Effectively Integrating Textual Evidence

Textual Evidence. 
Textual Evidence. 
Textual Evidence.

I know we hear these two words more than we would really care to. Nonetheless, despite whether one likes it or not, being able to use textual evidence is a skill our students must acquire and be able to apply across curriculums. However, teaching students to use textual evidence doesn't have to be so "rigorous" (another buzz word that us educators are all tired of hearing). Don't get me wrong...I do believe students need to be challenged, but the word "rigor" is just plain scary. We want to encourage our students--not intimidate them. Below are two creative activities I have used to teach students to utilize textual evidence without it seeming so daunting:

1) Post-Mortem of a Protagonist: With this assignment, students create an outline of some type of character. It can be a character from a novel, a historical figure, a famous scientist, etc. Then, they will need to illustrate at least five "body parts" for an "autopsy" of the character. Each body part needs to have questions attached, and students are to answer the questions associated with the body part with a quote, passage, or other form of textual evidence. For example, the head represents the intellectual side of the character. Students will need to provide a piece of textual evidence related to the character's visions, dreams, thoughts, or intellect. In order to achieve this, students have to refer back to the text to acquire the information they need. Below are pictures of some of my 8th grade English students working on their "post-mortem of a protagonist."

2) Fishbowl Discussions: The fishbowl strategy allows students to be both contributors and listeners in a discussion. It's also an awesome way to get students to use textual evidence. I like to use fishbowl discussions when I'm teaching arguments. I give my students two articles with opposing viewpoints. Students are to read both articles and choose what argument they agree with. They then must brainstorm a list of points they wish to make in the discussion as well as evidence from the articles to back up those points. I always tell them it is just like court--your point is not really worth anything without evidence to support it. Below are a few pictures of my 8th graders participating in a fishbowl discussion. 

Getting students to effectively integrate textual evidence doesn't have to be limited to post-reading questions and essays. Be creative, think outside the box, and try something new!

Words from the Wise: Learning from the Writings of Anne Frank

Last week my class finished The Diary of Anne Frank. My goal throughout the unit was that my students not only learned her story but that they really captured the mindset of Anne--how she saw the world, what she valued--and I wanted them to be able to apply the wise words of such a young girl to present day life.

The activity I created to accomplish this was actually inspired by an #ALedchat on Twitter concerning that of MLK. Jennifer Hogan, one of the mediators, provided an MLK quote for each question and asked us how it applied to our school, classroom, students, etc. Well, this gave me a wonderful idea in terms of the words of Anne Frank.

I immediately began collecting quotes by Frank. I cut the quotes out, folded them, and placed them in a bag. I normally allow much choice in my classroom; however, for this assignment, I did not want my students choosing their quotes. Instead, my sister suggested that students draw their quote (Umm...why didn't I think of that?). So, each of my students received their own quote. On a piece of card stock, they had to write their quote, color it, and on the back write how they could apply Anne's quote to present day (whether it concerned society, war, political issues, etc).

Of course, my students blew me away and turned in some really awesome stuff (as seen in the picture below). This just goes to show that assessing student learning doesn't have to be monotonous. As teachers, we just have to think outside the box or participate in Twitter chats for a little inspiration :)

The Power of Poetry

Gone are the droning days of memorizing and reciting Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” and Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18. Farewell to frivolous class readings and renderings.  Poetry has so much more to offer our students. This is not to say that memorizing these poems has no significance in the lives of learners because that is certainly not the case. However, there are so many more facets to be faced concerning poetry in the classroom.

Often when the word “poetry” is mentioned in the classroom, the result is a wavering response of reluctant sighs followed by questions and exclamations such as “please don’t make us memorize a poem”-- “are we going to have to recite in front of the class?”-- and “poetry is so boring!”

I have discovered that the key to making poetry less horrifying for students is to make it relevant to them and their world.

I'm sharing three fun and creative ways that you can utilize poetry in your classroom:

•    Blackout Poems: A blackout poem is an artistic approach at creating one’s own poem without having to write it from scratch. Show an example of a blackout poem to your students and you will immediately grab their attention. Apparently, blackout poems are all the rage on Tumblr. The best thing about blackout poems is the fact that they are super easy to relate to any content you may be covering in your classroom. For example: For those covering The Diary of Anne Frank in your classes, try handing out newspaper articles to your students and ask them to create a poem from Anne Frank’s point of view. They will need to select the words they wish to keep and blackout the rest. Then, have them write about how their blackout poem reflects Anne’s thinking. This is a fun and simple way to have students create meaningful poems that relate to the content covered in class. (P.S. Be prepared for your students to blow you away with the stuff they come up with). It may look a little something like this:

•    “Where I’m From” Poems: “Where I’m From” poems are another unique way to introduce poetry to your students, especially when it comes to the writing of poetry. “Where I’m From” poems are less intimidating for students because they do not have to rhyme and they stem from content students are familiar with—their very own lives. They also tend to boost a student’s confidence concerning their writing due to the fact that the finished product typically sounds incredible regardless of what the student writes. Not only are these poems an easy way to introduce students to the writing of poetry, but they are also a great way for teachers and student peers to get to know one another. Wait—there is more! You can also apply this to content by having students create a “Where I’m From” poem from an author or character’s perspective (hello…fun way to assess student learning).

•    Poetry through Music: Music is definitely something all students can relate to. So, why not teach poetry through something they love? Today’s music contains many structural similarities to that of poems. So having students analyze the lyrics of a song rather than a poem is a no brainer. It’s a great way to introduce them to sound and literacy devices without it seeming boring or daunting. Try this in your classroom by having students choose an appropriate song and define as many of the sound and literary devices as possible. When finished, have them present their findings. They can even be creative and use PowerPoint or iMovie to show their analysis while having the song playing in the background. Students love this, and you will be surprised that the aftermath of teaching poetry through music results in students telling you all the sound and literary devices they have discovered in their most recent playlist (insert proud teacher moment).  

See, poetry doesn’t have to be blah or boring. It can actually be quite versatile. The big take away from this is when you teach students the significance of poetry through more real and relative ways, that is when the true learning, creating, and meaning takes place.  

The power of poetry lies in this: Make it real and make it relevant.

Creativity in the Classroom...Have We Lost It?

With the push of new and rigorous standards, it's easy for us teachers to get caught up in the world of testing, assessing, and STRESSING. Due to this, many teachers feel as if there is no time or place for creativity in their classrooms.

But are the standards to blame?

No--Well, at least I don't think so. I believe the standards actually provide me with more freedom to be creative in my classroom. Yes, the standards are rigorous. Yes, they may not always be intriguing to you or your colleagues. However, they allow us as teachers to raise the bar for our students, to challenge them in ways we have never thought of, and to CREATE engaging lessons that ensure our students are prepared for the skills and knowledge needed in the real world.

Sounds simple enough, right?  The message conveyed may sound that way, but we all know it is not that simple. Creating engaging yet challenging material is difficult. It takes time--a lot more time than most of us feel we have. However, I have come to learn in order to create the innovative yet rigorous lessons I want my students to experience, I have to put forth the time. Yes, creating valuable lessons takes time up front, but the real and worthwhile learning that stems from it is what makes it all worth it. One way to help with the time issue is finding good resources.

With all the resources at our fingertips, there are plenty of ways to be creative without stressing over how you are going to transform previous lessons into challenging and engaging ones. May these ways be different than your notion of creativity? Maybe. Nonetheless, the resources are out there.  For me, the best resource for creative yet challenging lessons are other teachers. Many of the lessons and projects going on in my class this year have been inspired by other teachers across the country...and guess what? They are challenging, they are tied with the standards, and they are engaging for my students. So...Connect and collaborate with teachers through Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook; share your ideas; ask questions; but most importantly, TAKE RISKS! If a lesson plan or project intimidates you, then you're doing something right. Some of my best lessons this school year were ones I just knew were going to go terribly wrong. However, my students always found a way to surprise me.

Back to the original question: "Creativity in the classroom...have we lost it?"

Yes. Maybe for some of us, we have. But nothing is lost that cannot be found. We can still be creative in our classrooms. We can still challenge our students. It may be different, scary, or uncomfortable--but it is possible.

Start the Year Off Right!

Learning is a reflective experience. It is to not only take the time to sit down and recall all that you have retained but to also reflect on the adaptions that need to be made. As a new year begins, it is important that teachers take this time to ensure they start the year off right. Reflect on what you learned from the previous year and strive to make this year even better! Here is a list of five tips you can use to set yourself up for a great year:

•  Set Goals. The New Year allows the opportunity for a fresh start.  As teachers, we need to take advantage of this time to set goals for our students, our school, and ourselves. So before the busyness of school days resume, sit down, reflect, and write! What worked? What didn’t work? How can you make improvements? Then, take the time to create goals for yourself and be sure to revisit them throughout the year.

•    Get Organized. At the start of the school year, everything seems to be organized and in its place. However as the year progresses, you somehow have managed to accumulate towers of papers, have misplaced lesson plans and worksheets, and have no clue where those resources you saved and pinned have gone. Take this time to get organized. Go through old papers and file what is needed and discard what is not. Reflect on the previous semester. How well did you stay organized? If your previous intentions to stay organized crashed and burned after the first month of school, create a new plan for this semester.

•  Manage Your Time. When time is spent wisely, it can positively affect all aspects of our lives. Yet for teachers, it seems we have very little time to spend. It is as if the work never ends. Between planning, reading, researching, and grading, when do teachers have time for anything…right? Remedy this by planning to better manage your time. Make a vow to not take work home, utilize your planning period by tackling your most important items, and create checklists.

• Explore New Resources. Education is continually trying to adjust and adapt to our rapid developing culture. Due to the constant advancements in technology, there has been a greater need for teachers to stay up to date on the new and innovative resources accumulating at our fingertips. This year, make it a priority to explore new resources and save your favorites.  Then, try utilizing one of the new resources each week. Do not just let them waste away in a desktop folder or become lost in a sea of pins on your Pinterest board!

•  Take Time for Yourself. As teachers, we often put our jobs before ourselves. This can cause a teacher to burn out. Make it a priority to take time for you. You deserve it! Try a new hobby, focus on your heath, and spend time with your friends and family.  Taking some time for yourself will greatly influence and improve how you function in the classroom.