Developing Young Scientists

Each year, our professional development site, Schultz Center for Teaching and Leadership, conducts a year long pd session in Science, The Academy of Science. We have three Chets' teachers who participate in this learning, and many teachers who support the learning by offering live demonstration lessons that are videoconferenced in to the training.

Second Grade teachers, Ashley Russell and Melissa Ross, invited participants to watch their 5 E model lesson on matter. Melanie Holtsman recorded the video at Chets Creek to make sure it was available on our Setting the Standard Ning for our CCE teachers to view. The lesson was planned using the 5 E model and Day 1 offers the Engage, Explore, and Explain portion. The participants watching virtually applauded the teachers for their lesson, and those watching it on the ning are equally as impressed. When you watch, I'm sure you will agree that these teachers are turing their young students into curious scientists.

2nd Grade Science - Matter 10-09 from Melanie Holtsman on Vimeo.

Reading the Room

Today is Monday, the start of the fifth week of school, a time when rituals and routines are firmly established, and the steady hum of the school engine can rhythmically be heard. Which makes it a good time for me to just walk the building to observe instruction in classrooms. What are the students doing? What are the teachers doing? What artifacts are in place to map out the learning that is occurring? Many times, I question kids, read their writing, watch them participate in a math lesson, or have them walk me through their Science journals. But today, instead of doing that, I simply wanted to see what I could learn about teaching and learning from the posted artifacts in the classroom. What would I learn in a classroom where the kids and students weren't present?

I went to a departmentalized Grade 2 English Language Arts classroom while the students were at resource and the teacher was out of the room. What I learned is that you can find out a lot about a classroom by simply reading the room.

What I learned, in this particular classroom, is that there is an established Skills Block. Students have been learning high frequency spelling words and the language skills like nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Students have also reviewed punctuation. There is evidence of multiple presentation styles including embedded strategies in songs. In writing, students are working on Personal Narratives. They've learned about the story elements including how to make their seed idea grow, and how to sprinkle details throughout their writing. They've also learned how to write leads that engage the reader. In addition, students have learned editing skills to make their writing stronger. Students' writing samples are proudly displayed in the classroom and on the bulletin board in the hallway. And, they student has work in their writing journals tucked neatly in their desks.

Furthermore, it is very apparent that the teacher has provided an environment to grow an avid reader. There is an ample classroom library which includes a leveled library, genre library, and guided reading library. There are comfy reading nooks for students to relax and enjoy a good book. They've learned the habits of what good readers do, and have learned what a good listener looks like. The teacher has taught them the procedures for listening to a read aloud. Completed read alouds are displayed on a chart. The students are learning to identify the main idea in a passage or in their independent reading book, and are keeping book logs of the books they've read. I also noticed that the teacher has assessed students using the DRA 2, because on one table in the room the teacher has sticky notes with student's names listed on a pile of Guided Reading books. So, I assume her small groups will get started soon. The room is print rich. Vocabulary words, like contagious and distraction, are displayed on the word wall next to the Text Talk read aloud stories. In addition, students have an individual book bag with books that are on their reading levels.

I'm sure you would agree that reading the room is a valuable tool from the coaching perspective. You don't need long to get a snapshot of teaching and learning. And, it can be a valuable learning tool for other teachers. Visiting a colleague's classroom can inspire an "ahhh haaa" moment that may give you a fresh new idea.

New Team Planning in Grade 2

As we wrap up one year, we eagerly await another. Decisions about next year's roster are already made so new teams can meet for an entire day, on the clock, and plan together. This week, our 2009-2010 Second Grade team met. They are an eclectic group of Learning Leaders--some are first grade teachers looping to second, some are third grade teachers coming down to second to then loop to third, some are current second grade teachers, and one brave soul is trying her hand at second after completing four years in fifth grade. Some of the teachers are co-teaching and others are departmentalized. I am thrilled to have such a unique group with so many varied experiences, it will undoubtedly allow this great team to look at each decision from many perspectives.

We began the day with a Getting to Know You activity that was a mix of collegiality and competitive competition. There was much laughter as we got to know each other. Next, we discussed our CCE non-negotiables as outlined by our School Improvement Plan and the America's Choice School Design.

Subjects
--One hour Readers’ Workshop
--One hour Writers’ Workshop
--20 minute Skills Block
--One hour Math Workshop
--15-20 minute Everyday Math Counts Calendar Math
--45 minutes of Science / Social Studies

Homework
On average, including book in the bag, no more than 30 minutes nightly. Homework in place on Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. Please no homework on weekends.

Million Word Standard
--Each student is responsible for reading a million words a year.
--Evidence will be logged through a book log.

Artifacts
--Book of the Month attractively displayed and accessible to students.
--Data Notebooks (Diagnostic Profiles, DRA’s, PMP)
--Portfolios in Writing and Mathematics
--Reading Response Journal or Notebook 1-5
--Writing Notebook / Seed Journal 2-4
--Teacher Made Charts demonstrating mini-lessons in ELA
--Classroom writing rubrics
--Math artifacts (Teacher made charts, 100’s chart, number lines with negative and positive numbers, manipulatives, strategy charts etc…)

Standards- Based Bulletin Boards
--SBBB will be displayed by the deadline date with at least the following components: Standards, Task, 4 pieces of student work, teacher commentary. They may also include student commentary, circumstances of
performance, etc...
--No SBBB due in August, December, March, or May.
--Co-teachers in departmentalized grade levels will alternate between ELA and Math/Science/Social Studies

Standard Snapshots
Will be designated on the yearly calendar and done collaboratively amongst the grade level. Each student’s
piece of work will be attached to the snapshot to be sent home on the specified date.

Pacing Guides
--District Learning Schedules in Mathematics will be followed in Grades K-5.
--District Learning Schedules in Science will be followed in Grades K-4.
--ELA CCE Pacing Guides will be followed as prepared using the Scope and Sequence in our district adopted
Houghton-Mifflin Text and the Sunshine State Standards.
--Author Studies will be conducted, as outlined in our SIP, according to the designated pacing guide schedule.

Grade Book
--No grades will be taken on homework.
--There needs to be a reasonable number of grades to average for an overall grade. (at least one every two
weeks)
--There needs to be grade level consistency on what is being graded and teachers need to be able to communicate with parents how the grade was derived.

Communication with Parents
--Weekly newsletters
--Written notes in planners or email
--Blogs are highly recommended but optional.

Next, the team nominated Ashley Russell as their team leader and Karen Morris as their recording secretary. Other committee leaders were selected for groups including field trips, foundations, cultural arts, and spirit This group had participants eagerly embrace each of the roles and I could tell they would gel as a team.

After that, Melanie Holtsman, our Instructional Technology Coach, taught us to set up our websites for the new OnCourse attendance and grade book program.

Then, a delightful treat awaited as the second grade team headed out for an adult lunch break. Though we had to dodge the wind and rain, we comfortably settled in at Times Grille to have a lunch full of conversation, laughs, and of course more dialogue about the upcoming year.

When we returned to school, the ELA folks and Math/Science/Social Studies folks broke up for some specialized planning in their respective subject areas.

In ELA, our agenda included a discussion about the Second Grade wiki, pacing guide, reading/writing/skills Sunshine State Standards, common assessments, units of study, inventories/materials, artifacts, and grading. Had we not run out of time, we would have discussed the new F.A.I.R. assessment versus our CCE diagnostic. This discussion is an important one that we'll have to have soon.

The day ended with the grade level meeting again to put together a 2009-2010 supply list.

Though the teachers have to write sub plans and leave their students for the day, I think they appreciate the opportunity to partake in this type of planning. As one year comes to a close, they don't have to spend the summer wondering about their new team or about what lies ahead. Rather, they can jump in and get started because they have an outline and the expectations. A special thank you to our visionary leader, Susan Phillips, for making this planning day a reality!

Responding to a Comment, Grade 2 Response to Literature

Have you ever gotten a comment on a blog post that you simply can't let go, and just have to answer? It happened to me this weekend on this post, Response to Literature, Grade 2.

Several months ago, I shared a second graders published Response to Literature on the Kevin Henkes' text, Wemberly Worried. A reader left the following comment...

Anonymous said... Who helped this child write this? The child is either very bright or had help from some adult. How do I know? I have never heard a second grader use the term "diversity", yet alone spell it correctly. I think rewriting a book or even a short story after reading it will only discourage children from wanting to read. The joy of reading comes not from rewriting the story, it comes from wanting to read that book again or the next book. Let's teach young children the fundamentals of language then when they are old enough they can write a response not their parents.February 21, 2009 7:41 AM

I chose to take this comment as a compliment. Do you know why? Clearly, this reader thinks the Response to Literature is a good one. One that couldn't possibly be produced by a second grader without help from an adult. But, one that was. This second grader participated in a Kevin Henkes author study in first grade during which he studied the text Wemberly Worried. A text that he grew to love through multiple readings. In fact, he appreciated the author so much that when he had to select a text to do a Response to Literature on in second grade, he selected this children's book. This child will produce two published Response to Literature pieces this year, along with writing in the genres of narrative, report, and functional.

This particular child has been fortunate, because he has gotten to participate in a Readers' and Writers' Workshop daily since Kindergarten. He has learned to love books and reads and writes as part of his classroom instruction daily. He also has had the fortune of daily focused 4 part mini-lessons that allow him to connect his learning, learn something new, practice it during active involvement with teacher guidance, and then has the learning linked to a reading or writing task where he can practice the skill or strategy during his work period. He has on average a 30 to 40 minute work period where he writes every day. He's also had the opportunity to develop a handsome working vocabulary through daily read aloud because his teacher uses Beck and McKeown's Text Talk to teach explicit vocabulary. Not unlike many of his peers, this student's vocabulary learning has transferred authentically into his writing. And, his classroom is a print rich environment with spelling and vocabulary word walls that he can use as a tool throughout his writing. Furthermore, this student participates in a daily closing session where his classmates share their work. He has been taught to benchmark his own writing against that of his classmates and is encouraged to apply their strategies and best practices to his own work. He has been taught to use a rubric to make sure his writing meets each of the standards.

In addition, his teachers use the resource Using Rubrics to Improve Student Writing which sets forth samples of rubrics and student work so teachers can compare their students' work against benchmark pieces. They also meet weekly in Teacher Meetings to analyze student work, share instructional practices, and study professional literature together. They also display student work throughout their hallways as a showcase for colleagues, other students, and parents.

This reader who made the comment clearly doesn't know that we not only foster the love of reading but also that we allow students to live the life of a writer. This student sample was completed in the classroom, not at home, without the assistance of an adult, during the study of Response to Literature, and with authentically embedded vocabulary that a second grader can and does use.

If you think your students can not achieve the same standard, you should be asking, "How do I get my second graders to this same level of performance?" Afterall, your students will be competing with this student for a job in the global marketplace one day.

Response to Literature, Grade 2

I often walk classrooms. Sometimes, I ask students questions like, "What are you working on?" "What did you learn in your mini-lesson today?" and sometimes, I simply rummage through portfolios looking at student work. The work itself answers these types of questions for me without even talking to the kids. I can clearly see which lessons have been taught that were internalized by students and applied to their work.

In addition, I often have teachers simply drop by my desk at the end of a busy day with student work in hand. They are there to celebrate the accomplishments of a particular student or show me work that impressed them. I really enjoy when teachers invite me into their celebration of student work and it is quite evident the focused instruction that goes into the production of quality student work.

Today, at the end of the day, when I returned to my desk, I had a pleasant surprise. Mrs. McLeod, a second grade teacher, left a few Response to Literature student papers on my desk. The pieces clearly met the standard for Grade 2 writers. I thought you may enjoy reading one of the student samples she shared with me. You may notice the student's introduction, detailed retelling, use of dialogue, ability to give the moral of the story, developed vocabulary use, or the closing of his piece. I think, after you read his piece, you'll understand why I love teachers including me in their celebration of student work. If you would like a closer look, please click on the picture to zoom in. Enjoy!

Grade 2 Snapshot

I took a focus walk of Second Grade on Thursday. I wasn't focused on any one thing (sometimes I am), rather this snapshot was simply to see how smoothly students and teachers had settled into a new year.

My first impression was a good one. They have settled in quite well, rituals and routines were getting firmly established, and classroom instruction had begun. The unannounced snapshot gave me a glimpse across content areas with lessons in technology, Readers' Workshop, Writers' Workshop, Math Workshop, and Science Workshop.

I visited a co-teach classroom where students were watching a video clip from '>You Tube which sang all of the countries in the world. Next, the teachers displayed their classroom blog on the board, read the blog with the students, and then read the comments. They modeled for students how to add a comment to the blog. Students were soaking in their every word. These students will now have a line of interactive communication with their teachers even when they are not in the classroom.

Next, I visited the English Language Arts rooms. (We are departmentalized from 2nd-5th grade so some teachers teach ELA and some Math/Science/Social Studies.) In one room, I found students actively involved in the active involvement part of their mini-lesson. Students were practicing the habits of a good listener. The teacher was facilitating instruction by listening in on the partners. This lesson is one of our districts 12 anchor lessons that serves as a foundation for setting up a successful Readers' Workshop structure for the year.

In two other rooms, I found students in the Work Period part of the Readers' Workshop. Students were in their book nooks with their Books in a Bag reading, were selecting new books from their leveled libraries, or were diligently adding a text to their book log that they had just finished. The teachers were monitoring the classroom to be sure that students were following the rituals and routines of the Work Period. Teachers need to make sure that students are building their independence and reading stamina. This is critically important, because on my next visit, during student work period, teachers will be administering DRA 2's to the students. After that, they will be using the DRA 2 data and diagnostic data to run guided reading and strategy groups. In order for the teacher to be doing the student conferring or small group lesson, the other students in the classroom will have to be actively reading and not interrupt the teacher.

Writers' Workshop was in full swing in another classroom as students diligently created stories in their sourcebooks while the teacher conferred with students. Evident to me was the students' confidence and writing fluency. Kudos to the Kindergarten and First Grade teachers who had students writing everyday and who held high expectations for the writing product. The 2nd Grade teachers have picked up where you left off. :)

In several other rooms, Math Workshop was off to a great start. Students were working on creating Combinations of 10 books as teachers encouraged and conferred with students. It was evident that every math teacher was on the same page and students in each class were working toward the same standards. Some students were working on putting a string of three numbers together to make 10 (5+3+2) while others were working on putting five numbers together to make 10 (1+1+2+3+3). These number strings will be used to construct a complete Combinations of 10 book. I can't wait until my next visit to see the completed book and to ask students what they learned about number strings.

The last classroom stop was into a Science class. The students were learning characteristics of specific animals including the plants they ate. The students received challenging riddles that they were charged to solve by matching them with the correct animal. This activity not only focused on science but also reading. The riddles had to be read and understood before the matching could take place.

In summary, I not only noticed that things were well underway in 2nd Grade, but also that this group of teachers has bonded as a team. Outside each of their classrooms is a sign hanging with their name, their hallways are prepared for student work, the artifacts in their rooms are similar, and their instruction is well aligned.