1 of 21

PLTW Launch

Simplifying Instruction for Newer Launch Teachers

Spring PD Day

March 9, 2022

Block 2 10:30-12:00

2 of 21

Hello!

Lindsey Ayers

  • Franklin Ave Elementary Westfield, MA
  • Launch teacher 3 years (Grade 2)
  • PLTW Launch Lead Teacher & Community Lead

2

3 of 21

Agenda

  • Courses Scavenger Hunt
  • Share Highlights
  • Simplifying the Teacher Guide
    • Planning & Collaborating

3

4 of 21

Session Goals

  1. Become familiar and confident with the teacher guide and student guide.
  2. Use the elements of the teacher guide to begin planning for instruction.

4

5 of 21

Quick Survey

  • Grade Levels
    • K-1, 2-3, 4-5
  • Classroom teachers or specialists?
  • Experience
    • 1st year, 2+

6 of 21

​

Part 1: Scavenger Hunt

7 of 21

PLTW Courses Scavenger Hunt

  • Purpose: To familiarize ourselves with the elements of the teacher guide and student guide so we are more comfortable planning for instruction.

​

  • Directions: Work with a partner or small group on a module you teach or plan to teach. Complete each task as you record answers or locations of items.

7

8 of 21

Scavenger Hunt

8

9 of 21

Scavenger Hunt Debrief

  • Share any “aha moments” or new discoveries
  • What was easy to find? difficult?
  • What questions do you still have?

9

10 of 21

Teacher Guide Highlights

Family Letter

Introduction to the module

Additional Instructional Resources

(music,videos, books, etc)

Introduction to the module

Summative Assessment

-rubrics, check for understanding

Problem Teacher Resources

Discussion Questions

Throughout Teacher Guide

Conclusion Questions

-great formative assessment after a lesson

End of Module

11 of 21

Student Guide Highlights

Interactive Vocabulary Cards

throughout module

Introduction Story-audio

Introduction (note: not available in older modules)

Scientific Inquiry/Engineering Design videos

Project/Problem

Criteria & Constraints

Problem

12 of 21

Launchpad Highlights

Professional Development for Teachers

  • Module-Specific APB Overviews
  • Design process songs
  • Using Launch Logs
  • Build your questioning skills

​

13 of 21

Part 2: Planning for Instruction

14 of 21

Small Group Discussion

  1. How do you use the student guide?
  2. How do you prepare for launch instruction day to day?
  3. What technology do you integrate into your instruction?

14

Current Practices

15 of 21

Lesson Template-Why?

  • Focus on the big idea of lesson-pull out what is most important from teacher guide
  • Scheduling
  • Refer to during instruction
  • Pose planned questions in the moment
  • Gather materials
  • Prevent the need to toggle
  • Save for next time!

15

16 of 21

Module:

Part of Module (APB):

Grade Level:

Total Lesson Time:

Student Learning Goal:

Activity

Planned Questions

Prep/Materials

Step 1:

​

​

  • ​

Step 2:

​

​

​

  • ​

Step 3:

​

​

​

  • ​

Step 4:

​

​

​

​

  • ​

Step 5:

​

​

  • ​

Step 6:

​

​

  • ​

Additional Notes

​

​

​

PLTW Launch Session-at-a-Glance

17 of 21

Module: Diversity of Life-Living Things

Part of Module (APB): Intro & Activity 1 Part 1

Grade Level: 2

Total Session Time: 45m

Student Learning Goal: Students will identify the problem of the introduction story.

Activity

Planned Questions

Prep/Materials

Step 1:

10 min

-Assign partners

-Read intro story together and find problem-record on chart paper

What is the problem that Suzie, Mylo, and Angelina have to solve?

​

What are your ideas for how the problem could be solved?

  • S. guide projected
  • Chart paper
  • Markers
  • Turn & talk partners

Step 2:

5 min

-Read student introduction together

-View vocab flipcards “habitat”, “characteristic”

-What is a characteristic of this pencil?

-What is a characteristic of your best friend?

​

  • S. guide projected

Step 3:

5 min

​

-Teach “observe” and “feature” and provide examples as needed

​

  • S. guide projected

Step 4:

10 min

Display ”What do we have in common”?

-What do you think living things need to live, grow, and survive?

-What living things have you seen in our community?

-What characteristics do these living things have?

​

  • S. guide projected
  • Student Chromebooks

Step 5:

5 min

Project slide 5- living and nonliving things

-How can we tell if something is living/nonliving?

  • Slide 5

Step 6:

5 min

Explicitly teach meaning of “biodiversity”

​

  • S. guide projected
  • Slide 6

Additional Notes

-Send home family letter

​

PLTW Launch Lesson-at-a-Glance

18 of 21

Work Time!

19 of 21

Ways to Keep in Touch

  • Join the PLTW Launch Learning Team
    • Monthly meetings (mostly virtual)
  • Use the Community Forum
  • Sign up for coaching

​

Use the PD Day Website!

19

20 of 21

Final Thoughts

What was helpful here?

Share a takeaway.

20

21 of 21

Closing

My Contact:

Lindsey Ayers

l.ayers@schoolsofwestfield.org

413-563-0090

@lindseyyayers

21