Assignments: Geornesia Moses

Reflection#1: Week of Jan. 20th & Jan. 27th Wondering: How can my teaching affect motivation? What is the relationship between engagement and motivation? Between this week and last week, I have had several incidences with students where my place in the classroom has been questioned. On the week of January, 20th, I was left in the classroom alone while Mrs. B held a phone conference in a nearby office. I really enjoyed this short moment of autonomy as a future teacher with the students. I was working with the students on a math review problem first thing in the morning. It was a bit difficult to get incoming students to get on task to do the review problem so early in the morning. I figured that I should remind the students of what they should be doing in the morning and then refer them back to the review problem so that they could get focused on what they should be doing at the moment. One of the students, who we will name Michael, decided that it would be much better for him to play around and ignore my redirection. So, after a few gentle warnings and encouragement to get the work done, I told Michael that I would like him to do his work or he would have to write in the behavior book. The behavior book is a disciplinary measure used in my classroom to help students think about their undesirable actions by writing out both the reason for the disciplinary action and the consequence. At that moment, Michael decided to challenge me by calling out my level of authority. He said You cant make me sign the behavior book because you arent my teacher. You arent even a teacher. Only teachers can make me sign the behavior book. Youre just an intern. You arent even certified. As I reminded myself of how I should effectively communicate with Michael while holding back my emotions, I politely responded in a stern voice, I am certified, but I have yet to graduate. But, you will respect me as an adult in this classroom whether I am a teacher or not. Thank you. As I walked away from the student, I heard another student say, Man, just do your work. Earning the backing from just one student in the class really made me feel like I had made my mark in the classroom that day. I didnt stoop to Michaels level, proving that I was the adult I said he should respect and I also made sure to place a demand on his behavior without putting him down. I think both Michael and I learned something important that day. It is how you respond that makes a difference in any situation. The rest of the students also learned that I was a true authority figure in the classroom and that I deserve respect just like they do. It was a very interesting moment for me because I was able to test out what Ive learned hypothetically in my coursework to a real life situation in the classroom. My inquiry focus immediately became, How can I motivate students to learn? A relatively significant amount of my students have been retained at least once and some even twice. I know that a lot of my students have major issues at home. I also know that the fifth grade curriculum is extremely demanding and leaves little room for excitement. Especially, since the curriculum is mostly scripted and follows a county set guideline for instruction in the form of a curriculum guide or LDC. I worry that students arent learning because they just arent interested. How can I help students see the value in learning and the importance of school? Id like to think that presenting them with engaging material that allows them to be the constructors

Assignments: Geornesia Moses

of their own knowledge is an essential key to the engagement and motivation piece that is missing for most of my students, but I find it to be a very difficult thing to practice in the classroom due to the curriculum constraints. I find that teachers get frustrated because students arent motivated. In my time within the classroom, Id like to challenge myself to overcome the barriers and constraints of the curriculum so that I can help motivate my students to learn by way of full engagement. I believe Michael challenged me because he wanted to get a feel for who I was as an individual especially since he chose to challenge me when Mrs. B was out. Aside from that, I think that Michael was just not motivated to do the review problem. Frankly, he didnt care and would much rather talk with his classmates and wander around the classroom. In his mind, the work had no value. In the week starting on Jan. 27th, I noticed that one of my students, who we will call Donovan, decided that he just was done with school. His attitude towards learning was extremely indifferent and if he did do any work, it was done haphazardly. He was over school and showing the signs of senioritis for a fifth grader. I was shocked at his lack of desire to do work and even with constant urging and probing, Donovan decided not to talk at all when spoken to about his work. Donovan is pretty social and likes to have fun and make jokes, but when it is time for academics, he just shuts down. Im not sure exactly why Donovan acts this way in class, but I am sure that it has something to do with his motivation to do work. He is also one of my students who I have learned has a difficult home life situation. I know that I will have plenty of students with those issues, I wonder, how can I use my teaching as a tool to motivate students to learn in school despite their issues at home? *I must take into account that both Donovan and Michael are in my Math/Science class and therefore I may have a skewed image of their motivation due to specified contents taught in my class. Maybe the boys enjoy Reading and Writing better than Math and Science. Or, maybe the boys have a better relationship with their other teacher than they do with me or Mrs. B. Either way, these are factors that can affect motivation for the students.

Assignments: Geornesia Moses

Reflection #2: Week of Feb. 3rd This week came with a few challenges, but I am learning that how you approach those challenges is what makes all the difference. On Monday, our Reading/Writing team teacher decided not to show up and didnt call in until after 7:00am. Matter of fact, she didnt show up all week. She has issues with attendance. We didnt have a sub and therefore, Mrs. Barber and I had to split up where she taught the Reading/Writing class next door and I taught Math/Science in our class. I was a bit nervous to be teaching the students without Mrs. Barber in sight, but I knew that she was within close reach if I really needed her. Note to self: Be on time and try your best not to miss school. The children depend on you and need that consistency of your daily presence in the classroom. I ran into some management issues with the students because I have two boys who refuse to stay on task and try their best to distract others. The student known as Donovan who I talked about last week is a jokester and would much rather make me and his classmates laugh instead of doing his work. I avoid laughing at his shenanigans, but some of the students cant resist. The other student who causes trouble in most every class we will call Robert. Robert just likes to play around, tap on the desks, break pencils, and play with his rainbow looms bands (a silly band fad that is driving elementary teacher crazy everywhere!). He has also claimed to have a bad home life, but uses that as an excuse to act out in school. Once when I talked with him concerning his undesirable behavior, he said I come to school so that I dont have to deal with this. So that I can escape all of the crazy stuff that goes on at home. I was little concerned at first and although there may be a bit of truth in his statement, he uses this response in a variety of ways to try to get out of getting in trouble. I question the sincerity of his claims. On another note, I am concern with how I can motivate Donovan and Robert. They both are very smart and could excel if their behaviors improved. As a teacher, it will be my responsibility to help ALL students learn. I question, How can I motivate students like Donovan and Robert to learn if their behavior continues to be an issue in the classroom? I also want to focus on reaching these student in particular because they are beginning to take away from the entire classes learning and I have even had a couple of complaints from students and parents about how these students are affecting other students learning. Possible solutions that I have so far are as follows: 1. Constructing some form of a behavior and/or academic contract with incentives 2. Effective Communication (contingent-action proposal, confirmatory paraphrase, approval statement, and disapproval statement, etc.) 3. Specific Praise that fosters intrinsic motivation (You should feel proud of yourself for completing your work in class today. I really appreciate your hard work and effort.

Wondering My wondering is pretty broad right now, but it is concerning the motivation of students to learn. I believe that the main purpose of teaching is to instill knowledge and character within our students. I am a huge advocate for respect and civility within the classroom. As a future educator, I am also a huge advocate for student learning. In order for students to learn, they must

Assignments: Geornesia Moses

be engaged, but before they are engaged, they must be motivated to learn. I have tried several activities in the classroom that I thought would be engaging that were engaging to some students while others couldnt care less. I wonder, How can I reach those students who couldnt care less about learning? How can my teaching affect students motivation to learn? I came from the angle of engagement originally, but now I see that although there is a relationship between engagement and motivation, it starts at the students level of motivation to learn which can be altered by engagement. I am looking for a consistent level of motivation that starts within the students which can then be heightened by engaging lessons and activities. As an intern, I sometimes doubt my level of ability to affect those troubled students, but I know that I am in an environment where I can try new things and learn from them as well. I chose my wondering because I remember going to 5th grade and how excited I was to learn! I was student on the month, teachers helper, and a peer-tutor. I did well in most all academic subjects and if I had any struggles, I tried my best to push through them. As I reflect on my experience in 5th grade, I realize that although there were some extrinsic motivation factors, I was mostly intrinsically motivated to learn and I am still am to this day. I realized that this necessity for future success was lacking in a number of my students. So, I decided to choose this wondering to see if my teaching could help change my students motivation towards learning and hopefully equip them with the skills necessary to excel in middle school and in life. *The only literature I have found so far is: An Educators Guide to Student Motivation, James M. Cooper & Mary McCaslin. It is a part of the Cengage Learning Guide Series.

Assignments: Geornesia Moses

Video Reflection Lesson Plan USFD Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template (S2014) Name: Geornesia Moses Grade Level Being Taught: 5th grade Subject/Content Area: Science Group Size: 18 Date of Lesson:02/05/2014 Lesson Content S.C.5.E.5.2 Recognize the major common characteristics of all planets and What Standards (national or state) relate compare/contrast the properties of inner and outer planets. S.C.5.E.5.3 Distinguish among the following objects of the Solar System, to this lesson? Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and identify Earths positions in it. Essential Understanding What are the common characteristics of all planets? How are inner and outer planets different? Students will be able to: Objectives- What are you teaching? Put the planets in the correct order from the Sun. Determine which planets are inner planets and which are outer planets. Compare/contrast the distance from the Sun of the inner planets and outer planets. -Students need to learn about the Solar system because it is an essential Rationale Address the following science concept that is directly related to their lives since we all live on questions: Earth. Why are you teaching -The lesson fits into the curriculum because it follows the curriculum guide this objective? for the county. It is also being taught in both Science and Language Arts Where does this classes. This interdisciplinary approach to learning helps students connects lesson fit within a concepts and ideas across curriculums and content areas. This unit also larger plan? connects with Math due to the embedded skills of estimation and Why are you teaching measurement. it this way? -I will teach the lesson in the intended way because it is organized and Why is it important follows a logical flow. It also connects to a performance task that students for students to learn will be expected to complete by the end of the What is a Galaxy? unit. The this concept? lesson is also presented in an interactive way that gets students thinking and wondering about concepts such as space and the Solar System. -It is important for students to learn this concept so that they can develop conceptual understanding about galaxies, the Solar System, and their many characteristics. Learning about the galaxies and its constituents such as the Solar system is vital in promoting a variety of potential science-related career paths for students. By studying these topics, it could spark an interest in astronomical studies for students. Evaluation Plan- How will you know students have mastered your objectives? Address the following: Formative assessment will be taken as I monitor students and circulate while probing students with questions like How do you know that they Earth is before Venus in the order of the planets? or How does the distance of planets change as they get further away from the Sun? At the end of the lesson, students will have a notebook stop that requires

Assignments: Geornesia Moses

What formative evidence will you use to document student learning during this lesson? What summative evidence will you collect, either during this lesson or in upcoming lessons?

What Content Knowledge is necessary for a teacher to teach this material? What background knowledge is necessary for a student to successfully meet these objectives?

them to answer the questions, Based on the reading and our model, which planets are considered inner planets and which planets are considered outer planets? How do you know? I will review their answers and gauge their understanding to assess whether I need to reteach before moving on with the next lesson. Students will be required to complete a performance task at the need of the entire unit where their knowledge of the information from this lesson will be vital in completing the task. The performance task is as follows, What makes up a galaxy? After reading informational text, write a scientific report that includes a chart and a model in which you define a galaxy and explain the characteristics of inner and outer planets in our Solar System. Give several examples from the texts, observations, and notes to support your discussion. What conclusion can you draw about why Pluto is not a planet? I will need to know the order of the planets in the Solar system and which planets are inner and outer planets. I also need to know the estimated distance between planets and how far apart they look. I need to have basic knowledge of how to use a rule and how to read a data chart. Students need to know: -the planets by name -the objects in the Solar System -know how to compare and contrast -know that the Sun is the center of the Solar System -Earth is a part of the Solar System Students will gain access to this knowledge through previous lessons concerning the celestial bodies and their connections with each other. Students will also explore information in their student packets and textbooks to gain more information about the inner and outer planets to complete the assignment. I will ensure that they know this by formatively assessing their work and reading through their notebooks stops. I will also be able to gauge their knowledge based on their answers to questions and interactions in groups. I know that students have a fair amount of background knowledge concerning the Sun and the Solar System. They understand that inner and outer planets exists even if they dont know the correct order. The students know that the Sun is in the center of the Solar System. Students also know about moons, asteroids, comets, and their characteristics from previous lessons. This lesson will build on their knowledge and grow their understanding of the content at hand.

What misconceptions might students have about this content?

I want to disprove the misconceptions that: -Pluto is a planet -all planets are equal distance from the Sun -planets arent in any particular order -planets are different distances from each other

Assignments: Geornesia Moses

-we cant measure distance in space because we have never been there -there are no differences in planets, they are all the same -the Sun is a planet Lesson Implementation I will use a combination of teaching methods such as whole class Teaching Methods discussion, group work, and individual work. I will follow the guided release model and pull small groups if necessary. Additionally, I will use the 5Es in my science lesson to be sure that I am following the proper guidelines for effective science instruction. Time Who is Engage: Ordering the Planets Step-by-Step Plan (What exactly do you plan 15 mins responsible to do in teaching this (Teacher or 1. Put students in teams of 4. lesson? Be thorough. Act Students)? 2. Give a set of Clue Cards to each team and as if you needed a How did have each students take 1 card. substitute to carry out the you know 3. Students will cut out cards and take turns lesson for you.) that ______ reading one clue on their clue cards. (planet) was 4. Students will put the clues planets in order Where applicable, be sure before/after based on the clues. to address the following: _____? Explore: Planet Walk What Higher Order Thinking (H.O.T.) 15 mins (The planet walk will be set up before class and a questions will you sign Sun will be placed at the farthest end from ask? This is a the school while the other planets will fall in How will materials be large model varying estimated distances from the sun around distributed? of where the the campus.) Use the Who will work planets are in http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/solar_system/ together in groups and our Solar to calculate the distances. how will you System. Why 1. Take students to the SUN sign. determine the do we use a 2. Walk with students to the various planets grouping? model to signs in order away from the SUN. How will students study 3. Continue to walk until you have reached transition between distances the last planet in the model. activities? between What will you as the planets? Smaller Scale Model teacher do? 20 mins 1. Pass out about 10 skittles, a ruler, and What will the students How do the masking task at each group table. do? distances 2. Have students read page T117 in the What student data from the Sun National Geographic Science Textbookwill be collected of the first 4 Science in a Snap. during each phase? planets 3. Students will create a scale model of the What are other adults compare to planets in the Solar System using the in the room doing? those of the materials given. How are they last 4 supporting students 10 mins planets? Explain learning? How does 1. Textbook reading on page 117. What model of cothe distance 2. Notebook Stop- Students will answer the

Assignments: Geornesia Moses

teaching are you using?

between planets change as the planets get farther from the Sun? What does the data chart show us? If the distance from Earth to the Sun is 1 unit, what unit could we use in our model?

question in their science notebooks.

Struggling Students

Based on the reading and out model, which planets are considered inner planets and which planets are considered outer planets? How do you know? Students who struggle with the content will receive more individualized instruction from me and also receive more opportunity to watch me model and scaffold the concept of distance in the Solar system. I would also show them the Solar System module on Studyjams at: http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/index.htm

Assignments: Geornesia Moses

Or the Solar system moving diagram from astronomykids.com at: http://www.kidsastronomy.com/solar_system.htm. Specifically, I would actual students and place them distance from each other and label them with different names of the celestial bodies so that they can visually see the distances. If more attention is needed, I will direct students to the reading in the text and ask that they take notes using a graphic organizer of some sort such as a foldable, T-Chart, or Cornell notes to organize the information. What will you do if If some students master the material while others struggle, I would try my best to pair the students (one who has mastered the material and one who is struggling) into the turn and talk about the Solar System. I may even have those students share their diagrams and other information with those struggling students so that they can both expand their knowledge. This way, the more advanced student will be able to reteach the concept to the struggling student. Therefore, the struggling students understanding will be heightened while ensuring that the advanced student has a thorough understanding of the concept as well. This lesson gives students to opportunity to get up and move around the school. It moves the learning beyond the classroom and stretches its boundaries. It also provides the active students with a chance to get out of their seats and get moving while they learn. Some students get bored very quickly sitting down and even lose focus because of the monotony of sitting in a chair. By doing the planet walk, students get to experience the learning and actually travel through the Solar system. Culturally, students are immersed in the idea of the natural universe and students can all share in the mutual understanding that they share the Earth with each other. It provides students with a bonding experience as they see how they all need the Earth and understand how it functions as a component in the Solar system. The metaphor could be used to describe students as an astronomical unit that can functions as a whole together just like the Solar system. Depending on students needs whether behavioral, social, or cultural, this lesson can address their needs on various levels. The instruction can meet the learners where they are. I would ask students to answer any research questions that they may come up with in class like Why isnt Pluto considered a planet? or Why is Earth not closer to the Sun? Students will be able to expand their knowledge by taking their knowledge outside of the classroom and extending it into their home lives. Students can also work on completing a mini-poster, brochure, or project of some kind where pick a planet and present any information they have about that planet. Students can become experts on a particular planet and present their findings to the whole class. Students can also pick a celestial body and writing a persuasive piece about why that object is the best in all of the Solar System. For my ESOL student, I will ensure that I enunciate my words and make

Meeting your students needs as people and as learners

Enrichment/Extension

ESOL students

Assignments: Geornesia Moses

Accommodations (If needed)

sure that he is following along as I read aloud to the whole class. Since he both understands and speaks English, my ESOL student wont have too much trouble understanding what I say and may not be able to read the textbook. I may read the book to the students or use pictures to convey the information to the student. During the group activity, I will place my ESOL student with my gifted student so that they will be more equipped to express the ideas that I explained in my teaching. I may also place her with another Spanish-speaking student who can convey instruction and ideas about the content to that student. Within this discussion time, I will set aside time for the ESOL student to explain to me as best she can what she understands about the Solar System using my limited Spanish proficiency, pictures, and gesturing. If there are any discrepancies, I will use my online resources and solicit the help of my bilingual student if necessary. After the lesson, I will work with her more individually if needed. The students who need more time with the activities, I will be sure to set them aside and grant them more time. I would also work individually with these students and pull them for small group reteaching if necessary. I would also provide more visual for those students and use food like skittles to represent different planets in order to engage students who arent engaged in the lesson or motivated to learn. Some students may not have the necessary vocabulary base necessary for the lesson (M, D, and J) I will review essential vocabulary like inner planet, outer planet, revolve, orbit, Solar System, and planets just to ensure that they have the foundational understanding necessary to grasp the content being taught. I will also engage students in conversation and gauge their understanding that way. If their ideas dont match what I have taught or if they arent coherent, then I will explain the distance in the Solar System and plan to reteach it again in the future using different texts, diagrams, and charts (K) Per group I will need: 1 set of Ordering the Planet Clue Cards, 1 set of Planet Cards Planet Walk set up for outside Skittles, 1 long piece of masking tape, 1 ruler, and the National Geographic Textbook These materials were chosen to enhance the learning experience and provide students with a hands-on, minds-on set of activities to get them truly involved and engaged in the learning. Students also need the textbook as a resource to provide them with the information they need to make the learning more concrete.

Materials (What materials will you use? Why did you choose these materials? Include any resources you used. This can also include people!)

*Lesson adapted from the Fifth Grade LDC Planets: Science Lesson 7 USFD Elementary Education SAMPLE Science Lesson Plan Template (S2014)

Assignments: Geornesia Moses

Video Reflection The Reflection 1. What aspects of your lesson were implemented differently than you planned? Why did that happen? Originally, I had planned for the students to complete the planet walk outside, but it rained that day and I had to improvise. So, the students completed the planet walk around the hallways of the school. Due to these restraints, I wasnt able to include the planets that were farthest away (Neptune and Uranus). Additionally, when the students were making models, they were supposed to use clay in the LDC module to find the distance between the planets and the sun, but I decided to let them use skittles to increase their levels of engagement. Since the activities were so time consuming, we didnt complete the notebook stop at the end of the lesson which served as a form of assessment. 2. If you were going to teach this lesson to the same group of students, what would you do differently? Why? What would you do the same? Why? If I were to teach this lesson again, I would probably choose only one of the activities (either the planet walk or model) because the students had so many activities to do that time constraints became an issue. Also, due to student behaviors, I would more than likely remove the planet walk although I felt like it really did help the students see and feel the scaled distance of the planets from the sun. Some students were making connections to the content while others were not. Next time, I will be sure to make more explicit connections to the content and provide the students with a basis for distance such as using a meter stick to help the students better understand how Saturn was 104 m away from the sun in our model. It was suggested that next time, I give the students something to do will they are on the planet walk like an activity sheet of some sort so that they have a focus while they explore the solar system model. 3. What surprised you in your lesson? I was surprised at how the students reacted to being able to learn outside of the classroom. I thought that they would be more cooperative and willing to learn since they got to break out of the monotonous routine of sitting at their desks. Science is active and I thought that the components of the lesson would really get students moving and thinking. On the other hand, I was also surprised at how innovative the students were with putting their model solar systems together and how they used the data from the chart in the book, converted it to the units they were using, and then paced each piece of tape out properly to show the distance of the planets from the sun. I used this as a point of assessment since the time was minimal for the students to complete the notebook stop. 4. Describe an instance or particular encounter that comes to mind. Why did you pick that instance? What is so perplexing about that particular moment?

Assignments: Geornesia Moses

When the students were working on the beginning activity where they had to put the planet sin order according to the clue cards, I was astounded by the knowledge that they had gained just from working on the LDC overtime. They made real life connections by referring to their positions on earth and even made math connections as they estimated the distances of the planets from each other in the model. I chose this instance because I love when students think critically and make connections to the learning that I didnt even think about. I try my best not to put students in a bubble because their creativity is limitless! 5. What connections can you make to your lesson today from your coursework, the literature, and any previous lessons or experiences? I learned that classroom management is very important and the ability to be flexible is a skill that although not taught in class is required in the internship and field experiences. In regards to lesson planning, I have learned that a detailed lesson can be very helpful to explain the process of a lesson to a substitute and that explaining each step is vital. From my Science Methods course, I have learned that I can use the 5 Es to organize the structure of my science lesson and incorporate those ideals throughout the lesson planning and implementation. Analysis Questions to consider specific to a science lesson: 1. In what ways did you access prior knowledge? What misconceptions were revealed during this lesson? I did a review with the students about the inner and outer planets and talked about the distances from the Earth. We even explored the characteristics of each planet and tried to make claims about the Solar System that could be proven or disproven by the activities that we completed. Some students claimed that they inner planets are rocky while the outer planets are gaseous. Other students thought that Jupiter was larger than the Sun and that all of the planets orbit the sun using in the same amount of time. Students believe that they planets were all the same size, but in this lesson they got to see the scaled sizes of the planets and noticed that Jupiter is larger than Earth and that it is one of the outer planets. Students also thought that the distance from the planets didnt really matter although they did know that they inner and outer planets were separated by the asteroid belt. These misconceptions were revealed throughout the activities and I revisited some of the questions that students asked earlier and talked about some of the claims that were made in the earlier part of the lesson. 3. Consider the extent to which you provided opportunities for your students to 'do' science. What process skills/practices were embedded and discussed in the lesson? Students were involved in the process of doing science all throughout the lesson. My only job was to facilitate the learning process by giving directions and guidance. Students worked in groups of four for ordering the planets and scaled model activities since science is social. Students also were required to use charts and articles to decipher information and clarify any misunderstandings or justify any of their claims. Students were thinking like scientists. I think that next time, I will actually say, You all are

Assignments: Geornesia Moses

astronomers! I want them to embody that role and be empowered by the knowledge that they gain from the lesson. 3. Analyze the explain phase. To what extent were the students sharing discoveries from their exploration? Consider your scientific explanations. Were you accurate in your discussions of science content? Were you precise in your use of vocabulary? Did you encourage precision in students' use of vocabulary? Did you support student accuracy (in other words, did you correctly identify student work as accurate or inaccurate)? This does not mean that you necessarily told a student they were wrong, but that you recognized their lack of accuracy and took steps to support their further learning. I allowed the students to review the articles that they had read about the Solar System and the different planets. I also had them review charts and information cards within the student packets so that they could pull information to make connections and discussions about their discoveries. I would help lead students to the correct idea by probing them and asking other students if they agreed or disagreed and asked for an explanation. Students also used their National Geographic textbooks to look at diagrams and refer back to tables that would help clarify any misunderstandings and give greater insight for vocabulary. Although the students didnt get to complete the notebook stop for me to have tangible evidence of their vocabulary usage, I did monitor the students and listed for key vocabulary terms that I highlighted by repeating them aloud to all of the students using the example from the groups. For example, one student said Earth orbits the sun. I repeated the vocabulary word orbits and then I gave the group example, asked students what they thought it meant, and then clarified their definition if necessary. 4. Consider how science was represented in the class. What explicit connections were made to the nature of science? The science process cards (predicting, measuring, observing) are on the cabinets in near the sink in the classroom, but I didnt refer back to them during my lesson. That is something I will do next time. The nature of science was evident in that students were working in groups, being creative with their models, researching any unknown ideas, creating new questions to ask based on new information, and learning how to better understand the world around them. Students also learned that science demands evidence and by pulling the information from the articles, charts, and text, they were practicing how to support their claims.