CSI & Tug of War

We used the thinking routines CSI and Tug of War to discuss the short story "Fresh" lat week. The boys have gotten used to the CSI routine, and it's incredible to see the complexity of their ideas. We looked at the connections between the characters, and it led to a fascinating discussion about the story. The visual of the tug of war rope really helped the boys to see the dilemma that the main character faced, and then they were able to generate "tugs" for each side of the rope. I am realizing every day how much more my students are capable of than I ever imagined, and I'm just trying to tap into that daily.

Ladder of Feedback

Untitled from Courtney Humphreys on Vimeo.

LWW Project Presentation (4D) from Courtney Humphreys on Vimeo.

Yesterday we used the Ladder of Feedback routine to critique each other's final projects for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The boys did an excellent job presenting their projects, and instead of rushing through that part (even though it did take the whole class period-- so it was hard for me to slow down), I thought it would be more beneficial for the boys to give feedback to each other. They are beginning to see the difference between clarifying questions and concerns, and they were able to give valuable feedback about the depth of the work, the quality of the presentation, and how well the team worked together. I said very little the entire time because I realized the boys were saying all the things I would have said! It was pretty incredible to watch. We will continue to use this routine throughout the year to give feedback on projects and writing assignments.