Group review- alternative to quizzes

One way I assess my students' understanding of key concepts is through a version of  a gallery walk.  My students learn a tremendous amount when they can talk with each other.  I can quickly gather information on what my students know, what concepts they are "stuck" on, who is excelling and who is struggling all while reducing my marking load.  Instead of giving them a quiz on the concepts, I make 1 question per page and print them off.  I write the answer underneath the question and cover it with a post-it note.  I then post the questions around the room.  I break my students up into pairs/ groups of 3 (3 is the magic number, most times in my class) and have them grab a clipboard and pen from their table.  In their groups, they are given a set time to move around the room and answer each question  I ask that 1 person read the question aloud and check to make sure every group member understands what the question is asking (the strong readers naturally help the weaker readers and teach them how to break apart a question... this naturally evolves during their discussion.  It is wonderful to listen to them ask questions and explain to each other!)  Then they all must come to consensus on the answer.  If they do not agree, I ask them to try and convince each other with evidence from the question's data, from their knowledge of the concept and so on.  Again, the conversations that come out of this stage really show who has learned what  and who needs further clarification.  As I am moving from group to group listening to their conversations, I also hear if there are any misconceptions or errors in their understanding that I can address as a whole class later on.  When the student group agrees on an answer, they lift the post-it to check.  As I walk from group to group, I get a good sense of how much each student understands and make quick jot notes on my class lists- I gather evidence without having to mark a stack of paper-pencil quizzes.  I ask them to record any questions/ concepts they want to review as a whole class after the small group discussions are over.  After every group is done, we meet back as a whole class to go over any misconceptions/ problem areas I over heard and any questions the students may have had during the process.  The learning that happens is far better than a passing out and handing back a short quiz where students focus on their mark and not their understanding.  I also like this method because I feel it benefits my students to be up and moving while they think and learn.

 I will sometimes follow up by give the students an exit slip, a formal lab or an assignment that they submit for a formal "mark" in my gradebook, depending on the concepts being covered.

More interactive notes from my grade 7s

My students were busy cleaning out their science binder and getting ready for their new unit... Out with the old  to store safely away until year end!  I took the opportunity to snap a few quick pictures of some of their notes they took during their ecosystems unit.  We still have lots to  learn about interactive notes, but the kiddos are proud of what they have done so far.

Vocab and concept review

I strongly feel that when my students engage in focussed, collaborative team work, they can take their learning so much farther.  I also am a big believer in active learning rather than "sit and get".  One way I get my students to activley engage in the key learnings of a unit is to have them do puzzle maps.  I purchased blank interlocking puzzle pieces from Scholar's Choice. (I did this to save time and because I am not that good at making such things myself!)  I then write key ideas, terms and concepts on the pieces.  I incclude formulas, graph trends, pictoral representations, etc.  I  group my students into teams at my class tables and give each a set of the puzzle pieces.  I ask them to work together to fit the concepts/ideas/key terms/formulas, etc. together in a way that shows what they know.  They all end up pushing their chairs aside, stand around the table and discuss the possibilities. I keep it ambiguous on purpose- I want to hear what questions and ideas they share with each other.  I want to see what key ideas they can readily link together and which ones they cannot.  I find out quickly what I have to reteach and what is good to go.  I want to see what their understandings are and what their justifications are for grouping certain ideas together. Sometimes I will stop the class and hold an impromptu discussion on how different groups are sorting the pieces.  I can put different ideas on the smartboard with my document camera for the kids to compare.   It is so simple, yet it stretches their learning and is another way to have them work with the key vocab without giving a worksheet.


 This is the one I made for my grade seven's ecosystems unit.  I use this review strategy for all of my grade seven and nine units.

What the box looks like to purchase- there are ones without lines too, but they are harder to find.

Group mini poster for assessment

Before we moved on too much, I wanted to quickly assess my students' understanding of how to write ionic compound formulas.  So far, the students had done an interactive notebook page, made models with the styrofoam balls, played with ion dice and did a game, "Let's Get Married the Ion Way!"

I wanted to see how accurately they were able to make ionic compounds and where their misconceptions/ mistakes were being made.  I gave each table group a 11x17 sheet of paper and asked them to each chose a colour that had to be different than other members of their table group.  I then asked them to chose 1 metal and 1 nonmetal to react (voice and choice!).  I told them that they had to use the paper to show me evidence that they knew how to make a correct ionic formula.  Each student could only use their colour.  The students could discuss with each other- I am a strong believer in students learning together.  My students are more engaged and thinking deeper than if I had given them a worksheet, I could move around the table groups listening to their conversations to see where I needed to step in, and it took far less time than assigning and marking a worksheet.  Because they each used a different colour on the paper, I could easily look at the end product to see what each student was thinking, how they contributed and who needed some extra intervention.  The next day, the students that demonstrated a strong understanding moved on to independent work and the others who had not contributed much or who had misunderstandings sat with me and did some review work together.

atom analogy project

It is so critical for my grade nines to understand the subatomic particles if they wish to have a good understanding of the organization of the periodic table.  One fun way we learn the subatomics is with the atoms analogy project.  Students get voice and choice by picking something they know well to compare to protons, neutrons and electrons.  I love to start the project with the clip on youtube from the old TV show WKRP.  My students are WAY too young to know the show, so with a little background info from an oldie like me, we watch the brilliant 2 minute clip on a comparison. Then, we get to work.  Students make some brilliant, creative comparisons and really understand the subatomics.  Win-win!

Goldbergs!

Another project I like to use while teaching my grade sevens their Structures and Forces unit is the classic Goldbergs.  I introduce the project with the driving question right near the start of the unit and we refer back to it throughout.  The students build on-going in class throughout the unit and it becomes the lens through which the students learn the essential outcomes from the program of studies.  I love to see the creativity, the application and the pride my sevens develop as they work.  

I LOVE that these are truly the work of grade sevens and not of their parents, uncles or older siblings.  One reason why I love true project based learning is that it is done in class and not at home.  I can monitor the students' progress, assist when and where I am needed, incorporate the essential learnings right into an authentic task for the students and the students have complete ownership of their learning.  I can easily assess what a student knows and what they need to work on.  This would not be the case with a "do at home" task.

Students bring their own materials from home.  I also have a big bin of recycled materials students can take from as well. I also have a drawer of common tools for student use and a large bin of hot glue guns.

Here is the assignment sheets I have developed with my colleagues over the years.  We change the end task regularly- ring a bell, pour cereal into a bowl, pop a balloon, etc. 

goldberg project

 self evaluation

My classroom

I love my classroom; it is such a beautiful learning space!  When I walk in each morning, I feel so grateful to have such an open, bright and well-equipped place to teach.  I want my students to have the same sort of feeling when they walk in too; warm, inviting and stimulating (but not too much!).

The periodic table (the kids are amazed that my old one has elements "missing" when they compare it to their recent, updated one... an excellent spring board for discussion on the scientific process, how new elements are created and how they are recognized)

In helping my grade sevens, "write like a scientist"... answer stems can help them to support their ideas.

Because I have a large bank of windows, tons of cupboard storage, a fume hood and a smartboard, I do not have much space for displaying student work- just 2 small bulletin boards.  Being that my school was one our government had privately built, my school board does not own the building.  This means I have to follow the rules of the private company and cannot put holes in the wall; no nails, no tacks, no staples unless it is on a bulletin board.  This also limits what I can put up and how.

On one wall is my assessment board.  I post our 4 point scale (Marzano-style) my students and I come up with at the start of the year. I also hang my clear folders for students to drop their various exit tickets as they leave (clear sleeves from a dollar store hung on with binder clips).  Students like to post samples of their work that they feel shows their success.  Here, my nines have posted examples of their classifying matter concept maps.  It is not just the high achieving students that have posted their work as exemplars.  Any student that feels their work shows their best are encouraged to and do post.  Love it!

To fill up my other board until I get student work at the start of the year, I have my skills board (Beaker gets posted and placed all around the room each year... kids love to see where I move him to next.)  Not the most creative, but we do refer to the word wall words and key phrases as essentials each student has to develop to think like a scientist.  I use these phrases when working on goal setting with my students so they focus on their learning rather than setting a goal of a percent.

On one counter, I have my hand-in bins, my popsicle stick containers and my organizational papers students will need throughout the year. Students grab as needed for their binder.

(need to take more pics... a work in progress!)

Classic beak adaptation activity

My grade sevens love to be active while learning.  As educators, we know the importance of movement and active learning to help students learn optimally.  One of my favorite activities to do when we are studying our ecosytems unit is bird beak adaptations.   It's a classic for good reason!  I don't say much about the activity before we begin.  I strongly believe in the moto I heard from everyone's science hero, Bill Nye, "Show then tell."  As my grade sevens enter the room, they chose a tool from a bin- tweezers, tongs, spoons,  droppers, staple remover, etc.  I tell them that they are no longer my wonderful grade sevens, but have transformed into lovely, hungry birds.   They must eat to survive!  The students tape large Dixie cups to their shirts to act as their "stomach" while they eat.  They move station to station trying to eat enough "food" from the specific ecosystem as they can.  They are timed at each station, which adds an element of excitement to the activity.  After each "feeding", they tally how much food they managed to get into their stomachs, ready the station for the next group and move on.  During our debriefing, the students really understand the relationship between ecosystem characterisitcs, available food sources and successful adaptations.  Teaching evolution by natural selection is a sinch after this!

I keep the "food" supplies, beak choices and activity sheets in a box ready to go for next year.  Here are some pics of what I use. In hindsight, I wish I had taken some pictures of the students doing the activity. Oh well, there is always next year!

Sci 7 Plant Survivor Project

My students love projects!  The foundation project for our plant unit was Plant Survivor.  Students had to design, construct and explain a plant that was adapted to thrive in a given environment.   We focussed on the competencies of managing information and innovation throughout the project as well.  Students loved sharing their final creation with their peers and the school community.

We started with our Driving Question and brainstorming ideas based on prior knowledge.  We then co-created our 3 key focus questions to answer throughout the project. (I must confess, my job was to guide their thinking and their ideas to these 3 questions to ensure we were going to explore the essential learnings from the Program of Studies. They never knew!)

Next, we worked on our Managing Information competency and worked on researching the characteristics of 6 main biomes.  Students had "voice and choice"  by selecting which biome they were interested in researching.  They shared their findings on our research board.  This forced them to summarize their research- no "copy, paste",  check with their peers, and allowed me to efficiently check for errors or ommisions in their research without reading 90 papers. They also had a graphic organizer in their project booklet to keep their information for the next steps.

As we learned about the parts of  a plant, we brought it back to their project.  How are the leaves, stems, roots and reproductive systems of their plant best suited to their biome?  They applied their learning to their specific biome and designed an innovative plant along the way.  In the end of the learning process, they all had a unique plant designed to survive their biome.  They chose to display their learning in a variety of ways- models, posters, 3D posters, google presentations, prezis...  

states of matter + energy student notes

An alternative to students writing my notes or filling in my graphic organizers for states of matter and energy...  I love that they are excited to show what they know, they take ownership of their work and I can quickly assess their understanding.  Yes, it takes more time, but it is well worth it.  I could save time by using traditional methods of note taking, but I do not think I would have the same level of comprehension in my students- high achievers and struggling learning alike.  

Students making meaning- alternative to worksheets

Finally finding time to post again.  I can't believe it has been almost a year!  My goal is to post a few things between now and our November break...  With report cards and student conferences, we will see how it goes.

Thinking about my students, this year, I have found that they are creative, but have language learning issues.  Almost half of my students a English language learners and struggle with learning formats that are heavy in reading and writing.  Of course, improving their skills in these areas is important, but so is developing their scientific literacy. I have been refining my methods, activities and strategies to have them make meaning for themselves, develop essential science vocab, and provide evidence of their learning without lost s of traditional worksheets and quizzes.  Here is an example of my nines working through the learning outcome of the history of the modern atomic theory.  We worked thorough class demonstrations, short video clips, LOTS of small group and whole class discussions and a fun play dough Build-an-Atom activity.  Then, they were tasked to show me what they know.  I gave them a few suggestions off formats, and a checklist of criteria based on the learning outcome, then watched what they did.  They had one 50 minute class to work.   I moved about the class with my mini whiteboard and class list in hand and noticed right away who needed further clarification, who had a misconception, who was bang on and such.  I made notes as they worked that could easily be added to data on their learning achievement.  I find when students are given the opportunity to make meaning in a way that makes sense to them and is open ended enough to make them think thorough the concepts and organize it for themselves, they learn it deeper than if I had given them a pretty graphic organizer I made myself, thought thorough myself and had the fill in while I taught.  They also love to share with each other in their table groups and place their finished work in the student work bin to display in the classroom as an exemplar.  I think they put their work in their science binder in an organized way instead of stuffing it into their backpacks or leaving in behind on the table when the bell goes because they have ownership over it.  1 sample is from a student who has always been a high achiever; the other is from a student who has struggled academically.  The seamless differentiation has also been a bonus.   Both students were happy with their work, both could talk in detail about their work, and both did well on the traditional paper/pencil assessment that followed.