Individual Understanding Activities

As you plan the Just For Me stage of your daily instruction, consider the following list of suggested activities:

Vocabulary Journals - Vocabulary Journals are used to record all Hot Words (current vocabulary) and for students to track how they encounter the Hot Words within work. The set up of Vocabulary Journals should be modeled by the teacher and a sample Vocabulary Journal should be available to preview.
 

Learning Accommodations

• Some students may need one-on-one assistance as they work on their Vocabulary Journals.
• Provide students with sample graphics to accompany words as they are entered into Vocabulary Journals.

Technology Integration

• Vocabulary Journals may be kept on students individual pocket PC's.
• Vocabulary Journals may be created and stored within students' online portfolios.

Super Sentences - Students create sentences that use Hot Words in meaningful ways as they define the word in a new context. These sentences are called Super Sentences. Super Sentences can be a weekly homework assignment. For example, by Friday, students must have written Super Sentences for the first 5 Hot Words on the class list.
Initially, the development of Super Sentences will require some teacher modeling. It is essential that students understand the difference between sentences and Super Sentences. A class-developed model may be helpful in this situation.

Learning Accommodations

• Limit the number of Super Sentences that students need to develop.
• Provide students with frameworks or sentence templates to help guide the development of Super Sentences.
• Allow students to illustrate their ideas before they write the Super Sentences.

Technology Integration

• Allow students to develop and store Super Sentences on their personal Pocket PC.
• Students may develop their Super Sentences using a word processing tool and then store their work in electronic portfolios.

Assessment Considerations - During the Just For Me stage, it is appropriate to conduct both formal and informal assessment. Although formal assessment will not happen on a daily basis, informal assessment should happen regularly to ensure that all students learning needs are being met. Frequent Probes must be made in order to ensure student progress. Frequent probes may include:

•Thumbs-Up
•H-O-T
•Stand and Deliver

This time block can be adjusted accordingly in order to implement longer assessments. However, a short time block can also be used to give students quizzes, vocabulary tests, or conduct mini student/teacher conferences.

Learning Accommodations

• Allow students with special needs or learning problems a longer block of time to complete all assessments.
• Chunk longer assessments into smaller portions.
• Highlight assessments for students before they receive the test.