Peter Sorrentino Instructional Leadership EDU 707 December 20, 2009

 Geometry unit on Triangles consists of 3projects, a review and assessment: 1.Triangle Discovery Project 2.Triangle Design Project 3.Triangle Develop Project 4.Review 5.Traditional Assessment  Timeline, Resources, Experts & Challenges  Updates Derived from Feedback

Actions Responsible Party Experts Utilized Overview, discussion & rubric of trianglesteacher Coordinate trip chaperones and FT formsteacherschool admin Guided tour of city structuresteacherguest engineer Post tour discussion and assessment devstudents Review of assessment rubric and developteacher Submittal of assessmentstudents

Actions Responsible Party Experts Utilized Overview, discussion & rubric of designteacher Presentation of design exemplarsteacherguest engineer Internet exploration of design optionsstudentslibrarian Development of design w/ pros & consstudents Review of assessment rubricteacher Submittal of assessment (design)students

Actions Responsible Party Experts Utilized Overview, discussion & rubric of designteacher Development of bridgestudentsshop teacher Requirements conformance checkstudentsguest engineer Review of assessment rubricteacher Submittal of assessment- finished bridgestudents Assess bridges on aestheticsstudentsteacher Load test the bridgesstudentsguest engineer Certify bridges by efficacyteacherprincipal

 The triangle review is all about bridging the gap between project-based learning and assessments and traditional assessments  The PBL students know the triangle content, but they are unlikely to be prepared to demonstrate that knowledge on a traditional assessment – which is required.  The teacher will present typical traditional questions and demonstrate to student how to apply their triangle knowledge to this style of question.  This section might require only a day activity, but the results of traditional, standardized tests are too critical not to ensure students can apply their knowledge.

 This part of the unit is another small, day long class period with the goal of assessing the PBLers using a traditional test.  The goal is to provide the students with an actual test that mimics the situation they will encounter taking a state-wide standardized test in math.  The results of this test will become part of their unit grade.

Oct 4 Oct 5 Oct 6 Oct 7 Oct 8 Oct 11 Oct 12 Oct 13 Oct 14 Oct 15 Oct 18 Oct 19 Oct 20 Oct 21 Oct 22 Oct 25 Oct 26 Oct 27 Unit Sections Discovery Projct Design Project Develop Project Triangle Review Tri. Assessment Each green block represents a day of effort. For example, the Design Project starts Oct 4, as the duration of four days, the last day being Oct 7. This presentation is a Gantt chart (light) intended to show unit progression.

 Field trip: forms & lunch for students  Access to Internet lab  Data projector  Graphing paper  Adhesives & Popsicle sticks

 Parents to assist with chaperoning and possibly with development of bridges  Guest engineer form local architectural firm  Engineer employee of town’s building department to help guide out tour  Curriculum coordinator  Principal  Project-based learning advisor  Shop teacher  Geometry teachers

 Duration of unit: current estimates are based on a combination of geometry curriculum allowance for the triangles unit and experience with other PBL units  The Review and Traditional assessment is designed to prepare the students to apply new triangle knowledge to standardized math assessments, but this transition might be problematic. The solution is likely to be to extend the time spent.  Achieving buy-in among geometry teachers will be challenging, but should be achievable by involving them in the design and development of the unit.

Themes of FeedbackPlan Elements at IssueFeedback AccommodationsColleagues Observations

1. Project-Based Learning is often not time efficient 2. Resources might not be available for building 3. Designing and building is prone to losing sight of learning the geometry 4. Careful teaming students is critical to success 5. Ensuring the children test well will be difficult 6. Determining makeup work for absent students is very challenging

1. Project-Based Learning is often not time efficient - Timeline 2. Resources might not be available for building – Resources, specifically materials and shop teacher 3. Designing and building is prone to losing sight of learning the geometry – General PBL and my chose of doing a bridge design and build 4. Careful teaming students is critical to success – teaming was not explicitly addressed in the plan 5. Ensuring the children test well will be difficult – 2-3 days of reviewing and preparing for tests 6. Determining makeup work for absent students is very challenging – not addressed in original plan

1. Project-Based Learning is often not time efficient – The timeline must be reduced by 4 days, and teachers must be trained to stick to schedule 2. Resources might not be available for building – This corporate sponsors might be found for this project, also the schools’ FRIST Robotics Team might contribute and participate 3. Designing and building is prone to losing sight of learning the geometry - Teachers must be trained and monitored to ensure a focus on the geometry content is maintained 4. Careful teaming students is critical to success – Teams might be required, but not initially anticipated. Due to lab experience, science teachers to be consulted on effective teaming for projects 5. Ensuring the children test well will be difficult – The three days currently slated for this will have to be carefully detailed out and refined to ensure success 6. Determining makeup work for absent students is very challenging – This is quite a challenge. Suggestions have been to walk the student through the learning to ensure their understanding, and prepare them to participate in the remaining projects

 The general comments were very positive  A retired teacher I interviewed, who had experience with PBL, was very concerned about the details of implementation. He alerted me to the required high level of planning and the issues around makeup  The parent I talked with loved the idea, found little they were critical of, but also was concerned about how makeup would work.  The administrator I presented to was enthusiastic, but reserved. It seems they were concerned with ensuring successful learning and handling parental concerns and potential complaints.