Student Designed ELA Instruction
                                                                         By:  Carrie Johnson

Project at a Glance :

Students are being tasked with analyzing and revamping the current ELA structure in our 5th grade classrooms. 

Driving Question:

How can we enhance ELA instruction to make it an epic learning experience for kids?            

Standards:

• SL.5.1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

• SL.5.4. Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace

Team / Culture Building:

• Teams will be changing throughout the process.  Some activities will be partner based while others will be groups.  Some will be assigned by teacher based on personality, while others will have choice.
  

​Entry Event:

• Design your ideal ELA set up.  Given a two hour block a day, how do YOU think we should spend that time doing ELA activities?  Make sure you include a plan for both reading and writing.  Students will create a poster showcasing your plan.​

Stakeholders:

• Lakewood fifth grade students and  teachers
• District literacy coaches
• Principal

Empathy Building:

• Students will create Empathy Maps for a student who loves ELA, a student who dreads ELA, a teacher of on task student, and a teacher of off task students.

Inquiry / Need to Knows:

• Need to Knows protocol
• Pluses and Deltas protocol

• Conduct an interview with Reading specialist - Mrs. March.  Students will brainstorm questions for her, and she will come in as a guest speaker.

Incubation:

• The entry event will contribute to this as well as students plan their dream ELA block.
• Chalk Talk Protocol - students will gain information from the thinking of others to see if their feelings and ideas align with others.
• Top Ten List - highlighting the best things to include in the two-hour ELA block.
• 3-12-3 Protocol​​

Checking in:

• Teacher will check in with both small and whole groups frequently throughout the process.
• Connection Circle - similar to a Harkness Circle.

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Solution Building:

• Students will share out ideas, and these will be compiled by teachers into an organized list based on what area of ELA students want to change or enhance.
  
• The 3-12-3 protocol will help them narrow their ideas down to their favorite few.

Critique and Revision: 

• 3-12-3 Share out - Students will share their best ideas from the last 3 minute block to gain feedback from the whole group.
  
• Feedback session as each group presents  with students and teachers providing feedback using the “I Like….” and “I Wonder….” sentence stems.

Authentic Audience:

• 5th grade Teachers
• District Literacy Coach

Final Presentation:

• Students used their poster session posters to share out.  Each group shared out in front of both fifth grade classes and staff.
• Students will help create the class-wide  rubric leading up to their presentations.

Click here for teacher's full plan.

​Reflection and Feedback:

• ​ Rubrics will be completed by  audience members during final presentation, but also feedback forms during the Solution stage as they narrow their ideas. My feedback for them will be ongoing throughout the project.
  
• Students will reflect through connections using a Harkness circles format.
• Students will also meet with the teacher throughout the process in small groups.

Click here for the teacher's Journey through PBL on Padlet . . .

Meet the Educator:
Carrie Johnson has been teaching 5th grade at Lakewood Elementary in West Ottawa Public Schools.

     "PBL allows me to connect learning to real world experiences, and gives students a chance to solve problems that can have long term impact on their community."