Mrs. Slaviero's Blog

 School is going well this year--it's been very busy!  In the search for new activities and assessments that will provide deep learning opportunities for all students I've decided this year to attempt the Harkness discussion. This type of discussion is a student-centered model that especially benefits English Language Learners. I observed a teacher in my department that is adept with this model and she gave me a lot of insight and ideas as to how I can bring it to my students. I was also fortunate to see how her students successfully and impressively take control of their learning while experiencing this discussion. Detailed planning really helps students feel comfortable, especially before their first discussion, and this is in my mind as I decide what and how we will use this in History. My research and insights are compiled in a power point reference:  Harkness Discussion Guide.pptx  I've learned so much, and I will update as we take on our first Harkness discussi...

 After a few months of virtual classes we are now back to hybrid learning (teaching both in-seat and virtual students simultaneously). It is once again going to be an adjustment. One bright spot is that, even with another schedule change my students know that we are working on our National History Day projects. This consistency amidst change has been helpful.  Projects are due next week. That has the potential to cause stress in students, at least until I clarify how close they are to a completed project, before they feel they've started. We have worked on their final project for weeks now, my students just haven't yet realized it. The assignments at the end of first quarter focused on the context of their project. Students had to research and use the engineering design process to learn and explain the context of their historical event. This piece of the project took a few class days to complete.  The second assignment was this year's National History Day graphic organiz...

Student Historians are working diligently on their National History Day projects. I have been meeting with student groups according to categories to remind them of the benefits of the  Symbaloo Webmix  created for them #rightsideofthewebmix and to give them individualized help.  We have a few groups creating a dramatic performance and I received some help from our Forensics teacher and compiled her tips as students were writing their scripts, along with a plot diagram for them to use. (I have always utilized graphic organizers with my students, they are incredibly helpful with project development by helping students work effectively and with a focus.) Each group needs to write a Process Paper--a graphic organizer from me should make that process run smoothly, as well. (I will post this document on my Twitter page,  the Webmix is only for web links.) Our school-wide presentations are January 23rd (my History classes) and January 24th (our other Histo...

This week featured a deep dive into this year's theme utilizing a graphic organizer (entitled "The 4Cs") from the National History Day organization. We were fortunate to have Ms. Amy Bradfield, Education Services Manager with the Historical Society of Michigan, observe part of 5th and all of 6th hour Tuesday. Ms. Bradfield helped us all (myself included) enhance our understanding of the theme and I'm truly grateful for her knowledge and expertise!  The Cs refer to Conflict , Compromise , Context , and Change . The first two, Conflict and Compromise , represents the lens all students must view their topic in History through. Students do not have to represent the conflict and the compromise of a topic equally, it's perfectly acceptable to have an uneven representation of the two, as long as both are reflected in the thesis, document selection, and persuasive justification. Students need to clearly state the problem of the situation and the give-and-take in...

Student Historians worked with Popplet for the first time today. The app creates concept maps that can include text and images. Concepts, called Popples, can also be color-coded. The app seems fairly easy to use--I created one about the 3 levels and 3 branches of government while my students were creating theirs (I did add a few pictures later, though, and that took longer to do). I was realizing that searching for pictures of people like our current Supreme Court members, for example, was a very worthwhile activity. Students (and adults, for that matter) need to know who our country's leaders are. The lite version is free and lets you create one map at a time. The map can be downloaded but it then becomes a PDF or JPEG and can't be edited. My Effective Teens are also working on a Genius Hour Popplet and we managed to get around this "one map" issue by moving the second map to another part of the screen. :) My first impressions of Popplet are very good. I've b...

I really enjoy incorporating music into my classroom on a daily basis. I play classical music while my History students are working on group activities, Motown hits for my Effective Teens when they are planning their Genius Hour projects, U2's "Pride (In the Name of Love)" to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. and analyze his impact on the Civil Rights Movement, and relaxation music when I sense student stress levels are high.  Yesterday I utilized music in a different way--to help students deeply review the American Revolution. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REUusj4nxh4 The piece I used was the main theme to the movie "The Patriot", composed by John Williams. This piece is brilliant, in my opinion, because it so clearly takes the listener through the history of the American Revolution. One can hear life before British taxation in the colonies, the impact of events like the Boston Massacre and Intolerable Acts, the early, middle, and turning point battl...

My historians turned in their first assessment for me today. It was a graphic organizer outline (I am a huge proponent of graphic organizers--they're a terrific tool to organize thinking and writing) and an analytical writing piece.  The first assessment is always a stressful time for my students--most want to make sure they follow all guidelines and complete it "perfectly". This is also usually the first time one of my favorite teacher phrases is spoken: Discussion of the assignment specifics usually goes along these lines:  Students: "Should we print or use cursive?" Me: "Make a good decision." Students: "Would you like us to use pen or pencil?" Me: "Make a good decision." Students: "May we submit it online?" Me: "Make a good decision." My poor students usually get increasingly confused by my statement. I want them to decide for themselves how to complete the details (I do have writin...