Title, Learner Characteristics, and Sunshine State Standards
Problem Based Learning for At-Risk Students
Teacher:
Ms. Jeanne Blackwell
Title:
Helping Our Friends
Primary Subject Area:
Language Arts
Outside Subject Area:
Health
Class and Level:
Language Arts/Supported/Basic
Grade Level:
8th Grade
______________________________________________________________________
Students become community members, district and school-based personnel teams to
act as a resource to a student committee responsible for creating a school-wide
marketing campaign for dropout awareness/dropout prevention. The committee is
assigned the task to improve the awareness of the consequences of dropping out of
school. The issues that are addressed are:
Reducing alcohol and drug use
reducing the dropout rate by the end of the school year
increasing knowledge of salaries of dropouts compared to students who have
graduated
communicating and generating input from the school’s administration, teachers,
school resource officer, and fellow students
recruiting new members to participate in our Friends Helping Friends
Committee?
Adaptations for Non-Western Culture
Include resources from the student’s culture
Include audience member from the student’s culture
Adaptations for ESOL Students
Have a committee member give the presentation in student’s native language
Allow a translator when needed, if available
Have marketing material translated and posted in native language.
Title, Learner Characteristics, and Sunshine State Standards
Problem Based Learning for At-Risk Students
Teacher:
Ms. Jeanne Blackwell
Title:
Helping Our Friends
Primary Subject Area:
Language Arts
Outside Subject Area:
Health
Class and Level:
Language Arts/Supported/Basic
Grade Level:
8th Grade
______________________________________________________________________
Primary Sunshine State Standards:
LA.8.3.1.1: The student will prewrite by generating ideas from multiple sources (e.g.,
prior knowledge, discussion with others, writer’s notebook, research materials, or other
reliable sources) based upon teacher-directed topics and personal interests.
LA.8.4.3.1:
The student will write persuasive text (e.g., advertisements, speech,
essay, public service announcement) that establishes and develops a controlling idea,
and supports arguments for the validity of the proposed idea with detailed evidence.
Outside Subject Area Sunshine State Standards from Health:
HE.C.2.3.4: The student knows how to influence others to make positive choices.
Learner Characteristics of Middle School Students:
Physical: Physical growth during the middle school years is very rapid. In addition,
there is a drastic timing difference in growth spurts. Both boys and girls experience
growth spurts with timing differences; some may be early maturing while others may be
late maturing. All of the drastic changes at this time cause most adolescents to have
sensitive feelings about their bodies and mixed thoughts and feelings.
Justification: The changes that occur during these years may cause detachment,
resentment, and anger toward peers at school which results in a dislike for the school
environment.
Social: During these critical growth years, adolescents must feel that they belong to a
group and receive social approval.
Justification: If students do not feel welcome or that they do not fit into the ‘smart’,
‘attractive’, or ‘popular’ groups, they will seek alternative groups that can lead to
delinquent behavior resulting in a path that does not hold school and learning as a
priority.
Emotional: This age group places much emphases on appearance, social issues, and
belonging. They are self-conscious and feel that no one understands their feelings and
needs.
Justification: Helping students feel they belong in the school environment and feel
wanted and supported will encourage students to want to attend school and develop a
desire to learn. Many at-risk students do not feel that they belong in school because of
poor grades and behavior problems.
Cognitive: Middle school students need a classroom environment that is extremely
supportive and intellectually interesting. These students need to be involved in the
decision making of the classroom structure. This participation will enhance cooperative
learning among the students as well as increase motivation.
Justification: Students, who are involved feel part of a group, and feel accepted by
peers and the teacher will more likely place school and learning as a priority and look
forward to the school day rather than detaching from it.
Cognitive: Competition and social comparisons are important to this age group.
Justification: Students in the at-risk population do not view themselves as competent
and successful in the school setting. This results in the dislike for school and potentially
dropping out of school. Structuring a classroom for success of each student builds selfconfidence, motivation, and the desire to belong to a positive setting.
Title, Learner Characteristics, and Sunshine State Standards
Problem Based Learning for At-Risk Students
Teacher:
Ms. Jeanne Blackwell
Title:
Helping Our Friends
Primary Subject Area:
Language Arts
Outside Subject Area:
Health
Class and Level:
Language Arts/Supported/Basic
Grade Level:
8th Grade
______________________________________________________________________
Primary Sunshine State Standards:
LA.8.3.1.1: The student will prewrite by generating ideas from multiple sources (e.g.,
prior knowledge, discussion with others, writer’s notebook, research materials, or other
reliable sources) based upon teacher-directed topics and personal interests.
Learning Outcome #1
After reading each chapter of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean
Covey, the student will compose a summary for each chapter in the student’s writer’s
notebook scoring at least 5 out of 7 on each chapter summary according to the rubric
provided. (Synthesis)
Learning Outcome #2
The student will read the article Why Students Drop Out, examine the reasons, discuss
in small groups and create an accurate Know/Need to Know Board which contains at
least 7 accurate ‘Known’ facts and 10 ‘Need to Know’ statements/questions. (Analysis)
LA.8.4.3.1:
The student will write persuasive text (e.g., advertisements, speech,
essay, public service announcement) that establishes and develops a controlling idea,
and supports arguments for the validity of the proposed idea with detailed evidence.
Learning Outcome #3
After discussing the book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens, in small groups,
the students will the rate five most important habits that will help friends stay in school
and provide at least one accurate justification for each habit. (Evaluation)
Outside Subject Area Sunshine State Standards from Health:
HE.C.2.3.4: The student knows how to influence others to make positive choices.
Learning Outcome #4
The student will design a drop out prevention website as a group activity using
individual information gathered, scoring at least a 15 on the rubric provided.
(Synthesis)
Description of Student Roles
Students become the role of key school district personnel (teacher, school board
member, SRO officer, school district administer, principal of school) at a fictitious middle
school to assess the growing problem of student dropouts.
Meet the Problem Document
Shell Island School District
444 Island Creek Road
Dolphin, FL 56565
Memo
To:
School Personnel
From:
Dr. Jennifer Cares
Shell Island Superintendent
Date:
January 15, 2008
Attached is an article that I would like for all school personnel to read and be ready to
discuss and formulate three suggestions for each school principal to present at the
district level meeting on January 31, 2008.
This is a very serious problem that requires the attention of all staff at every level.
Below is the article from the Hurricane Herald:
Shell Island Middle School Principal Dr. Jennifer Cares has a chart she sometimes
shows students who are thinking about dropping out of high school.
The numbers on her chart show the difference in earnings between those who earn a
high school diploma and those who never finish.
“They can expect to be flipping burgers or to be a gofer,” Dr. Cares said when asked
what she tells students about the types of jobs for which a person without a high school
diploma can expect to be hired.
“On average, Florida’s more than 340,000 working-age dropouts each earn $8,000 less
than high school graduates each year, totaling $2.8 billion,” according to a June report,
“The High Cost of Florida’s Low Graduation Rate,” published by the Milton and Denise
DoBetter Foundation and the Florida Policy Council.
Across Florida, the number of students who leave school before graduating is
enormous.
In the 2004-06 average graduation rates for area school districts ranges from 71.3
percent at Shell Island Middle School to 73.6 at Dolphin Middle School.
Statewide, according to the report from the policy council, the rate could range from 70
percent, based on state numbers, to 50 percent.
“It’s a major problem. We’re not the worst in the nation, but we’re one of the worst.
We’ve got to address it,” said Dr. Cares said.
She estimated that only 60 percent of Florida students are completing high school or
getting their GED diploma.
That reverse “brain drain” shows up in many ways.
Former students earn less, are more likely to end up in jail or on the public social
services system. And the problem sends a signal to prospective businesses that the
state is not serious about education, educators and dropout experts said.
Most people could not imagine a business succeeding if it threw away 20 percent of
what it produced, said Heidi Ho, executive director of the National Dropout Prevention
Center/Network at Florida State University.
“Then why should we as a society be willing to allow 20 percent or more of our
youngsters not have a high school diploma?” Ms. Heidi Ho asked.
And it’s not just a serious issue in Florida.
In Georgia, the problem is even worse: It ranges from slightly more than half of the
students not completing high school on time to one in four never finishing.
“The trends in high school graduation rates in Southern Regional Education Board
states are depressing,” according to a 2006 report by the 16-state organization.
“Southern Regional Education Board states — as well as others in the nation — have to
get serious about the importance of high school graduation.”
Attachment for Students
Why Students Drop Out
REASONS WHY YOUTH DROP OUT







Both school problems and personal factors are reasons for dropping out.
Didn't like school in general or the school they were attending.
Were failing, getting poor grades, or couldn't keep up with school work.
Didn't get along with teachers and/or students.
Had disciplinary problems, were suspended, or expelled.
Didn't feel safe in school.
Got a job, had a family to support, or had trouble managing both school and
work.
 Got married, got pregnant, or became a parent.
 Had a drug or alcohol problem.
EARNINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DROPOUTS
 The gap between dropouts and more educated people is widening as
opportunities increase for higher skilled workers all but disappear for the less
skilled.
 In the last 20 years the earnings level of dropouts doubled, while it nearly tripled
for college graduates.
 Recent dropouts will earn $200,000 less than high school graduates, and over
$800,000 less than college graduates, in their lives.
 Dropouts make up nearly half the heads of households on welfare.
 Dropouts make up nearly half the prison population.
http://www.focusas.com/Dropouts.html
Problem Statement, Know/Need to Know Board and
Resources
Problem Based Learning for At-Risk Students
Teacher:
Ms. Jeanne Blackwell
Title:
Helping Our Friends
Primary Subject Area:
Language Arts
Outside Subject Area:
Health
Class and Level:
Language Arts/Supported/Basic
Grade Level:
8th Grade
Problem Statement:
How can we, as the Friends Helping Friends Committee, develop strategies that will
influence fellow students to stay in school in such a way that
We reduce alcohol and drug use
We reduce the dropout rate by the end of the school year
We increase knowledge of salaries of dropouts compared to students who have
graduated
We communicate and generate input from the school’s administration, teachers,
school resource officer, and fellow students
We recruit new members to participate in our Friends Helping Friends
Committee?
What We Know
What We Need to Know
Reason Why Youth Drop Out:
 When do the behaviors typically
start with potential dropouts?
 Had drug or alcohol problems.
 What activities do graduating
students participate in that
dropouts avoid?
 Became a parent.
 Had disciplinary problems in
school.
 Went to work to support family.
 Did not feel safe in school.
 Did not get along with teachers
and/or students.
 Did not attend school.
 Got pregnant.
 Were failing school.
 Had trouble managing work
and school.
 How can effective habits be
incorporated in schools earlier
and consistently?
 What are three common
denominators of successful
students?
 What can be offered to potential
dropouts as an alternative?
 When should the alternative
become serious considerations
for potential dropouts?
 How do the schools address teen
pregnancy and childcare issues?
 How can the business
community participate to
encourage graduation?
 How can funding be increased to
expand vocational/technical
training?
 How does the school help make
the students feel safe?
 How do we mass market the
concept of ‘The Rewards of
Staying in School until
Graduation?
Resources
Books:
Reimer, Mary. (2005). Do You Really Want to Drop Out? You Ought to Know the Fact!
National Dropout Prevention Center/Network
Covey, Sean. (1998). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, Fireside: Simon &
Schuster, Inc.
Websites:
http://www.youthhood.org/
©2005 Regents of the University of Minnesota
http://www.nea.org/dropout/betzen07.html
By Bill Betzen, middle school computer applications teacher, Dallas, Texas
http://www.studentmotivation.org/school_archive_letter_process_survey_2007.htm
5-28-07 Bill Betzen, bbetzen@studentmotivation.org
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/WWC/reports/topic.aspx?tid=06
|Institute of Education Sciences
Videos
Discovery Education, Rhonda Lucas Donald, Reality Matters, Risky Business
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/riskyBusiness/#cre
Human Relations Media, Dropout Prevention Series
http://www.hrmvideo.com/items.cfm?action=view&item_id=2993&type=monthlyspecials&search
_keywords=
Capstone Performance
Problem Based Learning for At-Risk Students
Teacher:
Ms. Jeanne Blackwell
Title:
Helping Our Friends
Primary Subject Area:
Language Arts
Outside Subject Area:
Health
Class and Level:
Language Arts/Supported/Basic
Grade Level:
8th Grade
______________________________________________________________________
Primary Sunshine State Standards:
LA.8.3.1.1: The student will prewrite by generating ideas from multiple sources (e.g.,
prior knowledge, discussion with others, writer’s notebook, research materials, or other
reliable sources) based upon teacher-directed topics and personal interests.
Learning Outcome #1
After reading each chapter of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean
Covey, the student will compose a summary for each chapter in the student’s writer’s
notebook scoring at least 5 out of 7 on each chapter summary according to the rubric
provided. (Synthesis)
Learning Outcome #2
The student will read the article Why Students Drop Out, examine the reasons, discuss
in small groups and create an accurate Know/Need to Know Board which contains at
least 7 accurate ‘Known’ facts and 10 ‘Need to Know’ statements/questions. (Analysis)
LA.8.4.3.1:
The student will write persuasive text (e.g., advertisements, speech,
essay, public service announcement) that establishes and develops a controlling idea,
and supports arguments for the validity of the proposed idea with detailed evidence.
Learning Outcome #3
After discussing the book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens, in small groups,
the students will the rate five most important habits that will help friends stay in school
and provide at least one accurate justification for each habit. (Evaluation)
Outside Subject Area Sunshine State Standards from Health:
HE.C.2.3.4: The student knows how to influence others to make positive choices.
Learning Outcome #4
The student will design a dropout prevention website as a group activity using
individual information gathered, scoring at least a 15 on the rubric provided.
(Synthesis)
Description of Student Roles
Students become the role of key school district personnel (teacher, school board
member, SRO officer, school-district administrators, principal of school, community
members, and students) at a fictitious middle school to assess the growing problem of
student dropouts.
Capstone Performance Description
Problem Statement:
How can we, as the Friends Helping Friends Committee, develop strategies that will
influence fellow students to stay in school in such a way that
We reduce alcohol and drug use
We reduce the dropout rate by the end of the school year
We increase knowledge of salaries of dropouts compared to students who have
graduated
We communicate and generate input from the school’s administration, teachers,
school resource officer, and fellow students
We recruit new members to participate in our Friends Helping Friends
Committee?
The teacher will divided the students into groups of 4 to discuss their individual
chapter summaries of the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. After
discussing the chapter summaries, each group will rate the five most important
qualities for students to acquire to assist them in graduating from school. Each
group will state two possible solutions to influence fellow students to stay in school
addressing the issues in the problem statement. Each team will select the ‘Best
Solution’ and explain. Each member of the team of four must provide one
justification for the team selecting this solution. The solutions and justifications will
be presented orally in the Destination Graduation Summit.
The students will remain in the same groups; each group will be assigned a role (i.e.
district administration; school-based administration, community members, or
students (Friends Helping Friends Committee). Based on the Know and Need to
Know Boards, the groups will formulate ideas and suggestions to present at the
*Destination Graduation Summit. The groups will then meet in their acting roles to
design a school-based plan on dropout prevention.
The Destination Graduation Summit will take place in two meetings. The first
meeting will be to discuss each group’s thoughts and ideas and to create the first
draft of the information that can be used to market within the school through flyers,
posters, brochures, and the final product the Destination Graduation Website.
The Friends Helping Friends Committee will meet after the Summit to discuss and
create a final draft of the information to present at the following Summit meeting.
The Summit will meet for the second time to review the committee’s final draft and
make any changes if necessary.
After all materials are approved the entire class will become the Friends Helping
Friends Committee. The committee will begin working with the teacher on the
production of the materials and the Destination Graduation Website.
Students will submit an individual writer’s notebook compiling the following
assignments:
o Chapter summaries (graded by rubric);
o Top five rated important habits of successful teens with one justification for
each;
o Know and Need to Know Board including 7 accurate ‘Known’ facts and 10
‘Need to Know’ statements/questions, and;
o Website development; each student will be responsible for submitting an
individual handwritten web page with at least two links to additional pages
(graded by rubric).
The writer’s notebook will be graded individually according to the rubric provided scoring
at least a 15.
Length of Time to Complete Project:
Total length of time will take eight weeks.
Read: The 7 Habits of Highly Successful Teens with Chapter Summaries – Two
Weeks.
Know/Need to Know Board: One Week.
Destination Graduation Summit: One Week.
Marketing Materials and Website Development: Four Weeks.
*Borrowed from the Mississippi Board of Education
Other Activities:
This PBL project can be expanded in time to include school activities, such as: school
assemblies with speakers, a mock job fair with interviews to show the importance of
graduation, etc.
Wall for Know and Need to Know Board
District Personnel
Superintendent, Dropout Prevention Specialist,
Middle School Representative
Community
School-Based
Members
Personnel
Small
Business
Owners,
Principal,
Assistant
Principal,
Community
College
Reps,
SRO,
Teacher
Vocational
Ed. Reps.
Friends Helping Friends Committee
Rubric for Assessing the Capstone Performance
Rubric for PBL Lesson Plan for Diverse Students
Criteria
Superior
Adequate
Unacceptable
12 Chapter
Summaries
5 pts. – 7 pts. each
84pts.
7 points earned for
each chapter
summary.
Summary accurately
states two or more
main points of the
chapter. The summary
is a minimum of 5
sentences.
60 pts.
At least 5 points
earned for each
chapter summary
Average 4
sentences each
chapter summary.
Resubmit
Less than three
sentences for each
chapter summary.
3 pts.
Contains at least
5 accurate Facts
and 7 accurate
Questions.
Resubmit
Contains less than
5 accurate Facts
and less than 7
accurate Questions.
3 pts.
Summary
accurately states
4 positive habits
with one accurate
supporting detail
for each. The
summary is
consists of 5 – 7
sentences.
Resubmit
Summary consists
of less than 4
positive habits with
less than one
accurate supporting
detail for each. The
summary consists
of less than 5
sentences.
Know/Need to
Know Board
Five Important
Habits Summary
5 pts.
Contains at least 7
accurate Facts and 10
accurate Questions.
5 pts.
Summary accurately
states 5 positive habits
providing one accurate
supporting detail for
each. The summary
consists of 8 – 10
sentences.
Student Webpage
10 pts.
Contains:
o Title:
Webpage Name
o 2 graphics:
Depicting positive
habits
Using the Internet print
two pictures that show
positive traits (sports,
community service,
peer tutoring).
o one 5 sentence
paragraph:
Select one chapter
summary from writer’s
notebook to include as
your narrative.
o 2 links: Using
the Internet find
two sites that
offer homework
assistance and
include URL on
your webpage.
Scoring Guide
A
B
C
D
F
94 - 104
84 - 93
74 - 83
64 - 73
Resubmit
3 pts.
Contains 3 out of
4 items.
Resubmit
Contains less than
3 items.
Two Alternative Solutions and One “Best Solution Analysis
Problem Based Learning for At-Risk Students
Teacher:
Ms. Jeanne Blackwell
Title:
Helping Our Friends
Primary Subject Area:
Language Arts
Outside Subject Area:
Health
Class and Level:
Language Arts/Supported/Basic
Grade Level:
8th Grade
Problem Statement:
How can we, as the Friends Helping Friends Committee, develop strategies that will
influence fellow students to stay in school in such a way that
We reduce alcohol and drug use
We reduce the dropout rate by the end of the school year
We increase knowledge of salaries of dropouts compared to students who have
graduated
We communicate and generate input from the school’s administration, teachers,
school resource officer, and fellow students
We recruit new members to participate in our Friends Helping Friends
Committee?
Solution One:
The Friends Helping Friends Committee recommends that a total school-wide dropout
prevention marketing campaign be implemented in a one month period.
Pro
Con
The campaign will reach the majority of the Not all students will be positive about the
students at school.
message.
The committee will attract new members.
Committee membership may be reduced
because of the additional work.
The campaign will consist of messages to
reduce alcohol and drug abuse.
Teachers may penalize the students
because of extra time required.
The campaign will increase knowledge of
salary differences.
Students may not understand the message
of salary differences without further
explanation.
Consequences:
1. Students will be made aware of dropout consequences in a short period of time.
2. The students will receive new dropout prevention messages on a continuous
basis.
Solution Two:
The Friends Helping Friends Committee will ask the guidance counselor, SRO, and
administrators to assist as a resource in the campaign to implement a marketing
campaign over a nine week period.
Pro
The counselor, SRO, and administrators
will provide input and guidance.
Con
The campaign will become more time
intensive for the SRO, counselor, and
administrators.
The committee will have a longer time
period to implement campaign.
The committee members may lose
enthusiasm for a longer-term campaign.
The students will be made aware of topics
one at a time.
Students may lose the connection of the
topics related to dropout prevention.
The committee will have the opportunity to
recruit new members based on each topic
addressed.
New recruits may be interested in one
topic but not the overall topic of dropout
prevention.
Consequences:
1. The Committee will attract the attention of the entire school with the message in
the marketing campaign.
2. The Committee will have time to use many different marketing strategies.
Best Solution: Solution #2
Justification:
Best Solution: Solution Two.
This solution will provide the most support, guidance and input for the committee. The
student committee will need the guidance and support from the school-based
personnel. The time frame will allow the students to market the campaign and complete
the required tasks without interfering with their day to day assignments. The teachers
will be available to help and offer guidance over the longer period of time. The student
population will have awareness of one topic at a time rather than being inundated with
too much information in a short period of time. Department of Education and many
other dropout prevention websites state that dropout prevention is a serious problem
that requires a long term solution. Although there are other dropout prevention
messages available for students via the Web, television, and radio; this marketing
campaign will directly impact the students on a daily basis.
Title, Learner Characteristics, and Sunshine State Standards
Problem Based Learning for At-Risk Students
Teacher:
Ms. Jeanne Blackwell
Title:
Helping Our Friends
Primary Subject Area:
Language Arts
Outside Subject Area:
Health
Class and Level:
Language Arts/Supported/Basic
Grade Level:
8th Grade
______________________________________________________________________
Primary Sunshine State Standards:
LA.8.3.1.1: The student will prewrite by generating ideas from multiple sources (e.g.,
prior knowledge, discussion with others, writer’s notebook, research materials, or other
reliable sources) based upon teacher-directed topics and personal interests.
Learning Outcome #1
After reading each chapter of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean
Covey, the student will compose a summary for each chapter in the student’s writer’s
notebook scoring at least 5 out of 7 on each chapter summary according to the rubric
provided. (Synthesis)
Learning Outcome #2
The student will read the article Why Students Drop Out, examine the reasons, discuss
in small groups and create an accurate Know/Need to Know Board which contains at
least 7 accurate ‘Known’ facts and 10 ‘Need to Know’ statements/questions. (Analysis)
LA.8.4.3.1:
The student will write persuasive text (e.g., advertisements, speech,
essay, public service announcement) that establishes and develops a controlling idea,
and supports arguments for the validity of the proposed idea with detailed evidence.
Learning Outcome #3
After discussing the book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens, in small groups,
the students will the rate five most important habits that will help friends stay in school
and provide at least one accurate justification for each habit. (Evaluation)
Outside Subject Area Sunshine State Standards from Health:
HE.C.2.3.4: The student knows how to influence others to make positive choices.
Learning Outcome #4
The student will design a drop out prevention website as a group activity using
individual information gathered, scoring at least a 15 on the rubric provided.
(Synthesis)
Problem Statement:
How can we, as the Friends Helping Friends Committee, develop strategies that will
influence fellow students to stay in school in such a way that
We reduce alcohol and drug use
We reduce the dropout rate by the end of the school year
We increase knowledge of salaries of dropouts compared to students who have
graduated
We communicate and generate input from the school’s administration, teachers,
school resource officer, and fellow students
We recruit new members to participate in our Friends Helping Friends
Committee?
Debriefing Plan
The Friends Helping Friends Committee will make two presentations to the community
members, district and school personnel at the Destination Graduation Summit. The
Committee will present two solutions to the Summit members for consideration.
Each
group will select a recorder to list on a chart the solution, pros, and cons of each. Each
group will examine all components (pro, con, and consequences) of each solution. The
Summit members will then vote on each solution. The designated chairperson will
answer questions from the Summit members.
One Best Solution
After all discussions and question and answer segment is completed, the Committee
will select the ‘one best solution’ based on the votes of the Summit members. Each
Summit member will have one vote. After voting is completed the solution with the most
votes will be considered ‘the best solution’. The Committee chairperson will tally the
votes. The Committee will then look at Solution #2 to determine if any components
could be added to the Solution #1. The Committee chairperson will then read entire
solution to Summit members for the final approval and acceptance.
Five Essential Concepts
The following concepts will be required and completed according to the learning
objectives in order to complete discussion and voting at the Summit:
The students will prewrite by generating ideas from discussion with others,
research materials, and prior knowledge.
The students will compose a summary based on ideas and discussions.
The students will write persuasive text to present best solution.
The students will understand the consequences of not graduating and how it
relates in the real world.
The students will create marketing campaign based on best solution.
Coaching Questions
C = Cognition
M = Meta-cognitive
E= Epistemic
Type of
Question
Question
Meet the Problem
C
What does this problem mean to you?
M
Are there any concepts that you do not
understand that relates to this problem?
E
What types of strategies will you use to address
this problem?
Type of
Know/Need to Know Board
Question
C
How do you know that graduating is important?
M
What resources helped you formulate your
questions?
E
What is the most important issue to address?
What is the least important to address?
Problem Statement
C
Have you ever considered the impact of
dropping out of school?
M
What if anything would you change in your
strategy?
E
Does everyone in your group agree that
dropping out of school is a problem?
Information Gathering and Sharing
C
Do you have enough facts to prove that this is a
problem?
M
What resources have helped you the most in
answering your questions?
E
How have you divided the work among team
members? Would you change anything? Is so,
how?
Generating Solutions
C
Will your solution solve all of the issues?
M
Why do feel Solution #1 is better than Solution 2?
E
How can we introduce and apply this strategy in
other schools?