Our Definition of Student Centered Learning (SCL):

SCL places students at the center of the learning process. Teachers identify clear learning objectives and students have choice in how they achieve these objectives. SCL is engaging, relevant, and provides students with hands on learning opportunities.

Earth Science Scenario

Students have been studying the earth’s relationship to the sun and what earth processes revolve around those.  The essential question was “How does a changing earth affect me?”   Processes such as weather patterns, tides, water cycle and seasons have been studied through lab activities (hands-on and on-line) and computer simulations in the attempt to give all students an equal knowledge base.

 Students are asked to use the Web based INTEL Visual Ranking tool to  prioritize what Earth processes affect them the most, and to give rationale for their decisions.  Once the rankings are done, students are grouped by the factor they thought would have the biggest affect on them.  Each group is asked to generate further questions they may have on the factor they saw as most influential to their lives.   They are then given the choice to work alone or with one or more other students who have similar interests to them to work on a final project.

 Once the groups are formed, the groups decide on a topic (most likely they will pull from the list of questions they have) they would like to know more about.  The teacher meets with the groups to discuss what question(s) the group wants to answer, how they will find the information, what resources they will need/use and how they will share/present that information to the class. (EG., video, research paper, blog, etc.)   Assessment guidelines are agreed upon and the group is ready to go.  The teacher checks in daily with the groups to monitor progress or suggest ways to troubleshoot problems they may be encountering.

A creative way to introduce the final task so it appears to be more of a community process could be to use the following performance task:

• You have been hired by a public service to educate or inform the people in your community about the affects of our changing earth.  Choose the one earth process that you feel has the most impact on humans.  (This about the results of your visual ranking tool exercise.)  Using this topic, design a way to inform your community. 

[This could be in the form of a podcast, radio show, video, news article, brochure, or any format agreed upon between your public service team and the teacher.]

Some really neat ideas here.  How will you "hook:" them... capture and excite them?  What makes this really authentic work?  Why should they be concerned? Is there another "audience" besides the class for their final presentations. I lovethe public service team approach.  Could they produce something that might beshown on public television or Vermont Pubic Radio.  Also love the Podcasting idea... seems to fit well here. I love to have students identify and then collec t and analyze their own data as you suggest above. Maybe they could use Google Spreadsheets Forms function.

Ed

Social Studies Scenario

So You Say You Want A Revolution?

A group of 7th and 8th  grade social studies students will study the American Revolution. The enduring understanding will be that "right or wrong" depends on one's perspective.  To help students arrive at this understanding students will focus on two essential questions: a.  "Is it ever OK to break the law?" b.  "Does history have more than one story?".  In short, the Revolution will be used as a platform for discussions and learning on perspective, leadership, conflict, and propaganda.

Initially, students will be asked the following question:  Is the United States a great country?  Why or why not?  Using a 7 minute free write, students will reflect on this question then be ecouraged to share their thoughts.  This will lead to a discussion on "perspective".  Next, students will be introduced to the concept of conflict.  What is conflict? Can you give examples of conflict from your own life?  What is a revolution?  Are you familiar with revolutions? Have you ever wanted to revolt?  During the course of this discussion, students will likely mention the American Revolution (if they don't, I will help them to get there:)  Finally, as a hook students introduced to the culminating activity which will be a Continental Congress at the Unitarian Church in Burlington.  As colonists, they (along with students on another team) will debate the issue of independence.  Students will select their roles, independently research their pespective, identify pre-selected, primary and secondary resources that support their perspective, and, in their assumed roles understand why different people adopted different points of view throughout the Revolution. 

Several lessons will be used throughout the unit to build content around causes and effects of the Revolution.  In addition, students will use several Web 2.0 tools throughout the unit.  Initially, 3 different student blogs will set.  The 21st century "blogs" which will be used as a primary communication tool will mimic the "Committees of Correspondence" of the 1770s.  Loyalists and Radicals will use their respective blogs to share ideas, strategize, and share resources throughout the unit.  These two sites will be "private", however, as was the case during the Revolution, compromise of this information is an ever present possibility.  The moderate blog will act as a "town hall" of sorts.  It will be accessible to all; however, it will be the main venue through which moderate voices and temperment can be measured throughout the unit.  Radicals and Loyalists will have limited access to this area throughout the course of study.  A second Web 2.0 tool that students will use is the Intel "Seeing Reason" tool.  They will use this to identify and debate cause and effect relationships throughout the unit.  In what ways were causes interconnected?   Were some more important than others?  In what ways do students perceptions of the importance of these causes change throughout the unit?  Finally, students will have access to blogs, videos, podcasts or any other multi-media resources that they choose in order to strengthen their voice through the unit.  The will be offered support and training on the technical aspects of these tools; however, the how they choose to use these is up to them.

Student growth will be measured in a number of ways.  Students will be given a pre-test to determine levels of understanding in content and basic concepts.  They will write persuasive essays aimed pursuading their constituents of their perspecitve.  Ultimately, students will be formatively assessed at our Contental Congress.  Were students able to put asside their "personal biases" and fully assume the personality that they were assigned?