Helping Hands Middle SchoolsHow can we improve community?

By Christopher Vanderhorst, Morgan Schoener, Maegan Landreville, Rebecca Strauss, and Carolyn Masciangelo

Team Organization

Belief Statement: We Believe that:

● All children deserve an equal education in a safe environment where they feel comfortable expressing themselves as individuals, as well as their personal opinions on issues.

● Students should embrace their differences as a community, and work to enhance the learning of one another.

● The teachers are the facilitators and coordinators of knowledge who guide the students in their learning experiences, not only in the school but outside as well.

● The meaning of this knowledge is constructed over time. ● Our staff is passionate about education and the students in our school.● Education sets a foundation for the future● Instruction can and should meet the needs of all students● Our students will identify the responsibilities they have in school● Vulnerability in the school setting will promote student/teacher growth● Technology is crucial to learning, but should not be a crutch.● Positive behavior will be demonstrated in/out of the school setting● Any student can learn

Team Expectations:Teacher Expectations:

● Start everyday with an unbiased view● Make students feel welcome● Be a positive role model● Build healthy relationships with students both inside and outside of curriculum● Recognize unique attributes of each student

Student Expectations:● Come to school with a positive attitude each day● Students have an open minded attitude and willingness to learn● Respect his/her peers and administration● Take the initiative for his/her own learning

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● Apply learning beyond the classroom

Organizational Structure of the Team:Classes will be organized in the following way:School Day M-F: 8:20-4:20Potential Layout for MWF The Breakfast Club: 7:50- 8:10

Team 1 Bell Schedule1st Period: 8:15-9:152nd Period: 9:18-10:183rd Period: 10:21-11:21 (Healthy Snack Time)4th Period: 11:24-11:55, 12:50-1:19Lunch/Recess/Homework Program: 11:55-12:405th Period: 1:22-2:226th Period: 2:25-3:257th Period 3:28-4:28Dismissal: 4:28-4:35

Tuesdays and Thursdays follow a block processTuesdays1st Period Blocked: 8:15-10:203rd Period Blocked: 10:23-1:13 (Lunch will fall in-between this block)Lunch/Recess/Homework Program: 11:55-12:405th Period Block: 1:16-3:217th Period (Elective Demo): 3:24-4:29Dismissal: 4:29-4:35

Thursdays2nd Period Blocked: 8:15-10:204th Period Blocked: 10:23-1:13 (Lunch will fall in-between this block)Lunch/Recess/Homework program: 11:55-12:406th Period Blocked: 1:16-3:217th Period (Elective Demo): 3:24-4:29Dismissal: 4:29-4:35

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Team 21st Period: 8:15-9:152nd Period: 9:18-10:183rd Period: 10:21-11:214th Period: 11:24-12:00, 12:55-1:19Lunch/Recess/Homework Program: 12:00-12:455th Period:1:22-2:226th Period: 2:25-3:257th Period: 3:28-4:28Dismissal: 4:28-4:35

Team 31st Period: 8:15-9:152nd Period: 9:18-10:183rd Period:10:21-11:214th Period: 11:24-12:00, 12:55-1:19Lunch/Recess/Homework Program: 12:00-12:455th Period: 1:22-2:226th Period: 2:25-3:257th Period: 3:28-4:28Dismissal: 4:28-4:35

Team 41st Period: 8:15-9:152nd Period: 9:18-10:183rd Period:10:21-11:214th Period: 11:24-12:00, 12:55-1:19Lunch/Recess/Homework Program: 12:00-12:455th Period: 1:22-2:226th Period: 2:25-3:257th Period: 3:28-4:28Dismissal: 4:28-4:35

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Teams 1-4 will have a 5 minute delay between lunches in order to keep the line smaller

and optimize a flow for lunch faculty and teaching staff. So, not every team will be lined up at

the same time to receive lunch. Each team will have electives at a different period varying

between 3rd period, 5th period, 6th period and 7th period. Along with this, each team will have

different electives for each base class. Our period/block schedule follows a normal format on

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with one hour periods. Electives will be arranged to follow a

1 hour period every day of the week. These electives for team 1 will fall at the end of the day.

Team 2, Team 3 and Team 4 will separate into different schedules. Students within these teams

will follow to only their corresponding teaching teams (unless special modifications for students

with moderate to severe disabilities are necessary). The 7th period of each day will allow for

time for students to pack up and go home, which is what accounts for the 5 extra minutes found

during the final period.

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Programs & Policies that Foster Health, Wellness, and Safety

The programs and policies that our school offers to foster health, wellness, and safety are

implemented in order to improve students’ lifestyles and overall well being.

1. Programs:

● “THE” talk- We will introduce both the physical and emotional changes of

puberty. Provide support for students and any further information that they may want to

know. Before presenting the information to the students, parents will be notified and

provide consent.

● Drug awareness program- In our drug awareness program we highlight the

various drugs students may encounter in life. We begin with alcohol education and follow

with: marijuana, cocaine, heroin, etc. We discuss their implications and ways to avoid

drug encounters.

● Bully prevention program- Our school has a 2 day lesson that incorporates

students having a discussion on bullying in the classroom (facilitated by the teacher).

Papers are passed out on how to report bullying, papers that identify bullying, and the

negative implications of bullying.

● The Breakfast Club- This is a free program provided for our students where they

can prepare their own healthy breakfast with assistance from staff.

2. After school activities:

● Sports: Fall: Cross-Country, Football, Soccer, Cheerleading. Winter: Basketball,

Winter Track, Cheerleading. Spring: Track and Field, Baseball, and Tennis.

● Theatre: Fall play and Spring musical

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● Art Club: Various showings displayed throughout the year, and assistance to

learning new art techniques

● Math Counts: A math club that meets to go to two math competitions during the

year and offers extra help for math during the year.

● Community Counts: a group that organizes community service activities during

fall, winter, and spring, and is not limited to members of the club, but to any student.

● Students will have the ability to make their own club with administrator

assistance. The clubs’ theme and goals must be passed by the school in order for it to

become a club

3. Crossing guard before and after school to keep students safe. Since our community is

small, a lot of students will be walking home, so it is our duty as a school to make sure

that safety precautions are being taken.

4. Continue having recess so children are able to have their time to run around, talk with

friends, and get excess energy out. This will help students be able to concentrate more in

their afternoon classes. From experiences in various field placements, a big concern

among middle school students is having the free time taken away. We feel that it is

crucial that students have that time, due to the amount of energy they have at this age,

and it will help them perform better in the classroom.

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Guidance and Support Services

1. Four guidance counselors are available to the students. The first counselor works with

students with a last name beginning with letters A-G. The second counselor works with

students last names H-L, and the third counselor works with students with the last names

M-R. The fourth counselor assists students with the last names S-Z.

2. School Psychologist: We have free testing to identify students with disabilities and in

need of special education resources. Before testing will take place we require previous

evaluation to be done prior to the testing. These evaluations should come from home,

school, and the child’s pediatrician. We take evaluations from the parents, in-class

teacher and the child’s pediatrician.

3. School nurse: A place where students can go anytime throughout the day with any

medical concerns. The nurse can provide medical as well as social support to our students

and staff.

4. Therapy dogs available at all times throughout the day, with approval and supervision

of teachers and counselors.

5. Food Service staff to promote healthy eating habits

● Dietician on site to make sure our school is nutritionally adequate.

6. Fitness coordinator available upon request for students who feel that they need some

extra support with physical activity.

7. Occupational Therapist available throughout the whole school day to help students

with mental, physical or social disabilities to independently carry out everyday tasks or

occupations.

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8. Physical Therapist on staff to aid our students with physical impairments. Physical

therapist has a separate office in the building that utilizes high quality exercise science

equipment.

9.Speech Pathologist helps to assess students communication skills then works with the

student to develop a plan for success.

10. Intervention Specialists to promote inclusion. These individuals work hand in hand

with general education teachers to provide the highest quality education for all students.

11. Reading Intervention Specialists work to enhance reading proficiency for struggling

students.

12. Library Staff to run a large resource room available to all students and school stuff.

The library staff helps our students find suitable books for any student who would like

assistance.

13. Custodial/maintenance staff to make sure that the physical facility is always up to par.

14. PTO (Parent Teacher Organization)- Our PTO strives to exceed engagement among

students. We wish to collaborate to foster a healthy and effective learning environment

that benefits all learners. Our motto- “Live to help and help to live” Our PTO is

composed of mainly parents in the community and has a monthly meeting with a teacher

communicator.

15. Playground monitors to attend to children's needs during recess hours. This staff is

there to be supportive and encouraging to students and their desires.

16. Transportation that considers all students, and allows all students to use the same

methods of transportation. (Handicap accessible)

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Rationale for meeting the needs of students with exceptionalities

1. Our school makes every effort to make a home visit to the homes of all students on IEPs.

The Intervention Specialist and School Psychologist travel to each home and meet the

student and his/her family. In addition to the home meeting, our school requires at least 3

meetings per year with the IEP team (in school). The IEP team includes: Intervention

Specialist, Homeroom teacher, school psychologist, parents of the student, and the

student.

2. Our school gives weekly updates for each student on an IEP. All teachers of students on

an IEP must send a small blurb home each week giving a detailed description of the

students’ current efforts given in class, academic standing, and behavior for the week.

3. Our school has reading intervention specialists who work with the students on IEPs that

struggle with reading. They work to enhance the reading proficiency for struggling

students. This relates to the Emergent Literacy Theory because as belief one states,

“Children who are proficient with listening and speaking will excel at early reading and

writing tasks” (Morrow & Tracey, 2012, p. 99-102). The children who struggle with

these tasks early on, will most likely struggle with early reading and writing tasks.

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Background of Students and Community:

Diversity of the Students

Helping Hands Middle School provides education to grades six, seven, and eight. The

population of our school is 300 students, about 100 being in each grade. Our students come from

the eastern area of Oxford, North Carolina and range in age from 11-12 years old (we will be

focusing on grade six throughout our project). The majority of our students (74%) are caucasian,

9% are African American, 8% are Hispanic, 8% Asian, and 1% identify as Other. This ethnic

diversity enables our students to share experiences of ancestry and has not caused any prominent

tensions in the classroom. The students on our team vary somewhat in terms of Socio-economic

status. 15% of our students come from families with parents who have a combined yearly income

of $130,000+, 27% earn $90,000-129,000, 34% earn $60,000-89,999, 20% earn $30,000-59,999,

and 4% earn <$29,999. Due to the majority of our students coming from families that are well

funded only 6% qualify for free and reduced lunches. However, all of our students are entitled to

a free breakfast program. This breakfast program includes a variety of grains, juices, and

assortments of fruits.

In terms of religion 75% identify as Christian, 20% identify as Jewish, 3% identify as

Hindu, 2% identify as other. 10% of the students have clearly written and tested IEPs. 48% of

our students are male and 52% are female. As for multiple intelligences, 25% of our students are

logical-mathematical, 20% of students are interpersonal, 15% are bodily-kinesthetic smart, 18%

are visual-spatial, 6% are music smart, 8% are verbal-linguistic, 4% are naturalistic, and 4% are

intrapersonal. These multiple intelligences are taken into consideration by the teachers for

diverse assessments, but the teachers also recognize that every student can learn in multiple

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ways. All of our students are required to participate in one sport, club, extracurricular activity

through the school.

Diversity of the Community

The community of Oxford, North Carolina has had some tensions as of late. We have had

2 of our past 3 levies fail because of increased tax demands. This could be a result of having a

large portion of families that do not have children within our small school district. There have

also been voiced complaints from the community as to the high demand for funding expensive

sports, in which many participate due to requirement. This means that our sports and clubs are

heavily funded by the school (not pay-to-play activities). In order to combat the levy issues we

are trying to get our school involved in community activities. This includes: a fall carnival, a

winter festival, a community service project that is available to students, and a large

food/book/clothing drive. It is our hope that when our school invests more in the community, the

community will invest more in our school. Last year, one female student passed away due to a

heart complication. She was in our current teams grade and it has impacted the majority of our

students. As a result many students utilize the school counseling that we offer before, during, and

after school. One business, ApolloData, has moved from within our districts borders and we have

lost funds as a result. On the same aspect, some of the students’ families will be moving due to

job transfers.

Relationships and Connections

● Service-Learning: Our school participates in a program called service-learning.

This means college students come from a local university and gain experience in the

classroom. Also, students are able to receive tutoring from these students and teachers

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have the opportunity to work with these students in collaboration with classroom

activities.

● Parent-Teacher Conferences: Our conferences are aimed at involving the student

in the meeting. Students provide a small portfolio of what they have accomplished, what

their goals are, areas that require improvement, etc. Once the presentation has been given

in a closed setting (only parents, student, and teacher watch presentation) the teacher will

give some positives he/she has witnessed of the student in the classroom. The remainder

of the meeting assesses how the three parties can work together in order to have the

student end with a successful term.

● Weekly Note: Every second week of the month, (excluding issues with vacation

periods) a note that describes how the student has been performing in the class is written

and sent home to the parents. This is done to keep the parents well informed of any

accomplishments and/or issues the teacher feels the student is facing. These notes are not

commonly long in terms of word length.

● Open Communication Plan: Teachers encourage parents to send e-mails when

concern arises. Emergency parent-teacher conferences (student may attend or be omitted

from this setting) are available at the discretion of the teacher’s availability.

● Food/Clothing/Book Drive: As mentioned earlier, our school has a spring

food/clothing/book drive that every student is encouraged to participate within in some

fashion. The event has been very successful in the past few years. Approximately 3

weeks prior to Spring Break the students begin designing, collecting, and implementing

our spring drive, and it will continue til the week prior to school ending. At the end items

are donated to families in need, which our counselors have compiled a list of families

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interested in participating. Goodwill and other donation organizations are also considered

in this community project.

● Winter Festival (This is not specifically a Christmas festival): Students enrolled

in either band or a music class have the opportunity to participate in the Oxford winter

festival. Here, students will sing songs for the festival for a short time frame in which

community members can buy tickets to watch ( a $2 fee for children and $3 for adults)

Prior to this winter festival the students will help decorate park benches and various lots,

if wishing to participate, and will be showcased the week of the festival.

● Writing to the Elderly: Once a year students in our team will write a kind letter to

the local elderly home. These letters are written to tell a tale about a book the students

have recently read. We have found it works best when the students do not write to any

specific member, but the letters are available in the center’s reading facility.

Community Miscellaneous

● Location: Oxford, North Carolina

● History: Our city began back in 1883. The community is a mixed variety of

cultures and races, however, the most popular religion is Christianity. Other religions

present are as follows: Judaism, and Hinduism. As one can infer from the above

statistics our community members are well funded in terms of household income.

● Issues: Some members of our community face issues, such as a lack of unity with

family and privilege

● Local community engagement opportunities: St. Andrew’s Hospital and Senior

Center, Bilson’s Arboretum, North Park, various restaurants that host fundraisers, and

General Mills

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Lesson Plan Organizer

Common Core State Standards

Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

Ohio Revised State StandardsSocial Studies:

Topic---Civic Participation and SkillsStrand---Government9. Different perspectives on a topic can be obtained from a variety of historic and contemporary sources. Sources can be examined for accuracy. 12. The ability to understand individual and group perspectives is essential to analyzing historic and contemporary issues. Topic---Economic Decision Making and SkillsStrand--- Economics12. The choices people make have both present and future consequences. The evaluation of choices is relative and may differ across individuals and societies.

Student Performance Objectives: Students will be able to...

● Summarize the first two chapters of The Giver ● Discuss how the society in The Giver differs from ours today● Connect the society in The Giver to other Utopian societies throughout history

Literacy Rationale and Component: For our literacy component, we will have our students will read the book The Giver. Our organizing center asks the question “How can we improve community?” The book relates to our organizing center because it takes place in a Utopian society, which is a different type of community than what our students are used to seeing in modern day society. Students will learn to differentiate between genres, as well as how to be effective researchers, and how to cite sources from multiple websites and/or books. An activity that will be done on this particular day is having students work in groups on guided questions about the first two chapters they have read in The Giver. By observing what others think about certain situations, themes, characters, etc. in the book, students will be able to learn from their peers. This supports the Social Learning Theory because the students will learn from observing others (Morrow & Tracey, 2012).

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Key Academic Language: UtopiaDystopiaCommunitySociety

● Utopian Society● Ideal Society

GenreFictionCitation

Materials: Class set of the book The GiverClass set of iPadsClass set of web worksheetsClass set of venn diagram worksheetsNotebook/Looseleaf paperPens/Pencils

● colored pens/pencils up to students discretion

Procedure:This lesson plan encompasses just one block period for the students (two hours and fifteen minutes). They will start their projects this class period, but will have six weeks to work on them, so they are able to finish The Giver, as well as their project on Utopian societies.

● Have students take comprehensive quiz over Chapters 1 and 2 of The Giver● Start introduction to Utopian Societies

○ Ask students what they believe makes up a society (write these ideas on the board)

○ Explain what utopia is○ Bring the idea of a society together with the idea of utopia

● Discuss World War II Aryan belief ● Have students get into small groups and discuss the first two chapters of The Giver using

guided questions provided by the teacher● Have students fill out web worksheet with “The Giver” being the center circle, and

working off that with main ideas from the two chapters● Students will then get an iPad from the iPad cart and research what makes up Utopian

Societies● Have students fill out web worksheet with “Utopian Societies” being the center circle,

and working off that with characteristics of what Utopian societies are● Come together as a group, and discuss what each group came up with for each web● Have a giant venn diagram on board with “The Giver” being one side, and “Utopian

Societies” being the other● Students will get back on the iPads to start looking up Utopian Societies in history

○ Students should make a list of Utopian Societies that interest them

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Differentiation:Learning Modalities:

● Visual: guided questions relating to Chapters 1 and 2, writing down ideas on web worksheets, writing venn diagram on board, project assignment sheet

● Auditory: explaining directions/worksheets/project, checking in on groups and asking if there are any questions or concerns about what is to be done

● Kinesthetic/ Tactile: students will use the iPads to explore what Utopian societies are

Intelligences:● Verbal/Linguistic: presenting agenda for the day to students, presenting project to

students, talking in groups and as a class● Spatial: students create webs and venn diagrams● Kinesthetic: students research Utopian societies on the iPads● Interpersonal: students work in groups on comprehensive questions, teacher and

students work together on creating venn diagram● Intrapersonal: students make webs on their own according to their research,

students reflect on what they have learned from the days’ activities and choose a society for their project

Assessment: The days’ work will be assessed through many ways:

● Students will take a comprehensive quiz for Chapters 1 and 2 of The Giver● Students will work together on guided questions for Chapters 1 and 2 of The

Giver● As said in our assessment rationale, the teacher will check in on the students as

they are working with their groups to see how they are participating within their group

● The teacher will walk around when students are doing research on Utopian societies to make sure they are staying on task

● Participation will be accounted for when creating the venn diagram

***A big part of the students’ assessment will come from their project at the end of the unit on past Utopian societies in history and how they connect with the book. Because our lesson plan only focuses on one block period, we provided ways in which they will be assessed just throughout that day.

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Lesson Plan Organizer

Common Core State Standards:Math: CCSS.Math.Content.6.RPA.3B

Solve a unit rate problem. Ex: If it took “x” years for one layer of metamorphic rock to move 4 feet(and the process is constant in relation to time) then how many years would it take for the layer to move 12 feet.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.RPA.3DUse ratio concept to convert among measurement units. Ex: Measuring a 5x5x5 cm cube and determining the ratio of that cube (mineral) to another mineral measured in inches.

CCSS.Math.Content.6.G.A.2Find the volume of a right rectangular prism with fractional edge lengths by packing it with unit cubes of the appropriate unit fraction edge lengths, and show that the volume is the same as would be found by multiplying the edge lengths of the prism. Apply the formulas V = l w h and V = b h to find volumes of right rectangular prisms with fractional edge lengths in the context of solving real-world and mathematical problems.”

Ohio Revised Standards for ScienceScience:

Strands: All matter is made of small particles called atoms. The properties of matter are based on the order and organization of atoms and molecules. Cells, minerals, rocks and soil are all examples of matter.Topic: Rocks, Minerals, and Soil

Student Performance Objective: Students will be able to:

● Identify and list characteristics of sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks.● Compare ratios among the different sized minerals that includes fractional measurements● Solve unit rate problems that relate to ratio, with a real-world aspect on rock formations.● Find surface area, volume, and area of spheres, cubes, and rectangular prisms● Classify specific minerals into their appropriate category● Organize materials into a final handout● Write a reflection that relates to classroom community

Literacy Rationale and Component: For the literacy aspect of this lesson students will be reading 2 handouts in paired reading groups. The first handout is specifically aimed at students learning about the basic idea of metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous rocks. The second handout highlights formations of these rocks in the state of North Carolina. This relates to our organizing center of “How we can improve the community?” in two ways. First, students are expected to think about what they have read in the two handouts and then pair up with their partner and share what they have read. This pair and share idea reflects our organizing center

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because it has the students directly working with one another in collaborating ideas. Second, the students read a separate handout that illustrates nearby rock formations, how they came to be, and what their impact is on the community (Are the rock formations causing issues in the wildlife? Do the rocks cause issues for the surrounding community?) The literacy rationale is highlighted by the use of think-pair-share. This method can be

illustrative of the Transactional/Reader Response Theory because more than one view is being given when interpreting and analyzing a text (Morrow & Tracey, 2012).

Key Academic Language: RatiosVolumeSurface AreaMetamorphic, Sedimentary, IgneousMineral

Materials: 3 Handouts

-Summary of the three types of rock-North Carolina and its rock formations-Lab activity: Metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous

4 Stations:1) Station that highlights the differences of the three rocks with a virtual tour

-iPad and headphones2) Station that has a set of various minerals (labeled with numbers).

-printed guide for classifying minerals and a given set of labeled minerals3) Station that focuses on the ratios of different minerals

-3 minerals labeled by name (in shape of rectangular prism, cube, and/or sphere), rulers, and calculators

4) Station that highlights famous rock formations and their characteristics-articles and discussion question sheets

Reflection Prompt sheet Review Packet: “Review of the Rock Cycle”

*Note: There will be multiple materials at each station to suffice 3-4 pairs of students.

Procedure:This lesson plan will fill one block period, so it must take place on a Tuesday or Thursday. The students are expected to finish the different stations for this specific lab in the given amount of time and will turn in their work at the end of class. However, if some students do not finish the reflective response and organizing of their station materials then they are permitted to turn all of their collected work in the following day (each student will submit his/her own packet).

Students will be given the three handouts, which will facilitate discussion and provide information on select topics. These handouts include: “Summary of the 3 Types of Rock,” “North Carolina and its Rock Formations,” and “Lab Activity: Metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous rocks.

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Students will be briefed on the lesson. This will include the introduction of the four stations, the work and goals of each station, the reflection that will follow the end of the station work (this is titled “Rock Lab Activity Reflection”), and the aspect of lab partners.

The students will pair up with their pre-assigned lab partners (see sheet titled “Lab Partners”)

Each group will begin reading the handouts titled “Summary of the three types of rock” and “North Carolina and its Rock Formations” and will provide written notes on what their perspectives on the readings were. This may include, but is not limited to: What existing knowledge did they have on the 2 handouts? What did they learn that was new? Individual reactions to the readings and questions they had. This process of social interaction can be related to Social Constructivism because they are learning from one another in terms of reflective responses and story telling of past experiences (Morrow & Tracey, 2012).

Once all of the groups have finished their reading and discussion each group will be given a set station to begin at which has been pre-assigned as well. Please refer to “Station assignment list.”

At the completion of each station (which has expectations and requirements listed on a sheet of paper under the station number) the group will rotate clockwise, but groups are expected to remain at each station for a minimum time limit of 20 minutes (expected time for satisfactory completion).

After completion of four stations students will be instructed to begin their reflection of the lab activity. Students are to be given this prompt by the instructor once satisfactory completion of the 4 stations has been demonstrated.

Students will organize their work in the following order: discussion notes from initial handouts, station 1, station 2, station 3, station 4, and reflection of lab activity.

When students finish they are to be given the packet that is titled “Review of the Rock Cycle” and they are expected to begin working on this packet. Students that have not finished by the end of the block are to be given the review packet before block dismissal.

Differentiation: Learning Modalities:

Visual learners: Visual demonstration of the three rock cycles, pictures on various handouts, layout of stations displayed for students to not view other stations, visual of minerals.

Auditory Learners: multiple sets of verbal instruction are provided, video of the three rock cycles (accompanied by dialogue), partner discussions, permission of collaborative talking at stations to work a problem out.

Tactile Learners: Note taking during initial partner discussion, drawing illustrations to represent different minerals, drawing geometric shapes to demonstrate ratios, surface areas, volumes, and area. The lab activity itself is directed toward tactile learners as well as the nads on analysis of minerals.

Kinesthetic Learners: Able to move about the room periodically, work with tangible materials and minerals. Doing lab work rather than listening to a lecture. Are not required to sit at the lab stations (standing and movement permitted).

Multiple Intelligences:

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Bodily Kinesthetic: Students will manipulate minerals with their hands and will move from station to station. Students are able to move freely at their stations.

Interpersonal: Students will work in pairs throughout the majority of this project and interact with one another to solve problems.

Verbal-Linguistic: Students are given sheets that give explicit directions and teachers will also be given verbal directions outlining each area.

Logical-Mathematical: Work related to math is involved throughout the station rotation and involves complex thought.

Naturalistic: Students are able to deal with minerals and work with real world applications in relation to minerals.

Interpersonal: Students are expected to give an individual reflection at the completion of this lab activity.

Visual-Spatial: Students are given worksheets that include pictures, a virtual walkthrough explaining the 3 types of rocks

Assessment: ● Routine check-ins to determine the advancement of knowledge through stations and

clarity of material● Reflection is used to foster critical thinking about the student’s involvement● Final submission of assignment is based on evaluation of content knowledge and personal

growth (discussion questions)

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Ohio Standards for Educators

As we worked through our Curriculum project, our group worked hard to align our

curriculum with the Ohio Standards for Educators. Standard number one is met in many ways

throughout our project; first and foremost, our school is staffed with highly trained intervention

specialists to assist students who need extra help in the classroom. Standard number two is met

with the theme of our curriculum, building community. Our lessons are meant to incorporate real

life outside of the classroom into learning new things inside the classroom. Our teachers are

highly trained in their field and express this knowledge while teaching our students.

Our school promotes differentiation of assessment in order to meet the needs of all of our

different students. We understand that there are many different types of assessment and we

implement those various ways in order to accurately analyze data to monitor student progress.

For example, using routine check-ins to assess how students are learning, having students reflect

on what they are learning as well as a larger end of the lesson assessments. Standard four is met

through differentiation in our classroom. Our team of teachers plan instruction so that it meets

the needs of all learners. Standard five is about treating students with respect; our school

promotes a strong sense of community where everyone is treated with respect. As stated in our

belief statement, our goal is to create an environment where students feel safe and comfortable

expressing themselves. Standard six is met through our strong belief in community involvement;

we strongly encourage that families be a large part in the success of our students. An example of

this is our weekly note home to the caregivers of each of our students in order to help form

relationships and build community. Standard seven is met through our strong suggestion that all

of our teaching staff be part of a Professional Organization to continue growing as a teacher.

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Curriculum Development

Curriculum Rationale

Our curriculum allows our teachers and students to meet goals, but are not limited to

specific goals (Poetter, 2014, pg. 38). The central focus (organizing center) of our curriculum is

building and improving community (Beane, 1997, pg. 2). Community is key in all parts of life,

especially in education. Our school builds community within our classrooms, and helps students

to think critically about building communities outside of our school. We welcome students of all

races, socioeconomic statuses, genders, religions, and abilities (Gay, 2004, pg. 1-2). In our

district, the community provides a great deal of support to our school, and in turn, our school

gives back to the community through various service learning projects.

We carefully select teacher’s who will advocate the importance of community in our

school and play a large role in promoting a tight knit school community. They provide the

support and knowledge needed for students to think critically about community and how it

affects them. Through this process, our teacher leaders serve as a guide or a mentor to students,

rather than a master of instruction. The teachers lead the students through the journey to reach

his or her fullest potential (Poetter, 2014, pg. 38). Our teachers are positive and caring people,

whom the students feel comfortable approaching, not only about school and curriculum

questions, but also questions about home life, social life, and anything the student may be

curious about. Our teachers have a large influence on the students’ lives and how the students

develop their own communities; therefore we strive for our teachers to be excellent role models

and guides to our students. Students learn many lessons from the teacher beyond coursework.

Important life lessons are learned within the classroom, and the teacher is responsible for helping

each student receive the best foundation of life skills needed to shape a community (Poetter,

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2014, pg. 37). There is no one set theory or perspective to schooling. We know that each student

may need something different in order to learn successfully. No one technique or teaching

strategy works for every student. Part of schooling is finding the right technique for all students

and how to make the material relevant to the lives of each student (Poetter, 2014, 35-36).

One of the commitments we make to community building in our curriculum is sending

our teachers to professional organization meetings about community building in order to

continue professional development. After each meeting, our school holds a debriefing session to

talk about current and uprising issues discussed at the meeting pertaining to communities and

how to improve our school community. In addition to the professional organizations, our school

offers a library of professional literature about community as well as clubs to promote

professional development in terms of community building.

Our school works very hard to incorporate family into to the learning process, and

promote parental involvement in educational decisions for their students. We value the opinions

of our parents, and believe that their input is necessary for the success of our students. The

community of the family leads to community building within the school as well. We make our

best effort to keep our parents informed about everything going on in the school, as well as

necessary activities going on outside of the school. To keep our parents aware of their student’s

behavior as well as academic standing, our teachers are required to write at least one personal

note home to each student each week. Communication between home and the school builds

community and shows our dedication to improving community.

We believe our curriculum helps students interact with peers and develops the social

component of community. Information from a student’s schooling is with them throughout the

student’s lifespan. Student learning helps shape the critical cognitive thinking needed in order to

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find success in life beyond the classroom. The students learn to think critically and form

community within and beyond the school. The student should gain knowledge about themselves

and how they are able to think critically and influentially. The student’s learning helps shape the

impact they will leave on communities of the world.

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Course Description

For our course this term we will be implementing the overall idea of “How can we

improve our overall community?” So, this idea is the organizing center, the focus of our course,

and the content that will be introduced within it. The student is expected to be an engaged

member in the immediate community and is crucial to the learning experience. The idea of

community will branch off into sub-categories and will branch off again.

One way this will occur is for the idea of our organizing center to branch off into having

the students answer the question “What is a community?” When we ask this question we expect

the students to read pre-selected books that demonstrate different components of a community.

In order to come up with an idea students will be doing group work (4-5 members per group).

Students will have identified how their group sees community in the world (fictional or

nonfictional). Once this idea has been constructed the students will continue to think of

community and develop a list that answers what problems are present in the immediate

community around them (school) and issues in community at a larger level (such as a

mesosystem). With this idea students will coordinate similarities and differences through a Venn

Diagram. However, there are different sub-categories that we will tie our organizing center to.

Students will be active in the service learning component of our curriculum. This may

include (but is not limited to): accepting tutoring help from peers and possibly college visitors.

The service learning component will be further explored when students work on group projects

that have a positive benefit on the immediate community, contribute to the overall existing

knowledge of how to improve a community, etc. Some examples are: volunteering at an animal

shelter, developing a clean-up project, supporting a specific part of the community in need, etc.

Students will begin to explore the idea of diversity that is present to our community and relate it

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to a larger community’s diversity. The implications of this diversity will resonate with the

introduction of different cultures, how people communicate, and historical events that have been

impacted by the idea. In this sense, the student is going to be writing reflections and participating

in small group settings over the course of the term.

It is our team’s belief that the students need to understand the concept of the type of

learner each student is representative of. With this in mind, students will be informed of their

multiple intelligences and teachers will work with students in addressing different learning

discrepancies. The previous ideas mentioned are formative in nature because they are meant to

specifically help the student grow (personally and academically). It is important to recognize that

other areas that include: marine life, family dynamics, and the growth of community across time.

Students will not be left out to complete these projects on their own because teachers will meet

with groups during work days designated to the large “community project” and will be going

over common course materials as designated by the common core state standards. Summative

assessments will be focused on projects for some finals and/or a supplementary exam. Other

types of summative assessment will vary in relation to the subject of the class. Examples include:

midterms, papers, reflections, group evaluations, technology based projects, quizzes,

professionalism in class, participation points, and extra credit work. One direct summative

assessment is represented by a final paper that highlights different ways students have

experienced personal growth in their role as a community service member. This paper will also

reflect new ideas of how their view of community has changed. As hinted briefly in our multiple

intelligences activity, it is important to meet the needs of all students in our classrooms. We will

live up to our promise of recognizing each learner as one that has unique needs.

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To meet the needs of the general student population, teachers will offer ideas for projects

that can incorporate different intelligences, activities that can supplement projects (this can occur

when student schedules are not easy to accommodate in alignment with large projects). Many of

the teachers on our team offer re-submissions for small assignments if turned in within 3 school

days of the date assigned. Here at Helping Hands Middle School we strive to meet the needs of

students with learning disabilities and provide ample accommodations by use of IEPs. Our

teachers have scheduled meetings with the parent(s) and students to revise common needs of the

student. Although we do not have English Language Learners we do provide accommodations

for these students. Accommodations are as follows: translation of text to native language (on

tests and quizzes), signing by a fluent staff member (sign language), simple

instructions/directions for ELLs, repeating of requirements and/or directions, extra material that

outlines directions. Students with disabilities are allowed to have approved materials such as:

highlighters during tests, enlarged print, extra test time, placement in an individual room (upon

terms of IEP or late testing).

Also, we pride ourselves on recognizing the many cultures present in our school. On our

team we like to hear how home lives have a different community (any student that does not feel

comfortable sharing is not required and is not penalized in any way) than others. Students are

encouraged to explore their cultural background and give new views as to how they eat different

foods, wear different clothes, and have different ways of communicating with their families.

The teachers are crucial to helping the students develop their own ideas. Teachers are

expected to facilitate new learning ideas and not turn ideas away without providing a rationale.

The teachers and students are expected to work together in order to form different connections

among technical knowledge or the ability to grasp a skill set as well as explanatory knowledge,

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the ability to reason why something occurs. The social connection of how certain

technical/explanatory knowledge is relevant to the student’s life. One example of this would be

connecting the idea of different community issues from the past to their immediate lives. This

may be referencing the idea of how past civilizations have been invaded by larger countries and

how it has affected their community. An idea of how this is relevant today would be the potential

invasion of Ukraine by Russia and discussing what the implications would be. The students in

this situation would be expected to identify the history of the “Iron Curtain” and how community

changed during that time period.

It is imperative that our teachers use practiced theories in the education of our students in

order to effectively facilitate knowledge. One theory that our team emphasizes is Engagement

Theory (Morrow & Tracey, 2012, p. 75-76) because we value the social aspect of learning within

our classrooms. On top of this we like to see students build contextual knowledge through

critical thinking in every subject area. We wish to see this theory thoroughly engaging students

in the reading of one english course text, The Giver. Students in this course reading are expected

to partner up with students after select chapter readings and discuss pre-selected questions that

align with certain chapters.

Another theory that our team implements in the classroom is Metacognitive Theory,

which is learning based off of thinking about one’s thinking. We incorporate this theory into the

classroom by having certain questions expanded, which will assess how the student has come to

a certain conclusion (Morrow & Tracey, 2012, p. 71-72). The student is prompted by the

teachers to explain as much of their thinking when answering specific subject questions. This

may be represented by a student explaining how he she understand the aspect of ratios in math or

questioning just how the weather cycle works (How does the lack of a large water source affect

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the rain of a surrounding area?). However, we would like to emphasize learning as our first and

foremost goal. The multiple theories we attempt to incorporate into our classroom curriculum are

simply to help our teachers promote effective learning and are susceptible to change based on the

needs of the classroom.

Questions to be explored by class:

“How to make a better community?”

“What does community mean to me?”

“How is community present in our class?”

“What makes a community effective or ineffective?”

“How is community present in different societies?”

*Note: Follow up questions are coordinated to the questions listed above.

Large Projects/Exams/Assessments Summarized

● Elderly Community Engagement Project: This involves writing short stories, letters, and

other pieces of literature, to the local elderly home. Transition to other subject areas. The

learning goal for this small project is for students to develop better writing skills and

understand how to write to a specific audience. Understanding the format of writing a

three body paragraph essay and incorporating academic, persuasive, and/or narrative

formats.

● Community Engagement Project: This project is very broad and will vary based on

individual groups and teachers facilitation of ideas. Some past ideas include: cleaning the

park, developing ideas for new community advancements, organizing a small group to

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attend an event (Special Olympics). The main goal of this project is for students to grow

personally and connect ideas from the community. We also would like to see how the

students have progressed in their abilities to work with team members and form a project

that includes individual and team roles that will be delegated and carried out. Most

importantly we want our students to feel that this project really means something to them.

● Composition Notebook Activity: Reflections for projects are presented in this project and

will last throughout the term. Other ideas included will be: journal prompts,

brainstorming activity, multiple intelligence recognition, etc. The goal for these prompts

is for the students to utilize vocabulary from units, and to track their own personal growth

and the growth of their ideas.

● Final Exams for all subjects: each subject is to have a final exam that will incorporate

knowledge that has been taught throughout the semester, but are not entirely cumulative.

The final exam is weighted slightly more than chapter tests (based on discretion of

teacher). The purpose of these tests are summative in nature and the student is expected

to relay and practice the content learned. Material that is specifically important to the

student’s advancement of knowledge is put into this exam as well as recently learned

content.

● Chapter Tests: These tests are summative in nature and the students are expected to have

a firm grasp of the knowledge presented in the past two weeks of study. Our teachers are

against overloading students on tested material in order to take away stressors.

● Final Portfolio: Toward the end of a semester students will compile a variety of pre-set

materials that will be disseminated in a hard-copy portfolio, book, powerpoint, etc., while

will also be presented at an evening conference. This project is a summative assessment

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that allows both students and teachers to see how much everyone has truly learned and

accomplished.

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Rationale and Means for assessing student performance

Assessment is key to any school in order to determine if the students are comprehending

the information and knowledge being taught. There are two different types of assessment:

formative and summative. We will have many different types of assessment within these two

categories because every student learns and tests differently. A type of formative assessment that

we will be using is a weekly journal based on the students’ community engagement project,

which they will be working on throughout the semester. The students will write a journal entry

each week talking about their most previous experiences. Another type of formative assessment

is having bi-weekly check-ins with the teacher, in which the two parties will be discussing

different elements that will be included in their final project/portfolio. Another type of formative

assessment is having bi-weekly quizzes over the book they will be reading, The Giver, while

working with groups in the weeks in between.

The obvious types of assessment are oral assessment and written assessment, but we did

not want to have these forms run our assessment. Quizzes and tests are necessary to make sure

students are comprehending information, but we did not want to have those forms of assessment

restrict our examination process. Along with assessing individual work, we will also walk around

during group work to see how students are doing. Also, it is important to assess students in a

group environment to see how they are interacting with their peers in their academics. At the end

of the year, students will compile a portfolio that encompasses their learning from their

community project. The portfolio will include a final reflection, compiled journal entries from

the semester, and various assignments, which include, but are not limited to: a team

role/expectation sheet, student made rubric that will be taken into consideration, and student

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evaluation sheets. This is our summative assessment. We will also have an intervention

specialists on hand to assist all students.

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Literacy Rationale

Literacy is an important aspect that needs to be considered by educators of all content

areas. Without literacy one cannot make knowledge gains that are necessary to becoming a

productive member of the classroom. Along the same lines literacy is an essential component in

order for a student to meet a sub-goal that is growing both academically and personally within

the school environment. In this section we wish to highlight the necessity of literacy in our

curriculum.

Literacy enables a student to grow academically and make great learning gains in school

due to the fact that advanced literacy ideas are incorporated into various texts that will be utilized

as early as 3rd grade (cite). This means that when a student has gained a proficient grasp of

literacy he/she is able to build upon her basic knowledge of science, social studies, etc. This can

be exemplified by something as mundane as a student using context clues to gain an

understanding of a new scientific process. Sometimes, this idea is recognized as reading to learn

instead of learning to read.

Another important aspect of literacy rationale in our curriculum would be the multiple

literacy theories that are present throughout various lessons. Literacy theories incorporate various

classroom applications that will cater to a student’s learning. Our curriculum has chosen to focus

on theories that are relevant in today’s educational setting. These theories include, but are not

limited to: Engagement Theory, Metacognitive Theory, Social Constructivism, Social Learning

Theory, and Emergent Literacy Theory. Each of these theories have been utilized in order to

specifically meet the vast majority of learning needs of our student body.

One theory that our team emphasizes is Engagement Theory (Morrow & Tracey, 2012, p.

75-76) because we value the social aspect of learning within our classrooms. Another theory that

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our team implements in the classroom is Metacognitive Theory, which is learning based off of

thinking about one’s thinking. We incorporate this theory into the classroom by having certain

questions expanded, which will assess how the student has come to a certain conclusion

(Morrow & Tracey, 2012, p. 71-72). The Social Constructivism Theory is incorporated into our

lesson plan on rocks, ratio, and geometry. The students will be reading articles and discussing

their own personal reactions to these articles. This process of social interaction can be related to

Social Constructivism because they are learning from one another in terms of reflective

responses and story telling of past experiences (Morrow & Tracey, 2012). The

Transactional/Reader Response is also incorporated into this lesson plan, because the use of

think-pair-share. This method can be illustrative of the transactional/reader response theory

because more than one view is being given when interpreting and analyzing a text (Morrow &

Tracey, 2012) The Social Learning Theory is incorporated into our lesson plan on The Giver. By

observing what others think about certain situations, themes, characters, etc. in the book, students

will be able to learn from their peers. This supports the Social Learning Theory because the

students will learn from observing others. The Emergent Literacy Theory is incorporated into the

Rationale for Exceptional Learners, because we believe that “Children who are proficient with

listening and speaking will excel at early reading and writing tasks”. In turn the children who

struggle early on, will most likely struggle with early reading and writing skills.

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Works Cited

(October 2005). Standards for Ohio Educators.

<http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Teaching/Educator-Equity/Ohio-s-

Educator-Standards/StandardsforEducators_revaug10.pdf.aspx>

(2014). Mathematics Standards>>Grade 6 » Ratios & Proportional Relationships

<http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/6/RP/>

(2014). Mathematics Standards>>Grade 6 » Geometry

<http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/6/G/>

(2014). Ohio’s New Learning Standards: K-12 Science Grade 6

<http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Academic-Content-Standards/Science/

Grades-K-8-Science_Model_Curriculum_April2014-1.pdf.aspx>

(2014). English Language Arts Standards>> Reading: Literature>> Grade 6

<http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/6/>

(2014). Ohio’s New Learning Standards: K-12 Social Studies Grade 6

<http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Ohio-s-New-Learning-Standards/Social-Studies>

Beane, J. A. (1997). Curriculum integration designing the core of democratic education. New

York: Teachers College Press.

Gay, G. (2004). The importance of multicultural education. Association for Curriculum and

Development, 1, 30-35.

Poetter, T. (2014). Teacher leadership (2 ed.). Cincinnati: Van-Griner.

Morrow, L. M., & Tracey, D. H. (2012). Lenses on reading: An introduction to theories and

models. New York: Guilford Press.

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