Cognition, Thinking & Understanding

Causal Patterns in Density: Lessons to Infuse into Density Units...

Causal Patterns in Density: Lessons to Infuse into Density Units to Enable Deeper Understanding Causal Patterns in Density is a curriculum module of fifteen lessons that can be used as a stand-alone unit or can be infused into a broader unit on density. The lessons are designed to address a set of persistent difficulties that students have when learning about density. These difficulties stem from how students reason about the nature of cause and effect. Each of the four module sections introduces a challenge in thinking about causality that impacts students ability to deeply understand density. The sections are sequenced to build understanding. In each lesson, a background information section describes the difficulties that students typically have in learning about density and shows how the various causal understandings, if not mastered, contribute to those difficulties. Each lesson includes subject matter goals and more general goals about the nature of causality. This module is designed for middle school but can be modified for use with older and younger students. This curriculum module was designed around best practices in science education. It was developed as part of a research project called the Understandings of Consequence Project, which is supported by the National Science Foundation.

Visible Thinking (Article)

Intellectual Character: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Get It

What does it really mean to be intelligent? Ron Ritchhart presents a new and powerful view of intelligence that moves beyond ability to focus on cognitive dispositions such as curiosity, skepticism, and open mindedness. Arguing persuasively for this new conception of intelligence, the author uses vivid classroom vignettes to explore the foundations of intellectual character and describe how teachers can enculturate productive patterns of thinking in their students. Intellectual Character presents illustrative, inspiring stories of exemplary teachers to help show how intellectual traits and thinking dispositions can be developed and cultivated in students to promote successful learning. This book provides a model of authentic and powerful teaching and offers practical strategies for creating classroom environments that support thinking. ISBN-13: 978-0787972783

Questions for Tuning Up a Lesson Plan

These questions will help you to "tune up" an existing lesson plan to focus more on goals, performances of understanding, and assessment. You can view an outline of these questions below. View the full document by clicking the download link in the right-hand column.

Part 1: Focus on Goals and Performances

I. About the Understanding Goals

II. About Performances of Understanding

III. About the Match between Goals and Performances

Part 2: Focus on Assessment

I. Why will you assess? Criteria for understanding.

II. When will you assess? Opportunities to do an "understanding check"

III. How will you assess? A variety of strategies for giving feedback

IV. Who will do the assessing? A variety of perspectives

Teaching for Understanding with Technology

Teaching for Understanding with Technology shows how teachers can maximize the potential of new technologies to advance student learning and achievement. Using the popular Teaching for Understanding framework, teachers can guide learners to think, analyze, solve problems, and make meaning of what they've learned. The book offers advice on tapping into a rich array of new technologies such as web information, online curricular information, and professional networks to research teaching topics, set learning goals, create innovative lesson plans, assess student understanding, and develop communities of learners. ISBN: 978-0787972301