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.