Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch...

We're back at school and inching our way toward semester finals (now just 15 school days away). Some of you may remember that I have a plan in mind about working with kids prior to the final in order to help move them toward mastery. I am continuing to work on the items I need for this. There are 8 major targets for kids. For each of those targets, I need a breakdown of vocab and skills...a way for students to be able to have some individual and small group time...and one possible alternative assessment. I am currently in different places with each---some targets are easier to manage than others.

I'm including one example for you today. If you click on the link, you'll be able to take a look at the following plan for remediating information in biochemistry:

• Pages 1 and 2 would be xeroxed and provided to each student needing remediation on this target. On the first page is the target, relevant vocabulary, and a list of skills using the content which students can check off. I am hoping that this will help them inventory what they already know...and what they need to focus their time on. The second page is a tool for them to use to support their work in these areas.
• Page 3 contains the directions for the rotation where kids will work in a group with others who are studying the same topic that day. There is a brief Q & A period and then a short activity.
  
• The directions for the activity (The Question Game) are on page 4, followed by the master set of questions/answers on pp. 5 - 7. These need to be copied and then pasted onto index cards. Even though the questions and answers are next to each other on the masters, they would need to be on separate cards when prepared for students.

I don't have the alternative assessment written just yet. At this point, I am thinking that I will ask them to do some analysis of 2 or 3 nutrition labels, and will include some guiding questions for them to consider with that. Right now, it feels good to just be this far along.

I have the general plan for my study skills mini-lessons drafted, but not ready to share with you quite yet. Maybe tomorrow?

I am keeping my fingers crossed that all of this will fly in a couple of weeks. It's a lot of work at the moment, but once it's done, I'll have two weeks at school to just teach and not have to worry about anything else (which is when I have a ton of things I will need to focus on for grad school).

As always, any feedback on the work to date is welcome and appreciated. I'll keep uploading documents as I finish them in case anyone else can benefit!