Flawed Summaries

This week the ASPIRE 5 class tried one of Dr. Bertie Kingore's GT strategies called Flawed Summaries.  This fun and high-level activity can be used for any subject.  We applied it to the end of our history unit, as we are finishing the causes of the Revolution.  Students were assigned to a group, and each group was given a topic such as the Boston Tea Party or the Stamp Act.  The directions were to create a five-sentence summary for their topic, and to include at least one mistake in each sentence.  To prevent tales of space aliens and time machines, they were required to keep the "essence" of their topic.  When the task was complete, each group presented their flawed summary to the class, and gave them the opportunity to find the mistakes and fill in the correct information.

The students had no problem getting started.  They took the assignment as a challenge, and were excited about the opportunity to stump their classmates.  They also used it as a platform for their creativity and humor, as so often the opposite of the truth can be very funny.  There were two primary reasons this lesson was effective.  First, according to Dr. Kingore, correcting the mistakes helps transfer the information to long term memory.  In addition, the class was engaged, challenged, and motivated to find the flaws, as it evolved into a competition of sorts.

Overall, I was very pleased with the energy of the classroom and the depth of the summaries.  It was much more interesting than a traditional review, as it was student-led, used cooperative learning skills, and allowed the students to incorporate creativity and technology.  I can't wait to try it again with another subject such as science or math.  For more information on Flawed Strategies and other GT lessons, pick up a copy of Rigor and Engagement for Growing Minds by Dr. Kingore.  You won't be disappointed.

Taking a Stand

Without a doubt, my favorite activity this week was our Stamp Act reaction.  The William and Mary theme for the Revolution is "Cause and Effect."  Everything we are currently reviewing in American history is viewed through the lens of a cause and effect model.  After reviewing the reasons behind the Stamp Act and the ramifications for the colonists, the ASPIRE 5 students were asked to choose one of the multiple perspectives that were presented, and write a letter that reflected their opinions about the act.

First, I was very pleased with the variety of viewpoints that were presented.  Students wrote from the perspectives of colonist, British citizen, King George, Parliament, and the House of Burgesses.  Next, many of the students tried to write authentic letters that reflected the vocabulary, dialect, people, and culture of the 1760's.  Finally, the students captured the essence of the activity - emotion!  They expressed the anxiety, frustration, and even outrage that eventually led to the Revolutionary War.  In the end, they demonstrated an understanding of the concept of cause and effect as it applies to the Stamp Act, and had fun in the process using their writing skills, creativity, and wit.

This was the second time we have tried this approach to American history.  Last semester, they wrote a persuasive letter to a potential indentured servant.  That assignment was also a big success, as they used creativity for a sensitive topic, which showed maturity beyond their years.  We will continue to look at historical topics through multiple perspectives throughout the year.  Only then can they grasp the causes and effects of important events in our nation's history, and have a true appreciation for the American story.

Math Olympiad!

This week the ASPIRE 5 math class participated in their third Math Olympiad competition of the year.  So just what is the Math Olympiad, and how does it benefit our students?  The Math Olympiad is comprised of five tests that require students to use number sense, advanced mathematical concepts, problem solving skills, and logical reasoning.  Each test consists of five problems, and students are usually given 25 minutes to complete them.  Students in grades 4 through 8 compete, with 49 states and 30 countries currently represented.  The Math Olympiad went public in 1979, and today over 150,000 students are participating.

The problems on the Math Olympiad tests reward creative problem solving strategies, and offer the opportunity for students to view solutions from multiple perspectives.  Students bring a variety of mathematical abilities to our classroom.  Some know algebraic and geometric concepts they will use in high school math one day.  Others are strong at logical reasoning and number sense.  The Math Olympiad problems can be solved with advanced and lower level, although less efficient, methods.  In the end, students benefit simply from applying their knowledge to the challenging problems in creative ways, regardless of their final score.

Overall, the ASPIRE 5 students really enjoy the Math Olympiad program.  They have demonstrated enthusiasm, creativity, and mathematical ingenuity during the first three competitions, and I am looking forward to the final two tests in the next few months.  Our scores are not as high as the students want them to be, but they are learning many valuable lessons about math, problem solving, and perseverance.  They are all benefiting from the experience, and will grow as math students and creative problem solvers as a result of their hard work.

Academic Brackets

One of the activities I brought home from December's TAGT conference was Ian Byrd's Academic Brackets.  The idea is to seed academic concepts, people, or other topics in a tournament-style bracket.  For each match-up, students select one of the contestants to make an argument for.  The process repeats until a champion is crowned.

For our first tournament, we seeded the eight nonfiction characters that we read about during the first semester.  The objective was to write persuasively using strategies such as ethos, pathos, and big names.  For the first round, students were only allowed to write one or two sentences to support their character.  When time was up, students read their responses, and voted to determine who would advance.  For the semi-finals, students wrote a paragraph, and for the finals, they wrote two paragraphs.

With each round, the students' writing improved.  Their products were increasingly passionate, the strategies were more evident, and the the arguments were more convincing.  By the finals, students were actively campaigning, and even voluntarily made props and digital presentations to enhance their speeches.  It was obvious that the competition became personal to many students, which resulted in great enthusiasm for their writing.

In the future, I am going to try a tournament for science and social studies.  It has the potential to make students go the extra mile, as they want to do their best so their candidate wins.  To view Ian Byrd's blog about academic tournaments, click here.  Who won the ASPIRE 5 Think It bracket?  Just follow the link below.  You might be very surprised!

Think It Bracket