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Resource of the Month!

Each resource is meant to give you a simple strategy or idea to spur on your thinking and classroom practice around personalized learning and student ownership. Jump in!

Join in the conversation by commenting... share your experience with the Resource of the Month.
How did you modify it & use it in your classroom?
What might you change?
Do you have other resources that work well with this one?
Do you have a suggestion for area of focus for our next Resource of the Month?? We would love to hear from you!!! Click the button below to contact us.

September Resource of the Month: Get Started With Small Groups!

8/8/2022

Get Started With Small Groups!

The first day of school has come and gone, and you are undoubtedly in the depths of getting to know your students. If you are like most teachers, you are noticing that your students are all over the map. How can you even begin to meet their needs???

We say leverage small groups in your classroom! This gives you a chance to work with rotating small groups of students and target their needs.

But where do you start? Buy-in and student ownership are critical to engaging and productive small groups. Group roles help to promote organization and accountability in small groups.
Check out this great new webpage, “Give every student a stake in group work”. Common Sense Education has created this webpage to provide several resources to promote shared ownership as students own their roles in their small group settings. Don’t miss the free download of “Group Work Roles That Promote Shared Ownership” - it's an excellent resource to begin conversations with students about group work expectations.
The image below from Education Week can help you to get the big picture of making small groups work in your classroom (Visit Education Week article here)

August Resource of the Month: Authentic and Active Learning: Start The Year On A Creative Note

8/1/2022

A new school year- a blank slate! Whether your mind is inching into Back To School mode or still completely in denial (It's OK), this month's resource is meant to get the creative juices flowing. In our March 2022 Resource of the Month, we highlighted Authentic and Active Learning (with a unit planning resource). This month we bring this topic back into the spotlight.

We know that effective lessons help students 1"make authentic connections, allow them to actively learn, and are personalized to their needs and interests." Without authentic and active work, we have compliance-based learning where students march through sequenced steps of disconnected content, skills, and activities leaving little room for understanding, retention, interest, or joy. For many reasons, we’re often willing to take on creative projects at the end of the year. But this year, why not take a creative risk and START the year off with an authentic project? This month we share John Spencer's

Starting the Semester On A Creative Note

Overview: In his article, Mr. Spencer challenges us to ask, "What is a creative risk I can make as an educator?" and "What is a creative risk my students can make?" Spencer's Starting the Semester On A Creative Note shares ten innovative, yet simple ways to take a creative risk as we START the new school year (something here for everyone K-12). His ideas include everything from implementing Genius Hour, Design Thinking, Divergent Thinking and Maker Projects! Intrigued? We were. Check it out, make your adaptations and take your creative risk! Share your ideas for starting the year off with an authentic project this school year in the comments below!

Don't Forget!!
1. If this makes you a little nervous, remember just because you start the school year this way doesn't mean you are committing to the entire year. Sometimes just trying it out, stepping out of your comfort zone for a short trial period is better than never starting!
2. You can still (and should) co-create beginning-of-year norms, routines, and procedures with your students - creativity does not equal "free for all."
3. Everything is always more fun with a friend. Do you have a colleague (any grade level) you could enlist to join you?
4. Take time to reflect at the end of this experience - What went well and why? What didn't and why? What changes would I make?

1. https://authenticlearningllc.com/trifecta-of-learning

July Resource of the Month- Get Personalized PD Next School Year!

7/2/2022

Browse ALL connectingEd PD Offerings - Contact us today to see how we can support your specific district or individual needs!

June Resource of the Month: Reflect and Rest!

5/9/2022

You made it to June!! School's out (or going to be out soon) so let's keep it simple.

Before you take a well deserved break take 5 minutes, and use the graphic to guide your reflection on the following:
1. In what ways and areas of blended, personalized learning did my practice evolve this past school year? What am I proud of?
2. How were my students impacted by my changing professional practice in blended, personalized learning?
3. What key areas do I want to focus on for next year? (You don't have to do anything right now- just get it out of your head!)

Put your reflection away for a couple of weeks- it will be there when you are ready. Now it's time to take an all important break, decrease your stress levels, relax and renew! Research even supports it! Taking A Break From Work (And Why You Need It)

May Resource of the Month: Give Choice to Optimize Instruction/Learning For Students

5/2/2022

We don’t have to be convinced that one size does not fit all. With advancements in technology, access to free, open educational resources, and digital content and apps, why are we still left feeling like giving students choice is a daunting, impossible task? Is it the workload? Possible impact on classroom management or grading? Maybe it’s a feeling that we have to give choices everywhere or not at all? At connectingEd, we are all about baby steps. Instructionally, the use of choice is ONE way to optimize learning opportunities for students, and there are many ways to start. Once you start, keep going!

Overview: Study the Continuum of Choice by Bray and McClaskey. The further to the right this progression gets, the more we educators dig our heels in, right? Probably for the reasons mentioned above. But what if we baby-stepped our way through this continuum and allowed ourselves time to evolve over several years?

Reflect using these guiding questions. Don’t rush it.

Where am I along this continuum?
Am I even on it?
Have I stayed in one place for a very long time?
When was the last time I took a step?
What scares me about moving along the continuum?
What excites me?
How could moving along the continuum help me optimize learning opportunities for students?

Get started! Explore the recommended resource below.

LINK_ Design Your Own Digital Choice Board By Caitlin Tucker

Don't Forget!!
1. Take a step and stay there a while. Practice, reflect, share with colleagues, and try again.
2. Students will not automatically KNOW how to handle choice. You will have to institute practice time with

How to choose or create a good choice
Understanding learning styles and preferences
What to do when my choices look different from my classmates or friend
How to persevere with a choice
When to abandon a choice

April Resource of the Month: How I'll Show What I Know

4/2/2022

Every teacher needs evidence that students have met learning goals. Why not take something we already do in the classroom and make it more student-centered and teacher-supported? (It's what we love to do at ConnectingEd!)
Here is the shift- get students involved in choosing and developing HOW they will show you what they know.
1. Choice empowers students and prepares them for life outside of school.
2.Choice engages students because they have some control.
3. Choice increases responsibility, and who doesn't want students to be more responsible??

Check out the "How I'll Show What I Know" resource below. Here are a few ideas to consider:

You can create the choices or have your students brainstorm a list.
Make this into a Google or Microsoft form; just copy and paste the prompts. You will then have all of your student information in one spreadsheet that you can also use to track progress.
Students will need some guidance when learning how to make a plan and a timeline. You will need to have a class discussion about what should be included, what it might look like, and how to keep on track. Have students share their plans, so you have some models!
Check-in frequently with students about their progress. Keep it simple- use Google/ Microsoft form or an exit ticket. Meet with students who are behind or struggling- it only takes a minute or two to work out a plan. Accountability is the key!

Do you have some helpful hints for using this resource? Please put them in the comments so we can share what works best!

March Resource of the Month: What’s Your Point? Authentic and Active Learning

3/9/2022

We know from our own experiences that when learning is purposeful, we are engaged and motivated to make meaning of content, ideas, and topics to understand and accomplish a goal! In personalized learning, learning and application occur in a purposeful, real-world context connected to students’ lives. One of the biggest struggles teachers share is creating a context for learning content and skills connected to the real world. This month we’d like to introduce an adapted version of a graphic organizer from the great Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe (Understanding by Design). The What’s My Point graphic organizer is a fantastic thinking tool to help you get at the heart of what and why the content of your unit is so important to learn and how it is connected to the real world.

Overview: Use the What’s My Point graphic organizer to think through your units. If the questions seem a bit redundant, that’s because they are. The more you consider your content’s significance and connection to the real world, the more likely you will land on the real reason the content is important to learn. When you know “your point,” you can work to frame learning in this meaningful context. (See image below for examples)
Link to What’s My Point (just click)

Don't Forget!!
1. Take baby steps. To practice, it might make it feel more manageable to try this with a lesson first. Then start with one unit. After that, it's ok to evolve one unit at a time.
2. Collaboration is key. Try this with a colleague. Teaching the same subject and grade is helpful but not necessary. The main goal is to have a thought partner in the process.
Join in the conversation. Post a comment:

Share how you used this graphic organizer. What worked? What didn't? What would you modify?
Share a similar resource that you have used with success.
Share an area of focus for next month's resources.

The image below shows the evolution of four units using What’s My Point. The first two columns show the teacher’s original point of teaching the unit. The last two columns show the teacher’s shift in thinking after completing What’s My Point.

Feb Resource of the Month: Battling the Boss & Level Up (Embedded Assessment)

1/17/2022

Keeping our embedded assessment strategies engaging and effective is an ongoing process. This month let's look at a great check-in strategy, Battling the Boss. It works really well in a personalized classroom where students are working at their own pace. Students love it and it provides evidence of learning so both you and your student know if they are ready to move on.

Overview: Students reflect and decide when they are ready to "Battle the Boss" - they then engage in a verbal, written &/or digital task that provides evidence of understanding around the learning focus. The teacher and student then decide the best next steps in learning. It is a great way to check for understanding and check in with students moving at their own pace.
Link to Battling the Boss Resource (just click): Includes video example and explanation
Don't Forget!!
1. Modify the strategy to fit your situation-grade level, content area, student need, etc. Make it work for YOUR classroom!
2. Make the Battling the Boss challenge questions reflect the depth of thinking that is appropriate for your learning goal.

Join in the conversation...post a comment:

Share how you used this strategy in your classroom...What worked? What didn't? What would you modify?
Share an similar resource that you have used with success.
Share an area of focus for next month's resource.

Teaching With Zoom

8/24/2020

Corona Conversations: Ways to Engage Students

3/19/2020

What is Happening?...Corona Conversations (and Challenges)
Looking for a simple, interesting, authentic way to engage students over remote learning days?
Use your innovation and creativity to expand on the ideas below to create a 1-2 week learning unit surrounding the topic of the Coronavirus. Everyone’s lives are being affected, these unit topics will help students gain understanding about what is happening and why.

Unit topics have been created for different grades, but could easily be modified for additional grades based on student population and interests.

We encourage you to work with a team of teachers and pull in multi-disciplinary perspectives. If you need support just use http://www.connectinged.com/contact-us.html to get a message to us!

Get Started:

Read the Ideas below to choose possible areas of focus
Consider running a Self Organized Learning Environment for this unit
1. Modify the SOLE method to create learning structure- FREE
  1. Younger students may need a curated list of resources to use
2. Tools to Help Design
3. Create supports needed for SOLE method
4. Share Teaching Resources by joining this group in Schoology. Anyone can join after you create a FREE account. Schoology.com- Create Account- Groups-My Groups-Join Group-Enter Access Code- Go to Discussions
  Schoology Group Access Code VFTW-RV66-ZKRJ6

K-5 Theme: One Thing Leads To Another
Possible Big Ideas/Essential Questions

Where’s All The Toilet Paper?
How do choices we make impact others?
What are the patterns, how do they help?

Possible Unit Understandings

Choices we make impact (health or other) others
One thing depends on another
Information, collaboration and kindness are especially important in hard times
When there’s a great demand it can cause a lack of supplies
Demand for certain supply changes due to circumstances
It’s the role of leaders on all levels to support communities in times of need
Problem solving is important in times of trouble
Observing and studying patterns help us understand the past, predict the future and make decisions today
*How we see a situation depends on perspective, influences and education (ART, Photography)

Possible Standards
Grade Kindergarten

Social Emotional Core Competencies
Science- Respect for Others & Healthy Habits (Ohio LS)
Next Gen Standards- Interdependent Relationships
Health Standard 1, 2, 3, 7,8 (National)
Social Studies- Civics, Economics
ELA- Reading Informational Text, Reading Literature and/or any writing standard
Math- Basic math application of many standards
Art *

Grade 1

Social Emotional Core Competencies
Science- Living Things Have Basic Needs (Ohio LS)
Next Gen Science Standard -Structure, Function, and Information Processing
Health- Standard 1, 2, 3,7,8 (National)
Social Studies- Civics, Economics
ELA- Reading Informational Text, Reading Literature and/or any writing standard
Math- Basic math application of many standards
Art *

Grade 2

Social Emotional Core Competencies
Science- Living Things Cause Changes To Their Habitat (Ohio LS)
Next Gen Standards: Interdependent Relationships
Health- Standard 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, (National)
Social Studies- Civics, Economics
ELA- Reading Informational Text, Reading Literature and/or any writing standard
Math- Basic math application of many standards
Art *

Grade 3

Social Emotional Core Competencies
Science- Animal/Human Behavior Relation to Survival (Ohio LS)
Next Gen Standards: Interdependent Relationships and Engineering and Design
Health- Standard 1, 2, 3,7,8 (National)
Social Studies- Civics, Economics, History
ELA- Reading Informational Text, Reading Literature and/or any writing standard
Math- Basic math application of many standards
Art *

Grade 4

Science- Effects of Changes in Ecosystems (Ohio LS)
Next Gen Science Standard Structure, Function, and Information Processing
Health- Standard 1, 2, 3,7,8 (National)
Social Studies- Civics, Economic, History
ELA- Reading Informational Text, Reading Literature and/or any writing standard
Math- Basic math application of many standards
Art *
Social Emotional Core Competencies

Grade 5

Social Emotional Core Competencies
Science- Effects of Viruses on Ecosystems, Food Webs Relationships (Ohio LS)
Next Gen Science Standard -Engineering and Design
Health- Standard 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 (National)
Social Studies- Civics, Economics, History
ELA- Reading Informational Text, Reading Literature and/or any writing standard
Math- Basic math application of many standards
Art *

6-8 Theme: Safety VS Freedom

Possible Big Idea/Essential Question

What Is More Important Safety or Freedom?
Who Are We, Who Could We Be In Times Of Crisis?

Possible Unit Understandings

Compromise is needed in times of crisis
Information, collaboration and kindness are especially important in hard times
Laws and policies provide structure in times of crisis or need
A regions’ leadership, resources, policies and economic structure play a role in the success of defeating a pandemic.
Demand for certain supply changes due to circumstances
Great innovation can occur in times of distress
Studying the past helps us prepare for the future and solve problems in the present.
There are great benefits and struggles living in a globally connected world
Patterns help us solve problems.
How we see a situation depends on perspective, influences and education

Possible Standards

Social Emotional Core Competencies
Science- Structure, Function, and Information Processing, Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems Survival Populations, Engineering Design (Ohio, Next Gen)
Health- Standard 1, 2, 3,7,8 (National)
Social Studies- Civics, Economics, History
ELA- Reading Informational Text, Reading Literature and/or any writing standard
Math- Statistics, Rates, Chance, Inference of Populations Based on Samples, Exponents
Art*
World Languages- Culture standards-How are target cultures/countries being affected

9-12 Pandemic or Media Frenzy? Why?
Possible Big Ideas/Essential Questions

Pandemic or Media frenzy? Why?
Who Are We, Who Could We Be In Times Of Crisis?

Possible Unit Understandings

A pandemic is a disease epidemic that has spread across a large region, for instance multiple continents, or worldwide.
Information, collaboration and kindness are especially important in hard times
A regions’ leadership, resources, policies and economic structure play a role in the success of defeating a pandemic.
Media (all types) influences behavior
True colors reveal themselves in times of crisis
Great innovation can occur in times of distress
Studying the past helps us prepare for the future and solve problems in the present.
There are great benefits and struggles living in a globally connected world
Patterns help us solve problems.
Demand for certain supply changes due to circumstances
*How we see a situation depends on perspective, influences and education

Possible standards

Social Emotional Core Competencies
Science- Engineering Design, Ecosystem Homeostasis, Carrying Capacity, Human Population (Ohio, Next Gen)
Health- Standard 1, 2, 3,7,8 (National)
ELA- Informational Text Standards, any Writing standards
American History- Standards related to history over time
World History- Geography, Foreign affairs
Government- Economics, Rights of Government, Government Agencies
Math- Statistics, Exponential Growth & Relationships
*Art- Portray the Pandemic
World Languages- Culture standards-How are target cultures/countries being affected