Applied Learning Project and Capacity Matrix

This is my first year teaching 7th grade and I'm in a fabulous place where I can grow and learn as a teacher.  One of the things we are doing to engage our students is to have our students applying their learning.  I start with a capacity matrix and end with a project to apply students learning.  The first project that my team is doing is a film festival.  Students are learning about both science and social studies concepts and have to make a 10 minute film to show their learning.

I'm not sure if you've used capacity matrix but it's awesome and really allows the learners in my classroom to be independent and direct their learning.  It also allows students to each have a different learning path. This school has some example of capacity matrix.  In our classroom we are doing it a little different.

We have four columns: 1. Learning Target (this is what we want the students to be able to do). 2. Input Resources - these are what information the students needs to receive in order to understand a concept. These input resources can be a teacher lesson, a video, a prezi - anything where students are getting the information. 3. Evidence - this is an activity, worksheet or exercise which students are able to practice and improve their skills and show proficiency.  With the evidence there is a place for students to correct their work.  If students are stuck their should be an opportunity in this column for extra practice.  This is also where the teacher can check in and provide mini-lessons for students that are stuck.  4. The last column is the check in.  This is a mini "quiz" where students are showing that they have mastered the skill.  Students do this and then check in with the teacher.  If their check-in is correct they can move onto the next standard.

This is part of our capacity matrix for the standards we have in our applied learning project:
(I have taken some of the links off because they are attached to my school google drive for my students) So I would normally have all of these section filled in.  This particular matrix has six learning targets.

LEARNING TARGETS	INPUT RESOURCES Use these to get information when you are working ahead or when you need to review a skill or concept.	EVIDENCE Do these activities and practice exercises to improve your skills and show proficiency.	CHECK IN Do these to show you have mastered a skill.  These should be printed and then check in with a teacher.
7BE.2 I know the various resources which organisms compete for in different biomes.	Competition for Resources Competition for Resources 2 Competition Prezi
7BE.2a I can name 7 major biomes and generally locate them on the map.	Biomes Map - make sure you read about the map too! Biome MAPS - make sure you read about the map too! Click on a section to see where your specific biome is.	Must Do Map - print and correct More Practice Biomes Map	Map - print and correct

One of the activities I've created for students is a sorting activity to go with biomes.
Check it out here!


Hope you find this helpful and have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Now Serving: Deli Number System

I am currently team teaching in a large classroom with doors that slide open.  My teammate and I have decided to leave our doors open all the time and teach teach the entire year!  I love it and are kids are amazing!  However there are some things about student management that needed some help.  Although there are two of us we still wanted to give every student a voice.  Another teacher in our building was using a number system with the dry erase board.  However that required going up to the board every time you needed to switch the number. I decided to have some fun with PVC pipes and create the system below:

I got the PVC pipe, along with pipe cutters at Lowes Home Improvement Store.  The guys at the store were pretty helpful to get the stuff we needed.  I had actually purchased the cutters for a project I had done previous.  The piping and joints were about 7 dollars for the whole project. I also purchased spray paint.
In order to create this project you will need the following PVC:
1/4 inch PVC pipe (make sure you have room to fit it in your car)
2 corner joints
4 T joints
and 4 end caps.
The basket, and the zip ties that attach the basket came from the dollar store. Then the O Rings were purchased at Walmart.
First Grade and Fabulous gives a tutorial for a larger version.

I have created the numbers for system, check them out on TpT.
Our students loved the system.  They take a number from the basket and when they see that the sign says their number they come up and put their ticket back and get the help they need.  Students have reported they like it because it give everyone a chance to get help from the teacher.  I am also seeing students that wouldn't normally raise their hands or come up to me to ask for help take a number.

Hope this help with management in your classroom!