Applying What We Know About Leveled Questions...

Hey Gang,

      Today is High Five Friday, January 6, 2012.  We will be applying what we know about leveled questions today as we hit the chapter 4 basic proficiency exam.  These exams are to see what your basic understanding is of a certain historical era, and to SEE WHERE YOUR INTERESTS LIE WITHIN THE HISTORICAL ERA. 

      The information below are the mini syllabi you will need to understand and follow for today's class.  Survey, read, and review them carefully before coming to circle today.  Remember all we have done this week with "higher-order" questions along with the differences between Level 1's and Level 3's. 

Cores 1 & 3 Basic Proficiency Exams

Learning Targets:

I can analyze the structure of text and its role in developing key concepts.

I can determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze it by summarizing the key supporting details and main ideas.

1.  Survey and read the mini syllabus.
2.  Go to my.hrw.com and sign in to the textbook.
3.  When you have signed in, click on "View Assignments". Note: it should be the second clickable option.
4.  Click on the first drop down box titled "Assignments Due".
5.  Open the reading test for Chapter 4
6.  As you survey and read the test, CHOOSE 10 LEVEL 1 QUESTIONS, 3 LEVEL 2 QUESTIONS, and 2 LEVEL 3 QUESTIONS that you would like to find the answer to. 
7.  Cut/Copy and paste them in a Microsoft Word document so you can turn your work in upon completion.
8. Open to Chapter 4 in another window and READ WITH THE QUESTIONS IN MIND!
9. Submit your finished test questions to Mr. C when complete. 


Core 2  Creating a Basic Proficiency Exam

Learning Targets:

I can analyze the structure of text and its role in developing key concepts.

I can determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze it by summarizing the key supporting details and main ideas.

1. Survey this mini syllabus and make sure you understand the learning targets involved.
2. Read and Review the two example tests given to you by your teacher.  LOOK FOR THE PROS AND CONS: WARMS AND COOLS.
3. Survey, Read, and Review Section 5 of Chapter 3 & Chapter 4 in your textbooks.
4. Use the 5 keys assessment rubric and the learning targets to generate ideas for your test design. 
5. Design questions based on what you know and what you want to know about the HISTORICAL CONTENT in your textbooks.
      SPECIAL NOTE: Open the reading test for Chapter 4.   As you survey and read the test,  you may want to CHOOSE LEVEL 1 QUESTIONS, LEVEL 2 QUESTIONS, and LEVEL 3 QUESTIONS that you would like to find the answer to.  Cut/Copy and paste them in a Microsoft Word document so you can turn your work in upon completion.
6. Write & Design your test with a partner: for your partner. 
7. Submit your finished test questions to Mr. C when complete. (This is before we administer the tests.)

If you are interested and finished reading the blog here are a few Brainpops for your viewing enjoyment.  Enjoy and good luck!

The American Revolution

Causes for Revolution

Declaration of Independence

Love, peace, and taco grease,
C

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher

School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy

Levels of Questions day 3

Hey Youngsters (jk jk),

      Today is Thursday, January 5, 2012.  We are really digging deep today, and it may cause some frustration.  Thinking in this way in order to ask deeper/higher levels of questions is extremely challenging.  So what I am saying is DO YOUR BEST AND FORGET THE REST!  Please try your best to engage, focus, and think deep. 

      After we revisit the video from yesterday, we will be doing an activity called GROUP INQUIRY. 
Video from yesterday.

1. Inclusion-  Write/Pair/Share...  Think of a time you did your best thinking, reasoning, recalling, comparing, contrasting, asking, talking, or studying.  What about that experience made it so successful?

2. Content and Objectives: 
Writing...I can conduct research to find answers to specific questions.
History...I can conduct research and effectively communicate findings.

3. Resources:
Question Sheets
Blooms and Costas Sheets
Post-it Questions
The Online Textbook

4. Your mission/task... Read the questions you generated over the last two days.
Select a question.
Determine the level.
You may need to revise questions in order to make them a 2 or a 3. 
By the end of the conversations you need a level 1, 2, and 3 question.

5. Accountability: Share your questions and process with the community circle.
What's a "higher order" question?
What is the difference between a level one question and a "higher order" question?
Apply what you know about "higher order" questioning

      Try to have fun and think deep.

Sincerely yours,
C

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher

School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy

Levels of Questions...

Howdy Y'all!

      Today is Camel Day, January 4, 2012.  Woah!  It was weird typing 2012.  Anyways, this week we are focussing our attention on the INQUIRY QUESTIONS we as historians have about the past and about the texts, media, primary, and secondary sources we are interacting with.  To do that today our class will have two parts...

Part one:
This brainpop is on the Britsh Empire.  It will give us a perspective of what things were like in the past especially when it comes to how the world looked under the rule of the British Empire. 
The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire

Let's also revisit and finish interacting with the media connections our online textbook has for us.  We'll ask questions, identify confusion, and IDENTIFY "GAPS IN OUR KNOWLEDGE'.

http://my.hrw.com/


Part two:
We will take a deeper look at what GREAT HISTORIANS DO.  Great historians know how to refine their practice by refining their questions.  The following Youtube videos explain what I am trying to teach you.  We'll watch them together and dig into LEVELS of QUESTIONS. 

Refining our practice by refining our questions...

3 levels: quick

We will end the second half of class by looking at our questions to see what levels our thinking is at.  We will try to push our thinking to a deeper level.  Good luck!  I know you all can do it. 

Sincerely yours,
C
P.S. I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.
Do your best and forget the rest!

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher

School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy