Failure is an Option?

Note: I recommend that you first check out this resource in order to get the most out of this lesson!

The lesson planning document that I uploaded to this section is a comprehensive overview of how I approach lesson planning. With the NGSS coming soon, I re-formatted the template to include the "Big Three" aspects of the standards: Disciplinary Core Ideas, Crosscutting Concepts, and Science Practices. Of course, there are many other worthy learning goals, skills, instructional strategies, and assessments that can be integrated into a class session. In high school I took several drafting classes and, for a while, I hoped to become an architect. With respect to teaching and planning instruction I feel that I can still live out the detailed approach to building something intricate and complex even though the product is a lesson rather than a built environment.

I hope you get some value from my work!

As the new school year begins, I emphasize that the nature of learning and "school" is very similar to the process of science. I begin the lesson by posing the contrasting points-of-view to students outlined on slide 2 of the Failure Prompt slideshow: "Failure is an option" or "Failure is not an option".

I then direct students through a quick Think-Pair-Share discussion. First, I ask students to consider which POV they are more likely to agree with at the present and identify 1-2 supporting reasons (30-60 seconds). Students are then asked to discuss their thinking with a classmate nearby. (2 min).

Next, I solicit student responses from the whole class (the "Share" part of the strategy) (2-3 minutes). I try to avoid evaluating (right vs. wrong) student responses at this time in order to avoid biasing their thinking.

I then probe whether the context of the situation matters. In other words,  do some contexts/situations have no room for error where failure really is not an option? I take a few moments to discuss this with students. If students are not so eager to volunteer I might call on a few students by name.

1) After students choose either point-of-view, I frame the lesson prompt in terms of those who do exploring, inventing, and inquiring in a scientific/academic sense. I am trying to focus their thinking on the mindset of people who have pushed the boundaries of our knowledge based on a trial-and-error approach which is the core of the scientific method.                                 

2) I then explain that students will read a non-fiction text and, using specific evidence, defend their argument (POV). I show the assignment prompt on slide 3 of the slideshow outlining the standards by which their assignment will be evaluated.  This is one of the first instances when I discuss my approach to using a mastery evaluation system with a grade scale of 4 (exceeds standard), 3 (meets standard), 2 (approaching standard), and 1 (well below standard). So on a regular basis, I clarify what "meeting standard" looks like. An obvious extension from there is what might a 4 or 2 look like? In terms of this prompt, I explain what I am looking like. Typically, it boils down to either an issue of quantity of responses, the quality of responses, or a combination of the two. I frame what the standards are for this assignment before we get going further.           

3) In my school district, each student is assigned a laptop, therefore many instructional resources are accessed digitally. In this case, I direct students to access the National Geographic article (link provided on slide 3) so that all students can read it. As we read the article as a class, I use a "popcorn" style process wherein one student reads a paragraph/section then she chooses the next reader. As a matter of practice, I pre-read all texts in order to identify vocabulary that I think might be a stumbling block.  Therefore, I prefer to periodically stop to assess understanding of key vocabulary and content understanding.                                                                                                                                              

4) Once the article has been read, I direct students to complete the Point-of-View Graphic Organizer with an eye to the claim (or counterclaim) made by the author.                                                                                                                                                                 

5) I then provide time for students to complete the writing task (ensuring that at least five minutes are reserved for lesson closure).