SED-553 Assignment-Specific Questions
Here are some common concerns that students encounter when completing assignments. As a reminder, please refer to rubrics before beginning your assignment, as all assignments are graded using those. And if I haven’t addressed your question here, please send me a message using the Questions for Instructor Forum or Individual Forum. Thanks!
Module 1: Literacy Strategies
Bottom Line: The audience of your presentation is teachers, and the goal of your presentation is to share literacy strategies with them (and why they should be using these in their own classroom).
You will need:
Additionally, please be sure to use the GCU eLibrary to find at least SIX peer-reviewed articles to support your ideas. For help using the GCU eLibrary, please visit this page: http://www.gcu.edu/Student-Affairs/Library/Tutorials.php; for help finding peer-reviewed articles, visit the General Resources > APA Style & Research tips above.
Finally, the directions ask that you include detailed slide notes; if you don't know how to do that (or if you need a few tips on navigating PowerPoint), be sure to check out the PowerPoint Tips in the General Resources tab.
You will need:
- a title slide
- a few slides (no more than five) at the beginning of the presentation that "outline the underlying assumptions in content teaching, what it means to be literate, and how the reading process impacts comprehension” (aka why teach literacy)
- 18 slides detailing literacy strategies that secondary-content teachers could use to help students learn from texts (aka how to teach literacy)
- a conclusion slide
- a references slide
Additionally, please be sure to use the GCU eLibrary to find at least SIX peer-reviewed articles to support your ideas. For help using the GCU eLibrary, please visit this page: http://www.gcu.edu/Student-Affairs/Library/Tutorials.php; for help finding peer-reviewed articles, visit the General Resources > APA Style & Research tips above.
Finally, the directions ask that you include detailed slide notes; if you don't know how to do that (or if you need a few tips on navigating PowerPoint), be sure to check out the PowerPoint Tips in the General Resources tab.
Module 2: Student Reading Attitude and Interest Inventory
In addition to turning in the 1,250-1,500 word analysis, don’t forget to turn in the survey results, as well. This can be included in the appendix of your analysis, or as a separate document (Excel, Word, etc.). Finally, the directions ask for six peer-reviewed articles from the GCU eLibrary; again, if you need help with this, you’ll find a how to in the General Resources > APA Style & Avoiding Plagiarism. If you need to see a sample paper, check this one out.
Module 3: Interactive Classroom Enhancement: Cued Retell
The Cued Retell is a basic worksheet for your content area, using the sample provided in our course material. Simply select a topic and come up with ten items that students should know after reading a selected passage. The Cued Retell Video Simulation ( provides a more detailed how to for this. That’s it!! Just the worksheet!
Module 3: Evaluating Textbooks
This is a lengthier analysis (1,250 - 1,500 words) of a textbook currently used in a content area (preferably from a classroom at the school you are completing your practicum at). Once you select your textbook, you will create and administer the Fry & Cloze tests that you created. Your assignment will include the tests, the results from both of those tests, your insights about those results, and an analysis of the overall text (format, style, structure, content, etc.) with research to support your findings. You will find more details about Fry’s Readability Craft and Garinger’s article in Loud Cloud > Course Material > Week 3 > Electronic Resource. If you need an outline to help you organize your ideas, you’ll find one here.
Module 4: Interactive Classroom Enhancement: Tiered Reading Guide
After reading the Module 4 resources, you will create a Tiered Reading Guide. If you’re looking for additional details, feel free to visit these sites:
http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/?q=instruction/universal_design_for_learning/teacher_tools/tiered_assignments
http://www.bertiekingore.com/tieredinstruct.htm
http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/?q=instruction/universal_design_for_learning/teacher_tools/tiered_assignments
http://www.bertiekingore.com/tieredinstruct.htm
Module 4: Collaborative Learning Community: Literacy Strategies at Work
This is the first of two CLC assignments; your teams will be posted at the beginning of Module 2, and conversations should be started during Module 3. You will find lots of thought-provoking articles about CLCs, their purpose, and how to make them successful in the General Resources > CLCs That Work.
For this assignment, your team will complete this table. You will create 12 activities for each content area. And each cell needs THREE activities (total = 12 per row); try to be as specific as possible and do not reuse activities for different content areas. As a note, some members will be creating activities for subjects that are not their content area; don’t stress! Do your best and when you get stuck, that’s what your CLC is for. Collaborate with your peers! And don’t forget to include citations and a references page, if outside sources are used. Need to see a sample? Check out this document.
For this assignment, your team will complete this table. You will create 12 activities for each content area. And each cell needs THREE activities (total = 12 per row); try to be as specific as possible and do not reuse activities for different content areas. As a note, some members will be creating activities for subjects that are not their content area; don’t stress! Do your best and when you get stuck, that’s what your CLC is for. Collaborate with your peers! And don’t forget to include citations and a references page, if outside sources are used. Need to see a sample? Check out this document.
Module 5: Lesson Strategy Book
This can be a time-consuming assignment, but if you play your cards right, it will become a valuable resource for your classroom. Here are a few items that students often overlook:
-Five Strategies for Each Component: There are four components, which means you should have a total of 20 strategies in your book.
-Explanation & Examples: Each strategy needs a detailed description (a strong paragraph) and an example. Examples can include worksheets/handouts, a description of the strategy in action in your content area, etc.
-Visual Presentation: The lesson strategy book should look good; graphics and other visual elements (fonts, color, type size) are a way to do this, but remember that consistency is key.
-Organization: One way to make your book organized is to list each strategy on a separate page and to include an appendix with all the worksheets/handouts.
-Research: The rubric requires the use of five or more peer-reviewed articles. Please remember to cite your sources and include a references page.
**Need to see an example? Check this out!
-Five Strategies for Each Component: There are four components, which means you should have a total of 20 strategies in your book.
-Explanation & Examples: Each strategy needs a detailed description (a strong paragraph) and an example. Examples can include worksheets/handouts, a description of the strategy in action in your content area, etc.
-Visual Presentation: The lesson strategy book should look good; graphics and other visual elements (fonts, color, type size) are a way to do this, but remember that consistency is key.
-Organization: One way to make your book organized is to list each strategy on a separate page and to include an appendix with all the worksheets/handouts.
-Research: The rubric requires the use of five or more peer-reviewed articles. Please remember to cite your sources and include a references page.
**Need to see an example? Check this out!
Module 5: Interactive Classroom Enhancement: Frayer Model Map
This one is another simple worksheet, as all you are doing is creating a sample map. If you are having a hard time getting the template to cooperate, feel free to use this PowerPoint template (create text boxes to type in your details). That's it...just the worksheet!
Module 6: None
No assignments due this week! Please take advantage of this opportunity to get a jump start on the Module 7 CLC assignment and your Module 8 Benchmark.
Module 7: Collaborative Learning Community: Literature-Based Unit
With your team, you will come to a consensus on one young adult novel to “teach” and create 10 “springboard” activities total for your group (this means each team member will be responsible for 2-3 activities, specific to his/her content area). Each activity will include a quote/passage from the novel, as well as a rationale and a detailed explanation of the activity. For a couple of examples, see this document.
Module 8: Reading in Content Areas: Effective Strategies (Benchmark Assessment)
There are three parts to your benchmark (detailed directions are in Loud Cloud > Resources > Course Material > All > Week 8 > Other (all the way at the bottom of the page).
Part 1: Practicum Observation Journals: You should have a journal entry for each observation. Don’t forget that the main purpose of these observations is to identify and evaluate literacy strategies in action. Additionally, be sure to include references to Marzano, the course, or websites. You will also submit your practicum forms when you submit your benchmark (they can be attached as separate documents or in the appendix of your benchmark). Need to see a couple samples? Here's one and here's another.
Part 2: Mini-Lesson Plans: You need three lesson plans, and you will find templates in the Student Success Center or in General Resources tab above (Lesson Plans). The goal of the lesson plan is to also include a literacy strategy in your lesson, so don’t overlook that component…you can even use the strategies that we’ve learned and created over the past few weeks! Additionally, please be sure that you use your own brain when creating this; while a quick internet search will reveal thousands of lesson plans, it defeats the purpose of this assignment. :)
Part 3: Comparative Analysis: The question is simply asking for you to discuss the most effective approaches to teaching literacy. Most students approach this question by providing details on 3-5 strategies, and some include a discussion on whether they vary based on the content area.
Submission: Please prepare all three parts in ONE DOCUMENT for submission. This assignment needs to be submitted to both Loud Cloud AND TaskStream. For more details about TaskStream, visit General Resources > TaskStream.
*To see a sample benchmark submission, open up this document.
Part 1: Practicum Observation Journals: You should have a journal entry for each observation. Don’t forget that the main purpose of these observations is to identify and evaluate literacy strategies in action. Additionally, be sure to include references to Marzano, the course, or websites. You will also submit your practicum forms when you submit your benchmark (they can be attached as separate documents or in the appendix of your benchmark). Need to see a couple samples? Here's one and here's another.
Part 2: Mini-Lesson Plans: You need three lesson plans, and you will find templates in the Student Success Center or in General Resources tab above (Lesson Plans). The goal of the lesson plan is to also include a literacy strategy in your lesson, so don’t overlook that component…you can even use the strategies that we’ve learned and created over the past few weeks! Additionally, please be sure that you use your own brain when creating this; while a quick internet search will reveal thousands of lesson plans, it defeats the purpose of this assignment. :)
Part 3: Comparative Analysis: The question is simply asking for you to discuss the most effective approaches to teaching literacy. Most students approach this question by providing details on 3-5 strategies, and some include a discussion on whether they vary based on the content area.
Submission: Please prepare all three parts in ONE DOCUMENT for submission. This assignment needs to be submitted to both Loud Cloud AND TaskStream. For more details about TaskStream, visit General Resources > TaskStream.
*To see a sample benchmark submission, open up this document.