The key to learning is engagement. K-12 scenarios in English Language Arts are presented - scenarios that provide access and stretch for all students, encourage talk and response, the building of community.

1. Engaging Hearts and Minds
PSA Super Conference 2017
Oct 21 Vancouver
Faye Brownlie
Slideshare.net/
fayebrownlie.superconference.engaging

2. Key to making a difference in student learning is
engagement. In this session we will examine
pedagogical pracJces such as open-ended teaching
and tasks, literature and informaJon circles, inquiry,
reading and wriJng workshop, and formaJve
assessment.
See how these pracJces engage students and provide
access points for the diverse learners in your class.
Examples that capture the hearts and minds of your
students, collected from BC classes, will spark your
planning and provide you with models to use in your
teaching.

3. A way in…The 6 BIG AFL strategies offer a GREAT star:ng place….
Start with one and the rest will follow…

4. Indoor Routines -April Pikkarainen
Explode a Sentence
(Thanks Faye!)

5. Reading Train – Louesa Bryne

6. Outdoor Routines – April Pikkarainen
Mud Message
SJcks & Stones alphabet/
words
Sight Words Hopscotch

7. Note-making using choice texts
with Katrina Sumrell, Gr 4,5,6
Lucerne School, New Denver
Keeping track of what is important, using headings and
categories
Read text and co-created notes as a web
Found categories
Books were distributed with some trading
Read, share, make notes, write
Students read and responded for almost an hour!!
(which gave lots of Jme for conferences☺)

19. Demonstration Lesson: Grade 4/5
Goal: increased engagement &
thinking
• Goal today – stretch your thinking and work like a detecJve to use
clues to figure things out
• EssenJal quesJon: How does where you live effect how you live?
– How can you answer this already?
– Partner talk, then group share
• Image: see – think – wonder
• Quick write
• Explode the sentence
• Reflect with core competencies

27. Explode the Sentence
• One day many years ago, children were
playing in the village, learning to be good
warriors and hunters.

32. Critical Thinking Core Competency
•I am becoming an acJve listener; I ask quesJons and make connecJons.
Evidence:
•When I talk and work with peers, I express my ideas and encourage others to express
theirs; I share roles and responsibiliJes.
Evidence:
•I recount and comment on events and experiences.
Evidence:

35. Unpacking the Lesson
• What struck you?
– Engagement of the kids
– 1 hour, 40 minutes
– All could parJcipate
– Major shics in thinking
– Content woven into massive thinking
– All responses were accepted
– Your language: each child was honoured and liced up
☺
– I could do this!!

36. Next Steps
• Next day, begin with another image and another sentence
to explode (should take half the Jme)
• Move to groups of 2-3 and have each group of students
explode a different sentence
• Share the sentences and an interpretaJve comment about
each
• Can the students, together, move to read their sentences in
order?
• Retype the same 10 sentences – as 10, 7 and 5. Students
choose which they want and re-order them BME
• Keep listening to the kids read
• Read the text, and reflect on how where you live affects
how you live.
• Repeat process with 2 other Roy Henry Vickers books,
highlighJng content.

37. Choice Novels &
Literature Circles
Entry points for
digging deeper
and developing
empathy.
Dave Giesbrecht, Richmond
Nancy Sharkey, Librarian

38. Learning Outcomes
• KNOW
– I can analyze ficJon for common elements and explain how they
help to develop the story and message of the novel.
• DO
– I can prepare for and parJcipate in small group discussions to
develop
• My understanding of the novel
• My ability to communicate my thinking
• UNDERSTAND
– I can demonstrate and deepen my understanding of
• The novel I read its context
• The issues facing children in other parts of the world
• Empathy – what it is and how it is developed

39. Guiding Questions
• How is the world where the story is set
different from your world?
• How do human development issues affect the
characters and society in your novel and how
does this relate to the world?
• How do discussions circles help you develop
your thinking?

40. “The danger of a single story”

41. The Plan: starting
• Introduced and selected books.
• Modeled the types of thinking to use while
reading with a shared text, “Thank You
Ma’am” by Langston Hughes. Created group
placemats:
– ConnecJons
– QuesJons
– Conclusions
– Judgments

42. ConnecJons QuesJons
Conclusions Judgments
Thank You, Ma’am –
Langston Hughes

43. The Plan: working in groups
• Students worked twice a week for 3 weeks.
• Groups created their own reading plan.
• Acer each 20 minute literature discussion,
students completed one of:
– Hot Seat
– Double Entry Journal
– CSI (colour, symbol, image – Making Thinking
Visible – Richart)

44. Thinking rouJnes: The Hotseat

45. Thinking rouJnes: The Hotseat
• Speaking goals
• QuesJoning technique
• Developing
connecJons

46. Thinking rouJnes: CSI

47. Thinking rouJnes: CSI

48. Final Assessments
• Reading response based on a quesJon generated by
the group and a personal response/recommendaJon
of the novel.
• Group presentaJon on context of the novel and how
this impacts their character.
– Research on real world context of novel
– Chose 3 most significant factors from the sepng that
affected characters and their quality of life
• Ongoing feedback and addiJonal instrucJon based on
conversaJons, observaJons, and products created
during the 3 weeks.