Peter Sorrentino Instructional Leadership EDU 707 December 13, 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

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.