Week
35: Creating Your Information Product
Homework
for the Teacher
Weeks
35 and 36 are set aside for the purpose of allowing students to
complete and share their information products. If possible, allow
students to make their presentations to "authentic audiences" that
can benefit from their work (community workers, younger students,
etc.).
"We
collect information for a purpose. We expect that information
will "shed light" upon important questions or will
lead toward insight and understanding. We must seek out authentic
audiences for our students and opportunities to share what
they have learned." Jamie McKenzie, www.fno.org
When
students know exactly what is expected throughout the course
of their work, while understanding and believing in the goals
of the project, you can expect to see dramatic growth in many
areas. Over 70 major studies by a variety of research centers
clearly demonstrate a wide range of outcomes when teachers
construct a classroom framework that keeps students moving
along with purposeful and productive project-based learning. Print
and use this checklist ("Construct a Classroom Framework
Conducive to Learning") as a way to ensure ongoing and
periodic assessment of student learning during the creation
of their information products.
Here’s
one excellent example of a multimedia
presentation rubric that’s customizable. Make
it your own!
Check
out these fun "End-of-Year" Ideas.
Reading
Strategy Spotlight
Empower! Help
students use a variety of "fix-it" strategies to repair comprehension
breakdowns independently. Listen to students describe
their reading problems and then respond by modeling techniques
to address the problems. Ellin Keene and Susan Zimmermann, authors
of Mosaic of Thought, describe reading problems
that go beyond the failure to decode words and understand their
meanings. Refer to their chart, on pages 201-204, to understand
the more subtle features of reading obstacles and to see examples
and practical classroom solutions for each of those problems.
Student
Activity Sheet
Download a sample Reading Conference Form developed by Cheryl
Sigmon to
assist you in the identification of your students' reading obstacles.
BBs: Weekly
Nuggets of "Best Practices" and "Brain Research"
Learn
ways to take advantage of your students' special interests (affinities)
in ways that can both motivate and model how to work through
or work around developmental weaknesses. Visit Dr. Mel Levine's
site, "All Kinds of Minds." Many North Carolina teachers can
attend "Schools Attuned" training free (normally around $1600)!
TechKnow
Disaster Preparedness Page
Printable Computer Skills Mini-Posters & activity sheets
for those times when the network crashes or equipment is unavailable.
You can print a different page each week.
Fifth
Grade Computer Skills Test Item Bank
Please retain the security of this test to maintain its
validity. Contact your local Media and/or Technology Director
for the user name and password to access the item bank.
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