ImagineIT Phase 2
Professional Context: This project will be implemented in my Integrated Math III classes during the 2015 - 2016 school year. The grade level will be for 11th graders with a few 12th graders. If my goal is accomplished then it should help to improve student performance on the ACT and PARCC exams as well as deepen their mathematical understanding and ability to apply it in various situations.
Key Big Ideas: The big ideas for this project are that improving student engagement and participation will positively affect student retention and mastery of the content and help to improve their scores on standardized tests such as the ACT, PARCC, and/or college entrance exams.
Content: I plan to review some geometry concepts and extend to application word problems. I will also review some algebra concepts and word problems such as solving equations with fractions and decimals and solving equations with variables on both sides. Students will learn to write and use equations of lines, parallel and perpendicular line equations, solving systems of equations, working with exponential and logarithmic functions, and quadratics.
Performances of Understanding: To assess student grasp of the material, I will attempt to use a variety of measurements. Weekly assessments will be my 1st performance measurement. Secondly, at least every 3 - 4 weeks, I plan to give students an in-class performance of understanding and an out-of-class performance of understanding. There will be group assignments with definite end products such as creating skits around a particular topic or case, classroom demonstrations, defending a point of view or solution, creating videos to demonstrate key concepts or misconceptions, writing short papers about a concept or problem, etc.
Plan Description: I plan to design my instruction to incorporate many of the ideas students have and draw on their life experiences. I plan to make my classroom a place where student ideas, thoughts, and feelings are heard and respected. To help accomplish this, I will attempt to use backward design to create the assessments and lesson plans for the desired results mentioned above. I will also create notes and videos for the class ahead of time and post them for students to read, listen, or review before class, so that during class time we can focus on doing the math. Class will be broken into chunks so that students can pace themselves and actively give feedback. I will utilize technology presented during the summer to create scan cards. Each card will belong to a specific student during each class period if possible. At specified times during the group and individual activities, I will solicit student opinions and have them answer related questions based on the class activity that they are working on to help determine misconceptions that still prevail and parts in the topic that still are troubling students. I will also have students at least twice a quarter create a video about a topic, create a movie, create poems or raps and post them and present them to the class then discuss the information that was provided so that groups can get same-day or next day feedback. I also believe that I will need to put some movement activities within the lesson so that students don’t sit in one place for the entire period.
Pedagogical Approach: I will need to incorporate differentiated instruction into my daily lessons, constantly use mini formative assessments to determine student understanding of the material, use student ideas and input to drive the direction of the lesson, and work on being more of a facilitator in the classroom rather than the instructor. Technology that may be used would include my cellphone, possibly student cellphones (have to see what administration prefers for this one), classroom computers, LCD projector, Smartboard tablet if possible, overhead projector, various apps on cell phones or tablets that allow students to create movies, videos, memes, powerpoint presentations, etc. to express their ideas and viewpoints and observe their progression as the year moves along.
Professional Context: This project will be implemented in my Integrated Math III classes during the 2015 - 2016 school year. The grade level will be for 11th graders with a few 12th graders. If my goal is accomplished then it should help to improve student performance on the ACT and PARCC exams as well as deepen their mathematical understanding and ability to apply it in various situations.
Key Big Ideas: The big ideas for this project are that improving student engagement and participation will positively affect student retention and mastery of the content and help to improve their scores on standardized tests such as the ACT, PARCC, and/or college entrance exams.
Content: I plan to review some geometry concepts and extend to application word problems. I will also review some algebra concepts and word problems such as solving equations with fractions and decimals and solving equations with variables on both sides. Students will learn to write and use equations of lines, parallel and perpendicular line equations, solving systems of equations, working with exponential and logarithmic functions, and quadratics.
Performances of Understanding: To assess student grasp of the material, I will attempt to use a variety of measurements. Weekly assessments will be my 1st performance measurement. Secondly, at least every 3 - 4 weeks, I plan to give students an in-class performance of understanding and an out-of-class performance of understanding. There will be group assignments with definite end products such as creating skits around a particular topic or case, classroom demonstrations, defending a point of view or solution, creating videos to demonstrate key concepts or misconceptions, writing short papers about a concept or problem, etc.
Plan Description: I plan to design my instruction to incorporate many of the ideas students have and draw on their life experiences. I plan to make my classroom a place where student ideas, thoughts, and feelings are heard and respected. To help accomplish this, I will attempt to use backward design to create the assessments and lesson plans for the desired results mentioned above. I will also create notes and videos for the class ahead of time and post them for students to read, listen, or review before class, so that during class time we can focus on doing the math. Class will be broken into chunks so that students can pace themselves and actively give feedback. I will utilize technology presented during the summer to create scan cards. Each card will belong to a specific student during each class period if possible. At specified times during the group and individual activities, I will solicit student opinions and have them answer related questions based on the class activity that they are working on to help determine misconceptions that still prevail and parts in the topic that still are troubling students. I will also have students at least twice a quarter create a video about a topic, create a movie, create poems or raps and post them and present them to the class then discuss the information that was provided so that groups can get same-day or next day feedback. I also believe that I will need to put some movement activities within the lesson so that students don’t sit in one place for the entire period.
Pedagogical Approach: I will need to incorporate differentiated instruction into my daily lessons, constantly use mini formative assessments to determine student understanding of the material, use student ideas and input to drive the direction of the lesson, and work on being more of a facilitator in the classroom rather than the instructor. Technology that may be used would include my cellphone, possibly student cellphones (have to see what administration prefers for this one), classroom computers, LCD projector, Smartboard tablet if possible, overhead projector, various apps on cell phones or tablets that allow students to create movies, videos, memes, powerpoint presentations, etc. to express their ideas and viewpoints and observe their progression as the year moves along.