Are You Preparing Your Students for PARCC?

A look at the PARCC models for ELA/Literacy reveals that student will be expected to read more than one reading passage; the main article and the sidebar. Requirements include close reading, finding relationships among key ideas, and comparing information covered by both topics. Teachers are scrambling to find complimentary resources for student practice. While daunting, the task is not impossible. New Jersey ELL teacher Carol Novick has even included technology in her practice with her ELL students.

Carol found a short video clip on the South Pole Allied Challenge for the students to view on her ipad in a small group. The Youtube transcript feature was not accurate and she decided not to use it. Then Carol paired an edited online article with a short publisher created reader to recreate the assessment task. The online article was run through the Chrome readability app to increase the text size and remove the ads for some students. For others, she used readability text tool called http://read-able.com/ to determine the reading level, then ran the text through http://rewordify.com/ to reduce the reading level by simplifiying the text slightly. Finally, she developed her assessment questions based on the PARCC samples. Carol's strategy of using current events paired with existing educational materials will fill the gap until more testing samples are available.

Comments

Hands-on Learning with Tinker Boxes

A Reggio-inspired tinker box is a learning tool inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to education. This approach emphasizes the importance of hands-on, experiential learning and encourages children to explore, tinker, and discover for themselves. A Reggio-inspired tinker box is filled with various materials and tools that children can use to explore and create. The box's contents might include craft supplies, beads, buttons, scissors, paper, tape, and more. The purpose of the tinker box is to allow children to use their creativity and problem-solving skills to create and explore on their own. It is a way to encourage open-ended, imaginative play and promote learning through hands-on exploration and discovery. In addition, some Tinker boxes are tech-enhanced or STEM educational kits that contain materials and instructions for children to engage in hands-on, creative problem-solving activities. They are designed to encourage children to explore and experiment with different materia...

Choice Boards in Middle School- what you need to know

Choice boards are a great tool for middle school teachers to use in their classrooms. They allow students to have a say in their learning and can be used in a variety of subjects and settings. What is a choice board? A choice board is a visual representation of a set of options that students can choose from to complete a task or activity. It can be used in place of a traditional worksheet or assignment, giving students the opportunity to select their own learning path. Choice boards can be created in a variety of formats, including physical boards with cut-out choices, or digital versions using tools like Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint. Benefits of using choice boards in middle school Choice boards can be especially beneficial for middle school students, as they are at a stage where they are developing their own interests and preferences. Allowing them to choose their own learning activities can increase motivation and engagement. Choice boards can also support differentiation i...

Students Making a Difference on World Water Day

On World Water Day, it is essential to recognize young people's role in making a positive difference. Students are becoming more aware of their own water footprint and what they need for sustainability; we should empower them with knowledge about how much effort goes into providing clean drinking water around the world each day and ways they could help make an impact! These Third-grade students created their own PSA for the Global Goals Project on Goal Six, "Clean Water and Sanitation." You can watch their video at this link. These students operate on the fundamental principle that all people have access to clean water and proper sanitation regardless of economic status or location. While working on this project, they discovered that the only way we can achieve this goal is by working together as one human family, and achieving the sustainable management of fresh drinking-water supplies requires collaboration at both the domestic level (between families) but also interna...

SRI&ETTC

Search This Blog