Lesson Study Cycle 2
A new round of lesson study means a new team to collaborate with. An 11th grade humanities teacher, a 12th grade math teacher, a middle school robots teacher, and a I ask how can we make effective, student-centered cognitive routines. Our research project is memorialized in our group document below. Take a look!
Our Inquiry Cycle
Equity-Based Research Theme: Our team’s problem of practice asks how cognitive routines are currently used in our diverse elementary and secondary schools, and if we are utilizing student-centered cognitive routines to support independent problem solving. We envision our students utilizing cognitive routines independently and across various academic contexts. Our central question is: How can we support students in using cognitive routines so that classroom learning is transferable across academic problems and contexts?
PDSA Cycles: Through a Plan-Do-Study-Act protocol and mentorship from our Knowledgable Other (KO), our team generated two successful change ideas built on student data. Our 5th- 12th grade students struggle to independently problem solve academic tasks across subjects, so our team wanted to test how effective student-centered cognitive routines support student learning. Our research lesson was conducted in an 11th grade humanities classroom where students engaged in a Spiderweb Discussion on the 1950s-1960s Puerto Rico Birth Control Trials. To prepare for their discussion, students were explicitly taught two cognitive routines by our group: CER and Headlines.
1.) Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER)
Claim-Evidence-Reasoning is a cognitive routine that breaks down the process of creating a claim. In our lesson study class, students used their research and resources from the unit to complete a CER paragraph arguing which factor most enabled the birth control trials and how it shaped researchers’ actions in the trial.
2.) Headlines
This cognitive routine challenges students to identify the main idea of a topic in a unique way. Lesson study students were tasked with writing a one page research paper called Headlines. Expectations included using visual evidence and one major headline to communicate a claim about how and why the birth control trials
Content Understanding Goal: Students will be able to use at least one previously practiced cognitive routine to support sharing their key ideas, themes, connections and arguments from the Puerto Rico Birth Control Trials Unit during a whole-class Spiderweb Discussion. A Spiderweb Discussion is a discussion where the teacher tracks each speaker on a paper while students sit in a circle-the outcome resembling a large spider web of connecting ideas.
What do successful student-centered cognitive routines look like?
Student-centered cognitive routines are supportive and most likely to transfer across academic contexts when…
1. Cognitive demands are leveled and accessible through low floors, high ceilings, and wide walls.
2. Routines are clearly modeled by the educator; while all learners practice and evaluate their connections
3. The right amount of choice is provided for students
Student Data
Spiderweb Discussion
Focal Student 1
Student with a 504 plan – cycle of falling behind in work and getting distracted by personal passion projects and peers
Focal Student 2
EML/IEP – will often not ask for help until after assignment is due
Focal Student 3
Student who is currently being assessed for a 504 but has shown a lot of signs of late ADHD – checks out easily; high verbal engagement, but often off topic convo in small group settings
Student Feedback on Headlines
Student Feedback on CER
Cognitive Routines in 5th Grade
Lesson Study Cycle 2 deepened my understanding of the lesson study process itself. Initially our problem of practice was focused on knowledge transference and the ability to problem solve outside of academic contexts. Our team envisioned students using their critical thinking skills to independently problem solve. After collecting Street Data, our research question become more clear, that we wanted students to independently complete any academic task in any context. Cognitive routines were clearly helpful for our 11th grade lesson study students, and in my own practice it is clear that our PDSA cognitive routines helped my 5th graders. My students loved having structure to work through critical analyzing claims because they had a clear framework to guide their thinking. Moving forward I envision explicitly teaching cognitive routines to support student's reasoning skills, specifically through cognitively guided instruction, reading comprehension, and informational and opinion writing.
