Powerful Conversations Secondary Network
February 28, 2013
Guiding Questions
1. What does “engaging learning experience” mean to me? To what extent and in what
ways do my colleagues and I think engaging learning experiences might improve
student learning?
2. In what ways are we incorporating “authentic performance assessments” into our
lesson and unit designs in our school? What is the value of using these?
3. Why might “engaging scenarios” be particularly appropriate to student mastery of
CCR standards?
4. What type of engaging scenario can we collaboratively create to support the CCRS
that our design team has been working with this year?
5. What can we expect from Instructional Rounds this spring?
Agenda
9:30
Welcome, Overview, and Reconnect
 Sharing Successes: Give One-Get One
What Does the Term “Engaging Learning Experience” Mean to Me?—
4 A’s Text Protocol (Activity 1)
What Can We Learn From Use of the “7C Student Survey?”—Using the Survey
as Viewing Guide for Videotaped Lesson (Activity 2)
What is Authentic Performance Assessment?—Team Talk (Activity 3)
LUNCH
12:15
Note: Reconvene in your role-alike groups after lunch. Principals will meet at
the back table for their role-alike group activity
Investigating “Engaging Scenarios”—Facilitated Team Review of Engaging
Scenarios, pp. 164-172, RCD (Activity 4)
Creating An Engaging Scenario to Match Our Chosen CCRS—Team
Development (Activity 5)
Sharing and Giving/Getting Feedback on Team Engaging Scenario—Modified
Tuning Protocol (Activity 6)
What can we expect from Instructional Rounds?—Rounds Hosts
Reflection and Feedback
2:30
ADJOURN
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013
Activity 1: What Does the Term “Engaging Learning Experience”
Mean to Me?—4 A’s Text Protocol (Allocated Time: 35 minutes)
I.
Directions: Read pp. 159 to top of 161. As you read, select ideas that
conform to each of the 4 A’s listed in the chart below. List the page
number, paragraph, and line of each concept—or mark it in your text with
a sticky note.
Brief description of idea
Page #,
paragraph, &
line
Author’s Assumption
Agree
Argue
Aspire
II.
Be prepared to share each of your 4 A’s using the protocol below.
a. A volunteer will lead off by sharing one assumption he/she believes
the author is making—and why the volunteer believes this to be an
assumption. The speaker points out the place in the text where this
idea appears.
b. In a round-robin fashion, other team members share the assumption
they identified—perhaps relating it to the assumption(s) identified by
previous speakers—and talk about why they identified this as an
assumption. Each speaker identifies place in text where his/her idea
appears.
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013
c. After everyone has shared an assumption, a 2nd individual volunteers
to share one idea with which he/she agrees—and why. The speaker
points out the position in the text where this idea appears. Again, talk
moves around the table in a round-robin fashion with everyone
sharing an “Agree” idea in a like manner.
d. In turn, group members present ideas with which they would “Argue”
and to which they “Aspire.”
e. After surfacing the 4 A’s in the manner described above, your group
should discuss the implications of this article for your
communications about CCRS with key stakeholders.
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013
Activity 2: What Can We Learn From Use of the “7C Student Survey?”—Using
the Survey as Viewing Guide for Videotaped Lesson (Allocated Time: 30 minutes)
I.
Directions: With your school team, review the “7C Student Survey.”
Which of the items do you believe might relate to student involvement in
engaging learning experiences? You will be using this survey as a viewing
guide for a videotaped lesson.
II.
View the videotaped lesson, which was selected by the Teaching Channel
as illustrative of instruction addressing a common core standard. As you
watch, be on the lookout for evidence of engaging learning experiences.
Following the viewing, you’ll talk with your teammate(s) about the extent
to which you believe this teacher exemplified each of the 7 C’s.
Notes from Viewing of Videotape:
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013
Activity 3: What is Authentic Performance Assessment?—Team Talk
(Allocated Time: 35 minutes)
Directions:
1. Individually review pp. 161-164 in the Ainsworth book (through the graphic).
2. Turn and talk to your teammate(s) about what authentic performance
assessment means to you—and the extent to which it is currently being used
across your school.
3. After you reach a shared understanding about the meaning of authentic
performance assessment and your current use, think together about potential
benefits of using this more widely across the classrooms in your school
(particularly as you implement CCRS)—and about barriers to increasing usage.
Complete the force-field template below.
Possible Benefits of Increased Use of
Authentic Performance Assessment
Possible Barriers to Increasing Use
Across Our School
Possible Strategies to Increase Use:
4. Now, stand and find another school team. Share and compare your analyses
(benefits and barriers), and talk together about possible strategies you might
adopt to increase the use of this powerful strategy. Record these in the space
provided above.
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013
Activity 4: Investigating “Engaging Scenarios”—Facilitated Team Review of
Engaging Scenarios, pp. 164-172, RCD (Allocated Time: 15 mins.)
Directions:
1. Organize your team for the day by assigning the following roles: facilitator,
recorder, materials manager, and timekeeper.
2. Team facilitator leads the team review of pp. 164-172 using the following
sequence:
a. Provide time for individual reading of the four-paragraph description of
engaging scenarios, pp. 164-165.
b. Lead team in discussion of what the text says about engaging scenarios. Ask
any team member who has used this structure to share with others.
c. Look together at the examples provided on pp. 165-170.
i. What do you notice about the scenarios?
ii. How might such a scenario both (a) provide an engaging learning
experience for students, and (b) assist them in meeting both content and
cognitive expectations of CCRS (and particularly one of the Mathematical
Practice Standards in the case of Mathematics)?
3. Speculate about the steps that a teacher might use to create an engaging scenario.
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013
Activity 5: Creating An Engaging Scenario to Match Our Chosen CCRS—
Collaborative Creation of an Engaging Scenario (Allocated Time: 40 mins.)
Directions:
1. Review the standard that will be the focus for your engaging scenario, and use
the template below to record these.
a. Identify the standard and any supporting standards (or Mathematical
Practice Standards) that have been the focus of your team’s work.
b. List the unwrapped concepts and skills embedded in the standard(s).
c. Look at the essential question you formulated for your lesson/unit.
CCRS Standard(s)
Concept(s):
Skill(s):
Essential Question:
2.
Select the concept and skills you hope to embed in your engaging scenario.
3.
Begin to brainstorm ideas for your scenario. You may wish to use the “SCRAP”
framework for thinking about scenario development. This framework has
developers/designers think about five components of a good scenario:
S = Situation: What is the situation or the context for your scenario?
C = Challenge: What is the challenge or the problem to be solved?
R = Role: What role is the student to assume?
A = Audience: Who is the audience?
P = Product or Performance: What is the product or performance the
student will create and/or demonstrate?
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013
A template following the scrap framework is provided on the following page should
your team wish to use it to outline your engaging scenario prior to writing it. An
example of a 7th grade American History engaging scenario is also provided.
Additionally, you will want to refer to the sample Engaging Scenarios provided by
Ainsworth in the pages you reviewed.
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013
Create an Engaging Scenario
Directions: Complete SCRAP as a planning tool for your Engaging Scenario.
How Will You Engage Students in a Real-Life Challenge That Conveys the Relevancy
of the Targeted Content and Skills and Acknowledges an Audience?
S
What is the situation?
C
What is the challenge?
R What role(s) does the student assume?
A Who is the audience (preferably an external audience)?
P
What is the product or performance the student will demonstrate and/or create?
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013
G. Reshaping the Nation and Emergence of
Modern America 1877-1916
Grade Level: Seventh (7th)
Content Area: American History
Standard(s) and/or
Concepts
Skills
benchmarks:
What students need to know
What students need to be
about
able to do
The student will analyze the Transformation of American Analyze ( 4 )
transformation of the
Economy
American
economy and the changing
Changing Social Conditions
social and political
Changing Political Conditions
conditions in response to the
Industrial Revolution.
Industrial Revolution
C. Historical Inquiry
The student will analyze
historical evidence and draw
conclusions.
Historical Evidence
Big Ideas
Statements of enduring ideas
The American Industrial Revolution
changed American society.
Historical evidence supports our
understanding of the past, present and
future.
Analyze ( 4 )
Draw Conclusions ( 5 )
Overarching/Essential Questions
How did the Industrial Revolution change the
American economy?
How did the Industrial Revolution change
American social conditions?
How did the Industrial Revolution change
American politics?
How do historians use and analyze evidence?
How do historians use evidence to draw
conclusions?
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013
10/8/09 – Engaging Classroom Scenario Brainstorm – 7th grade American History
DRAFT
Unwrapped Standards: G. Reshaping America and the Emergence of Modern America, 1877-1916 and C. Historical Inquiry, Analyze
historical evidence and draw conclusions.
Step 9: Create an Engaging Scenario
Directions: Complete SCRAP as a planning tool for your Engaging Scenario.
How Will You Engage Students in a Real-Life Challenge That Conveys the Relevancy
of the Targeted Content and Skills and Acknowledges an Audience?
S
What is the situation?
Who helped America become a stronger nation? Industrialists or Progressives?
C What is the challenge?
Your mission is to persuade the President to sign or veto the _______ bill.
(Example: Sherman Anti-Trust)
R What role(s) does the student assume?
You are a lobbyist representing one interest - Industrialists or Progressives.
Limit or expansion of business (anti-trust laws, Sherman Anti-trust ?)
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013
Step 9: Create an Engaging Scenario
Directions: Complete SCRAP as a planning tool for your Engaging Scenario.
How Will You Engage Students in a Real-Life Challenge That Conveys the Relevancy
of the Targeted Content and Skills and Acknowledges an Audience?
A Who is the audience (preferably an external audience)?
President of the United States and fellow lobbyists
P What is the product or performance the student will demonstrate and/or create?
Dinner at the White House
(other ideas-public forum, debate, dinner, seminar)
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013
Step 9: Create an Engaging Scenario (Continued)
Directions: Write your full Engaging Scenario in the space below.
Engaging Scenario
Imagine you are a lobbyist trying to convince the president to sign the bill.
You represent the Industrialist (Standard Oil, _______, ________) or Progressive (________, ______, Rockefeller) perspective.
Your mission is to convince the president to sign or veto the _________ bill.
These 8 lobbyists have come together to persuade the president to their point of view. All 8 people want the US to become a stronger nation.
Each member must state an argument and provide evidence to support your argument.
Should the president sign or veto the bill?
Questions/ideas about Group roles
Each group – each member is responsible for a non-fiction writing product
Individual—poster, news article, brochure, write/deliver a speech
Group - write 10 arguments with evidence/position paper, persuasive essay – letter to editor, persuasive
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013
Materials/Resources Needed
History Alive!
Document based questions
Argument/statement – identify evidence that supports argument.
Documents
Political cartoons, photo posters – packet for each group – evidence
Innovation, transportation, big business, women, quality of life, health, Philanthropy
Who worked in the factories, immigration? Students sort through evidence to decide which perspective is supported.
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013
Activity 6: Sharing and Giving/Getting Feedback on Team Engaging Scenario—
Modified Tuning Protocol (Allocated Time: 40 minutes)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Sharing (5 mins.)
One school team in each pair goes first, sharing their Engaging Scenario. (The team
may want to provide a written copy to the listening team.) The presenting team talks
about the standard the scenario addresses and describes the scenarios (using the
SCRAP framework, if desired.) The team also talks about what the concepts and skills
they hope students will develop/master as they engage in this learning. The other
school team is silent and takes notes.
Clarifying Questions (2 mins.)
Members of the listening team ask clarifying questions to understand the scenarios
being presented. Clarifying questions are convergent, intended only to elicit a
response from the presenting team, not to engage them in discussion.
Analysis & Discussion (3 mins.)
The presenting school team now listens and takes notes as the other team discusses
their team’s engaging scenario, surfacing insights. Original listening team members
discuss the clarity of the scenario (i.e., Will students know what to do?) as well as
what they believe students will learn through their work on the scenario. Team
members can provide both positive feedback as well as suggestions for tightening or
improving the scenario. (They, too, may wish to use the SCRAP framework to organize
their feedback.)
Reflection (3 mins.)
The presenting school team reflects aloud on what colleagues said about their
Engaging Scenario. They may use any feedback from colleagues to suggest
modifications to the scenario.
Continued Rounds (13 mins.)
The other pair now shares their Engaging Scenario. The group follows the above
sequence of steps.
Discussion (5 mins.)
The large group discusses what they believe contribute to an excellent scenario. They
may talk about challenges in creating scenarios, resources they might draw upon to
develop scenarios for their students, and/or their experience in working with
colleagues to create the scenario.
Debriefing (5 mins.)
The facilitator invites participants to share their insights with large group.
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013
Secondary PCN Quarterly Meeting #3—February 28, 2013
Reflection and Feedback
Directions. Please rate each item below from Strongly Agree (SA) to Strongly
Disagree (SD). Then, provide a very brief comment that might help meeting
designers get behind your thinking related to the rating of this item.
1. The content of this session was very relevant to my personal needs and the
needs of my school.
SA
A
D
SD
Comment:
2. I deepened my understanding of the following concepts/ideas as a result of
today’s session:
a. Changes that will be required for successful implementation of CCRS
SA
A
D
SD
Comment:
b. Key components of planning engaging learning experiences
SA
A
D
SD
Comment:
3. The protocols and learning strategies helped me focus and engage in thinking
and learning.
SA
A
D
SD
Comment:
4. I had opportunities for meaningful dialogue with colleague(s) from my
school about topics of importance.
SA
A
D
SD
Comment:
5. My conversations and collaborative work with colleagues from other schools
was productive and contributed to my learning.
SA
A
D
SD
Comment:
6. Overall, today’s PCN session was a valuable experience.
SA
A
D
SD
Comment:
Alabama Best Practices Center’s Powerful Conversations Network Secondary Meeting
February 28, 2013