Choose the easier DOK 2 questions for an around the room gallery walk test prep. Then, the next day, do DOK 3 questions that are more challenging and take more thought. Maybe even less questions. Add the time limit on answering them as well to show they take more time to think about. As theContinue reading “Motivational Test Prep Tip”
Tag Archives: DOK 3
Introducing Texts with picture books to all grade levels
Teaching picture books to middle school is not as “babyish” as you think. The students love them. It is all in how you present them. Students tend to love the visually appealing texts and make connections that they might not as easily with delving into a novel. Introducing a novel with a picture book is aContinue reading “Introducing Texts with picture books to all grade levels”
Neverending Story-Motivating students to free write with Neverending Story and The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg Year-Long Project DOK 2 and 3
Over the years, freewriting has been a must have in the classroom to foster creativity and love of writing, but it has the possibility to do much more. Here is just one idea of how to foster the creativity and incorporate higher order objectives into what I call the Neverending Story. Yes, it is based off theContinue reading “Neverending Story-Motivating students to free write with Neverending Story and The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg Year-Long Project DOK 2 and 3”
Movie Clip Introductions; introducing several objectives at once rather than just one as well as making it more DOK 2 and 3
Here is an easy introduction for “Jack and the Beanstalk” or other fairy tales to take them to a higher DOK level and including movie clips in the lesson. Essential Question: Does money make the world go round? Do all fairy tales teach “good” lessons in life? Objectives: We are going to take a lookContinue reading “Movie Clip Introductions; introducing several objectives at once rather than just one as well as making it more DOK 2 and 3”
How to teach students how to tackle DOK 2 and 3 level questions. Making questions a higher level.
Writing and teaching DOK 2 and 3 level questions can be a beast but once you’ve tried, key word TRY, it will get easier. Let’s dig right into what to do first. Let’s stick with “Treasure Island” as a text. Let’s try one that should be easier but have noticed through the years teachers still struggleContinue reading “How to teach students how to tackle DOK 2 and 3 level questions. Making questions a higher level.”
Bell to Bell-Classroom Management in an ELA classroom
Teaching middle school students with hormones raging and preoccupied minds on today’s social media, a teacher HAS to keep them motivated and at attention. Teaching bell to bell is one of your best tools with no added skill to be involved other than planning well. You ask, How do I do that? How do YOUContinue reading “Bell to Bell-Classroom Management in an ELA classroom”
Small Group Instruction Tip. Let them answer in small groups.
Too many times we forget as teachers to use wait time and give students time to let them minds wander. Yes, I said wander. When asking higher order thinking questions, quite often there is not an exact answer of “yes” or “no” or “Professor Green in the study”. When analyzing a text, and especially aContinue reading “Small Group Instruction Tip. Let them answer in small groups.”
ELA On The Move 