Question Can students analyze and synthesize learned material in order to form an opinion supported by facts? Objectives

• QuestionCan students analyze and synthesize learned material in order to form an opinion supported by facts?

• Objectives• Students will be able to write an opinion piece supported by facts and details

• Understandings

Students will understand that…• Written opinion pieces are supported by facts and details• Weighing the pros and cons of a situation can help formulate a decision

• HypothesisI think the students will be able to mentally construct an opinion supported with facts and details. I

believe most will be able to write their opinion with ease and will enjoy thinking creatively to formulate reasoning. However, I do believe some students will have a difficult time writing an opinion piece, which provides multiple evidence to support their choice. With teacher encouragement, I hope all students will be able to give at least two details to support their opinion.

• LessonFirst, students will participate in a See-Think-Wonder thinking routine. The cartoon encourages the

students to thinking about mixing modern technologies with the pioneers of the 1800s. Then the teacher will facilitate a discussion having the students name different technologies or inventions that would have been useful to the pioneers. They will then discuss different considerations to think about when selecting supplies for a wagon. The students have previously packed a simulated wagon and are familiar with different considerations. Students will select one modern day invention or form of technology they believe would have been most useful to the pioneers. They will write a paragraph of 3-5 sentences explaining their choice supported through facts and details. Then the students will draw a picture to accompany their selection. During the construction of the written response and illustration, the teacher will walk around and encourage students to add at least two supporting details. Finally, the students will share their work with the class.

The Technology

Trail

Students of Arleen Honick and Laura McRae’s fourth grade class studied westward expansion at Trinity School in Atlanta, Georgia. They spent about seven weeks reading frontier-themed novels and completing an interactive simulation where students took on roles of people who may have actually traveled west in 1843. To enrich and personalize the learning, students completed an at-home research project of their choice. The list of twenty project options included creating a quilt with authentic fabrics, writing diary entries from a Native American’s perspective, researching hazards of the trail, and many more. After learning all about ‘life on the trail,’ the eighteen nine and ten year olds were asked to think about the following question: “What modern day inventions and/or forms of technology would have been useful to the pioneers traveling west?”

This lesson was experienced on Friday, March 1. The teachers used the See-Think-Wonder thinking routine with a cartoon from www.masterfile.com, a slideshow presentation, and a white board. The students used colored pencils and paper provided by the teachers. Students analyzed their knowledge gained from the simulation, at-home projects, and frontier themed novels. Then they synthesized this information to form an opinion about what modern invention or technology would have been most useful to the pioneers traveling west. Teachers wanted to see if the students could write an opinion piece supported by facts and details. To support their opinion students were asked to draw a picture to accompany their written work.

Context

Students engaged in a See-Think-Wonder thinking routine and open discussion around the question, “What modern day inventions or forms of technology would have been useful to the pioneers traveling west?”

They were all eager to share their See-Think-Wonder ideas.

See:“Horses” – Sarah “Cacti” – Stone “Wagons” – Asia Bay “Mountains” – Emily Grace

Think:“I think it’s funny because it’s not possibly to have brake lights back then!” – Harold “I think the horse is saying the quote.” – Claire“I think the horse got hurt because of the stars.” – Luke

Wonder:“I wonder why the first wagon stopped.” – Chloe“I wonder why their using horses instead of oxen.” – George“I wonder why they decided to move west.” – Maddy (www.masterfile.com)

Artifacts

Students engaged in a See-Think-Wonder thinking routine and open discussion around the question, “What modern day inventions or forms of technology would have been useful to the pioneers traveling west?”

The students had many ideas and most gave reasoning to support their opinions.

“A T.V. would entertain everyone!” – Hayes

“A refrigerator would help with food.” – Luke

“A cell phone because it has lots of good apps.” – Anne

Artifacts

Then the students were asked to think about what characteristics should be considered when selecting supplies for a wagon.

The students gave ideas and often connected their ideas to the list of inventions and technologies. They applied their knowledge of modern objects to their knowledge of ‘life on the trail.’

“Weight! Oh, but a fridge is really heavy.” – Stone“I guess it could be a mini-fridge.” – Chloe

“Does it need a charger, gas, or electricity? iPhones and computers will loose their battery.” - Preston

“Usefulness on the trail.” –Huston “And usefulness in Oregon, too.” – Anna Kathryn

Artifacts

Next, the students chose what they thought would be the most useful object on the trail. They were asked to write a few sentences stating and supporting their choice.

Most students were able to apply all their background knowledge of pioneer life and modern day technologies to give supportive details about their opinion.

“I want to do a fridge because it can give you filtered water. Also, many people dies of diseases from bad food and it would help with that. Even though it’s heavy, it’s worth it.” – Luke

“I chose a flashlight. Lanterns are a fire hazard. I didn’t want something with electronic, like an iPhone, because they are harder to learn how to use.” – Sarah

Artifacts

“I’m doing solar panels because then you would have an unlimited energy source.” – Preston

“An iPhone because it has lots of uses. You could use the GPS as a map, there’s a flashlight app, and you could call someone if you got hurt.” – Chloe

Artifacts

The students shared their work with the class.

Artifacts

With this lesson, the students have learned to use their knowledge effectively in new situations and diverse contexts. They are able to modify their knowledge of modern inventions and technologies to meet the demands of the pioneers traveling west. They also learned to listen to their peers’ ideas and possibly alter their opinion based on those new concepts. Students weighed the pros and cons of different objects in order to make a decision on the best technology or invention for the pioneers. Students also learned to support their ideas with facts and details.

Documentation panels break down student learning into stages. It shows where the students are at the beginning, middle, and end of the lesson or unit. In my documentation panels, it shows that the students already had prior knowledge on pioneer life and modern day technologies. This is seen through their detailed brainstorming, and the conversations among students. Then, we see the students working with concentration as they develop their opinion pieces. When asking the students about their final choice, we hear the thoughtfulness that went into their decision. Most have thought about the necessities of the trail as well as the demands of the technology or invention. Some even weigh the pros and cons of the object before making a decision. Others had difficulty getting their ideas on paper, and although most could verbalize their opinions this is something we could work on. From this lesson, it is clear to see which students are fully able to get supported opinions on paper and which are not. This is formative information to the teacher. If there are many students who are struggling then he/she could plan a writing lesson to support the class. In the end, regardless of ability to get thoughts on paper, all of the students seemed eager and excited to share their work. Some even elaborated on their writing, which informs the teacher that they have the ideas and can make the connections, they just need a little more help with the writing aspect.

The Story of Learning

Throughout this process, I have learned to more deeply analyze lessons and units. By doing this, I can help make the experience more purposeful for the student. Instead of just having them create a product for an attractive bulletin board, we can have students participate in an activity or lesson while assessing their ability to meet different standards. Also, informative assessments can be fun and engaging! Starting with the objectives in order to create a lesson helps teachers know what they need to accomplish with instruction. The backwards design can assist the teacher in creating lessons that are not only purposeful, but also fun and engaging.

I also learned to be cognizant of learning that is verified through listening and observation. Throughout this experience, I feel as though I did a good job in documenting learning through listening to the students, i.e. student quotes; however, I feel as though my pictures aren’t as intentional as I thought. When I was taking the pictures, I tried to get a picture of each child while listening to what they had to say; however, when I later looked through the pictures, I realized that they all look the same. Next time, I will try to take a step back and get more pictures of the interactions, rather than just each individual child.

The Story of Learning