ABCs - Adult Behavior in the Classroom
- sample lesson

Original Lesson designed to address acceptable behavior in the classroom.

Random Cards

Students fill out index cards at the beginning of the year with their name on one side, and three things they like on the other. I use the cards throughout the year for humor as well as randomly calling on students in a productive, empathetic way, to gain understanding of their concept mastery

StartUps

When students enter the classroom, I have a StartUp ready on the board, which they are expected to be working on by the time the bell rings. I use open-ended questions to keep students occupied until all of them are finished. ;)

Predict, Observe, Explain

• Based on our previous experiences in science, "What do you think will happen?" 

• The goal is to be able to expalin scientifically what actually happened.

Blind Man and Elephant

• Useful for brainstorming and collaborating.

“Each blind man feels a different part of the elephant's body, but only one part, such as the side or the tusk. They then describe the elephant based on their experience. The moral of the parable is that humans have a tendency to claim absolute truth based on their subjective experience as they ignore other's experiences which may be equally true.”

Fist to Five

Students hold up a fist, or a combination of fingers to show, on a scale of 0-5, how well they understand something

Explicit Vocabulary Instruction

I stop a lesson to introduce a new word, or part of nomenclature or  conventional notation, either on a worksheet, as part of a spelling test, or as an activity. Includes a Choral Response (below)

Spelling Tests

• • Improves reading comprehension

  • Provides opportunity to correct each other’s work as a safe and fun peer, work-ethic lesson

Choral Response

Students repeat something all together, allowing me to hear how much of the class is confident about the answer

Integrated Classroom

I create several opportunities for students to learn together

• Forces lesson taught by my 11th graders to the 3rd graders

• Seniors reading aloud to kindergarten class

Modeling: "I do, we do, y'all do"

• Lead by example

• Facilitate by community involvement

• Cultivate individual understanding

Example: SIG FIGS & Measurements

Quizzes and Laboratory Exams

• I use knowledge checks in a variety of settings, such as pre- and post-tests

• Peer assessment can be a valuable tool. I used peer-to-peer Laboratory Exams of students walking each other through lab stations, reviewing Methods, Data Collection, and Conclusions, in order to reinforce content mastery and creativity in science. 

• Example training quiz: Service Training Quiz
  Including fun in assessments to alleviate stress