Kids Into Thinking Skills: Keeping Instruction Topnotch AND Strong! A Training Model for Parents...

Kids Into Thinking Skills:

Keeping

Instruction

Topnotch AND

Strong!

A Training Model for Parents

Kids Into ThinkingSkills

Mission Statement

Our mission is:•Design extension tasks that will assist classroom teachers in effectively differentiating instruction.

•Develop each student’s potential through active participation in the learning process.


Our Objective

1. Provide activities that are extensions of the core curriculum

4. Develop independent work habits

2. Provide students opportunities to explore differentiation strategies in content, process, product and learning environment

3. Empower students to take ownership

for their own learning


What Are the Different Components of KIT?

Based on a concept from the second grade core curriculum, a KIT includes:

Adventure Cards

At Home Project

Sharing with the Classmates


What is an “Adventure Card”?

Development of these cards:

• Prior Wake County KITS

• Way to help teachers differentiate

• Chance to develop independent, creative thinkers

• Address all learning modalities



Adventure 1

• Write a story about something of interest to you.• Use your story to create a technical product (PowerPoint, Photo Story, Glogster, Prezi, etc.) that includes related sound effects.



Adventure 2• Analyze the ways your world would be different if you could not hear sounds of any kind. • Describe the sound of “silence.” Brainstorm things that keep you from hearing silence. Use words, pictures, colors, etc. to convey your ideas.• Dramatize a short skit without using any sounds.



Adventure 3• Look up the definition of the word onomatopoeia. Can you think of any word like this?• Read “Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears.” Analyze the use of sound words in the story. What if the sound words were not in the story, how would the story be different? Explain.• Create a word bank of sound words (Example: bang, splish-splash, vroom, yipe, etc.). Define and illustrate each word.• Write and illustrate a story using sound words from your word bank. Share.



Adventure 4 (Model Lesson)• Read “Hey, You! C’mere” by Elizabeth Swados or another poetry book. Identify all of the sound words in the different poems. • Classify and categorize the sound words in two or more of the poems.• Write your own poem(s) using sound words. Illustrate and share.



Adventure 5• When does sound become a noise? Write an explanation.• Investigate “noise pollution.” Report what you learned. • Identify noise pollution in your home, school, and community. Develop a plan to reduce noise pollution in your world. Share your4 plan with others and encourage them to help.• Write a rhyme/slogan to remind people to eliminate noise pollution.• Design a poster to inform others about the noise pollution problems.



Adventure 6• Compare and contrast (using the Open Compare/Contrast form or Venn Diagram) the different ways people and animals hear sounds. Create detailed illustrations of what you learned. • Examine an object that generates a sound (ex. Whistle, tambourine, telephone, bell, etc.). Invent a way to change the sound of the object. Create a model. Demonstrate.



Adventure 7• Investigate the characteristics, parts, and functions of the ear. Develop a visual and written sharing of this information.• Explore how at least 2 different animals’ ears vary from the human ear. • Develop a visual and demonstration to share of this information about hearing which compares the animals you studied with humans.


What is an “At Home Project”?

This is a project that will need to be completed and ready for the student to present to the class (date will vary by track). The students receiving this project are being considered for a pull out group for extra enrichment. This group will meet at least once a week when we return from track out. This group will be required to complete some outside projects and homework from time to time as part of this class. The pull out, projects and some additional homework will allow students to work with partners or independently to develop their higher mental processes and, in some cases, their creative production as well. We will use substantive content to nurture thinking processes. We also wish for them to have fun and enjoy completing the projects as well.

A special project related to sound

to be done at home



Requirements:• Choose one of the following project ideas• Creation of a product or experiment• Written Report- shows a thorough knowledge of how project progressed and was completed. They should demonstrate clear and focused writing skills. A clear beginning, middle and end to their report. It should also be neatly written.• Class Presentation- clearly communicates and understands their project. The rest of the class will be able to learn and benefit from their project findings/completions. • Visual Aids- Actual product, along with any aids (technology, experiments, manipulatives, etc.) may be included in the creation or experiment.



Sound: The Good, The Bad, and The UglyHypothesize which sound you believe people find most pleasant and the sound people find most annoying. Conduct a survey to test your hypothesis. You may need to organize answers. Graph your findings in writing or using a computer.

Interpret your data. Write a headline for a newspaper that summarizes what you discovered.

How might your results be different if you surveyed only one group of people? Investigate and explain.

Sample Home Activity


How will the classroom sharing be incorporated?

During the presentation week,

the entire class may be doing

additional activities about sound.

These at home projects will be

included as part of this week.


Evaluation Process

Rubrics will be used as evaluation for school.

An open-ended evaluation will be used for the home projects.

Both evaluations will rely on the self-evaluation by the student.


Evaluation ProcessAdventure

____Insufficient Progressing Proficient Exemplary

Completion of Project

Did not follow directions to complete the project

Did not complete entire project

Completed entire project following directions

Completed entire project along with extended ideas.Worked independently.

Cooperation Cooperation with others did not happen very oftenDid not listen to others.

Cooperation with others happened only some of the time.Listened to others part of the time.

Spent all of the time on task.Followed directions of the adult.Cooperated with others.

Spent all of the time on task.Followed directions of the adult.Cooperated with others.Helpful to others.

Appearance

Finished product does not meet expectations.

Not easy for audience to understand.Finished product does not reflect best efforts.

Easy for audience to understand.Time and best effort reflected in finished product.

I put forth my best efforts to make finished project attract to the audience.


What Is the Volunteers Role in the Process?

To guide and assist up to 6 students at a time!

Act as a coach!

What Type of Person Makes a Good Volunteer for KIT?

• Flexibility

• Energy

• Positive Attitude

• Commitment and Dependability

• Passion

• Punctuality

YOU!Kids Into ThinkingSkills

Kids Into Thinking Skills: Keeping Instruction Topnotch AND Strong! A Training Model for Parents...

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