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Shop TALK
Vol. 4 No. 3
Getting Students to Think Scientifically:
Concept Mapping and Interactive Notebooks
Enhancing Student
Learning Through
Assessment
The Self - Assessment Process
Summer Professional Development Offerings

Vol. 4 No. 3
Shop TALK
• Listen and Learn
• Administrator Highlights
Contents
• Meeting the Challenges of Improving Student
Achievement in Rural Schools
• Age of InfoWhelm
• Rural Technology Use
• Teacher Highlights - Technology/Elementary Literacy
• Enhancing Student Learning
• The Self-Assessment Process
• Teacher Highlights - Secondary Literacy/Elementary
Math
• More Than Just Multiple Choice!
• Teacher Highlights - Secondary Math
• Technology’s Influence on Formative Assessment
• Teacher Highlights - Secondary Science/ Elementary
Science
• Formative Assessment in Elementary Science
• Getting Students to Think Scientifically: Concept
Mapping and Interactive Notebooks
Cover Photo Credit: Jeff Bostic
RPDP Staff
Director
Bill Hanlon
Staff
Ahern, Cindy
Chalmers, Inga
Costantino, Stephanie
Finney, Ruby
Leon, Maria
Kessler, Mark
Lombardi, Doug
Smith, Chelli
Trainers
Administrative
DeFrancesco, Sue
Hardy, Rick
Hicks, Pam
Salazar, Pam
Elementary Literacy
Cannon, Shanalee
Kinnaird, Kathryn (Consultant)
Lee, Holly
Leday, Hattie
Mattson, Elizabeth
Sibley, Adine
Technology
Krieger, Glenn
Mathews, Frank
Mills, Brandy
Kindergarten
Markovic, Robyn
Elementary Math
Dees, Kathy
Hood-Ratliff, Stephanie
Pearson, Brenda
Peterson, Jackie
Richards, Darla
Ryerson, Kristian
Elementary Science
Behuniak, Anna Maria
Bloom, Lois
Davis, Sandy
Hepworth, Dorothea
Meyer, Rebecca
Secondary Literacy
Lasley, Saralyn
Raymer, Amy
Richards, Rosanne
Secondary Math
Arizmendez, Sara
Arquette,Cassandra
Barnson, Cheryl
Hunter, Ricardo
Lawrence, Deborah
Long, Carol
Ortiz, Cindy
Spendlove, Karl
Secondary Science
Bostic, Jeff
Ebert, Ellen
Marconi, Elizabeth
Sibley, Bret

Listen and Learn
by Sue DeFrancesco
School improvement, student
achievement and individual
student progress are tracked
using various data sources
derived from norm referenced,
criterion referenced,
intervention program, districtbased,or
classroom-based
assessments. From this
composite of indicators,
teachers frame their
instruction. However, other
indicators not reported
numerically are often
overlooked. What can
students tell us about their
own learning and their areas
of confidence or sense
of struggle with content,
processes, or skills?
Our yearly check-up with our
physician is preceded by lab
work and assessment of our
vital signs – blood pressure,
heart beat, breathing sounds.
However, the most important
part of our doctor’s office
visit is our opportunity to tell
our physician how we feel,
what symptoms we may be
experiencing and discuss
options for treatment as
well as for maintaining and
improving our quality of health.
Pursuing students’ reflections
on their learning, considering
those responses to target their
needs by providing activities,
review, assessments and
learning opportunities in our
instruction validates students
as partners in learning with
us. Learning may then be
perceived as not something
“done to them” but rather it is
a process “done with them”
recognizing their voices,
perceptions and ideas.
Components of an
Effective Lesson
The first three Components
of an Effective Lesson –
Introduction, Daily
Review, and Daily
Objective- present wonderful
opportunities to ask students
about not only what they are
learning, but how they are
learning. For example, in the
introduction to a new concept
students will be studying,
asking students about their
connections, associations
or experiences related to
that concept will give them
a sense of confidence at
the outset. Once concept
and skill development is
underway, revisiting the
references students shared
in that introductory part
of the lesson validates
their contributions linking
background knowledge to
the new information and
concepts in the lesson. In
the text, Building Background
Knowledge (2004) Robert
Marzano writes, “…the
research literature supports
one compelling fact: what
students already know
about the content is one of
the strongest indicators of
how well they will learn new
information relative to the
content” (p. 1).
From the “picture walks”
utilized by primary teachers
when introducing a book
to a secondary math
teacher introducing sports
team statistics to draw
inferences and make
predictions about future
performance, establishing
connections with students’
understandings is essential.
Asking students how they
processed information, how
they can demonstrate their
understanding and how
they would like to learn new
material helps students
understand their learning
preferences and master
concepts.
Daily Review can also allow
students to communicate what
questions or “fuzziness” they
might still be experiencing.

“...teachers need to be attuned on a daily basis to who
is learning what and who is not, and then teachers must
find ways to make sure each and every child is learning
everything in the curriculum”.
Asking students to list the
math homework problems
that were easy for them and
explain why will give insight as
to the problems which were
more difficult; thus the problem
solving process is not punitive,
but a natural part of moving
toward understanding.
Finally, the Daily Objective
provides students an
understanding why the new
concept or skill is important.
Asking students what might
be some alternative ways to
meet the objective would allow
them to share how they could
learn the new material or skill.
Scheurich and Skrla (2003)
in Leadership for Equity and
Excellence write “…teachers
need to be attuned on a daily
basis to who is learning what
and who is not, and then
teachers must find ways to
make sure each and every
child is learning everything in
the curriculum” (p.47). If we
do not converse with students
about what they are learning,
what is difficult for them, how
they like to learn, how can they
best show their understanding,
then we cannot ensure all
students are accessing the full
curriculum to master content
standards.
The Components of an
Effective Lesson, as suggested
in these examples, are more
than a lesson planning tool
for teachers. They provide
an opportunity, within the
flow of a lesson, for students
to communicate their
understandings, frames
of reference, previous
experiences and unanswered
questions about concepts and
skills they are expected to
master.
• Begin new areas of study
by asking students to
generate questions, make
statements, or share
connections to the new
material to be studied –
take notes or frame ideas
in a graphic organizer
to refer to as the lesson
proceeds
• Ask students how they
might best remember
important information
presented – taking
notes, placing stickies,
highlighting text,
summarizing verballyand
allow them to use
strategies they feel are
valuable
• Take time to look at
vocabulary embedded in
the new concept studied
and generate predictions
or guesses about the
meaning and relationship
of the words – record
for verifying once the
vocabulary is addressed in
the course of the lesson
• Use Daily Review
to assess student
understanding of
new material – are
students struggling with
understanding content
or process or applying
information in unfamiliar
contexts?
• While previewing related
chapter or text material,
ask students to look for
words they think will be
important to know if they
are to meet the learning
goal for the day. Have
students answer the
question – “How will I as
a teacher know that you
know?”
References
Marzano, R. (2004). Building
background knowledge for academic
achievement. Alexandria,
VA: ASCD.
Scheurich, J. & Skrla, L. (2003).
Leadership for equity and
excellence.Corwin Press.

Administrator
Highlights
Kenneth Wronski, Principal
Steve Schorr Elementary School
Mr. Wronski has been in the Clark County School
District for 18 years. He taught eight years before
becoming an administrator. He served as assistant
principal at L. Wiener, Charlotte Hill and Beatty
Elementary Schools and principal at L. Weiner
Elementary School before opening Steve Schorr
Elementary School in the 06-07 school year. The honor
of opening a new school serves as one of Mr. Wronski’s
greatest accomplishments.
The secret to the success the students and staff enjoy
at Schorr Elementary School is based on the premise
that the school community does whatever it takes to
ensure student success; there is no substitute for hard
work. According to Mr. Wronski, it is the teachers who
make the biggest difference, and he works hard to
support his staff to be the best they can be. He has
instituted a program, in partnership with South Point
Hotel & Casino, to provide incentives for teachers who
have achieved a WOW. A WOW is an exemplary deed
presented to the faculty by a faculty member. With the
generosity of the South Point Hotel, gift certificates for
dinners, movies, and shows are extended to teachers
who receive WOWs. This principal strives to secure
additional resources to reinforce the commitment to
students by his teachers.
When Mr. Wronski is not working to support his
students, staff and parents, he attends dog shows. He
raises and trains Chows and plans to be a certified
handler when he retires.
Congratulations to Mr. Wronski for his extra efforts
on behalf of the Clark County School District and the
community of Schorr Elementary School.
Holly Lepisto, Principal
Floyd Elementary School
Mrs. Lepisto opened Floyd Elementary School in
Pahrump this school year. She spent the last two years
as principal of J.G. Johnson Elementary School in
Pahrump before being honored with opening the first
new elementary school in six years. Mrs. Lepisto began
her career in Mentor, Ohio and taught for more than 20
years before becoming an administrator. She had been
both an elementary and middle school principal before
arriving in Nye County three years ago.
This year the students and staff of Floyd Elementary
School have focused on building community through
character traits which includes taking care of the
new building and building positive relations with the
students who have been brought together in this new
environment. The “Bobcat Pledge” is recited every
morning as the day begins to remind everyone of the
importance of building a positive school community.
No outside funding or grants for ancillary programs were
available for this new school; however, the teachers
and Mrs. Lepisto stepped forward to ensure positive
learning experiences for the students. The teachers
have volunteered their time to develop after school arts
and tutoring programs. The school community has also
developed several programs to aid families with clothing
drives, food donations and family movie nights held
at the school. With the economy drastically affecting
the families at Floyd Elementary School, Mrs. Lepisto
has enhanced the efforts of educating the students by
providing support for the families.
Mrs. Lepisto enjoys making scrapbooks and all crafts
associated with home projects. She and her husband
have two children and one grandson with another
grandson expected in June.
The Floyd Elementary School community is indeed
fortunate to have such a dedicated professional as its
leader.

MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF IMPROVING STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT IN RURAL SCHOOLS
by Rick Hardy
I hate this title! I hate it
because it seems to lend support
to the idea that the problems
facing educators in rural schools
are somehow fundamentally
different than the problems found
in larger schools. With very few
exceptions, the problems are very
much the same. The difference
is just a difference in scale. If this
premise is true, it would follow
that the ideas and programs
helping students in rural schools
could also be adopted or adapted
to help students in larger schools.
The reverse would also be true.
One idea that would benefit
students at all schools is the
philosophy and attitude of the
administrators and staff at many
small high schools across the
state of Nevada relative to
the High School Proficiency
Examination Program (HSPE).
Many of these schools have
formally taken the position that
“No Student Fails”. This is not
just lip service, but a commitment
to do everything possible to help
each and every student succeed.
Evidence of this commitment is
seen not just in additional courses
designed to help students who
have failed the first round of
HSPE prepare for additional
rounds, or in before and after
school or summertime tutoring
programs. It can be seen as
counselors and teachers jointly
identify specific low areas for
individual students and develop
specific remedies that address
those low areas.
When a vocational teacher plans
activities that model reading and
writing skills and then requires
students to use those skills in the
context of whatever vocational
skills are being taught that week,
the commitment becomes real for
both the teacher and the student.
When a coach schedules a time
and a place for math tutoring
for his players who have not yet
passed the math portion of the
HSPE and then checks with his
players three times a week to
make certain they are attending
extra tutoring and getting their
homework completed and
in on time, students feel the
commitment and they begin to
believe the philosophy that “No
Student Fails”. Regardless of
size, a school staff meeting or
department meeting that spends
70% of the time talking about
solutions to student problems
and 30% of the time talking about
scheduling events and activities
is a great school-wide indicator
that priorities are in the proper
perspective.
Differences in scale can be
exemplified by what can happen
when a family with several ELL
children or with severe special
needs children moves into a
small rural community. The
staff at a small school might go
into “full-court panic”. In larger
schools, personnel and programs
are already in existence and
the students are simply placed
into the appropriate programs.
Progressive small schools also
have people and programs, often
computer related, identified even
if a current need does not exist
so that if students with these
needs do enroll, their needs can
be met immediately. Because of
their small size, rural schools and
districts often establish networks
of people inside and outside of
the district who can be called
upon to help should a need arise.
In larger schools and districts,
those networks often exist as
district level resources. These
resources are usually especially
adept at dealing with identified,
specific, and familiar needs.
In nature and in organizations, it
is often found that smaller size
can result in quicker response
and greater maneuverability.
In smaller schools, if a need
arises that has never before
been experienced, a dedicated
staff can quickly develop and
implement multiple strategies
and responses to meet a need.
Larger schools might also be well
served by bringing the resources
of the immediate staff to bear on
a new and unique problem during
the time the routine requests for
permission and resources are
moving up the organizational
ladder. As always, the student
is best served by an immediate
and caring response to his or her
need.
Large or small, rural or urban,
the elements of good teaching
and learning unite us all. The
more we focus on solutions to the
problems surrounding student
achievement, the more we realize
we all have something to learn
and we all have something to
share.

“…we live in the Age of InfoWhelm.”
-(Ian Jukes)
“Beyond this, we live in the Age of InfoWhelm. The amount of information in
the world is growing at an exponential rate, which is reinforcing the decreasing
importance of memorization, while at the same time increasing the need for a
general conceptual awareness of the world.” (Jukes, 2007)
Making sense of the infinite
amount of the world’s
information proves to be the bulk
of the battle. Using alternative
assessments and test data can
help teachers narrow, identify
and correct areas of classroom
instruction where students are
not learning effectively. Actively
engaging and including students
in the assessment process will
increase their understanding,
and success, with testing.
Pedagogical and methodological
shifts must occur to prepare
today’s students with new skills
for the workforce of the future.
The availablilty of vast amounts
of data through advances in
technology allows the analysis
of student assessment to inform
classroom instruction in ways
never before available. One
can sort, classify, rearrange,
and redistribute any data at
the click of a button. However,
there is an information overload
problem: InfoWhelm (Jukes,
2007). Educators need to teach
students how to direct this
amazing amount of information
to their advantage. Teachers and
students working together can
explore and acquire new skills to
manage knowledge productively.
There are many ways educators
can utilize the latest technology
and access to data in order to
improve and enrich classroom
instruction and increase student
achievement.
Teachers have the ability to
analyze test data from data
collection software programs,
like Clark County School District’s
Instructional Data Management
System (IDMS) to
identify deficiencies in instruction
and assessment. Questions
the entire class missed are vital
to examine for a lack of content
instruction in that area or poor
construction of the test question
itself. Looking at specific student
scores will help teachers to
identify individual limitations.
Teachers who endorse multiple
learning styles will make opportunities
for success available to
students in a variety of ways.
Allowing students to create and
submit alternative assessments
addresses the multiple learning
styles of students, while illuminating
key areas of low
student achievement. Project
and scenario-based learning
combines content objectives
with the application of new and
varied skills. Blended learning
projects encompass the physical
and technological limitations of
the real-world learning environment
with what is possible using
technology. These types of
alternative assessments teach
students to use higher order
thinking skills (HOTS) and the
more advanced cognitive levels
of analysis, synthesis, evaluation,
and creation (Bloom’s
Taxonomy, 2001).
In addition to training teachers to
data mine and apply results effectively,
it is necessary to teach
students indispensable selfassessment
skills.
It is essential for students to be
active partners in the learning
process. Additionally, it is imperative
for educators to instruct
students to identify their own
learning strengths, weaknesses,
and learning styles.
“The ability to take data - to be
able to understand it, process it,
to extract value from it, to
communicate it-that’s going to
be a hugely important skill for
the next decades, not only at the
professional level but even at the
educational level for
elementary school kids, for high
school, for college kids.”
(Varian, 2009)
A key strategy is to teach
students to manipulate
statistics (act as statisticians)
to make sense of the data
and information. Teaching the
students how to effectively
sort through large amounts of
highly available and accessible
information, how to sift and
authenticate information,
and recognize copyright
infringement, brings the power of
assessment into the hands

of the students. Rubrics are
the perfect vehicle for student
empowerment. If the teacher
provides the rubric for any
assignment, project, and activity
at the beginning of the project,
the students will know exactly
what is expected of them. They
will know exactly what they need
to do to receive the desired
grade.
Unveiling the mystery of the
assessment process by showing
students the test format, what
type of questions, time lengths,
sections, ways to prepare,
how to test, how to eat well,
and how to get enough rest
will increase student success.
Teachers who deliver successful
practice testing review sessions
based on recreating the testing
environment with a balanced
assessment, will have the
most successful test-takers. It
is critical to instruct students
to problem solve as they are
testing. Students will feel
more confident going into test
taking situations if they are well
informed and have actually
practiced within the test taking
scenario. The increase in local,
state, and federal testing, while
trying to add traditional teacher
assessments, and taking more
days out of the schedule to
accommodate practice testing
leaves less time for content
instruction. Assessment skills
imparted to students will benefit
them in other areas of study as
well. Test scores will determine
the colleges students are eligible
to apply, what scholarships
may be available, what fields
of study to enter, and even the
potential a student may have to
an employer.
Testing is driving instruction
(RPDP BAM); both students
and teachers need to be armed
with the best tools to test
successfully.
Everyday, a new technology
gadget, a new technology
service, and a new way of
using an existing technology
emerge on a digital television
ad, a satellite radio commercial,
on a huge digital display,
and in a pop-up online. The
Kindle 2 allows for on-the-go
reading in a large format with
adjustable text size, a paperlike
screen, storage of over
1,500 books, and the ability to
download new content making
the device reusable, portable,
and the most convenient way
to access and store content.
One can also wirelessly email
documents to the Kindle, it has
a built-in dictionary, wireless
access to Wikipedia, an app
for the iPhone, and even plays
audiobooks. Varian refers to
this period in time as a period
of ‘combinatorial innovation’
(Varian, 2009). The Kindle is
a prime example. With nearly
endless possibilities of retrieving
information and combining,
analyzing, and redistributing
information, teachers and
students need to employ new
strategies to be successful
in the present as well as the
future. Employing the versatility
of technology, educators can
efficiently use extracted data to
improve classroom instructional
strategies and content. The
best results will occur when
teachers and students work
in partnerships to shift skill
acquisition to align with the
ever-changing landscape of this
technological brave new world.
Online Resources
Bloom’s Taxonomy Applying
Assessment Strategies
http://www.apa.org/ed/new_
blooms.html
Rubistar – Create and customize
rubrics
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/
index.php
Kindle 2 – Overview and
Description
http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-
Amazons-Wireless-Reading-
Generation/dp/B00154JDAI
References
Jukes, Ian (2007, January 29).
Rethinking Education in the New
Digital Landscape. Retrieved
March 20, 2009 from Committed
Sardine Website, Web site:
http://web.mac.com/iajukes/
thecommittedsardine/Articles_
files/REITNDL.pdf
Manyika, James (2009,
January). Hal Varian on how
the Web challenges managers.
Retrieved February 14, 2009
from The McKinsey Quarterly,
Web site:
http://www.mckinseyquarterly.
com/Hal_Varian_on_how_
the_Web_challenges_
managers_2286
SNRPDP Hanlon, Bill.
Backward Assessment Model.
Retrieved March 1, 2009 from
Southern Nevada Regional
Professional Development
Program, Web site: http://www.
rpdp.net/assessment.html
by Brandy Kay Mills
RPDP Regional Trainer

Beatty Elementary School
Rural Technology Use
by Gary Torstenson
Beatty Elementary School
Rural Technology Use
Going back to the days of my college audio/
video class, I remember learning how to thread
a film projector, how to use an opaque projector,
a filmstrip projector, an overhead projector, and
how to run the ditto machine (using the solvent,
methanol, and purple ink).
For the most part, I couldn’t imagine third grade
students in control of this equipment. Fortunately,
most of what we use today can be quickly
demonstrated to and used by third graders.
Technology implementation today is all about
increased involvement in the everyday classroom.
Flip Video Cameras
The Flip Video
cameras are an
excellent size for
my third grade
class. From
taping the school’s
homecoming parade
to demonstrating
how to make paper folds,or just recording an
alphabetizing lesson that can be used for review,
the camera’s size makes it easy to hold. Its USB
output lets the students quickly see the results of
their work on the computer screen.
Creating a Class DVD
Our class was getting close to finishing a writing
unit on fiction. These were multiple page stories
that took awhile to construct. It looked as though
perhaps only half the class would complete the
assignment, so I announced that we would be
creating a DVD of the students’ writing. On the
day the assignment was due only two students
were not finished and one of those was hurriedly
trying to get something on paper. We set up
one of our Flip Video cameras on a tripod and
recorded the students one after the other. The
camera was hardly any distraction, since it
has become just another classroom tool. Using
Adobe Premiere Elements, I quickly arranged the
presentations, added a menu, title, and burned
a DVD that was easily copied multiple times for
students to take home.
Document Cameras
I’ve worked with
both the Elmo
and Avervision
types of document
cameras. Along
with the projector,
they are in daily use
in the classroom.
Sometimes I am just
explaining how an art project should go together.
Arranging pieces and showing the class under
a document camera sure beats fumbling around
and dropping pieces in front of the classroom. If
the class is sharing some of their writing, they
can use the document cameras to show, not just
tell, their story. The students love to share using
the cameras. Personally, I like just being able
to display whatever we are working on onto the
white board. The cameras adjust to the available
classroom light so viewing is rarely a problem.
The ability to save pages and then recall them
allows me to have a whole day’s or week’s worth of
material ready to go with just a few button presses.
The Avervision’s freeze button is a favorite with the
students, being able to set their paper down then
pressing freeze lets them take their paper back to
their desk while we discuss the paper that is still
displayed on the board.
Students love to use gadgets. They want to push
the buttons. They want to grab a digital camera
and take pictures of friends. They want to get hold
of the video camera and walk around. They want
to play a digital recorder just to hear their own
voice and say, “I don’t sound like that.” When
implementing new technologies in the classroom,
the first step is to demonstrate how to hold, move,
and explain just why those neat little buttons are
really there. Like my students, I love gadgets, but
I know they have to last. Taking care of what we
have is a major concern.

Duckwater Elementary/Middle School
Rural Technology Use
Duckwater Elementary/Middle School is a one
room school in extreme northern Nye County
School District (NCSD), 140 miles from the
next nearest school in the district, and 70
miles from the nearest town, Ely. I am the only
teacher for students in Early Childhood Special
Education and K-8, although I am fortunate
to have a full-time classroom aide. Together,
we provide all the learning opportunities for
the sixteen students enrolled at the school.
Teaching in a multi-grade classroom with such
a wide age range is both challenging and
rewarding.
One of the greatest challenges of teaching
in a rural setting is resources. Students do
not always have a well-developed schema
or vocabulary for typical urban concepts
such as “skyscrapers” or “crosswalks”, and
the reference section of a rural school’s tiny
library does not offer a wide selection of
materials. The training provided by Southern
Nevada Regional Professional Development
Program (RPDP) and NCSD has been the
key to unlocking the learning barrier created
by distance. Students now use reference
materials such as online dictionaries and
encyclopedias daily. A word that stumps an
English Language Learner (ELL) student can
be magically added to his vocabulary through
the use of Google images or video.
Earlier this school year, NCSD replaced
satellite internet with T-1 technology. T-1
speeds have allowed us to more fully utilize
the internet for video conferencing, which is
essential for several of our projects involving
technology. SNRPDP has been able to use
this type of video conferencing to provide
courses through University of Nevada, Las
Vegas (UNLV) and Southern Utah University
(SUU) to me at my own site, meaning I am
no longer limited to taking coursework during
the summer at sites 300 miles from my home.
Instead, I was able to complete all of the
class requirements for a middle-school math
certification without the extensive travel that I
suffered in the past.
Music is one of
the few
extracurricular
activities
available at our
school. In
addition to our general music program, we also
offer violin lessons from a virtual studio in
Kansas using the video conferencing abilities
afforded us by our T-1 connection, webcam,
laptop, microphone, projector, and video
screen. Julie Stroud is the owner of
Violinnovation©, and “meets” with students
each week via webcam. The free messenger
service, SightSpeed©, has been the vehicle
through which we meet. Mrs. Stroud is a
talented violinist and highly qualified instructor
of the Suzuki© method of violin instruction.
More information can be found at her website:
www.violinnovation.com. NCSD’s technology
department worked diligently to provide a
firewalled way for the video-conferencing to
happen.

Locally, I have used the digital video camera
to create short 3-5 minute video clips of
reading materials so students can do multiple
readings. I read the materials, video-recording
the text with my finger tracking the print. This
allows students to become fluent by the end
of the week or unit. Video clips of decodable
readers, leveled readers, fluency passages,
vocabulary passages, spelling words, and
literature excerpts (stories from the basal
reader) have all been created for each week/
unit of study. While many of the materials are
not available at all from the publisher in an
auditory format, those that are available are
often read too quickly for the recording to be
of use to students. Furthermore, none of the
materials available from the publisher have the
added benefit of a video component in which
students who get lost or distracted can selfrelocate
by looking at the monitor.
Completed videos can be utilized in several
ways. They can be copied from the video
camera to the hard drive or the server and
shortcuts can be created for students to use
at their desktop. Students are assigned daily
to re-read materials, specific to their individual
needs, as an independent learning center
activity. The projector is used to show the
videos in large-screen format to larger groups,
and DVDs are created for use with a television/
DVD player. The video-clip format also gives
me a chance to reiterate important vocabulary
or skills, such as cause/effect, drawing
conclusions, or making predictions. In a multigrade
classroom, this frees the teacher to meet
with other individuals or small groups in other
grade levels.
For my youngest students in the Early
Childhood Special Education program,
I’ve also made short video clips to provide
adequate repetition of pre-academic skill
areas, such as counting, numerals, letters,
writing their names, and colors/shapes.
These clips have been burned to DVDs and
sent to the local daycare facility, where those
teachers continue education beyond the school
day. For students who do not have a great
deal of family support for homework, video
clips can be created to guide them through
homework assignments. The clips are then
burned to DVDs that students can take home
with them. It’s rather like having the teacher
right at home with them each night.
The ELMO and projector have also been
valuable during phonics letter tile activities
for students in kindergarten and first grade.
Using the projector gives immediate visual
clues to students who don’t respond as well
to oral directions during letter tile activities.
As students receive instruction during letter
tile activities, they are receiving both visual
and auditory prompts, and are simultaneously
involved in a kinesthetic activity of moving the
tiles, providing for three modalities of learning.
This helps maintain the attention of students
who might normally be easily distracted or who
have a short attention span.
I have found that when using technology, one
must make a decision to acquire a “can-do”
attitude. I CAN learn to use this gadget. I
CAN use it to do things I’ve never been able
to do before. I CAN begin to think of this as a
way to solve a problem I have. My students
CAN learn to use it, too. A teacher must also
practice using technology before using it in the
classroom, and not feel frustrated if it doesn’t
go just right every single time. It’s also really
great to have an ally to go to (like SNRPDP or
NCSD tech guys) if you get stuck! Technology
opens a door for teachers and students – the
teacher’s imagination and creativity are the
only limits to the paths that lead from the
doorway to the world.
by Lyn Huston
Duckwater Elementary/Middle School
Rural Technology Use

Teacher Highlights
Technology
Elementary Literacy
Ann Hofner
Bob Miller Middle School
Computer Literacy - 6 th Grade
Jon Jones
Lowman Elementary School
Literacy Specialist
Ann Hofner has been teaching in Clark
County for 13 years. Currently, she is teaching
Computer Literacy 6 at Bob Miller Middle School
in Green Valley. Use of desktop computers
is a major part of her required curriculum but
incorporating the use of handheld technology is
a way of keeping the students interested. Power
Point is now used as Step One in the creation of
projects. Students save Power Point projects as
JPEGS to import into Photo Story 3 or Windows
Movie Maker. This allows incorporation of
small portions of video from KLVX, music, and
recordings of their own voices. The final product
is then converted into a Podcast.
My two years participating in the RPDP
Technology ASP Program has been great! Not
only have I accomplished MA +36, but I have
acquired great skills to use with my students.
Meet Jon Jones, Lowman Elementary
School Literacy Specialist. Mr. Jones has been
with Clark County for 11 years, and is starting
his second year as literacy specialist. He
recently completed his MS Ed. in Elementary
Science and is working on his Ed. D. in Teacher
Leadership. In addition to working with students,
staff development is a large part of his assigned
duties.
With limited time for staff development,
Mr. Jones implemented an innovative method
for follow up. Quick Tips are brief, fact-packed,
often funny messages filled with the key points
or highlights related to recent staff development
topics. Teachers get repetition, humor, and
personal connection- all qualities that make staff
development more effective. Jon has found that
posting Quick Tips provides a constant visual
reminder of these key points for everyone.

“We want to be
thermostats, not
thermometers.
Thermostats affect the
climate; thermometers
merely reflect the climate.”
In the classroom…
By setting an example of
desired behavior, the teacher
acts as a thermostat influencing
the behavior of her students. If
you are letting student behavior
influence your attitude, then you
are just a thermometer.
In the school…
Do you influence others’
attitudes (a thermostat); or are
you affected by the behavior
and attitudes of others (a
thermometer)?
Remember that the job of a
thermostat is to make positive
changes to create a comfortable
climate for everyone.
Are you a
THERMOSTAT
OR
THERMOMETER??
Q
U
I
C
K
T
I
P
S
Q
U
I
C
K
T
I
P
S
Are you frustrated
trying to figure out all
the writing traits? Try
thinking about it like
this…
Ideas…are like cars.
Organization…is like
roads.
Voice…is how each car
looks and sounds.
Word Choice…is like
taking your car in for a
lube and detail.
Fluency… is how people
drive.
Conventions…are traffic
signals.
All these traits have to
work together to make a
piece of writing look and
sound smooth, appealing,
and readable!

Enhancing Student Learning Through Assessment
By Barbara Creps
CRT. TerraNova. NAEP. Nevada
Writing Proficiency. It seems as if
students are constantly being tested.
However, none of these tests give teachers
the immediate feedback that they need to
make students successful. In order to truly
get to the heart of student success, teachers
need assessment for learning. Assessment
for learning often means formative
assessment. However, a deeper definition
begs to exist. This definition asks not only
who is and isn’t meeting standards, but rather
how the student is doing on his journey to
obtaining mastery of the skill. Formative
assessments are useful for the teacher while
assessments- for- learning are useful for the
student.
Luckily, teachers have moved beyond using
assessments only for judging students.
Assessments for learning can be viewed
as a type of compass that tells us in which
direction to lead the students toward mastery
of the concept. Teachers can then adjust
their instruction so that the target goal is
hit. It also allows the student to be aware of
the target goal and how to get there. With
an effective assessment system, students
will want to learn and teachers will want to
do their very best in offering instruction that
makes students successful.
What Teachers Need to Know and Do
Rick Stiggins, Director of the Assessment
Training Institute, maintains that there are
two important concepts that teachers need
to keep in mind when designing classroom
assessments. First, they must articulate
the achievement target that they want the
students to hit. Second, they need to know
how to transform these targets into quality
classroom indicators.
Teachers need to ask themselves, “What
knowledge do the students need to have
in order to master the concept?” and
“What performance skills do we expect
them to achieve?“ All teachers need to be
knowledgeable of the targets their students
are shooting for.
Performance assessments are great
instruments to use. With performance
assessments, we observe students while they
are completing a task or examining the final
product they have created. Think of writing
as an example. What does “good” writing
look like? Or in reading, what makes a
“good” reader? Being able to communicate
to the students with clear, concise terms is
key to having students master those skills.
This mastery is the foundation for quality
assessment. Teachers need to be given the
opportunity to collaborate and define those
achievement targets. “We cannot assess that
which we don’t understand.” ( Stiggins, 1999)
Once those target assessments are defined,
teachers need to know how to transform them
into quality classroom indicators. With proper
indicators and documentation, teachers can
gauge student learning progress from day to
day. They can provide evidence of where the
student was, where he is now, and where he
should be in the future.
Teachers need to know which assessment
is best fit to meet the needs of the students.
While multiple choice tests may be the best
option in some assessment contexts, other
times a performance assessment will provide
the teacher with more information. Knowing
which method to use will help teachers guide
instruction and provide students with accurate
and detailed feedback. Stiggins defines this
as assessment literacy.

What Students Need to Know and Do
While formative assessment contributes to
effective classroom instruction, assessment
for learning helps students take responsibility
for their own learning, creating students who
become lifelong learners. Using traditional
assessment methods, a student may read
the results and, seeing the signs, give up
in hopeless failure. In an assessment-forlearning
classroom, the same student will
monitor his progress almost daily. He will see
where he was in his learning and where he
needs to go to reach his target. This drives
the student to do better each time.
Motivation is the key to success. To turn
students on to the joy of learning, teachers
need to turn to only three tools:
• Student-involved classroom assessment
• Student-involved record keeping
• Student-involved communications
These tools help students understand that
no one is an expert the first time they try
something. There is always a learning
curve involved, and it’s all right to take a
risk and fail. We all start low and make
small steps toward achieving our goal. In an
assessment- for- learning classroom, success
is defined as continuous improvement.
Wise teachers teach their students that
improvement is always possible.
Student-involved classroom assessments
allow the students to succeed. They invite
students to be partners in the assessment
process. After teachers have defined a clear
and appropriate vision of where they want
the students to be, then students can learn
the criteria by which their work will be judged.
Students should be given the opportunity
to design sample assessments and scoring
criteria. They should be able to use
student friendly language so that everyone
understands where they need to be. The
path to mastery will then become clearer.
There will be no surprises and no excuses.
Student-involved record keeping allows
students to monitor their own progress.
One of the most effective ways to do this
is by having them keep portfolios of their
work. In it there will be evidence of their
small successes over a period of time
including short self-reflection statements.
Repeated student-involved record keeping
helps students watch themselves grow, thus
boosting their confidence.
Student-involved communication allows
students to share their success with others.
The student-led parent-teacher conference
is a well known method. Using concrete
evidence, students are prepared and ready
to tell the story of success to their parents.
The pride they feel is very motivational. In
addition, most students will work very hard to
avoid having to justify their failure to achieve.
In assessment-for-learning classrooms,
teachers and students are working together
to create a vision of where they are and
where they want to be. They have an
understanding of the where their learning is in
relation to the standard of excellence. In an
assessment-for-learning classroom, “How am
I doing?” is a seldom heard phrase.
Sources:
Stiggins, R. J. (2001). Student-Involved
Classroom Assessment. (3 rd edition). Upper
Saddle River, NJ. Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Stiggins, R. and Chappuis, J. (Jan.
2008). Enhancing Student Learning.
Retrieved March 31, 2008 from www.
districtadministration.com
Sparks, D. (1999). Assessment Without
Victims; An Interview with Rick Stiggins.
Journal of Staff Development. Retrieved
March 28 th , 2009 from http://www.nsdc.org/
news/jsd/stiggins202.cfm

The
Self-
Assesment
Process
by Rosanne
Richards
RPDP Secondary
Literacy
As adults, we heartily embrace
self-assessment in our personal
lives: reviewing our daily food
intake while on a diet, standing
back to admire that new IKEA
bookcase we assembled (which
seems to be leaning a bit to the
left…) or perhaps even those
four minutes between second
and third period when we alter
our lesson plan to better target
our learning objective. We are
in a constant state of assessing
the quality our work; however,
it’s not a skill that many of our
students acquire naturally,
especially as it relates to school
work. Many students turn in
work and expect a teacher’s
grade to be the final decision
on how well they completed an
assignment.
By teaching self-assessment as
a process, we can help guide
our students to become more
thoughtful, more motivated,
and ultimately more successful
on the work they submit to us
for final review. The following
steps are a general formula
for self-assessment which can
be applied to anything from
perfecting our batting stance
to writing a research paper:
1.) Identify the characteristics
of the expected outcome, 2.)
compare the expected outcome
to the work produced, 3.)
revise work to better reach the
expected outcome, and 4.)
reflect on the process.
1. Identify the Characteristics
of the Expected Outcome
Modeling is the key to the first
step of the Self-Assessment
Process. By reviewing models
of the expected product,
students begin to understand
which characteristics are
strong and which are weak.
For example, when beginning
a research report, a teacher
shows examples of how
newspaper articles cite
research by crediting other
sources. By reading several
articles that include research,
students begin to make a list of
what they notice in the articles
that use citations correctly.
Once students have a general
understanding of how citations
are used correctly, models of
articles that are not as strong in
using citations are introduced
and students readily distinguish
between strong, well-written
articles using citations and
those that do not. At this point,
the teacher creates a list with
the class as to what should
be included in a research
article. From that list, students
construct a personal rubric as
they begin writing their research
article. This self-created rubric
helps remind students what
should be included in a wellwritten
research article.
2. Compare the Expected
Outcome to the Work
Produced
With self-created rubrics in
hand, students then monitor
their progress by comparing
what they have created to the
expectation they have identified
from the models. To make
this step of the process more
personal, the teacher reviews
the rubric with students and
instructs them to underline
and circle key phrases in
the rubric. Once this is
completed, the students then
go back and underline and
circle evidence of each part
of the rubric in their current
draft. When the rubric calls
for words to be paraphrased
and cited correctly, students
return to their papers, identify
information that has been
paraphrased and compare

what they have written to the
expectation set by the rubric.
3. Revise Work to Better
Match the Expected Outcome
Once students have been
guided through the rubric and
have compared their piece
with the expected outcome,
they then begin to revise
their work. In the case of the
research article, students return
to their paraphrased sections
and begin re-writing them to
better match the expected
outcome identified by the
rubric. By pinpointing only
the paraphrased selections,
students are less likely to be
overwhelmed by the revision
process. To continue revising
the next day, the teacher
returns to the rubric to guide
students through the revision
of the article by addressing the
tone of the piece.
4. Reflect on the Process
As Luanne Kowalke writes in
Methods that Matter, “To make
sure that children become intelligent,
insightful, educated human
beings, we educators must
help them become conscious of
their own learning and thought
process. Instead of teaching
students what to think, we need
to teach them how to think and
how to think for themselves.”
(234) At this stage of the Self-
Assessment Process, students
reflect back on each step of the
creative process and compare
it to the final work they have
completed. After completing the
research article, students then
turn in a companion reflection
that addresses each part of the
rubric and the overall quality
of the work submitted. It is important
to note that having students
assign a personal grade
is not really the purpose—
gaining an understanding of
how they worked through the
process is the overall goal.
Examples of Student Self-
Assessment:
Writer’s Logs: At the end of
each class period, students
reflect on an assigned piece of
writing. By modeling students’
logs that truly exemplify
reflection compared to logs
that simply summarize what
was done in class helps guide
students to reflecting on their
writing in a more authentic way.
The log also assists the teacher
in designing mini-lessons
that directly relate to studentidentified
needs.
Reflection Letters: At the end
of a writing piece, students
reflect on the strengths,
weaknesses and process used
during the writing process.
This letter is turned in as a
companion to the final draft.
This letter should be read
before grading the piece to help
guide revision suggestions and
provide productive feedback.
Discussion Rubric: After
modeling the expectation for a
class or small group discussion,
students work collaboratively
to create a rubric that shows
evidence of a thoughtful
discussion. Students refer
to the rubric throughout the
discussion to stay on task and
work toward the established
purpose of the discussion.
Once the discussion concludes,
students reflect on both the
process and content of the
discussion.
Secondary Literacy
NEWSTALK
“While no single word you
teach is likely to have the
life-changing effect that
learning water did for Helen
Keller, each word students
learn will expand the limits
of their minds.”
Teaching Individual
Words…Michael Graves
SNRPDP Secondary Literacy
is looking forward to two great
summer institutes. This year we
are hosting two summer institutes
– McMillan Elementary School in
the Northwest Region and Nate
Mack Elementary School in the
Southeast Region. Both locations
are open to all Clark County School
District teachers. All participants
have the opportunity to earn up to
two UNLV graduate credits, at a
discounted rate, in less than one
week.
A great new book to put on your
bookshelf is Teaching Individual
Words...One Size Does Not
Fit All by Michael Graves. This
new text is a helpful tool for
understanding the importance of
vocabulary development, but also
is extremely insightful in promoting
best practices in vocabulary
development with extensions
for parental involvement. This
would be a great addition to your
professional library.
RPDP Secondary Literacy has
exemplary resources and classes
to offer to assist all content
teachers with reading and writing
strategies. If you are interested in
workshops, UNLV graduate credit
classes or on-site trainings, please
feel free to contact Saralyn Lasley,
Amy Raymer or Rosanne Richards
at 799-3835.

Teacher Highlights
Secondary Literacy
Elementary Math
Thomasina Rose
Swainston Middle School
English 6-8
Thomasina Rose is truly a motivating and
positive role model to students. Thomasina
sets the pace for proficiency at Swainston
Middle School. Ms. Rose is currently an eighth
grade English teacher, but also has taught
reading and secondary study skills. Thomasina
has worked in education since 1994 in many
different fields. Before becoming a classroom
teacher, Thomasina worked as an adjunct
professor, an academic counselor and a
director of education for the private sector.
Thomasina brings to the classroom a plethora
of experiences and her students have gained a
wealth of knowledge from her background.
Thomasina sums up her success with this,
“Teaching is the profession that teaches all
the other professions and I give thanks to my
colleagues for making everyday a joyful day.”
Thank you, Thomasina, for the expertise
and dedication you give to Swainston Middle
School. Thomasina truly shines in the
classroom!
Carol Laidlaw
Manch Elementary School
5th Grade
Thirty-two years ago Carol Laidlaw began
teaching and is still touching the lives of young
children today. She began her career in Arizona
and has taught in CCSD for the past 26 years.
Carol has experience teaching grades 3-6
and is currently teaching fifth grade at Manch
Elementary School.
As a math teacher Carol was a late starter.
It wasn’t until she was introduced to the
Investigations© math program that her teaching
of math was turned around. She approaches
the teaching of math with the thoughts from
Investigations© no matter what math program
is being used at her school. She also feels
that there is no better way to introduce a
mathematical concept than through guided
discovery.
Carol’s greatest teaching accomplishment was
when she ran into a former student who told her
that he would soon be graduating from UNLV
with a degree in electrical engineering. These
are the moments that keep her believing in what
she is doing on a daily basis in her classroom.
Manch Elementary School and CCSD are
very lucky to have such a hard working and
dedicated teacher! Keep up the great work,
Carol!

More Than Just
Multiple Choice!
by Kathy Dees
The term “assessment” is defined in the NCTM Assessment
Standards as “the process of gathering evidence about
a student’s knowledge of, ability to use, and disposition
toward mathematics and of making inferences from that
evidence for a variety of purposes.” (NCTM,1995,p.3).
Assessment can and should happen every
day as an integral part of instruction. If one
restricts their view of assessment to tests and
quizzes they will miss seeing how assessment
can inform instruction and help students grow.
Several formative approaches that include
performance-based tasks, writing, observations
of students solving problems, and student
diagnostic interviews.
Performance-based tasks are good problem
solving activities that are similar to the student’s
current mathematics instruction. A task should
promote learning and allow every student in the
class to demonstrate their knowledge.
Examples:
Grades (K-1): Joseph has 5 cookies, Maria
has 3, and Frankie has 4. They
want to share them equally. How
will they do it? Draw a picture to
help explain your answer.
Grades (3-5): Kate counted 15 sandwiches
left from the whole batch that her
mother made for the class party.
Her mother asked, “If the students
already ate two-fifths then how
many sandwiches did I make?”
Writing is both a learning and assessment tool
in the mathematics classroom today. Having
the students write about their own ideas in their
own words can offer a chance for a teacher
to assess their conceptual understanding.
Writing can show evidence of student thinking
more than a multiple choice test. Writing also
provides a backup for students who have trouble
verbalizing their mathematical understanding if
they are encouraged to read entries to the class.
Example:
After you solved the problem today how
were you sure you had the correct
answer?
Teachers can gather data about their students
every day through observation. When teachers
systematically record this information they
can document mathematical understanding in
such areas as problem solving, representation,
reasoning, and communication. Depending
upon the teacher’s style, there are several ways
to record information. The teacher can keep
anecdotal notes where cards for each individual
student are taped on a flip chart or clip board
and the teacher records observations for five
students a day. An observation rubric can also
be used to check for concept understanding
for each student. A check list for the whole
class can also be a quick way to gather data.
All these methods can be used to guide the
teacher’s instruction for both short and long term
goals for mathematics instruction.
During diagnostic interviews, the teacher
gives the students a problem, and asks them
to verbalize their thinking about the concept.
The discussion should center on the concepts
currently being taught in class. The teacher’s
role is to ask questions to find out what students
know and where they still have misconceptions.
During these interviews, the teacher has the
opportunity to redirect or reinforce the student’s
thinking and their strategies.
All these methods of formative assessment can
measure a student’s understanding of concepts,
procedures, and mathematical processes and
can be used to guide instruction immediately
and provide learning opportunities for students.
Article: Leatham, K.R., Lawrence, K., &
Mewborn, D. (2005). Getting started with
open-ended assessment. Teaching Children
Mathematics, 11(8), 413-419.

In this article, the definition of an open-ended
assessment item includes the potential for a
range of responses and a balance between too
much and too little information given. Examples
are included. The teacher-author (Lawrence)
talks personally about getting started in her
third-fourth grade class of “culturally and
economically diverse” students and the values
that accrued for both her and her class.
T e a c h e r
Highlight
Secondary Math
Books: Stenmark, J.K., & Bush, W. S. (EDS.)
2001. Mathematics assessment: A practical
handbook for grades 3-5. Reston, VA; NCTM.
These three NCTM books are part of a K-12
series on assessment. The handbooks offer
practical advice for classroom teachers that are
considerably beyond the scope of this chapter.
The four chapters in each book essentially cover
the kinds of assessment options that are best
used, practical guidelines for implementing a
quality assessment program in your classroom,
and suggestions for dealing with the assessment
data once gathered.
Wright, R., Martland, J., & Stafford, A. (2006).
Early numeracy: Assessment for teaching
and intervention. London: Paul Chapman
Educational Publishers.
This book includes six diagnostic interviews
for assessing young children’s knowledge
and strategy use related to numbers and the
operations of addition and subtraction. Using a
series of frameworks the authors help teachers
pinpoint students’ misconceptions and support
appropriate interventions.
Online resources: 20 Math Rubrics http://
intranet.cps.k12.il.us/Assessments/Ideas_and_
Rubrics/Rubric_Bank/MathRubrics.pdf
Even though this site is maintained by the
Chicago Public Schools’ Bureau of Assessment,
you will find rubrics from many different states
and national projects. Some are generic
rubrics for problem solving, communication,
and concept knowledge, but many have useful
indicators and performance levels that can be
adapted for many purposes.
Sherry Pendelton
Molasky Junior High School
Math 6 th Grade
This is Sherry Pendleton’s sixth year in CCSD
after receiving her degree at UNLV. She taught
science at Leavitt Middle School then moved
to Molasky Junior High School. She currently
teaches Math 6 and serves as the department chair.
Sherry’s organized planning for instruction is evident
in her strategies and use of instructional time for her
classes. Her special talents include student engagement
activities, specific and clear instructions, and super
interactive notebooks. Her students are always busy.
She organizes school-wide activities such as math camps
and CRT projects. Sherry serves on the TEACH (Teacher
Educational Achievement Consortium Herald) committee
and is an ISP (Inclusive School Practices) coach.
She loves being a teacher. Her inspiration comes from
having a child who struggled in school. Each one of her
students is someone else’s child and she cares for each
one like she would her own; she models the RPDP ‘My
Kid’ philosophy. Mrs. Pendleton provides students an
atmosphere of high expectations, respect toward self and
others, and safety from criticism, bullying, or put-downs.
Sherry Pendleton is also recognized as an
RPDP instructor for 6 th Grade Math Workshops
including Applications in Data Analysis, Fractions,
Decimals, Coordinate Graphing, and Geometry.

Technology’s Influence on
Formative Assessment
Assessment is an important
part of any curriculum.
Summative assessments
are usually the first type
of assessment that comes
to one’s mind. This type of
assessment which may be
in the form of a test, quiz, or
paper are used to assign some
level of achievement. However,
there is another type of
assessment which sometimes
is overlooked. This is called
formative assessment.
Formative assessments
are used to check for
comprehension and skills in
order to guide instruction.
Formative assessments can
have the same format as
summative assessments, but
they may be shorter or simpler.
Warm-up questions or a ticket
out the door are examples
of these. The increase of
educational technology in
the classroom has allowed
formative assessments to be
implemented in easier and
more effective ways.
The Quick Poll
The TI-Navigator© is a very
powerful wireless network
system using computers that
has many applications in the
classroom. The quick poll is
one of these applications that
can be utilized for formative
assessment. Students receive
a question which can have
many formats: true/false, fill in
the blank, or multiple choice.
The students answer the
question on their calculators
which are linked via hubs to
the teacher’s computer. The
computer displays the class
answers in the form of a bar
graph. When combined with an
LCD projector, the results are
even more impressive: students
can answer a question and
immediately see the results of
the class up on the screen.
With these results the teacher
can decide the direction
instruction should take. If
the students did well on a
particular type of question,
then the teacher may feel
that particular topic has been
sufficiently covered and no
further instruction is required.
However, if the class as a
whole did poorly, the teacher
can immediately review the
topic with his students.
The quick poll is also versatile
in its ability to measure various
cognitive domains. It can be
used for lower-level questions
such as “What is the slope
intercept form?” It can also
be used to measure mid-level
questions of an application
nature; “Use the order of
operations to evaluate the
algebraic expression.” The
applications of this technology
are only limited by the
imagination and ingenuity of the
teacher.
Student Whiteboards
The TI-Navigator© is an
effective tool, but with today’s
dwindling budgets, it may
not be an affordable choice.
Another effective teaching tool,
which is less expensive, is
the student whiteboard. The
teacher gives the students
a question that they answer
on their personal dry-erase
whiteboard. These have
some of the same benefits as
more expensive technology:
immediate feedback and
increased engagement but at
a fraction of the cost. Being
able to see each students’ work
on their whiteboards helps
the teacher to immediately
diagnose students’ particular
errors or misunderstandings.
Formative assessment is a
critical component in every
lesson. Utilizing technology can
help make it easier and more
immediate than ever before.
by Zak Dray

Teacher Highlights
Secondary Science
Elementary Science
Jenelle Hopkins
Centennial High School
Earth Science Teacher
Cherri Luna
Steven G. Schorr Elementary
School
Science Specialist 1 - 5
Jenelle Hopkins started teaching for the Clark County
School District in 1993 after working in industry as a
mine geologist.In addition to being a super teacher at
Centennial High School, she has been a leader in many
professional organizations, including the Southern
Nevada Science Teachers Association (SNSTA),
Nevada State Science Teachers Association (NSSTA),
and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA),
serving as past-president for both SNSTA and NSSTA.
To hone her teaching skills and keeping abreast of the
latest Earth Science research, Jenelle has participated
in many professional development experiences,
including a summer workshop in Costa Rica and two
summers working as a Research Assistant at UNLV’s
Engineering Geophysics Lab. In addition to teaching,
Jenelle has worked as a Science Curriculum Specialist
for CCSD and was an Albert Einstein Distinguished
Educator, working for one school year as a Fellow
in the Directorate for Geosciences at the National
Science Foundation (NSF) in Washington, D.C. She
currently is the education co-chair for the Nevada
Earthquake Safety Council and a committee member
for the Education and Outreach Steering Committee
of the NSF Earthscope Program. She has been
involved in revision of CCSD science curriculum, has
written questions for the Nevada High School Science
Proficiency Test and the GED, and has been on the
College Board’s re-design commission for the AP
environmental science exam. In 2007, Jenelle was
selected by the American Geophysical Union to attend
a climate change conference in Vienna, Austria. To cap
things off, Jenelle became Nationally Board Certified
in Earth Science at the Adolescence and Young
Adulthood level.
Currently she is an instructor for RPDP and also
conducts Earth Science workshops where she shares
the many different ideas and resources she has learned
from her various workshop opportunities.
This is Cherri’s 7 th year teaching in the Clark County
School District, and her first year as a Science
Specialist. Before she began discovering science with
her kids this year, she taught first and third grades.
She graduated from UNLV and received her Masters
in Special Education from NOVA South Eastern
University. Prior to UNLV her education specialized in
Animal Science; she minored in Horse Science. She’s
been happily married for over twenty years and is
proud to have two very talented and wonderful children.
Cherri has had many people influence her life in
education. First and foremost, she has to consider her
grandmother. Cherri describes her as “a wonderfully
kind and patient woman who took the time to get to
know everyone who has come into and out of her
life.” Cherri is in awe of the blessings her grandmother
counts daily, even at the ripe young age of 94. Most
recently Cherri has to thank her daughter’s first and
third grade teacher. She can remember helping out in
the classroom, finding herself drawn into the excitement
she had for learning, and how she was able to pass
that love of learning to her students. One would be
amazed, from the days of studying places like China
and France to every bug, salamander, spider, rock and
space theater – learning was an adventure. Cherri’s
goal is to instill this love of learning to all her students.
Although her family is number one on her list, the
children she sees everyday are a very close second.
The community she shares at Schorr Elementary
School is very special. She enjoys every part of
her life there; starting with greeting everyone at the
door, discovering the wonders of science, getting her
hands dirty, sitting on the floor reading a great book,
investigating, asking questions and listening to the
ideas of her students, watching the expressions on
their faces as the “light-bulb” goes on in their heads – “I
get it!”, and closing her day with a “Thanks Mrs. Luna,
hope you have a great day!”
Life is good and Cherri feels very fortunate to be able to
spend her days doing what she enjoys - discovering the
wonders of learning with her students.

Formative Assessment in
Elementary Science
When you hear the word “formative”
assessment, does the thought of portfolio
management come to mind? How about
checklists that get shuffled around the top
of your desk, or the backseat of your car
because you just can’t figure out what to do
with the information that you’ve gathered? It
doesn’t have to be that way! By spending
some time with your students, asking some
thought-provoking questions, and listening to
them talk about what they are doing in class,
you can gain a very clear picture about what
your students understand.
Assessment “for” learning vs. assessment
“of” learning - the distinction between the two
is pivotal. Assessment for learning happens
while learning is still underway. It isn’t about
grades, but about getting better. “Effective
use of formative assessment includes using
assessment results to plan instruction, using
assessment information and materials to
involve students in their own assessment,
and communicating assessment results
clearly and in a way tailored to the user’s
needs.” (Stiggins et al., 2004, 2006)
According to Stiggins et al., the student’s role
in formative assessment is to self-assess
and keep track of progress, set goals, and
act on assessment results. “Self-assessment
by pupils, far from being a luxury, is in
fact an essential component of formative
assessment.” (Black & William, 1998)
Something as seemingly simple as having
students restate the problem or the question
can lead to creativity and self-confidence.
By allowing our students to talk about their
solutions or their thoughts, by allowing them
to talk with others, and even more powerful, if
they can spend time talking with their teacher,
students get immediate feedback and make
connections that will in turn, facilitate future
decision making.
Science notebooks can be a part of ongoing
formative assessment in the classroom.
The writing contained in these notebooks
can allow the teacher to see what students
understand, how they approach problem
solving, and what misconceptions they
have. Before you start thinking that the use
of notebooks in class means yet another
thing for you to grade, they aren’t for that
purpose. Formative assessment is not to
be graded, but for getting better, remember?
Science notebooks are more likely to be a
learning tool if students feel safe to express
what they know and to show how they know.
When students are actively engaged in
using notebooks, these notebooks have an
important role in improving expository writing,
vocabulary development, understanding the
nature of science and math, and improving
student learning and achievement. That’s a
lot of bang for a small notebook.
Based on brain research, teachers may be
accidentally impeding thinking, intelligence
and brain growth, and ultimately creating
“slow learners” by the lack of feedback and
the large lag time we have built into the
typical learning environment. How often do
classroom teachers meet with students and
actually spend time talking with them? A
conversation with students could be a handy
proactive tool instead of being faced with
re-teaching after discovering that half of the
class can’t apply the math concepts needed
for the constructed response.
When students talk deliberately, purposefully,
and perceptively, learning and thinking
increase dramatically. The better the
quality of the questions that we ask our
students, the more their brain is challenged
to think. A challenge to think should bring
about disequilibrium – when we are feeling
perplexed or unsure or even confused about

what we thought to be true – this is the time
that the brain is motivated to make sense of
the experience.
This is also the most opportune time for
learning! The more aware we are of how
children think, the more likely we are to
provide the kind of experiences that support
their search for meaning and understanding.
We can’t force children to understand, but
through effective questioning and providing
meaningful experiences, we can get them
engaged. The key is to get students to think,
and according to Ernest Dimnet, “Education
is the methodical creation of the habit of
thinking.”
“Kids’ views are often just
as valid as the teacher’s.
The best teachers are the
ones that know that.”
Morley Safer
As the “gatherer of information” in our
classrooms, we should strive to uncover the
thinking behind the answers. As educators
we miss out on a huge opportunity for
learning by not taking the time to diagnose
the so-called wrong answers. How would
our classrooms look and sound if we allowed
learners to work in groups to self-assess
their tests, and let them formulate their own
rules for understanding information? Our
challenge is to maximize learning without
interfering with the child’s sense-making
process.
what children really know and understand,
not just whether they have learned to follow
directions. When teachers allow children
to make sense of a task, they are actively
engaged and thinking in a way that would
not happen when they are directed through a
task.
Understanding means we make connections
and see relationships. We “get it.” If teachers
take the time to observe students and ask
questions of them to find out what they
understand, we will become aware that what
is obvious to us is not always obvious to
students. As it is for all learners, children
must construct understanding for themselves.
They must be allowed to go through the
process of “getting it”.
References
Jensen, E (1995). Brain-based Learning and
Teaching. Turning Point Publishing: Del Mar,
CA
Richardson, K (1997). Math Time: The
Learning Environment. Educational
Enrichment: Norman, OK.
Stiggins, R; Arter, J; Chappuis, J and
Chappuis, S (2004, 2006). Classroom
Assessment for Student Learning Doing
It Right-Using It Well . Educational Testing
Service: Portland, OR.
by Cathy Trahan
According to Kathy Richardson (1997), when
our focus is on how children perform rather
than their understanding, we tend to simply
teach children what to say or what to do;
the long division algorithm comes to mind!
We create illusions of learning that we often
view as success but that in fact hide the lack
of understanding. If we truly want to teach
for understanding, then we need to know

Getting Students to Think
Scientifically: Concept
Mapping and Interactive
Notebooks
by Doug Lombardi
For deep learning of scientific concepts,
students must develop the abilities to
understand and monitor what they do and
do not know. In other words, we must teach
students to think about their thinking, an
idea that is commonly called metacognition.
When students engage in metacognition, they
are self-assessing their understanding. But
teaching metacognitive knowledge (What have
I learned?) and monitoring (How can I assess
what I have learned?) must not occur as an
independent exercise; there is far too much
content that our students must know in order to
gain scientific literacy and successfully achieve.
It is critical that the student self-assessment be
embedded within the science content we teach.
The good news is that we can inject learning
about metacognition into our science lessons
with some simple, but effective, instructional
strategies.
Scientific Reasoning
In our science classes, we must increase
metacognitive awareness of scientific reasoning.
Specifically, we need to get our students to think
like a scientist. But how do scientists think and
reason?
Scientists are essentially experts in solving
problems. Of course, solving problems is
not unique to science, but scientists tend to
approach problem solving using a framework
for thinking. Furthermore, this framework is
centered on fundamental scientific principles.
For example, when considering a force and
motion problem, a scientist would first think
about the relevance of Newton’s Laws and their
connection to understanding how objects move
and react. On the other hand, students would
tend to solve the problem by first finding the
right equations (e.g., F = ma) and then figuring
out how they could use the equation to get an
answer (Anzai, 1991). Essentially, scientists
solve problems by organizing their thinking
around the Big Ideas that dominate their areas
of research, whereas students solve problems
based on superficial information.
Organizing Thinking Around the Big
Ideas of Science
If we want to move students towards organizing
their thinking around the big ideas of science,
they need strategies to help them with their
metacognitive understanding and monitoring.
Two effective strategies are the use of concept
mapping and interactive science notebooks.
Concept Mapping
Concept mapping can be used often during the
course of the school year as a way for students
to preview, review, and assess their conceptual
understanding. Furthermore, concept mapping
is an excellent tool for students to gauge how
these concepts are linked with big science
ideas. Within the first few days of school,
students should experience concept mapping
by reviewing the major concepts they have
learned in previous years. For example, in the
Clark County School District, most high school
freshmen are enrolled in Principles of Science.
Employing concept mapping at the beginning
of the year will allow students to explore the
connections between the big ideas they have
learned in middle school life, Earth, and physical
science. The figure below is a simple example
showing how the big science idea of energy is
linked to within these content areas.
The concept map shown above is really a web,
with the central idea in the center. To develop

this format, concept words are given to the
students with the following instructions.
1. Link the concept words in a reasonable and
sensible matter.
2. Put a circle around the concept word
3. Provide a one or two sentence description
that shows how the two concepts are
linked.
4. The linked sentences should contain
the two concept words that are being
connected.
5. The map should be scored on the quality of
the link description
a. Detailed and correct link description
that is evident of deep understanding (2
points)
b. Shallow (superficial) and correct link
description that is evident of partial
understanding (1 point)
c. Incorrect description (0 point)
These instructions are very simple, but
encourage students to generate as many
descriptive and accurate links as possible. Note,
the focus here is on the connection, not the
concept word, which is given to the students.
There is no upper limit to the number of points
students can get on this activity, which motivates
students to create more links. These maps can
be graded on a criterion scale that is based on
the number of content words. For example, if
20 concept words are included, an excellent
concept map would include at least 20 detailed
and correct links (40 points).
In a preview or review scenario, concept
mapping may be facilitated by students working
in groups of two or three. This encourages
students to think aloud as they discuss linkages
between concepts. Also, the teacher acts as the
role of the coach by circulating around the room,
asking students to provided reasoning for their
links, and providing cues to help them achieve
a deeper level of processing. Students can
prepare their maps on large poster size pieces
of paper, which allows the entire group to be
engaged in the activity.
Ultimately, as concept mapping is used
frequently throughout the school year, students
develop the organization skills, which help
the students’ metacognitive knowledge. The
concept map also serves as a way to monitor
this metacognitive organizational process. In this
way, students are self-assessing their overall
understanding of science.
Interactive Science Notebooks
Metacognitive knowledge and monitoring
can also be developed through interactive
note taking, particularly by helping students
with “real-time” organization of information
presented during class time. The interactive
science notebook organizes science knowledge
in three parts labeled, the (a) IN question, (b)
THROUGH section, and (c) OUT question.
More details about these sections and how to
implement interactive science notebooks are
found in Volume 2, Issue 2 of RPDP’s Science
Dissected Newsletter. This particular newsletter
was written by RPDP Regional Science Trainer,
Bret Sibley, and is found at http://rpdp.net/adm/
uploads.news/sciencedis/57v2i2SDInteractiveSc
ienceNotebooks.pdf.
Building Success on Success
Using concept mapping and interactive science
notebooks require initial time for training at
the beginning of the school year. But such
investments in time pay huge dividends later
when students begin to reason scientifically by
actively organizing their knowledge in a way that
help them solve problems in a more efficient
and accurate manner. Taking this initial time to
build success on success will motivate students
to engage in metacognitive processes that will
deepen their understanding of science content
and increase their achievement in science,
especially if concept mapping and interactive
notebooks are embedded within the concepts
being taught.
Reference
Anzai, Y. (1991). Learning and use of
representations for physics expertise. In K. A.
Anders & J. Smith (Eds.), Toward a general
theory of expertise (pp. 64-92). New York:
Cambridge University Press.

Professional
Development
Secondary Literacy
• Literacy in the Content Areas (4-12)
• Effective Strategies to Teach Vocabulary
(K-12)
• Reading Comprehension (4-12)
• Brain Compatible Learning Strategies
(K-12)
• Strategies to Reach All Learners (6-12)
• Curriculum Mapping (Open to Reading &
English Teachers Only)
*************************************************************************
Secondary Math
• Introduction to TI-83/84
• Intermediate TI - 83/84
*************************************************************************
Elementary Science
• K-2 Science and Literacy
• 3-5 Science and Literacy
• Introduction to Science Notebooks K-5
*************************************************************************
Elementay Math
• Mental Math and Algorithms
• Connecting the Math Strands K-2
• Connecting the Math Strands 3 - 5
******************************************************
Elementary Literacy
• Words Their Way
• K-1 Literacy Centers
• State Writing Assessment
• Literacy Stations 3-5
• Small Group Instruction
Offerings
Summer
Technology
• Power Point Basics
• Photoshop Elements
• Computer Bonanza
• Adobe Acrobat
• The Making and Watching of Multimedia
Visual Recordings
• The Diverse World of iPOD
• Internet Activities
• Microsoft Office: Course I
• Microsoft Office: Course II
• Microsoft Office: Course III
• Macromedia Fireworks
• Macromedia Flash
• Integration with Productivity Programs
• Methods and Teaching the Integration of
Technology with Curriculum
• Internet Resources
• Desktop Publishing
• Web Design
• Macromedia Dreamweaver I
• Macromedia Dreamweaver II
• Design and Application of Technology
Applications
• Handheld Technologies
• Document Management
• The Electronic Environment
• Creating Video Tutorials
• Video and Audio Editing
• K-12 Classroom Technology Strategies
Visit the RPDP website (rpdp.net) to view
the RPDP course catalogs and register online.