CCSS 2011 Active Learning Projects and ELL presentation

California Council for the Social Studies Conference March 5, 2011

Active Learning Projects Empower English Language

Learners

Lanore Larson

Active Learning Projects Empower English Language Learners

AgendaIntroduction and expected outcomesVocabulary Building ActivitiesVarying level of challenge in an activityNon-traditional instructionsNon-traditional assessmentsHands-on activityDebrief and review of supporting scientific research

California Council for the Social Studies Conference March 5, 2011


Presenter Lanore Larson

ExperienceGraduate School of Education, Loyola Marymount UniversityPerforming Arts Magnet School, Hollywood HighSchool for Advanced Studies, Hollywood High

EducationM.S. International Education, U.S.C.M.B.A. International Business, Education and Research, U.S.C.Contemporary World History Project, Stanford University Complex

50th Annual California Council for the Social Studies Conference March 5, 2011



Intended Outcomes of session

Familiarity with an engaging active learning project to teach the Declaration of IndependenceFamiliarity with examples of strategies to provide access to content to their English Language LearnersFamiliarity with the sociological and neurological basis of successful active learning projects

What are Active Learning Projects?

Collaborative, constructivist lessons to challenge students to develop academic skills and content knowledge to solve authentic problems



Vocabulary Building Activities(whole class or individual)



Students write definition with word origin to emphasize how languages acquire wordsStudents write similarities to words in their primary language Students explain the term to a five-year-old

Vocabulary Building Activities



Create an illustration of the wordCreate a pictoword for Independence

Students demonstrate understanding using spatial and visual intelligence and creativity, rather than verbal-linguistic skills

How to vary the level of vocabulary and writing challenge in an activity



Provide vocabulary or have students define wordsStudents can translate on a word-by-word, sentence-by-sentence, or paragraph basisHave students write in their primary language and translate it into English Have students write in a hybrid with some primary language words

How to vary the level of vocabulary or writing challenge in an activity



Group size can range from 1 to 5 to adjust supportCarefully assign sections based on student proficienciesOpportunity to rehearse can be given to certain or all

students prior to cold Readers Theater reading

How to vary the level of vocabulary or writing challenge in an activity



Model how to evaluate which issues would have the most impact on colonists to include in their declaration

Required number of key ideas may be variedVary the requirements for video and slide show creation (length, soundtrack, animation, closed captioning)

Non-traditional instructional delivery



Visual – students can view video re-creations, posters, other students’ illustrations of vocabularyAuditory – students can read aloud, listen to

re-creations, classmates’ presentationsParticipatory active learning – students can break

down and analyze primary source to write their own version

Non-traditional assessments



Auditory - students write in rhyme, create a song or use a popular song

Kinesthetic – students act out the delivery of the DeclarationVerbal-Linguistic – students tweet sections or a summaryVisual - students draw illustrations, create a slide show or video

Non-traditional assessments



Slide shows and videos can include: animation (with proper credit) a soundtrack with closed captioning on video and text on slides

Writing your declaration with a focus on the audience



Different tones (logical or emotional , respectful or angry) would be most effective for:

Convincing colonists to rebel Convincing the King to give more autonomy Convincing Parliament to give more autonomy Convincing other countries to be our allies

Students’ primary language may be more formal than English, offering more choices in phrasing

Read-Around The Declaration of Independence



The beauty and power of the words and phrasing of the Declaration of Independence will inspire students when writing their own declaration.




When in the Course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the Causes which impel them to the Separation.




We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,

That among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.




That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such form, as to them shall seem, most likely to effect their safety and happiness.




Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes.

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same objectives is designed to reduce them under absolutedespotism,




it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such a government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

Such has been the patient suffering of these Colonies;and such is now the necessity which causes them to change their former systems of government.




The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states.

To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.




He has refused his assent to laws, necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass laws, of immediate and pressing importance.

He has called together legislative bodies at distant places, for the sole purpose of tiring them.




He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing his invasions on the rights of people.

By refusing his assent to laws, He has made judges dependent on his will alone for their stay in office, and for the amount and payment of their salaries.




He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent her swarms of officers to harass our people.

He has kept among us in times of peace, standing armies.

He has affected to make the Military independent of, and superior to, the civil power.




He has given his assent to legislation for quartering large bodies of troops among us.

For protecting these troops, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders they commit on the inhabitants of these states.

For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world.




For imposing taxes on us without our consent.

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury.




For transporting us beyond seas, to be tried.

For taking away our charters, abolishing our laws and altering the forms of our governments.

For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring to themselves the power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.




He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection, and waging war against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.




He is at this time bringing. armies of foreign troops to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, totally unworthy of the head of a civilized nation.

He has made our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas bear arms against their country,to become the executioners of their friends and brothers, or to fall themselves by their hands.




He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has tried to bring on the peoples of the frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is destruction of all ages, sexes, and conditions.

In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for relief in the most humble terms.




Our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury.

A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.




We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in general congress assembled, do, in the Name of the good people of these Colonies, solemnly declare, that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be Free and Independent States:




And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each otherour lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

Rewrite your own declaration



State the actions of the British government that most affect your life in a negative way State how you would like those actions to change Use powerful words, rhythm, and meter to keep the audience interested and on your side Optional: Set to the tune of a song, rap, or television theme song

Present your declaration



Share your Declaration with a neighboring group

Share 4 lines of your Declaration with the entire group

Active learning projects give content access and skills to English Language Learners

This strategy has been proven to improve student achievement.

collaborative structure provides:peer interpretationconstructive feedback

Active Learning Projects Inspire Elementary Love of Math50th Annual California Council for the Social Studies Conference March 5, 2011

The brain retains information in a safe

Students compete within a group, not against every peer

challenging ELLs thrive on grade-level challenges, not “busy work”

collaborative setting Working with academic peers provides feedback, guidance and

a sense of responsibility to the group

Active learning projects use brain research to challenge every student

Active Learning Projects Empower English Language Learners50th Annual California Council for the Social Studies Conference March 5, 2011

Ongoing neuroscience research has strongly supported constructivist teaching – students thrive when actively interpreting new knowledge creatively

Active learning projects use brain research to engage every student


Active learning projects engage Gardner’s multiple intelligences – ELLs are individuals

Students quickly access content in areas of strength while developing other talents.

interpersonal

intrapersonalspatialkinesthetic

verballinguistic


Students learn American history by becoming a Wampanoag and planning the first ThanksgivingStudents learn world history by negotiating at the Congress of Vienna in characterStudents learn economics by creating and operating a toy factoryStudents learn world geography while creating brochures for a cruise line

What do other active learning projects look like in the classroom?


Call or email:

For more ideas, visit the on-line community

http://We.TeachInteract.com

Lanore Larson [email protected]



Learning by Doing

Learn… Experience…information analysishow to share knowledgehow to communicate informationleadership responsibility

working collaborativelyrole playing & staging eventscreating authentic situationsdeveloping communication skills