Staff Newsletter
because it helps to know what's going on
Friday, December 14
Lesson Planning for Champions:The Art of the Anticipatory Set
Adapted from https://blog.teacherspayteachers.com/5-simple-anticipatory-sets-that-make-a-big-difference/
What is an anticipatory set and why does it matter?
John Hattie in his book Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning says "the mind develops in response to challenge or disequilibrium", so your hook can and should provide cognitive conflict. He adds, "that the mind grows as we learn to become conscious of, and so take control of its own processes."
The anticipatory set refers to an activity to focus the attention of the class to get ready for the lesson that will follow. It is also known as the hook, lead, or set induction. At the beginning of a unit or lesson, it’s important to have students complete a short activity to pique their interest and build prior knowledge.
To make your anticipatory set have the desired impact, it needs to:
- Be related to the topic, theme, or lesson of the day.
- It can build off of a previous lesson, skill, or strategy if it’s related or connected to the current lesson.
- The message, question, or strategy needs to reveal itself or reappear again in the lesson. That way students make the connection, almost like a light bulb going on.
- It should help the student get ready for the upcoming lesson by leading directly into the lesson.
- For our sports fans, think of it like a PRE-game show before the big game.
RULE #1 – KEEP IT EASY:
- KEEP IT VISUAL: Use something that students can visualize that gets them interested in the topic such as a short video, a photograph, or just having them close their eyes and visualize what something looks like. One of my favorite activities is taking students outside to lie down on the grass, look up at the sky, and sketch what they see as a way to introduce a unit about clouds or weather.
- KEEP IT FACTUAL: Write 3-8 statements or questions on the whiteboard for students to predict the answers (T/F) at the beginning of a unit. Another option is to have one question or statement each day like a “Question of the Day” method. To save paper, have students write them in their notebooks each day and then answer them. These questions or statements should be connected to the essential questions or standards so then it serves as an informal assessment too.
RULE #2 – TO KEEP IT FUN!
- KEEP IT MYSTERIOUS: Everyone loves a good mystery, and this method is sure to surprise. Place an artifact, photograph, vocabulary word, riddle, or other item related to the lesson in a box or large envelope. Introduce the mystery box at the beginning of class. Give the students a few hints or clues about what it is being very careful not to give away too much information. You want to give them just enough information to make them curious. After the lesson is complete, come back together as a class to figure out and reveal the mystery item.
There are several ways to reveal the mystery item at the end of the lesson:
- hold a whole group discussion or vote on it
- review the clues or hints given at the beginning of class before making their predictions
- create a concept map on the board to review and relate to that day’s lesson
- have students write down their prediction of what it could be and why in their notebooks. Then share them.
- play the game “10 Questions” (like 20 questions) where students ask questions to help them figure it out. However, you decide to solve the mystery this technique is guaranteed to keep it fun!
- KEEP IT SENSORY: Using the five senses is a unique strategy that students will love. With a little bit of planning, this is sure to captivate students’ interests. The key here is to think outside the box to figure out what you can use as a sensory stimulus that is related to the lesson at hand. Think about unique smells, tastes, textures, sights, or sounds, which are linked to this lesson. For example, for a unit about dolphins have students listen to the unique sounds of dolphins communicating with each other or of ocean water crashing against the shore. For my lesson on daily life in ancient Greece, I brought in cucumber slices, figs, and pita bread with olive oil for the students to taste. (Remember to get parent permission and check for allergies before having tasting parties.)
RULE #3 – KEEP IT MEANINGFUL!
- KEEP IT REAL: Present a real problem in the world, your community, or school. Ask students to brainstorm how to solve the problem. This method must cross over to connect with the lesson at hand. To kick off our ecosystems unit, for example, I showed the students real facts about how many pounds of paper our school uses on average every year and how many milk cartons students throw away at lunch every year. I told them how this was a huge problem and had them brainstorm in their notebooks how we can help save the earth. As we learned more and more about protecting our environment, we came back to these stats and added to their brainstorming list. At the end of the unit, we discussed one service project we could put into place in our school to cut down on waste. Students were motivated as they researched solutions, and came up with a plan of action to present to our school’s administrators.
Having an anticipatory set has the bonus of making students wonder what you will do next. Students will love that whatever weird thing you do at the start of class ends up meaning something later on in the lesson. Research has shown that using an anticipatory set helps students learn better and retain the information.
Changes to our Housekeeping Department
The JaniKing staff will provide a primary lead, which they call a "day porter." They will also provide our afternoon/evening crew as well. Daryl and I will be meeting with the Day Porter on Friday, Dec. 21 to share as much of our normal routine as possible regarding cleaning and building maintenance. I am certain there will be many things that Daryl and Jamie do that don't get communicated in this first meeting and we will be learning as we go. As we all get to know each other, please do not hesitate to share with me things that you notice need to be done that aren't getting done so that I can share this with the JaniKing staff. This company will have on site walkthroughs from their regional reps to ensure the cleaning standard is what it should be. So if you notice things, let me know.
Because Daryl and Jamie are a part of our South family, I thought it would be nice to have a "card shower" for them at our staff celebration on Tuesday, December 8th. Feel free to bring a card to share your appreciation for all of their hard work over the years.
Holiday Happenings
Tuesday, December 18th we will have a staff celebration at 2:30 pm. If you are participating in Secret Santa, bring your final gift to the celebration for the big reveal!
- The 20-20-20 Rule: Looking at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes is a method proven to stop eye strain and headaches.
- Ordering a six-piece box of McNuggets from McDonald's? It's actually cheaper if you order two four-piece boxes instead.
- Have a tough decision to make? Flip a coin. Not to decide for you, but you'll realize what you really want when it's in the air.
Reminders
- Nominate a Student of the Month for any outstanding student you might have.
- Don't forget....Send any students down to the office with a "positive referral" to sign the Great Big Book of Awesomeness. Students who sign will get a notification to take home to their parents.
- It's now the end of November....time to update South's Data Dashboard if you haven't already.
- Don't forget to "Sign In" each week on the 2018-19 PD Sign in for PGP Verification" Doc
Flyin' High with RTI
Jaymee here!
We've been focusing on fiction this week, particularly how the actions of a character affect the feelings of the other characters. An important aspect of this is noticing the point at which the feelings change.
Renee here!
I am SUPER proud of our Math Lab students in the last few weeks. Many have really brought a positive attitude and strong desire to succeed to class.
I will NOT be meeting with the 4th grade MFM groups today- I have a meeting and will be helping with some benchmarking.
The Zen Zone will be CLOSED today so that I can make up some skipped library classes.
CIC Meetings For The Year
Upcoming Dates
Dec. 17: Breakfast Delivery
Dec. 18: Staff Christmas Celebration
Dec. 19: Hot Cocoa Bar/Grade Level Movie
Dec. 20: Christmas Sing-a-long
Dec. 20: Mexican Lunch
Dec. 21: Teacher Workday. Grades need to be posted before leaving
Jan. 7: Return
Jan. 7: NWEA Window opens
Jan 8: PLC Meetings
Jan.9: Faculty Meeting
Jan. 14: School Board Mtg.
Jan. 15: PLC Meetings
Jan. 18: 4th to Clowes Hall
Jan. 21: MLK Day, No School
Jan. 22: Textbook Caravan, PLC Meetings
Jan. 23: Grade Level/Dept. Meetings.
Jan. 24: Data Team Mtg.
Jan. 25: CIC Meeting
Jan. 25: A Cup Above Catering
Jan. 25: NWEA Window Closes