SWAT Team

So, It’s that time of year...  Time for review games!

A reminder -- none of our kids (NOT A SINGLE ONE!!) are going to take a low-level, facts-only, memorization EOC or exam. I can only speak for Social Studies, but I suspect we are not alone on this...

Our EOC and final exams are written on the rough guidelines of 20-60-20. Meaning, ROUGHLY 20% of the test is Level 1 thinking, 60% of the test is Level 2 thinking, and 20% of the test is Level 3 thinking.

Which means 80% (!!) of the test is NOT recall-level content.

So, if most of the test is higher order thinking, how can I use review games -- WITHOUT dumbing the review games down to lower level?

Well, I have a couple for you. Let’s start with the rowdiest one, just for fun.

And, ummmm, you’re going to need two flyswatters and some masking tape.

Higher Order Review: Swat Teams

Prep:

1.      Create/compile a list of vocab terms – and examples or non-examples of each. These examples could be much like the stimuli on their assessment, quotes, excerpts, images, etc. (I wouldn’t use straight definitions because students will memorize them and it won’t be higher order thinking and it won’t help them much on their EOC or final)

2.      Post the words on a wall/bulletin board that kids can access.  (not your SMARTBOARD!). A hallway might be a good option if your room is too small.

3.      Put a tape line on your floor that The Swatters need to be behind, a foot or two away from the wall.

4.      Divide class into two equal groups and line them up behind each other and sit or stand in order.

Play:

5.   Explain to the class that each team will have the first student in line “play” at a time. When they have completed their turn, out of the two teams, the first student to “swat” the correct answer gets the point for his or her team. When the student is done with his or her turn, that student goes to the end of the line.  

6.   All students in line need to listen to the example since they might get a different example for the same word. They will listen better if they know they’re hearing “clues” about a word they might get.

7.   Read the example or non-example to the group. (Be clear if it is a NOT example). The two students with the fly swatters listen to the example.

8.   The first student to swat the correct term gets the point for his or her team.

9.   The team with the most points wins.

Benefits of Swatter Game:

• Students examine multiple facets of a concept or vocab term.
• Students are listening to usage and application of their vocab terms and practicing using and applying those terms.
• Active and engaging activity.
• Fun can increase serotonin, which can improve memory, pride in work well done, and confidence.

Watch Out For:

• Kids struggling to remember terms. Maybe let them use their notes?  
• Kids acting up in line.  Maybe take away points for teams not listening? Or remind students that if the Swatter can’t hear the hint he or she can’t get the point.
• Kids swatting each other.  The child who uses a flyswatter on another child is instantly removed from the game, his team loses points, and you use the discipline consequence for that kid that you would normally use. Please DO NOT punish the entire class for one kid who acts like a fool.

If it were me, I think I might use Civics 3.1 & 3.2 and post the various forms and systems of government and then give examples, descriptions, or connections for the kids to swat.

Are you brave enough to give two kids fly swatters -- and let LEARNING and REVIEW happen? Can you write a few examples and descriptions that use higher-order thinking? Are you BRAVE enough to try this game?

If so, email me and let me know how it goes. You’re welcome to send pix of  the game if it’s as hilarious as it was at a PCSB middle school this week with the Three Branches Tree.... Email me at newmantr@pcsb.org

-Tracy

Multiple Perspectives

Do your kids look at history like, well, um, ... kids? Do they assume that everything in history  was inevitable? Do they assume that everything in history happened for a “logical, purposeful” reason?

Your kids aren’t alone. Plenty of adults also struggle with the idea that things in history were “meant to be”.

But not everything HAD to turn out the way it did and it’s useful for kids to put on their “Multiple Perspective Glasses” and see things through someone else’s eyes.

Here’s a strategy called “PMI” which is a way of looking at an issue from multiple viewpoints. It’s easy for us-in-2018 to look at history and see inevitability in how things turned out and think “of course things turned out that way! Was there ever a question?”

Yes.

There were hundreds of questions in history that had many very real possibilities of turning out differently.

Instead of students believing in the inevitability of history, it’s important to look at history through the eyes of  people at the time period and examining it the way they might have.

A great strategy for this is called “PMI”.

P= Plus (or positives)

M= Minus (or negatives)

I = Interesting

Pose an interesting question from history -- a “what if” or a “what would you do?” question like ...

• Should Truman drop the atomic bomb?
• What if Radical Republicans kept reconstruction going strong for another decade or two?
• What if Texas had remained an independent nation?
• What if the Founders had left slavery out of the Constitution entirely?
• Should the Cold War get “hot” and the US and USSR fight directly?
• What if Kenya had invested in infrastructure during decolonization?
• Should LBJ sign the Civil Rights Act of 1968?
• Should Lincoln free ALL the slaves with an Emancipation Proclamation?
• Should the Supreme Court be the best place to decide the 2000 presidential election?

Once you have a good, debatable, multiple perspective question, then you can ask the kids to  tell you the positives of the situation, the negatives, and interesting points.

As with any new skill, I would model this the first time. Then, I would have students practice using it in groups. Finally, I would let them try it out on their own.

Download one from here https://lo.unisa.edu.au/mod/book/view.php?id=611321&chapterid=100451 and let me know how it goes!

Multiple perspectives isn’t just a “nice to know”. It’s crucial for our students as future voters, as internet users, and as participants in civic dialogue about everything from building new roads to gun control to race relations to balancing the budget. Every topic in the news requires the skill of multiple perspectives -- and so do our EOCs and Final Exams!

As always, try it and let me know how it goes!

-Tracy

Quick!

Quick! How fast can I cover this stuff before the testing calendar negates the whole month?  

Omigoshican’tbelieveimthisbehindinmypacing wherewillifindthetimetodoanything imnevergonnagetthroughallthis?

Sooooo, April, huh?

I don’t know about you, but I think this is a tough time of year. There are weird schedules for testing with half my class gone on any given day. The kids are in a fourth quarter slump. Spring break is now just a memory as they try (and we try) to hang on until summer.

Oh, yeah. And I’m behind on my pacing. Again. As usual.

Right now, I really understand the temptation to just bulldozer your way through the content, teaching and teaching and teaching and teaching nonstop.

But hold up and take a breath.

Stop. (Hammer Time)

If you’re moving that quickly, how do you know your kids are with you? How do you know if they’re getting it? How do you know if they’re keeping up?

You have to stop and check sometimes.

I know that there are a million ways to check for understanding. But some of them, like quizzes, one-pagers, posters, skits, etc.

So how about my favorite, FASTEST ways to check for understanding?

Here are the Fastest Types of Formative Assessment that I can find...

1. One Minute Essay (or One Minute Question) -- A one-minute essay question (or  one-minute question) is a focused question with a specific goal that can, in fact, be answered within a minute or two.
2. Two Minute Pause -- The Two-Minute Pause provides a chance for students to stop, reflect on the concepts and ideas that have just been introduced, make connections to prior knowledge or experience, and seek clarification.
1. I changed my attitude about...
2. I became more aware of ...
3. I felt ...
4. I was surprised by ...
5. I related to ...
3. Observation -- Don’t stop class. Just walk around and really look carefully at student notes, answers, or progress.
4. One-Sentence Summary-- Students are asked to write a summary sentence that answers the “who, what where, when, why, how” questions about the topic.
5. One-Word Summary -- Select (or invent) one word which best summarizes a topic.
6. Muddiest Point -- This is a variation on the one-minute paper, though you may wish to give students a two minutes to answer the question. Here you ask (at the end of a class period, or at a natural break in the presentation), "What was the "muddiest point" in today's lecture?" or, perhaps, you might be more specific.
7. Headlines -- Create a newspaper headline that may have been written for the topic we are studying. Capture the main idea of the event.
8. Five Words --  What 5 words would you use to describe ? Explain and justify your choices.
9. Question Stems -- “I believe that because...”; “I am confused by...”
10. Twitter Post  -- Define_____ in under 140 characters  

How many of these have you tried? And can you try more? It’s important to do at least one (hopefully more than one) formative assessment check per period. Can you try a

new one or two of these? Pro Tip: Set a timer so you don’t go overtime.

Let me know how they go! As always, email me at newmantr@pcsb.org

Somebody Wanted ...

Summarizing is an important skill. It’s kind of a big deal, which is why it always surprises me when soooo many kids struggle with it!

But it is really hard for many kids! Maybe it’s because the internet summarizes things for them, whether it’s a movie trailer, a product review, or the 700,00 versions of “Cliff Notes”, kids don’t really have to summarize much any more. So when we ask them to summarize and they highlight the whole page, it’s not because they’re stupid. It’s because they need help with the skill of summarizing.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to summarize is a simple strategy called “Somebody Wanted ... But/So... Then”.

This strategy is useful for any student who struggles with summarizing, whether it’s an ESE or ESOL student or a regular student who has trouble summarizing and prioritizing info. It’s actually helpful for keeping our gifted students on track and out of left field, too.

It goes like this ...

• Somebody (who?) Wanted something (what?)
• But (what was the problem?)
• So (How did they try to resolve the problem?)
• Then (What was the result?)

History and Social Sciences are FULL of moments when a person or group wanted something, which becomes a catalyst for other events.

Like this ...  (real 6th grade student answers below)

• The Abolitionists wanted freedoms but the South was worried about economics so they made reforms. Then, the reforms made people pay attention.
• Women wanted equal rights but they were faced with challenges like their ideas and words being denied by men, so the women had a convention at Seneca Falls where they decided to argue and protest for their rights. Then, it took a long time before they had the right to vote.  

Wow! If I could get my kids to boil down the info of a chapter or topic into one of those awesome sentences, I would have WON the teaching game!

Because once they know the summarized basics, once they can sort out the important info from the less-important info, THEN we can really think and analyze and dig further into the content.

I even found a teacher somewhere who made a song (with accompanying video) that is electronic dance music style (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=N6EMIaoE9_Q ). It may or may not be your style but it’s repetitive and your kids may like it.  

Try it this week. It’s quick, easy, and a wonderful way to help kids practice summarizing critical information.  Then, give them the initials (SWBST) and have them summarize on their own. Use gradual release. Start with the scaffold of this strategy, have them practice it whole class, and then in small groups,and then independent practice. Finally, remove the scaffolding so they can use it independently.

How can this strategy improve your students’ summarizing skill? How can you practice it this month? How is it going? As always, email me at newmantr@pcsb.org

-Tracy