Day: September 15, 2015

Talk with students about assessment

Many of the students have asked, “What is different between MACC and a regular class?” In my opinion, one of the things that will be different is that in MACC, students will have more input into their own learning environment. For example, students were encouraged to share essential agreements around behaviours that will provide them with an effective learning community. Today, they were also asked to think about what it means to be a good contributor to a MACC class.

We discussed how activities are more rich when active participation happens. How will we measure this active participation in MACC?

Students were given a rubric with the letter grades A, B, C+, C and C-. We discussed what those letter grades generally mean, based upon students’ past experiences or what they have heard.

Then, I asked them to draft on a blank rubric what participation would look like at the “A” or “B” level. In groups they came up with measurable criteria, and then we shared the criteria aloud. I recorded their responses and collected their drafts, which I will use to make a rubric on participation. This rubric will apply to all subjects and MACC 4/5 activities, and I will ask students to do self-assessments, based on their criteria and mine, as we continue during the term.

Learning how to assess your own performance is an important, lifelong skill, and students will be encouraged to answer their own question when they say, “Is this good enough?” or “Is this what you want?” I often answer by saying, “Does it fit the criteria?” or “What do you think based on what we agreed would be quality work?”

Beginning our first unit!

Today, we began our first unit of inquiry, and Ms. DeTerra introduced the focus statement to students:

Our personal choices play a role in the interconnected system of the human body.                            

For the next six weeks, we will go in depth into this unit, combining activities across the disciplines. This will be an inquiry into:

  • The systems of the body and how they work together
  • Diseases and how they impact our community
  • How the body defends itself against disease
  • The factors and strategies that contribute to healthy immunity and well-being

Our first activity today was a pre-assessment of students’ prior knowledge on human anatomy. Working in groups of three, one student lay down on a large sheet of paper while the other students traced him or her. Then, the students worked together, without looking in books, to draw everything they would be able to see in an x-ray of the body, labelling the parts along the way. Students had fun drawing together, and it was an excellent opportunity for Ms. D to see their group work skills and knowledge of our body’s inner workings!

In art today, we focused on the use of LINE, as we will be spending some time going through the elements and principles of art. Using LINES, students created zentangles on bookmarks to help with our book loan system in class. Also, they created 3D drawings of their forearm and hand. We will be doing other art related to both elements and principles, as well as the human anatomy and drawing during this unit.

For homework, students were asked to check out the blog. Ms. D encourages all parents and students to begin looking for books or articles online, in the newspaper, and in magazines, related to our unit. Please bring these things in! Students can share anything they find with the class briefly, and Ms. D will post printed articles in the classroom for sharing with everyone. You can also send Ms. DeTerra links to articles by replying to this blog post, and I will add them to the section Articles of Interest under Body Works, our first unit web list.