Facilitation
Each activity includes within it a specific plan with examples of the questions strategies that will be used during the unit. Types of examples include Socratic questions, probing questions, and pocket questions. An example of this would be, in the Will Ferrell Entry Event, the teacher will ask the students, "How has technology gotten so small over the years?" Some Socratic questions used will include:
The teacher will use these questions to facilitate student self-questioning. Through this practice students will be guided in asking their own probing questions in the PBL. This will help students think for themselves and make decisions on their own without the teacher giving them answers. These types of questions will promote inquiry and ensure student engagement and direction of conversation. A rubric for the student work will be provided to each student and the teacher will establish the expectation that each group and student self-monitor their progress on meeting the rubric by their use of self-questioning. On occasions, the daily activity log will also incorporate questions for the students to reflect on the effectiveness of their group. Students will be engaged throughout the process by continually focusing on the driving question, incorporating student passions in the PBL, and using the previously mentioned questioning techniques.
Grouping Students
The following is a summary of how students will be grouped in this PBL. We will begin with roles, grouping strategies, effective group work, and a list of activities to help students in their groups.
Roles
Students will take a pretest that will show them their primary color that highlights skills that they are able to bring to a group. From these colors the teacher will try to break groups up into teams of 4 and assign different roles based on their colors. These colors will be stressed that they do not define who a student is but helps highlight specific skills they are able to bring to their team. This will help ensure effective group work by making each member feel like they play a role and agree upon goals of the group. Students will also participate in peer evaluations and daily activity logs. The website for the free pretest is http://www.colorcode.com/choose_personality_test/. Students will also reflect upon the roles they played using the Team Roles and Collaboration Skill Session. This will allow students to appreciate the roles they play within the group promoting equal group member participation. To help each group plan and agree upon goals they will each participate in the following activity. The Group Roles and Goals handout will allow each student to identify their role within the group and will help the group set up goals and norms.
Student reflection and debrief is a crucial part of every PBL. This allows students to gain a deeper understanding of the material. In this PBL students will have a daily activity log that affords opportunity to reflect on the project, the math content skills, and nanotechnology objectives they are learning throughout the PBL. There will also be peer evaluations to provide feedback to group members and ensure students are fulfilling their roles. Copies of prompts are linked: Activities Log, Peer Evaluation, Content Quiz 1, Content Quiz 2.
Classroom Design
Each activity includes within it a specific plan with examples of the questions strategies that will be used during the unit. Types of examples include Socratic questions, probing questions, and pocket questions. An example of this would be, in the Will Ferrell Entry Event, the teacher will ask the students, "How has technology gotten so small over the years?" Some Socratic questions used will include:
- Why do you say that?
- What is another way to look at this?
- What do you think causes this to happen? Why?
The teacher will use these questions to facilitate student self-questioning. Through this practice students will be guided in asking their own probing questions in the PBL. This will help students think for themselves and make decisions on their own without the teacher giving them answers. These types of questions will promote inquiry and ensure student engagement and direction of conversation. A rubric for the student work will be provided to each student and the teacher will establish the expectation that each group and student self-monitor their progress on meeting the rubric by their use of self-questioning. On occasions, the daily activity log will also incorporate questions for the students to reflect on the effectiveness of their group. Students will be engaged throughout the process by continually focusing on the driving question, incorporating student passions in the PBL, and using the previously mentioned questioning techniques.
Grouping Students
The following is a summary of how students will be grouped in this PBL. We will begin with roles, grouping strategies, effective group work, and a list of activities to help students in their groups.
Roles
- Leader: Moderates team discussion, keeps the group on task, and distributes work.
- Communicator: Takes notes summarizing team discussions and decisions, and keeps all necessary records.
- Analyst: Encourages imagination and contributes new and alternative perspectives and ideas, will also take primary role in design of product.
- Questioner: Checks to make sure all group members understand the math and nano concepts and the group’s final conclusions.
Students will take a pretest that will show them their primary color that highlights skills that they are able to bring to a group. From these colors the teacher will try to break groups up into teams of 4 and assign different roles based on their colors. These colors will be stressed that they do not define who a student is but helps highlight specific skills they are able to bring to their team. This will help ensure effective group work by making each member feel like they play a role and agree upon goals of the group. Students will also participate in peer evaluations and daily activity logs. The website for the free pretest is http://www.colorcode.com/choose_personality_test/. Students will also reflect upon the roles they played using the Team Roles and Collaboration Skill Session. This will allow students to appreciate the roles they play within the group promoting equal group member participation. To help each group plan and agree upon goals they will each participate in the following activity. The Group Roles and Goals handout will allow each student to identify their role within the group and will help the group set up goals and norms.
Student reflection and debrief is a crucial part of every PBL. This allows students to gain a deeper understanding of the material. In this PBL students will have a daily activity log that affords opportunity to reflect on the project, the math content skills, and nanotechnology objectives they are learning throughout the PBL. There will also be peer evaluations to provide feedback to group members and ensure students are fulfilling their roles. Copies of prompts are linked: Activities Log, Peer Evaluation, Content Quiz 1, Content Quiz 2.
Classroom Design
Image Credit:
(Vanderbilt Peabody College, 2014)
(Vanderbilt Peabody College, 2014)