-Michael Warren H.S. Social Studies Teacher  (click link for video)

CC Gallery Walk

Whether or not you are a supporter of the nationwide Common Core standards that currently cause debate in households, town halls, and cable TV news programs, the state of New Jersey requires these standards to be met in all public school classrooms.  Hasbrouck Heights teachers have been attending workshops after the school day has ended to learn new techniques to help engage more students in addressing the standards.

One technique that was recently demonstrated was a Gallery Walk.  In Mr. Warren’s World History class, students read and re-read a selected primary source, highlight the main idea and supporting details and then collaboratively select the most important information to share in the ‘gallery’.

Once the gallery charts are complete, students then circle the room (as if they were attending an art gallery) and find corroborating or contradictory evidence in each of the documents.  The students then return to their groups and discuss what they have seen in the gallery walk.  This activity helps address speaking, listening, reading, and writing standards found in the Common Core.

The kindergarten class at Euclid School found out how penguins live in Antarctica. They had their (cork) penguins slide on their bellies and dive for fish and krill to feed their baby penguins. They soon learned that snow is very cold and that penguins have blubber and oiled feathers to keep them warm. It was a fun learning experience for all!

 

Mrs. McSweeney’s Kinders were measuring things and reading about our National Symbols when . . .
We read in a book.
How big was her foot.
But, we couldn’t believe it.
We just had to see it.
The Statue of Liberty’s foot was 25 feet long.
Our class stood shoulder to shoulder and we were still shorter.
AMAZING!

 

 

The kindergarten students have races learning that the higher they make the ramp the faster their polar bears went. They also tested to see which surfaces would cause the most friction on their marble racing.

As we prepare students for the first round of state testing, teachers and students are working with an assortment of informational and non-fiction texts.  In the High School, my 9th grade World History classes will take a break from studying the events of the past and examine the news and world around us.  Using Scholastic/New York Times Magazine Upfront, students get a “real-time” look at issues and stories from around the world.

Analyzing, speaking, listening, and writing about these items will help students tackle what could be on the PARCC assessment in March.  Come check out our Writer’s Wall in Room 20 and see for yourself!

Author: Michael Warren

Hasbrouck Heights High School

World History/AP Human Geography Teacher