Freedom+Handcuffed

Problem Based Learning

Brandon Maxwell

Walden University

Dr. Marie Larcara

Integrating Technology Accross the Content Areas EDUC-6713D-1

October 16, 2011

=NEW LESSON 1=

Problem Based Learning

Daily Lesson Game Plan

Lesson Title: Freedom Handcuffed Related Lessons: Reading Comprehension (Novel Unit)

Grade Level / Subject: 7 / English Unit: //Nothing But The Truth//

=GOALS= Content Standards:

Students will be able to determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings.

Students will be able to write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Students will be able to engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Students will be able to adapt speech to a variety of contexts, audiences, tasks, and feedback from self and others, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

ISTE NET-S

**1, Creative and innovative** **4. Critical thinking, problem solving, & decision making**

**2. Communication and collaboration** 5. Digital citizenship

3. Research and information fluency 6. Technology operations and concepts

Instructional Objective(s):

Students will activate their background knowledge while challenging beliefs in a collaborative setting. The lesson will engage students in the dilemma of defining the abstract by looking at freedom and how it can be viewed through different lenses. = = =ACTION=

Before Class Preparation: Students will have completed the book //Nothing But the Truth// by Avi. They will use their background knowledge and the discussions they had throughout the book to guide their discussion in this lesson. The teacher needs only to gather the listed materials and guide be present to guide discussion of each group to make sure students are meeting the learning objectives.

During Class

After being placed in groups, students are given a graphic organizer that will guide the lesson (Appendix A). Students are told the topic – Freedom. || Large poster-sized paper with graphic organizer Markers (one/group of 4) Tape (to hang posters) Post it Notes (one/student) Writing Utensil (one/student) ||
 * Time || Instructional Activities || Materials and Resources ||
 * 10 Minutes || ==Lesson Intro and Groups==
 * 10-15 Minutes || They begin the activity by brainstorming everything they think of in conjunction with this abstract word. After about 4-5 minutes, they are told to stop and given instructions to have one person (who is able to explain their list) stay behind while the other group members move about the room reading others’ lists and looking for ideas and contradictions. At the teacher’s signal, they return to their group and share insights while making changes or additions to their lists. ||  ||
 * 10-15 Minutes || Students are given instructions to repeat the previous step, only this time they are making a list of everything that freedom is not and writing it in the “-“ box. The teacher once again stops them after about 4-5 minutes when most students have completed the brainstorming activity and then has another group member stay behind while the others repeat actions from the previous step. ||  ||
 * 5 Minutes || Students number off and half of the group stays to defend their reasoning against the critiques of students from another groups with whom they have traded places. The idea is to bring in alternative perspectives and challenge beliefs. ||  ||
 * 5 – 10 Minutes || After rejoining original groups and discussing their lists of Freedom, the group must create three “therefore” sentences in the appropriate box in their graphic organizer. The therefore statements must align with what they have decided are their definitions or truths listed above. After completing their “therefore statements” students are instructed to develop one or two questions they have regarding freedom as it affects them. ||  ||
 * 5 Minutes || Each group posts their completed graphic organizers on the wall and the students do a gallery walk, reading the other groups’ therefore statements and questions. They must leave one Post It Note response that asks a group a clarifying question, offers advice, or provides a compliment. ||  ||

=MONITOR= Ongoing Assessment(s): Students will be awarded participation points by the teacher who is monitoring discussions throughout the lesson. The teacher will use the notes taken while listening to different students discuss to provide feedback to individuals, groups, or the whole class as deemed necessary.

Accommodations and Extensions: Students will be placed in groups with diverse abilities. This will allow students to assist one another and see varying perspectives. They will also be allowed to collaborate with other groups during walk times, which will allow natural differentiation through discussion and debate. Students who are struggling with the concept and activity will be guided by group members and/or the teacher who is facilitating the discussions while walking around the room.

=EVALUATION=

Lesson Reflections and Notes: Will be added after implementation…

= = =NEW LESSON 2=

Problem Based Learning

Daily Lesson Game Plan

Lesson Title: Freedom Handcuffed 2 Related Lessons: Reading comprehension strategies

Grade Level / Subject: 7 / English Unit: //Nothing But The Truth//

=GOALS= Content Standards:

Students will be able to read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6–8 text complexity band independently and proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Students will be able to self-select texts for personal enjoyment, interest and academic tasks.

Students will be able to gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format

Students will be able to conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation.

ISTE NET-S 1. Creativity and innovation ** 4. Critical thinking, problem solving, & decision making ** **2. Communication and collaboration** 5. Digital citizenship **3. Research and information fluency** **6. Technology operations and concepts**

Instructional Objective(s): Students will be introduced to their problem based learning unit. They will examine their prior knowledge and personal interest in the topic before they develop a top 10 list of reasons the school should remove the internet filter on a list of specified sites. = = =ACTION=

Before Class Preparation: Students have been introduced to effective search strategies, including Boolean Strategies that will help them with the research in the problem-based learning.

During Class

After completing the list (minimum of three), students get laptop computers and transcribe their list onto a GoogleDocs page. || Notebooks and Writing Utensils List of District’s Banned Websites GoogleDocs Page for Class ||
 * Time || Instructional Activities || Materials and Resources ||
 * 5 Minutes || Students reexamine their graphic organizers from the previous lesson, sharing any insights they might have had since creating their work and also discussing any feedback they were given in by classmates during the gallery walk. || Previous Lesson’s Graphic Organizer ||
 * 10-15 Minutes || Reflecting on the previous lesson, students brainstorm a list of reasons why they belief they should have access to district-banned websites like You Tube, Facebook, etc. (a list of banned websites is provided) The reasons generated in their list must not contradict the definitions of Freedom they compiled previously.
 * 30-40 Minutes || Using the Internet and a list of helpful websites, students do research in order to generate a top ten list of reasons the district should remove the filter on the chosen websites. The class must work together to compile a list of resources with abstracts that support their class top 10 list of reasons to remove the ban. Each group is responsible for developing support for one of the class’s top ten reasons. Any group that is particularly adept at research will have the opportunity to support other groups or finish any unsupported claims from the list.

Students are encouraged to use the collaborative format of GoogleDocs to offer suggestions to other groups as they arise during their research. For example, one group might be researching the benefits of You Tube in the classroom but will come across information that pertains more to a social networking group. They could then chat with them on the GoogleDocs and provide them the URL and any suggestions. || Laptops, Website List, and Internet ||
 * 3 Minutes || As an Exit Card, students write down one benefit and one drawback of this type of collaborative research. || 3x5 Index Cards and Writing Utensils ||

=MONITOR= Ongoing Assessment(s): Students will be completing their work in a forum that allows the teacher to monitor progress. The students will be assessed by their group mates and the teacher upon completion. Exit Cards will be informally assessed to check student progress and direct the following lesson.

Accommodations and Extensions: There are scaffolding strategies incorporated throughout the lesson to assist struggling learners, and students needing more challenging extensions will be encouraged to contact schools who have decided to remove their filters and ask them questions about why they removed them, how they gained community support, what they have learned since, and other recommendations they would offer.

=EVALUATION=

Lesson Reflections and Notes: Will be added upon completion of lesson…

Brandon

I love how authentic and realistic your lesson is and especially appreciate its relevance to my world. In my district social networking sites are blocked, as well as Google searching, so your frustration is understood. Giving your students an active role in potentially changing this policy is both empowering and encourages higher level thinking. Unfortunately, many districts consider social networking as only for outside of school and not as a viable collaboration resource. Good luck with this endeavor!

Erin

Brandon,

I agree with Erin - having your students decide specifically why they should have sites unblocked is a great real-life lesson where they will learn skills to apply throughout their lives. By deciding what sites need to be unblocked and why, students are using critical thinking skills, and when they are expected to create recommendations and reasons why to unblock the sites, they are improving their writing skills and their interpersonal skills which will help them later in life. Our school has unblocked those sites on teacher computers, but students unfortunately still are blocked on lab computers. It is quite the process to have a website unblocked, at least in our district, and I applaud you for showing your students that it takes time and reasoning to convince the tech people!

Kait