ACTION PLAN
DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION
I began my research by interviewing my students to get an idea of their opinion on Social Studies and the use of note taking and graphic organizers in the subject. For the first chapter, I provided my students with guided notes to get them acclimated to the idea of note taking. To ensure that students were active in the note taking process, I drew sticks so that students were unaware of when their name would be called; therefore, they needed to be prepared to contribute. This reduced students waiting for others to answer in order to fill out their notes. The students then took a test over that chapter. Next, I taught my students the outlining process and focused on utilizing headings, identifying the main idea of the section, and reducing the amount of information they recorded. I began by modeling this note taking process for my students. We then completed outlining as a class. As students became comfortable, they were given the opportunity to practice outlining with a partner. Eventually, the students completed the outlining process individually. The students then took a test over the chapter in order for me to see if there were any improvements from the baseline test and the guided notes test. I had planned to introduce the KWHHL (know, want to know, head words, heart words, and learned) chart to my students which may have encouraged them to ask questions and identify difficult words throughout the lesson. Due to time constraints, I was unable to implement the KWHHL chart; however, this organizer may have given my students a chance to look back at what they thought they knew before the lesson and how their thinking changed. After the students had the opportunity to go through the chapter while filling out the KWHHL chart, they would have taken a test. I also introduced the Cornell method of note taking. The same process of gradual release was used as in the outlining method. Students took notes using the Cornell method and were tested over the chapter. For the last chapter, students were given the choice of note taking strategy or graphic organizer they would like to use. The students would then take the test after going through the chapter utilizing the method of choice.
Throughout the implementation of the note taking methods and graphic organizers, after introducing and modeling the different methods, I pulled a small group to my table. This group was comprised of students who I believed needed extra support in the note taking and graphic organizing processes. The students in this group were determined based on their reading ability as well as their ability to identify main ideas and details as that skill is valuable in note taking. Students who also struggled with confidence were included in the small group where I could provide encouragement and praise success. I compared the results of my baseline test before research to the results of each of the tests after the note taking method or graphic organizer had been implemented to be able to indicate whether or not the method was effective and which one improved understanding the most.
I chose to utilize guided notes as the first method in my research because the fourth grade teacher I interviewed expressed her opinion of how valuable this note taking method had been for her students, especially for students who struggled to keep up. Studies have shown that note taking can be very difficult for students, especially for fourth graders as they are expected to perform multiple physical and cognitive tasks in correlation with one another. Guided notes provide relief of these tasks. A study also showed that guided notes allow for students to be more engaged in the lesson and ask more questions as they are not focusing on writing everything down. Guided notes provided my students with a baseline of note taking and identifying important information to record.
Throughout the implementation of the note taking methods and graphic organizers, after introducing and modeling the different methods, I pulled a small group to my table. This group was comprised of students who I believed needed extra support in the note taking and graphic organizing processes. The students in this group were determined based on their reading ability as well as their ability to identify main ideas and details as that skill is valuable in note taking. Students who also struggled with confidence were included in the small group where I could provide encouragement and praise success. I compared the results of my baseline test before research to the results of each of the tests after the note taking method or graphic organizer had been implemented to be able to indicate whether or not the method was effective and which one improved understanding the most.
I chose to utilize guided notes as the first method in my research because the fourth grade teacher I interviewed expressed her opinion of how valuable this note taking method had been for her students, especially for students who struggled to keep up. Studies have shown that note taking can be very difficult for students, especially for fourth graders as they are expected to perform multiple physical and cognitive tasks in correlation with one another. Guided notes provide relief of these tasks. A study also showed that guided notes allow for students to be more engaged in the lesson and ask more questions as they are not focusing on writing everything down. Guided notes provided my students with a baseline of note taking and identifying important information to record.
The second method of note taking I chose was the outlining method. A study showed that outlining information encourages the analyzation and evaluation of information as well as the individualization of notes. Deeper understanding can result from having students analyze and evaluate the information. Students can also benefit from individualization as they feel they have more responsibility of their own notes.
I believed the outlining method would be beneficial for my students in that they needed to analyze and evaluate the information. Outlining the information requires students to identify important information. A large group of my students struggled to identify the main idea of a passage. My thought was that the use of the outlining method would require my students to slow down and really think about the best way to organize their notes according to the themes of the information they were reading. I trusted that this note taking method would not only influence my students’ success in social studies, but would also encourage a level of deep thinking and analyzing in reading. The outlining method may have also benefited my students in that some of them struggled with organization. I felt that if my students had a way to organize their notes, they would be more successful when looking back to refresh their memories. Outlining also presented my students with a chance to individualize their notes to the format they preferred. My students enjoyed being unique and the outlining method was a great way for students to show that as well as to be able to organize the information in a way that made sense to them. I had a wide variety of students, and the way one student set up his or her notes may not have made sense to another student.
I believed the outlining method would be beneficial for my students in that they needed to analyze and evaluate the information. Outlining the information requires students to identify important information. A large group of my students struggled to identify the main idea of a passage. My thought was that the use of the outlining method would require my students to slow down and really think about the best way to organize their notes according to the themes of the information they were reading. I trusted that this note taking method would not only influence my students’ success in social studies, but would also encourage a level of deep thinking and analyzing in reading. The outlining method may have also benefited my students in that some of them struggled with organization. I felt that if my students had a way to organize their notes, they would be more successful when looking back to refresh their memories. Outlining also presented my students with a chance to individualize their notes to the format they preferred. My students enjoyed being unique and the outlining method was a great way for students to show that as well as to be able to organize the information in a way that made sense to them. I had a wide variety of students, and the way one student set up his or her notes may not have made sense to another student.
The third method was a graphic organizer called the KWHHL chart. I originally planned to introduce this method as it was based on a study that showed improved test scores as well as oral and written language. This method may have encouraged my students to make connections with the text. It also could have encouraged my students to slow down during note taking and process the information they were gathering.
The KWHHL chart may have been beneficial for my students as it would have required them to slow down and think about what they were reading and learning. During usual social studies instruction, my students were only expected to listen and participate when necessary. Utilizing the KWHHL chart could have provided my students with an organized way to think about what they already knew about the topic, what they wanted to know about the topic, any words that were difficult for them in the reading, words that showed feelings about the topic, and what they learned and how it related to what they thought they knew. The KWHHL chart encourages students to make connections with the text and think deeply about the information. My students tended to view social studies as something they listened to a teacher talk about and then took a test. The KWHHL chart may have allowed my students to make connections to what they were reading as well as be more engaged. The “hard words” column may have been especially beneficial for a group of my students as they typically read over words they did not know and never returned to them. The “hard words” would have required my students to recognize words they did not know and identify the meaning. This could have increased vocabulary knowledge which may have increased understanding.
The final organizer I implemented was the Cornell note taking method. Although the study showed no significant difference in test scores with the use of the Cornell method, I believed students would prefer to take notes differently just as each student learns differently. I thought the Cornell method would be beneficial in that my students could summarize their learning.
I believed the Cornell method would be beneficial for my students because it is a set organization that the students just needed to fill in with information. This pre-organization may have benefited some of my students who had a hard time organizing their work. I also believed this method would be effective because it involves a summarizing piece. The majority of my students had a strong ability to summarize. Playing on this strength would allow for students to put the content in their own words which would encourage deeper thinking and understanding. I attempted to build in time for the students to choose which method they believed was right for them because each student learns differently and therefore each student benefited greater from different types of notes. I provided the information and instruction to be able to understand how to utilize the different methods, but I believed that my students knew themselves well enough to know which one would benefit them most.
The KWHHL chart may have been beneficial for my students as it would have required them to slow down and think about what they were reading and learning. During usual social studies instruction, my students were only expected to listen and participate when necessary. Utilizing the KWHHL chart could have provided my students with an organized way to think about what they already knew about the topic, what they wanted to know about the topic, any words that were difficult for them in the reading, words that showed feelings about the topic, and what they learned and how it related to what they thought they knew. The KWHHL chart encourages students to make connections with the text and think deeply about the information. My students tended to view social studies as something they listened to a teacher talk about and then took a test. The KWHHL chart may have allowed my students to make connections to what they were reading as well as be more engaged. The “hard words” column may have been especially beneficial for a group of my students as they typically read over words they did not know and never returned to them. The “hard words” would have required my students to recognize words they did not know and identify the meaning. This could have increased vocabulary knowledge which may have increased understanding.
The final organizer I implemented was the Cornell note taking method. Although the study showed no significant difference in test scores with the use of the Cornell method, I believed students would prefer to take notes differently just as each student learns differently. I thought the Cornell method would be beneficial in that my students could summarize their learning.
I believed the Cornell method would be beneficial for my students because it is a set organization that the students just needed to fill in with information. This pre-organization may have benefited some of my students who had a hard time organizing their work. I also believed this method would be effective because it involves a summarizing piece. The majority of my students had a strong ability to summarize. Playing on this strength would allow for students to put the content in their own words which would encourage deeper thinking and understanding. I attempted to build in time for the students to choose which method they believed was right for them because each student learns differently and therefore each student benefited greater from different types of notes. I provided the information and instruction to be able to understand how to utilize the different methods, but I believed that my students knew themselves well enough to know which one would benefit them most.
I chose these methods from my research with my specific students in mind. The students in my class did a good job of participating in class discussions, but struggled to show their knowledge on the assessments. It was my hope that, through teaching graphic organizers and note taking strategies, my students would be able to understand the content at a deeper level. I believed my students would benefit from beginning with guided notes as they did not need to worry about keeping up with original notes. I had a few students who did not have legible handwriting, so I thought having the guided notes would reduce the amount of writing they needed to do and would give them a better chance to be able to read their notes when they were finished. I also had some students who struggled with motivation. If I would have told my students to take notes starting from nothing, they would have shut down. I needed to introduce my students to the concept of note taking, model the process, and provide them chances to practice in order for them to become comfortable and confident in their abilities to independently take notes.
The fact that no two students are exactly the same expressed the need for differentiation within my study. One of my students greatly struggled to produce neat handwriting. When we moved past the guided notes, I planned to have him type his notes instead of hand writing them. This was quicker for him and provided him with notes that he could read when he was finished. Another way I planned to differentiate was by having students who needed extra guidance come to my table after I introduced the note taking method. I knew that I would have some students who understood right away and could work independently; however, I had a handful of students who benefited from small group instruction on the note taking methods and graphic organizers. In these small groups, I walked through the note taking step by step with the students. For my students who were reading below grade level and who struggled to identify the main idea of a section of text, I planned to spend extra time with them reading through the content in chunks and pulling out the main idea. This ensured that they were focusing on the most important information while they were recording their notes. For students who might have struggled with outlining, I provided them with an outlining template to help guide them in the process. The students who finished early would be asked to answer questions about the content and/or connect the concept to a current event/issue. These students would then research that event and completed a Venn diagram to identify the similarities and differences between the two.
The fact that no two students are exactly the same expressed the need for differentiation within my study. One of my students greatly struggled to produce neat handwriting. When we moved past the guided notes, I planned to have him type his notes instead of hand writing them. This was quicker for him and provided him with notes that he could read when he was finished. Another way I planned to differentiate was by having students who needed extra guidance come to my table after I introduced the note taking method. I knew that I would have some students who understood right away and could work independently; however, I had a handful of students who benefited from small group instruction on the note taking methods and graphic organizers. In these small groups, I walked through the note taking step by step with the students. For my students who were reading below grade level and who struggled to identify the main idea of a section of text, I planned to spend extra time with them reading through the content in chunks and pulling out the main idea. This ensured that they were focusing on the most important information while they were recording their notes. For students who might have struggled with outlining, I provided them with an outlining template to help guide them in the process. The students who finished early would be asked to answer questions about the content and/or connect the concept to a current event/issue. These students would then research that event and completed a Venn diagram to identify the similarities and differences between the two.
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING
Each student was benefiting from this study by learning multiple methods of taking notes and organizing information. Note taking and information organization skills would benefit each of my students not only this year, but for years to follow throughout their education. I introduced multiple forms of note taking and graphic organizers so that my students could identify what worked best for them. I provided extra support to students who needed it and challenged students who quickly caught on to the concept of taking notes. Some of my students needed more guidance than others. For these students, I provided lists of information that should have been included in their notes as well as pre-formatted notes to support them in the process.
These note taking methods and graphic organizers were easily accessible for students. In the beginning, I provided templates for the students; however, the students were eventually expected to create the format in their own notebooks. It was my hope that my students would be able to carry these strategies with them as they continued through their education. I was also easily accessible for students who had questions throughout the process. Students were provided with multiple opportunities to practice the note taking and graphic organizing methods and would have had the chance to apply a method of their choice twice to the social studies content. Students who needed extra support were provided with guidance in the form of small group instruction, lists of information to be included in notes, and pre-formatted notes.
The majority of my students participated in extracurricular activities after school. Based on this knowledge, I wanted to ensure that my students were receiving large amounts of exposure to the content during the school day. Requiring students to take notes ensured that they not only read through the material, but read through it multiple times to capture the important information. The note taking process and the use of the graphic organizer provided students with multiple opportunities to read and write the content. These exposures were vital in that my students were not necessarily reviewing the content at home as they had other activities going on.
Multiple perspectives were being supported through the introduction of multiple types of note taking strategies and graphic organizers. I understood that each of my students thought differently and learned in a different way. Based on this knowledge, I knew that only providing one method of organizing information would not have been beneficial for my students. By introducing multiple options, my students were able to take responsibility for their learning and could choose which form of note taking they were most successful with. The positive with note taking is that there is not one correct way to take notes. Students were able to individualize their notes in a way that made sense in their minds. This benefited each and every student as the note taking process began to be tailored to them as individual learners.
These note taking methods and graphic organizers were easily accessible for students. In the beginning, I provided templates for the students; however, the students were eventually expected to create the format in their own notebooks. It was my hope that my students would be able to carry these strategies with them as they continued through their education. I was also easily accessible for students who had questions throughout the process. Students were provided with multiple opportunities to practice the note taking and graphic organizing methods and would have had the chance to apply a method of their choice twice to the social studies content. Students who needed extra support were provided with guidance in the form of small group instruction, lists of information to be included in notes, and pre-formatted notes.
The majority of my students participated in extracurricular activities after school. Based on this knowledge, I wanted to ensure that my students were receiving large amounts of exposure to the content during the school day. Requiring students to take notes ensured that they not only read through the material, but read through it multiple times to capture the important information. The note taking process and the use of the graphic organizer provided students with multiple opportunities to read and write the content. These exposures were vital in that my students were not necessarily reviewing the content at home as they had other activities going on.
Multiple perspectives were being supported through the introduction of multiple types of note taking strategies and graphic organizers. I understood that each of my students thought differently and learned in a different way. Based on this knowledge, I knew that only providing one method of organizing information would not have been beneficial for my students. By introducing multiple options, my students were able to take responsibility for their learning and could choose which form of note taking they were most successful with. The positive with note taking is that there is not one correct way to take notes. Students were able to individualize their notes in a way that made sense in their minds. This benefited each and every student as the note taking process began to be tailored to them as individual learners.
STAKEHOLDERS
I was relying on internal stakeholders for support in my study. I interviewed one of my grade-level teammates to inquire about student struggles she noticed with note taking and ways she combatted those struggles. Another internal stakeholder who provided support for my study was the speech-language pathologist in my school. She suggested that my student who struggled to produce neat handwriting type his work. Typing created a much smoother process for this student.
There were also multiple external stakeholders supporting my study. My CADRE associate assisted in brainstorming ideas of ways to effectively implement my research. She also assisted in the student interviews at the beginning and end of my research. Members of the CADRE cohort supported my study by providing ideas of ways to measure the success of my study. UNO professors’ engagement also supported my study through expressing ideas of ways to implement the researched strategies.
There were also multiple external stakeholders supporting my study. My CADRE associate assisted in brainstorming ideas of ways to effectively implement my research. She also assisted in the student interviews at the beginning and end of my research. Members of the CADRE cohort supported my study by providing ideas of ways to measure the success of my study. UNO professors’ engagement also supported my study through expressing ideas of ways to implement the researched strategies.
TIMELINE
Student interviews: February 4th
Chapter coverage and guided notes: February 5th- 11th
Chapter post-test: February 12th
Chapter coverage and outlining method: February 13th-19th
Chapter post-test: February 20th
Chapter coverage and KWHHL chart: February 21st-27th
Chapter post-test: February 28th
Chapter coverage and the Cornell method: March 1st-6th
Chapter post-test: March 7th
Chapter coverage and method of choice: March 8th-14th
Chapter post-test: March 15th
Student interviews: March 15th
Chapter coverage and guided notes: February 5th- 11th
Chapter post-test: February 12th
Chapter coverage and outlining method: February 13th-19th
Chapter post-test: February 20th
Chapter coverage and KWHHL chart: February 21st-27th
Chapter post-test: February 28th
Chapter coverage and the Cornell method: March 1st-6th
Chapter post-test: March 7th
Chapter coverage and method of choice: March 8th-14th
Chapter post-test: March 15th
Student interviews: March 15th