Two-Column Notes

Date:
11/9/16

Name: Kristen Tabesh

Class/Subject: EDTL 2760

MR Title(s): Preview Assignment

MR Source(s): Bower, B., Lobdell, J., and Owens, S. (2010). Preview assignment. Bring learning alive!
Methods to transform middle and high school social studies. Palo Alto, CA: Teachers Curriculum Institute,
pp. 22-26.
Page #

The Text Says

Notes (key concepts, direct quotes, etc.)

I Say
My notes, commentary

Page 22

Some Preview assignments challenge

students to predict what a lesson will be
about: others draw a parallel between key
social studies concepts and students lives.
The goals is to spark interest, activate prior
knowledge, tap a wide range of
intelligence, and prepare students to tackle
new concepts
In brief, the Interactive Student Notebook
is a powerful classroom tool for organizing
student learning. Students use it
throughout a lesson, from the Preview
assignment, to the graphically organized
Reading Notes, to the final Processing
assignment
Before students learn about ancient
Egypts social pyramid, have them draw a
social pyramid for their school, arranging
several individuals and groups on their
pyramid, including the principals, teachers,

I very much like this concept of Preview

Assignments. It is a like a more formal and long
lasting approach to Entrance Slips. A way for
students to look at an upcoming assignment,
and assess what they already know. Potentially
comparing it to the textbook reading that they
did the night before.

Page 22

Page 23

So there are three parts to these notebooks. 1)

Preview Assignments, 2) Reading Notes and 3)
Processing Assignments. I was wondering if
students are provided the graphic organizers.
Are there different graphic organizers or is it
the same one.
This was one of the examples of Previews
Assignments in the reading. For this lesson
plan, the focus was Ancient Egypt. In this
example, the students took the social
pyramid, and compared in to their own life.

Page 24

Page 26

and student council. Ask several students

that just as their school has a specific
hierarchy, so did the society of ancient
Egypt
Comparing Personal Experience with
Key Concepts: Students answer questions
relevant to their life or relate a personal
experience that foreshadows key themes
of the upcoming lessonCreating Simple
Prototypes: Students create a product
that has some personal relevance and is
similar tobut smaller or simpler than
product they will be creating in an
upcoming activity
Responding to Visual Images: Students
respond to an image that will be used later
in the lesson. They might quickly sketch
the image, record impressions of it, or
predict what they believe is happening

Comparing Personal Experience with Key

Concepts and Creating Simple Prototypes were
two of the categories in this reading. This is like
a final product that students can create after a
lesson. Wonderful ideas that tie along to the
Preview Assignment.

I think this is a great example of Art Education

Integration. Having students respond to an
imagepotentially a historically significant
imageis a great way for students to reflect on
a piece of artwork, while incorporating a piece
of art.

Connections to previous MR:

I think this is an important assessment to be followed after a teacher introduces the lesson plans
essential questions. With our previous reading on the importance of essential questionsthese Preview
Assignments are a great follow up.