Our test that shall not be mentioned is a’coming.
(yes, the STAAR test…dum da dum dum…)
It will be here in just 4 school days. Think teachers are panicking? Think they are stressed? Nahhhhh….not these Lions!
Ventured down to 5th grade today to see how they were all doing. Came upon Mrs. Rapp’s reading class spread out all over. Students were in small groups reading out of a novel. (Not a basal in sight!) As her timer went off, I literally think I heard a gasp from the students as they waited to see what Mrs. Rapp was going to post on the screen.
As soon as this slide went up, the students broke apart into different groups and started working. Each student already had a copy of the rubric for the assignment, so they knew what was expected of them before they even started. Mrs. Rapp sat down on the floor in front of me and started with a group on different skills. (a small intervention group, perhaps?)
I went to the Lion’s den right next door to check out what the “challenge activity” was…although I was torn. I think the Q&A with the flip cameras was also a pretty neat activity.
The students each had an ipad and there were QR codes all over the den and in the hallway.
The students kept track of their answers on the notepad. The codes scanned different questions that tied into her lesson and story. I know I’ve seen a worksheet that looked liked this before. It listed fact and opinion statements and the students had to write in their answer. Which do you think was most effective?
The questions went from basic and an automatic answer to ones where the students had to figure out in context. Elated is the same as jubilant. Pop is an example of onomatopoeia. Fact or opinion. Fabulous.
The buzz was palpable. The students were engaged. And the best part? They were totally reviewing for what’s coming up. In a non- stressed, non-pressured, get it done like a Luna Lion way. Well done, Mrs. Rapp, well done!
And? Making their collegiate decisions even easier! #14. Texas Tech Red Raiders are awesome!
(fact.) 🙂
wreck’em,
Amber
carianne says
March 25, 2013 at 3:43 pmYou make me blush! I have just recently, about 6-8 weeks ago, switched over to this format with my students. While I do think there is a place for the textbook and a set routine, I was getting bored with myself after the winter break, so I knew my students most of been too! This is my 12th year in the classroom, so it was hard to change my way of thinking. Am I terrified that this may not be the right move during this time of the year, YES! But, I think it’s worth the risk. My students are having fun learning and so am I!
Tammy says
March 26, 2013 at 3:59 pmWow! Sounds like a great lesson. Miss my old teammate, always coming up something creative. 🙂