JOINT/COLLABORATIVE:
Bronx High School for the Visual Arts
Bronx, NY |
This is a joint Inquiry project including Teresa Bologna, Jim Nordlinger, Teresita Olmo, and Nancy Rinaldi who are all teachers at Bronx High School for the Visual Arts.
jnordlinger at optonline.net |
Inquiry Title:
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How did people solve their problems in Medieval Europe?
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Inquiry Questions:
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Using direct instruction in academic vocabulary and its use in presenting research, can we increase students’ clear communication?
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Contextual Information..................................................................................................
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What we did:
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For content we are focusing on the Middle Ages, and how people from different strata of society solved their problems. We will using an interdisciplinary approach, so that art, religion, economics, health issues and politics of the period will be explored through classroom discussions, research and presentations in a way that students learn to see the relationship of one area with the others. In addition to research and annotating skills, students will be provided the opportunity to their communication skills through short writing pieces and oral presentation. This will culminate in a performance based museum project, in which all students will participate through writing and speaking.
We will pursue the goal of clearer and more effective communication by developing student inquiry skills by having students content specific vocabulary from science, history, art, and literature. Through their inquiry, students will use content specific vocabulary, which will deepen their control of language as well as their understanding. We hope, that as a result of this intervention, students will speak and write with greater clarity. Our way of having gain a deeper understanding of Medieval life, students will have to research in a way that permits them to identify how a particular person would solve their problems. This idea of problem solving seems to have a natural connection to a students’ experience of our world today. What inquiry learning strategy (ies) will you use over time to support student learning with regard to the central content and core skill identified above? Research motivated by identification: what problems do we have now, and how do we solve them? What problems did a given social group have during the middle ages, and how did they solved their problems? Practice and integrate the use of content specific vocabulary (so each student is acting as an historian, or scientist, or painter, writer, etc.). Teamwork the different departments, working essays across curriculum, repeated rehearsal and revising, making visual support for information, writing graphic organizers across curriculum. |
Special Resources utilized in this inquiry
(i.e. websites, apps, books, etc.): |
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Data Evidence Plan
Data Sources |
Central Content Ideas Measured |
Measurement Tools |
Data Source 1
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Data Source 2
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Data Source 3
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Data Source 4
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Summary of Results..........................................................................................................
Results of student inquiry in
terms of my learning goals: |
CASE STUDY
Of the three students we pick from the sample, we saw strong growth in writing in the DETAILS, the connection of the details to a main idea and a stronger taking on of the task. Amori Richards went from 13 of 25 in his overall score on the midterm to 22/25 on the history essay that he used for the presentation. His use of details in the baseline was a 3 of 5, and in art this same line on the rubric became a 4 and in history also a 4. In connecting the details, he got a 2 on the baseline, a 4 in art 4 in history. His approach to the task was a 3 in the baseline and 5 in art, and a 5 in history. Gimelys Berrera went from a BASELINE 5, with a 1 for the TASK, a 1 for the DETAILS, 1 for VOCABULARY. In her work for Art Class she got an OVERALL 8, 2 for the TASK, 3 for DETAILS, a 2 for CONNECTIONS, a 1 for VOCABULARY. In HISTORY, her OVERALL score was a 14; the TASK 3; DETAILS 3; VOCABULARY 3. She was responsible for SCIENCE at the Medieval Fair. Her scores jumped up strongly in all areas. Her overall score in science was 19/25; TASK 4; DETAILS 4; CONNECTING DETAILS 4; VOCABULARY 3. Antanasia Adams went from a baseline 9 overall, with a TASK 2; DETAILS 3; CONNECTION OF DETAILS 2; VOCABULARY 2. She was responsible for presenting the ART as the Stained Glass window maker. Her OVERALL art score was 11: TASK 2; DETAILS 3; CONNECTING DETAILS 3; VOCABULARY 2. There seemed to be less growth for Antanasia than the other two. All three of these students grew in all area. Academic vocabulary seems to be the area of slowest growth. ANECDOTAL POST PRESENTATION: Overall Observations Many students, the enormous majority, dressed up for the presentation, button-down shirts and ironed pants. Many students who usually did not participate or work at many other times, presented in a prepared and rehearsed way. Edward Soto who has never worked in Freshman Writing or history was eager to present. He even stepped in and became the storyteller, taking on two roles, when his group mate was unable to perform. Breanna Bonilla, who never works in class, came through on the last day and was prepared. Francis Rodriguez, who has never worked in any of the classes, wanted very much to present. Her work was very strongly academic and well-written. By the second presentation, many students were able to leave the written page and say their presentations off the cuff, yet in a very thorough and enthusiastic way. Ms. Olmo: students better able to research on their own. Go further in looking for drugs used in the Middle Ages. Also, better able to add to writing. Getting better in the writing of ideas. Ms. Rinaldi: All students wrote the midterm essay. In the past many would just not write. Now, all wrote except two. Why: special ed teacher in classroom. Also writing more in frequently and in greater quantity. Ms. Bologna: Did well on midterm. Wrote more on . Everyone is writing more. Hearing it from all the classes. . .. |
Evidence that was most useful to us in this
inquiry and what it reveals to me: |
The anecdotal evidence of their enthusiastic preparation for the presentation confirmed the idea that they were committed to striving to do a good job and overcome fears.
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What my results suggest about our
initial inquiry question(s): |
The initial inquiry questions turned out good guide for how to get students to use academic language. They had to take on the responsibility of knowing what they were saying. Furthermore, as a team of teachers, we had to clearly establish the meanings of the academic language so that we were all using the same meanings and understandings across curricular departments. As we establish clear meanings, we also discovered where the problems for students lie in using this language. As we rehearsed, we could come back repeatedly to the same concepts. And as student enthusiasm grew, we were able to take advantage of teachable moments.
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Samples of Student Work...................................................................................................
Inquiry Results Presentation & Handout
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Example of Student Work
- - - section coming soon - - -
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Quotes From Students
About What They Learned |
Reflections: Backwards Look and Forwards Look........................................................
What I have learned about Inquiry:
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What's next for my students and my teaching approach:
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How I plan to share my results with the community:
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