Assessing and Improving Curriculum Materials andAssessing and Improving Instruction and the Classroom Environment

CURRICULUM MATERIALS

1. Curriculum materials (lesson-based programs and textbooks) should teach knowledge systems, such as math, beginning reading, biology, history.

You should NOT use materials that teach faddish, unvalidated, or fashionable “methods,” such as multiple intelligence, learning styles, and brain-based instruction.

Here are resources on telling the difference between serious instruction and fads.

http://www.danielwillingham.com/

Learning styles: No such thing

Telling the difference between baloney and serious claims doc

Telling the difference between baloney and serious claims ppt

Following are examples of nonresearch and poorly substantiated claims.

How MI informs teaching at New City School html

Whole language lives html

Reading Recovery html

Here’s an example of high-quality, level 3 research.

The effects of synthetic phonics teaching on reading and spelling attainment html

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

2. Materials (especially programs) (1) are consistent with scientific research on instruction (this is called “research based”); and (2) have been field tested and shown to be effective with scientific research (this is called “evaluation research.” Level 3 is preferred).

Are claims of effectiveness based on empirical research or on a sales pitch?

Is there any research on the materials?What level(s)?

Is the research (“research base”) generally adequately designed so that credible conclusions can be drawn?

a. Some resources on scientific research.

Kozloff. Research vocabulary.

Three Levels of Research

Telling the difference between baloney and serious claims doc

Telling the difference between baloney and serious claims ppt

Assessing the Quality of Research Plans and Publications ppt

Checklist of guidelines for evaluating research and research claims doc

Checklist of guidelines for evaluating research and research claims html

Comprehensive Guidelines for Evaluating Research and Publications

b. Some resources on “research based instruction.”

Are features of the materials (e.g., what is taught, scaffolding) consistent with scientific research?

a. Cotton, K. (1995). Effective school practices: A research synthesis 1995 Update.

http://people.uncw.edu/kozloffm/Effective Schooling Practices.doc

Paste in findings relevant to a program like 100 Easy Lessons.

a. Use whole group instruction when introducing new concepts and skills.

b. Form smaller groups as needed to make sure all students learn thoroughly. They place students according to individual achievement levels for short-term learning activities; they avoid underplacement.

c. Monitor their instructional approaches, so that students in lower groups still receive high-quality instruction.

d. Review and adjust groups often, moving students when achievement levels change.

e. Form small groups for instruction and practice in the use of higher-order thinking skills.

c. Set and maintain a brisk pace for instruction that remains consistent with thorough learning. They introduce new objectives quickly, and provide clear start and stop cues to pace lessons according to specific time targets.

d Ask focused questions, provide immediate feedback and correctives, and engage students in discussion and review of learning material.

f. Present learning activities at a level that is neither too easy nor too difficult for the majority of students, making adaptations to serve the needs of faster and slower learners

b.    Kozloff, M.A. (2002). Sufficient Scaffolding, Organizing and Activating Knowledge, and Sustaining High Engaged Time.

http://www.uncwil.edu/people/kozloffm/scaffolding.pdf

c.    Rosenshine, B. (1997). Advances in Research on Instruction.

http://epaa.asu.edu/barak/barak.html

Use this one…

http://people.uncw.edu/kozloffm/Rosenshine.doc

Paste in findings relevant to a program like 100 Easy Lessons.

* Begin a lesson with a short review of previous learning.

* Begin a lesson with a short statement of goals.

* Present new material in small steps, providing for student practice after each step.

* Give clear and detailed instructions and explanations.

* Provide a high level of active practice for all students.

* Ask a large number of questions, check for student understanding,

and obtain responses from all students.

* Guide students during initial practice.

* Provide systematic feedback and corrections.

* Provide explicit instruction and practice for seatwork exercises and, where necessary, monitor students during seatwork.

d.    Rosenshine, B. (1997). The Case for Explicit, Teacher-led, Cognitive Strategy Instruction.

http://epaa.asu.edu/barak/barak1.html

e.    Ellis, E.S., & Worthington, L.A. (1994). Research Synthesis on Effective Teaching Principles and the Design of Quality Tools for Educators.

Use this one…

http://people.uncw.edu/kozloffm/ellisreview.doc

Paste in findings relevant to a program like 100 Easy Lessons.

The BTES (in Block, 1980) provided evidence that when students are provided with high rates of success during instructional activities, the potential for student learning is increased…

(Rosenshine et al., 1980) Example: When engaging in a decoding activity, student-teacher interactions are characterized by frequent questioning and answering, provision of examples and non-examples, corrective feedback, and a thorough presentation/explanation of the decoding skill(s).

Scaffolded instruction is not errorless learning; that is, errors are expected end are corrected gradually through teacher re-direction and feedback.

4. The steps of a strategy should be sequenced in such a manner that

it leads to successful task completion. Such a strategy has been broken down and analyzed in order to ensure that all essential steps in a problem solving process have been included (e.g., all steps necessary to successfully write an expository composition).

In essence, an effective strategy is a specific, well-sequenced plan of either overt or covert processes that when executed, lead to successful task completion.

Whether direct or indirect in design, most contemporary strategy teaching models incorporate a variety of features which promote student acquisition, utilization, and generalization of strategies. As identified by Pressley, Harris, and Marks (in press), these features are as follows:

**Introduction of only a few strategies at a time.

**Teaching and practice extended over a lengthy period of time and across diverse tasks.

** Teachers extensively model strategies and provide verbal explanations and collaborative discussion of the thinking processes associated with strategy steps.

Rosenshine (1986) reported that when effective teachers teach concepts and skills explicitly, they routinely engage in the following activities.

**They begin each lesson with a concise statement of goals.

**They begin each lesson with a short review of previous and/or prerequisite skills.

**They present new information in small steps with student practice following each step.

**They give clear and detailed instructions and explanations.

**They provide active practice for all students.They ask many questions, checking for student understanding and obtain responses from all students.

**They guide students throughout initial practice.

**The provide systematic feedback and corrections in a timely manner.

**They provide explicit instruction and practice for seatwork exercises and when necessary, monitor students throughout seatwork activities.

ADD MORE

f.    Anderson, J.R., Reder, L.M., & Simon, H.A. Applications and Misapplications of Cognitive Psychology to Mathematics Education. Department of Psychology. Carnegie Mellon University. Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

Online at http://act.psy.cmu.edu/personal/ja/misapplied.html

g.   Dixon, R. "Review of High Quality Experimental Mathematics Research." University of Oregon.  National Center to Improve the Tools of Educators.

       On-line at http://idea.uoregon.edu/~ncite/documents/math/math.html

h. Follow Through. The Largest Education Evaluation

Effective School Practices, on Project Follow Through.

Follow Through figure 1.

Follow Through figure 2.

Follow Through figure 3.

i. Reading

Reading First. [Main features of effective reading instruction] ppt !!!

Reading First.html

Big Ideas in Beginning Reading.  Identification of the big five reading skills; research reviews; methods of instruction. 

Copy and paste in important points on reading instruction: kinds of reading skills (“big ideas”) and how to teach them.

1. Phonemic awareness.

Teachers increase effectiveness when the manipulation of letters (sounding out) is added to phonemic awareness tasks.

Phonemic awareness is an auditory skill, but once children start to become familiar with the concept, teachers can introduce letter tiles or squares and manipulate them to form sounds and words.

Phonemic awareness needs to be taught explicitly. The instructional program must show children what they are expected to do. Teachers must model skills they want children to perform before the children are asked to demonstrate the skill.

If you focus on just a few types of phonemic awareness, you get better results.

There are a lot of skills in phonemic awareness, but research has found that blending and segmentation are the 2 critical skills that must be taught. Instruction must focus on blending and segmenting words at the phoneme, or sound level. This is an auditory task.

Research has found that you get better results when teaching phonemic awareness to small groups of children rather than an entire class.

Sound IsolationExample: The first sound in sun is /ssss/.

BlendingExample: /sss/ - /uuu/ - /nnn/ is sun.

SegmentingExample: The sounds in sun are /sss/ - /uuu/ - /nnn/.

1. When children are first learning to blend, use examples with continuous sounds, because the sounds can be stretched and held.

Example: "Listen, my lion puppet likes to talk in a broken way. When he says /mmm/ - /ooo/ - /mmm/ he means mom."

Non-example: "Listen, my lion puppet likes to talk in a broken way.

When he says /b/ - /e/ - /d/ he means bed."

2. When children are first learning the task, use short words in teaching and practice examples. Use pictures when possible.

Example: Put down 3 pictures of CVC words and say: "My lion puppet wants one of these pictures. Listen to hear which picture he wants, /sss/ - /uuu/ - /nnn/. Which picture?"

Non-example: ".../p/ - /e/ - /n/ - /c/ - /i/ - /l/. Which picture?" (This is a more advanced model that should be used later.)

2. Alphabetic principle

a. Letter-sound correspondence

b. Sounding out

This sequence:

1. Sounding Out (saying each individual sound out loud) 2. Saying the Whole Word (saying each individual sound and pronouncing the whole word) 3. Sight Word Reading (sounding out the word in your head, if necessary, and saying the whole word) 4. Automatic Word Reading(reading the word without sounding it out)

In this sequence:

VC and CVC words that begin with continuous sounds

VCC and CVCC words that begin with a continuous sound

CVC words that begin with a stop sound

CVCC words that begin with a stop sound

CCVC

CCVCC, CCCVC, and CCCVCC

YOU ADD MORE

3. Fluency

4. Vocabulary

5. Comprehension

"Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read, Kindergarten Through Grade 3

Materials from National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development

Materials from National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development

National Institute for Literacy Partnership for Reading.   Large literature reviews and position papers.

"Teaching Reading IS Rocket Science" (Must read!!! What teachers need to know.)

c. Some resources on evaluation research---field tested.

Go to publishers’ websites and look for research on products. Also, use Google and JSTOR.

See if there is any research on the materials you are evaluating. Summarize it. Is it level 2 (scientific experiment) or level 3 (large-scale experimental)?

What are the main findings?

Sopriswest materials.

Curriculum Associates materials.

Hempenstall. Research on 100 Easy Lessons .

Paste in main findings.

Haddox. Research on 100 Easy Lessons .

https://www.sraonline.com/

Paste in findings relevant to 100 Easy Lessons .

REGARDING 100 EASY LESSONShttps://www.sraonline.com/research/cat_prod.php?prod_id=38&sub_area_id=2&div_id=1

[Research on Reading Mastery]

What does the research say?

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

Now examine the materials you are evaluating. See if its design features are consistent with the research you reviewed.

3. Well-designed materials provide a comprehensive and varied sample of knowledge (e.g., equations to solve, poems to analyze, words to decode).

The sample should be adequate to permit generalization to new examples.

You have three sources that will help you decide if the sample is comprehensive and varied. (1) state standard course of study, or curriculum; (2) scientific research; (expert opinion. You are supposed to “align” instruction with (that is, cover) your state’s standard course of study. But who says that IT is adequate? You have to rely on research and expert opinion.

a. See state standard course of study.

Regarding 100 Easy Lessons.

What does the NC course of study say you should teach in k-2?

Paste in portions of standard course of study: k-2.

How can you make standards more clear and concrete?

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/languagearts/scos/2004/

KINDERGARTEN

CompetencyGoal 1 The learner will develop and apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write.

1.01 Develop book and print awareness: **identify the parts of books and function of each part.**demonstrate an understanding of directionality and voice-print match by following print word for word when listening to familiar text read aloud.**demonstrate an understanding of letters, words, sentence and story.identify the title, name of the author and the name of the illustrator.

1.02 Develop phonemic awareness and knowledge of alphabetic principle: **demonstrate understanding that spoken language is a sequence of identifiable speech sounds.**demonstrate understanding that the sequence of letters in the written word represents the sequence of sounds in the spoken word.**demonstrate understanding of the sounds of letters and understanding that words begin and end alike (onsets and rimes).

1.03 Demonstrate decoding and word recognition strategies and skills: **recognize and name upper and lower case letters of the alphabet.**recognize some words by sight including a few common words, own name, and environmental print such as signs, labels, and trademarks.

**recognize most beginning consonant letter-sound associations in one syllable words.

1.04 Read or begin to read: **read or attempt to read own dictated story.**attempt to read/reads simple patterned text, decodable text, and/or predictable texts using letter-sound knowledge and pictures to construct meaning.

GRADE 1.

CompetencyGoal 1 The learner will develop and apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write.

1.01 Develop phonemic awareness and demonstrate knowledge of alphabetic principle: **count syllables in a word.**blend the phonemes of one-syllable words.**segment the phonemes of one-syllable words.**change the beginning, middle, and ending sounds to produce new words.**create and state a series of rhyming words that may include consonant blends (e.g., flag, brag).

1.02 Demonstrate decoding and word recognition strategies and skills: **generate the sounds from all the letters and appropriate letter patterns which should include consonant blends and long and short vowel patterns.**use phonics knowledge of sound-letter relationships to decode regular one-syllable words when reading words and text.**recognize many high frequency and/or common irregularly spelled words in text (e.g., have said, where, two).**read compound words and contractions.**read inflectional forms (e.g., -s, -ed, -ing) and root words (e.g., looks, looked, looking).**read appropriate word families.

1.03 Use pronunciation, sentence meaning, story meaning, and syntax to confirm accurate decoding or to self-correct errors.

1.04 Self-monitor decoding by using one or two decoding strategies (e.g., beginning letters, rimes, length of word, ending letters).

1.05 Increase vocabulary, concepts, and reading stamina by reading self-selected texts independently for 15 minutes daily. Self-selected texts should be consistent with the student's independent reading level.

CompetencyGoal 2 The learner will develop and apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.

2.01 Read aloud independently with fluency and comprehension any text that is

appropriately designed for emergent readers.

2.02 Demonstrate familiarity with a variety of texts (storybooks, short chapter books, newspapers, telephone books, and everyday print such as signs and labels, poems, word plays using alliteration and rhyme, skits and short plays).

2.03 Read and comprehend both fiction and nonfiction text appropriate for grade one using:

prior knowledge.summary.questions.graphic organizers.

Curriculum Standards This doc will help you to make state standards clear and concrete.

b. See expert opinions and research on different subjects or knowledge systems.

Finn, Julian, and Petrilli. The State of State Standards. Fordham Foundation, 2006.

Walter Russell Mead. The State of World History Standards. Fordham Institute, 2006.

Sandra Stotsky. The stealth curriculum: Manipulating America’s history teachers. Fordham Foundation, 2004.

Diane Ravitch. A consumer’s guide to high school history textbooks. The Fordham Institute, 2004.

David Klein et al. The State of State Math Standards Fordham Foundation, 2005.

http://www.mathematicallycorrect.com/

http://idea.uoregon.edu/~ncite/documents/math/math.html

Sandra Stotsky. The State of State English Standards. Fordham Foundation, 2005.

Paul R. Goodman et al. The State of State Science Standards. Fordham Institute, 2005.

Reading. http://people.uncw.edu/kozloffm/reading.html

Reading First ppt and html See this!!!

Big Ideas in Beginning Reading See this!!!!

REGARDING 100 EASY LESSONS.

Given the NC standard course of study and scientific research,

a. What strands, or main kinds of knowledge SHOULD be covered?

In each strand, what kinds of skills, tasks, or knowledge should be covered---from simpler to more complex, or from pre-skills to larger units, or from taught-earlier to taught-later?

Put answers in numbered list below.

1. Phonemic awareness. Blending, segmenting, onset-rime

2. Alphabetic principle/Phonicsa. Letter-sound correspondence

b. Decoding Sound out (segment) rrruuunnn Say fast (blend) run

3. Fluency. Sounds, letter-sounds, words, word lists, sentences, paragraphs, stories.

4. Vocabulary.

5. Comprehension. Literal (verbatim), inferential (find and organize), evaluative (explain, predict, interpret feelings and motives)

b. Do the materials cover all of the strands? EXAMINE LESSONS

And do the materials cover all of the important skills, tasks, or knowledge IN each strand?

Name each strand below (as you did above) and answer the above questions.

Basically, make a scope and sequence chart.

1. Phonemic awareness. Blending: compound words, 2-syllable words, vc and cv words. Segmenting (am, me, in).

2. Alphabetic principle. a. Letter-sound correspondence m, s, a, e, t, r, d, i, …

b. Decoding. Sound out; Say it fast

3. Fluency: In order, 100 Easy teaches: say sounds fast (m, s, a), blend sounds into words fast, read letter-sounds fast, read words fast, read sentences fast, read paragraphs fast.

4. Vocabulary.

5. Conprehension.

IS THERE INSTRUCTION ON VOCABULARY?If not what shall we do?

I guess we’d better design instruction and insert it in the program.

http://people.uncw.edu/kozloffm/Vocabularyrev.ppt

Write formats for teaching vocabulary: directly, with synonyms, via morphemic analysis.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

So, is the sample comprehensive and varied? (1) Does it include all of the important strands?(2) Does it include enough knowledge or skills IN each strand?

For example,

IS THERE INSTRUCTION ON VOCABULARY?If not what shall we do?

I guess we’d better design instruction and insert it in the program.

http://people.uncw.edu/kozloffm/Vocabularyrev.ppt

Write formats for teaching vocabulary: directly, with synonyms, via morphemic analysis.

Vocabulary Format 1.

The teacher could use guided notes here. For example.

Guided Notes March 31, 2001 Science. Grade 4. Ms. White-Wong A. Vocabulary

1. Canine Genus or class:

Features: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Kinds of canines: 1. 2. 3. 4.

2. Feline

Genus or class:

Features:

3. Snake Genus or class:

Features:

4. Habitat Genus or class:

Features:

B. Habitats 1. How animals adapt to habitats: general principles

2. Examples of adaptation Canines

Felines

Snakes

Gain Attention:Teacher: Okay class. Put all math work away and take out your guided notes for science. Frame the Task:Teacher: Now we will learn NEW vocabulary words. Find Vocabulary in your guided notes. [check]

Model:Teacher: The 1st word is canine. Find it in the Vocabulary section of your guided notes. Everyone got it?....What is our first word?

Class: Canine!!!!

Teacher: Spell canine.

Class: c a n i n e

Teacher: Yes, canine is spelled c a n i n e.

Teacher: Here is a definition of canine. Canines are in the class of mammals. [write mammal on board.] Write mammal in the section for genus in your guided notes. Go…. Got it?

Test:What class are canines in? Check your notes if you need to….

Class: Mammals.

Verification:

Teacher: Yes, canines are in the class of mammals.

Model:Here’s the whole definition. I will tell you six features of canines. Write each feature---1, 2, 3, and so forth---in the 1, 2, 3 spaces on your guided notes. [Show pictures that reveal the features.] Canines are in the class of mammals. They: (1) have four-legs. Write four legs next to number 1, (2) have fur [prompt students to write it in their guided notes]; (3) are different sizes and colors; (4) communicate by barking or howling; (5) hunt animals, such as rabbits and deer; and (6) can live in the wild (in packs) or can live with people. That is why some canines are called man’s best friend. ]

Test:Teacher: What is the definition of canine? Check your notes….

Class: Mammals. Furry, four-legs, man’s best friend, barks, etc.

[Repeat, to teach students to retrieve and state information. You want them to get better at reciting a list.]

Teacher: There are different kinds of canines. Write these kinds in your guided notes. Find the section called “Kinds of canines.” Okay. Here are kinds of canines. Dogs, wolves, foxes, and coyotes. They all have [repeat the definition] [Show pictures of different kinds of canines: dogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes. Point out that each has the same features.]

Teacher : Does anyone have a pet that is an example of a canine? Has anyone seen a wolf or fox or coyote? Students give examples.

Vocabulary Format 2.

Listen up boys and girls. We are going to learn a new word. tigerWhat is our new word? tiger

Yes tiger

[Write Tiger on the board.] How do we spell tiger? t i g e r

Yes, t i g e r spells tiger

A tiger is a big orange cat with black stripes.

What is a tiger? A big orange cat with black stripes.

Yes a tiger is a big orange cat with black strips.

These are tigers. [Show 3 examples of tigers.]

These are not tigers. [Show 5 examples of animals that are not tigers. Make sure that some nonexamples are housecats. Point out how these nonexamples do not fit the definition.]

Tell me which one is a tiger. [Show 4 examples with 2 tigers.]

Yes that is a tiger. Why is it a tiger? Because it is a big orange cat with black strips.

Here’s new word. We are going to learn a new word for big.

Another word for big is enormous.

What is another word for big? Enormous

Yes enormous. [Write enormous on the board.]

How do we spell enormous? e n o r m o u s Yes e n o r m o u s spells enormous.

These things are enormous. [Show three examples of enormous

items.]

This is not enormous. [Show three examples of small (not enormous) items. Make sure that some of the smaller items are the same type are the large; for example, juxtapose a big and little pine tree.]

Tell me which one is enormous? [Show four examples with one being enormous.]

Yes that one is enormous. Why is it enormous? Because it is big.

Vocabulary Format 3.

Sit big boys and girls!!... Yes, NOW you’re sitting big. Ready to learn!!

New word. Our new word is little. What’s our new word?

Little

Yes, our new word is little.

[juxtapose pictures]

This shark is little. This shark is NOT little.

This button is little. This button is NOT little

This house is NOT little. This house is little.

Here are ducks. Tell me which ones are little.

Tell me which one is NOT little.

Tell me which cat it little.

Which cat is NOT little?

Listen, another word for little is small. What’s another word for little?

small.

Yes, another word for little is…small.

What’s another word for small?

little.

Yes, another word for small IS little.

Listen, her cookie is little. I can say it using small. Her cookie is small.

Listen, her cat is little. Say that using small.

Her cat is small.

Yes, another way to say Her cat is little is Her cat is small.

Vocabulary Format 5

Teaching Vocabulary with definitions

Teacher: GOOD MORNING MINIONS, EYEBALLS ON ME!!(The kids promptly snap to a seated position of attention)

Teacher: Review! Yesterday you learned the definition of cartridge and the parts of a cartridge.

Look at your notes for cartridge… Get ready…. Define cartridge.

Kids: A cartridge is a cylindrical casing, usually metal, containing the primer and explosive charge for propelling a bullet from the barrel of a firearm.

Teacher: Excellent. You nailed that definition.I will point to the parts of a cartridge. You tell me what each part does.

Kids: Case. The case contains the explosive powder, primer, and bullet. Primer. The primer is struck by the firing pin, and then ignites the explosive powder. Bullet. The bullet is propelled from the barrel of the firearm. It helps goblins return to ambient temperature.

Teacher: Say that again. This time SOUND OFF!!!.

Kids: Case. The case contains the explosive powder, primer, and bullet!!! Primer. The primer is struck by the firing pin, and then ignites the explosive powder!!! Bullet. The bullet is propelled from the barrel of the firearm. It helps goblins

return to ambient temperature!!!

Teacher. That’s the way I like to hear you!! This morning we are going to learn a vocabulary word that will be very important to you in the future when the Government tries to take your property. So it is important that you learn this word….Got it?

Kids: Yes sir!

Teacher: The word we are going to learn today is caliber. [write caliber on board]What is the word we are going to learn?

Kids: Caliber!

Teacher: Yes, that is correct. The word is caliber. Spell caliber.

Kids: c a l i b e r.

Teacher. Yes, c a l i b e r spells caliber.

Here is the definition of caliber. Caliber is the size of a bullet for a specific firearm. What is the definition of a bullet?

Johnny: Sir, it is what Professor Kozloff stockpiles.

Teacher: Right you are Johnny; see me in 15 yrs for your shot of bourbon. But now give me the definition of bullet—not a FACT about bullets.

Johnny: Sir. Caliber is the size of a bullet for a specific firearm.

Teacher: Correct! Caliber is the size of a bullet for a specific firearm. Not all bullets are the same caliber, or size. They come in a lot of different sizes, but they are all bullets and all have a caliber.

Now kids we will look at different pictures of bullets and with different calibers.

Teacher: This first picture is of a .22 caliber bullet. See how small it is?

Kids: Yes sir!

Teacher: This bullet is used for small vermin such as rats and prairie dogs. What bullet is used for rats and prairie dogs?

Kids: The .22 caliber!

Teacher: Spot on kids!

Teacher: The next bullet we will see a picture of is the .270. See how it is larger than the .22? It is used for larger animals and vermin such as deer, socialists and liberals.

Teacher: Kids, give me an example of what a .270 would be used for?

Kids: Pick me, pick me!

Teacher: Ok Sally, what is a .270 used for?

Sally: Sir a .270 is used on Liberals!

Teacher: Great work, Sally. Your parents have raised you correctly!

Teacher: Ok, here is our last picture of a bullet and its caliber. This is a personal favorite of mine. It is the 20mm. See how large the caliber or size is on this one?

Kids: Yes sir!

Teacher: My favorite variant of the 20mm is the High Explosive Incendiary (HEI) round. It has a 5m burst radius and is used on terrorist and thin skin vehicles. It is just an all around excellent bullet when you don’t care about keeping your kill or when you want to render vehicles inoperable.

Teacher: Here are some more pictures. Is this one a bullet?

Kids: NO!! That is a J-DAM or GPS guided bomb. Its size is determined by weight not caliber.

Teacher: You guys are on target on time today! Is this a bullet with caliber designation?

Short range Long range

Kids: No that is a missile! They are designated by the range they can shoot a target. The first group is short range, meaning less than 20 miles. The second group consists of medium and long range, meaning they shoot over 20 miles away from their target.

Teacher: Ladies and Gentlemen, you are all so smart! You did an outstanding job today. You have learned what caliber means and how to select the proper caliber based on your predetermined target. You have also learned what is not a bullet and that would tell you it is not measured by caliber.

Teacher: Well the bell is about to ring. Future leaders, carry out the plan of the day!

Kids: OORAH Sir!! Semper Fidelis!

Vocabulary Format 6

Teacher(T): All right kids, get ready for a new word! The new word is frail. What’s the new word?

Student(S): Frail.

T: That’s correct, frail. If something is frail it means it is weak. Frail means weak. What does frail mean?

S: Weak.

T: Yes, frail means weak. If something is frail, it can be easily broken or destroyed. A bubble can be easily broken, a bubble is frail. Frail means weak. What does frail mean?

S: Weak.

T: Yes, frail means weak Frail is the opposite of strong or sturdy. If something is frail it is not strong. Frail means weak. What does frail mean?

S: Weak

T: A flower can be easily crushed. Is a flower frail?

S: Yes

T: Yes a flower is frail. How about a raw egg, is an egg frail?

S: Yes an egg is frail.

T: Correct an egg is frail. How about a baseball, is a baseball frail?

S: No! a baseball is not frail.

T: Correct! Why not?

S: A baseball doesn’t break.

T: That’s right it doesn’t. So would you call a baseball frail or sturdy?

S: Sturdy.

T: That’s right! A baseball is sturdy. How about a glass window? Is a window frail or sturdy?

S: Frail.

T: Correct. A window is frail. A sturdy baseball would break a frail glass window.

4. Well-designed curriculum materials have scope and sequence charts (or at least subject matter outlines) showing how knowledge is organized—what is covered, and when.

Examples.

Language arts.http://www.ncecorp.com/scopeandsequenceread.htm

Math.http://homeschoolmath.blogspot.com/2006/02/scope-and-sequence-chart-grades-1-7.html

Various subjects.http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction/solscope/

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

Scope and Sequence for 100 Easy Lessons

5. In well-designed materials, the lessons, units (sequences of lessons), or textbook chapters are built consistently from knowledge items selected from important strands (groups of knowledge). For example, each lesson or unit includes new vocabulary, big ideas, important facts.

In 100 Easy Lessons, that means, each lesson includes phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, fluency, vocabulary (?), and comprehension.

REGARDING 100 EASY LESSONS.

Examine lessons. Are tasks drawn from the different strands in #3 above?

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

6. Well-designed materials, lessons, units (sequences of lessons), or textbook chapters state and focus instruction on specific objectives— what students will do.

Instructional Objectives

Objectives should state what students will do? They should not speak of know, appreciate, demonstrate, or understand.

Objectives should state the degree of accuracy and completeness, and the speed expected.

For example, how many words read correctly per minute.

See http://reading.uoregon.edu/ for fluency benchmarks.

Does 100 Easy Lessons state and/or focus instruction on clear objectives?

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

7. Well-designed materials teach knowledge items in a logical sequence.

Knowledge Analysis

a. Is there a logical sequence?

Do a knowledge analysis of the material.(a) What is the terminal performance? List these.

Terminal performance.1. Second grade level vocabulary2. Eight paragraphs.3. Sentences with 5-15 words.4. One- or two-syllable words.5. Regular words (say the same way you sound out) and irregular words (say differently from how you sound out)6. Words with double vowels (oo ee); with dipthongs (ou---say both sounds the usual way); digraphs (consonants NOT said the usual way---sh, th); and consonant blends (consonants said the usual way---ng, nd, st).7. Seven comprehension questions: literal (answer is verbatim in text); evaluative (answer requires interpretation of words; e.g., “The ant smiled” = happy)

What are the terminal objectives?

Terminal Objectives for the Terminal Performance1. accuracy. No more than 1/20 words incorrectly decoded.2. speed. K = 30-60 wcrp; 1 = 60-90 wcrp; 2 = 90-120 wcrp3. Enjoyment4. Comprehension: literal and evaluative. 6/7 correct

(b) What do students have to know in order to achieve the terminal objectives?

Continue to analyze each component skill down to the smallest

level. List these?

Knowledge analysis of the Terminal Performance and Terminal Objectives yields the following pre-skills needed.

1. Say sounds: slow and fast---Phonemic awareness

2. Blend sounds into words rrrruuunnn run Phonemic awareness

3. Segment words into sounds run rrr…uuu…nnn Phonemic awareness

4. Letter-sound correspondence m says mmmm /m/ Alphabetic principle (phonics)

5. Decoding---Alphabetic principle (phonics) a. Sound out: segment. read run as rrruuunnn b. Say fast: blend rrrruuuunnn—(say it fast or what word?) run

6. Read connected text part of fluency a. sentences: slow fast b. paragraphs: slow fast c. whole story: slow fast

7. Vocabulary

8. Comprehension Routine for answering literal questions = Find verbatim answer in text) Routine for answering evaluative questions = Find relevant passages in text; interpret text (meanings)

To answer comprehension questions, you need (1) to know how to find answers to literal questions and evaluative questions; (2) vocabulary; and (3) to read fast.

To read a story fast, you need to read paragraphs fast; to read paragraphs fast, you need to read sentences fast; to read sentences fast, you need to read words fast; to read words fast, you need to read letters fast; to read letters fast, you need to say sounds fast.

Now answer the following questions.

a. Do the materials teach elements or parts (necessary pre-skills and background knowledge) before teaching new material that requires skill with the parts.

b. Teach pre-skills and background knowledge early enough and continually, so that students are firm.

c. Teach what is more general and more frequent before what is irregular or uncommon.

d. Separate instruction on similar and confusing knowledge items.

e. Teach what is more useful before what is less useful.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

b. Is there a progression of formats, from more to less scaffolded?

Do a skills trace. Pick a skill or strand (e.g., letter-sound correspondence).

(a) Are several different formats (teaching procedures) used? Do these formats begin with more scaffolding and teacher direction, and gradually teach students to do the task independently?

Do examples used in earlier formats (lessons) teach students knowledge needed for examples in later formats (lessons)?

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

8. In well-designed materials, the lessons (math, writing, spelling, reading, or foreign language programs) or chapters (history or science textbooks) are a series of smaller, knowledge-rich units (chunks), such as tasks, exercises, or paragraphs. [No filler and pc baloney.]

Each chunk serves a clear instructional function. Ask, “What is THIS section supposed to do? It should:

a. Teach something new (facts, concepts, rules, cognitive routines). [acquisition]

b. Summarize.

c. Build fluency.

d. Review and probes/tests (retention).

e. Expand---add more to existing facts, examples, concepts.

f. Generalize knowledge to new examples.

g. Strategically integrate---combine information into a larger whole, such as an explanatory essay, or a research project.

Regarding 100 Easy Lessons.

Examine a sample of lessons. For each task in a lesson,

(a) What strand of knowledge is taught?

(b) What phase of instruction is worked on?

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

Does each chunk serve a clear instructional function?

9. Well-designed materials (either lesson-based programs or textbooks) teach new knowledge in a systematic and explicit (focused) way:

a. Review and firm prior knowledge, or pre-skills.

b. Regarding new knowledge, gain attention, frame new task, model, lead, test/check, verification; correct errors; more examples; delayed acquisition test.

1. [Procedures appropriate for each form of knowledge (fact, list, sensory concept, higher-order concept, rule, routine) are used.]

Go here please. [click]

Forms of Knowledge chapter

Procedures for teaching the four forms of knowledge

c. Review and firm what was just taught.

Regarding 100 Easy Lessons.

Is knowledge taught in a systematic and explicit way, as shown? Go here please. [click]

10. Well-designed curriculum materials adequately cover (teach, assess) all phases of mastery: acquisition (see #9), generalization, fluency, retention.

For each phase, there are stated objectives, instructional procedures, assessment of progress, and suggested remediation (if there is too little progress) based on assessment data.

Phases of Mastery

Phases of Mastery Table

Regarding 100 Easy Lessons

After acquisition, are generalization, fluency, and retention worked on for items in each strand? Specifically,

(a) Generalization. New examples? Comment.

(b) Fluency. Is there work on fluency from small components (e.g., saying sounds) all the way to large components (e.g., reading passages)?

Comment. Yes, 100 Easy Teaches, in order: say sounds fast, blend sounds into words fast, read letter-sounds fast, read words fast, and read sentences fast

Is fluency instruction systematic and explicit?Comment.

(c) Retention. Does the retention set (during review) include newest items and some items?Comment.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

11. Well-designed curriculum materials provide scaffolding; i.e., various kinds of assistance to help teachers communicate information, and to help students acquire, organize, retrieve, and apply information/knowledge.

Examples are stated objectives, highlighting, reminders and hints, wait time, big ideas, advance organizers (lesson and unit outlines, guided notes, concept/proposition maps), summaries, glossaries.

Big ideas

Advance organizers

Regarding 100 Easy Lessons

Are there the above sorts of scaffolding?

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

12. Well-designed curriculum materials have periodic mastery tests or check-outs (e.g., every 10 lessons in a reading program; after every new skill in a math program) to assess acquisition, fluency, generalization, and retention. Materials also provide guidelines for deciding when students’ performance on assessment means that they (1) are firm and can move ahead; (2) need firming on certain knowledge; (3) need reteaching; or (4) need intensive instruction. Materials also provide plans and procedures for such remediation.

Four-Level Procedure for Remediation

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

Regarding 100 Easy Lessons.

(a) Are there instructions for how to correct errors?

List.

(b) Are there periodic checkouts or mastery tests that give information on what to reteach, or if students need a more intensive kind of instruction?

If there aren’t, what shall we do? I guess we’ll have to make them. How?

a. At each tenth lesson, add (1) a retention set and a generalization set (new examples) for all of the skills taught in the preceding 20 lessons; (2) a set of

guidelines for evaluating performance, along with suggestions for remedying weakness.

For example: (1) need to ensure that teacher is (a) following the program, and (b) is teaching proficiently; (2) reteach certain elements or pre-skills; (3) need more intensive (more scaffolded) instruction.

Let’s do it….

INSTRUCTION

1. Students are prepared for new material being taught. They are firm on the pre-skill elements and/or background knowledge. Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

2. Instruction is designed on the basis of objectives, and focuses precisely on objectives.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

3. Instruction begins with review, especially elements and background knowledge relevant to the current instruction (pre-skills). The teacher corrects errors and firms knowledge or reteaches before introducing new material that requires this background knowledge.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

4. The teacher gains student readiness: attention, sitting properly, materials handy.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

5. The teacher frames the instruction by stating the kind of new knowledge to be taught, the objectives, and big ideas that will help students organize, remember or access, and comprehend the new knowledge, and connect new with prior knowledge.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

6. The teacher models or presents new information clearly and focuses on the objectives. The teacher: (a) Shares his or her thought processes. (b) Uses clear wording. (c) Repeats the information as needed. (d) Presents one step or item at a time in a list or routine, depending on how many steps or items students can handle.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

7. The teacher leads students through the application of the new information.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

8. The teacher gives an immediate acquisition test/check to determine whether students learned the new information. The teacher tests/checks every time new information is presented to be sure that students learned it. This is especially important when teaching diverse learners, essential material, and difficult material.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

9. The teacher corrects all errors and/or firms weak knowledge.

**Matter of fact way and directed to the group.

**Model. Teacher immediately gives the answer or demonstrates the step.

** Lead. Students say the answer or do the step with the teacher.

**Test/check. Teacher asks the question or gives the problem step

again.

**Verification. Specific praise.

** Retest/starting over.

**Delayed test. Teacher comes back and checks again.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

10. If new material is a concept, rule-relationship, or cognitive routine, the teacher:

** Uses a wide and varied range of examples.

** Juxtaposes examples to reveal sameness.

** Juxtaposes examples and nonexamples to reveal difference.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

11. The teacher gives a delayed acquisition test (calling on both the group as a whole and then individual students) to determine whether students learned the concept, rule relationship, or cognitive routine from the examples and nonexamples, or whether students remember the set of facts presented.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

12. The teacher reviews the instruction (e.g., main things taught) and states how what was taught is relevant to next lessons.

The review:

** States what was learned, how it built on what came before, and how it will be built on by next lessons.

** Has students once more reveal essential knowledge.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

13. The teacher uses information from the delayed acquisition test to determine whether students have sufficiently mastered the new material and can advance to the next step of instruction, or whether reteaching or more intensive instruction for some students is needed.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

14. The teacher teaches at a brisk pace by speaking more quickly; staying on task; using words whose meanings are clear; using the same instructional vocabulary from one task to another; cutting out unnecessary words.Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

15. The teacher gives frequent opportunities for group (choral) and individual responses to test/check learning. The teacher asks the question first, and then calls on the group

or an individual. The teacher think time before calling on the group or an

individual. After presenting new information, the teacher calls on the group

as a whole. After calling on the group, the teacher calls on individual

students, and makes sure to call on students who have made errors or who in general have a harder time learning.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

16. The teacher uses pre-corrections, or reminders, to prevent errors. For example, “When we see an x between two numbers or parentheses, we multiply. What do we do when we see an x between two numbers or parentheses? Multiply. Yes, multiply.”

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

17. The teacher uses a questioning technique such as Socratic dialogue as an instructional/communication procedure. Asking questions that probe students’ knowledge.

Asking questions that require students to use rules of reasoning. Helping students revise their knowledge.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

18. When students are firm on new knowledge (acquisition phase), the teacher works on generalization of knowledge to new examples, fluency, and retention of knowledge.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

19. Increase time available for teaching and time engaged in teaching. Decrease noninstruction activities. Use activities for which students are prepared. Make certain subjects sacred. Use lesson-based materials. Use routines for distributing materials.

Teach and practice getting ready for learning

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

20. If Possible, teach in small, homogeneous Groups. Give pre-tests or placement tests to place students in groups

with other students at the same level or spot in a program. During beginning instruction, keep the group small—say six to

eight students. Groups can consist of students from different classes and grade

levels (at most two grade levels, as a rule). Note students’ progress. Move students who are making quicker

progress to groups with similar students.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

21. The teacher uses different kinds of instructional groupings properly, including whole class instruction; small, homogeneous groups; small, heterogeneous groups; and paired peer groups.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?

22. The teacher establishes a learning community with: A shared group mission. Shared group rules. Shared high expectations. Reinforcement for individual and group achievement. Students sitting near and facing the teacher. Providing frequent opportunities to respond (choral group, and

individual). Ensuring mastery of every task. Celebrating progress.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Improve How?