Early Adopters Wilchester Elementary

1) Students will set up accounts for Edmodo with teacher direction. Pull students in small groups. Teacher posts an assignment on Edmodo for students to complete at home. Parent letter send home via explaining how the class will be using Edmodo and the expectations of the student. Mini-lesson on responding appropriately on-line. Students log on to Edmodo at home for assignment. Students read the short story " The Cliffhanger". The ending has been left off of the story. Students will answer a series of questions about predicting what will happen at the end of the story.

Book Club- Going Deeper Title: Going Deeper in Book Club Subject: Reading/Language Arts Grade: 4th grade Time Frame: 2-4 weeks Summary: Students will learn how to develop critical thinking questions for discussion in book clubs. Tasks: 1. Mini- Lesson-Teach students how to use sticky notes effectively. Teacher models by showing her sticky notes from the class read aloud - The Half A Moon Inn. Copy pages so students can see how the sticky note is related to the text in the book. Allow the students to practice creating their own sticky notes by giving them a short story to read. Discuss notes with their book club group. 2. Mini-Lesson- Review procedures for discussion by using the fishbowl strategy. Choose one group to serve as the model. ( Teacher will confer with this group beforehand to check for understanding.) 3. Mini- Lesson- Asking good questions Create a 2 column chart titled- Thick Question and Thin Question Teacher reviews discussion questions from class read aloud. Models where questions would go on the chart and give characteristics/reasons why the questions would fit in that column. Students go through their book club questions and give reasons why their questions fit in that particular category. Class discussion - create a master list of what makes a thick or thin questions- anchor chart to hang in the classroom 4. Mini- Lesson- Using Edmodo for book club discussion Teacher will demonstrate how to respond to questions about book club book. Teacher will group students by book club book. Each group will be assigned a set of questions to respond to on Edmodo. They must back up their answer with reasons and page numbers from the book. This lesson will be ongoing. 5. Mini-Lesson-Questioning Prompts that Lead to Deeper Thinking Teacher will model how to use questioning prompts to deepen book club discussion. How can your group extend the discussion with follow -up questions to get members of the group to explain their thinking/ideas in greater detail. I took a step back and worked on questioning with the students. The students worked on thick and thin questions. I wanted them to become more proficient with questioning before going any further.

Ethan E I think Andy decided to climb the wall because he wanted to prove that he could climb a big wall. 2.I dont think Andy is happy that his dad is making him take his little brother Ian with him because Andy might lose him or he could lose Andy,then Andy would get in trouble. 3. I would call them leaders because they are Andys friends and if they would be followers then they would be like Andys minions or his bodyguards. 4. I think that Ian ran all the way back to there parents and said that they were climbing a wall that was to steep or to high for Ian and that they were not listening to there parents directions which were to not climb anything to high for Ian or they would get in trouble,but did Andy listen NO !he didnt.uh oh what will his parents do.I think they will either ground him or not let him rock climb for a certain amount of time like a week or something. Ethan E I think Andy decided to climb the wall because he wanted to prove that he could climb a big wall. 2.I dont think Andy is happy that his dad is making him take his little brother Ian with him because Andy might lose him or he could lose Andy,then Andy would get in trouble. 3. I would call them leaders because they are Andys friends and if they would be followers then they would be like Andys minions or his bodyguards. 4. I think that Ian ran all the way back to there parents and said that they were climbing a wall that was to steep or to high for Ian and that they were not more... less... Sep 27, 2012 Ethan E. Caroline A. - 1.He thought that if he climbed the wall he would get to lunch faster. 2.He did't want Lan to come becuse he was little.He also did't want Lan to come becusehe thougt Lan wold slow them down. 3.I wold call Pat and Tierney followers. 4.I 4.Ithink someone will come and help him. Caroline A. - 1.He thought that if he climbed the wall he would get to lunch faster. 2.He did't want Lan to come becuse he was little.He also did't want Lan to come becusehe thougt Lan wold slow them down. 3.I wold call Pat and Tierney followers. 4.I 4.Ithink someone will come more... less... Caroline A. Students answered questions after reading a short text. The goal was to practice answering thick questions.

This is from the mini lesson I did with one of my classes on “Think and Thin” questions. This is a student example of questions and answers from a book club discussion.

I want to include the other 2 language arts teachers on my grade level for next year. We collaborate well together and think we are at a place where this will fit in with our curriculum. What would I want to happen next year?