BRAINSTORMING+PAGE

January 17, 2011 Hampton HS only 90 minute workshop - 4 rotations during day - meant to touch all teachers - required for all teachers Discussion surrounding these topics/themes: Focus on tech-supported/enhanced/transformed lessons -Offer some examples of "weak" lessons on SAS portal - how to increase rigor (table talk?) -Possibly do the root words exercise? -Webb's Depth of Knowledge relationship to Daggett -School District of Phila PDF - Bloom's/New Bloom's/Webb's -Sir Ken Robinson "Divergent Thinking" animation clip -Modeling important -Active participation is important -Mix of those who are comfortable with technology integration/others who aren't -Mix of people open to the constructivist model/others who prefer lecture

Other ideas: Have them SHARE and discuss constructivist lessons THEY use and take a lesson they are already teaching and tweak it to make it more authentic, constructivist, quad D.

I'd like to begin with modeling a lesson...something on a topic that they will have little prior knowledge about. This way, we can show them how to build a truly constructivist lesson from the ground up. After some brainstorming, I came up with the idea of putting on a musical production...something they will not have much prior knowledge about, but something that I know quite well. This way, it reflects a real classroom scenario with teacher as expert and students with very limited knowledge. **I am definitely open to other ideas that might fit this scenario!**
 * PERHAPS WE COULD DO SOMETHING ON MUSICAL GENRES SO WE ARE ALL "Experts" In our own way? Maybe create a website on the history of music, or the social influence of music? or musical influence on youth? or musical youth? Ha...remember "pass de duchee on de left hand side"...kidding**
 * The key is finding a relevant, real world application to use as a summative assessment...something with an authentic audience and purpose.**

Our "lesson" might include something to collect prior knowledge like a "chalk talk" or gallery walk like the root words exercise we did. This would then lead them into the "big picture" task of something like: Design a web site that acts as a production guide for a specific musical. or better yet, to SELL your proposal to a community theatre board of directors.

From there, we could divide them into groups and have them begin their projects using a class wiki as a resource and a wiki page of their own for their project. I could assemble some web resources for them to reference and they could assign roles in their group...maybe: director, historical expert, accountant, costumer, music director, promotional director, etc?? (still thinking about this)

As I mentioned...I am not firm on this topic, but hopefully it gives you an idea...any other thoughts on a topic?

Also, as per a discussion with Jeff this morning...it would be great to model some formative assessment strategies that check understanding of relevance...like the gallery walk, chalk talk strategy. Maybe we could work in a few of these along the way.

Topic: Community Service Project Philosophical underpinnings Essential questions: how, who, why