The best part about my backwards design plan is that it
helps me teach with intention. I am focused on the BIG idea. My backwards
design plan has pushed me to plan for higher order thinking to take place. Through
this BD plan my students are moving past the remembering skills and moving
towards skills such as analyzing and synthesizing. I feel that the literature
that we reading is more than a story that they are reading from the outside.
They are becoming a part of what they are reading. They are connecting to the
characters in the stories. They are finding similarities and differences
between characters and themselves. They are putting themselves in the same
situations and exploring how they would have solved the problem or reacted to a
strong part in the story. I feel that my excitement for teaching has increased.
I am eager to hear their reactions and interpretations of the stories. I really
want them to gain true, deep knowledge from the stories we are reading. This is
a change from my past goal of having them find success on the Thursday
comprehension test. It is enjoyable to teach intentionally!
I have a hard time fitting in all of the activities/lessons
on my BD plan. How do you fit it all in?
How do you get all kids to participate in meaningful book
discussions?
Like very much the "finding similarities and differences...and putting themselves in the same situations" as part of your BD reading traits! Likewise, as you would see on my blog entry tonight....I have to cut back on "all I have to share..." and stay focused on the essential question. Yet, I want to sneak in the fun activities...for example, like rock polishing instead of it all being "rock identification. mjb
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