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I am a History Teacher at Providence hall Jr. High Charter school. I have a love for helping students reach their potential. I created this blog in order to showcase my ideas for my classroom. Only a few of these lessons have been tested in an actual classroom and any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for visiting, Mr. Owen

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Professionl Learning Community (PLC) Meeting Notes & Template

PLC (Professional Learning Community) Meeting Agenda after primary curriculum has been determined and assessment has begun. Adapted from notes on guest speaker Doug Snow Logan City School District 9/20/2010
 
Five Steps:
Step 1-collect and chart data
Step 2-analyze strengths and obstacles
Step 3-Establish goals: set, review, revise
Step 4-Select instructional strategies
Step 5-Determine results indicators
 
Assessment Analysis Sheet for Goal #1
Teacher
#of students that took assessment
#students Proficient
%Students Proficient
#Students Not Proficient
% Students Not Proficient
# and names of students likely to be proficient after instruction- students who are relay close
# and names of students likely to be proficient after instruction-student who have fare to go
# and names of students Not likely to be proficient after instruction- students in need of extensive support
 
Have fellow teachers collect data and discus results as a team, other teachers may have insight or know the student and how to help them better.
 
Cause Data Tracking Sheet for                  Assessment
Teacher
% of h/w devoted to writing in content area
%of effective teaching strategies that are deliberately used  to support learning goals
% of lesson plans that were collectively created
% attendance at data team meetings
Did you use the common scoring rubric?
Did you score the assessment collectively?
Is the assessment connected to “Power Standards”?
 
This Cart can be used to show the effectiveness of the PLC and how the outcomes came about.
As PLC’s Make Goals they need to fallow S.M.A.R.T. Goals:  Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Framed

What We Know and What We Wont to Know



What we know and what we want to know
 The ideas for this lesson come from Values Clarifications: a Handbook of Practical Strategies for teachers and Students (Simon©1972) Strategy Number 65 

Standards Covered 
 Idaho: G 4.2 /4.4
 Utah: G 4.2 /4.3
This lesson will be a starter lessons for most any subject I will use Election Possesses.
Have students Brain storm individually and write on a scratch paper or work sheet what do you know about the Election Presses? Local, State, and National offices etc…(can be substituted for any unit or lesson)

After a few minutes have two students come up to scribe on the board (two students are better because it will keep Ideas flowing without as much interruption in writing. Have students share answers and write them all down true or not. Clarification will come latter.

Once all answers are written, ask what don’t you know about Election Process and make another list these will be in the forms of questions.

Have students organize the knows and don’t knows into logical clusters and teacher talks about the different clusters and corrects some of the misconceptions and assigns reports based on the lists created by the class
Begin by looking in books if possible reserve time at the computer lab or media center.  Reports do not need to be long one or two pages in order to answer the question …

Friday, February 22, 2013

Spread of Opinion: Liberal vs. Conservative Views on the Constitution



U.S. History I or Government
Constitution/ Founders
Spread of Opinion: Liberal vs. Conservative views on the Constitution
Concepts can be adapted to many other lessons

Objective: there are many beliefs concerning constitution this is a great way to introduce Federalist vs. Anti- Federalist views and can be called back upon during the remainder of the term.
 The Idea for this lesson came from: Values Clarification: a Handbook of Practical Strategies for Teachers and Students (Simon ©1972) Strategy Number 9
This lesson should be used after studding the constitution so that students understand the powers given by the constitution but before studding the views of the Federalist papers to try to keep bios untainted.
If Desired Divide students into groups of 5 or 6 assign these groups if desired to mix students from what you know of their views to create more discussions in groups (Friends usually think alike).
Reminded students that their views are to be valued and that what is shared within this discussion are in some circumstances to be considered personal and should not be shared out of classroom without their consent.
Give each group the topic of Views of the Federal System (Federal system should have been covered in lesson in the constitution)

State Standards
Idaho: G 1.1 / 4.1 & US1 1.2 /4.1
Utah: G 1.1 / 1.3 & US1 6.1 /6.2
 
Assignment: from what they know students should come up with 5 or 6 possible position from ultra conservative to ultra liberal, each member of the group takes one of these positions and writes a paragraph about one of the views not necessarily their own if group thinks of more than members in group have them write a sentence view
-          Have packet prepared with information on views if after a students have tried to come up with ideas and if they are not coming up with appropriate views
When finished in groups have group members reveal their views and discuss. After individual groups discuss have each grope reveal their place on continuum, in fact of class and begin discussion once each group has gone to their place in the continuum.
Example of a possible continuum, Views of the Constitution:
Ultra Conservative
Jefferson
Limited Government all rights to the people. Constitution makes government to big anti federalist against the constitution
Other examples:
KKK
Conservative
Madison
Need for some government. Believed constitution suppose to limited government to protect the rights of the people. Constitution is a sealing to keep the reach of government limited, believes constitution gives more power to strong states over the central government.
Tea Party
Leans Conservative



Moderate
Washington
Can see the pros and cons to both sides believes that slow progress is stable.
Balance within Supreme Court (5-4 rulings’)
Leans Liberal  



Liberal
Adams
Central government key to be strong constitution is a floor to build on. Central government should be stronger than the states.

Ultra Liberal
Hamilton
Central Government to control all rights if not in the constitution can still be able to do it
Black Panthers
Roe v. Wade

Assignment/ Assessment: Participation and paragraph as well as any notes gathered on perspectives on the constitution.