What's New at EMIS
April 2017 Edition
April's M-Powerment Strategies:
Yes, there are 2 this month...
M-8: Research and Inquiry-Based Thinking
Students demonstrate critical thinking and higher-level understanding through rigorous questioning, project-based learning and inquiry-based instruction.
M-9: Students Skilled for Success (4Cs)
Students routinely choose, critically analyze and evaluate resources, collaborate with peers, and communicate their ideas in creative ways.
- Use questioning at different levels of knowledge (recall vs. application)
- Incorporate elements of research in learning activities
- Plan lessons that allow for inquiry-based learning vs. direct instruction
- Allow students to apply their learning and new knowledge through project-based learning
- Let students learn by experimenting, trying, doing, and questioning versus you telling them
- Experiment with Makerspace, STEM, Virtual Reality, Coding, and other activities that focus on future careers
- Bring in or Skype with community speakers, and arrange (virtual) field trips to allow for experiential learning
- Teach note-taking strategies and graphic organizing to help students make connections to content
- Collaborate with School Library Media Coordinator to design research-based lessons and activities
- Use research features within Google (Google Scholar, Easy Bib, etc.)
- Analyze current events, primary sources and texts to investigate essential questions
- Let students choose the best tool and method to present their learning with creative products
- Teach students effective listening and public speaking skills
- Allow students to learn teamwork and collaboration skills by working with diverse partners and groups to create discussion and learning products
- Allow students to create work products that have an outside audience and purpose
- Use Common Sense Media and other sources to teach students how to be responsible digital citizens
- Teach reading and writing skills that will transfer to future school and workplace
- Use literacy strategies such as text annotation to help students read critically
- Use collaborative groups with defined roles to help students develop leadership skills
Booktasting with Mrs. Smith
Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Lasky recently set up a booktasting for Mrs. Smith's students to select what book they wanted to read in small group. To give students a preview, they played a "trailer" about the book, then gave them time to explore the book! This activity provided students choice in their learning, a strategy shown to increase learning and motivation on a topic by 20%. Talk to Mrs. Lasky if you want to try out your own book tasting for students!