Monthly Archives: March 2010

LLED 320 – Literature Circles: Update for Tuesday, 9 March 2010

We sunk our teeth into Lit Circles today.  Here’s how it happened:

Your Novel Study Experiences

I started with a prior knowledge piece (mental set) on the sorts of experiences you’d had working with novels in your K – 12 and Higher Ed career as a student.  Strangely, no one mentioned being so engrossed in a book that they couldn’t put it down even when driving 75 miles/hour on the freeway like this guy:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EWGpZwwoM8[/youtube]

The Shape of Lit Circles

After that I outlined the shape of a Lit Circle unit:

  • Pre-LC prep with “Say Something”
  • Reading
  • Discussion Groups
  • Working with the Books
  • Response Journals
  • Comprehension Strategies
  • Celebration

The Research Says…

In hindsight, I wished I’d introduced this part of the lesson with a Family Feud type of voice, like Richard Dawson’s.  Check out how he deals with this family of dummies:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdVuEpD9_IY[/youtube]

We examined the research basis for Lit Circles as outlined on pages 79 – 82 of Student Diversity. The four classroom conditions that enable students to develop as proficient readers – according to Richard Allington, President of the International Reading Association – are:

  1. Reading Volume
  2. High-Success Reading Opportunities
  3. Engaging in Literate Conversations
  4. Useful, Explicit Strategy Instruction

We considered how these conditions fit with those you had identified in the previous class (they fit very well, by the way) and how the Lit Circles strategy advocated by Brownlie, Schnellert, and Feniak addresses these 4 conditions.  In processing this content we used a Bruce Wellman strategy, Paired Verbal Fluency.  The details of that tactic can be found in this handout:

Strategies for Making Learning Active – Bruce Wellman

Assignment #4: Children’s Literature Task

I handed out the task sheet and we took some time to write a double-entry journal piece related to 2 items we’d done to this point in learning about Lit Circles:

  • Book Talks
  • Time to Read Your Lit Circles Book
  • Sticky Notes

Here’s an model of this task:

MODEL Lit Circles Task

Here’s the task handout:

Children’s Literature Task

The Literature Circles Process – Say Something

I reckoned it would be a good idea to get the L.C. lowdown from the source, so I showed a webcast presented by Faye Brownlie.  It is one of many webcasts put on by the Ministry of Education.  The supporting handouts, more details, and links to watch the webcasts on your computer can be accessed via this link to the BC Ministry of Education Webcast index.  The specific L.C. materials we worked with in this class can be found using the Literacy in the Middle Years – Part 2 link found on the aforementioned page.  We watched the “Introduction to Literature Circles” webcast.

After a brief into to the L.C. process, Faye walked us through the Say Something strategy using the poem, My Relatives by Mary Blakeslee.  The timecode for this section of the video is 0:00 to about 13:45.

Here’s the resource package that supports the webcast and includes the My Relatives poem:

Brownlie Lit Circle Webcast Resources

The PPT presentation that supports the webcast and includes details on the Say Something strategy and all other topics referenced in the webcast (including lists of books that work well for Lit Circles) is here:

Brownlie Lit Circle Webcast PPT

The Literature Circles Process – Discussion Groups

After hearing Faye describe the discussion group process (timecode: 41:30 to 48:30), and modeling it for the class with the Persepolis group, we had a go at it as a whole class.  In each group, one person shared the excerpt they had “Sticky Noted” and the other group members “Said Something” about the excerpt.  Where time allowed, the steps were repeated.

Double-Entry Journal… Take Two

We ended class by considering the Lit Circle events and ideas in today’s class and sharing your thinking on 2 items in your double-entry journal.

That’s all for today.

– Lawrence

EDUC 310 – Lecture Presentations: Update for Monday, 8 March 2010

Thanks to today’s presenters:

  • Lccture 9: Amber, Doug, and Pearl
  • Lecture 10: Catherine, Monika, and Shabtika

Thanks also to Jaime Beck for her information about the PITA (Provincial Intermediate Teachers’ Association) Year of Professional Support Program.  You can get more details at the PITA website.

If you’d like more info on pita bread, check out this recipe:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq9goyWzfso[/youtube]

– Lawrence

LLED 320 – Group Presentations, Day 2: Update for Thursday, 4 March 2010

Group Presentations

Thanks to all the presenters for another set of engaging presentations.  Here are the titles along with the supporting files.  If you have yet to submit your PPT or handout, please do so ASAP for the benefit of your classmates.  The handouts in particular should provide a valuable resource during practicum, as you look for ways to engage the learners in your classes:

  • Free Writing

Free Writing Handout

  • Think of a Time

Think of a Time Handout

  • Sociograms

Sociograms Handout

  • Containers for Characters

Containers for Character Handout

  • Quadrant of a Thought

– Lawrence

EDUC 310 – MindUP Workshop: Update for Wednesday, 3 March 2010

Thanks to Sharon Midgley, a Hillcrest Middle School teacher and UBC Middle Years SA, for presenting today’s workshop on the Hawn Foundation’s MindUP program. Shep and I hope that the principles of the MindUP program will help you create positive learning environments during your practicum… and beyond!

Here’s a YouTube clip of Dr. Dan Siegel speaking.  I’m pretty sure it’s a compilation of the clips we were shown during the workshop:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dFrOTgAIzY[/youtube]

Here’s a TED talk done by Dr. Siegel.  In this talk:

“Dr. Daniel Siegel explores the neural mechanisms beneath social and emotional intelligence and how these can be cultivated through reflective practices that focus on the inner nature of the mind.”

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu7wEr8AnHw[/youtube]

– Lawrence

LLED 320 – Intro to Lit Circles: Update for Tuesday, 2 March 2010

Welcome back to LLED class.  Here’s a rundown of the happenings in today’s class:

Temperature Check

If Roy Munson can keep his cool under pressure…

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjJaBJW7EOU[/youtube]

I reckon you can too!  To see just how much pressure you’re under, we did a temperature check from 1 (“I’d rather sandpaper a bobcat’s butt in a phone booth than get out of bed today”) to 11 (“Giddyup!  I’m golden”).  Most TCs were around a 6 or 7. Considering that the Olympic high was wearing off, I figure this wasn’t too bad.

Writing Review

In an effort to put a bow on our examination of writing in the classroom and to solidify that content in your mind, we did a Circle of Knowledge activity.  Here’s how it goes:

  • List all you recall from our work on the teaching and assessment of writing.  Draw a line under your list
  • Go for a walk & talk to gather at least 3 ideas from your classmates
  • Present a unique idea in the Circle of Knowledge, a circle formed around the classroom as ach TC gave a new writing-related idea.

The Reading Process

I gave a quick overview of the reading process outlined in Chapters 2 and 3 of the Student Diversity text.

Our Process

I explained that we would be doing the following in our examination of the reading process:

  • Intro & Selection of Literature Circles books
  • Your Thoughts on Effective Reading Instruction
  • Examing the Reading Process In-Depth: Fiction
    • Whole Class Novel Study
    • Literature Circles
  • Examing the Reading Process In-Depth: Non-Fiction
    • Strategy for Textbook Reading

Lit Circle Book Talks and Selection

In order to ensure that you received a book to start reading in time for our Lit Circle conversations that will start on Tuesday, 9 March 2010, I did book talks on all the books in our Lit Kit:

  • Night by Elie Wiesel
  • Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
  • Among the Hidden by Margaret Petersen Haddix
  • The Crazy Man by Pamela Porter
  • Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel

I showed book trailers from YouTube for the three books below:

  • Holes by Louis Sachar

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc3V7ZcK0kg[/youtube]

  • The Giver by Lois Lowry

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNL77KnIRI8&feature=PlayList&p=33CC1DBFD4F7A561&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=3[/youtube]

  • Among the Hidden by Margaret Petersen Haddix

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXLGIokzbdA&feature=PlayList&p=123A9E1A17E13147&index=0&playnext=1[/youtube]

If you’re curious, here’s the file containing all the Book Talks I wrote up to deliver in this class:

LLED 320 Lit Circle Book Talks – March 2010

After considering which books were their favourites, each TC chose one and started to read it.

For class on Tuesday, 9 March 2010 please complete the following Lit Circle book activities:

  • Read up to at least as far as your group agreed to
  • Put a sticky note beside 1 or 2 passages of interest in your novel.  Be prepared to “say something” about each passage in the next class.

Connecting to What You Know About Effective Reading Instruction

To wrap up class, I asked you do the following:

  • Complete a placemat activity while answering the question “What factors help students to develop as readers?”
  • Classify the responses into 4 or 5 key factors

We will compare your ideas to those presented in the research quoted in the Student Diversity text.  That’ll happen next week.  Please bring your textbook to class on Tuesday, 9 March 2010.

See you then true believers,

– Lawrence

EDUC 310 – Restitution: Update for Monday, 1 March 2010

Welcome back to campus.  Here’s what happened in today’s class:

Administrivia

  • LLED Text: Please bring your Student Diversity textbook to tomorrow’s (Tuesday, 2 March 2010) LLED 320 class.
  • MIndUP Training: Here’s the schedule for Wednesday’s MindUP training:
    • 10:00 – Noon @ Angus 426
    • 1:30 – 4:00 @ Scarfe 1130

As per the email I sent you earlier today, please read the following articles before the training session:


  • EDUC 310 Interpretive Paper: Please note that the interpretive paper is due anytime between today  (1 March 2010) and next Monday (8 March 2010).

    Teachable Moments

    Shep asked you to think about the highlights of your experience during the Olympic Break and, afterwards, to consider how you might create a “teachable moment” by bringing world events into the classroom.

    Restitution

    The classroom management ideas of Diane Gossen were front and center for the final part of the lesson.  Here’s the PPT slideshow that Shep used:

    Introduction to Restitution PPT

    – Lawrence