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Materials
Take the time to search for amazing reading materials as early as possible. Try to find materials that will cater different reading and comprhension levels, different genders, cultures etc. -
Long Range Planning
Ensure your tasks include a healthy balance of reading, writing and oral communication. The most effective and authentic tasks will combine all three of these! -
Familiarize Your Students
Familiarize your students with how your classroom will run. For example, introduce them to the concept of centres or literature circles if they have not been already. Make sure the students have explored the materials available to them within your classroom! -
Laying Out Expectations
Inform students of the components of your first unit - what they will be learning and when, as well as what the culminating activity is. -
Co-Designing Criteria
As a class, construct goals for the unit. What questions do your students have? How will they maximize their potential? -
Rubrics
Co-Design the rubric for your summative assessment WITH your students. Provide them with broad categories such as Knowledge, Thinking, Communication and Application - and let them tell you what a level 4 and a 3 should like. This way they all know what is expected of them and they all have a sense of ownership over the expectations. -
Beginning Lessons
Your opening lessons of a unit should be taught explicitly. You should begin following the gradual release model by ensuring you are explicitly modelling effective reading, writing and speaking conventions for your students. -
Individual Lessons
Your individual lessons for specific concepts should follow the gradual release model somewhat. Begin with explicit instruction, progress towards shared practice, and finally end with independent practice! -
Shared Practice
Following explicit teacher led modelling, students should demonstrate their knowledge through shared practice. This could mean working in small groups to show their understanding. This is a great time for formative and anecdotal assessment. -
Independent Practice
As students improve their skills the role of the teacher in modelling, prompting and assisting should lesson. Students are now comfortable completing tasks in small group and now should be able to do so on their own. Feedback and assessment is important during this time leading into the summative assessment. -
Summative Assessment
This should be the culmination of the major ideas from this unit. The task should be one that is ongoing throughout the year and is representative of the students best work. Ultimately, this task should be assessed holistically. Summatives are great when there is an element of DOING in them, such as an event like a fair or a show. -
Credits
http://boneislandbooks.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/8_bookstore.jpg http://mrovertonprimary.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/classroom.jpg http://www.lesn.appstate.edu/fryeem/RE4030/MVC-007S.JPG http://greenehillschool.org/wp-content/themes/ghs/images/students-reading.jpg http://www.pointswestav.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Kids-and-SMART-board1.jpg http://c810422.r22.cf2.rackcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/kaseya-managed-services-roadmap.jpg http://ednalima.public.iastate.edu/images/teachi
