| APPR
Planning Sheet 2009-2010 Evidence Various CELA literacy strategies have been incorporated into units. These strategies include Reader's Marks and I Wonder? activities. A new online technique was also used by incorporating WISE into the Science Lab curriculum. |
| Summary
of Progresss Literacy Existing reading materials were adjusted to reflect CELA strategies and new additional readings were incorporated into existing curriculum. New readings include The Story of Archimedes and An Introduction to Geomagentism. The first used readers marks and the second was a questioning stragey based on "I wonder." Existing lessons that Reader's Marks were used with include Understanding Gravity and Lithium. WISE (Web-based Inquiry Science Environment) Using the WISE web environment students were able to work in groups to learn about speed and velocity. This was done during the Science Lab class session second quarter when the unit of study was speed and velocity in regular science class. |
| Reflection Literacy Overall, I feel that Reader's Marks can and do help students focus their attention while reading. However, students who are still reluctant readers and/or poor readers still require prompting and intervention. Reader's Marks seem to work best when coupled with other strategies such as paired reading. In the future I will be attempting to mesh two strategies together and provide a reason for reading. The "I wonder..." type activity has immense promise. This strategy used along with Reader's Marks really helps move student thinking along. Students who struggle aren't left feeling like they are behind because much of the thinking/reading is front loaded and the reading is almost secondary to the thinking. WISE (Web-based Inquiry Science Environment) I had heard about WISE through a graduate course and was intrigued to try it in class. A trial run was needed, though, to get a feel for the website and how it operated. I was surprised at its ease of use and the number of ways students could express their understanding using the build in Java applets. Students can not only provide written responses, but also visuals such as pictures and graphs. The only downside really the level of difficulty toward the end of the lesson. This is when the students were expected to apply what they had learned to a new situation and they bawked. Perhaps I could have anticipated their reaction and been more proactive in preparing that section. |
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