pamela+powell



Good Morning!

My name is Pamela Powell. I am a Special Education Teacher at Wendell Smith School. I teach middle school students subjects across the curriculum. I see students having challenges learning to communicate thinking skills. I would like to enhance students ability to use communication skills toward a successful journey into life skills.

Unit Topic Communicating Beyond Understanding

Unit Description I will focus on the goal to help students understand assignments and communicate reasoning process as independent thinkers. I define "thinking" as combining long term and short term information in new ways. Students can find factual information in seconds on the internet. In today's world, why memorize information? Information change and can become out dated over time. Therefore, it is better for students to also practice critical thinking skills instead of just facts. Students will also work to analyze and evaluate information on the internet.

Project Procedures I will setup class time to discuss plans to execute technology in learning how to communicate beyond understanding the process of Visual Ranking Elements, Seeing Reason Elements and Showing Evidence Elements. I will give students websites to search out answers to questions and problem solve solutions using factors relationships and census as keys to communicate reasoning. Students will use mapping charts, graphic organizers, outlines and drawings to discuss and illustrate solutions to questions. I can pair students to communicate when working on given assignments. Students will also follow state goals an objectives along with cognitive objectives from Bloom's Taxonomy Chart as "Tech-Guides".

Essential Question How can I communicate for others to understand me?

Unit Question How can I make predictions, construct literal and inferrential meaning and from sources? How do we interpret things differently? Why can't you see the thought the way I see it?

Content Question How would you define reading comprehension? What descriptive words does the author use to help you picture the character? What skills would you use to comprehend an assignment?

Topic of Lesson Communicating in Styles How to communicate using learning styles? My target group is middle school special education students with multiple deficits.

Objectives Students will use learning styles to identify and recall information to gain meaningful knowledge. Students will use learning styles to explain ideas and concepts stated in a problem in one's own words to convey integration knowledge. Students will use learning styles to generate new ideas, products, or ways of viewing things as a productive habit of mind.

Purpose and Outcome of Unit My unit will provide instructions, modeling and multiple opportunities for students to refine and develop relevant 21st Century skills. My unit will provide many choices about how students demonstrate learning, create authentic products, perform and develop tasks. My unit will also provide accommodations to support diverse learners. My students will use technology appropriate for all ability levels and interests levels. The use of thinking tools creatively will develop students research, higher-order thinking, collaboration and communication skills. My students will contribute to the creation of assessments and students will frequently assess themselves and peers.

Assessments My idea is that all students will perform well on informal and formal assessments using effective communication skills to demonstrate Visual Rankling Tools, Seeing Reason Tools and Showing Evidence Tools.

Questions: Essential Question: How can I communicate for others to understand?

Unit Question: How can learning styles be used to paint a picture? How do we interpret things differently?

Content Question: What is learning styles? What is your preferred style to read with comprehension? Which reading style do you prefer to help you comprehend reading assignments? Cognitive Objectives from Bloom’s Taxonomy are cross reference to research information. Use categorized preferred style of reading to map design. || Communication Styles and Profiles
 * ** Visual Ranking Elements ** ||
 * ** Visual Ranking Project Name ** ||
 * Communicating in Styles ||
 * ** Project Description ** ||
 * // Students will use technology to research various styles of reading and select a preference and explain the reason for selecting the style of reading. Students will chart the various styles and profiles with explanations of how the styles are used for comprehension of reading and their preference when reading. Student results will be posted for visual ranking of preferred style of reading. // ||
 * ** Prompt ** ||
 * ** Sort list **

Verbal-- Storytelling, Creative Writing, Poetry, Riddles Visual--- Art, Creating Visual patterns, Picture Games Musical- Singing, Instruments, Rhythms Introvert-Independent Work, Understands own Feelings Linguistic Words Spatial-- P ictures Bodily Kinesthetic Physical Experience Intrapersonal Social Experience || Preferred Communication Style and Explanations
 * ** Practice Ranking **

Visual- I can see the information and remember concepts. Linguistic-- I can become involve in the actual words to identify. Spatial I can create visual memory to respond to image. Intrapersonal- I can create my own meaning of information. Bodily Kinesthetic- I can expand thoughts from physical experiences. Musical I can demonstrate meaning of words. Introvert-- I can explain my perception of information. Verbal I can speak a few words to explain. ||
 * ** Seeing Reason Elements ** ||
 * ** Seeing Reason Project Name ** ||
 * What are some of the changes electronic communication has had on the world? ||
 * ** Project Description ** ||
 * Students will select websites to research and chart results of how we are changed by electronic communication. Students will listen and follow directions for using the Seeing Reasoning Tool to answer research question. Students will also hear explanations of reasons to problem solve the given assignment. Students will receive rubrics to use as a guide when researching the given question. Students will answer the given question using factors, relationships, consensus and chart map data from communication with peers. Students will present Seeing Reasoning Tool researched data to compare consensus and discuss causes and effects of the world changing because of electronic communication. ||
 * ** Research Question ** ||
 * How are we changed by electronic communication? ||