Dr. Douglas Reeves explained that when creating a learning experience for students, we should first determine the power standard that is the most important standard for the students to focus on. Next, we should decide on a set of prior knowledge and skills along with new knowledge and skills that students must know or be able to do in order to show that they have mastered that standard. After identifying the knowledge and skills, we should create a scenario with multiple tasks that students will complete successfully in order to master the standard. Finally, we should identify one or more complementary standards that support the power standard. These complementary standards are ones that can also be addressed through the power standard.
Dr. Reeves emphasized the importance of considering and planning for the diverse needs of learners within a classroom setting. He suggested that it is crucial for educators to create learning activities that can actually meet several standards as well. Dr. Reeves (2001) stated that “engaging scenarios require reinforcement of many academic standards” (p. 114). This idea supports the concept of bringing in students’ prior knowledge when teaching new concepts. Reeves also suggested that “engaging scenarios frequently include the arts” (p. 114). Students can benefit a great deal from incorporating artwork into their learning simply because they enjoy it more or because it allows them to see a concept from a different perspective. Reeves (2001) pointed out that “engaging scenarios promote student understanding” (p. 115). This idea is crucial because the lessons and activities within a classroom must benefit the students’ comprehension of the concepts.
The method that Dr. Reeves described provides benefits and challenges for teachers. It is beneficial because it is a clear, concise method for how to go about lesson planning in such a way that maximizes the students’ learning experiences with the most important standards. Reeves’ method also allows for several tasks to be included that will address all learning variables for different ability levels within a classroom. One of the more challenging aspects of Reeves’ method is that it does not clearly define how an educator should deal with the management of so many tasks occurring at the same time within a classroom. However, if a teacher has strong classroom management skills, Reeves’ method of planning learning experiences could be very beneficial.
Dr. Reeves’ method has affected my thinking process as I plan lessons for my own classroom. The idea of a power standard gives me a very liberating feeling as an educator because I often feel overwhelmed by the significant number of standards that I am responsible for teaching. By focusing on power standards and then planning my activities around that standard, I am better able to address the needs of all ability levels in my classroom. I am also able to make connections with a power standard and its complementary standards in such a way that allows me to teach several standards at once.
References
Canter & Associates (Executive Producer). (2004). Program seven: Designing
Curriculum and Instruction. Integrating technology in the curriculum, part one
[Motion Picture]. Baltimore: Canter & Associates.
Reeves, D. B. (2001). What do all engaging scenarios have in common? In Making
Standards Work: How to implement standards-based assessments in the
classroom, school, and district (3rd ed., pp. 113 – 116). Denver, CO: Advanced Learning Press.
Grade Level: 3
Subject: Math
Power Standard: Recall basic multiplication facts through 12 x 12.
Prior Knowledge & Skills
- Students must know these terms: addition, repeated addition, addends, sum
- Be able to recall basic addition facts.
- Be able to solve repeated addition problems.
Knowledge & Skills To Be Learned For This Standard
- Students must know these terms: factors, products, multiplication, arrays
- Be able to explain how multiplication is like repeated addition.
- Be able to solve multiplication problems through 12 x 12.
Scenario/Context
Students will work in a variety of settings including whole-group instruction, small group activities, partner activities, and independent activities in order to learn this standard.
Tasks
- In a whole group, the class will review the terms addend, sum, and addition. The teacher will let the class write their own definitions of these terms.
- Students will quiz each other in small groups on addition facts using flash cards. Each time a student gets a problem correct, they will keep the flash card in order to keep track of their progress. During this time, the teacher will work in a small group with students needing additional help with these facts.
- Students will work with a partner to determine a way to demonstrate repeated addition. Each pair of students would be given a different problem. An example would be a pair of students practicing and then demonstrating how they would add 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 using counter chips. Students will show their demonstration to peers and the teacher. Students will write a paragraph explaining the process that they used to complete repeated addition. Struggling students will spend more time with the hands-on activity and not complete the paragraph if necessary.
- In whole group instruction, the class will discuss these terms: factors, products, multiplication, arrays. Together the class will come up with our own definitions of these words based on the discussion. The teacher will demonstrate an example of repeated addition being just like multiplication yet faster. The teacher will use the counter chips for this demonstration.
- Students will work in small groups with different problems to practice demonstrating how they would solve the problem now using multiplication instead of repeated addition. An example would be a group solving 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 by using 3 x 4 = 12. Students will share their demonstration with the teacher and peers. Then they will write a paragraph explaining the process. Struggling students will continue working with the teacher if they are not ready to write the paragraph yet.
- Students will create and label several arrays (picture models of multiplication problems) using various art supplies such as stickers, scissors, glue, construction paper, etc. One example would be 12 stickers placed into 4 groups of 3 in order to show that 4 x 3 = 12.
- Students will create their own flash cards of multiplication problems to begin quizzing themselves and their partners with at school and home.
Complementary Standards:
- Generate strategies to multiply whole numbers by using one single-digit factor and one multi-digit factor.
- Use basic number combinations to compute related multiplication problems that involve multiples of 10.