Photo by tibchris.

This is how it works.  First, you have two numbers to compare.

Second, you circle the number that is larger.

On that circle, draw the beak of a bird.  You know the expression, to “eat like a bird“?  These bird is eating little bits of food, so he is going to peck at the smaller number.  (Drawing an eye on your bird is not necessary, but it is fun!)

Now you know which way to draw the sign!  Rewrite your comparison if needed.

Here are all the steps combined into one graphic.

Here is one more example involving decimals.

Circle the larger number. Remember with decimals to pay attention to place value.  Adding zeroes as places holders make it easier to compare, so another way to think of this comparison is 0.73 versus 0.60.

Once again, draw in the beak for your bird.  (Yup, my bird eye is fancier this time!)

Rewrite your comparison if needed.

Once again, here are the steps in one graphic.

Have fun using this easy method to draw your inequality symbol!

Photo by Giovanni Spina

Although science is a tested subject, in most states it does not contribute to annual yearly progress (AYP) calculations. North Carolina is one of the 11 states where science contributes “appreciably” in accountability calculations; however, it still does not contribute to AYP (Judson, 2010). Due to lower accountability standards in science, the pressure to make growth mainly falls on performance in reading and math. As a result, teachers are pressured to spend more instructional time in these two subjects. Surveys conducted by Griffith found that 59.1% of teachers “indicated they decreased the amount of science instruction in their classrooms since the implementation of NCLB” and 70% of these teachers removed between 31 and 90 minutes of science instruction per week (2008). Including science assessment results in AYP would rebalance time spent between math, reading, and science instruction. This would positively affect all students.

Judson shares that “when it comes to implementing statewide assessments to millions of students in an impartial manner and in a reasonable amount of time, the idea of administering science assessments that are predominantly authentic to all students is essentially unreasonable” (2010). This means that although science should be taught using inquiry-based instruction, it will likely continue to be assessed using multiple choice tests. Although this seems incongruous, Judson points out that “research shows that students who have been taught in an inquiry-based science classroom outperform students from more traditional classrooms on conventional multiple-choice science tests.” (2010). Professional development in science instruction needs to continue to focus on inquiry and its positive effects to ensure that increased accountability in science does not lead to “teaching to the test”.

Griffith, G. (2008). Initial Impacts of No Child Left Behind on Elementary Science Education. Journal of Elementary Science Education, 20(3), 35-48. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database

Judson, E. (2010). Science education as a contributor to adequate yearly progress and accountability programs. Science Education, 94(5), 888-902. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

-”other countries do not include special students”

-”other countries do not have second language learners”

-”other countries teach to the test” are ill informed and wrong” (2007).

Here is why I was wrong…

Photo by peruisay.

Bracey argues similar points in “Big Tests: What Ends Do They Serve?” (Bracey, 2009).  Baybee’s does not address each of these statements, but attempts (quite well) to debunk these statements with the following blanket statement “the international teams of professionals working on PISA and TIMSS are highly qualified and use sophisticated methods to assure the integrity of the actual survey and ensure the statistical results” (2007).

When looking at the results of international assessments, I tend to take a view more similar to Koretz:  “International comparisons of student achievement are valuable, but they cannot provide a clear evaluation of the performance of American high schools” (2009).  I do not deny that International assessments  show evidence that changes can (and need to) be made in science instruction.  Essentially, as stated by Koretz, these tests can help “provide us with numerous hypotheses about factors that may impede performance or that may be useful in improving it… [but] the international comparisons now available do not provide us with a straightforward evaluation of either U.S. secondary’ schools or the policies that govern them” (2009).  Although the media tries to portray comparisons of U.S students to students in other countries as clear cut, it is a complicated issue.  International assessments are simply one piece of data we should use in conjunction with other available information to help us make the most rounded and informed decisions possible for our students – and these decisions can often vary from classroom to classroom,  school to school, and state to state.

References

Baybee, R. (2007). Science Teaching and International Assessments. Science Teacher, 74(8), 41-48. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

Bracey, G. (2009). Big Tests: What Ends Do They Serve?. Educational Leadership,

67(3), 32-37. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

Koretz, D. (2009). How Do American Students Measure Up? Making Sense of

International Comparisons. Future of Children, 19(1), 37-51. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

Photo by paul (dex)

According to statistics cited in an NEA article “Myths and Facts about Educator Pay“, teachers work an average of 50 hours a week.  It is not hard for me to imagine that this statistic is lower than the time actually spent by teachers.  I am sure I would under-calculate the time I actually work if asked because I usually don’t keep track, and quite honestly, I would be sheepish to provide a true answer.  I love my profession and I spend a LOT of time on it!

So, to nail my point home.

Teacher

• 50 hours a week x 10 months * 4 weeks each month yields 2,000 working hours a year.

Average Worker

• 40 hours a week x 12 months *4 weeks each month (- 2 weeks for vacation time) yields 2,000 working hours a year.  National statistics for the average worker are comparable to my estimation and actually fall short of 2,000 hours a year.

So, in summation – teachers work an entire year, but manage to do it in 10 months instead of 12.  We are super human!

Photo by dawnzy58

Skype Epic Tech Fail

After reading books from the 39 Clues Series, as well as Skeleton Creek, my class had a “virtual visit” with Patrick Carman.  His virtual visits are free, so be sure to check it out for your class!  When my class began our Skype session, Patrick Carman couldn’t see us at all!  We just started the conversation anyway.  About 5 minutes into the conversation, the two media center coordinators and I got the video working (Yup, it took three adults to get it working!).  This wasn’t the only fail.  We wanted all of the students visible in the camera, so my class had to scrunch in class picture style – first row sitting on the floor, second row on chairs, and third row standing – to get everyone in the shot.  Imagine this for 30 minutes with a group of fifth graders.

• Tip: This tip applies to all technology – have a backup plan!
• Tip: If possible, just go on with the show.  If you can just hear each other, have a conversation.  If you can just see each other, type your conversation.
• Tip: Enlist help!  Media coordinators are your friends – very, very good friends!

Glogster Epic Tech Fail

At the end of the school year my students created “What I’ve Learned in Fifth Grade” glogs (poster blogs).  One student had a typo when he typed in the web address and a very inappropriate site loaded.  Go figure, I can’t load some educational sites with our school’s firewall, but this site loads.  At least luck was on my side in three ways.  One, the school firewall blocked pictures from loading.  Two, I was standing right next to him when it happened, so I quickly and calmly (at least on the outside) navigated to the correct site.  Three, it all happened so fast, I don’t think he realized what happened.  Or at least I hope.  Thankfully, I do not think the site he navigated to still exists.

• Tip: Create a quick link for students to click on from your classroom website or the desktop.  This can save time, as well as PREVENTS potential epic tech fails resulting from mistyped web addresses.
• Tip: See if the website offers educational accounts or has an education only section.  Glogster has classroom accounts that are just for classroom use.

PhotoBooth Epic Tech Fail

I was excited to use this Mac Software with my fifth graders to create weather forecasts.  Since this program doesn’t require the internet, I decided to move to the auditorium to have more space for my future meteorologists.  After dividing my students into different sections all over the auditorium, hands start to shoot up from all directions.  I quickly realized that although PhotoBooth doesn’t use the internet, my students needed an internet connection to log on to the network in order to open the software.  Yikes!  It took about ten minutes to get an airport set up and a connection running.  In the meantime I had students practice their forecasts without using the laptops.

• Tip: Make sure students have other materials they can use to work on their project even if the technology momentarily fails.  I like to think of technology as the “dangling carrot”.  Students LOVE and CRAVE to use technology, so I use that to my advantage.  I have students to do a lot of work in preparation to using the technology

Writing Project Epic Tech Fail

This didn’t happen to me quite as badly as it did to another teacher in my building.  We have a laptop cart that is shared among classes at my school.  Students often save the projects they are creating on the laptop’s desktop.  Maybe you see where this is going.  On a particular project that took several days to complete, students were finding that their saved files were MISSING!  Some files were found in the trashcan, whereas other files remained mysteriously lost.  This made the project take longer than intended to complete, as well as created some very frustrated students and teachers!

• Tip: Have students save files to a shared folder on the network so you can easily back up all of their files to a flash drive. I contacted my districts tech team to have  a shared folder set up on our school’s network.
• Tip: Have students save their file to a place other than the desktop.
• Tip: Teach students that messing with other people’s files is just as serious as messing with other people’s stuff.  If it is not yours, don’t touch it!

Sansa Fuze Mp3 Players Epic Tech Fail – Averted!

At the end of last school year, I received 4 Sansa Fuze MP3 and Video Players to use in my classroom educationally.  In my excitement, I  downloaded some educational videos and songs onto the devices for my students.   Although I did not anticipate any troubles, I asked a few students to have a “test run” with the Sansa Fuzes.  The directions were simple – “Test these out to see if they work”.  The MP3 players are intuitive to use, but I figured this way I could find out if students would have any difficulties.  It turned out to be just the opposite.  One student seemed t0o engrossed in what should be a song about the water cycle.  It turned out they were using the radio feature.  I didn’t even think about students using the device to find what would likely be the stations their parents don’t let them listen to at home.  Now I know what to disable or ban in order to have effective classroom use of my MP3 players.

• Tip: Have a few students “test out” a technology before using it with the whole class.

Non-Use Epic Tech Fail

I would have to say that the biggest tech fail of all would be not using technology at all in your classroom.

• Tip: Don’t be afraid to try it out!  I find that administration can be supportive, even when things don’t go as planned.  Enlist the help of colleagues, friends, and family.  I can guarantee that almost any teenager you know can be great insight into what technology you can use in your classroom and can likely even tell you how to use it.

As teachers, we get better at what we do by sharing about our own experiences and learning from experiences of others.  If you have any tips or advice, please share!

This unit is the culminating project for a course I am taking at East Carolina University labeled “EDUC 6001 – Introduction to Differences in Human Learning in Schools” taught by Professor Shea.

Photo by lori05871

My initial idea for this project that I submitted to my professor was:

I would like to create a multicultural unit of study for writing that is steeped in social issues for my fifth grade students.  I will use multicultural themed picture books to introduce skills, concepts, and issues to my students. Mini-lessons will be planned with the picture books for the unit. I am thinking of using this for a persuasive writing unit that will consist of about 4-6 weeks worth of lessons.

I largely stayed true to my original idea; however, I have changed the writing outcome from persuasive writing to personal essay.  I decided that when dealing with cultural and social issues, I do not want my students to convince other to think the same way as them, but to effectively share what they believe.

Feedback Please!

Please note that I continue this unit to be a draft for two reasons.  One, I have not taught this unit to students.  Only after using a lesson with a group of students can you truly begin to refine a unit and make it better.  Two, I am still finding new ideas for this unit everyday!  If you have suggestions or comments, SHARE!

When to Teach this Unit

This writing unit will follow halfway after a reading unit involving social issues begins.  The instructional focus of the reading unit is social justice, understanding others’ differences, empathizing, inferring, interpreting, and themes (possibly involving homelessness, loneliness, poverty, injustice, and freedom).  The background and exposure gained in the reading unit is a requisite for students to fully immerse themselves in personal essay writing seeped in social issues.

Goals of this Unit

The ultimate goal of this writing unit is to have students craft a well written personal essay (as described in the rubric) by “drawing on personal, literary, and cultural understandings”.  The following objectives are the focus of my unit.  Other (many other) objectives that are relevant to this unit are at the bottom of this document.

Fifth Grade Reading Focus Objectives

(Writers must learn from other writers by READING their writing.)

2.02Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, and viewing by:

• drawing on personal, literary, and cultural understandings.
• seeking additional information.
• making connections with previous experiences, information, and ideas.

2.10 Identify strategies used by a speaker or writer to inform, entertain, or influence an audience.

3.02 Make connections within and between texts by recognizing similarities and differences based on a common lesson, theme, or message.

Fifth Grade Writing Focus Objectives

(Writers must learn from other writers by READING their writing.)

4.09 Produce work that follows the conventions of particular genres (e.g., essay).

5.03 Elaborate information and ideas in speaking and writing by using:

• transitions.

Evaluation of Student Work

The student’s essay, as well as their work during the writing unit (they need to be held accountable!), will be evaluated using a Personal Essay Rubric created by Stacey of “Two Writing Teachers” at http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/2007/11/30/personal-essay-rubric/.

Resources Used to Create this Unit

Many resources were used in the creation of this unit.

• Following the writer’s workshop format, Lucky Calkins Unit of Study entitled “Breathing Life into Essays”, was an invaluable resource.  It can be found at http://www.unitsofstudy.com/iuos/tocBreathing.asp.
• The work from the wonderful Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) at http://rwproject.tc.columbia.edu/ has several examples of social issue reading units that I used when reflecting on what to put into my social issue writing unit.
• I also found inspiration at the blog “Two Writing Teachers” at http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/.

Mentor Texts to be Used in this Unit

(This texts will be read either during or before this unit.)

One Green Apple by Eve Bunting

The Bat Boy and His Violin by Gavin Curtis

*I also use these texts with a Fiction Writing Unit I teach.

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull

*I also use this text with a Biography Reading Unit I teach.

Beautiful Warrior: The Legend of the Nun’s Kung Fu by Emily Arnold McCully (I think a great introduction with this novel would be to mention the movie “Last Airbender” to get students excited.)

Ride Like the Wind: A Tale of the Pony Express by Bernie Fuchs

*I also use this text with a Fiction Reading Unit.

Examples of personal essays of fifth grade students in DEAL WITH IT! by “The Extended Day Girls” at http://www.amazon.com/DEAL-Extended-Day-Girls/dp/1425754368/ref=sr_1_1/104-7200843-0295116?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183021767&sr=1-1.

The Unit

(Click the image to see it full size.)

Each of these numbers does not necessarily reflect the length of one class or day – they simply represent one concept or idea.

1-Writers write about who they are. *Over the course of the generating lessons, create and add to the anchor chart: “Ways to Generate Essay Ideas”

“Who Am I” Writing Lesson

In an art class in college, I was introduced to the works of Frida Kahlo.  In my search of resources for this unit, I stumbled across of self portrait by Frida, which sparked an idea.  Students will examine pictures of artist self portraits and infer how that artist would answer the question – “Who am I?”. After discussing the artists, students will then turn the lens on themselves and write in their journals, “Who am I?”.

Self Portraits

• Self Portraits by Frida Kahlo at http://www.tate.org.uk/tateetc/issue4/fridakahlo1.htm or http://mati.eas.asu.edu:8421/ChicanArte/html_pages/kahlo5.lrgest.html (This one is great for discussing multiple cultural identities).
• Self Portraits by Andy Warhol at http://www.artquotes.net/masters/warhol-portraits.htm

Alternative lessons (great for the beginning the year) about students defining themselves can be found at:

• http://www.scribd.com/doc/15440505/Identity-Community-Lesson-1-Who-am-I.
• http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/lessonplan.jsp?id=123

2- Writers focus on big ideas rather than small moments in essays. Have student revisit themes of mentor texts.  Have student use list of themes to generate their own ideas.

3-Writers write about issues that matter in their lives.  Students create “I believe…” statements after listening to student mentor text.

“This I Believe” Writing Lesson

Have students listen to “Thirty Things I Believe” by Kindergartener Tarak McLain of Austin, Texas by http://thisibelieve.org/essay/57159/.  Then have students create their own lists of “Things I Believe”.

4-Writers use mentor texts to spark ideas. Students create t-chart of “What I Notice” and “What it Makes Me Think” using other student essay examples.

Mentor Essays

Have students read (or listen) to the following mentor essays.  In lesson 5, they use these essays for idea generation.  In lesson 5, they use these essays to compare to narrative text.  Other potential uses of the essays are indicated so they can possibly be used in other lessons in the unit if needed.

• America’s Beauty Is In Its Diversity by  Alaa El-Saad of Austin, Texas at http://thisibelieve.org/essay/42798/- Great Essay to Compare with One Green Apple by Eve Bunting
• A Duty To Family, Heritage And Country by Ying Ying Yu of Princeton Junction, New Jersey at http://thisibelieve.org/essay/8560/ – Great Essay to Exemplify a “What ______(Duty, Love, Freedom, etc.) Means to Me” Structure
• Accomplishing Big Things in Small Pieces by William Wissemann of Hastings of Hudson, New York at http://thisibelieve.org/essay/39318/. – Great Essay to Show Example of Starting and Ending with a Similar/Same Idea (Full-circle)

5-Writers compare different types of writing.  Have students compare narrative and non-narrative writing.  Create anchor chart: Characteristics of Non-narrative writing

6- Writers use conversational prompts to spur elaboration.

7- Writers reread to find seed ideas (thesis statements) and test out how they think that idea may go.

8 – Writers use sentence frames to plan their ideas.

9 – Writers use bullets and boxes to frame the main ideas of their essay before researching and drafting entire essays.

10 – Writers angle mini-stories to support their main ideas.

11- Writers can use lists of examples, rather than stories, to support their main ideas.  Use Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a Dream” Speech as a mentor text.

12- Writers can rely on other people’s stories to support their ideas. Revisit mentor texts!

13 – Writers gather a variety of information to support their thesis (like quotes, statistics, and questions).

14 – Writers organize their information to prepare for writing a draft.

15 - Writers use transition words to logically sequence their essay.

16 - Writers use several phrases to help introduce and conclude essays.

17 - Writers experiment with different ways to begin and end their essay.

18 - Writers revise writing by reading to a partner and asking, “Does this make sense?”

19 – Additional Revision (Depends on class needs!)

20 – Editing (Depends on class needs!)

21 – Before creating final draft, have student self-assess using personal essay rubric.

22 – Creating Final Draft

23 – Celebration

24 – Possible Unit Assessment – Creating a New Essay

Other Ideas

If a student feels very passionately about an issue, you may want to have them create a rant poem.  I found the idea of a rant poem at http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/rant/.  The “how to” for creating a rant poem is at http://www.ehow.com/how_5145194_write-rant-poem.html.

Other ideas can be found at This I Believe – A Public Dialogue about Belief – One Essay at a Time at http://thisibelieve.org/.  I searched the “Under 18” essays so my students would view the examples of possible for themselves to create.  I found four examples to share with my class.  I had already begun writing my unit and I rewrote part of it after finding the following example which lent itself well for a topic generating strategy.  You may find other essays that relate better to your students at this site.

When embarking on creating this unit, I received much advice from other teachers in my district.  Many of them cited the following book as must to read:

• For a Better World: Reading and Writing for Social Action by Katherine Bomer and Randy Bomer.  It can be found at http://www.amazon.com/Better-World-Reading-Writing-Social/dp/0325002630/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1.  I admit that I have not yet read this book, but it is on my must read list.

http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/patch/patchtg.html (This is actually an entire unit about culture!)

Fifth Grade Objectives

The following fifth grade NCSCOS objectives are related to this unit.

Fifth Grade Language Arts Objectives

2.02 Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, and viewing by:

• drawing on personal, literary, and cultural understandings.
• seeking additional information.
• making connections with previous experiences, information, and ideas.

2.05 Evaluate inferences, conclusions, and generalizations and provide evidence by referencing the text(s).

2.07 Evaluate the usefulness and quality of information and ideas based on purpose, experiences, text(s), and graphics.

2.09 Listen actively and critically by:

• asking questions.
• delving deeper into the topic.
• elaborating on the information and ideas presented.
• evaluating information and ideas.
• making inferences and drawing conclusions.
• making judgments.

2.10 Identify strategies used by a speaker or writer to inform, entertain, or influence an audience.

3.01 Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:

• analyzing word choice and content.
• examining reasons for a character’s actions, taking into account the situation and basic motivation of the character.
• creating and presenting a product that effectively demonstrates a personal response to a selection or experience.
• examining alternative perspectives.
• evaluating the differences among genres.
• examining relationships among characters.
• making and evaluating inferences and conclusions about characters, events, and themes.

3.02 Make connections within and between texts by recognizing similarities and differences based on a common lesson, theme, or message.
4.02 Use oral and written language to:

• formulate hypotheses.
• evaluate information and ideas.
• present and support arguments.
• influence the thinking of others.

4.03 Make oral and written presentations to inform or persuade selecting vocabulary for impact.
4.04 Select a self-evaluated composition for publication and justify rationale for selection.
4.05 Use a variety of preliminary strategies to plan and organize the writing and speaking task considering purpose, audience, and timeline.
4.06 Compose a draft that elaborates on major ideas and adheres to the topic by using an appropriate organizational pattern that accomplishes the purpose of the writing task and effectively communicates its content.
4.07 Compose a variety of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using selfselected topic and format (e.g., poetry, research reports, news articles, letters to the editor, business letters).
4.08 Focus revision on target elements by:

• improving word choice.
• rearranging text for clarity.
• creating simple and/or complex sentences for clarity or impact.
• developing a lead, characters, or mood.

4.09 Produce work that follows the conventions of particular genres (e.g., essay, feature story, business letter).
4.10 Use technology as a tool to enhance and/or publish a product. Competency
5.01 Consistently use correct capitalization (e.g., names of magazines, newspapers, organizations) and punctuation (e.g., colon to introduce a list, commas in apposition, commas used in compound sentences).
5.02 Demonstrate understanding in speaking and writing by using:

• troublesome verbs.
• nominative, objective, and possessive pronouns.

5.03 Elaborate information and ideas in speaking and writing by using:

• prepositional phrases.
• transitions.
• coordinating and/or subordinating conjunctions.

5.04 Determine the impact of word choice on written and spoken language.
5.05 Spell most commonly used words accurately using a multi-strategy approach to the learning of new spellings.
5.06 Proofread for accuracy of spelling using appropriate strategies to confirm spelling and to correct errors.
5.07 Edit final product for grammar, language conventions, and format.
5.08 Create readable documents through legible handwriting (cursive) and word processing.

Fifth Grade Social Studies Objectives

3.01 Locate and describe people of diverse ethnic and religious cultures, past and present, in the United States.

3.03 Identify examples of cultural interaction within and among the regions of the United States.

3.07 Describe art, music, and craft forms in the United States and compare them to various art forms in Canada, Mexico, and selected countries of Central America.

Fifth Grade Visual Arts Objectives

4.01 Compare and contrast the work of various artists’ styles and cultures.

5.01 Begin to recognize that art is the visual record of the history of mankind.

5.04 Compare art of one culture to that of another culture or time.

5.05 Recognize selected individual style characteristics of an artist.

5.06 Compare and contrast selected major artists and artwork.

5.08 Recognize there are many universal themes in art throughout history

Photo by Patricia H.

• Engage and Explore First – I like that I implemented flashcards AFTER the initial exploration and learning of the material.  Students were engaged in hands-on and inquiry based instruction before being given information to internalize.
• Set a Limit – I like that I set a limit to the number of flashcards I was going to have my students create.  By setting a limit, I was forced to examine what was most important for my students to know.
• Include Concepts – The focus of the flashcards is science CONCEPTS.  Vocabulary is secondary.  I expect my students to already know the vocabulary.  Vocabulary is defined inferentially.
• Be Flexible – Several of my students have suggested changes to either add information to a flashcard or to change wording to increase understanding and as a class, these changes were made.  I think this helped create a sense of ownership and pride over the flashcards they created.
• Be “Low Tech”– The first step of mastering material on the flashcards comes from creating the flashcards.  Let students write out their own flashcards themselves.   On the other end of the spectrum, it can be beneficial to be “high tech”.  Here are examples of my quizlet science flashcards.  I would only introduce this to students AFTER they created their own personal flashcards AND had opportunity to interact with them.
• Go Beyond Plain Text – I required, modeled, and encouraged the use of bold print, italics, underlining, color, and pictures on student’s flashcards.
• Give Time - Giving students time in class to study their flashcards sends the message that their flashcards, as well as studying their flashcards, is IMPORTANT.
• Accountability – I have my students take “flashcard” quizzes to hold my students accountable for learning the material on the flashcards.

Related Research

Austermuehle D, Kautz T, Sprenzel J. Improving the Knowledge and Application of Vocabulary within Content Areas [e-book]. Online Submission; 2007. Available from: ERIC, Ipswich, MA. Accessed May 5, 2010.

• In “Improving the Knowledge and Application of Vocabulary within Content Areas”, three word building strategies were investigated: 1.) Vocabulary Dictionaries, 2.) Four-Square Strategy, and 3.) Flashcards.

Overall, students showed a growth in vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension…Students at Sites A and C demonstrated more vocabulary growth using the flashcard strategy while students at Site B showed the most growth using the four-square strategy.