Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons^™

New Knowledge Through New Skills, Sultana Ali Norozi

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Relationship Among Essential Leadership Preparation Practices And Leader, School, And Student Outcomes In K-8 Schools, Donna Braun, Robert K. Gable, Stacey L. Kite

K-12 Education

A questionnaire was administered to school principals (N=88). The questionnaire data, along with student data, were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression to investigate the relationships among leadership preparation practices, self rated leader behavior, the school learning environment, and student achievement. After controlling for demographic variables, the amount of variance explained was incremented a statistically significant degree between: preparation practices and leader behaviors ( R2 = 5%); preparation practices and student achievement ( R2 = 5%); preparation practices and leaders’ instructional knowledge ( R2 = 6%); and leaders’ instructional knowledge and instructional practices in schools ( R2 = 5%).

Relationship Among Essential Leadership Preparation Practices And Leader, School, And Student Outcomes In K-8 Schools, Donna Braun, Robert K. Gable, Stacey L. Kite

K-12 Education

No abstract provided.

Relationship Among Essential Leadership Preparation Practices And Leader, School, And Student Outcomes In K-8 Schools, Donna Braun, Robert K. Gable, Stacey L. Kite

Teacher Education

A questionnaire was administered to school principals (N=88). The questionnaire data, along with student data, were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression to investigate the relationships among leadership preparation practices, self rated leader behavior, the school learning environment, and student achievement. After controlling for demographic variables, the amount of variance explained was incremented a statistically significant degree between: preparation practices and leader behaviors (R2 = 5%); preparation practices and student achievement (R2 = 5%); preparation practices and leaders’ instructional knowledge (R2 = 6%); and leaders’ instructional knowledge and instructional practices in schools (R2 = 5%).

Conjugation [8th Grade], Leigh Sheppard

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

In this unit students will learn how to conjugate AR, ER, and IR verbs successfully in the present tense. They will be asked to define what conjugation is and why it is important to communication in the target language. Students will reflect on their own language to help them grasp the new concept in Spanish. At the end of this unit, students will be asked to use their new skill to create a children’s book for the district’s bilingual program. The books will be donated to the program for use in their kindergarten classrooms. Students will use the correct conjugations …

Exploring Cause And Effect Through Change [7th Grade], Sarah Gamboa

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

This unit focuses on (as the title suggests) exploring cause and effect through change. Students will explore different personal, local, and global changes; what causes those changes, and what effects those change have on them, those around them, and the world. They will also understand that, while change is not avoidable, we empower ourselves by deciding how to react and respond to those changes. Students will read a fictional narrative in which they can relate to the main character: the story is about her first day at a US school. They will also read fictional and non-fiction letters to the …

Goal Setting- Obtaining Your Best [7th-8th Grades], Erin Phillips

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

In this unit, students will work to construct their own definition of a goal and from that spring into action in setting real, measurable, and motivating goals for their life. This unit is designed to not only teach students what a goal is, but to also explain why they are necessary. To emphasize to students that without them we have little to no direction and as a result we will not be led to success, but wander aimlessly. The unit is also structured to go beyond the preliminary stages of goal setting, but to actually see the students through to …

Walk This Way (Force And Motion) [6th Grade], Anne Cowell

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

The goal of this unit is for students to understand: An object’s motion is dependent on the forces that are acting or have acted on it. An object’s motion can be pictured in a graph or be determined from a graph. The unit addresses balanced and unbalanced forces, types of forces, speed, and reviews graphing to address the understandings and the district expectations.

What Is Poetry? [6th Grade], Kathleen Fenske

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

This unit focuses on the definition of poetry, its elements, and the types of poetry. The unit explores 4 essential questions: What is poetry? What is the difference between poetry and prose? How do you read a poem? What makes a poem great? Since poetry is an abstract term for most students, students will explore how poetry is different from prose. They will come to understand that it is written with a specific structure and that each aspect of a poem has a purpose. Students will read, analyze, and write poetry. They will begin the unit by responding to the …

Compare And Contrast Your Way To Better Judgment [7th Grade], Salena Gonzales

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

We should evaluate of both sides of a story (or situation) before choosing which is better or worse. Fact and opinion are both vital to choosing preference. The choices we make have significant effects on our lives. (cause and effect) Fables are genre of short fiction stories with inferred morals to learn from.

Advocacy And You [6th-8th Grade], Kathleen Kilday

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

This 5 week unit is designed to help special education students understand that they have a responsibility to be an active part of the learning process and ask for help and tools appropriately when necessary. This unit uses frequent repetition, interactive homework, and role play to help solidify student understanding of the content. Students will learn how to ask for help appropriate through direct instruction of steps as well as opportunities to practice these skills in the classroom. Students will also learn when to ask for help through role-playing and analyzing scenarios.

Probability And Statistics [7th Grade], Courtney Spickelmier

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

In this 7th grade unit, students will be required to put their mathematical minds to work as they develop an understanding of both theoretical and experimental probabilities and as they learn to analyze and communicate data effectively. Students will use real life data to explore measures of central tendency and how different measures may lead to different conclusions about the same information. Through the performance assessment, students will collect and analyze data, choosing the best way to communicate their findings. Finally, students will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge of theoretical probability to make predictions and will test those …

Cells [6th Grade], Roxanne Hammonds

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

Students will be able to identify, illustrate, and describe the main types of cells and their organelles. They will determine the major differences between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. They will know that all living things are made of cells, and that each part of the cell performs a specific function. They will also recognize the organization of living things from cell to organism. More importantly, students will understand that cells are part of a system. The performance assessment will gauge their knowledge of this by comparing the structures and functions of a cell to those of their own school.

I Didn’T Know That Was Poetry [8th Grade], Kara Dougherty

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

In this unit students will study poetry and its relationship to prose. Students will gain an appreciation of poetry as an art form because they will understand that poetry surrounds us in our everyday life. It is not an outdated form of communication, but, rather, a form of communication which is present everywhere in our lives such as in song, nursery rhymes, advertisements, and brand names. The students will explore different types of poems and the specific rules for each type. In exploring poetry, students will learn to extract meaning not just from the words of the poem but also …

Our World In Space [6th Grade], Courtney Spickelmier

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

All the components of our solar system and universe function as a system. • Gravity is the force that holds our solar system and our universe together. • Our sun and our solar system is one of hundreds of billions in our galaxy and our galaxy is one of hundreds of billions in our universe. • As Technology (including telescopes, satellites, and space travel) expands so does our knowledge of our universe, but our knowledge and technology is limited.

Heredity And The Environment [8th Grade], Dustin Demoin

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

This unit attempts to provide the connections for a four week unit that covers Ecosystems, Genetics, and Stresses (both internal and external). The unit first recaps the information that should have already been covered in 6th and 7th grade with respect to ecosystems. This includes the performance assessment which centers on using their knowledge to reconnect the concepts they already know with the ones they are still struggling to learn. Next, the unit draws connections to genetics, specifically traits and DNA. These are impacted by the ecosystem and human and environmental factors. These factors are focused on last, but are …

Ratios And Proportions [6th Grade], Lisa Murphy

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

In this unit students will be introduced to ratios and proportions. Students will have practice identifying ratios from pictures, graphs, models and word problems. Using these skills, students will then be able to identify proportional ratios and use ratios to describe proportional situations as well as to predict outcomes. To demonstrate their knowledge of ratios and proportional reasoning, students will complete a project assessment. The students will be given a recipe and then have to calculate the amounts of ingredients needed for various numbers of servings. The students will write down new versions of the recipes to be included in …

Fractions [6th Grade], Carol Von Hoff

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

Fractions are part of a whole or part of a group (set). Fractions are equal to each other in different forms (example: ½ = 2/4). Fractions can be simplified.

Intro To Spanish I [8th Grade], Leigh Sheppard

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

In this unit, students will learn what basic conversation skills are and how they begin the process of language acquisition. They will define what a basic conversation is and what makes up how they appear to others. We will begin in the native language and end in the target. Students will create personal “web pages” about themselves in Spanish to be posted on “MiEspacio”, our created Spanish MySpace. Students will be able to describe themselves and carryon a polite conversation about themselves and their school in Spanish.

Whose Fault Is History? [7th Grade], Kate Empson

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

In this unit students will learn about the events that culminated in the beginning of the Texas Revolution. Students will study specific legislative acts by the Mexican government and discover how these acts, which placed restrictions on activity in Texas, pushed many Texans to rebellion. They will then analyze these events and try to understand how historical figures in both Mexico and Texas would have viewed these legislative acts. The final performance assessment will require students to study a current conflict and the events that led up to that conflict. Students must then decide which side they would support in …

Discovery Through Nonfiction [6th Grade], Allison Grant

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

In this unit students will read a variety of informative and literary nonfiction texts focusing on the tragedy and discovery of the Titanic. The readings will provide them with the opportunity to uncover the understandings that discovery is the illumination of information, discovery leads us to understand the truth, and discovering types and features of nonfiction makes us more effective readers. Through discussion with their classmates and creation of several graphic organizers, students will answer the question “what is discovery and what is it not?” As students read the nonfiction books 882 ½ Amazing Answers to Your Questions About the …

Discovering Our World [6th Grade], Vanessa Sanchez

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

In this unit for 6th graders, students will bridge their understanding between reading for information and reading solely for entertainment. Students will develop an understanding of the connection between discovery and reading as well as understanding that they are discoverers in their own right. Students will construct a fact book that includes information from various sources on the areas we have covered as well as constructing an analysis and explanation of their decisions. The assessments will provide students the framework to adjust perceptions and utilization of resources to match the purpose of their actions. In the end, students will understand …

“Louis Sachar’S Holes: Palimpsestic Use Of The Fairy Tale To Privilege The Reader”, Laura Nicosia

Department of English Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This article explores how readers respond to the multiple timelines and fairy tales in Sachar's novel, Holes.

Creating A Space For Yal With Lgbt Content In Our Personal Reading: Creating A Place For Lgbt Students In Our Classrooms, Katherine Mason

Faculty and Research Publications

No abstract provided.

Using Extensive Feedback To Improve Writing Skills Within A Social Studies Context, Christopher Hahn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine what kind of impact extensive feedback had on eighth grade students within a social studies context. The researcher used best practice feedback techniques gleaned from research to assist all his students in improving content knowledge, mechanics and rhetorical skills. From the body of all student work, the writing of five students of varying abilities was examined in detail to determine the effect of feedback on student writing skills. Examination of subsequent student drafts and assignments from these five students and questionnaires from all students revealed that while feedback did play a role …

Teacher Perceptions Of Multicultural Education: A Research Proposal For A Study Of The Perceptions Of Five White, Female Teachers, Katherine Waight

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The population of the United States continues to become more and more culturally diverse. Yet, white middle-class women dominate the teaching force. Because there are such great numbers of white middle-class women teaching students of color, it is important to re-examine how they perceive and use multicultural education in their classrooms. There have been numerous studies that have examined how white, pre-service teachers’ perceptions impact their pre-service experiences, but it is important to look at how practicing teachers’ perceptions of multicultural education affect their teaching. This study explores how teachers’ perceptions of multicultural education influence the way they teach.

A …

Young Adult Books Fiction Update, 2007-2008, Gregory A. Martin

Library Faculty Presentations

Most colleges and universities with teacher training programs have collections of children's and young adult books. In many cases, the librarians who are responsible for selecting these books have a number of other responsibilities as well. This workshop is designed for those busy librarians who are not always able to devote the time they would like to selecting young adult books. We will explore selected “best” young adult books published during 2007 and 2008.

The Impact Of Mentoring On Retention, Quality, Commitment Of Graduates From One School-University Partnership, Brenda Kraber

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the impact of mentoring on retention, quality and commitment of graduates from one school-university partnership. This project explored this issue through a review of relevant literature on effective teaching, components of quality teacher preparation programs, beginning teachers, mentoring and Professional Development Schools. How to best prepare teachers for the multi-faceted, challenging job that needs to be done has been a question that has faced universities and school districts for many years. With the growing numbers of veteran teachers now ready to retire and the increasing need for more teachers, the proportion between experienced and inexperienced teachers is …

Perspectives Of A Summer Enrichment Academy: Participant And Observer Reflections, Lisa Penrod

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Students and teachers rarely come together, at least in a meaningful way, outside the confines of the school environment. Seeing your students at Wal-Mart does not constitute “meaningful interaction”. This fact alone makes the GEAR UP Summer Enrichment Academy (SEA), held at California State University, San Bernardino in the summer of 2006, an epic event. The SEA brought students and teachers from the Rialto and Coachella school districts together with faculty from CSUSB for an intensive, enriching learning experience. Selected bright, young students were given opportunities to explore disciplines far outside of the range of their normal classroom experiences and …

Benefits Of Leed Designs In Arkansas K-12 Schools, Philip Thrift

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper provides and evaluation of an existing LEED certified sustainable green building for energy-efficiency, environmental impact, economic value, and occupant health. The new Bethel Middle School located in Bryant, Arkansas was the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified public school building in the state. Based on actual building specifications and validated with the first year's utility bills, a simulation model was used to evaluate various design aspects of the school building. The building's baseline energy usage was compared with numerous energy and environmental scenarios. Results include both environmental and economic assessments. Overall, the study found that …