Makes Sense Strategies

Created for Lauderdale County Professional Development Training

November 2010

By L. Stamps, C. Heaps, and J. Lundin

Developed by

Edwin Ellis, PhDProfessor,

University of Alabama

Makes Sense Strategies are scientifically research-based SMARTsheets™ – interactive graphic organizers with prompts designed for teaching

receptive and expressive language, vocabulary, reading, writing, science, social studies, math, and social /behavior literacy

Makes Sense Strategies were designed to – help students make sense of complex information

– integrate critical, analytical and creative thinking skills into the curriculum

– facilitate students’ use of information processing strategies and thinking skills

– integrate strategic instruction, differentiated instruction, standards-based instruction and the use of graphic organizers (SMARTsheets) to form an effective means of teaching.

– make information more “learnable”

Makes Sense Strategies can be used in primary, intermediate, middle, high school and college levels and are validated for use in general and special education

SMARTsheets™ are research based teaching tools based on 3 fundamental principles-

1. Students learn better when they are actively engaged in processing new information in meaningful ways.

2. Increasing the learn-ability of information or skills is preferable to dumbing them down.

3. Students should focus on understanding big ideas rather than memorizing trivia.

MakesSenseStrategiesStrategic Instruction Routines Specific research-validated instructional strategies designed to maximize

student engagement and elaboration of concepts, skills, and learning strategies

Three categories of Strategic Instructional Routines

Activation Routines employed at lesson beginning for pre-assessment, activating background knowledge, and reviewing critical prerequisite knowledge

Scaffolding Routines for scaffolding the development of new knowledge and skills during a lesson.

Reflective Review Routines for reviewing and reflecting on new knowledge and skills at lesson end.

Organizer SMARTsheets Graphic organizers enhanced with embedded semantic higher-order thinking, elaboration, and structural cues

Can be used for science, social studies, literature, writing, vocabulary and math instruction

Essential Understanding SMARTsheets Genre-specific specialized visual tools enhanced with embedded semantic prompts focusing on specific “essential understandings” of high-frequency topics in comprehension, writing, vocabulary, math, etc…..

Instructional Design SMARTplanners Used by teachers to differentiate curriculum, plan instructional units and lessons using MSS Strategic Instructional Routines

Implementation SMARTplanners Used by teachers, instructional leaders, and professional development teams to plan, implement, and evaluate Makes Sense Strategies

Some Examples

For Elementary Grades

Some Examples for Junior High

and

High School

1. Utilize in learning centers or learning stations

2. Review for tests

3. Use as an assessment of student learning

4. Use on SMARTboard, ELMO, Mobi, for WG guided practice

5. Note-taking (especially for Visual or Kinesthetic learners)

6. Use in your computer lab (students type in information as you teach)

Go to your Novell window and open the Making Sense icon. Read the fine print. DO NOT put any of these sheets on a website or share them with teachers outside of Alabama. This product is copyrighted. It may be used by any Alabama public school teacher. All others must pay for a license. Explore.