Transcript CAG Teacher Institute Santa Barbara, CA July 6

Presented by Christine Dillon
6th grade Teacher, Brookvale Elementary
Daily Schedule
Dr. Kaplan spoke in a general session
 Lecture seminars
or
 Demonstrations
Local gifted students
10 – 15 per class
1ST – 8TH graders
 Curriculum development sessions

General Session Topics
 Universal Themes
 Think Like a
Disciplinarian
 Dabbling
Layered Curriculum
1. Standards/Objectives
2. Depth and Complexity
3. Classics
4. Think Like a Disciplinarian
5. Current Events
6. Technology
7. Independent Study
8. Learning to Learn
Developing Greater Intellectual Depth
The process to achieve this combines the
use of universal themes, and
knowledge of specific disciplines
with complex thinking strategies.
Best Practices for Differentiation
Philosophy Behind Universal Themes
 Gate teachers are to take the core
curriculum and look at ways to get greater
depth.
 This means demanding more
sophisticated thinking of your students.
 This is achieved by weaving connections
to get greater understanding.
How is Using a Universal Theme
Different from Traditional
Thematic Instruction?
Thematic Instruction
 In thematic instruction
the teacher develops a
theme and makes the
connections for the
students.
Plants
Growth
 All this does is ask
students to know the
content and how it is
related.
Insects
Community
Interdisciplinary Thematic Instruction
 Students have a universal
theme and what appear to
be disparate parts or pieces.
Language Arts
 They must apply knowledge
in order to make connections.
 Often, this approach requires
that students begin with the
complex and work backward
to connect to the simple
concept.
Systems
Content Areas
Mathematics
Connections
“When one steps back to view the
knowledge, not from within the
discipline, but from without, one
sees that all the parts touch,
overlap, and form a tapestry of
interconnection.”
-
Dr. Sandra Kaplan
Generalizations
 In making connections between
seemingly disparate concepts,
students begin to form
generalizations.
 Thus, generalizations are the basis of
connections.
Some Universal Themes and Generalizations
 Patterns
1. Have segments that are repeated
2. Allow for prediction
3. Have eternal order
4. Are enablers
 Systems
1. Are many parts arranged into a unified whole
2. A group of elements that work together
3. Are manmade or natural
 Change
1. Can be natural or man-made
2. Different kinds of change
3. Is inevitable
4. Necessary for growth
 Conflict
1. Composed of opposing forces
2. Natural or man-made
3. Intentional or unintentional
4. May allow for synthesis and change
Connecting to, exploring within,
and across disciplines
Key Ideas
 Increases awareness of the discipline, thus
adding depth and complexity to the subject
matter
 Requires learning about the specialized
vocabulary, tools and skills of each discipline
 Connects a student’s own interests and abilities
to a subject and a discipline
 Allows the student to immerse self into the
study of a discipline
 Creates a greater awareness of the
contributions of the disciplines to the world
Thinking Like a Scholar
Disciplinary studies can begin with an
examination of scholarly behavior
Attributes of scholarly behavior can be identified
and applied to accomplished people and the
disciplines they represent
Students can then make connections between
themselves and the disciplinarian
Connecting to a Discipline
Myself as a
scholar
Common
Details
Focus
Persevere
Ask questions
Desires
knowledge
Disciplinarian
as a scholar
Exploring Within a Discipline
Directed lessons given on the disciplines
as they relate to an area of study.
 Thinking Like an Historian
Thinking Like a Geographer
Thinking Like a Sociologist
Thinking Like a Scientist
Thinking Like a Mathematician
A Differentiated Word Wall
Discipline
Vocabulary
Tools
Historian-
•Artifacts
Records of the Research
past:
Documentation
Books
Asks questions
Diaries/Journals
News articles
Economist-
Profit & loss
Chronology
Studies the past •Primary
and present
Resource
events of
•Secondary
people
Resource
Studies the use
of resources
Marine
Biologist-
Shortage/surplus
Computer
Calculator
Compute
Analyze
Collect data
Make graphs
Net
Diving
equipment
Underwater
camera
Ability to
swim/use diving
equipment
Classify
Analyze
Ratio
Sample
Species
Plankton
Organisms
El Nino
toxins
Skills
Within Discipline Studies Can Be
Even More Specific
Thinking Like A Scientist
Chemist
Geologist
Biologist
Botanist
Naturalist
Paleontologist
Think Like a Historian
•Prints
•Reports
•Newspapers
•Location
•Primary
•Secondary
•Fiction
resources
•Questions
•Interpret
•Evidence
•Findings
•Past
Historians study :
past events, people,
and time periods.
products
•Writings
•Articles
•Speeches
•Presentations
•Books, series
•Interviewing
•Look for evidence
•Interpret
•Questioning
•Writing (academic)
Connecting Across Disciplines
 Once students have an
understanding of the
disciplines, they can look
at an area of study from
the various perspectives
of different disciplines.
 The teacher can build
this into the content
planning.
Sociology
(Patterns)
Industrial Revolution
Economic
(Details)
History
(Over time)
Student Ownership
The goal is for the student to select a
disciplinarian role to apply to their studies.
Opportunities can be provided through:
Learning Centers
Role-playing
Revisiting text through the eyes of a
disciplinarian
Thinking Like a Sociologist
With a Fiction Story
Discuss a fiction story the students have
previously read using the following chart
as the basis of revisiting the story:
Characters
Role
Problem
Use the completed chart as the basis to have
students practice identifying the sociological
concepts of dynamics, interactions, and
roles. Lead discussions with these questions:
Which characters assumed a leader or follower
role?
How did the role of the character affect the
interaction between them?
How does the role of the character affect their
problem or the major problem or conflict in the
story?
Creating “hooks” that the student
will want to explore.
Dabble to Create Awareness
Experiences open doors
Experiences become ladders
Wet the appetite – but do not satiate
Share stories
Leave-arounds
Book marks
Photos
Discordant events or concepts
“Boredom is the
inability to dabble.”
- Dr. Sandra Kaplan
Ways Teachers Differentiate
Time on task
Check for mastery and move on
In depth research may take longer
Resources
Primary, secondary, and tertiary sources
Modification
 Permissive vs. Mandatory
Assistance level
Knowledge Must Transfer for
Learning to Take Place.
Factual (closed) vs. Conceptual (open ended)
Concrete vs. Abstract
What Is
What Could
Be
The Goal is to Create Life-Long Learners
Specialists from generalists
 Innovators from replicators
 Conceptual learners from factual learners
 Big idea thinkers
 Students who see systems, trends and patterns
 Learners who seek out multiple perspectives
 Thinkers who are self-directed with “curious minds”
 Scholars who are productive, cooperative and
collaborative.
