PLT Highlights

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2010-11 Third Quarter PLT Highlights

6th grade Math PLT
1.) We were able to utilize E/R time on Mondays and Tuesdays to review geometry concepts and vocabulary through putting together EOG review booklets and materials that were distributed to all 6th grade core teachers. We have maximized instructional time by accomplishing this review during E/R time.

2.) Pi Day was a big success! Pi Day concepts were integrated into multiple subject areas this year on March 14th as our fellow teammates supported our celebration.

7th grade Math PLT
We organized EOG preparation including Blue Diamond Quarters 5/6, sample goal items, released test. We reflected on the effectiveness of our Surface Area/Volume units. We prepared Pre-Algebra graphing units.

8th grade Math PLT
The 8th grade math PLT has enjoyed using our PLT time to learn the how to use the new KUTA software that was purchased this past quarter. We also enjoyed having the time to learn the new software that the PTA purchased for the math department (5 copies of mathtoolkit for the smart boards). It is also a great time to plan each week to ensure we are all working together.

6th grade LA PLT
The 6th grade PLT has been and is currently compiling resources for EOG review, as well as coordinating our lesson plans to ensure that all 6th grade students receive the same core vocabulary, review information, and test-taking strategies at the same time. We are also planning on providing short reading passages (with multiple-choice answers) to all 6th grade E&R teachers in order to strengthen inference, context, and reading comprehension skills.

7th grade LA PLT
We planned a literature circle unit in which students were involved in reading and discussing books from different cultures. Students were grouped according to their reading ability levels and completed a differentiated project assignment.

8th grade LA PLT
This quarter we have worked together to plan a cross-curricular unit focusing on The Diary of Anne Frank and World War Two. We were also able to… develop a unit focusing on inferences with different types of data to improve skills. By working together we are able to have consistency across the grade level with common assignments and assessments, while still differentiating for our students' varying needs.

6th grade Science PLT
The 6th Grade Science PLT has been busy compiling questions and formatting an end-of-the-year final assessment for our course. We have also been analyzing our Blue Diamond scores and have found our method of pretesting to be valuable in gaining insights into how… …much our students have learned. Following each assessment, students receive immediate feedback on their personal percentages of assessment improvement and are proud of their results!

8th grade Science PLT
We have completed Earth History. We are currently working on Goals 6 and 7. We are working on projects for these goals. The students are actively using the Smart board. We are working on completing Blue Diamonds and are using EOG review packets to help the students prepare for the upcoming EOG TEST.

6th grade SS PLT
Blue Diamond results are average. In most of the classes the average of the students is slightly above the average of the system. There is one more Blue Diamond assessment on Russia.

We are emphasizing the importance of keeping the students motivated and engaged through Spring and EOG testing. We are going to have the students get involved in projects such as creating a replica of a Faberge Egg given to the tsars of Russia, creating a travel brochure, and having students report on areas of interest for extra credit.

The week before EOG's will be spent entirely on reading comprehension skill-building.

We will begin the unit on South America after testing is over.

7th grade SS PLT
Our highlight for the quarter was planning a team day around the South Africa Unit and the "Color of Friendship" movie, activities, and discussion as a culminating activity.

8th grade SS PLT
The Social Studies Department recently met and shared different strategies that we can take back to our classrooms and use immediately. Setting up blogs and using flip cameras was shared, as well as literacy and engagement strategies such as "Vocabulary Predictions", "Quick Write, Quick Draw", and "My Top 10".

Fine Arts- Submitted by Julie Oliver
Band directors attended a training session on the computer program, Smart Music. We learned how to enter assignments, how to director our student use of the program, how to listen to and assess submissions from students.
Also discussed understanding the challenges of teaching classes other than band. We shared information on successful strategies and band literature.

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2nd Quarter Highlights 2010-11

6 th Grade MATH PLT:

Our sixth grade math PLT has the following highlights to share from 2nd quarter:

1.) We took our training from our technology based professional development day and got excited about using the flip cameras to show our students real world connections for our decimals unit.  We all went to Kroger and recorded ourselves asking various questions about Kroger's products to our students.  All questions involved decimals operations and applications.  We then shared the video streamed together in clips as we taught each aspect of our decimals unit.

2.) We continue to strive towards greater use and understanding of our math vocabulary in sixth grade as we work to expand our evolving and interactive word wall in our classrooms.  We have been incorporating more pictures and colors with our words to show relationships and meanings.

-Submitted by Kate Reik, Jaguars Team

 

7 th Grade MATH PLT:

1. Discussing and thinking about teaching math in new ways, as Mr. Redmond goes through the national board certification process. 

2.  During this quarter we have had more flexibility in our pacing, and have enjoyed reflecting on the strengths and weaknesses of different strategies. 

-Submitted by Jason Becker, Panthers Team

 

6 th Grade SCIENCE PLT:

The 6th Grade Science PLT has been focusing on lessons dealing with energy and astronomy. We have also been creating interactive SmartBoard lessons and projects that encourage student technology use to meet our 21st Century Learning goals.

  -Submitted by Beth McKibben-Nee, Lynx Team

7 th Grade SCIENCE PLT:

•  This quarter we have worked together to tailor our pacing to a new guide.  These discussions have strengthened the cohesiveness of our units.

•    Using our time together to prepare materials so that labs are easier to organize and prepare for.

-Submitted by Jason Becker, Panthers Team

 

6 th Grade Social Studies PLT:

This quarter we discussed several projects and learning enhancements related to the Renaissance, the Reformation, World War I and World War II.  Since the text only briefly touches on these important time periods and events, we added in-depth learning materials and strategies:

Renaissance/ Reformation:  packet of activities emphasizing information on the lower classes during the Renaissance; inventions such as the compass and the printing press; exploration and discoveries; cultural experiences regarding food, religious observances, feasts, and fashion.

World War I: packet of activities including further information on the assassination of King Ferdinand and Countess Sophie; the Central and Allied Powers; trench warfare; air combat; new weaponry including poison gas and long-range firepower; the effects on the home front where Americans became used to rations and restrictions; the selling of war bonds, and the Spanish flu epidemic.

World War I projects:  3-d projects depicting trench warfare; creating a board game showing the advancement of troops and major battles; taking on the persona of someone involved in or affected by World War I events and writing journal entries; compiling a front page newspaper article about World War I, complete with headlines and pictures.

World War II research paper: Research topic suggestions provided such as Adolf Hitler, George Patton, kamikaze pilots, Third Reich, Auschwitz, Pearl Harbor, etc.; two days are spent in the media center researching chosen topics; requirements include a planner, rough draft, final paper and bibliography; project writing checklist provided by Aimee Niebauer also required and must be completed and turned in with final paper.

-Submitted by Belinda Wilkerson, Lynx Team

 

8t h Grade Language Arts PLT:

The 8th grade Language Arts PLT implemented a differentiated cross-team science fiction unit.  Students read dystopian science fiction novels and discussed the characteristics of the genre.  They were able to interact with other teachers and students on other teams to do their in-depth novel studies.   

-Submitted by Christine Youth, Tigers Team

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2010-11 First Quarter PLT Highlights

6th grade Math PLT

The most valuable aspect of our PLT so far this year has been brainstorming and implementing procedures that lead to success in accomplishing our PDP goals.  The 6th grade math PLT has adopted the school improvement team's goal of increasing literacy at WMMS and therefore we are focusing more effort this year on the vocabulary of mathematics.  We are all implementing interactive word walls with every unit we teach.  Together we have researched and pulled vocabulary from C-MAPP and other sources for each unit and have also discussed ways to make the word wall interactive and engaging for the kids.  This is our single most exciting adoption as a sixth grade math PLT this year. 

We have also shared some great strategies for using Blue Diamond data in the classroom through the technology and ease of the Smart Board.  By posting class results and having students analyze their own mistakes, re-work problems and use problem solving strategies like circling what's important and crossing out the crud on the smart board, they are much more engaged in Blue Diamond and motivated to try their best.

7th grade Math PLT

Reviewing Blue Diamond data and using it to reinforce our classroom instruction; developing plans to work on reducing late and missing work, while trying to increase student's responsibility are helping our students to grow.

We are continually sharing our best practices and learning from each other. We have also enjoyed attending professional development at the county level along with SIOP training.

8th grade Math PLT

It has been very useful for us to use our PLT this quarter as a time to introduce topics and resources to the new member within our PLT.  As someone new to teaching in NC I am sure it was helpful to have someone sit down and show you how and when to use Blue Diamond, Project Achieve Focus Lessons and other resources.  It has been also useful to keep classes aligned and share supplementary materials not in the textbook.

6th grade LA PLT

-Implementation of Literature Circles, sharing of ideas/materials/procedures, reflections, & improvements

-Blue Diamond data discussions/reflection

-Writing, sharing, & revising SMART goals for the new teacher evaluation instrument

-Clarification of revised writing folder requirements

 

7th grade LA PLT

Reading Log Projects which involves students reading books of different genres and creating projects based on key EOG elements.

Incorporated technology through Rikki Tikki Tavi newspaper R.A.F.T. article