GREAT THINKING THURSDAY
For Klein ISD Educators of Gifted Learners
by Jessica Jasper
AA Program Coordinator
What do 108 countries across the globe have in common the first week in December? They all have students participating in an Hour of Code event. This includes Coding Clubs at 28 Klein elementary schools and 8 intermediate schools.
Coding club students will have opportunities to code programs, drawings, videos, apps, music, drones, robots, and more. Students will lead Coding Communities by sharing their knowledge with fellow students, teachers, and families
The Hour of Code is a global movement introducing tens of millions of students worldwide to computer science, inspiring kids to learn more, breaking stereotypes, and leaving them feeling empowered.
Computer science is changing every industry on the planet. Every 21st-century student should have the opportunity to learn how to create technology. Computer science concepts also help nurture creativity and problem-solving skills to prepare students for any future career.
Be on the lookout at Klein schools the week of December 3rd because #KleinCodes.
Taking Choice Menus to the Next Level
By John Spencer via e-newsletter, November 16, 2018
Shared by Gordon See, AA Program Coordinator
Taking Choice Menus to the Next Level
Traditionally, choice menus allow students to choose how they will present what they are learning. It's a great first step for students who aren't used to having as much voice and choice in their learning. While choice menus are great, I thought I would share a variation on the choice menu that goes beyond choosing topics and toward student ownership of the learning targets and resources. Check out what it looks like pictured below:
As a teacher, I would keep an ongoing online curation of resources for each unit that I taught. Any time I saw something fascinating or relevant, I would copy and paste the link into a document. Then, I would use that curated list of resources in the choice menus. When students chose podcasts, videos, etc., I would link the option to a one-page topic-neutral document with a list of best practices, tutorials with instructions, and rubrics for that particular option.
So, if students were learning about forces and motion in science, they might select a specific standard. Then they would watch a video or podcast and then click on the slideshow option where they could see reminders of best practices (remember to use visuals, use a solid contrast in colors, cite sources, etc.) and begin creating their product.
Notice that with this choice menu, students are deciding either the topics, concepts, or skills and then deciding on their own resources and strategies before ultimately deciding on their final product. This typically takes 1-3 class periods, depending on the complexity of the learning targets and the end products. I found that this worked well in the following contexts:
- Early on in a unit, when they need to increase background knowledge
- Toward the end of the unit, when they need to own the intervention process
- When completing standards that don't work as well with project-based learning or design thinking
- In the moments when there is a time crunch and they don't have as much time to search for resources or where some of the online resources actually reinforce misconceptions
- If you are just making the leap into student-driven learning and you want to start with something that builds on student choice but doesn't require a massive project
Although I love project-based learning and design thinking, I learned that there were times when I needed to teach a concept attainment model or model specific skills. When my students hit project fatigue, I realized that there was nothing wrong with a more traditional, Gradual Release Model. However, I also realized that I could incorporate choice and ownership into these lessons by using the previously mentioned choice menu.