Scaffolding Learning to Promote Higher Order Thinking

1. Scaffolding Strategies

1.1. I cannot begin outlining strategies for scaffolding without identifying what I believe is the single, most valuable "strategy" for supporting learning - rapport. Knowing your students and showing your genuine interest in them will build trust and establish a culture of security in your classroom. Students know when teachers care, and they know when teachers don't care.

1.2. 1a. Model and Guide - Outline the steps leading to or building on critical thinking. Create a persuasion map together, using white boards so that all students contribute. Get a 'feel' for students who may show signs of confusion or disconnection. Try to spark engagement with such students to more closely assess potential barriers to success. Students needing additional support will be provided with additional graphic organizers that have different styles of illustrating the gist of the exercise. Provided students have internet access at home, a teacher can refer a student to websites. If there is no access at home, attempt to facilitate a time for the student to go to a computer lab.

1.3. 1b. Review 1a and select 4 or 5 students to be the teacher. Clear off a board and have the students ask questions for you (the teacher) to write answers to on the board as fast as you can. It allows them to ask questions with a range of difficulty in a fun way., It also humanizes us to them (because you are under pressure with rapid fire questions) and humbles the teacher to remember a "brand" of stress that our students experience in school.

1.4. *This objective will not be completed in the same class period as the previous objective. There will be a gradual release process during the unit. 2. Students are given time to work on creating a rough draft. Allow students to work alone or with a partner for this process. Providing students stay on task, working with a buddy can feel more comfortable. While students are preparing rough drafts, you can provide mini lessons (as needed and if possible) to students having difficulty with starting. Keep in mind that learning how to write for specific purposes is complicated and there is no formula for this craft. It is the responsibility of the teacher to provide resources for accelerated students as much as it is for teachers to discover resources for struggling students.

1.5. "Writing strategies include techniques for brainstorming and text revision, as well as strategies focused on specific genres such as argument, informative/explanatory, narratives, or research reports. The ultimate goal of strategy development is for students to deliberately and independently activate taught strategies when writing. Over time, strategies for planning, writing, editing, and revising will, in essence, become the ―invisible knowledge‖ that students carry in their heads while engaging in writing tasks. There are four important considerations when using strategy instruction to help."

2. Standard

2.1. Arizona's College and Career Ready Standards

2.2. English Language Arts - Writing: 6 -8 Range of Writing - Anchor 9

2.3. Writing standard 9 requires that students be able to write about what they read. Likewise, Speaking and Listening standard 4 sets the expectation that students will share findings from their research.

3. English Language Arts 6th Grade - Objectives

3.1. 1. Students will demonstrate their ability to complete a graphic organizer (a persuasion map) for the purposes of preparing a persuasive writing piece.

3.2. 2. Students will write a well-organized, sequential/structured, persuasive essay. This essay will be constructed to persuade or dissuade a peer to read the book.

4. Big Ideas

4.1. Audience and purpose influence a writer’s choice of organizational pattern, language, and literary techniques.

4.2. Rules of grammar and convention of language support clarity of communications between writers/speakers, and readers/listeners.

5. Kelly Colvard-Walter