Success Criteria - Part Two

This week, Melissa did a follow up lesson with her Grade 1/2 class to help them consolidate their learning on what makes a good answer.  She started with the class chart that she co-created with them last week.  You can see that they have made some additions to their original chart.  She wrote these additions in a different colour.

Her learning goals for this lesson were:  To learn about what makes a good answer and to learn how to make an answer even better by ensuring that all four areas of the achievement chart are included (Knowledge and Understanding, Application, Thinking/Problem Solving, Communication).  Her "minds on" was to have the children talk about the four areas of the achievement chart and what might go under each area.  For the "action" of her lesson, Melissa wrote all of the items from the original anchor chart on "what makes a good answer" and placed them on sentence strips.  She then had the students look at the sentence strip that they were given and put it under the category of the achievement chart where it fit the best.  

She differentiated this activity by including not only sentences, but also pictures for those students who are struggling readers.   The students were given two pieces of work that they did recently.  She gave them a

"Star and a Wish" sheet and a highlighter.  They then went and highlighted something that they thought they did well, or were a "star" on.  They also then filled in their "wish" on what area they need to improve upon or do differently next time.  This is not only great for helping them take control of their learning, it also is a great way for them to show self-regulation - a new learning skill on the report card.

When they were done this, she brought them back to the carpet to consolidate their learning.  She did this by having them share what their "stars" were and then had them place their work under one of the four categories.  After the lesson was done, she then placed the achievement chart, their success criteria and the samples of work and star and wish sheets onto the blackboard.  This now acts as an anchor chart for the students to refer to when solving problems.

If you would like to see this lesson, I do have a video of it.  Please contact me and I'd be happy to share.  As well, Melissa is very welcoming to visitors in her class.  Contact me and I can put you in touch with her and you can go in for a visit or a chat.