Critical Thinking

Experiment Rubric (1) Pull-Back Car Experiment Sheet (1)

 

This is the rubric and experiment sheet used by the class as they completed the experiment.  Note the focus on participation in the discussion — this is where the real critical thinking takes place!  Students compared ideas, observations, and predictions before coming to conclusions about what they witnessed.

Creativity

Travel Commercials Group Project

Here is the assignment used for our study of the Midwest, Southwest, and West regions.  Students were given the maximum amount of freedom to design their slides however the like, and with whatever information they feel is important.  The questions listed are available to help them get started with their research, but many students were able to go off to study their own chosen topics after checking in with me.

Self Advocacy

Jacob Hiatt Energy Writing Rubric (1) Jacob Hiatt Energy Graphic Organizer (1)

In this rubric and graphic organizer for our renewable and nonrenewable resources writing assignment, student opinion and choice is emphasized.  As major components of the assignment, students have to choose which resource they feel is the best choice to power the school building, and support their choice with three pieces of evidence, including how their chosen power source produces electricity, and at least two reasons that it is better than other resources (i.e. it is cheaper or it is renewable).