A student and his father make a presentation about the oyster business while other students listened and asked questions.
The student was highly motivated and extremely proud to because the topic of his presentation was personally important. The student's confidence was strengthened by his peer’s interest and encouragement.
During Daily 5 literacy activities, a young student chooses to make a list of the names of children in the classroom. She is supported by an adult.
At the end of a patterning unit, students were assigned the following project:
You have been hired to create a new video about a math concept. Your video must contain a visual aid, like a poster, and a scripted dialogue that describes the necessary steps that you would use to solve your question. For this assignment you can work alone or in a group of two.
Students were provided with a rubric and a checklist to help them understand the assignment expectations. In this illustration, a student explains how to construct a table of values.
During literacy time, a class was working on storytelling, characters, and the beginning, middle and end of stories. They read a variety of versions of Little Red Riding Hood that offered several different elements and endings. This student was able to independently take a variety of these versions and incorporate them into his retelling.
During a one-on-one reading intervention session, a student provided relatively detailed information about a picture.
During free choice time, five students chose to sit on the classroom couch to read. Three students chose to read a book together and two students chose to read independently. At the end of the clip, a student that was reading independently engages with another student to point out something in her book.
After learning about the universe, students had the opportunity to represent their understanding in a format of their choosing. This student chose to write a children’s story as she wanted to engage children on the topic.
Students in this classroom frequently write their own blogs about current events and topics they are studying. They tweet their blogs and often receive comments from around the world. The blogs offer students a safe way to express their opinions freely with each other and they create space for the teacher to get to know the students on a deeper level.
The teacher posted the following assignment:
During free choice time, a student wrote an apology letter after kicking down a friend’s tunnel.
The transcription reads, “I’m sorry Benny for knocking down the tunnel.”
In familiar settings, I communicate with peers and adults.
I talk and listen to people I know. I can communicate for a purpose. I can understand and share basic information about topics that are important to me, and answer simple, direct questions about my activities and experiences.
In familiar settings, I can interact with others and my surroundings respectfully.
I can build relationships and work and play cooperatively. I can participate in activities to care for and improve my social and physical surroundings. I use materials respectfully. I can solve some problems myself and ask for help when I need it. I listen to others’ ideas and concerns. I can be part of a group and invite others to join. I can identify when something is unfair to me or others.
A student reflects on her performance singing a duet. In her reflection, she:
I can facilitate group processes and encourage collective responsibility for our progress.
I play a role in collectively monitoring the progress of the group and adjust my contributions as needed. I recognize the interdependence of our roles and draw on these to move us forward. I ask thought-provoking questions, integrate new information and various perspectives from others, and think critically about whose voices are missing. I can disagree respectfully, and I anticipate potential conflicts and help manage them when they arise. I give, receive, and act on constructive feedback in support of our goals, and I can evaluate and revise plans with other group members.
I communicate with intentional impact, in well-constructed forms that are effective in terms of my audience and in relation to my purpose.
I contribute purposefully to discussions and conversations. I synthesize, deepen, and transform my own and others’ thinking. I can weave multiple messages into my communications; I understand that my audience will use their own knowledge and experiences in making meaning. I show understanding and control of the forms and technologies I use; I can assess audience response and draw on a repertoire of strategies to increase my intended impact. I can acquire, critically analyze, and integrate well-chosen information from a range of sources.
I can examine evidence from various perspectives to analyze and make well-supported judgments about and interpretations of complex issues.
I can determine my own framework and criteria for tasks that involve critical thinking. I can compile evidence and draw reasoned conclusions. I consider perspectives that do not fit with my understandings. I am open-minded and patient, taking the time to explore, discover, and understand. I make choices that will help me create my intended impact on an audience or situation. I can place my work and that of others in a broader context. I can connect the results of my inquiries and analyses with action. I can articulate a keen awareness of my strengths, my aspirations and how my experiences and contexts affect my frameworks and criteria. I can offer detailed analysis, using specific terminology, of my progress, work and goals.