Nov+25

Understanding = U Informing = I Recommending = R Deciding = D ||
 * =Grade 4 Team Meeting = || Date: Tuesday 20 August 2009 || Starting/ Ending Time: 7:45 - 8:45 || Place: Sheena's Room ||
 * Facilitator/Timekeeper: Steve || Recorder: Ralph || Purpose:

levels || **U** || How are we assessing students reading levels between DRA testings? Report Cards? || Look at current practices, and discuss other options.
 * **Task** ||  **P** || **Guiding Question** || **Background/ Process** || **Person/Time** ||
 * Propose ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Assessment of students reading

Literacy council discussed having common understandings of expectations of students' levels between DRA testing. What tools are people currently using? . . . Probe, Beebop

We are trying to move towards using quick assessments between DRA's to monitor progress. One option is the form from TCRWP called Reading Assessment for independent Reading Books - this woks as a formal conference form with a book that is of a known level. http://rwproject.tc.columbia.edu/default.aspx?pageid=2090 Fountas and Pinnell assessments are available in the Bookroom


 * Report card****s** - making sure we all understand what level is expected for the end of year and also mid year.

15 mins || local Thai school? || Cheryl will relay some new information
 * Mid Year** - R is above grade level, P and Q are at grade level, N and O is approaching grade level || Mary
 * Community Project || **D** || How can we assist a

Options: making flashcards and posters to help children learn English, or a raising money activity so that resources can be bought, or a combination of both?

5 mins || talk about some books they have found; have we found the same?
 * Making something is the agreement -** Cheryl will check about if we can use school materials particularly laminating. February might be a good time to do this. || Cheryl
 * Leveled Books ||  || Are some of the books in our bookroom mislabeled? || Sheena and Ralph will

10 mins || the electricity/magnetism test? || Kelly will lead us through a brief Q and A discussion re: the test.
 * Mislevelled books in the non fiction assessment**
 * Shipwreck in the South China Sea is not Q it is R
 * Sheena will find a replace text for Q
 * Sting and Growl - the levels identified for those books is questionable || Sheena
 * Review Science Assessment ||  || How can we improve/improvise

15 min ||
 * Bar Magnets** - Kelly has been in touch with Foss
 * Magnetic fields** - students didn't know very much about this
 * Rivets** - choosing a steel, iron or copper rivet . . . . the i check talks about a brass rivet, which makes it hard for kids
 * the layout of the test isn't idea**l - doesn't encourage kids to fully explain their thinking and doesn't encourage drawings, our challenge is to have kids realize that filling up a page is not the expectation, the focus is fully explaining one's thinking
 * different testing experienc****e** - some teachers felt that the students //were not// able to show their understanding in the test, whereas others found that the students //were// able to show their understanding . . . why the difference?
 * misconceptions** - for some students correcting misconceptions was very difficult
 * possibility of adding a performance piece** - should we add an additional piece to this assessment where the students have to actually build circuit? It is felt that this is worth considering, but the challenge is finding a way to set it u so that students are completing the task independently (room and space) || Kelly
 * || **I** ||  ||   || Steve and Team ||
 * || **I** ||  ||   || Steve and Team ||