hp 2

High-Leverage Practices in Teaching

• High-Leverage Practices Defined

  • Identified by the State of Michigan, there are 19 high-leverage practices essential for effective teaching.

  • These practices are fundamental in enhancing students' learning and supporting their emotional development.

  • Utilized across different subjects, grade levels, and educational contexts.

  • They are termed "high-leverage" because they significantly impact student learning and are basic skills for teachers.

• Explaining and Modeling

  • Two key high-leverage practices aimed at making teaching content explicit.

  • Teachers must decide when to explain or model based on classroom needs, shifting from straightforward explanations to modeling (includes verbal explanation, thinking aloud, demonstrating processes).

  • Important for helping students understand complex academic and metacognitive processes.

• Pre-Class Preparation

  • Readings Required:

    • McNeill and Martin (2011). Key text: Claims, Evidence, and Reasoning; Demystifying data in a unit on simple machines (Science and Children, p. 52-56).

    • Decomposition document available at: https://library.teachingworks.org/wp-content/uploads/ExplainingandModeling_Decomposition.pdf

  • Next Steps:

    • Explore the “How Does This Practice Look Like in Each Content Area” section, focusing on Science.

    • Visit https://library.teachingworks.org/curriculum-resources/materials/science-explaining-and-modeling-content/downloads/ for activities and tools to aid preservice teachers.

    • Select and describe one Activity and one Tool from the resources.

Selected Activity: Facilitating Argumentation

• Main Idea:

  • Designed to guide teachers in helping students construct and debate scientific explanations using evidence-based resources.

• Key Elements:

  • Claim, Evidence, Reasoning model

  • Structured guidance

  • Breakdown of argumentation processes:

    • Talking and listening to peers

    • Justifying claims with evidence

• Observations:

  • Significant difference between scientific argumentation and ordinary arguments

  • Flexible for small group or whole-class formats

  • Emphasizes active listening and building on peers' ideas

• Application:

  • Useful for promoting constructive argumentation in the classroom.

Selected Tool: Consideration Cards for Science Lesson Planning

• Description:

  • An instructional support tool for new teachers planning investigation-based science lessons.

• Purpose:

  • Acts as a planning guide before and after lesson development

  • Aids in analyzing and adapting curricular materials to align with classroom needs

• Observations:

  • Versatile for various science lessons, not limited to one-time use

  • Adaptable for different education levels

Classroom Activities Reflection: Changes in Landscape

• Lesson Appropriateness for Modeling:

  • Yes, effective use of Claim, Evidence, Reasoning model throughout the lesson.

  • Linked previous knowledge of landscapes and geology to new content.

• Next Generation Science Standard:

  • Standard: 4-ESS1-1

  • Addressed through:

    • Constructing explanations based on fossil ordering

    • Identifying patterns in rock/fossil arrangements

• Strategic Examples Used in the Lesson:

  • Hands-on activities analyzing trays and completing worksheets

  • Creating a timeline collaboratively

  • Provided a glossary for necessary background knowledge

• Explicit Modeling:

  • Through slides and teacher explanations, students received necessary information.

  • Teachers made the thought process visible by discussing actions and rationale during the lesson.

• 5E Inquiry-Based Format:

  • Engaged students through activities that leverage existing knowledge and spark interest.

Core Concepts for Teaching Geologic Landscapes

1. Understanding geologic time and fossil concepts

2. Observing and identifying fossils in context of time periods

3. Using claim, evidence, and reasoning in scientific discussions

4. Recognizing the changes in landscapes over time influenced by Earth forces.

5. Conducting investigations to classify and order fossils based on characteristics.

Lesson Components Visibility

• Making Planning/Thinking Visible:

  • Used claim, evidence, and reasoning worksheets to facilitate structured thinking.

  • Hands-on materials allowed tactile engagement with content.

• Language Use:

  • Glossaries provided specific terms, allowing for contextual use during lessons.

• Representations in the Lesson:

  • Utilized fossils to illustrate geological concepts.

  • Images, graphic organizers to represent ideas visually.

• Lesson Closure:

  • Concluded with the elaborate phase, where students created assignments for peers based on learned content, solidifying understanding.

Assessment and Reflection

• Areas of Work Examples:

  • Supporting students' interpretations through organized worksheets and materials.

  • Encouraging students to support explanations with rigorous arguments while maintaining respectful dialogue.

  • Peer assessments facilitated constructive feedback and critical thinking.