AVID 2 Name: ________________________ Date: ____________

4th QuarterSolving the Learning Puzzle

ProjectOVERVIEW. When you leave University City High School, you will take with you memories that you have created, and the experiences you have had with your teachers. You will also take with you all that you have learned in your classes at University City High School. We – Mr. Schiera and the AVID Tutors – want you to take one more thing with you. We want you to take a set of strategies to help you solve any learning puzzle you might encounter, at your next school, in college, in your career, and in life.

WHAT YOU START WITH. Over the next three weeks, in pairs, you will complete your “Solving the Learning Puzzle Project.” You already begin with four things:

1. All of the knowledge you have gained at as a student over the years, both about class subjects but also about how to succeed in school

2. One assigned “barrier to learning” that our class has struggled with across this year, that you can shed some unique light on

3. One partner you will work with to solve this learning puzzle together4. One assignment in any of your classes that illustrates that barrier

WHAT YOU WILL DO. Across the next several classes, you will complete 9 pieces to this learning puzzle. (Look at them on the back of this sheet.) The whole puzzle involves moving through three different levels, from the assignment, to the barrier, to the solutions. Each level involves thinking about the puzzle in three ways: the big picture, the challenges, and the results.

Big Picture Challenges Results

The Assignment

Puzzle Piece 1:CLASS, COLLEGE, CAREER, LIFEWhy this assignment is important—in the context of the whole class, one’s college experience, potential careers,

and in life situations?

Puzzle Piece 2:COSTA’S CHALLENGE

What this assignment challenges you do and not do—through Costa’s Levels of

understanding?

Puzzle Piece 3:OH THE THINGS THAT YOU’LL

LEARNWhat do you end up learning from this

assignment—when “learning” can mean many different things?

The Barrier

Puzzle Piece 4:INTERVIEW AN EXPERT

What college situation would you face a similar barrier in—and how have our

tutors already faced it?

Puzzle Piece 5:5 W’s AND 1 H MOSAIC

How can you analyze this barrier from many dimensions—the who, what,

where, when, why, and how?

Puzzle Piece 6:THE “STUCK FOREVER” TIMELINE

What are the consequences of being stuck at this barrier—short term and

long term?

The Solution

Puzzle Piece 7:HABIT CYCLE

How does a cue spark a routine of behaviors that produces a reward—and what new routines and rewards could

help overcome the barrier?

Puzzle Piece 8:THEORY BEFORE ACTION

What research is out there about teaching and learning, working

collaboratively, building one’s knowledge and understanding, that can guide how

Puzzle Piece 9:THE HANDY HOW-TO GUIDE

What steps would someone (anyone!) take to overcome this barrier if they experienced at a future high school?

(College? Career? Life?)

we create a solution?

With your partner, you will complete one puzzle piece per day, with the assistance of Mr. Schiera and the Penn Tutors. Each puzzle is worth a different amount of points; completing each piece to the best of your ability earns you the points and the puzzle piece. Completing the whole puzzle – especially Puzzle Piece 9, the HANDY HOW-TO GUIDE – will represent completion of the project. You will have solved the learning puzzle.

HOW WE SHARE OUR PUZZLES

On the final day of the project, each pair will share out Puzzle Piece 9, the Handy How-To Guide. Every pair’s Handy How-To Guide will also be photocopied and shared with the entire class. We will also share our puzzles with the broader AVID community at the Awards Ceremony at the end of May.

GRADING

Each puzzle piece is worth a different amount of points (see chart below), for a total value of 350 POINTS. (The only other grades you will receive during this time are your 18 citizenship points per day.) All 9 completed puzzle pieces are due on DATE.

Big Picture Challenges Results

The Assignment

Puzzle Piece 1:CLASS, COLLEGE, CAREER, LIFE

35

Puzzle Piece 2:COSTA’S CHALLENGE

30

Puzzle Piece 3:OH THE THINGS THAT YOU’LL

LEARN

35

The Barrier

Puzzle Piece 4:INTERVIEW AN EXPERT

35

Puzzle Piece 5:5 W’s AND 1 H

30

Puzzle Piece 6:THE “STUCK FOREVER” TIMELINE

25

The Solution

Puzzle Piece 7:LIFE SOLUTIONS

25

Puzzle Piece 8:THEORY BEFORE ACTION

35

Puzzle Piece 9:THE HANDY HOW-TO GUIDE

100

BARRIERS WE WILL OVERCOME BY UNLOCKING THE LEARNING PUZZLE. You and your partner will be assigned one of the barriers below to solve. This list includes all barriers that will be explored by periods 5A and 1B.

Bad Day BarrierBeing Exactly Right BarrierBest Friends in Class BarrierBetween Knowing Nothing and Everything BarrierFill-in-the-Box / Grade BarrierI Want To, But Can’t Always BarrierIt’s the Subject, It’s the Teacher BarrierKnowing Deeper BarrierMore than Copying Barrier

Need to Be Unbothered BarrierPointless / Does Not Apply to Me BarrierSmart but Behind BarrierWhen It’s Boring Barrier

1. What do we AVID teacher and tutors want you to take with you to your next high school?

What do you think “learning puzzles” means?

What skills do you have to solve learning puzzles with? (What can you do to solve a challenge you might not have an answer to right away?)

2. Summarize the four things that you start with.

Why might it be important to work with a partner to overcome a particular learning barrier?

3. Your job is to get all 9 puzzle pieces. The whole project moves through three levels: __________________________, __________________________, and ________________________. Moreover, there are three ways of seeing each level: ________________________, __________________________, __________________________.

Which puzzle piece looks most interesting to you? Why?

Which puzzle piece looks least interesting to you? Why?

4. What is Puzzle Piece 9?

Why is it the most important one?

Why is it important that you share it with others?

5. What does the list of barriers represent?

Which one is most important for you to overcome?

Which one looks confusing or not interesting?

Partners and Barriers, and Timeline

Period 1B

Melyssa & Amber Fill-in-the-Box / Grade BarrierAlize`a & Raheem Smart but Behind BarrierSteven & Alvin Pointless / Does Not Apply to Me BarrierIvy & Jennifer Being Exactly Right BarrierWarren & Taiheed Knowing Deeper BarrierNazje’a & Russell It’s the Subject, It’s the Teacher BarrierTamisha Bad Day Barrier

Period 5A

David & Jacob I Want To, But Can’t Always BarrierAshanay & Samara Best Friends in Class BarrierAnthony & Ibrahim Between Knowing Nothing and Everything BarrierJessica & Ricarah More than Copying BarrierAmber When It’s Boring BarrierIshaya & Tatyanna Need to Be Unbothered Barrier

Piece 1B Date 5A DateIntro 4/12 4/151 4/16 4/172 4/18 4/193 4/23 4/224 4/25 4/245 4/26 4/296 4/30 5/17 5/2 5/38 5/7 5/69 5/9 5/8Share Out

5/10 5/13

Monday, April 15, 2013D I R E C T I O N S

1. Read the green sheet (overview of the project) and answer the questions on the white sheet.

2. When you are done, get Mr. Schiera’s attention to put your name in line.

3. When you and your mystery partner are done, Mr. Schiera will call you two back to the conference table and reveal your puzzle.

After you’ve met with Mr. Schiera…

4. Work with your partner to find an assignment in either of your binders that fits that barrier.

5. If you are done early, feel free to work on make-up work for the end of the third quarter.

AVID 2 Name: ________________________ Date: ____________Solving the Learning Puzzle ProjectIntro to the Barrier, Finding a Good Sample Assignment

Congratulations! You have been chosen to complete a very important task. You and your partner are in charge of unlocking a very specific learning puzzle that many students in AVID—and in University City High School—and in the School District of Philadelphia—and across the nation face.

The barrier we will focus on is: ___________________________________________________

What it looks like:

Situations where I have seen this barrier: Situations where my partner has seen this barrier:

Situations where Mr. Schiera has seen this barrier: Situations where the AVID Tutors have seen this barrier:

Your challenge for the rest of the day is to find a completed assignmen t in your binder or your partner’s binder in which one of you faced this barrier. It must meet all of the check marks above. When you have found it, present it to Mr. Schiera or one of the AVID Tutors and explain why it fits this barrier. If they approve, turn it in along with all of your worksheets for today, and you’ll be ready for Puzzle Piece 1 tomorrow!

AVID 2 Name: ________________________ Date: ____________Solving the Learning Puzzle Project

Puzzle Piece 1:Class, College, Career, Life

YOUR TASK: Often we experience assignments on a task-by-task basis without getting the bigger picture. Today’s task is to understand the assignment you picked out in the larger picture. You and your partner are on a scavenger hunt of sorts to find the following artifacts that relate to how this assignment connects to things beyond the daily lesson.

The Bigger Picture of the CLASS1. Find a textbook or other resource that accompanies the

assignment. Make a photocopy of the table of contents of the book and attach it to this sheet. Below, describe how this assignment fits into the whole class in a paragraph of 3-5 sentences.

The Bigger Picture of COLLEGE COURSES2. Find a college-level class that you think would include

the content of this assignment. Go to www.upenn.edu/registrar/register/index.html for links to Penn’s course descriptions by major. Print or e-mail Mr. Schiera the course description. Below, write a 3-5 sentence description of how this assignment relates to that course.

The Bigger Picture of CAREERS3. Find a career in which the knowledge from this

assignment might be required. You can go to http://bls.gov/ooh for a broad list of many different careers and their summaries. Print or e-mail Mr. Schiera the course description the summary of that career. Below, write a 3-5 sentence description of how this assignment relates to that course.

The Bigger Picture of ADULT LIFE4. Brainstorm something that happens in adult lilfe.

(Think about owning your own home, having a family, paying bills, socializing with friends, etc.) In 3-5 sentences, describe some aspect of your adult life that will relate to this topic, or can be explained by this topic, even if you don’t have to know about the details of this topic to get by.

* Mr. Schiera’s email is schiera.uchs@gmail.com. Make sure the subject includes your partner’s names, and the body of the e-mail includes a link Mr. Schiera needs to print out for you.

SAMPLE OF #2 – COLLEGE COURSE

This assignment relates to BIOL 005: Killer Viruses. This class seems to discuss how we as a society understand the role of viruses in both natural death and terroristic warfare. It relates to this assignment because understanding DNA replication helps us understand how viruses multiply and spread.

SAMPLE OF #3 - CAREER

What one learns in this assignment can relate to health information technology jobs. Jobs in medical records and health information techniques involve capturing someone’s medical history and being able to organize it and discuss it with doctors and insurance agents. This assignment teaches students about the multiplication of cells through mitosis, which is a key part of cancer, which a health information technician might have to discuss with a doctor or an insurance company.

AVID 2 Name: ________________________ Date: ____________Solving the Learning Puzzle Project

Puzzle Piece 2:Costa’s Challenge

YOUR TASK: Assignments challenge us in different ways. One of the most important thing to remember is, we have to master Level 1 questions to really know the facts, but we much challenge ourselves with Level 2 and Level 3 questions to really understand the topic. Your goal today is to analyze the assignment you’ve chosen for the different levels of questions, and explore what the right combination of questions would look like.

Class (subject) our assignment is in: _______________________________________________

Topic our assignment is about: ___________________________________________________

Analyzing the Current Assignment

Look through this assignment and analyze the number of questions at each of the different levels.

Level 1 Questions Count: Example:

Level 2 Questions Count: Example:

Level 3 Questions Count: Example:

You’re the Teacher!

Write three level 1 short-answer questions about this topic that would show you that a student really knew the basic facts.

Write two level 2 essay questions or math word problems about this topic that would show you that a student really understood this topic.

Write the level 3 directions for a project related to this topic that would show you that students could apply what they knew to the real world or to other situations.

AVID 2 Name: ________________________ Date: ____________Solving the Learning Puzzle Project

Puzzle Piece 3:Oh, the Things That You’ll

LearnWe often say we “learned” something, or are asked “what did you learn today,” or are told that “learning new things is important.” But what is learning, exactly?

What is “learning”? How can you tell when you’ve “learned” something? Free-write in 4-5 sentences.

Code:

YOUR TASK:

First, review our assignment, your Puzzle Piece 1 information about how it fits into the bigger picture, and your Puzzle Piece 2 about how this assignment challenges you.

Next, think about what you learn from this assignment. Write down 5 things that you learn from this assignment.

What I learned from this assignment Code

Last, on the big roundtable sheet, write 11 sentences that represent different ways that individuals could say that they learned from this assignment, and write the code along with it. You must use at least 1 INFO, 2 RUUs, 1 DUTY, 2 PERSs, 1 PROC, and 1 SOC. (The remaining 3 will be your choice!)

OH, THE THINGS THAT

YOU’LL LEARN

WARM UP. Think about what we’ve done so far in this project. What have you learned so far about the assignment? Answer each of the questions below. Be ready to share!

Big Picture Challenges Results

The Assignment

Puzzle Piece 1:CLASS, COLLEGE, CAREER, LIFEWhy this assignment is important—in the context of the whole class, one’s college experience, potential careers,

and in life situations?

Puzzle Piece 2:COSTA’S CHALLENGE

What this assignment challenges you do and not do—through Costa’s Levels of

understanding?

Puzzle Piece 3:OH THE THINGS THAT YOU’LL

LEARNWhat do you end up learning from this

assignment—when “learning” can mean many different things?

ANALYZE. When AVID students were asked to identify what they had learned from an assignment, there answers fell in the following categories of conceptions of learning.

INFO RUU DUTY PERS PROC SOC0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40 38

16

2

5

1 0

What trends do you see in this graph?

Based on those trends, what conclusions can you draw about the type of assignments given at UCHS?

Based on those trends, what conclusions can you draw about the way UCHS students think about learning?

What recommendations for changes would you make to teachers and students at UCHS?

AVID Students’ Conceptions of What They Learned from an Assignment INFO = Learning as gaining

information

RUU = Learning as remembering, using, and understanding information

DUTY = Learning as a duty

PERS = Learning as personal change

PROC = Learning as a process not bounded by time or place

SOC = Learning as the development of social competence

AVID 2 Name: ________________________ Date: ____________Solving the Learning Puzzle Project

Puzzle Piece 4:Interview an Expert

TASK: We’ve completed puzzle pieces 1, 2, and 3, which are all about seeing a pretty-typical school assignment in depth. Today, we are looking at piece 4, where we start to think about barriers to learning that can stop us from learning about something to our fullest potential. Today, your goal is to interview one adult about how they have experienced this barrier in their education, and how they have overcome it to make the most of their education. To do this, you must:

1. Introduce/ review the barrier you and your partner are focusing on.2. Write 6 interview questions – two level 1, two level 2, two level 33. Ask the adult these questions, and record their responses – either by writing them down, or by recording your

interview with your phone4. Reflect on what lessons their experiences might teach you.

INTRODUCTION. Our group’s barrier is: ________________________________________________________

Some examples of when we see this at UCHS are:

1.

2.

3.

INTERVIEW. The adult we are interviewing is ________________________________________. Our six interview questions are:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

AFTER-THE-INTERVIEW REFLECTION. The lessons that we learned that we can use to overcome this barrier at UCHS are:

1.

2.

3.

AVID 2 Name: ________________________ Date: ____________Solving the Learning Puzzle Project

Puzzle Piece 5:5 W’s and 1 H Mosaic

TASK: Now that we’ve interviewed an adult about how they have experienced this barrier, your job is to compose a 5Ws and 1H mosaic for this barrier. Think about the who, what, where, when, why, and how of this barrier. (You can use this sheet for notes.) Then, write each of the statements on one of the tiles, and color code which tiles are which. Arrange and glue them to complete your 5W and 1H mosaic of this barrier.

WHO - 2 qualities of students who are likely to get stuck at this barrier and explain why

WHO color:

WHAT - 4 things you might see or hear that would illustrate someone is stuck at this barrier and explain why

WHAT color:

WHERE - 1 type of class where one would be more likely to get stuck at this barrier and explain why

WHERE color:

WHEN - 1 moment in the progression of the class or day that one would be more likely to get stuck at this barrier (beginning of the day? Beginning of class? During notes? During independent work? Etc.) and explain why

WHEN color:

WHY - 5 reasons that a student could give for experiencing this barrier that would make perfect sense

WHY color:

HOW - 2 ways you think students could overcome this barrier and explain why

HOW color:

AVID 2 Name: ________________________ Date: ____________Solving the Learning Puzzle Project

Puzzle Piece 6:The “Stuck Forever”

TimelineTASK: Pieces 1-3 looked at an assignment in depth; pieces 4-6 look at the barrier in depth. Piece 4 asked you to interview an adult about how they experienced this barrier; piece 5 asked you to assess the who, what, where, when, why, and how of this barrier. This piece asks you to imagine you are stuck forever with this barrier. What are the consequences?

OUR BARRIER IS _____________________________________________________

IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF…

...you got stuck because of this barrier for a whole class?

...you got stuck because of this barrier for the same class for a whole week?

...you got stuck because of this barrier in the same class for a whole marking period?

...you got stuck because of this barrier in every class for a whole year?

...you got stuck because of this barrier in your whole high school career?

continued on the next page…

...you got stuck because of this barrier in a college class?

...you got stuck because of this barrier in every college class?

...you got stuck because of this barrier at work for a day?

...you got stuck because of this barrier at work for a month?

...you got stuck because of this barrier every day for the rest of your life???

YIKES! WE’LL STOP THERE. AND WE’LL STOP GETTING STUCK NOW!

AVID 2 Name: ________________________ Date: ____________Solving the Learning Puzzle Project

Puzzle Piece 7:The Habit Cycle

TASK: Today we begin looking at solutions for overcoming this barrier. One level to look at is the level of behaviors: how is this barrier a set of behaviors that become a natural habit? What can we do to change this habit?

CUE ROUTINE REWARDFROM THE VIDEO:

What is it?What can cues be?Person, time, place, mood

What is a routine?Set of behaviors you do at a certain time or in a certain way

How can you discover what your reward is?

Experimented

FROM THE VIDEO:What is Charles Duhigg’s

example? Between 3:00-3:30Elevator to cafeteria (14th

floor), buys cookie, talks to friends while eating

Socializing

EVERYDAY EXAMPLE:The Texting Habit

…continue on the next page…

Our barrier is the _________________________________________________

CUE ROUTINE REWARDWhat are 5 possible cues for this habit?

Step-by-step, what are 4 behaviors that are part of the routine of this habit?

What does the reward for this habit feel like, and why is that reward important?

Possible Plan of Action: Changing Habits, Breaking Barriers

CUE ROUTINE REWARDWhat are 5 possible cues for this habit?

Step-by-step, what routine will I replace the old habit with that gives me the same reward?

How does this new routine still give me the same reward?

AVID 2 Name: ________________________ Date: ____________Solving the Learning Puzzle Project

Puzzle Piece 8:Theory to Action

Piece 7 illustrated the ways in which overcoming a barrier might simply require replacing an old habit with a new one. This Piece points us in a different direction: maybe the solution is not in behavior, but in mindset—how we think about a particular assignment or experience.

TASK:

1. First, imagine all the things someone who gets stuck on this barrier believes about their work. Write these statements in the “BEFORE” head.

2. Then, read the article your group has been given. As you read, MARK THE TEXT looking especially for the author’s mindset about education and schooling. (BOTH partners must read and mark the text.)

Number the paragraphs ______ / 5 pointsUnderline the author’s claims (main points/arguments) ______ / 5 pointsUse symbols to interact with the text ______ / 5 points

most important point TOTAL______ / 15 points things you agree with - things you disagree with ! things that surprise you? things you have a question about

3. Last, think about what the author’s mindset about education is, and write these statements in the “AFTER” head.

BE

BE

AF

BE

AF

Period 1B

Melyssa & Amber Fill-in-the-Box / Grade BarrierAlize`a & Raheem Smart but Behind BarrierSteven & Alvin Pointless / Does Not Apply to Me

BarrierIvy & Jennifer Being Exactly Right BarrierWarren & Taiheed Knowing Deeper BarrierNazje’a & Russell It’s the Subject, It’s the Teacher

BarrierTamisha Bad Day Barrier

Period 5A

David & Jacob I Want To, But Can’t Always BarrierAshanay & Samara Best Friends in Class BarrierAnthony & Ibrahim Between Knowing Nothing and

Everything BarrierJessica & Ricarah More than Copying BarrierAmber When It’s Boring BarrierIshaya & Tatyanna Need to Be Unbothered Barrier

AVID 2 Name: ________________________ Date: ____________Solving the Learning Puzzle Project

Puzzle Piece 9:THE HANDY HOW-TO GUIDE

Congratulations! You’ve analyzed a sample assignment deeply, explored a barrier that can stop students everywhere from getting things done, and brainstormed some possible solutions for solving this learning puzzle. Last, it’s time to put

all of that together in a Handy How-To Video to explain how others can overcome this barrier, too.

TASK: To produce a how-to video in which you describe a barrier students commonly face, explain how the barrier might prevent a student from succeeding on an assignment, persuade the viewer why it’s important to overcome this barrier, and recommend new habits and new

mindsets that can help students overcome that barrier.

To do this you will need to: create a storyboard or script that Mr. Schiera approves, film your how-to video using a laptop video camera, and edit your how-to video to make it professional. Be ready for us to share everyone’s videos out

with each other at the end of the project!

THIS VIDEO IS WORTH 100 POINTS. YOUR FINAL PRODUCT IS DUE BY FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2013.

STEP 1: SCRIPT and STORYBOARD

Rules for writing script:

Both people have to speak in each section- it should be a conversation with each other.

Act I: The Barrier.

Act II: An Example of How It Stops You

Act III: Why It’s Important to Take Action

Act IV: New Habits and Mindsets to Overcome this Barrier

STEP 2: FILMING!

STEP 3: EDIT.