Integrated Unit Project
Summer 2001
-
Running Record of
Project Discussion
Back to the Project Main Page
ALSO SEE the closing comments
for this project
The initial conversation that led to this project took place on the main
MiddleWeb discussion list. Visit this page
to read a summary of that discussion.
June 9
JOHN NORTON BEGAN THE CONVERSATION:
Hi, adventurers!
There are 30 of us on the list right now -- certainly enough for
"critical mass."
I very much want this to be the participants' project -- you know a
heck of lot more about curriculum than I do!
Can I suggest that we begin by having everyone post a note to the
list sharing some thoughts about what they hope we might be able to
do?
At some point, it might be worth considering whether:
* Someone would be willing to volunteer, or we might somehow select,
a moderator or pair of moderators for this summer list. They could
take some leadership in keeping us on task, communicating with me
about what I need to be doing to help, etc.
* Would it help to create one or more on-line "committee," --
smaller
groups with assigned tasks? I guess a good question might be: "How
would you do this in the physical environment of your school, or in a
summer PD workshop?"
I won't repeat all of our earlier conversation about how this might
go, but simply refer you to the webpage at MiddleWeb where I posted a
string containing most of that conversation:
http://www.middleweb.com/MWLresources/projectbckgrnd.html
Let the experiment begin!
John
-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Keith Mack" <kmack@mackzone.com>
Subject: [MWprojects] Organization & Possibilities
Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2001 09:57:11 -0700
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
I have recently been granted a leave of absence from my 8th grade LA/SS
assignment for next year. This is a leave w/o pay so not sure what I'll
be
doing in the fall - could be a TOSA doing professional development and
curriculum work for another district. Could just end up freelancing and
begging on the streets!?!?
Anyway, I've done quite a bit of on-line collaboration on projects and am
pretty good with web stuff. This last year I work with about 30 people to
put up a set of five on-line professional development modules for the
Learning Space www.learningspace.org . This "virtual process"
is no easy
chore and having gone through the experience, I'd like to suggest a couple
things to this group.
1. Concept: I'd suggest we come up with an overarching question as a first
step. Perhaps our exulted leader and keeper of list threads could help us
do
this as we rework, narrow, and vote on an overarching questions. We WILL
find a question that will work for ALL disciplines. The more I've worked
with these the easier they get. It is also a great process for a group as
members tweak ideas and wordsmith.
2. Key questions: Once the overarching question is established, there will
be key questions that will emerge. These could be content/subject specific.
After this point we can continue working "backwards".
3. Teams: I think it will be essential to identify a small team of "leads"
for the project. Once this is done then the leads will have a smaller team
that works with them on certain elements of the project. In the project
this
year, leads reported to me as web designer and to CEO. In our 8th grade
team, we'd each take on certain tasks for the curricular project, share
with
team, and then team reviews and revises.
4. Structure: I think it's really helpful to have a similar structure to
each component. We do this with projects in our 8th grade, this way it's
the
same for every student in every classroom. Doesn't matter if it's science
or
social studies, projects all look the same and have same elements. This
relates to procedure things that are so important to our age group.
5. Virtual Space: The may be a need for a 'virtual' space for people to
interact. I've tried a few out (they are free!) and they may be something
to
experiment with. Right now I'm at home and don't have URL's, but can find
them and post (OK, I didn't say how much I used them!). They will allow
users to chat, post notes, send e-mail, upload documents, etc. This might
be
an easier system than working through a bunch of e-mail threads.
6. Standards: this might be tough, but we probably should have standard
software. Our teams all used Word and I'd suggest this as there are some
pretty powerful and collaborative tools. Don't know what that would mean
to
those of you without this. Also, we will need to think about the final form
for this curriculum project. I would think we would want a web-based
curriculum? What I would suggest we do is create everything in Word (or
RTF)
and then just copy/paste into an HTML editor.
7. Meetings: It would be neat if we each could make a short page along with
picture of ourselves once this gets off the ground. This would be on the
project web site.
I don't think the task is overwhelming, but the initial work should have
a
path laid out to guide us along the way. What do we envision the end looking
like? I can see from the early threads in this group that we'd be trying
to
work with 30 people at once and that probably won't be very productive.
Possibilities:
I'd encourage everyone to not get too specific at this time. Trying to fit
in a certain novel or math concept will not be of value right now. Those
big
overarching questions or "themes" will allow all subject areas
to
contribute. We used one this year: "How does change create conflict?"
It got
to be really cool towards the end of the year as I'd look at students and
we'd all be thinking this question. A question like this works great for
science as well as social studies. From my experience these two subjects
are
the ones that "drive" projects. Other disciplines like arts, writing,
reading, math, etc. are incorporated as vehicles that help us on the road
to
creating answers to key questions.
Anyone in this group going to NECC in Chicago later this month? I'm teaching
a class there and then will be on the exhibit floor in the Learning Space
booth.
Keith Mack <kmack@mackzone.com>
Educational Consultant and Web Design
The MackZone http://www.mackzone.com
Journey America http://www.journeyamerica.org
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 09 Jun 2001 15:11:22 -0500
From: Ellen Berg <ellen@accessus.net>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] Organization & Possibilities
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
> We used one this year: "How does change create conflict?"
Other disciplines like arts, writing, reading, math, etc. are incorporated
as vehicles that help us on the road to creating answers to key questions.
Keith,
I love this question! As a LA teacher, I see how wonderfully this would
fit in
with the study of a novel, how events and conflicts drive plot, how characters
react to changes in their environment, etc. I think about the possiblities
of
helping my students deal with their own changes and challenges.
Thank you also for your suggestions on how to structure the
discussion/project. I think you have excellent ideas.
--
Ellen Berg
Turner MEGA Magnet Middle
St. Louis, MO
-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Marsha Ratzel" <marsha_ratzel@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] Organization & Possibilities
Date: Sat, 09 Jun 2001 16:13:06 -0500
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
Keith,
I think your proposed structure is terrific. Your experience will serve
us
well and I would be glad to be assigned to any subgroup or task. I have
taught math and science for the last 7 years, but also have been in social
studies as well.
And to everyone,
As to topic.........My ideas of framing this unit, would be along the lines
of common ties or threads that bind us together. Interdependence---but
more
than that. What can be learned from those people and cultures that have
proceeded us that should be applied to today and tomorrow? And what do
other cultures understand (values, technologically, socially, economically)
that we do not which could be beneficial? The ideas of common threads could
loop back in time and across all borders (geographical and curricular).
This could be a unit of great hopefulness and inspiration to take positive
action in one's own life, community and beyond.
I look forward to hearing all the ideas and then moving forward with a
discussion. I will be gone for 5 days in June---taking a geology course
hiking/camping thoughout the Red Rock area of Utah. I will also be gone
for
a week in July to visit my college roommate since my daughter's going to
spend time up at Dartmouth. I haven't been back to the Boston area since
I
before she was born and I'm anxious to hear the Pops again. Otherwise I
will be around all summer to work on this and am anxious to work and learn
with all of you.
Marsha
-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Keith Mack" <kmack@mackzone.com>
Subject: [MWprojects] Virtual Workspace
Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2001 14:52:08 -0700
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
The example of a virtual workspace is at http://www.mackzone.intranets.com.
I just set up an account for middle Webbers on my service there for
mackzone. Here's how you get in:
Login: mweb
Pwd: norton
The account above is an administrator account so you can get in and check
out options that would not available if you were just a "commoner".
I
quickly added some samples to various areas so you could see how it might
be
used. The unfortunate thing is that they are going to start charging for
the
service at the end of June ($7-$14 per month?).
The thing I like about this sort of service is it forces people to be a
bit
more organized. Most of us as teachers are pretty much used to just being
on
our own schedule and doing things in our own time. Without face-to-face
contact, something like this would be an easier interface for us to handle
coming in and out from vacations, workshops, or other commitments. If you're
going to collaborate "virtually" using a large group on a project
then there
HAS to be more than just random exchange of e-mails. Those of you who use
Outlook - the categories and interfaces may seem a bit familiar. In fact
you can sync with Outlook and your Palm Pilot - pretty cool.
Check it out. Add yourself as a member if you want, post a message, add
a
task, whatever...enjoy. It'll be shut down at end of month anyway.
Keith Mack <kmack@mackzone.com>
Educational Consultant and Web Design
The MackZone http://www.mackzone.com
Journey America http://www.journeyamerica.org
-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Carol Lea Macke" <clmacke@msn.com>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] Organization & Possibilities
Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2001 17:25:57 -0700
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
I think the proposed structure is great. It is similar in structure to
what
we do on a smaller scale (3-4 people, no internet). Since we don't have
face to face contact, I really like the idea of having a place with
information and pictures of us. How do we go about setting this up?
Possible themes:
* Systems and Structures
*Tolerance
*Unity
*Now and Then
Carol
-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: bdyck@highwired.com
Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2001 23:33:34 -0600
Subject: [MWprojects] You Otta' Be in Pictures!
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
<Since we don't have face to face contact, I really like the idea of
having a place
with information and pictures of us. How do we go about setting this up?>
If project participants will email me a picture (scanned or digital) I will
set them up on a virtual
scrapbook that I'll post on the List. It would be nice to put a picture
to a face (although we
may find out that John doen't look exactly like Mel Gibson...)
Send them to:
bdyck@highwired.com
Sincerely:
Brenda Dyck
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2001 05:16:40 -0400
From: bivey@k12s.phast.umass.edu (Bill Ivey)
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] You Otta' Be in Pictures!
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
At 23:33 6/9/01, bdyck@highwired.com wrote:
>If project participants will email me a picture (scanned or digital)
I will set them up on a virtual scrapbook that I'll post on the List. It
would be nice to put a picture to a face (although we may find out that
John doen't look exactly like Mel Gibson...)
Hi!
(Oh, the disillusionment...)
You are very kind to take this on! Are there any particular parameters
(size, file type, etc.) you would prefer we meet?
Take care,
Bill Ivey
Pine Cobble School, 163 Gale Road, Williamstown, MA 01267
-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: SKosmoski@aol.com
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2001 08:39:07 EDT
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] Virtual Workspace
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
In a message dated 6/9/01 9:57:05 PM, kmack@mackzone.com writes:
<< http://www.mackzone.intranets.com >>
Keith--
I logged on with no problem. This appears to be a great place to save our
work and be able to "save" conversation so we could easily access
it
together. I could not get into the social studies forum--it kept jumping
around! But my guess is it was just an aberration.
The theme of change would be a good one for us all to use. The generalization
"Change is inevitable," or "Change can be positive or negative"
have lots of
"jumping off points."
Mary Anne
-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Marsha Ratzel" <marsha_ratzel@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] Virtual Workspace
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2001 07:47:16 -0500
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
Keith,
This is very well organized and I think it will be essential. I organized
a
group of teachers to prepare for the National Board Assessment Center
exercises and used the MSN Community. Before I created the Web Community,
we had trouble coordinating our efforts to exchange information and
distribute it all memebers. Frustration abounded and we almost broke up.
The Web Community helped unite and get coordinated.
This site is much faster than the MSN facility and I love the Palm Pilot
syncing feature. It works so well to be able to post messages, send group
emails, etc. I would definitely be in favor of something like this. And
I
agree, with all the coming and going, it will be very helpful. (My group
had to contend with various spring breaks.) I'd be glad to chip in to
offset the cost.
Marsha
-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Keith Mack" <kmack@mackzone.com>
Subject: RE: [MWprojects] You Otta' Be in Pictures!
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2001 09:30:57 -0700
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
I'd suggest the easiest thing would be to put these up on an intranets site.
Users could upload their own individual pic or add an entire word file?
That
way everyone could look at them while a team member was preparing a web
based format for this particular task.
For web based photo items, you MUST use JPG format and pics should be about
40k in size (about 360 pixels longest side?). I put some examples into the
intranets site so you could see how this might work. My caution is for you
to be very aware of file sizes - we don't want a bunch of 1.2meg files being
passed around. I added a word file with my pic (I'm the guy on the right!)
and I also created a folder to drop pic only in (I put two in there -enjoy).
http://www.mackzone.intranets.com
login: mweb
pwd: norton
BTW: I'm sorry to report that John's bid for president in 2004 may come
up
short. At this point the preference poll shows him lagging behind Laura
Croft and Capt. James T. Kirk.
Keith Mack <kmack@mackzone.com>
Educational Consultant and Web Design
The MackZone http://www.mackzone.com
Journey America http://www.journeyamerica.org
-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Keith Mack" <kmack@mackzone.com>
Subject: RE: [MWprojects] Pictures!--Technology panic!
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2001 14:11:11 -0700
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
No cause for panic. I think as part of this project teachers will increase
technology and collaboration skills. I would encourage everyone to be sure
to sound off when having difficulties and I'm sure others will step up to
help out.
If you have a photo you could still send to a designated person. Most photos
are in JPG form anyway. If files are in another form, someone can convert
for you. I would hope that you and others try out the site and features.
It
is surprisingly intuitive to use.
Uploading to the intranets site is very easy - just like adding an
attachment to e-mail. You click on "Documents" in the intranets
home page
window (left margin). Then when the documents page of the web site loads:
1. Click on "add a document"
2. Enter a title for the document
3. Click on "browse" button.
a window opens to your hard drive to allow you to select the document or
image that you want
4. Select the folder that you want to put this "document" (next
text box
just below "browse").
If you select wrong folder, you can go and delete or move the file later
(mistakes are OK!)
5. You can ignore other windows that ask for key words or descriptions
6. When ready hit "save" (up at top of screen). The file will
be
transported from your computer to the "intranets" site.
7. That's it. You might try uploading a document or an image you have just
to try it out.
For any of you wondering about the different files try
http://www.mackzone.com/graphics/gif-jpg.htm for some examples and
comparisons of the two formats. Basically JPG is used for photos (any image
that comes from a camera). GIF is used for images that could be make with
your box of color crayons (drawings and text).
Keith Mack <kmack@mackzone.com>
Educational Consultant and Web Design
The MackZone http://www.mackzone.com
Journey America http://www.journeyamerica.org
-----------------------------------------------------------------
June 10-11
I haven't heard any other talk about our overarching question lately. I
really like the one focused on change (How does change create conflict?)
and
agree with Ellen that Language Arts will have lots of things to contribute.
Any other questions/disagreements, etc.?
Amy Heinsma
7th Language Arts and Reading
Windsor, CO
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Amy et al,
I really liked that question too. Some of us haven't been writing as
much because we are in the throes of closing out the year. I suspect we'll
hear from more folks after this week ends. Thanks for the reminder.
I also wondered about the charge for the site...is it one charge for
all of us or for each participant? I assumed it was one sub for the group,
but I'm not sure.
Deborah Bambino
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Anne Jolly" <jolly61@home.com>
Subject: [MWprojects] Topic of Making Change Happen?
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 16:43:39 -0500
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
Hi all, just wanted to make one suggestion about the topic of change =
creating conflict. Very true! However, change also creates progress - =
in fact it's the only way to generate progress. For the record, I'd =
like to focus on Making Change Happen and then bring out the conflict =
idea as a facet of the change process. =20
Change is certainly a common theme among all the disciplines.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Keith Mack" <kmack@mackzone.com>
Subject: RE: [MWprojects] Topic of Making Change Happen?
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 15:24:01 -0700
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
We didn't focus on conflict as meaning disagreement more like the resolution
of discord into harmony in music. There's a saying that I've heard: "You
can
have change without improvement, but you can't have improvement without
change."
So a couple possible questions might be (these need a lot of work so add
please your ideas):
How and why do we decide to make changes?
What are the influences that affect change?
How can we determine if change good or bad?
How doe internal and external conditions affect change?
Keith Mack
Educational Consulting and Web Design
kmack@mackzone.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 17:40:57 -0500
From: Ellen Berg <ellen@accessus.net>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] Topic of Making Change Happen?
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
> So a couple possible questions might be (these need a lot of work so
> add please your ideas):
>
Another couple of questions that come to mind are:
*Is change inevitable?
*Is it possible NOT to change?
*What are the repercussions of change?
--
Ellen Berg
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
June 12
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 20:29:30 -0400
From: John Norton <jcroftn1@mindspring.com>
Subject: [MWprojects] INTRANET? OR PLAN A?
Folks on the Project List...
After reading everyone's comments about Keith's prototype site at
intranets, I detect some unease about the technical prowess that
might be needed to negotiate it.
I'd like to suggest that we consider sticking with Plan A, but with
one improvement that I've just managed to develop. It addresses
Keith's important observation that we need "virtual space."
The intranets fee is not a problem -- I can pay that from the grant
-- but I have also found the site slow and balky in Netscape. Like
some of you, I don't really want to change my browser for this
project. Also, it appears that we would need to continue using this
[MWprojects] listserv to communicate, so we'd end up going back and
forth.
So my recommendation is that we stick with Plan A. What is Plan A?
-- Use the [MWprojects] list for daily back and forth conversation.
-- Post materials we develop in a special section on the
MiddleWeb website.
-- Archive each day's conversation on a MiddleWeb page for reference.
I've spent some time today learning how to post downloadable text and
similar files on a MiddleWeb page. (I apologize profusely for not
developing this skill LAST week and saving us this confusion.)
So, we can now do this, if we choose to:
* Send all files created in connect with the Project to me, and let
me post them on a special Project download page at MiddleWeb. There
will be a small delay while I get them posted, but that's probably a
reasonable tradeoff, since I will be able to manage them, let you
know when they're available, and do my usual custodial duties.
ALL YOU folks will need to do is go to the MiddleWeb download page
and download any file you like.
I have a test page up right now. You might want to try this out and
see if you have any trouble downloading the test file I've put there.
It's a text file, saved in Rich Text Format, which everyone can
probably open without much trouble. Go to:
http://www.middleweb.com/MWLresources/projectdocs.html
Unless someone has strong objections, I propose that we follow Plan A
and get on with the "mind work" we're all interested in. I really
appreciate Keith's efforts, and I've urged him privately to be a
leader in this work. We really need his experience.
If you missed his comments about "lessons learned" from his previous
involvement with such projects, see:
http://www.middleweb.com/MWLresources/projectkeith1.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John
I am for sticking with Plan A just because I for one am feeling very
overwhelmed. Today was the last day of the school year, a hard school year.
I
know that I want to revitalize professionally, I have to. it is important
for me
to read Understanding by Design, figure out how to use the handbook , probably
order the CD, and definitely join the listserv.
I also would like to read the new Donald graves book, The Energy to Teach
I am a MAc person all the way. I use Appleworks, I can translate word documents
using Mac Link. I think I have even figured out how to send a Word user
a file
so that it can be translated. I am only using Netscape here at home. At
school I
have either option.
I want to thank Keith for his work, I hope he will continue to move us gradually
into this type of work. I am feeling very proud of myself that I sent Brenda
some photos that I had scanned in. Thanks Brenda for posting those.
well that's what I think right now. it might be a bit different after I
have my
room cleaned, my ordering done and summer is really here, but that is me
for now
Kathy from Vermont
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 20:56:46 -0400
From: Deborah Bambino <dbambino@mail.phila.k12.pa.us>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] INTRANET? OR PLAN A?
>After reading everyone's comments about Keith's prototype site at
>intranets, I detect some unease about the technical prowess that might
be
>needed to negotiate it.
Thanks John and Keith,
Things were moving a bit too fast for me. I definitely want to
learn from Keith's experience(s), but felt pretty overwhelmed by the
addition of alternate sites and responsibilities.
Maybe once we get a bit more experienced we can have a
tutorial of sorts to learn about the other options which Keith mentioned.
For now, I'm wondering if we can settle on our overarching
question and the book(s) we plan to chat about this summer. Here's my stab
at the question: How does conflict contribute to the process of change?
In terms of reading, I'm interested in pursuing the
"Understanding by Design" work through articles and the website,
which I
subscribed to last week. The book I'd like to propose that we read is
"Beyond Heroes and Holidays, a Practical Guide to K-12 Anti-Racist,
Multicultural Education and Staff Development." The book is a series
of
essays and articles that would allow folks to come in and out of the
conversation as their interests and time would allow. I'm also feeling like
a lot of our issues around student motivation, management etc. could be
positively explored through the lenses of diversity and equity.
Deb
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Anne Jolly" <jolly61@home.com>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] INTRANET? OR PLAN A?
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 20:42:08 -0500
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
John's proposal makes sense to me - it's always less confusing to stay with
one site. I vote for plan A so that we'll be sure to keep people focused
on
MiddleWeb and the listserv.
Anne
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Shighley@aol.com
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 00:36:25 EDT
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] change
There are a lot of "fun" things that go along with change, as
well. One of
my teams (I've been on several by now) used change as a theme (we used WINGS
as our symbol). Some things I did included videotaping all students as they
participated in a partner lab at the beginning of the year, then showing
it
the last day of school. Also, students measured their height (in cm of
course) once each month, and we created spreadsheets and graphs. And, it's
a
natural tie in to have students compare written items (can be from any
subject) in a portfolio to see progress throughout the year. Every student
experienced a feeling of achievement, and we had some interesting discussion
questions about how they had changed over the course of the year.
I have some leads to investigate re: brain research that I already had,
plus
some I received from John and Deb. I just finished teaching a two-day class,
and am taking one the next two days. I am looking forward to "just
being a
student" for a change.
Susie Highley
shighley@aol.com
Science Teacher soon to be Media Specialist
Indianapolis
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Keith Mack" <kmack@mackzone.com>
Subject: RE: [MWprojects] INTRANET? OR PLAN A?
When I work on projects with remote teams, we usually develop a "drop"
or
place to deposit documents for people to look at. Maybe some of you do this
with your school curricular or grade level teams?
For your work to be effective, there has to be a server somewhere
that will allow everyone to access team documents, announcements, etc. We
obviously can use the Middle Web server for this. FYI - I'm probably going
to keep the mackzone@intranets up for a while, as I'm curious if service
improves when they go to a fee schedule. Feel free to keep using it as long
as it is up.
Keith Mack <kmack@mackzone.com>
Educational Consultant and Web Design
The MackZone http://www.mackzone.com
Journey America http://www.journeyamerica.org
NOTE FROM JOHN: We will post our documents for the project at:
http://www.middleweb.com/MWLresources/projectdocs.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
June 13
From: "Marsha Ratzel" <marsha_ratzel@hotmail.com>
To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] Sign me up
I can't tell what we'll be deciding in the next few days, but I am going
to be out of town until June 21st. So please, don't forget that I want to
participate.
I teach math and science currently---taught social studies forever before
that. So anything along those lines would be great. I'm also a tech nerd
for my district, so I can help along those lines as well. I would be willing
to do whatever benefits the group the most, so assign me to whatever, if
you decide on these jobs while I'm gone.
I'm off to co-lead a group of teachers who are learning geology in the field.
We are taking a 23 4-11th grade teachers in the Red Rock area south of Salt
Lake City. Hopefully, they'll catch the spirit of geology, because it "rocks".
ha,ha, ha....... And the excitement of doing science rather than reading
about it. So I'll be contemplating change as I hike along and sleep under
the stars for the next week and a half.
See you when I get back. I'm anxious to find out what direction we've chosen
to take. Bye for now.
Marsha
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Anne Jolly" <jolly61@home.com>
To: <MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] change
I love Susie's idea of using wings to symbolize change! Change is what drives
progress - let's us release our creative energies and talents and soar!
As far as the change unit goes (have we for sure decided on change as our
theme?), I can see lots of possibilities. Change is certainly a cross-cutting
theme, since in change one area drives change in another.
There is one thing that - as a "science person" I'd like to see
happen. Change can be good or bad, depending on the ethics of people. Take
biogenetics for example. The changes being driven by this field of study
(predictions are that we will have the first human clone by 2002 - if we
don't already) are truly mind-boggling in their implications. Ethics is
an important part of change and one that society is just now beginning to
address. I think that this unit would provide an opportunity to interject
plenty of "character" education" in the form of ethical thinking. As
part of the unit, maybe the kids could design a future (no more than
ten years from now) based on what we know is happening now, make informed
predictions about the implications on society, schooling, etc. and look
at ways to address the inevitable issues that will arise.
Just a thought -
Anne
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Deborah Bambino <dbambino@mail.phila.k12.pa.us>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] change
Sender: MWprojects-owner@NS.SREB.ORG
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
Hi,
I hope we examine the "conflict" as well as the change part of
the idea. I'm thinking of lots of conflict/change connections to science,
social studies and literature. I'm thinking of conflicting air masses, crustal
plates etc.
Should we begin by exploring our thinking about the relationship and then
look at standards and concepts/skills we might be teaching...?
Deb
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Anne Jolly" <jolly61@home.com>
To: <MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] change
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 10:29:08 -0500
X-Priority: 3
Sender: MWprojects-owner@NS.SREB.ORG
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
Deb,
Sounds like a good approach to me. I think I'm on a different wavelength
with the concept of "change" and I want to get aboard.
Anne
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JEAN WROTE:
Bob, who loves to make lists,
Maybe the first step would be to simply post ideas. If one of us (Bob,
who loves to make lists - or someone else) compiled them, then we'd have
a place
to start.
Jean
AND JOHN REPLIED:
Jean... I don't think Bob is on this projects list. (oh, dear, more confusion.)
But I volunteer and will post the results at a MiddleWeb link.
Meanwhile, I've started posting the Projects List conversation here:
http://www.middleweb.com/MWLresources/projectdigest.html
and will try to update it at least once a day and more when i can.
John
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anne...
Don't worry, the more wavelengths the merrier, nothing has been decided
yet. I'm wondering if we should start with some type of brainstorm...
Deb
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let's do the brainstorm thing, Deb! What's the initial question
(or response generator) going to be? Maybe we can develop an online
brainstorming protocol that we can use and refine in the future.
Anne
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi,
I don't know of a protocol, but maybe someone else does...? Unless we hear
from someone by tomorrow, why don't we take a crack at it? I'll think about
it tonight, but my initial reaction is that we should probably just start
with "Conflict & Change" and treat it as a "Chalk Talk"
where we all just post responses in the form of questions, comments etc.
without deleting previous entries and then after a couple of days...we can
look for patterns and potential areas to go deeper.
Deb
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Keith Mack" <kmack@mackzone.com>
To: <MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG>
Subject: RE: [MWprojects] change
I don't think there is any certain protocol. Several ideas have been tossed
around. When I've done the overarching question thing. I found it much more
powerful in a group setting (especially if you're meeting face-to-face).
As
noted the objective of the brainstorm is for the group to come up with a
question that will work for all (almost all?) disciplines. So as you mull
over ideas you might ask how it could be integrated into social studies,
math, science, arts, etc.
This is where a bulletin board approach works well - ideally we could go
in
and see suggestions and then attach a little "sticky" with some
suggested
changes. E-mail does get messy as a small group can quickly overwhelm with
ideas (especially this small and very creative group). But it will have
to
be a bit chaotic for a while until we finalize.
Keith Mack
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: MWprojects-owner@NS.SREB.ORG
Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2001 9:56 AM
To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] change
Let's do the brainstorm thing, Deb! Fascinating idea - an online
brainstorming session! Is there a existing protocol for online
brainstorming? Seems to me that we need some structure to the process -
we've been throwing ideas around for a week Do we need a facilitator to
make sense of the ideas and guide the process? What's the initial question
(or response generator) going to be? Maybe we can develop an online
brainstorming protocol that we can use and refine in the future.
Anne
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JOHN posted this list of "change ideas so far"
DEB WROTE: For now, I'm wondering if we can settle on our overarching question....
Here's my stab at the question: How does conflict contribute to the process
of change?
THEN SUSIE WROTE: There are a lot of "fun" things that go along
with change, as well. One of my teams (I've been on several by now) used
change as a theme (we used WINGS as our symbol). Some things I did included
videotaping all students as they participated in a partner lab at the beginning
of the year, then showing it the last day of school. Also, students measured
their height (in cm of course) once each month, and we created spreadsheets
and graphs. And, it's a natural tie in to have students compare written
items (can be from any subject) in a portfolio to see progress throughout
the year. Every student experienced a feeling of achievement, and we had
some interesting discussion questions about how they had changed over the
course of the year.
THEN ANNE WROTE: I love Susie's idea of using wings to symbolize change!
Change is what drives progress - let's us release our creative energies
and talents and soar! As far as the change unit goes, I can see lots of
possibilities. Change is certainly a cross-cutting theme, since in change
one area drives change in another.
There is one thing that - as a "science person" I'd like to see
happen. Change can be good or bad, depending on the ethics of people. Take
biogenetics for example. The changes being driven by this field of study
(predictions are that we will have the first human clone by 2002 - if we
don't already) are truly mind-boggling in their implications. Ethics is
an important part of change and one that society is just now beginning to
address. I think that this unit would provide an opportunity to interject
plenty of "character" education" in the form of ethical thinking.
As part of the unit, maybe the kids could design a future (no more than
ten years from now) based on what we know is happening now, make informed
predictions about the implications on society, schooling, etc. and look
at ways to address the inevitable issues that will arise.
THEN DEB WROTE: I hope we examine the "conflict" as well as the
change part of the idea. I'm thinking of lots of conflict/change connections
to science, social studies and literature. I'm thinking of conflicting air
masses, crustal plates etc. Should we begin by exploring our thinking about
the relationship and then look at standards and concepts/skills we might
be teaching...?
ANNE REPLIED: Sounds like a good approach to me. I think I'm on a different
wavelength with the concept of "change" and I want to get aboard.
SOME EARLIER COMMENTS ABOUT THE "CHANGE" IDEA:
AMY: I really like the one focused on change (How does change create conflict?)
and agree with Ellen that Language Arts will have lots of things to contribute.
ANNE: Change also creates progress - in fact it's the only way to generate
progress. For the record, I'd like to focus on Making Change Happen and
then bring out the conflict idea as a facet of the change process. Change
is certainly a common theme among all the disciplines.
KEITH: (When we did a unit on this), We didn't focus on conflict as meaning
disagreement more like the resolution, of discord into harmony in music.
There's a saying that I've heard: "You can have change without improvement,
but you can't have improvement without change."
So a couple possible questions might be (these need a lot of work so add
please your ideas): How and why do we decide to make changes? What are the
influences that affect change? How can we determine if change good or bad?
How doe internal and external conditions affect change?
ELLEN: Another couple of questions that come to mind are: Is change inevitable?
Is it possible NOT to change? What are the repercussions of change?
MARSHA: When I've thought about helping my building design yearly instruction
we have focused on broad topics that fit into all curricular areas. For
example; Cycles, Changing, Moving, Metamorphasis, Transformation, Building,
etc.
The year we did Transformation you can imagine all the excellent topics
that were discussed---how the world was transformed physically, politically,
socially, culturally, mathematically, scientifically, and so on. Then we
scaled it down to how our country was transforming in each of those ways.
And finally how each person was transforming. We decided to go world to
individual rather than the other way around because we thought middle schoolers
were already so focused on themselves that they could better consider their
transformation once they had broadened their view a bit.
LAURIE: I've always thought that "Cause and Effect" would be an
interesting theme to work on with students this age. My middle school actually
used the theme many years ago in our first attempt at integration, with
some moderate success. We really didn't know much about integrated planning
at the time.
BRENDA: A topic like "change" or "wonder" or "perseverence"
would relate to classrooms in North Carolina, Montana, Alberta, Australia
etc. and all grades to boot. It would also relate to all subject disciplines
as well.
KATHY: I was thinking about bridges as a possibility in a global sense,
bridges between.....change also appeals to me.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 16:51:49 -0500
From: Ellen Berg <ellen@accessus.net>
Subject: [MWprojects] Re:change
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
Two other questions that came to me are:
What if nothing ever changed?
What purpose does change serve?
Ellen
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Beverly Maddox" <bmaddox1@mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] Book to read/discuss
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 16:57:45 -0500
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
Deb's suggestion to look at some of our "issues" through the lenses
of
diversity and equity resonates with me. I've been working with several
teachers this week planning an hourlong orientation to the reading writing
format we use and planning a "new teacher packet" for first year
teachers.
A couple of us began discussing the perceived differences in student
expectations among teachers. We pussy-footed around the topic for a bit,
then one teacher stiffened her spine and said, "It's a racial thing,
pure
and simple. Black kids aren't held to as high standards and it's not
right." She did not state this was an overt situation, no that teachers
were acting consciously out of overtly racist attitudes and practices.
Quite a bit of discussion ensued, and for some of the white teachers, the
concept of benign racism was strartling, but we could recognize ourselves.
The Little Rock District has some overlays of court-ordered desegregation
and goals for improving student achievement we haven't met, but I think
other districts have similar pockets of discriminatory expectations based
on
generalizations about this or that group--it's more of a class issue in
my
eyes, but I returned to teaching after years working in the war on poverty,
so I'm a bit biased, I'm sure. So, will a discussion around the book Deb
mentioned illuminate this ("Beyond Heroes and Holidays, a Practical
Guide to
K-12 Anti-Racist,
Multicultural Education and Staff Development.")? Is or is not this
a
similar problem? Change in
educational institutions has happened as an outgrowth of conflict here in
Little Rock, but whether it's predominantly positive is debatable.
I'd like to participate in guided discussion around this theme. Of
course, I'm also intrigued by the possibilities in an Understanding by
Design conversation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Lustach@aol.com
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 18:28:17 EDT
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] change
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
In a message dated 6/13/01 12:52:49 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
jolly61@home.com writes:
<< Let's do the brainstorm thing, Deb! Fascinating idea - an online
brainstorming session! Is there a existing protocol for online
brainstorming? >>
I must admit to feeling really out in left field right about now. I am
looking forward to interaction and challenge during the summer, but right
now
I'm still in school (for another week!). Because of that, I don't always
get
to read the list everyday - and boy what a difference that makes! If you
miss one day, you can miss a whole train of thought. Case in point, what
"brainstorming thing" are we talking about?
Linda in Maine
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Our schools are still open too, so I can relate. I suggested that we
>brainstorm about the topics/theme of conflict & change as a way
to begin
>our process around the project.
Deb
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 15:54:07 -0700 (PDT)
From: Susan Meisels <smeisels@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] list of change ideas so far
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
I also received the same message and could not
decipher it. John, if you could send it again, it's
probably a very important piece at this point in our
take-off to brain-storming.
I am a relatively new addition to this list and have
been a quiet contributor so far. I am excited about
this project because I have never been involved in a
curriculum project that has a big picture. I live for
the big picture. As a science and math teacher (and
who knows what else next year, I'm currently without a
position) I find the topic of change facinating, it
can be incorporated in so many ways.
I'm going to agree that change should be the
overriding theme and conflict come up as a subtopic.
Some questions:
What change occurs to systems that are left
undisturbed (ie, ecosystems)?
What happens to a system that has had a very small
change (ie, one word/letter/number in a computer
program)?
Also Deb mentioned something about student motivation.
What a great subject to include in the theme of
change.
Susan Meisels
Montreal, Quebec
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
June 14
From: Melba Smithwick <melbayvette@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] MWproject
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
Anne wrote:
I love Susie's idea of using wings to symbolize
change!
I like this idea also and our theme song can be "Wings
Beneath My Feet". I think that is the title. It is
played at weddings, celebrations etc. I keep meaning
to purchase the sheet music for it, but haven't. That
is why I am not sure of the title. Well, anyway, I
thought that if we go with "wings" this song would be
perfect. What do y'all think?
Melba
__________________________________________________
From: Melba Smithwick <melbayvette@yahoo.com>
I have noticed that many have made specific ties to
the courses they teach and how it can be applied to
our topic. Since I haven't seen any math (or maybe
I've missed it) I thought I would take a stab at it.
Change in math a la standards:
* changing fractions to decimals to percents and back
* measurement conversions
* renaming fractions
* regrouping in subtraction
* repeating and terminating decimals
Change in teaching from traditional (Madaline Hunter)
to Standards-Based
* the growth in the students as they become
independent learners
* students writing in math class verses just short
answer sentences.
There are many more topics/objectives that will apply
to "change" in math. Conflict works well into this
also. When students learn a new concept, we always
analyze errors and take note of the pitfalls/conflicts
that contributed to their errors.
Music: the students are monitored on their progress,
concerts are given when the band, piano, orchestra,
choir, guitar class etc. is ready to show off their
progress.
foreign languages/ESL/Bilingual education- change is
noted when the students are able to read, write, and
communicate effectively in their second language.
Melba
__________________________________________________
From: bivey@k12s.phast.umass.edu (Bill Ivey)
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] MWproject/change
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
At 16:39 6/14/01, Melba Smithwick wrote:
>Music: the students are monitored on their progress,
>concerts are given when the band, piano, orchestra,
>choir, guitar class etc. is ready to show off their
>progress.
>
>foreign languages/ESL/Bilingual education- change is
>noted when the students are able to read, write, and
>communicate effectively in their second language.
Hi!
Yes, and brainstorming on...
Music itself is change... a melody moves from one note to the next, chords
change in the harmonic background, and rhythm itself shifts, sometimes
subtly, as in African drumming, sometimes abruptly, as in Stravinsky's
"Rite of Spring." Music History, too, is rife with change, whether
shifts
in focus from classical period to the next, or for that matter new wave
as
an antidote to disco.
As for languages, there is the subtle shift in accents as you move from
region to region which may eventually lead to a shift in language. In some
ways French spoken in the Aquitaine region sounds more like Spanish to me
than like the French spoken in Alsace which bears inflections and
influences of nearby Germany. There is the more obvious theme of change
in
the history of a culture which speaks a language, which certainly may be
handled in a foreign language class. And there is the evolution of the
language itself, which I often speak of with my students - how irregular
verbs became so because they were used so often ("to be" is the
most
irregular verb in most languages, closely followed by "to have,"
"to do"
and "to go"), how spoken language became written and conventions,
sometimes
arbitrary, were imposed, how a grammar point which once seemed important
is
disappearing from the language before our very eyes, how vocabulary is
modified through time.
Oh, and the various service committees and projects and deeds students
carry out which bring on positive changes in the world...
Eep. Where did all that come from?! Time to move on and let my subconscious
take over the brainstorming.
Take care,
Bill Ivey
Pine Cobble School, 163 Gale Road, Williamstown, MA 01267
__________________________________________________
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2001 22:52:04 -0400
From: Deborah Bambino <dbambino@mail.phila.k12.pa.us>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] MWproject
>I like this idea also and our theme song can be "Wings
>Beneath My Feet".
Do you mean the Bette Midler song? If so, it's "Wind Beneath My Wings",
a
beautful song, but you wouldn't want to hear me sing it... : -)
Deb
__________________________________________________
From: "Anne Jolly" <jolly61@home.com>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] MWproject/change
There's also lots of change themes within science. Seasonal changes.
Changes in states of matter. Chemical changes. Changes in the body in
reaction to specific stimuli. I would have extraordinary difficulty in
thinking of some science theme not related to change, in fact!
The specific idea of conflict also would easy to tie in. Warm front meets
cold front. Inertia vs momentum. Density columns where oil, water, alcohol
and other substances meet. Viruses and human cells. On and on . . .
Explain to me again how we are going to address conflict here - Change
causes conflict? Conflict produces change? Can't have one without the
other? What's our thematic statement?
Anne
----------------------------------------------------------------------
June 15
From: Deborah Bambino <dbambino@mail.phila.k12.pa.us>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] MWproject/change
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
At 10:17 PM 6/14/01 -0500, you wrote:
>Explain to me again how we are going to address conflict here - Change
>causes conflict? Conflict produces change? Can't have one without the
>other? What's our thematic statement?
My approach to brainstorming would be to just have everyone list all the
possibilities to see what emerges before deciding on the statement. I
thought we'd get started in earnest on Monday because a number of folks
are
still closing their schools.
I had also suggested that we use a "Chalk Talk" approach where
folks could
just list a question(s) or comment(s) without even writing whole
statements. If we all just add to the list and copy, we could see what
everyone was thinking... For example, I had been looking at conflict as
a
precipitant of change, but based on a few responses, I'm now looking at
the
role of change as a cause of conflict as well.
Deb
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 01 Jan 1904 07:30:36 -0600
From: Ellen Berg <ellen@accessus.net>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] MWproject/change
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
> Change causes conflict? Conflict produces change? Can't have one without
the
>
> other? What's our thematic statement?
Anne,
To me, change and conflict are kind of like the chicken and egg debate.
Sometimes change comes first, usually when we are being acted upon (like
when
my parents went on a vegetarian kick when I was younger, and I only ate
potatoes and corn!), and that creates conflict. Other times we are dealing
with conflict from without or within, and that creates a change within us--like
me striving to learn how to become better organized because it's difficult
to
be a teacher without that life skill. The more I think about change and
conflict, the more interrelated I see them.
I am really looking forward to exploring change within the context of a
novel...there are so many possibilities to deeply examine plot structure
within
the framework of change and conflict.
Ellen
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2001 09:06:09 -0500
From: Etheridge Family <etherida@hiwaay.net>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] MWproject/change
I've jotted down some English class ideas below.
*how and why the English language changes - including slang, acronyms,
using product names, etc.
*dialect - do people change speech patterns to fit the region
*word change games (sometimes called word trails)
*character changes - reasons for chang, acceptance of change...
*just a few examples:
Freak the Mighty - friend dies, changes his attitude about himself
True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle - changes in herself, attitide
of the crew, how her changes create internal conflict and conflict
with her family
Call of the Wild - changes in the dog as he goes back to the wild
Bud, Not Buddy - how the boy has to change when he lives in
different situations - with his own mother, in a group home, in foster
homes, when he finds his grandfather
Christmas Carol - how and why Scrooge changes
*kinds of characters (dynamic/static, round/flat, major/minor)
*persuasive writing - persuading someone to change
*personal narrative/journal entry - write about something you have
changed or would like to change about yourself
*write about how a change in your life has affected you (moving, new
family member, new house or neighborhood)
*poetry - about metamorphosis in animals? seasons
*quotes about change
http://www.cyber-nation.com/victory/quotations/subjects/quotes_change.html
*write how-to paper - change something concrete - lightbulb, tire,
screensaver
*expository writing - how will computers change your life in ten, twenty
years
what will you change when you ...
Jean
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Ellen Berg <ellen@accessus.net>
Along with Jean's great ideas, within the context of writing, how about
looking at the writing process? How and why your drafts change as you
rethink and rewrite?
Ellen
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Lustach@aol.com
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] change
In a message dated 6/13/01 9:50:58 AM Eastern Daylight Time, jolly61@home.com
writes:
<< As part of the unit, maybe the kids could design a future (no more
than
ten years from now) based on what we know is happening now, make informed
predictions about the implications on society, schooling, etc. and look
at
ways to address the inevitable issues that will arise. >>
This sounds interesting! This would challenge the students to seriously
look
at what is possible and what both the positive and negative implications
could be. As a health teacher, I can think of many topics that would fit
-
nutrition (genetically altered foods and engineered foods), diseases
(possible cures), the human body (man-made replacement parts), consumerism
(what will our health insurance system look like? will we move toward
socialist medicine?), substance use and abuse (will our society decide to
effectively pressure tobacco companies so that young people aren't lured
into
a life of addiction). Boy I could go on and on.
Linda in Me
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2001 19:24:30 -0700 (PDT)
From: Nancy Long <long301@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] change
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
--- Anne Jolly <jolly61@home.com> wrote:
> I love Susie's idea of using wings to symbolize change!
> Change is what drives progress - let's us release our
> creative energies and talents and soar! As far as the
> change unit goes (have we for sure decided on change as
> our theme?), I can see lots of possibilities. Change is
> certainly a cross-cutting theme, since in change one area
> drives change in another.
In the Earth Systems Science I am currently taking (amazing
stuff!), we are finding out how data is collected via
satellite to measure changes is Earth systems and to
quantify that change. We started by measuring the beach
zones along 60 miles of Padre Island. We are mapping our
data and will then predict from that how long the island
has been in its current state of stability, how long it
will take it to migrate to the mainland, etc. I'd like to
see our interdisciplinary unit include some activities that
quantify change in Earth systems, since it affects all of
our lives and will continue to affect all future
generations. Maybe we could choose something that covers
all geographic areas, such as water.
I'm eager to get started--I'll be out of contact for the
first three weeks in July, and like Marsha, I want to get
as much done as possible in the time available.
Nancy Long
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Nancy Long <long301@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] How to begin
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
--- Deborah Bambino <dbambino@mail.phila.k12.pa.us> wrote:
>
> Hi,
> I hope we examine the "conflict" as well as the
> change part of the
> idea. I'm thinking of lots of conflict/change connections
> to science, social studies and literature. I'm thinking
of
> conflicting air masses, crustal plates etc.
> Should we begin by exploring our thinking about the
> relationship and then look at standards and
concepts/skills > we might be teaching...?
Is everyone's science curriculum aligned in some measure
with the National Science Education Standards? Maybe we
could correlate to those.
Content Standard B addresses properties and changes of
properties in matter, motions and forces, and transfer of
energy.
Content Standard D addresses structure of the Earth system,
Earth's history, and Earth in the solar system.
What do you guys think? Is this a good starting place?
Nancy Long
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Anne Jolly" <jolly61@home.com>
This certainly works for me, Nancy! I imagine nearly all states have
aligned with the National Science Standards by now. Alabama has, and has
just come out with a new State Science Course of Study.
Anne
----------------------------------------------------------------------
June 16
From: SKosmoski@aol.com
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 07:30:11 EDT
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] change
Nancy--
I am currently taking a course on river systems and the steps we are taking
to protect the system. Specifically, we are studying the Hillsborough River
system here in Florida. The history of the change in the watershed is
incredible. Most of what was once river bed is now populated! Because of
the
severe drought we are experiencing, people seem to think the river will
never
return.
The Southwest Water Management System is doing everything in its power to
educate people on the changes that the river can make. Everything from
prescribed burnings of the pine flatwoods around the river basin to the
colonies of wildlife that populate the cypress domes.
Our task these two weeks has been to trace the history of the river, see
the
patterns along the river bank and determine where we are in the cycle so
we
can make predictions about the next 100 years. It has been a fascinating
study. We have even looked closely at frog migration patterns--we have seen
two treefrogs that have migrated into the habitat from Cuba in the last
two
years.
We are also looking for novels (other than the Missing Gator of Gumbo lumbo)
that take place in Florida or a river community that we can use as part
of
our study for kids. Any suggestions?
Mary Anne
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 07:31:30 -0700 (PDT)
From: Nancy Long <long301@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] change in local systems
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
--- SKosmoski@aol.com wrote:
> Nancy--
> I am currently taking a course on river systems and the
> steps we are taking
> to protect the system. Specifically, we are studying the
> Hillsborough River
> system here in Florida. The history of the change in the
> watershed is incredible.
> We are also looking for novels (other than the Missing
> Gator of Gumbo lumbo)
> that take place in Florida or a river community that we
> can use as part of our study for kids. Any suggestions?
Mary Anne, I bet every teacher in this project can think of
some local issue similar to the one your class is studying.
That sounds like a real strong thread to pursue.
What does everyone else think about dveloping a macro-unit
with the science component based on change in
geological/water systems, within which we could embed our
micro-unit on local system changes?
As for literature tie-ins, I am not up on Florida
literature specifically, but our local library has a whole
roomful of archives on our area dating back to the early
1800s. See if yours does too. Also, maybe if you went back
to some of the writings about Osceola and the Seminole
people (or whoever lived in your area), you'd find
biographies or other stories that tell about what the
rivers were like at that timeand how the people's lives
intertwined with the changes in the river.
Nancy Long
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Beverly Maddox" <bmaddox1@mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] River novels
Mary,
Let a River Be_ by Betty Sue Cummings setting is a river in Florida,
feeding the Everglades. My copy is packed away at school, or I'd checkt
o
be sure. My spouse andI argrued this morning whether the river was the
Suwanee (I thought so) or the Everglades. I now think it is the latter,
too.
Jean Craighead George wrote another novel about a young woman who goes
on a water trip around the everglades as a rite of passage thing, learning
all sorts of stuff about rivers and swamp life. Your children's librarian
there in Tampa or St. Pete should be able to find it for you if your school
librarian is not available. By the way, Carol Fiore is the name of the
Children's Services Coordinator at the Florida State Library in Tallahassee,
and she could be a resource person for you if you can't be helped with
referrals at the local level.
I can think of several adult novels set on rivers in Florida that helped
me
understand the river "culture" there, but adult situations (adult
situations
as well as sex and violence and language) make them inappropriate for middle
school.
By the way--I used to teach at Spring Hill, just north of you, and later
at
FSU's lab school. How I miss the Vietnamese restaurants and the Tampa
Theater!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: MAMASWIRLZ@aol.com
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 14:30:56 EDT
Subject: Re: Re: [MWprojects] change
I have been lurking in the background since the project discussion started.
But when the question of Rivers came up, I knew it was time to join. We
have
a grant to study the Hudson River. We have included river study from the
scientific point of view (water testing at different points, looking at
the
water under the microscope, etc.) Also Poetry (reading and writing.....2
chapbooks) and history (NY history is closely tied to the Hudson).
When I checked who was studying rivers, it was no other than Mary Anne,
who
will come to NY this summer to study at the Bronx Zoo. And we had already
decided to meet for dinner.
I like the idea of the "Change". Could we add a component on consequences.
I have been thinking/worrying a lot about some young men in my school who
are
making poor choices. In discussing this issue with my 20 year old daughter
she felt that many young men have no sense that there will be consequences
for them in the poor choices they make (It won't happen to me!) What do
you
think?
Naomi
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: bdyck@highwired.com
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 17:54:41 -0600
Subject: [MWprojects] "Change" Song
In addition to Susie's suggestion of "The Wings Beneath Your Wings"
I'd like to also suggest
"I Believe I Can Fly".- Brenda
Here are the words:
I used to think that I could not go wrong
And life was nothing but that an awful song
But now I know the meaning of true love
I'm leaning on the everlasting arms
If I can see it, then I can do (be) it
If I just believe it, there's nothing to it
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
(Oh) I believe I can fly
See I was on the verge of breaking down
Sometimes inside us, it can seem so long
There are miracles in life I must achieve
But first I know it starts inside of me
(repeat 2, 1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 17:29:21 -0700 (PDT)
From: Melba Smithwick <melbayvette@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] [MWprojects DIGEST]
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
If we tie this unit to one novel, then we are limiting
ourselves and maybe even eliminating some core
subjects like math. Is there a way to keep it general?
We must also maintain academic rigor and be able to
adapt it to all grade levels. Please remember that
sixth graders are also at the middle school campuses
in some school districts.
Melba
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: bdyck@highwired.com
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 18:26:17 -0600
Subject: [MWprojects] Change Ideas
Here are some change ideas that might translate into an interesting writing
assignment:
Change Agents (Are we....? How can we be...? Characteristics of people who
are change
agents....)
Change the World
And here is a change quote from Margaret Wheatley:
"Organizational change is a dance not a forced march."
Change is not necessarily chaos, but chaos is always change.
Take a look at this article on the Chaos of Change (its positive not negative
as one might
expect):
http://www.renardinternational.com/report/chaos.html
Brenda Dyck
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: bdyck@highwired.com
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 18:33:06 -0600
Subject: [MWprojects] Change: Consequences
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
<Could we add a component on consequences. I have been thinking/worrying
a lot about
some young men in my school who are making poor choices.>
Naomi:
What a great topic for Middle School students. This might be the health
connectionwe need
for the project.
- Brenda
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 20:44:33 -0700
From: KathleenA Renfrew <karenfrew@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] How to begin
Nancy Long wrote:
> Is everyone's science curriculum aligned in some measure
> with the National Science Education Standards? Maybe we
> could correlate to those.
Nancy and others,
As I think about change I can easily use the both of the standards
mentioned above. My first two science units are structures and measuring
time....
I am mostly lurking right now as I am sooo tired. I will be fine in a a
few days or so
KAthy from VT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 17:46:06 -0700 (PDT)
From: Melba Smithwick <melbayvette@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] [MWprojects DIGEST]
Reply-To: MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG
Now, that I look at the correct title of this song and
read the title that I wrote well, the only character
that I have ever read about or seen a picture of with
wings beneath his feet was Hermes the messenger god.
That's pretty standard with songsand me, when I sing
(I don't do it well) I usually forget the words and
make them up. I guess the world is lucky that I
majored in instrumental music and not choral. :-)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
June 17
From: FourHacksUK@aol.com
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] How to begin
Hello,
I suppose I could be termed a lurker as well up to now. School ended on
last
Friday and I will be teaching one course in summer school starting 22 June.
I very much want to be a part of this project though, as I have been elected
team leader next year with our primary emphasis being on developing thematic
units. I want to do well and hope going through the process with you will
help me do a better job as a leader next school year.
Anita
Lakenheath Middle School -- Language Arts 7
--------------------------------------------------------------------
From: SKosmoski@aol.com
Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2001 13:16:43 EDT
Subject: [MWprojects] a piece to begin with? :)
Hi guys--
I've spent some time this morning working putting this idea into words--see
what you think--
We are beginning a study of change. I found the following quote in the novel
"The Missing Gator of Gumbo Lumbo" by Jean Craighead George. Although
it is
written about the Everglades in Florida, I think it stands as a frame for
systems of change in any ecosystem. In particular the last line that I quoted
becomes--"What changes has man created in our own ecosystem that has
changed
the environment--positively or negatively?
"James James put down his cup and opened a satellite map
of southern Florida.
I'll show you why," he said. "The view is from Lake Okeechobee
to the Florida
Bay. Before you lie 14,000 miles of levees and canals. Here we are."
He
pointed to LaPlaya and took another swallow of soup, then spread the map
on
the ground. "Look how Mother Nature's plan for the Everglades has been
tortured and diverted." He swirled his fingers over the maze of canals.
"Here's how it happened. The Everglades, which is really a slow river,
is so
rich with soil and nutrients that the Army Corps of Engineers was engaged
to
drain it for farmland below Lake Okeechobee." The map plainly showed
that
where once swampy river had flowed, there were now houses, towns and farms.
"To drain the river, the engineers built these canals going east to
the
ocean"--
"They built locks and dams, protected some areas as water conservation
areas
and eventually exposed this rich, black riverbottom. Sugar cane and other
crops were planted. As time went on, the crops were fertilized and sprayed.
Nutrients and chemicals came down the Everglades River around the hammocks
into the saw grass; and the river changed. Weeds grew in the nutrients and
choked out the fish. Birds died for lack of fish and the mammals disappeared.
I keep the map to remind me that man can't improve on a river. You change
one
thing and you change the whole eco-system."
It seems that paragraph could be used to frame the history of any naturals
system--the island system that became New York City--the river system that
became the Nashua Valley in MA (This change is illustrated in the book "The
River Runs Wild" by Lynne Cherry)--or the desert system that is now
Las Vegas.
Just Sunday afternoon thoughts--
Mary Anne
--------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Ellen Berg <ellen@accessus.net>
Subject: Re: [MWprojects] Starting place, unit issues
> If we tie this unit to one novel, then we are limiting ourselves and
> maybe even eliminating some core
> subjects like math. Is there a way to keep it general? We must also
> maintain academic rigor and be able to
> adapt it to all grade levels.
I agree that we shouldn't center the unit around one novel because it
does limit the other content areas. I thought the idea was to create a
general unit framework of deep principles regarding change while
creating specific activities/lessons/lists of resources that address
specific grade level and state standards. For example, while I may
choose to focus on using the novel, _Hatchet_ to look at changes in
characters, other LA teachers might contribute materials/lessons, etc.
using other novels or even other areas of LA such as writing or our own
reading processes. That gives all of us (and anyone else who views our
unit) a large number of suggestions of how to address the deep
principles behind change and allows us to choose those activities and
materials that are applicable to our district/state standards, content
areas, and grade levels.
I think we need to have our general framework in place before we get to
more specific issues related to specific content. Once the overall
framework/guidelines are in place, it will be easier for content areas
to collaborate and devise effective ways of addressing our deep
principles. Does that make sense?
Ellen
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
June 18
Ellen Berg wrote:
I thought the idea was to create a
general unit framework of deep principles regarding change while
creating specific activities/lessons/lists of resources that address
specific grade level and state standards.
I agree with Ellen and I thought we were beginning in earnest today, in
the hopes that most members had closed school and were somewhat free to
focus on this process. In any case, here's my stab at a process for generating
conversation about the broad concepts. We can go back and plug in, or generate,
specific activities and resources after we've explored the concepts. Let's
avoid the need to share all our resources in every post so we have a chance
to share the bare bones, the essence of our ideas about "Conflict and
Change,"ok?
I'm going to post those two words in the center of this message, half way
down the page and you can respond at different places on the page without
deleting the comments of others. Please don't write across the page or we'll
lose the visual. I think this will work, but haven't tried it (Chalk Talk)
online before...it's powerful in meetings or classes. My kids loved it!)
Does change cause
conflict or is it the other
way around...?
creative dissonance...
Birth, germination, tectonics...
"Conflict/Change"
How does "difference" relate?
Do we change our ideas because
of conflict with new info & experiences?
If this process doesn't work for you, please respond or, if no one else
jumps in, I guess that will speak volumes, and we'll look for another approach.
Deb
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary Anne Wrote about two books that I've used in my science classes: "The
Missing Gator of Gumbo Limbo" and "A River Runs Wild".
I love both these books and have used them many times. Let's zero in on
the ideas of change and conflict that we might explore with our students.
Would you suggest something like man-made change = consequences... and we
need to think ahead, think critically before making changes?
Deb
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deb,
The words came out, but all over the place, not in a way I could really
fill
in.
You also said "Would you suggest something like man-made change =
consequences... and we need to think ahead, think critically before making
changes?"
Maybe we could look at CHANGE AND CONSEQUENCE rather than change & conflict.
Conflict, of course, is a consequence of change and change a consequence
of
conflict, but we have a chance to highlight consequences for our middle
schoolers (especially the boys)
Naomi
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Keith Mack" <kmack@mackzone.com>
To: <MWprojects@NS.SREB.ORG>
Subject: RE: [MWprojects] Starting place, unit issues
We are still in school for a couple days. I've had trouble with my e-mail
Thursday and Friday last week so probably have missed a number of threads
and then gone all day Saturday.
I personally think this idea "change and consequence" is a winner.
What are
the consequences of change? How do/should we consider consequences of
change?
One of the marks of a great theme/question is how it can be applied to a
variety of subjects and situations. With our age group this could be used
as
a stepping-stone for looking at behavior issues and making good choices
-
finding the "win-win" path. We could draw this theme/question
into many
different forums.
One thing that I'm thinking about that students would be interested in is
the process of "changing the consequences". For example students
are warned
about improper dress during warm weather. Students do not make requisite
changes in wardrobe. Consequence is strictly enforced dress code. Students
complain of unfairness, but it does no good and brings about no change in
rules or enforcement of rule - nothing gets "changed". How can
we help them
to discover the ways to bring about changes they want? If we make a mistake
by not making a change, how can we affect the consequences? Positive changes
= Positive Consequences (I'm sure a scientist among us can disprove this
theory!).
keith
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why especially boys? I don't think I'd agree with that at all.
Jean
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,
I've been hiking/camping through the desert and haven't been in touch for
awhile. Not I'm back to the humidity of the midwest. It's amazing how much
is said when one is gone for a few days. Wow!!!
As I've read through all the messages I would have to say that I agree with
these two statements.
> If we tie this unit to one novel, then we are limiting
ourselves and
> maybe even eliminating some core
> subjects like math. Is there a way to keep it general? We must also
> maintain academic rigor and be able to
> adapt it to all grade levels.
I agree that we shouldn't center the unit around one novel because it
does limit the other content areas. I thought the idea was to create a
general unit framework of deep principles regarding change while
creating specific activities/lessons/lists of resources that address
specific grade level and state standards.
I think we need to have our general framework in place before we get to
more specific issues related to specific content. Once the overall
framework/guidelines are in place, it will be easier for content areas
to collaborate and devise effective ways of addressing our deep
principles. Does that make sense?
I also have read what the science folks propose, in terms of tying efforts,
to the National Standards. Wouldn't this be a good idea for all the disciplines?
Then the unit would have the most universal applicability.
I also have read the posts about change. My viewpoint would be to keep everything
on a positive note. Somehow the idea of change, to me, represents the opportunity
for creativity. It has been my experience that from the chaos of change
can come voices of new ideas and ways that would otherwise be ignored. Did
anyone watch the Impressionist specials this past week? Roughly summarized.....All
the painters couldn't get the French art establishment to look at their
paintings, and in the midst of this struggle the Franco/Prussian war broke
out. When the war was over, France had suffered some humiliating defeats
that certainly weren't expected, but the artists seized the opportunity
of the moment of change to exhibit their work. And so the Impressionist
movement gained momentum and more acceptance. I guess in this unit I had
hoped we would focus on the moment of opportunity, like I watched Monea,
Renoir, etc do. I don't think I'm in disagreement with anything that's been
said, just being a nudge about the framing of the words we used to look
at change.
Lots of hard work has gone on and the ideas are terrific. I'm anxious to
see where the starting point is.
Marsha
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Having just read through five days of the list discussion myself (thanks
to Mother Nature's bolt), I too see some movement that perhaps is less obvious
to those who didn't read it all at once!
Deb made a heroic effort to create a chalkboard on-line. Alas, it's pretty
hard to do. I've racked my brain for ideas about a way to do it interactively
but I haven't come up with it yet. If anybody else has an idea...? Keith?
But...even though we are finding the need for poster paper frustrating,
perhaps we can work in a more linear fashion and then put together some
graphic organizers that I can post on MiddleWeb? Folks who have fax machines
could even sketch out some things and fax them to me for "recreating"
on the Web (828-766-6522 is my fax). Keep that thought in mind...
BUT FIRST, A VERY SHORT READING ASSIGNMENT....?
First, however, I wonder if everyone would agree to a very short reading
assignment that might help us wrestle the current gator into its cage -
that critter being: "what is our essential question"?
Deb sent me this link where the Coalition of Essential Schools has posted
its guidelines for creating an interdisciplinary lesson, backwards, from
an essential question.
It doesn't take more than 10 minutes to read. Could everyone read it and
maybe we could discuss it a bit - see if it helps us break our tasks down
into managable steps?
I think after you read it, you'll agree that our first step is probably
to agree on an "essential question," which the article really
helps define!
http://www.cesnorthwest.org/essential_questions.htm
Can everyone have this read by Tuesday morning, EDT?
AND THEN, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TIME...
This chapter from Wiggins "Understanding By Design" book would
also be a big help in our thinking, I suspect. It's longer and you may not
have time to read it right away. But at least go to the link, scroll down,
and take a look at the first two graphic organizers. They seem to complement
the essential questions material above. If you DO have time to read the
Wiggins material, please share your insights as we go along.
http://www.ascd.org/readingroom/books/wiggins98book.html#chap1
JOHN
-------------------------------------------------------
JOHN SUGGESTED THAT EVERYONE READ THE ARTICLE ABOUT CURRICULUM PLANNING
WITH ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS AT:
http://www.cesnorthwest.org/essential_questions.htm
This guide, developed for the Coalition of Essential Schools, includes this
description:
Essential questions provide purpose for learning; they guide our work with
students by providing the larger, global context for learning and "schooling."
To be more specific, these questions center the work of schools on our covenant
with society to develop students who are productive citizens in a democracy
and citizens of the world. At the core, they engage students in the real
work behind the question: How does Anytown School's students assume vital
roles in the town, the county, the state, the United States, the world?
Using a planning backwards process, CES teachers choose an essential question
and an exhibition to craft the sub-goals and activities for a given course....
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE: Excellent essential questions don't have answers
or solutions; they are often hard to measure, and they appear too big to
consider. But they show the school community and the world that the school
understands how to frame their work in proper context, that is, in reference
to a common good.
Essential questions checklist:
1. Big! Global in scope
2. Related to what it means to be a citizen of the world
3. Unanswerable
4. Interesting, intriguing
5. Important
6. Challenging
======================================
AMY WROTE:
I was really beginning to feel overwhelmed by exactly what an essential
question was and how to contribute effectively to the discussion. I appreciate
the reading very much. Also, it was mentioned that changes and consequences
should definitely be part of our thought process as we are tackling this
question. I definitely agree. My proposal for our essential question:
HOW CAN WE RECOGNIZE CHANGE AND BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY DEAL (DON'T LIKE
THAT WORD - HELP) WITH IT?
It's one I think addresses the article issues and also would be able to
work for interdisciplinary tasks - please let me know if I am way off base!
I have two sub-questions I think that we should keep in mind also as we
are working on the essential question.
1. How can we recognize patterns within historical changes to help us predict?
2. How can we recognize causes and effects? (same as change and consequences
- just semantics?)
======================================
THEN BILL WROTE:
I had a brainstorm while brushing my teeth, signed on, and discovered Amy
had had the same brainstorm! This involved the deeper issues of cause and
effect which relate to our discussions of change, conflict and consequences.
I had come up with something like...
"How do cause and effect interact as change occurs?"
...as an essential question. I like Amy's too.
My current tube of toothpaste happens to be Pepsodent, if anyone wishes
to duplicate my brainstorming technique.
By the way, I found the 10 common principles referred to in the short reading
John suggested at http://www.cesnorthwest.org/prod01.htm
and thought they made interesti ng reading themselves.
==============================================
THEN ANNE WROTE:
After reading the material I feel I have a planning guide. Based on the
article, I suggest the following approach:
Let's craft a "list"-wide (as opposed to school-wide) essential
question and agree on interdisciplinary sub-essential questions.
A. Okay, here are two possible essential questions we have discussed so
far.
(1) What is the relationship between conflict and change?
(2) What are the consequences of change?
B. Once we determine the essential question, we need to develop sub-essential
questions under that school umbrella essential question. How to do this
is a big question for us.
For example, if we focus on the consequences of change, would one possible
sub-essential question be
"How does change generate conflict (and vice versa)?"
What about, "How does change generate progress?"
I suggest that to make this easier, we list specifically in our headings
what we are addressing. Eg "Essential Question" or "Sub-Essential
Question." Then I can cut and paste the messages into Word under those
categories and get a more global look at our "conversation."
I think that one of the best things that will come out of this effort is
a protocol of some sort for online interdisciplinary planning. This could
even help teachers within a school who don't have time to plan together
during the day and would prefer to plan online.
=============================================
THEN MARY ANNE WROTE:
I don't use pepsodent, but I have been playing with this for awhile. Basically
what I have been doing is going through the standards I am required to teach
and looking for patterns that represent change. What I keep coming back
to are--cause and effect relationships and patterns-
I keep asking myself--what "understandings" do I want the kids
to come away with--(This is number 2 on Wiggins lesson template)--
[ED. NOTE: See http://www.ascd.org/readingroom/books/wiggins98book.html#chap1]
I want my kids to be able to recognize cause and effect relationships form
a pattern of change--
My essential question--very unpolished would be--
What cause and effect relationships (environmental, human, technological--etc.)
create a pattern of change?
Maybe something about cycles of change--looking at those patterns.
Just brainstorming--
===========================================
THEN DEB WROTE:
Thanks Mary Anne,
How about a slight shifting of your question to,
"How do cause and effect relationships create patterns of change?"
or
"How do cause and effect relationships contribute to patterns of
change?"
I think when you ask with words like who, what and where it points to a
definite answer or list of answers and we want something that is more open
ended, don't you think?
I hope others will jump in and wordsmith with us. Essential questions are
usually the result of a collaborative effort.
==========================================
THEN BILL WROTE:
>Deb wrote: >How about a slight shifting of (Mary Anne's) question
to, "How do cause >and effect relationships create patterns of change?"
or "How do cause >and effect relationships contribute to patterns
of change?"
What about a further shift to
"How do cause and effect relationships contribute to and result
from patterns of change?"
==========================================
THEN SUSAN WROTE:
Had a memory of some billboards in Winston-Salem, NC where I used to live.
Two panels, the first had a boy with a rifle, the second the same boy with
a violin. Another had a girl pregnant, and the second the same girl with
a basketball. The slogan was "Change the Outcome". So my suggestion
for essential questions are:
What changes the outcome?
or
Can we change the outcome?
Consequence, conflict, cause and effect would probably all fit into this
question.
==========================================
THEN MARSHA WROTE:
I keep asking myself, why it was important to study change. I know it is
but what do I understand inside my head that I didn't when I was 12. And
what could that "wisdom" do to help students grow up more able
to cope and to be productive.
The next thing that makes my mind rumble around is, what standards are there
that relate to change. I know people have listed many, but I wanted to look
over a multi-discipline list of national standards and find words that appear
and re-appear. So I might get some bead on the answer to my first question.
So I went to McRel. They have a search engine that takes keywords and looks
through the standards by grade level.
http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks/
So I searched 6th, 7th, 8th for change. I found 143, 160, 162 citations
respectively. These standards came from science (human body and physical
science), music (change in tempo, key, meter), algebra (variables, proportions),
language arts (the writing process) and numerous social studies standards
(history, geography, economics). Then I skimmed through the standards for
common words.
These are the words that I found:
--patterns( the most often repeated, I think)
--cause/effect (already mentioned by our list comrades)
--functions
--one variable effects another cycle
--relationship (another often repeated word)
--source
--properties
--innovation
--affect
--growth
--success/failure
--transformed (another big repeater)
--structure
Remember, I skimmed through all of these in about 10 minutes, so your list
could look very different, but I think it's a pretty good representation.
How is change reflected in patterns, cycles, transformations and relationships?
And I guess that makes me think that if I can recognize that I've been in
a similar "pattern" before, or I've read or heard about a similar
"cycle", I can use my existing knowledge to frame this new experience.
Is it because I can understand new material more easily because it links
to past information or because I can make better decisions. Finally, I think
there are changes that we have control over and those we don't. Somehow
that needs to fit into my question, too.
I may still be delerious(sp?) from the desert heat or walking so far so
fast, but I've shared my mental ruminations. I'm not at the point where
I can actually write an essential question, but I wanted to contribute something.
I think this is very similar to some of the essential questions that have
already been posted.
=========================================
THEN DEB WROTE:
Thanks Marsha!
I'd like to spend some time looking at the standards and words too, but
unfortunately, I have to go to work and plan summer school with colleagues
today and tomorrow. I will get on this as soon as I get home tonight. I
like your approach!
===============================================
THEN BILL WROTE:
>At 22:24 6/19/01, Marsha Ratzel wrote:
>How is change reflected in patterns, cycles, transformations and
>relationships? And I guess that makes me think that if I can recognize
>that I've been in a similar "pattern" before, or I've read
or heard about a
>similar "cycle", I can use my existing knowledge to frame
this new
>experience. Is it because I can understand new material more easily
>because it links to past information or because I can make better
>decisions. Finally, I think there are changes that we have control over
and
>those we don't. Somehow that needs to fit into my question, too.
Marsha,
What an amazing analysis you did, and the question that begins this paragraph
seems to me to be a good solid essential question in and of itself. It does
relate to prior questions, but manages to be more general and more comprehensive
at the same time.
>How is change reflected in patterns, cycles, transformations and
>relationships?
As far as what you feel is missing... much of what you're talking about
in the early part of the paragraph can be summed up as "experience."
Could "experience" then be subsumed by "patterns"? I've
just been rereading _The High King_ with my son, and in that book one's
life experience is likened to the pattern of a tapestry. As for "control,"
my instinct is that this question could easily lead to an examination of
the role of control or lack thereof, and perhaps a specific sub-essential
question could be framed to get at this issue explicitly.
Thank you, Marsha!
==========================================
ON WEDS, JUNE 20, ELLEN WROTE:
I am completely in awe of the deep understandings and talents of the people
involved in the project. I am looking forward to deepening my understanding
of this process as we continue to work together.
One thing I would like us to keep in mind is that in the end, we are writing
the essential question for students. We must be sure to keep it simple,
clear, and conscise to assist them in understanding the goal/philosophy/??
of the unit.
I think as adults we get so caught up in the learning and thinking about
our questions that it is easy to forget our students are at different levels,
life experiences, etc. I'm wondering if they do not understand what we're
asking, will they be able to develop the deep understandings about the world
we're anticipating?
==========================================
THEN MARY ANNE WROTE:
In scanning my emails I noticed three things that stand out-- 1) the essential
questions we use must be kids friendly!
2) Marsha's question -- How is change reflected in patterns, cycles and
relationships? seems to encompass all the ideas we have been talking about.
(Note: I dropped the word transformations. I would like to reserve using
it--but later in the unit. For my students, it would cause a lot of confusion
at the beginning when I am trying to establish an understanding of the concept
of change.)
3) We are coming together and wordsmithing and agreeing/disagreeing and
creating and I am soooooooo excited!
I wish I had time to check my emails six times a day!
==========================================
AND KEITH WROTE:
I think Ellen has made a wonderful point here. Sometimes in an attempt to
incorporate everyone's great idea we kick the wordsmithing into overdrive.
I often think of this when I hear a school or district mission statement.
I don't even remember our district's mission statement. It's too long and
filled with grand words that sound awful purty but may lack meaning to the
people the message is intended for.
Ultimately the questions have to make sense to the students. So much the
better if they understand on the first read through.
==========================================
THEN BILL WROTE:
Thanks, Ellen. I had begun to worry about this issue too, although I know
I contributed to the problem (sorry everyone!) That's why I was glad to
see Marsha's proposed essential question not only taking in most of our
previous ideas but also pulling us back somewhat from our previous sophistication.
That's also why I was glad to see positive reactions to your posting.
Marsha's question as revised by Mary Anne was: "How is change reflected
in patterns, cycles and relationships?" I agree with Mary Anne that
we should reserve the use of "transformations" for later in the
unit, particularly as it is more or less a synonym for change anyway. Is
this question sufficiently kid-friendly, or do we need to rephrase it further?
==========================================
THEN ELLEN RESPONDED:
I think I would go even further. I teach 6th grade students, and I think
they would still have a difficult time understanding what the question was
asking.
Another thing for us to consider is that our students have to care about/be
interested in pursuing the question that is asked, so we have to find a
way to relate it to their interests, experiences, etc. I think the above
question might be a good one for teachers to keep in mind as we plan, but
to present to students?
How can we frame the question in a way that might generate some excitement
and initial hypothesis among our students? I'm not sure what the answer
is...I'm still thinking on that!
==========================================
AND JOHN WROTE:
Ellen made the comment that "Another thing for us to consider is that
our students have to care about/be interested in pursuing the question that
is asked, so we have to find a way to relate it to their interests, experiences,
etc."
This reminds me of some comments I found yesterday on the Web when I was
searching around for "change" and "teaching" and such.
This teacher wrote:
"I've had the most success teaching this kind of basic, historical
thinking when I can get students to ask difficult and controversial questions
about their own lives. I think that once students feel that they have a
personal stake in contemporary religious, social, political issues, etc.,
intellectual exercises become more interesting (and maybe even entertaining)."
==========================================
POSTED 6/22 AT 11:30 AM EDT
AMY WROTE:
As I was rereading some of the emails I saved from this list, Keith had
said originally as a suggestion to discuss essential questions and vote.
Are we ready to do that?
If so, I tried to piece together from the website all of the questions that
we have discussed, so we can see them all together. It was easier for me
to look at this way, so hope it helps others out there. I also included
the essential questions checklist at the beginning so we could keep focused.
Essential questions checklist:
1. Big! Global in scope
2. Related to what it means to be a citizen of the world
3. Unanswerable
4. Interesting, intriguing
5. Important
6. Challenging
7. Kid friendly?
Essential questions proposed so far (I did this quickly scrolling through
the website of our discussion - please add any that I missed!): I think
some of them may be sub-questions also.
1. How is change reflected in patterns, cycles and relationships?
2. Can we change the outcome?
3.What changes the outcome?
4. How do cause and effect relationships contribute to and result from patterns
of change?"
5.What cause and effect relationships (environmental, human, technological--etc.)
create a pattern of change?
6.What are the consequences of change?
7.What is the relationship between conflict and change?
8.How do cause and effect interact as change occurs?
9.HOW CAN WE RECOGNIZE CHANGE AND BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY DEAL (DON'T LIKE
THAT WORD - HELP) WITH IT?
10. (New one by Amy) - I think Ellen's right with needing to be kid friendly
- what about
How does change affect our lives?
============================================
BILL THEN WROTE:
Personally, I don't feel ready to vote yet. While I love Amy's newest question
(the one above), especially in context of the checklist she so kindly reviewed
for us, I feel as though not that much time has elapsed since we decided
to reign in the rhetoric and make sure our essential question is kid-friendly.
If we are to vote, I'd suggest waiting a few more days, perhaps until at
least Monday. Perhaps by then a consensus may even have emerged that will
preclude any need to vote. However, if others disagree, I'm certainly happy
to go along with whatever the group wants.
============================================
AND ANITA AGREED:
I also do not feel ready to vote. Kid friendly questions like Amy's are
important. We need a few more, I believe.
I tried wading through the UBD chapter John sent (thanks John), the graphic
organizers were awesome.
http://www.ascd.org/readingroom/books/wiggins98book.html#chap1
What happened to using those? I am having difficulty coming up with
any questions alone -- I have found in working with my students collectively
that a "brainstorm" leads to many questions related to that topic.
I know we started out with one of sorts, should we return to that now with
the focus on Kid Friendly?
============================================
THEN BRENDA WROTE:
I agree with Ellen's comment that the phrasing of the question will be key
with Middle School students. I always take a great deal of care in giving
my assignments titles that grab because I think it can hook the students
or cause them to yawn. Although philosophical wordplay may intrigue us it
will likely not move the Middle school student who is always wondering what
exactly is in it for them.
============================================
DEB WROTE:
I think that once we've settled on an essential question we will go back
and brainstorm sub-questions etc. Also, we should keep in mind that while
we will agree on a question for planning purposes that someone might prefer
a different wording or slant for their own classroom or purpose. It's not
as if we have to come up with "the" perfect question.
============================================
MARY ANNE WROTE:
I think one of the reasons we are struggling is because we have jumped from
the standards--to the essential questions. We have missed "enduring
understandings" which are basically broad generalization statements
that say what we want the kids to understand.
Wiggins defines understandings as a "three legged stool" with
one leg being skills, one is knowledge and the third dispositions. He uses
a graphic of three concentric circles to set priorities in understanding,
the largest is those understandings worth being familiar with.
(SEE graphic on this page: http://www.ascd.org/readingroom/books/wiggins98book.html#chap1)
The [second, inner] circle is those understandings that are important to
know and do--finally the center circle is those enduring understandings
that kids will remember in twenty years.
Two of the understandings that I would like to use in our unit of change
are--
Change can be positive or negative.
Change occurs in cycles.
Several of you have indicated that you would like to see a link between
conflict and change. Maybe an understanding might include--
Change may create external or internal conflict.
I look at these understandings as a way to get kids to really dig into the
definition of a concept. I have done quite a bit of work on an ongoing unit
on "systems," one of the understandings in that unit that really
makes the kids think (and I would eventually use as a piece of my own unit
on change) is:
When one piece of a system changes, the whole system must adapt.
Maybe this is why we are struggling with writing essential questions. If
we don't know what we want the kids to truly understand about change--it's
really hard to get to the essential question. Just a thought.
============================================
KEITH RESPONDED TO MARY ANNE:
:
I was thinking last night that it doesn't seem like we're quite ready yet
to make a firm decision. My guess is that many of you have the same feeling
that we just haven't hit the "ahah" moment yet?
Mary Anne's ideas have put things in perspective for me in a brief, simple,
and powerful way. When I read the message it was like - now it's starting
to fit. What she has said may not be new, but the way it WAS said made a
lot of sense to me.
I'm signing off for a few days as I'm headed to Chicago for a conference.
I look forward to catching up on my return.
============================================
DEB RESPONDED TO MARY ANNE:
Mary Anne wrote: "Maybe this is why we are struggling with writing
essential questions. If we don't know what we want the kids to truly understand
about change--it's really hard to get to the essential question."
Thanks,
I thought we were going to brainstorm to get all our thoughts about change
going ( hence my technologically lame attempt at a Chalk Talk). I don't
think we've all really explored what we think is important to understand
about change or changes. I agree that the standards are one place to look
for what "they" say kids need to know, but I think an equally
valuable approach is to examine our own beliefs and then weave or bend the
standards around them.
Keeping all this in mind, I'd suggest that we follow your lead and generate
our lists of key understandings.
Change can be positive or negative.
Change occurs in cycles.
Link between conflict and change.
Inevitability of change
I think somebody said something about change without growth, but no growth
without change... could we list that as:
Relationship of growth & change?
============================================
THEN JOHN WROTE:
One point that comes to mind as we refine the essential question and search
for kid-friendly phrasing. I think it was in the Coalition document on essential
questions -- that the question should be "unanswerable." And,
of course, endlessly explorable. Questions like "what does it mean
to be honest" or "what is God?" come to mind as examples.
Also, I've been thinking about the age group you work with - what does change
mean to them? They are going through major changes in their lives as they
pass from childhood through adolescence. This is much on my mind right now,
because my daughter has just graduated from college and entered the adult
world, and she's really going through some turmoil as she tries to adjust.
All of which makes me wonder if there might be a way to craft a question
that recognizes the upheaval in the lives of middle grades kids. Something
like:
Why do things have to change?
...kind of a kid version of "is change inevitable?"
I'm not suggesting this as the essential question but I'm thinking that
it might help us think about what change might mean to a 12- or 13-year
old.
============================================
Posted June 25
BRENDA WROTE:
I really liked MaryAnne's reminders about Wiggin's 3-leg stool with one
of the legs being long term understanding. The two she mentioned was: Change
can be positive or negative. Change occurs in cycles. If kids walked away
with those two points internalized just think how that could affect how
students cope with life and what it throws at them. I agree that this is
essential knowledge.
==============================================
JOHN THEN WROTE:
Mary Anne wrote::
>Hi all--
>I think one of the reasons we are struggling is because we have jumped
from
>the standards--to the essential questions. We have missed "enduring
>understandings" which are basically broad generalization statements
that say
>what we want the kids to understand.
I wonder if this graphic organizer might be helpful?
"Kentucky standards-based unit of study planning map"
Just in case, I've posted it on our documents page as a small PDF file (one
page). You can download it by going to:
http://www.middleweb.com/MWLresources/projectdocs.html
And clicking on the link.
It's rather formal, but it seems to include the elements that we're likely
to need, over time. Notice the position of "targeted standards"
and the "essential questions."
==============================================
JOHN ALSO WROTE:
One point that comes to mind as we refine the essential question and search
for kid-friendly phrasing. I think it was in the Coalition document on essential
questions -- that the question should be "unanswerable." And,
of course, endlessly explorable. Questions like "what does it mean
to be honest" or "what is God?" come to mind as examples.
Also, I've been thinking about the age group you work with - what does change
mean to them? They are going through major changes in their lives as they
pass from childhood through adolescence. This is much on my mind right now,
because my daughter has just graduated from college and entered the adult
world, and she's really going through some turmoil as she tries to adjust.
All of which makes me wonder if there might be a way to craft a question
that recognizes the upheaval in the lives of middle grades kids. Something
like:
Why do things have to change?
...kind of a kid version of "is change inevitable?"
I'm not suggesting this as the essential question but I'm thinking that
it might help us think about what change might mean to a 12- or 13-year
old.
==============================================
THEN ANNE JOLLY WROTE:
John, what a great help this summary is!
[Essential Questions discussion string: http://www.middleweb.com/MWLresources/projectessential.html]
In looking at everyone's comments - one after another - it's almost like
having a conversation with one person speaking after another. I think this
will help us find the commonalities in our conversation. Thanks for all
of your time in doing this.
And - I think we may have discovered an important component of online planning
for interdisciplinary units (or other kinds of things). Have a bulletin-board
type area where all of the conversation can be viewed at once by simply
scrolling down.
I'm on the same wavelength with Deb when she says "I don't think we've
all really explored what we think is important to understand about change
or changes." Would it be fruitful to throw out what we think are the
important concepts and then do some synthesis?
Some things I'd like to see kids consider-- the consequences of change,
the inevitability of change, and productive adaptation to change.
==============================================
THEN DEB WROTE:
Please just add your understandings/concerns and copy so we can all watch
the list grow...
= Change can be positive or negative.
= Change occurs in cycles.
= Link between conflict and change.
= Inevitability of change
= Relationship of growth & change ? consequences of change, productive
adaptation to change.
==============================================
FOLKS! AT THIS POINT, YOU BEGAN TO ADD ITEMS TO DEB'S LIST
AT A FURIOUS RATE. THANKFULLY, BILL IVEY COMPILED THE GROWING LIST SEVERAL
TIMES. I CHECKED BEHIND HIM... HE DID A GOOD JOB!
RATHER THAN REPOST THE LIST OVER AND OVER, WITH EACH ADDITION, I'M ONLY
INCLUDING SIDE COMMENTS... AND BILL'S FINAL UPDATE. I HAVE IT ALL IN ORDER
IF ANYONE WANTS TO SEE IT!
JOHN
==============================================
BEVERLY COMMENTED
Mary, you are right to suggest that we need to zero in on the understandings
we want the kids (and ourselves) to reach. I've only been lurking in this
discussion, but now have time to get more active. How about the old truism
that "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction"?
Did I state that correctly?
[adds her items, then...]
One more thought comes to mind concerning essential understandings. I sometimes
try to help my kids persevere when faced with new, difficult learning by
sharing and explaining the following thought I gleaned from some course
in the eighties:
"For learning to take place, there must be a time of Cognitive Disequilibrium"
Watching them regain their "Cognitive Equilibrium" by struggling
to understand the new concept, gain a new skill, clarify their essays, etc.
is one of the best things about teaching middle schoolers. Surely this old
saw has some relevance to the study of change?
==============================================
DIANE WONDERED IF WE NEED SPECIFIC QUESTIONS:
Hi. I have enjoyed watching the development of issues, ideas, and comments
on the MWlist and project list for a couple of weeks now, and it has been
fun to know that there are people who get as excited about Middle School
as I do.
I have been wondering about the question development along the same lines
as Ellen. I guess my first thought is why aren't the students developing
the question? Provide them with some stimulus information that would lead
them to think about change and let them go at it.
I see our own questions are one of the great motivators (in addition to
things like choice, input, success, interest, ownership, etc.). We need
to develop the structure........let the students develop the ideas and the
learning.
Thanks for letting me watch what is happening here every day.
==============================================
MARSHA COMMENTED ON THE ORGANIZER JOHN POSTED:
John sent this to the list:
"Kentucky standards-based unit of study planning map" Download
PDF file at: http://www.middleweb.com/MWLresources/projectdocs.html
I thought this organizer was terrific. It helped me get everything that
was flying around down on paper.
It's rather formal, but it seems to include the elements that we're likely
to need, over time. Notice the position of "targeted standards"
and the "essential questions."
I spent some time thinking back to what I know about my students cognitive
development and I believe that most of my 7th graders are still in the concrete
phase, meaning they look at direct consequences and answer based on what
has happened to them personally. Another big chunk are somewhere in between
concrete and abstract thinking in that sometimes they can look beyond themselves
and see consequences for others. Only a very few are abstract thinkers where
they could take another perspective to evaluate an issue including the personal
and social consequences of behavior. My Piaget is rusty so please feel free
to correct me.
So then I asked myself, what does that mean?
I guess the essential question might be
"How does a person change?"
It doesn't have any one correct answer and strikes at the central issue
that our students are working through---personal decision making.. These
students must learn how to navigate through questions that don't have a
single answer and, in