Week 10, Assignment 4

Candidate’s Name: Aviva Zussman  

Grade Level: 3^rd Grade

Title of the lesson: What is your opinion?

Length of the lesson: 1 period

 

Central focus   How to effectively state their opinions in writing

Students discuss how they feel about certain topics. Many students mention how their cultural background effects their opinion on many areas since  they have different experiences and were exposed to different things throughout their lives.

Common Core State Standards CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1.a Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1.b Provide reasons that support the opinion.

Support literacy development through language (academic language)   Students will need to retell and explain their opinions on the issue of having school in the summer. Students will need to summarize their thoughts and support their arguments. This will be done through a discussion followed by a written report.

Learning objectives   1.    Students will be able to state their opinion effectively in writing. 2.    Students will support their arguments through writing.

Formal and informal assessment (including type[s] of assessment and what is being assessed) Students’ written work will be assessed for spelling and punctuation. In addition, students will be assessed on how clearly their opinion was stated and how strongly it was supported. Students who are ELL will be assessed with the teacher keeping in mind that their vocabulary may not be as strong.

Instructional procedure: Students will be told to imagine that they were told that there is going to be no summer break and that school will continue to resume through July and August. Instead of the large break in the summer students will have off for two weeks at a time four times a year. Students will be asked to write their opinion on the matter and to give two supports or reasons for their argument. For students who are ELL or have trouble writing, they can use a writing technology that translates and writes as you speak into the device. After their writing is completed students will need to creatively demonstrate their opinion to be used as a public communications piece to convey their feelings. This can be done through technology, art, drama, etc. This open activity allows all students to complete the tasks according to their ability and preference.

Art materials, computer, paper

Reflection Did your instruction support learning for the whole class and the students who need great support or challenge? My lesson does support all students and their learning abilities due to the helpful technology. The question is simple and personal enough for students to be able to formulate an answer effectively. The openness of the second activity is great since it allows for everyone to perform according to their strengths. What changes would you make to support better student learning of the central focus? I would try my best to link my lesson to the Common Core Standards. Therefore, I would list of linking words such as therefore, because, etc on the board for students to use in their writing. In addition perhaps I would do a sample opinion together with the class so everyone can see the process of developing one’s thoughts and transferring these thoughts onto paper. Why do you think these changes would improve student learning? Support your explanation from evidence of research and/or theory. I think that these changes would improve student learning since one of the best way of teaching is through modeling. All students benefit from seeing how thought processes are developed and how sentences can be formed to convey those thoughts.

 

Dr. Hui-Yin Hsu Spring 2014

Major Assignment DIBELS and QRI5 compare and contrast

The Qualitavive Reading Inventory-5, otherwise known as QRI5, is meant to test the conditions where children can successfully and unsuccessfully comprehend and identify words. This testing system categorizes students’ reading levels as independent, instructional and frustration. Teachers use the results from these assessments for diagnostic purposes, grouping students with similar reading level, choosing appropriate books according to reading level, further instruction to address the specific reading skills of the students. QRI5 provides word lists and passages from pre primer all the way through high school to test children’s oral and silent reading skills. The individual’s results from these assessments are measured in comparison of the norm group.

 

Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills otherwise known as DIBELS is meant to test the phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary for students from kindergarten through sixth grade. These tests are short and are meant to be used regularly to measure the progress in the five areas of literacy mentioned above. Teachers can use the results from these assessments to screen students who require extra support and for future planning of literacy instruction. DIBELS are meant to be administered three times a year to assess the progress or lack of progress in students’ literacy.

 

Both QRI5 and DIBELS are research based assessments meant to guide teachers on identifying students who need help and how to plan their lessons to best suit their students’ needs. Both assessments provide resources for teachers to use to conduct the tests. QRI5 is designed for students through high school as opposed to DIBELS which is meant for students up to sixth grade. DIBELS has narrower testing based on the five areas of literacy mentioned above as opposed to QRI5 which is more general and condition based.

 

Teachers can use the these tests as guidelines for future planning. In addition, teachers need to be able to evaluate and keep track of the results of these assessments in order to ensure that appropriate intervention is being given to those in need, the intervention is effective, and appropriate reading material and instruction is being used based on students’ needs. Teachers always need to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of their students so that they can ensure the literary success of each student. In addition, teachers cannot necessarily rely on their lesson plans from previous years when it comes to literacy instruction. Each year brings a new batch of students with a new set of needs that need to be addressed. These tests train teachers to cater to the individual needs of each of her students to ensure their ultimate success.