We've Got A Diem to Carpe

PRESIDENT'S DAY CHALLENGE!

novicephoenix:

First of all, you’re not failing if you’re addressing that one of your lessons was not as successful as otheres in the past. I think the first step is painful acceptance and then asking yourself: how can I learn from this? What can I do next? I think that you’re on the right track.

You said you’re teaching history, right? And the two main problems were that students weren’t engaged in the lesson and some of them struggled with the material?

Here are some of my suggestions. Before you started reading about a person, idea or an event do a prereading activity. Some that I’ve found to be pretty successful are:

1. Anticipation guides: Can be used to incite discussion and to talk about important ideas. For example if you’re teaching about foot binding in China: You can hand out a piece of paper with 3-5 opinion questions based around it. Directions: Write if you agree or disagree with the following statements: If a large group of people say something is beautiful then it is the truth.                             
2. Or say you were teaching about the Pilgrims coming to America. One of your questions could be “If someone does not have the same culture as me they’re strange.” etc. Think about the main issues, and reasons battles were fought or treaties were signed and then introduce them in the anticipation guide format, have students write what they thought before hand and then have a discussion with them. Then have them write what they think of those issues after they learned about the topic.
3. Vocabulary sheet with a difficult word (apartheid, segregation etc) personally I would replace the confusing “non example” part with something like “image/drawing to help you remember it” or characteristics with “synonyms.” I like to use a vocab sheet before a lesson. I usually choose a word associated with the most significant message/theme etc.
4. Skimming the text for important words/ scanning the images.

Then I would suggest a During Reading Exercise to model to your students how they should be reading and the various processes that should occur.

1. Think Aloud. Here are directions that I wrote, and I first learned of this instructional tool by reading Kyleen Beers’ awesome book When Kids Can’t Reading What Teachers Can do. Here is what students should be doing.
2. While they’re reading they should be taking notes. Perhaps you can model Cornell Notes to them? The left side should have questions, concerns, comments, inferences. The right right should have Facts/Events and the bottom should have summary/ theme
3. Sticky notes
4. Think, Pair, Share

After Reading

1. Perhaps you can play a review games with them?
2. Hand out exit slips?

Also, never underestimate the power of a personal connection. How does this bit of history relate to them? You could have them finish with a free write or start with one.

Also, if you find that you’re losing them reel them back in with something exciting and SHOCKING. Recently, I was teaching a group of 6th grades about a famous Native American. His tribe was known for how skilled they were at guerilla warfare. I managed to relate that to Black Ops and some other fighting video game. When I saw that they were dozing off again I mentioned scalping to reel them back in. Might be momentarily gory, but it got them back, of course, ask yourself what is appropriate to mention/what grade are they in/ how comfortable would the school feel.

Also, I find that incorporating a powerful image into my lesson really does help students remember what is occuring.

Hope that helps! And good luck! 

adiemtocarpe:

As I’m writing this, keep in mind that I have never, ever observed a social studies lesson taught by my mentor, regardless of the fact we have social studies three periods a day and I have been here for three weeks.

My first S.S. lesson that I taught was when my mentor wasn’t here. I did my…

The ever-lovely @novicephoenix reblogged one of my posts many moons ago (I was student teaching, so definitely forever ago) with these fabulous pre/during/post reading strategies which helped me so much as I was getting my feet wet with teaching. Thanks, lady :) 

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   The ever-lovely @novicephoenix reblogged...my posts many moons ago (I

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    all, you’re not failing if you’re addressing...not as successful as otheres in the...

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18. lifeinamagictreehouse said: I don’t know what constraints you have but maybe you could play Jeopardy? Put the kids in groups, give them ten minutes to look through the chapter, then start. I also used to have a SS class where we acted out the information.
19. johiart said: I find when asking students to write they are mostly not specific enough. When I sit down with them and ask them, they tell me the information beautifully. Once you get them to say it out loud, then tell them that is what you want to see written :)
20. thingsforteachers said: Maybe your lesson didn’t fail… (although even if it did, we all have to learn somehow!) Try being more specific on the exit slips- List one thing you learned about Ben Franklin, list one thing you learned about colonies, etc.
21. adiemtocarpe posted this