Planning - Full Speed Ahead

So as I wrap my head around the research, and focus my action research question, I am excited to finish making assessments, observation forms, and plans.  It is a little scary to see the template for the week to week guide, but I am anxious to 'eat the frog' and plan the nitty gritty.  

Planning - Full Speed Ahead

QUESTION:  

How does the implementation of active learning, with an emphasis on cooperative group work in math, affect students’ academic performance and motivation? 

TIMELINE:

September - The focus of class will be on building community and how to work cooperatively.   We will use the active learning themes DESCA (dignity, energy, self-management, community, awareness) as a guide and base point.  I will provide opportunities to model these, and incorporate these themes into our daily curriculum.  Active/cooperative group work will be modeled with use of a reading literature circle unit.  The students will take the NWEA assessment, and math will be taught as whole group as a way of finding students performance levels for data.  This data will be used to place students in future cooperative groups.  

October/November -  DESCA themes will continue in daily routine.  Math will now be taught with minimal whole group instruction.  The students will work in cooperative/active learning groups during math and follow a station rotation.  

Data Collection Tools - Student reflection journal, group work student self-assessment, teacher daily record of active learning opportunities, teacher observation/reflection, NWEA data, unit summative assessments in math.