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Teaching With the Instructional Cha-Chas
Combining educational neuroscience, formative assessment, and differentiated instruction strategies to improve student achievement, Nickelsen and Dickson create a four-step instructional cycle that educators can easily implement.
Benefits
- Combine brain science with a formative assessment process and differentiated instruction to maximize student learning.
- Examine effective teaching strategies and differentiation practices so you can bump it up or break it down according to student needs.
- Consider the four-step instructional cycle and understand the components of chunk, chew, check, and change.
- Explore how the formative assessment process can double the speed of learning.
- Learn how to plan instruction and preassess efficiently so that daily learning targets and formative assessments enable each student to meet standards.
- Receive templates and teaching strategies that can be easily differentiated and implemented in daily lesson plans.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION: MANEUVER YOUR FOOTWORK WITH FOUR STEPS
PART I: SETTING UP YOUR CLASSROOM DANCE FLOOR
Chapter 1: Choreograph Your Instruction With the Cha-Chas Steps
Chapter 2: Move Smoothly From Broad Ideas to Smaller Ideas
Chapter 3: Get to Know Your Dance Partners
PART II: PUTTING THE CHA-CHAS STEPS TOGETHER
Chapter 4: Take Step One: Chunk (Instruct)
Chapter 5: Take Step Two: Chew (Learn)
Chapter 6: Take Step Three: Check (Evaluate)
Chapter 7: Take Step Four: Change (Differentiate)
Chapter 8: Finesse the Chunk, Chew, Check, and Change Cycle: A Beautiful Classroom Dance
EPILOGUE: SWING INTO ACTION WITH THE FOUR STEPS: TIME FOR YOUR SOLO
STUDY GUIDE
PRINTABLE REPRODUCIBLES
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
- Anticipation Guide
- The Big Picture
- Draw It, Web It, Write It
- Figure 3.9: Four-Choice Processing
- Find an Expert
- Kinesthetic Vocabulary Cards
- Knowledge Framing Prior to Reading the Text
- Show What You Know
- Table 3.1: Factors in a Student Learning Preference
Chapter 4
- Big Picture Note-Taking Method
- Figure 4.3: Before, During, and After Reading Questions
- Figure 4.4: Think-Aloud Strategies and Cues
- Figure 4.5: Independent Reading Checklist for Content-Area Reading
- Figure 4.12: Rotation Station Planning Template
- Mind Map Assessment Rubric
- Partner Reading Checklist—Fiction Strategies
- Partner Reading Checklist—Nonfiction Strategies
- Student Think-Aloud Steps
- Table 4.1: Teacher’s Guide to Chunking
- Table 4.2: Color-Coded Nonfiction Chunking
- Text Chunking
- What? So What? Now What?
Chapter 5
- Figure 5.4: Framing an Opinion With SOS
- Figure 5.6: Webb’s Depth of Knowledge Question Stems
- Figure 5.9: Stop-Think-Write
- Figure 5.10: Reciprocal Teaching Role Bookmarks
- Figure 5.11: Conversation Starters for Nonfiction
- Figure 5.12: Conversation Starters for Fiction
- Framing-an-Argument Organizer
- The Main Idea and Detail Tabletop Graphic Organizer
- Question Stars for Bloom’s Taxonomy Level Five—Evaluation
- Question Stars for Bloom’s Taxonomy Level Four—Analysis
- Question Stars for Bloom’s Taxonomy Level One—Knowledge
- Question Stars for Bloom’s Taxonomy Level Six—Synthesis
- Question Stars for Bloom’s Taxonomy Level Three—Application
- Question Stars for Bloom’s Taxonomy Level Two—Comprehension
- Swap-a-Question Template
- Talking Chips Explanation
- Talking Chips Pieces
- Think Notes
Chapter 6
- Daily Learning Target Self-Assessment—Version One
- Daily Learning Target Self-Assessment—Version Two
- Exit Ticket Templates—Version One
- Exit Ticket Templates—Version Two
- Feedback Cue Cards
- Figure 6.2: Guided-Reading Documentation
- Figure 6.4: Multiple Intelligence Closure
- Figure 6.9: Dynamic Duo Feedback
- Figure 6.10: PQP+ Feedback
- Fix-It Activity Tally Page for Grades K–3
- Fix-It Activity Tally Page for Grades 4–8
- Table 6.1: Checking for Understanding
- Table 6.2: Checkpoint Types
- Table 6.3: Feedback Guidelines
- Table 6.4: Quick-Check Tools
Chapter 7
- Credible and Accurate Resource Tracker
- Criteria for Success Cards
- Exam Error Breakdown
- Figure 7.4: Close the Gap–Reteaching Template
- Figure 7.5: Exemplar Tiered Lesson Checklist
- Group Evaluation Sheet
- Jump-Start Inquiry or Passion Projects Brainstorming
- Learning Station–Planning Template
- Learning Station Self-Assessment
- Reading Strategy Goals Bookmark
- Rubric for Self-Assessment and Goal Setting
- Student Effort Self-Assessment
- Student Personal Accountability and Reflection Guide
- Table 7.1: Purposeful Grouping Outcomes and Types
- Teacher Checklist for Grouping
Chapter 8
- Daily Lesson Plan
- Ideas for Breaking It Down
- Ideas for Bumping It Up
- Planning With the Instructional Cha-Chas Cycle
- Teacher Self-Assessment for the Instructional Cha-Chas Cycle
Online-Only Reproducibles
- Characteristics of a Strong Learning Target
- Cruisin’ Clipboard—Quick Circle Form
- Cruisin’ Clipboard Assessment Chart
- Crusin’ Clipboard Documentation
- Exit Ticket: Countdown
- Exit Ticket: Get the Gist
- Exit Ticket: The Important Thing
- Exit Ticket: Power Question
- Exit Ticket: Question of the Day
- Exit Ticket: Text Connections
- Exit Ticket Templates—Version Three
- Mathematics Self-Assessment Rubric
- Reading Fluency Rubric by Peers
- Role Cards for Flexible Grouping Strategy
- Teacher Reflection on Exit Ticket
- Teacher Standard Tracker
- Three-Step Feedback Process
- What to Ask After Preassessing
SUGGESTED RESOURCES
BOOKS
- Depka, E. (2017). Raising the Rigor: Effective Questioning Strategies and Techniques for the Classroom. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2015). Unstoppable Learning: Seven Essential Elements to Unleash Student Potential. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- Jensen, E., & Nickelson, L. (2014). Bringing the Common Core to Life in K–8 Classrooms: Thirty Strategies to Build Literacy Skills. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- Marzano, R. J., & Simms, J. A. (2013). Vocabulary for the Common Core. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research.
- Schimmer, T. (2016). Grading From the Inside Out: Bringing Accuracy to Student Assessment Through Standards-Based Mindset. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- Vagle, N. D. (2015). Design in Five: Essential Phases to create Engaging Assessment Practice. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
- Wiliam, D. (2011). Embedded Formative Assessment. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
WEBSITES
- For links to sources not mentioned in the book, visit Maximize Learning.
- CAST, “Universal Design for Learning”
- A Guide for Using Webb’s Depth of Knowledge with Common Core State Standards
- Yale University, “Bloom’s Taxonomy”
Chapter 3
- Apple App Store, “Ghostwriter”
- Apple App Store, “World’s Worst Pet—Vocabulary”
- edHelper, “Build Custom Cloze Activities”
- EnchantedLearning, “Little Explorers”
- Evernote
- Evernote, “Skitch”
- Explain Everything
- FiftyThree, “Paper”
- Google Images
- Graffiti Creator
- Kahoot!
- Knowji
- Merriam-Webster Word Central
- Michigan State University
- MindMeister
- MindNode
- Newsela
- News in Levels
- Originator, “Endless Alphabet”
- Plickers
- Popplet
- Reading Rockets, “Paragraph Hamburger”
- Rewordify
- Smithsonian TweenTribune
- Surfaquarium, “Multiple Intelligences Inventory”
- Wacom, “Bamboo Paper”
- Wordsmyth
Chapter 4
- Apple App Store, “Ghostwriter”
- Chalk, “Planboard”
- Coggle
- Educreations
- Evernote
- Explain Everything
- Flipgrid
- Google Drive
- Inspiration Software
- MindMeister
- MindNode
- Nearpod
- Newsela
- Padlet
- Popplet
- Reading Rockets, “Target the Problem!”
- ReadWorks
- Saddleback Educational Publishing, “Hi-Lo Books”
- ShowMe
- ThinkTank
- Write!
Chapter 5
- Apple App Store, “Ghostwriter”
- Apple App Store, “SuperNote Notes Recorder & Photo”
- ABCya!
- Chalk, “Planboard”
- Educreations
- Edutopia, “K–5 iPad Apps According to Bloom’s Taxonomy”
- Evernote
- Evernote, “Skitch”
- Flipgrid
- Global Gurus
- Google Drawlings
- Google Forms
- Google Keep
- Nearpod
- News in Levels
- Newsela
- Nuance, “Dragon Dictation”
- OneNote
- Plickers
- Popplet
- ProCon.org
- Quizizz
- Quizworks
- Rewordify
- ShowMe
- Simplenote
- Smithsonian TweenTribune
- TagCrowd
- Think CERCA
- Time Edge
- VoiceThread
- Zoho Notebook
Chapter 6
- Apple App Store, “A+ Writing Prompts and Creativity Bundle”
- Apple App Store, “Bluster!”
- Apple App Store, “The Brainstormer”
- Apple App Store, “Painless Grammar Challenge”
- Apple App Store, “Sock Puppets”
- Apple App Store, “Story Wheel”
- Apple App Store, “Vocabador”
- EssayTagger
- Educreations
- Evernote
- Flocabulary
- Formative
- George Mason University, “Multiple Intelligences Research Study”
- Google Docs
- Google Drive
- Google Forms
- Grammar Flip
- iRubric
- Kahoot!
- Lino
- Mad Libs
- Nearpod
- Outfit7, “Talking Tom Cat”
- Plickers
- Reading Rockets, “Target the Problem!”
- RubiStar
- ShowMe
- Socrative
- Surfaquarium, “Multiple Intelligences Inventory”
- Swivl
- Teachers With Apps, “Sentence Maker”
- Teachnology, “General Rubric Generator”
- Zoho Notebook
Chapter 7
