The Wizard Who Saved the World

An inquiry based study focusing on 21st Century Skills

Mission Statement -- Raising the level of achievement through a caring and cooperative environment. Our mission

statement is to provide instruction and opportunities for achievement. The continuing aim of Saratoga Elementary is to

promote mental and physical wellness, increase parent involvement, and bridge the gap between school and community."

About Me:

My name is Lori Moore.

I am a graduate of Omaha North, class of ’86.

I attended and graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, class of ’92.

I have been working for Omaha Public Schools for 21 years at Saratoga Elementary School.

I have taught First, Second, Third and Fourth grades.

Presently, I am teaching First grade.

Student Narrative: 1. Name “Suzie” 2. D.O.B. October 4, 2006 3. Ethnicity: African American 4. Family Information: She has five siblings, she is the youngest child. Siblings range in age from 19 years old to 7 years old. She lives in a single parent household. 5. Medical issues: According to mother, all children were born premature. Suzie had an operation as an infant to correct her bowels. She presents as ADHD,

mother says this is due to steroids for asthma. 6. Strengths:

1.Has made some progress and improved sight word base from 15/150 to 65/150 2. Attempts all work 3. Has 85% mastery of letter/sound correspondence 4. Attends school regularly 5. Fair oral comprehension, can make adequate connections to text 6. Loves to look at picture books

7. Needs: 1. sight word count is low 2. cannot generate rhyming words 3. K-2 district testing: Beginning level 4. Guided Reading Level: C (3 levels below grade level) 5. Needs constant support when reading 6. Does not have books at home 8.Interventions Used: All interventions used are based on Reading First Program. Uses direct instruction and phonemic awareness as well as letter/sound correspondence and sight word recognition/practice.

A. Sound Partners B. Intensive Phonics C. Program Specific D. Pull out 15 minutes once a week E. Works in 2 person group for basal instruction F. Peer reading of basal text

Lesson 1: Critical Thinking Professional Standards: Nebraska Content Standard: Language Arts: Reading 1.1.6.a identify author’s purpose, 1.1.6.i make connections between informational text and own life or other cultures, 1.1.6.j Generate and answer clarifying questions. 1.1.6.o Respond to text verbally, in writing, or artistically. 21st Century Standards: Students will: identify and define authentic problems for investigation. Collect and analyze date to make an informed decision. Objective: Students will gain an understanding of global warming, and gather information, use different sources to devise a plan to help

save the planet

Anticipatory set: On KWL chart, write what you know about global warming, write what you want to know. Collect and save for end of project. Procedure: Day 1:

1. Share cover, Ask, “Why do you think the title is “The wizard who saved the world”? Have students discuss with elbow partner. Write on chart one.

2. Introduce tier two/tier three vocabulary words: fragile(pg.7), vaccine(pg.10), vaccinate(pg.12), demonstrated(pg.14),

atmosphere(pg.15), climate(pg.18)

3. Read pg.21, Ask “what kind of person is Diego? Do you think he would make a good friend?”

Day 2:

4. Hand out boards and question paper, as you read stop periodically to allow for discussion and to generation questions about the text. 5. Stop on page 10, and discuss cars, planes, trains, telephones, and computers with students and how these things have changed our

lives. Ask, “What would a pioneer, caveman, or someone from 300 years ago think of these things? Do you think he might consider them magic?

6. After reading, write questions on chart two, first five are standard for every chart:

What is the author’s message?

What does he use to support his ideas?

What other voice/person could tell the story?

Is the information up to date?

Do the illustrations help tell the story?

Teacher Instruction: Copy all questions on index cards, to use for cooperative learning.

Day 3:

7. Allow students time to discuss the questions, then choose one to answer in writer’s journal.

8. Share information gained, write on chart three. Make a class fact sheet for later use.

Day 4:

9. Put students in 2 equal circles (i.e.. six on the inside facing out, six on the outside facing in) inner circle asks the questions outer circle

gives answer. Inner circle rotates every two minutes.

10. Teach students Global Warming song (below) On Top of Our Planet.

Day 5:

Assessment: Students are to use study sheet to complete one of the following:

11. Write a diamante’ poem

12. Make a poster

13. Write a letter

14. Examples

Lesson 2: Collaboration Professional standards: Nebraska Standards: LA 1.2.1.c,e Students will generate a draft and provide feedback to other writers1.2.2.a,b Students will write for a variety of purposes and audiences in multiple genres. Write for a specific purpose. 1.3.2..Demonstrate listening skills needed for multiple situations and modalities.1.3.3.a.,b.,c. Demonstrate awareness of and sensitivity to the use of words. Apply conversation strategies. Participate in learning situations 21 st. Century Skills: 1.1.1 Follow an inquiry based process in seeking knowledge in curricular subjects, and make the real world connection for using this process in own life. 1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions. 1.1.5 Evaluate information found in selected sources on the basis of accuracy, validity, appropriateness for needs, importance, and social and cultural context. 1.1.9 Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding. 1.3.3 Follow ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and using information. 1.3.4 Contribute to the exchange of ideas within the learning community.

Anticipatory set: 1. Review definition of global warming

2. Reread story “The Wizard Who Saved The World”

Procedure: 1. Reread sidebars on pages 12,14,15,18,20,and copy for groups as needed

2. Discuss areas students would like to investigate. Make a chart and allow students to sign up for their choice.(Teacher note: try to

make sure there is a strong reader in each group)’

3. Review rules of collaboration: Speak kindly, Take turns, Keep your eyes on the speaker, Do not argure,compromise.

4. Play “charades” for 5 minutes to practice expectations>

5. Go to Computer lab and give students 60 minutes to explore websites: listed above and available links. Students list possible links

they will use to gather information.

6. Have students share websites explored with classmates and tell why they found them interesting.

7. Assign jobs within groups: Reader(reads information), Fact finder(gives thumbs up for a good fact, Encourager( gives praise and

encouragement), Scribe( writes facts group agrees important).

8. Allow students 60 minutes to find and print information from websites. Teacher and Computer teacher assist as needed.

9. Students use information to create poster or brochure.(Give two days)

10. Share poster/brochure with class.

Assessment: will be based on presentation of poster/brochure and quiz Name___________________________________ Date_________________ My group studied:________________________________________________________________________________________________

My job in my group was _____________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

I learned: 1.___________________________________________________________________________________ 2.___________________________________________________________________________________ 3.___________________________________________________________________________________ 4.___________________________________________________________________________________ I would like to learn more about:__________________________________________________________

Lesson 3:Creativity and Technology Professional Standards: Nebraska Content Standards: Language Arts: Reading 1.1.6.a identify author’s purpose, 1.1.6.i make connections between informational text and own life or other cultures, 1.1.6.o Respond to text verbally, in writing, or artistically. Language Arts, Writing: 1.2.1 a Demonstrate that writing communicates thoughts and ideas, 1.2.1d Revise writing by adding details, 1.2.2b write to known audience or specific reader. Speaking and Listening: 1.3.1 a communicate ideas orally in a manner appropriate for the purpose and setting. Multiple Literacies: 1.4.1 e Gather and share information and opinions as a result of communication with others. Objective: Students will use information gathered to make a presentation or commercial about their topic for Global Warming. 21st Century Standards: Plan and manage activities to complete a project. Collect and analyze data to make an informed decision. Use technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate and communicate information Day 1: Anticipatory set: 1. Read Brother Eagle, Sister Sky and reread The Wizard Who Saved the World. 2. Compare/contrast the text. How is this story like and/or related to “The Wizard Who Saved the World”? 3. Give background about Chief Seattle. http://www.halcyon.com/arborhts/chiefsea.html (listen to audio of Speech). Ask if the year this was written changes what it means for us today? 4. Complete K-W-L chart for what I learned Day 2: (45 min). Procedure: 1. Introduce and demonstrate Voki for students. 2.Allow students time to experiment independently. Day 3: (45 min). 1. Introduce and demonstrate Animoto for students. 2. Allow students time to experiment independently. Day 4: (45 min). 1. Introduce and demonstrate goggle stories. 2. Allow students time to experiment. Day 5-7: (45 min) 1. Put students into research groups and allow them to discuss which form of technology or other product they would like to use for their presentation.

2. Students with partners work on project. Teacher circulates to assist as needed. 3. Students present project to another classroom. Assessment: See end of paper Rubric retrieved from academics.uww.edu/cni/webquest/Fall04/russian/PDFs/PresRub.pdf Websites: voki: http://www.voki.com/ https://animoto.com/sign_in

Importance of the lessons: As the world changes and we come a global society, students will need many skills not taught in a traditional curriculum in order to

be productive and skilled participants not only in high school and college but also in the workforce. As they master and internalize the 21st

century skills of critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity, our students will become more competitive and sought after by employers.

I believe these lesson plans aids the students in bridging the gap between school and the community.

My main goal is to have the students talk about what they know on a topic, what they think and how their minds were changed by the

text, what new understanding did they get from the text, and how they can use that information to form a deeper understanding of a topic.

Twenty first century skills important because they introduce the students, in a controlled environment, critical thinking,

collaboration and to use the Internet and technology. Students continue to be exposed to and taught skills such as collaboration,

compromise, goal setting, and time management. We also are working on teambuilding, active listening, and praising others.

Reflections: The traditional method of teaching uses mainly the lower levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. Students are asked to recall

information and identify story elements. For our students to be successful, they must learn to analyze information, apply

information/lessons learned to the their own lives, and evaluate the author’s purpose, the validity of the information,

whose story is it (i.e.…whose voice is missing), and if the information is reliable.

The lesson involves providing instruction that will help my students become critical thinkers and consumers of text. They will learn

the strategies of questioning the author’s purpose, the information the text provides and how to use high level questioning, and

discussion to improve their understanding of material.

What did I learn? Through repetitive teacher modeling students were able to accomplish a difficult task. For collaboration, do the

group members have to be of different ability levels or just willing to share and work together. I will continue to use collaboration in my

classroom and allow the students the choice, within reason, with whom they work. I really enjoyed the research and using collaboration in

my class.

In the future, I intend to introduce critical thinking and collaboration within the first quarter of school. I will take

time this summer to create plans that focus on activities that incorporate critical thinking during read aloud and small

group instruction. I feel it is important to teach this strategy, as students reading skills develop, critical thinking will

already be part of their processing.

The Twenty first Century skills have greatly helped “Suzie”. Her reading level has improved. She is now one book

below grade level and continues to show improvement. By using critical thinking “Suzie” is able to make meaningful

connections to text and ask higher level questions during read aloud or small group instruction. She participates during

group discussion and a few times has driven the conversation. I have noticed that when working with a partner she

spends more time on task and uses nice words. Her classmates choose her for a partner and I have l fewer occasions to

appoint her a partner. Instead of demanding things, I hear her say “ Can we add this sentence to the report?” or “ I really

like that sentence.” “Suzie” has grown socially in our classroom this year.

SEE THREAD FOR REFLECTION IN ITS ENTIRETY.