Assignment #2: Complete the 4 part assignment format as you read, reflect, and respond to Chapter 2 – Identifying Similarities and Differences.
Although your course packet asks you to post to blog for parts A, B, C, and D…we are asking that you only post part C and D. We’re trying to make the blog easier to read and more user- friendly. Thanks!
A. Guiding Questions for Self Assessment of Current Beliefs and Practices: This component asks you to reflect on how and why you currently use the instructional strategies of identifying similarities in your classroom. The intent of this is to activate your prior knowledge of your strategy use so that you can make comparisons as you read the chapter. Below are the questions to help you complete your self-assessment. (Complete – but do not post!)
• What is the purpose of asking students to compare?
• What kinds of activities do I use to help students compare?
• I can think of a time that I asked students to compare, and I was pleased with the results. Why did it go well?
• I can think of a time that I asked students to compare, and I was not pleased with the results. Why did it not go well?
• What questions do I have about using comparing in my classroom?
B. Read & Reflect “Research & Theory”: This portion of the assignment asks you to read chapter 2 and reflect briefly on your thinking after reading the “Research and Theory” section for identifying similarities and differences. (Complete – but do not post!)
C. Practice: Choose one of the specific “classroom practice” strategies or techniques shared in this chapter to teach to your students (If you are not currently teaching, you may share how you would use this strategy in your classroom) – please post a brief reflection of how this went to the posting labeled Week Two: Identifying Similarities and Differences. Click on the “comment” link below.
D. Final Strategy Reflection: Use the following sequence of questions/prompts to reflect on what you’ve learned about both the strategies presented in the chapter and what you’ve learned about yourself as both a teacher and a learner. Please post your brief reflection to the posting labeled Week Two: Identifying Similarities and Difference by clicking on the “comment” link below.
How has the information you read in this chapter on comparing affected your thinking about teaching and learning? What have you learned about yourself as a teacher and learner? Use the following questions to assist you in writing a brief strategy reflection:
• How has reading this information affirmed some of what you already knew about comparing?
• What is something you now understand better about comparing?
• How might you change how you use comparing in your classroom?
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Marisa H.
Part C. Practice
Included in our Kindergarten math unit this January are lessons designed to help students compare objects of a different length. One of the activities in our math unit requires students to practice comparing the length of the letters in their name, to the length of letters in a friend’s name. I thought this comparison theme fit in nicely with chapter two of “Classroom Instruction that Works”. I also felt that comparing name lengths would not only teach measurement, but would also help students recognize the letters in their friends’ names and be a nice tie into literacy and learning letters. I decided to create a teacher-directed comparison lesson and thought that a Venn diagram organizer could help students compare name lengths. First I had to adapt this comparison activity so that Kindergartners could work independently to achieve success with the lesson. During the first comparison lesson students made their own name cubes. They connected cubes into cube sticks and on each cube wrote a letter of their name with a permanent marker. During the next math session I modeled for students how to compare the length of their name, with the length of a friend’s name using a Venn diagram. I copied a Venn diagram on a sheet of large construction paper and gave a copy to each student. Students then used their Venn diagram to gather data. On one side of the Venn diagram was the word “longer”, on the other side the word “shorter”, and in the middle was the word “equal”. Students wrote their name on the top of their Venn diagram paper, and then compared their friends’ names with their own using their name cube. Each student was looking to see if their friends’ names were longer, shorter, or the same length as their own name. Students enjoyed this activity and I found that most could achieve success with this task on their own. I supported high needs students by assisting with counting and recognizing letters. I think this is a fun, working together activity that reaches across subject lines. The challenge with using the strategies in “Classroom Instruction that Works” is adapting it to a Kindergarten program. However, I think in this case the activity was successful and achieved the goals set forth during planning.
Part D. Reflection
Comparing has been a teaching strategy that I have often used when planning curriculum in the classroom. Comparing is a great tool to use across all subject themes. I have often used comparing when teaching literacy strategies by highlighting the similarities/differences of characters in a particular story or by comparing the themes of two different texts. This instructional strategy can be a powerful teaching tool. After reading chapter two in “Classroom Instruction that Works”, I believe that I feel even more strongly that this is an instructional tool that supports student learning in the classroom. As stated in the text on page 15, “identifying similarities and differences enhances students’ understanding of and ability to use knowledge” (Marzano, et al). What I like about this statement is that it’s not only true, but there is hard statistical evidence that supports this important instructional strategy. As an educator, I can support using these tools in the classroom across many different subjects and with different leveled learners. I now understand that there are different tools an educator can use to teach the strategy of comparison. These tools can be used to teach simple concepts (like my above Kindergarten example lesson), or more complex lessons that are teacher or student directed.
Part C. Practice
I teach 5th Grade and right now in Social Studies, we are presenting the Explorer Reports/Projects we have been working on since before Winter Break. Each student chose an explorer and then completed 4 out 6 activities assigned. The activities were designed to have students demonstrate the facts they learned while researching in a variety of ways - compose a song, write a story, write interview questions and answers, a fact container, a guess who game, and a list of more facts they wanted to know. An activity that I thought of while reading the chapter has to do with COMPARING. When we are finished presenting our projects, I will have the kids find a partner and complete a Venn diagram using their two explorers. I also liked the Analogy idea. After each pair completed the Venn Diagrams, they will create an ANALOGY comparing their two explorers. I will also to take the time to have the class CLASSIFY all the explorers into different categories like time frames, regions explored, etc.
Part D. Final Strategy Reflection
*Comparing is a powerful way to not only solidify and demonstrate what you have learned, but it also takes the learning to a higher level. It is an important tool to assess learning, as well. You can clearly see if a student understands the concepts. It also helps the students make bigger and more relevant connections. When kids see how what they are learning in the classroom relates to their real lives, you’ve got them hooked!
*In the past, the only time I have used comparing was with literature. I have not taken it to other subjects. This chapter reminded me how powerful it can be with Science, Social Studies, Music, Physical Education, math, and writing.
*I will think of using each of the Comparing strategies with each subject I teach. Because I am only ½ time in the classroom, I only teach the academic subjects of Writing and Social Studies. I will make a real effort to use Comparing, Classifying, Metaphors, and Analogies in my daily teaching of these two subjects.
By the way, Kritan and Mary asked about my comment on 66 and 67 in my last assignment. Education needs a YES vote on these two Ballot Measures this month! Please remember to vote!
C: Practice
After reading the Identifying Similarities and Differences chapter, I had many ideas of how I could these methods into practice in my classroom. As a sixth grade teacher, I decided to start with something simple and structured to see how the students responded and then go from there. With that I choose to have students compare information using a Venn diagram. Since we just began a unit on fractions, and just ended a unit on decimals. I choose to have them create Venn diagrams comparing the two. The students were placed into pairs and they worked together to come up with five bullets for each section of the diagram. Once they were done we came back together and we constructed a whole class Venn diagram. The students really got into the whole class diagram and seeing how many different ways you could compare fractions and decimals. I think when we get into our unit on percents; we will revisit the diagram and add to it.
D: Final Strategy Reflection
After reading the information from chapter two, it reminded me how necessary it is for students to be challenged to dig into their higher level thinking. Through some of the examples in the chapter, you are taking the information the students learned and assess how well they grasp the understanding. What I liked about the examples is that they can be quick, informal assessments that really help you as the teacher get a feel for their knowledge.
The biggest things I learned about comparing are how simple it can be to incorporate it into your classroom, and how effective it can be in grasping their understanding.
I will definitely find ways to include this in my classroom instruction more often. One thing I like about it is that you can use the majority of the examples in pairs or small groups, so those students that may be struggling with understanding can be paired with someone else and end the end they may be on board. From reading, I think that this is just a good reminded of best practices and often times we get so bogged down with standards and testing that we go away from what we know to effective.
Part C. -- Practice
We are coming to the end of our theme in our reading program. After reading this chapter,I decided to have the students compare and contrast two stories from the theme. Since they have already learned the strategy, I only had to briefly review compare and contrast. I structured this activity somewhere between teacher-directed and student-directed. They have had past practice, but it was limited. I gave them the characteristics that they were comparing and contrasting and they were to pick the two stories (out of four) that they felt compared well. The characteristics were broad themes running throughout all four stories. At the end, they got together in small groups and shared their Venn diagrams.
Part D -- Reflection
I really liked the way this lesson turned out. It was a logical expansion on the previous lesson on comparing and contrasting. It required the students to think about all of the stories and to really understand them. The students enjoyed the activity, and most did their best, especially since I gave them a heads up that they'd be sharing in small groups.
It was also a good step for me. I know that it is a skill that can be taught in one subject and translates fairly easily (with some scaffolding) to another. It was my first time letting go and allowing the students have some choice in the activity. I really didn't think about a student-directed compare and contrast activity until reading this chapter. I will start putting those into practice more.
C. Practice:
1/17, I’m teaching a Pie Crust class to adults. I’ll use an analogy to check for understanding and a metaphor posted for people to respond to.
Analogy: lard : oil :: flakey : mealy
Metaphor: Relationships are like a Piece of Pie.
Sunday PM: The analogy worked well. It led to deep discussion and great questions were raised.
The metaphor was a lot of fun, though most people answered the statement as if it were a question.
Responses: Some of them are flakey. Some are best hot, some just warm. The flakier the better. Some people are better at making them work than others. If the relationship / pie isn’t working, add something sweet.
In the Foods class Nutrition Unit, students studied nutrition & food groups; looked at various renditions of Food Pyramids; and watched nutrition, health, and consumer awareness videos with discussion afterwards. Students kept a 4 day food log. On the fifth day, foods consumed were charted into food groups. Students reflected on their diet and stamina during the 4 day period.
I can see how a sim./diff. activity could have enriched student learning. I would collect the food logs, finish the unit, and then have students do another 4 day food log. After charting food groups, we'd make a Venn diagram: First Log compared to Second Log - circles listing food categories of the USDA Pyramid, tally marks illustrating number of servings. What I’d hope to see would be more tally marks within the Second Log circle for “vegetables” and “fruits” and fewer marks within the Second Log circle for “oils”. Did students eat better diets after the nutrition unit? A classification bubble chart could be used: Top circle: “Food Logs,” Left circle: “1st Log – All participants” Right circle: “2nd Log – Improved Diets.” Worst diets of Log 1 could be noted with a bubble coming out from student name. Best diets of Log 2 could be noted with a bubble coming out from student name. Q & A and discussion would finish the activity.
D. Reflection:
The cool thing about graphic organizers is their versatility; they can be used across content areas. When instructing and familiarizing students with organizers, I feel it’s helpful to use one particular form in a variety of situations before introducing other forms. In regards to sim. & diff., use the Venn first. Have the Venn be “The Organizer of the Day” and use it in reading, math, science, or a fun student-directed activity. The issue I’ve come across with younger students in using the Venn is space to write the information. It’s not just a matter of teaching how/why to use an organizer, but the process of formulating what to write (key words, phrases) and the size of the writing so everything fits inside! Once the Venn is familiar, move to another method of charting sim. & diff.: a classification bubble chart, etc.
This chapter helped me to realize the distinct qualities of the organizers described; Venns to compare, Bubble & Category charts to classify, Metaphor’s illustration of abstract or nonliteral relationship, etc. Again and again I see that teaching consists of many small steps, many individual teaching moments to arrive at the ability to do a full process of say filling in a comparison matrix or formulating analogies for a science unit.
I also appreciated the discussion of teacher-directed / student-directed processes.
The teacher guides instruction, maintains focus, supports practice, and then lets the students have a hand at it. In subbing for grades K through 12 I see students of all ages, skill levels, and language levels engage in and appreciate their time at school when given opportunities to actively/creatively participate. I know this is not new information; I’m just always amazed at the differences in student attitudes in the classes where student participation is encouraged vs. discouraged.
Hi Marissa, Nancy, Ashley, Christy, and Kim….thanks for your comments. Marissa, I think you did a fabulous job adapting this instructional strategy to the level of your kindergarteners! What a great way to integrate math and literacy into the work! Nancy – I love the way you were able to use comparison integrating it into an existing project in a content area! It is helpful for teachers to see, that you really don’t need to “redo” entire lessons, but that just a little tweak can increase the higher level thinking! Ashley – I love the idea of using a Venn diagram to compare fractions and decimals (It would probably be a great refresher for me also!). I’m sure your students now have a deeper understanding…and will be very prepared for their future unit on percents! Christy – this was a great way to get a summative assessment on the students’ knowledge after you were done with the reading theme….I think it was a great idea to add the cooperative group part as a “share” at the end! Kim – great ideas…I love that you were able to use this with adults to generate some thinking as well! Are you long term subbing in the foods course? If so, they are very fortunate !
Part C: This assignment came at a perfect time because one of my math lessons this week asked students to classify geometric shapes based on their similarities and differences.
To begin this lesson, students cut out about 15 different geometric shapes. There were 3 types of triangles, (acute, right and obtuse), regular polygons, 3-8 sided shapes, and irregular polygons.
First, I had pairs of students review the different attributes of each of the shapes, focusing on # of sides, angles, congruency, parallel lines, etc. This was a great review of what we had previously studied. Then they compared the differences and similarities between shapes using a large Venn Diagram where they actually placed their cut-out shapes in the different sections of the Venn Diagram. I liked the fact that they had the cut-out shapes because they were able to literally move their shapes from one section of the diagram to the other and discuss the movement and placement with their partner. I told them that they had to use “math language” to compare their shapes and not use words like 4 sides, (quadrilateral) or triangle, if it was a scalene triangle.
After I felt comfortable that they could do this on their own, I had them create a visual “riddle” of the shapes using their Venn Diagram for other students to visit and determine why the shapes were placed in the 3 areas of the Venn Diagram. They liked getting up and guessing what other classmates had done. I especially liked the “debates” that took place as students disagreed with or did not understand why students had done what they did on their Venn Diagram.
Next, we did the same process with classifying their shapes where they grouped shapes according to the attributes of the shape and students had to choose what the attribute were. This proved to be a little bit more challenging for some students, but my TAG students and other high math students really felt challenged with this activity and often extended the riddle by classifying shapes using two attributes. After seeing some students struggling with this concept, I had them work in pairs to create a “riddle” for others to guess.
This week, on the end of unit test, I am going to create two summative questions where students will need to show their understanding of comparing and classifying geometric shapes. I will have 1 question be multiple-choice and the other a short answer to assess their understanding of both the process and the concept.
Part D: This chapter was both affirming and informative. Initially I thought that I did not use this strategy much in my classroom and looked forward to adding this to some of my lessons, projects and activities. Then as I read, I started to make a list in the book of the different things I do throughout the year where I use this strategy, and I felt pretty good as my list got longer and longer. I have students fill-out a huge matrix on themselves at the beginning of the year that is posted outside of our classroom. That shows the similarities and differences in our classroom. They fill-out a Venn Diagram on the traits they share with their best friend when we talk about friendship as being a life skill. Right now, in our Bridges Number Corner activity, they are completing a matrix to compare equivalent fractions and decimals and the list goes on and on where I use this important tool!
I especially like the use of analogies and can see this being a valuable tool to use in math. I think this would be a fun activity at the end of our geometry unit. Honestly, I have probably let my own insecurities about analogies influence how much I use them in my classroom and so this will be a good challenge for me to incorporate this tool on a more regular basis!
Thanks for the comment Julie - What a great lesson…having the kids manipulate the shapes was a great idea – you’re right a perfect fit. The way you modified the activity for each range of learners was a perfect example of differentiation at its best. Identifying similarities and differences IS imbedded throughout the curriculum!
My class just finished a geometry unit in math. One of my favorite activities involved classification. I gave my students 40 different polygons. At first I gave them the teacher-directed task of classifying them into 3-sided, 4-sided, 5-sided and 6-sided shapes. Most students enjoyed being able to manipulate the shapes and trying to classify them “correctly.” Once they felt comfortable with the shapes I said, “Okay, so now we’re going to play a game called ‘Guess My Rule.’ You just played the first round. What was the rule? Yes, classify all of the shapes based on how many sides they have. For the next round, you get to classify them however you want and then your partner will have to try to guess what rule you used to classify them.” All of my students loved the second level of the activity.
After reading Marzano’s second chapter and implementing some of his ideas, I realize how much more powerful it is to lead students in student-directed comparing/contrasting tasks. I can see how important it is to introduce students to concepts through a teacher-directed task, but the biggest thinking occurs when students take ownership over the task. Once they have the scaffolding and experience they need, students can do more constructive thinking when they do their own classifying, create their own metaphors and write their own analogies. As a result of reading and thinking about identifying similarities and differences, I would like to try using metaphors and analogies with my fourth grade students. In a couple of days my students will begin a new unit called Our Changing Climate. At the end of the unit every student chooses a climate change issue to research and then present at a “Global Climate Change Forum.” I would like to see them create an analogy for their climate change issue (deforestation is to climate change as _______ is to ________) to demonstrate their mastery of the issue.
Part C. Practice:
Last year, with the help of a wonderful student teacher, I wrote a business unit for my class. One of the things we did was create a matrix where they had to compare different brands of ice cream and then write a short constructed paragraph explaining which product they would buy and why. We also created a matrix to compare the different businesses we might create and run. It was both teacher and student directed. We helped them to determine what characteristics were important to compare. For example, the amount of money that could be made, was the business sustainable, earth friendly, etc. By completing this matrix they were able to choose the business that met most of the criteria in their mission statement. This was done before I had read this book. This year I asked my students to compare regular novels to graphic novels and this was very difficult for them. Both this year and last I think the comprisons and the tools we used really helped them to think more deeply, but we all have a ways to go.
Part D. Reflection
This chapter was eye-opening! I feel gratified that I have been teaching my students how to do some comparisons. However, it was also obvious that most of them have been teacher directed and I want and will work harder to incorporate more student directed comparisons. I can honestly say that I have done very little with analogies and metaphors and I'm excited to try these. Our students still struggle with writing paragraphs and I will definitely be trying the graphic organizer for metaphors as described in the example from Mrs. Zeno's class.
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