Literacy Leadership Team Marion County WV: March 2017

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Rivesville: Teaching Theme to Middle Schoolers

"I like the idea of using pieces of text evidence to support theme statements. This works on two important skills!"

"I loved the strategy and the engaging visual presentation!"

"Topic + insight = theme!"

Jacob Moales

East Fairmont High School: G.I.S.T., Article of the Week, Socratic Seminar and Vocabulary Charts

"I will definitely be trying the G.I.S.T. strategy - it looks like a powerful tool for student-driven analysis."

"I plan to use the visual vocabulary strategy. I want the vocabulary pictures book!"

"Being sure to embed part of the vocabulary word into the picture is the extra step that will help my students remember what the words mean."

Melissa Garrett and Wendy DeVault

East Fairmont Middle School: Strategies to Use Throughout the Writing Process

"Love the OREO strategy! I will use this in my class!"

"I want to use RAINBOW REVISION for my writing process, and SWAG is a fun way to teach opinion writing!"

"I loved that EFMS had simple strategies that set up students for success throughout the year....OREO, SWAG, Rainbow Revision, No Red Ink!"

Bobbi Brand and Rachel Hullderman

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Monongah Elementary: Daily 5 and Accuracy

"I really liked the accuracy strategies."

"I loved the secret stories. I really want to use that next year."

Mark Fisher, Kristin Hess and Heather Suarez

Fairview Elementary: Play Based Phonics Strategies

"Phonics goodness!"

"What do I need? More Fairview folks training us on phonics!"

"There is a strong correlation between what our hands hold and what our minds comprehend."

"Thanks for the games!"

Andrea Layman, Andrea Price, and Caitlin Kolar

East Dale: QAR

"East Dale's presentation was awesome! WOW, how resourceful!"

"What did I learn? QAR color codes and the vertical planning/scaffolded approach to QAR."

"In the book or in my head cards...this is excellent!"

Christina Zukowsky and Debra Wilson

Thursday, March 2, 2017

West Fairmont Middle School: Motivation and Self-Directed Learning Using Newsela, Story Elements and Graphic Organizers

"This was great information....I learned about Dinah Zike's information on book reports and clever foldables!"

"I learned new ideas for book reports and for using Newsela. I liked the annotation tools!"

"The photostory idea for an independent book report is a tremendous idea!"

WFMS Presenter Cassie Levelle

WFMS Presenter Jackie Constable

Photostory Book Report:

bk report from Sherry Copley on Vimeo.

West Fairmont Middle School- Jackie Constable and Cassie Levelle

Grade 6: Informational: Newsela

Grade 8: Literary: Story Elements Graphic Organizers

Materials: iPads/computers, Direction sheets, and Rubrics

Strategies Used:
Comprehension Monitoring- thinking about what students are reading. This strategy helps students become active readers and find a purpose for their reading.

Motivation and self-directed learning- the ability to provide students a choice of materials on individual reading ability levels, as well as materials that connect cross-circular components to peak student interest while enhancing literacy skills.

Procedure for Story Elements Graphic Organizers
Throughout the year, independent reading is assigned for each nine-week period. During that time, the elements of literature is scaffold throughout the various independent reading projects which the student has selected from a list that’s been provided to them, or by teacher consent. Books are based on their independent Lexile numbers and individual interests. *See teacher folder

Procedure for Newsela:
·   The teacher will create an account using newsela.com.
·   The teacher will assign an article to read for each class.
·   The teacher will create individual classes and students’ usernames/passwords.
·   Students will log on with their usernames/passwords.
·   Students will go to their “Binder”.
·   The teacher will instruct students on which article to choose.
·   The teacher will then instruct students, individually, on the changing of Lexile numbers.
·   Students will read the article (individually/or in stations), while completing the quiz and
writing portion.

Links to Resources:
·   Newsela.com
·   Teacher made materials (see folder)

Data of Effectiveness of the Implementation of Strategy using Acuity
Grade 6
Class Fall Average: only 33% (analyzing) and 33% and 29% (central idea- two-part question)   of students answered the questions referring to informational texts correctly.
Class Winter Average: 74% (analyzing) and 74%, 95%, 63% (central idea- three answer
choice question) of students answered the questions referring to informational texts
correctly.
Growth of Proficiency: Fall- 43%, Winter- 74%
Range 2: Fall- 48%, Winter- 21%
Range 1: Fall- 10%, Winter- 5%

Grade 8
Growth of Proficiency: Fall- 72%, Winter- 93%
Range 2: Fall- 24%, Winter- 7%
Range 1: Fall- 5%, Winter- 0%

We have learned…
We have learned that data analysis is the best way to improve student achievement with teacher made and data driven resources when examining student growth.