drawing, pasting, or writing one answer to a query, as a paper and pencil (or paste) are

passed around the group.

**Works well for assessing prior knowledge, practicing skills, recalling information, and creating cooperative art.***Rotating recorder: Students take turns recording each student’s response.*

• Showdown: This activity can be used to check for mastery of concepts and skills, as a review before a quiz or test, or to assess student skills.1. The teacher distributes materials to each group: a deck of question cards, one small basket and ThinkPad slips

(small slips of colored paper) for each team member to each group.2. The teacher selects one student in each group to be the Showdown Captain for the fist round and asks him/her to

turn the question cards facedown in the center of the group’s table and pass the ThinkPad slips to each member.3. The teacher explains that the Showdown Captain will turn over the card with the first question (cards can be

numbered on back) and read it aloud for all team members. Then each team member will answer the question individually on their ThinkPad slips and turn their answers facedown on the table in front of them.

4. When the teacher gives the Showdown signal, all team members will reveal their responses at once. If all are correct, the team will get 5 team points. If not, the team will coach their team members to correct their answers and will then receive one team point.

5. Team members will celebrate.6. The student left of the Showdown Captain becomes Showdown Captain for the next round.7. Repeat from step 2 for each round.

Kagan’s


• Similarity Groups: Students move about the room forming groups based on similarities. The will discover hidden qualities of their classmates that are similar to their own.1. Teacher announces a topic on which students might group. Guide students’ thinking by providing

imagery about the topic. “Think about your favorite food (long pause). Think about the last time you had your favorite food (pause again). Write down your favorite food.”

2. Student get up and move about the class, grouping with those who have a similar response. “Group with students who like the same or similar food.”

3. Have students break into pairs to discuss their similarity groups and what they like most about their favorite food. They must not pair up with someone on the same team.

• Simultaneous Round Table: In teams, students simultaneously generate responses, then pass their list or product clockwise so each teammate can add to the prior responses.1. Teacher assigns a topic or question.2. All four students respond simultaneously by writing or drawing.3. Teacher signals time, or students place papers/pens down thumbs up when done with the problem.4. Students pass papers one person clockwise.5. Students continue writing or drawing, adding to what was already on the paper.6. Continue, starting at step 3.

**Alternative: Students may build their responses with manipulatives rather than draw or write.**

Kagan’s


• Snowball: Students will have fun locating the answers to questions after tossing wads of paper across the room.1. Half the students in the class receive questions to answer or terms to define written on a

colored sheet of paper. The other half of the students receives answers to the questions or a definition for a vocabulary term written on a different color of paper.

2. All students with the same color of paper line up and face the others who have a different color.

3. The teacher draws an imaginary line down the center and instructs the students to wad up their papers and toss them over the imaginary line.

4. Each student collects one of the snowballs that falls on their side of the line and then tries to find the student who is holding the match.

5. Students pair up, check their paring with the teacher, and reform into two lines to repeat.

• Spend-A-Buck: This structure might work well for selection of a team name, logo, or topic for a project!1. Each student will have four quarters (or chips) to spend on two, three, or four items.2. The item with the most quarters is the team choice.

Kagan’s


• Spin-N-Review: Each team receives review questions, Spin-N-Review game board, and game marker.1. Teacher selects a spin master.2. Turn captain moves marker to “Who asks the question?” & spins. The selected student reads a question to teammates.3. Turn captain moves marker to “think time”,” directs teammates to think about their answers and silently counts five

seconds, showing the count on his/her fingers.4. Turn captain moves marker to “Who answers the question?” and spins. The selected student answers.5. Turn captain moves the marker to “think time” & silently counts out five seconds as students think about the answer given.6. Turn captain moves the marker to “Who checks the answer?” and spins. The selected students leads the team in checking

for correctness.7. Turn captain moves the marker to “think time” & silently counts out five seconds as students think about how to help or

praise.8. Turn captain moves the marker to “Who praises or helps?” and spins. The selected student leads the team in helping or

praising the student who answered. 9. Turn Captain passes the spinner clockwise one person. The process repeats starting with step 2.

• Talking Chips: This activity equalizes the opportunity for participation. It also helps the teacher to monitor individual accountability.1. Students are asked to discuss a topic in groups.2. As each student talks, he/she places his/her chip in the center of the table (a pen or pencil will work in place of chips).3. Once a student finishes talking, he/she cannot talk until every other “chip” has been tossed into the center. If a student

doesn’t have anything to share on this particular topic, they can place a chip in the center at the end.4. When all chips are down, students retrieve their chips and start over.

Kagan’s


• Stir-the-Class: The classroom develops a supportive atmosphere as students move from one huddle to another, sharing ideas, congratulating each other, and building new ideas.1. Students stand in groups of four. Groups stand in a circle around the classroom.2. In each group, the students stand side-by-side in a line, facing the teacher in the middle of the circle.3. The teacher asks a question or presents a problem. “What are some possible themes for our class

party? Be prepared to explain why.”4. Students turn to face each other with hands on each others shoulders, as in a football huddle.

“Unhuddle and form a line when you are ready to share.”5. When groups are all ready, call a number and ask the students with that number to take a step forward.

Then have those students rotate to a new group. “All threes take a step forward, turn right, and rotate three ahead to join a new group.”

6. Have new group members huddle again with their new group and share their ideas. If students like the new member’s ideas, they must give him a pat on the back to show appreciation.

7. Then, students will unhuddle and wait for a new question to discuss.

• Team Chants: Creation of chants could be most appealing to students with musical intelligence.1. Teammates decide on words and phrases related to the content of a particular subject.2. Then they come up with a rhythmic chant, often with snapping, stomping, tapping, and

clapping.

Kagan’s


• Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up: A class building activity that can be used to motivate, activate prior knowledge, close a lesson or group of lessons, review previously learned material, and to have fun.1. All students stand up and put their hands up.2. Students mingle, mix, practiced meeting and greeting, and find a partner.3. Students sit and put their hands down.4. Teacher assigns and defines the task.5. Students are given “think time.”6. Pairs of students complete the task.7. Timed Pair Share8. Rally Robin Responses9. Teacher randomly calls on groups to report.10. Students thank their partners and depart.11. Repeat as many times as needed.

• Telephone: One student per team leaves the room during instruction. When students return, teammates provide instruction on the information missed.1. One student from each team (“the learner”) is selected to leave the room.2. Remaining students (“the teachers”) receive instruction.3. The teachers plan how best to instruct the learner and who will teach each part. Each takes a part of the teaching.4. Learners return to their teams.5. The teachers each teach their part of the content (round robin style); teammates augment as necessary.6. The learners take a practice test.

Kagan’s


• Think-Pair-Share:1. Students think to themselves or write on a topic or question, preferably one demanding analysis, evaluation, or

synthesis, provided by the teacher.2. After 30 seconds, students turn to partners and share their responses, thus allowing time for both rehearsal

and immediate feedback on their ideas.3. Then they share their thoughts with the class. Through this structure, all students have an opportunity to learn

by reflection and by verbalization. This works well for generating and revising hypotheses, inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning, application.

• Three-step Interview:1. Students interview each other in pairs, first one way, then the other.2. Students share with the group information they learned in the interview. It may be hypotheses, reactions to a

poem or other reading, conclusions from a unit.

• Who Am I: Students wonder who they are. They mingle about the classroom questioning classmates about their hidden identity.1. Each student receives a secret identity taped to their back by the teacher. The identity may be an illustration,

picture of a famous person, quotation, math problem or proof, vocabulary word, or a significant event.2. Students must wander around the room asking yes/no questions of their classmates to determine their secret

identity. Each student that is asked a question must sign the student’s identity page. (Optional: Teachers can provide a set of interview questions that students may ask.)

3. Teachers may limit the number of questions that can be asked or the time provided to discover one’s identity.

Kagan’s

Strategy: Research Says: How It Looks in the Classroom:Identifying

Similarities & Differences

Students compare, classify, and create metaphors, analogies and non-linguistic or graphic representations.

Thinking Maps, T-charts, Venn diagrams, classifying, analogies, cause/effect links, compare/contrast organizers, Frayer model

Summarizing & Note-taking

Students learn to eliminate unnecessary information, substitute some information, keep important information, write / rewrite, and analyze information. Students encouraged to put information in own words.

Teacher models summarization techniques, identify key concepts, bullets, outlines, narrative organizers, journal summaries, break down

assignments, quick writes, graphic organizers, Cornell notes, etc.

Reinforcing Effort & Providing Recognition

Teachers should reward based on standards of performance; use symbolic recognition rather than just tangible rewards.

High expectations, display products, praise students’ effort, encourage sharing of ideas & expressing thoughts, honor individual

learning styles, conference with students.

Homework & Practice

Teachers vary homework amount based on student grade (less-elementary, more-secondary), keep parent involvement in homework to a minimum, state

purpose.

Retell, recite and review learning for the day…but at home, use reflective journals, parents are informed of purpose, grade level teams

plan homework together.

Nonlinguistic Representations

Students should create graphic representations, models, mental pictures, drawings, pictographs, and participate in hands-on activities in order to

integrate knowledge.

Visual tools and manipulatives, diagrams, concept maps, drawings, charts, story maps, graphic organizers, storyboards, foldables, process

plays, and physical models.

Cooperative Learning

Teachers limit use of ability groups, keep groups small, apply strategy consistently and systematically but not overuse. Assign roles and

responsibilities in groups.

Content integrated through group engagement, reader’s theatre, radio reading, plays, science projects, debates, jigsaw, group writing, STAAR

problems & explain answers.

Setting Objectives & Providing Feedback

Teachers should create specific but flexible goals, allowing some student choice. Teacher feedback should be corrective, timely, and specific to a

criterion.

Articulating and displaying learning goals, KWL, contract learning goals, etc. Teacher displays objective on projector or TPO chart with

follow-up at the end of the lesson.

Generating & Testing Hypothesis

Students generate, test & defend hypotheses using inductive/deductive strategies through problem-solving, history investigation, invention,

experimentation, decision-making.

Thinking processes, constructivist practices, investigate, explore, social knowledge construction, use of inductive/ deductive reasoning,

questioning, alternate solutions.

Questions, Cues, & Advanced Organizers

Teachers use cues/questions that focus on what is important, use ample wait time before accepting responses, elicit inference/analysis. Advanced

organizers more useful with unorganized information.

Graphic organizers, guiding questions before the lesson, think alouds, inferencing, predicting, drawing conclusions, skim chapters to identify key vocabulary, concepts and skills, foldables, annotating the text, etc.

Marzano’s High-Yield Strategies

MCPInstructionalStrategies

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Marzano’s

Graphic OrganizersVisuals that help students classify ideas and communicate more effectively. Can be used to structure writing, and can help in problem solving, decision making,

studying, planning research and brainstorming.

Venn Diagram

Concept Map

Advantages (Pros) / Similarities / Causes

Disadvantages (Cons) / Differences /

Effects

T-chart

Frayer Model

Story Map

Marzano’s

Frayer ModelA vocabulary development tool that helps students develop a better

understanding of complex concepts by having students identify not just what something is, but what it isn’t.

Organizers

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s. Advantages (Pros) / Similarities / Causes

Disadvantages (Cons) / Differences / Effects

Organizers

Venn DiagramsShow the logical relationships between groups of things, often shown as two circles that intersect in the middle of the page. Characteristics exclusive to each group are listed in

the circles, and characteristics shared by both are listed in the intersecting space.

Organizers

Story MapsUsed for teaching students to work with story structure for better

comprehension, including learning to summarize the main ideas, characters, setting, and plot of an assigned reading.

Organizers

Concept MapsDiagram similar to a Frayer model in that it helps illustrate conceptual

knowledge; consists of cells (connected by lines), which define the characteristics of the concept as well as provide examples.

Organizers

Marzano’s Vocabulary Development Process

- Teacher provides a description, explanation, or example of the term.

- Students restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words.

- Students construct a picture, pictograph, symbolic representation, or act out the term.

- Teacher extends & refines understanding of the word by engaging students in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms in vocabulary notebooks.

- Students are periodically asked to discuss the terms with one another.

- Students are involved in games that enable them to play with terms and reinforce word knowledge.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6


VocabProcess

Word Walls• A word wall is an organized collection of words

prominently displayed in a classroom. Word walls provide easy access to words students need.

• The most helpful word walls:– grow and change throughout the year and are used

as a learning reference.– are easy to read from anywhere within the

classroom.– Are graphically organized & color-coded.

Tips

Math Sample ELA Sample Science Sample

Word Walls

Word Walls

Word Walls

ad4ward EPIC Review

• Lessons must be EPIC!

Empowering

Positive

Innovative

Collaborative

Data Analysis Collaborative Learning Test Taking

Confidence-Competence Graph

Process SE Planning Menu

Synectics Snowball

Fact or Fib Showdown

Vocabulary Pyramid

GameBubble When You Struggle

Consensogram 3-2-1 Student-led Interventions

Concept Hang Ups

Compare / Contrast Cooperative Model

IQ Slap Down Fire When You Tire

Threshold Jumping Heat Mapping Odd One Out Justified True/

FalseContent Area Mystery

He Said / She Said Nine Squares

Card Sort Connect the Dots


Confidence-Competence GraphUsed to help identify which strategies will help students in preparing for STAAR

High sense of COMPETENCE

Low sense of COMPETENCE

Low sense of CONFIDENCE

High sense of CONFIDENCE

Johnny

AshleyTommy

Jessica

Beth

Steve

James

Elsie

FrankieAnna

Laura

(click on a student to identify strategy)

Careless Students- Stop too early- Make low level mistakes

“Keep Going…Almost There!”

Progress Students- Know what they know- Have multiple strategies

Reinforce most effective strategies

Frozen Students- Overthink answers- Get sick- May not finish

Be a cheerleader!

Random Students- Don’t know how to start- Guess/clueless- Seek and find

“How are you going to start?”

Consensogram• Visual pre-test/post-test that can be used for flexible grouping during

collaborative activities.– Teacher develops an essential question for the lesson with 4 degrees of

response.– Students place a dot in one of the four quadrants to represent their initial

response.– Students then place a dot in one of the four quadrants following instruction.

What is energy, where do we find it, how does is change from one form to another, and how does it affect our everyday lives?

Clueless…BUT willing to learn

Some Understanding

Significant Understanding

Complete Understanding

Threshold Jumping

• While we want all of our students to be successful, the reality is that each comes with their own strengths and weaknesses.

• We have to stop focusing on everyone passing, and instead focus on everyone improving.

• This concept is called “threshold jumping”.– The major thresholds for our students involves

moving from Level I to Level II, and from Level II to Level III.

Level IUnsatisfactory

AcademicPerformance

Level IISatisfactoryAcademic

Performance

Level IIIAdvancedAcademic

Performance

Satisfactory Advanced

45 55 65 75 85 95

(click to enlarge)

Process SE Planning Menu• This menu is completed by

teachers to ensure that all relevant content is taught concurrently with the most highly tested process skills.

• Menu ties specific content to a specific stimulus (document, map, graph, speech, ad, etc.) that is tied to a process and requires students to create products that prove mastery of the content.

3-2-1 Student-led Interventions• Students use individualized data reports &

rank the Readiness SEs from high to low with “high” being those things they understand best.

• Each one then determines which:– 3 they know well– 2 they are growing on, but which they need to

continue to work upon– 1 they need to go to someone for help.

• Going one SE at a time, the teacher creates an “expert group” that he/she verifies they are in fact experts, and then assigns different review games (fact or fib showdown, vocabulary pyramid, etc.) for the “experts” to play with groups of 3-4 struggling students.

Heat Mapping• Process for identifying areas within the curriculum that are

the most in need of attention by comparing SE performance over at least two years.

• Requires teachers to follow the process of – SUBTRACT: SE data is subtracted from one year to another– MAP: SEs are mapped onto the “Growth”, “Maintained”, or

“Declined” areas on the Leveraging Two Sets of Data Chart.– SELECT: Three SEs are selected from each half of the chart.

SEs from the left side need to be retaught in a more engaging manner. SEs from the right side require teachers to relearn or delve deeper into the content.

– COMMIT: Teachers agree to work on these 6 SEs with their students.

SUBTRACTMAP

SELECT

Synectics Snowball

• This variation of the similarly-named Kagan strategy requires students to make associations between different & apparently irrelevant elements, and justify the association.

• Students then wad up their papers and toss them around the room several times like snowballs in a snowball fight.

• The teacher groups the students by association, has each group vote on their “best” one, and then share out with the class.

(click to enlarge example)

Concept Hang Ups• The teacher selects major concepts, TEKS strands, or genres (ELAR) targeted for

review.• He/she then creates “hangers” labeled with those concepts, strands, or genres.• A set of cards is then created which represent topics, skills, problems, texts, etc. that

students have learned throughout the year & align to the concepts, strands, or genres.• Working cooperatively, students classify/categorize the cards and hang them on the

appropriate “hanger”.• Students then select one card from each hanger & identify similarities and differences

using a comparison model.• Students transfer the model to their journals and write a summary paragraph of the

comparison.

Odd One Out• Activity that requires students to look at

a group of 4 items (excerpts, photos, formulas, organisms, etc.), and determine which one is the “Odd One Out”.– 4 students per group, lettered off “A” through

“D”– Students group by letter in the four corners

of the room & perform a brain dump, sharing everything they know about their item.

– The group selects the top 5 facts, and return to their home groups.

– Each person in a team is given 30 seconds to share their 5 facts.

– The groups are each given 1 minute to select the “Odd One Out”, and must justify their choice.

– Round 2 requires the students to select a different item & justify the choice.

He Said / She Said• Students are provided with an assessment item or a problem

that has 3-4 conclusions associated with the item.• Students then write two additional “valid conclusions” about the

item. (Valid conclusions may align to concepts from the TEKS, formulas, rules, theorems, processes, key understandings, etc.)

• Students then participate in a Stand-Up! Hand-Up! Pair-Up! activity to find a partner.

• Student partners share their valid conclusions.• Students participate in another round of Stand-

Up! Hand-Up! Pair-Up! to get a second partner.• New partners share valid conclusions• The teacher clarifies/verifies through random

calling upon of students.

Card Sort• Create a set of cards reflecting various

vocabulary terms or content associated with the TEKS bundled in the unit.

• Students work cooperatively in small groups or partners to sort the cards into various categories.

• Students justify why cards are grouped together.

Category1

Category2

Category3

**As a challenge, the teacher may ask students to “resort” cards into different categories, with the students justifying the new groupings. Students may transfer the sorting categorization

cards into a graphic representation in their journals.**

Fact or Fib Showdown

• For a quick formative “check for understanding”, have each student create 2 index cards, each with either the word “FACT” or “FIB” on it.

• A statement is projected up for students to evaluate.• The teacher uses timed thinking & asks students to

“Think”… “Decide”… “Showdown!”• Each student slaps down a card with one of the two

responses.• Teacher quickly scans the room for responses and

clarifies and verifies to correct any misconceptions.

Compare/Contrast Cooperative Model

• Organize baggies filled with 2 large white paper plates, 6 small blue paper plates, 6 small red paper plates, and 6 small purple paper plates. (Colors may vary.) Each plate should have 6-8 post it notes stuck in the middle of the plate.

• Group students into trios, and ask them to list topic #1 on one white paper plate and to list topic #2 on the second paper plate.

• Each group member gets 2 plates of each color.• Taking turns, students generate ideas of similarities between the two

topics, share their ideas, and place their plates in the center of the model.• Taking turns, students generate ideas of how topic #1 is unique from topic

#2 (and vice versa), share ideas, and place their plates in the model.• Students elect one person to “take a cruise” to 3 other groups, getting

additional ideas to bring back to their home group.• Teacher clarifies/verifies & has students transfer the information into their

journals.

Justified True/False• Students are presented with 5-7

statements aligned to specific concepts, skills, or ideas represented in the TEKS for the unit of study.

• Students must decide if each statement is true or false.

• Students then JUSTIFY their response in writing, indicating WHY they believe the statement is true or false.

• Students share their justifications with a partner.

• The teacher clarifies/verifies.

Nine Squares• Begin with a Jigsaw activity with a piece of text, dividing it

into as many groups as necessary to make the reading manageable.

• Once all students have been taught about the other sections from their “experts”, they are shuffled using a Stand-up, Pair-Up, Hand-Up activity.

• Students use the Nine Squares template (in pairs) to fill in the:– 5 Details (what does it say?)– 2 Inferences (what does it mean?)– 2 Conclusions (why does it matter?)

D D D

D D I

I C C

Connect the Dots

• Organize students into pairs, trios, or groups of 4.• Teacher selects four items (familiar titles, text

excerpts, concepts, key academic vocabulary terms, math problems, lab experiments, etc.) & places them at one of the four dots on the Connect the Dots organizer.

• Students follow the arrows to find ways in which the ideas connect, citing at least one similarity and one difference.

Vocabulary Pyramid Game• Students are organizers into pairs.• Student A is the “clue-giver” and provides hints, phrases, and ideas

related to the term revealed on the game board.• Student B is the “guesser” who provides possible answers.• When Student B guesses the correct term, Student A pops up and

says, “Woo hoo!”, and then sits back down to begin giving clues for the next term.

• Student pairs continue giving clues and guessing terms until all terms have been correctly identified.

NOTE: some students may need a word bank, vocabulary cards, or their notes to successfully participate in the activity.

IQ Slap Down• For reviewing question items from quizzes or tests, organize students into

groups of 2-4, and have them tear a sheet of paper into 4 rectangles and label them: A-B-C-D.

• A question is projected & read aloud.• Round 1: the teacher prompts students to slap down the answer choice

that represents the WORST answer to the question. – The teacher quickly scans the room for responses, asks random students to justify

their responses, and clarifies and verifies to correct any misconceptions.• Round 2: the teacher prompts students to slap down the answer choice

that is the BEST INCORRECT answer (the distractor).– The teacher again scans the room, asks random students to justify their responses,

and clarifies and verifies.• Round 3: the teacher prompts students to slap down the CORRECT answer.

– The teacher again scans the room, asks random students to justify their responses, and clarifies and verifies.

Content Area Mystery• Organize students into four groups using a 4-Corners activity (corner

designations may be various types of candy, soft drinks, vacation destinations, sports, types of food, etc.).

• Students practice one assessment item, targeted toward an SE that students find difficult according to their data.

• Corner groups are assigned one answer choice and must either …– DEFEND the answer to the class as “innocent of a crime” by explaining why it is the

correct response– PROSECUTE the answer in front of the class as “guilty of a crime” explaining why

their answer is the incorrect response• Corner 1 – focus on answer choice A• Corner 2 – focus on answer choice B• Corner 3 – focus on answer choice C• Corner 4 – focus on answer choice D

• The teacher clarifies/verifies.

NOTE: Student groups MAY choose to try and trick the class by purposefully defending an incorrect answer to make the other students identify a flaw in their reasoning.

Bubble When You Struggle

• When stuck on a test question, this strategy helps students tap into prior knowledge and skills.

• Teachers help students practice the use of self-questioning to help them reason through a problem.

When did we

learn this?

Where might I find clues?

Which area of science is this?

During which era does this occur?

Which genre is this?

What do I know?What else do I need to know? What does this

remind me of?

Fire When You Tire• The basic concept here is to have student discuss what

types of things each uses/can use during the STAAR test to get the blood moving up to their brains and fight fatigue.

• Usual answers include:– Taking a quick 20-min nap.– Walking briskly to and from a bathroom break.– Splashing cold water in your face.– Drinking a cold drink.– Shifting your focus from analytical to creative for a short period

of time to give your brain time to recoup (I.e., drawing, singing a song in your head, etc.).

Capturing Kids’ Hearts• The primary focus of Capturing Kids’ Hearts is to develop healthy

relationships between members of a school’s educational community and to teach effective skills that help participants:– Develop self-managing classrooms and decrease discipline issues through

innovative techniques such as a Social Contract.– Decrease delinquent behaviors such as disruptive outbursts, violent acts, and

drug use.– Utilize the EXCEL Teaching Model™ and reinforce the role of emotional

intelligence in teaching.– Utilize SOLER Listening and other teambuilding activities to build classroom

rapport and teamwork in order to create a safe, trusting learning environment where students are empathic to diverse cultures/backgrounds.

– Increase classroom attendance by building students’ motivation and helping them take responsibility for their actions and performance through the use of the Four Questions.

Social Contract & Consequence Plan• The Social Contract lets everyone in a classroom know what behavior

is/isn’t acceptable.• Teachers create self-managing classrooms as each student takes

responsibility for his/her own behavior, understanding the consequences of breaking the contract.

• When developing a social contract, ask:– How do you want me to treat you?– How do you want to treat each other?– How do you think I want to be treated?

• For the consequence plan, ask:– How will we handle violations of the contract?

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Sample Social Contract Sample Consequence Plan

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Build an atmosphere of trust in which the students feel free to fail while going through the learning process. Through the social contract everyone knows what is acceptable and what is not, as well as the consequences. This empowers students because they experience support and encouragement from the teacher and each other.

When greeting students, remember to:• Put on a relaxed, welcoming smile• Keep your tone of voice kind and genuine• Lean in to the student, turning slightly sideways to

appear nonthreatening• Use a firm, but comfortable, handshake• Wear professional dress, displaying good hygiene• Try to exude confidence and positive energy• Make eye contact, paying special attention to the

person’s needs.

Try providing the following to students:• Create a consistently implemented set of procedures

for restroom & stretch breaks.• Dedicate time whenever possible for jokes of the day,

current events, birthdays, & other celebrations.• Set aside a place in the classroom for often used

supplies such as pencils, paper, highlighters, etc.• Ensure there are multiple opportunities for students

to get extra assistance.

Greet the students at the door with a handshake at the beginning of each class. This allows us to

start the day with a positive greeting, affirm each student, welcome them into our class, and give

them our full attention.

Get in touch with where the students are personally, emotionally, and academically. Gauge your students needs through both

nonverbal (student body language & appearance) and verbal means (“What are our

needs today?”)This is where you teach the content of the class in a way that that is more a dialogue between teacher and students. The lessons should be

dynamic and experiential, requiring the teacher to be facilitator and resource to the class. Here structure is important, but so are flexibility and

creativity. One must translate that which is being taught into “real world” benefits.

EXCEL Teaching Model

Engage

Xplore

Communicate

Empower

Launch

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(tips for implementation)


The students practice and apply what they have learned until it becomes second nature. Teachers who operate from an Empowerment perspective

desire that their students know all they can about the subject...that they possess as much

skill as the teacher.(tips for implementation)

The teacher prepares the class by summarizing what has occurred in class that day and by

getting commitments from students.

Prelaunch questions could include:• What did we learn today?• What is its relevance to you now & in the future?• How might you use these skills outside class?• What will result if you do/don’t use these skills?


As teachers we cannot ignore the affective. Use quotes, anecdotes, poems, stories from your own experiences, and other motivational stories to drive home the points you want students to remember.

SOLER Listening

- Square up to the person you are listening to. - Open your posture - Lean in - Eye contact - Relax and Respond

S

OLER

To listen effectively to another person, you must

“listen with your ears, eyes, and heart…with

your undivided attention”

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Come Together…Right Now!

“If you have a child’s heart, you have his head.”™

- Flip Flippen- In order to get kids to work together, they have to

know each other. Teambuilding activities such as the ones listed below are excellent ways to get students to build working relationships with one another.

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Competitive Critter Toss Have You Ever? Game Affirmation Mail Bags

1-Minute Speech Inside-Outside Handshake

Sentimental Circle

Increasing familiarity of students with each other

Teambuilding Activities• Competitive Critter Toss – Have students get into teams of 4-5 and ask

them to introduce themselves. Give each team a single koosh ball that they will randomly toss to other students in the circle as they say that student’s name.– Round 1 involves a speed round to see which group can finish first. Groups

will shout out, “Woo Hoo” when they finish. Repeat this a couple of times & recognize everyone competing.

– Round 2 involves completing the same activity but with no need to be the fastest, rather the most enduring. The group now uses 2-3 koosh balls and the winning group is the one that keeps all the balls in the air the longest.

– Round 3 requires a mixing of the groups. Try using a mix-freeze with music, and repeat the introduction and multi-koosh competition.

• 1-Minute Speech – Students stand in a circle and each student takes turns talking about themselves (I.e., birthday, favorite music, favorite food, hobbies, etc.).

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Teambuilding Activities (cont.)• “Have You Ever?” Game:

– Students get into a big circle with the teacher in the center. – He/she then asks the question, “Have you ever _____?”, filling in the blank with

something about themself. – Anyone that has also done that thing must leave their place in the circle and move to an

open space. – The teacher will also seek an open space, leaving a student in the center to ask a

question.– The process repeats several rounds until the groups are thoroughly mixed.

• Inside-Outside Handshake:– This one is usually done after the “Have You Ever?” Game. Every other student in the

circle takes one step into the circle and pairs up with someone to their left.– The teacher models how to properly shake someone’s hand (see Engage), and asks the

students to practice the handshake a couple of times with their partner.– The students now have 30 seconds to shake their partner’s hand and have a quick

conversation over teacher-selected topics.– After 30-seconds, the inner circle shifts one person to their left and repeats the process a

number of times.

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Teambuilding Activities (cont.)• Affirmation Mail Bags:

– Once students have gotten to know one another better, this activity is introduced to help them focus on one another’s strengths.

– Each student is given a paper “mail bag” to personalize as they wish.– They are also given index cards and instructed to write positive comments to 5

other students and leave them in the “mail bags”.• Remind students that you know their handwriting, and disrespectful comments will not be

tolerated.– The process of writing affirmations is repeated weekly with the students

checking their bags every couple of weeks.• Sentimental Circle:

– Students are asked to bring one object that they value or which reminds them of someone or something that has shaped who they are.

– The teacher can choose to either do a whole class or small group discussion with each student being given 1 minute each to share why they brought that particular object.

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Four Questions• These questions help the student:

– focus on their behavior.– demonstrate that he/she knows what behavior is expected.– own up to the fact that he/she is not doing what is expected.– determine what he/she should be doing instead.

For Disrespect:1. Excuse me… whom are you talking

to?2. How are you supposed to be talking

to me/each other?3. Were you doing that?4. So, how are you going to talk to

me/them?

For Misbehavior:1. Excuse me… what are you doing?2. What are you supposed to be

doing?3. Are you doing it?4. What are you going to do about it?

5. What will happen if you choose to break our contract again?

*For persistent misbehavior.*

*

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Purposeful MovementKinesthetic learners have a strong drive to explore material through doing, and prefer to move periodically. They tend to thrive in classes that involve activity, so keep the following in mind:• Provide frequent breaks to allow for information processing and time to stretch.• Provide space where they will not be a distraction if they move, stretch or fidget .• Provide special seating near the door so they can come and go more easily. • Allow student assistants to help with passing things out or moving chairs.• Have students write, diagram, and map information on chalkboards or

whiteboards so they can engage in more expansive motions and create bigger, more complex representations.

• Have students create room-sized diagrams of processes so they can literally “walk through the process”.

• Have students act out concepts through skits, songs, raps, etc.• Connect different movements with content, having students hop while reviewing

one section, clap in rhythm to the ideas in another, and so on. • Use objects and manipulatives like Legos, K’Nex, playdough, or clay.

Tips

Learning Environment• Music – Research shows that studying with headphones on tends to decrease memory and

information retention. Listening to familiar background music that isn’t too loud or distracting can help drown out other, more distracting environmental noise and can create associations that actually help students remember what they’re studying better.

• Smells – Subtle odors like sandalwood, chamomile, lavender, jasmine, juniper, and chocolate can help students quiet their minds from distraction and alleviate stress. Scents can also be used to associate with specific content (I.e., most of us think of our mother or grandma when we smell fresh-baked cookies).

• Lighting – Shielded, full-spectrum fluorescent lights are said to help students be calmer, steadier, and less easily distracted, but nothing compares to the natural light you get from studying outdoors or next to a large window…be sure outside activities don’t overly distract.

• Temperature and humidity – Set the temperature to a comfortable, constant level in your class; if you can’t, try to remind students to have a sweater or bottle water handy.

• Something More Fun or Interesting – Remove the distractions (I.e., turn off phones, or tuck them away in backpacks or pursues; clear off desks of clutter; schedule breaks)

• The Clock – Before starting an assignment or task, establish a time limit for students. Place clocks where you can see them…provide students with timers to keep them on-task.

• Other people – Set clear expectations for group activities and roles for each member.

Tips

Documents

Teaching-Learning Cycle: From Design to Implementation