Callie S. Williams

Callie S . Williams
SIFT 2008
Table of Contents:
What I did ...............................................................................................
Page 3
How I did it............................................................................................. page 3
What the students did ...............................................................................
Page 3
What the students learned.........................................................................
Page 6
ToolIMaterialslExperiences used................................................................Page 7
Student Learning Achievements .................................................................
Page 7
Lessons Learned...................................................................................
page 7
What workedldidn't work ..........
.........................................................
page 8
Changes to future lesson ..........................................................................
Page 8
Callie S. Williams
SIFT 2008
This is What I did:
The purpose for my action plan did not change. It still was to actively engage my
students in fact finding strategies as we read a piece of literature in English Ill. 1 wanted
my students to learn this method of research and study so that they could then take
these skills to aid them while testing either in the classroom or in a formal setting.
These are skills that will help them on the FCAT as well as the ACT or SAT tests.
Another aspect of my action plan is to instill an appreciation for the space program and
what it has to offer our community. I don't think that my students know the types of jobs
KSC has to offer. This will teach them that there are many people who work together to
accomplish missions that help to better our tomorrow. I would also like to inform them
of ways to search for jobs and apply for jobs at the space center.
This is How I did it:
I taught my students to be "Fact Finders". This summer, I worked with a group that
was certified fact finders for USA. I began with information about my summer
experience. I showed the many pictures of all the things I did while at KSC. Then I
introduced a list of fact finding vocabulary words that we worked on understanding
together so they could understand the overall picture of what a fact finder's job was. My
overall goal of this lesson was to engage students in active fact finding strategies as we
read a piece of literature in English Ill. 1 was taking this real world experience and
applying it in a way that was fun and involved many types of learning abilities. After
this lesson, students could actively engage in fact finding in any piece of literature that
we read in class. This skill will then carry over to be implemented in reading passages
found on the FCAT test, SAT test, and the ACT test.
This is what my students did: (This lesson took 4 class periodsldays to complete)
Day 1: I introduced my students to the idea of fact finding and what it entails. We
started with the fact finding vocabulary list below. Students wrote out these definitions
and completed a vocabulary contract using these words.
Mishap: An unplanned event that results in injury or damage to equipment.
Fact: An observation that has been repeatedly and for all practical purposes is
accepted as "true".
Event: A real-time occurrence describing one discrete action, typically an error, failure,
or malfunction.
Callie S . Williams
SIFT 2008
Cause: An event or condition that results in an effect. (Anything that shapes or
influences the outcome).
Effect: Something that is produced by an agency or cause; result; consequence.
Finding: A conclusioli based on facts established during the investigation by the
investigating authority.
Investigation: A searching inquiry for ascertaining facts; detailed or careful
examination.
Interview: A formal meeting in which one or more persons question, consult, or
evaluate another person.
Observation: In space transportation, a safetylflight hardware issue discovered by an
investigator during the course of an event investigation that is not part of the Sequence
of Events and is not casual or contributory to the event and that may not have occurred
at the time of the event.
Witness: A person who has information, evidence, or proof about a mishap and
provides hislher knowledge of the facts to the investigating authority.
Recommendations: Actions developed by the investigation board to correct the cause
or a deficiency identified during the investigation.
Evidence: Anything that supports proof.
Human Factors: The applied science that focuses on people and their interaction with
equipment, facilities, procedures, and enviror~mentsto optimize human performance
and reduce human error.
Incident: An occurrence of a mishap or close call.
Solution: The act of solving a problem, question, etc.
Callie S. Williams
SIFT 2008
Vocabulary Contract Form:
Choose from the following activities t o complete the Vocabulary Contract. Staple all assignments
that you completed t o the Contract and turn in the packet on the due date. Points received are
based on what you turn in. You can receive a maximum of 130 pts.
10 Points Each
-1. Draw a picture(s), then color with crayons/colored pencils and "hide" the words in the picture.
2
. Write the spelling words in alphabetical order.
3
. Write the definitions of the words. (you can turn in your assigned definitions)
4
. Sort the Words into 4 categories and tell what the name of each category is.
5
. Practice your spelling words with a family member.
(signature)
2 0 Points Each
6
7
.Make a word search using all of the words.
. Write each spelling word and a synonym for it. You may use a Thesaurus.
8
. Write a spelling word and an antonym for it. You may use a Thesaurus.
9
. Write a story or letter using all your spelling words. Underline the words.
-10. Write a poem using all the spelling words. Underline the words.
2 5 Points Each
1 1 . Cut the words out of newspaper or magazine and make a collage.
1 2 . Use each word in a sentence. Underline the spelling word.
1 3 . Use your best handwriting to write each word 3 times in cursive.
1 4 . Type each word three times.
1 5 . Write a question or riddle for each word. Place the answers on the back of the paper.
3 0 Points Each
-16. Using a dictionary, write the definition of
each word. (Must be typed t o receive credit)
1 7 . Make a crossword puzzle using all of the spelling words. Be sure to write clues f o r each
word!
1 8 . Use 10 of the spelling words to make 10 sentences with a simile (a comparison of two unlike
things, using "like or as". Example: The snow was thick and smooth as a blanket.
1 9 . Use 10 of the spelling words t o make 10 sentences with a metaphor (a comparison of two
unlike things without using "like or as". Example: The snow was a thick and smooth blanket.
2 0 . Write each word and create a "visual presentation" of the word next t o it.
I have completed
Student Signature:
points this week.
Callie S. Williams
SIFT 2008
II. I then gave about a 30 min. presentation on what fact finding is and how it is used at
Kennedy Space Center. I borrowed books from some of the people I worked with and
shared two smaller fact finding cases with my students explaining how the facts were
found and what impact they had at KSC as a whole. (I had planned to have group
members here for this presentation day, but with shuttle missions this fall and my own
school schedule it did not work out).
Day 2: We then did a brief lesson all together to find facts in a story about the
characters and setting involved. The story we used was "The Feather Pillow", which is
in our junior Literature books. We read the story then filled in the chart I had created
looking for the facts listed in the chart.
We looked for:
Author
Protagonist
Antagonist
Location
Time
Author's Purpose
Theme
Any other characters
Point-of-view
Mishap or Incident
CauseIEffect
Witnesses
Observations
Evidence
Solution
Day 3: We completed the charts individually for another story: "Rip Van Winkle"
Day 4: We completed the chart for our third story, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," in
small groups. Students took home the chart to complete and thoroughly investigate
their reading materials and they were assigned a fourth story which was "The Minister's
Black Veil".
Day 5: Once they returned the following day we conducted a mishap meeting as a class
and discussed the mishap from each story and what evidence there was. Then I had
them as a class do a compare and contrast of the four different stories and their
individual mishaps involved in each one.
'This i s what the students learned:
The students began using the words we had discussed froni our investigations in their
reading. I found that the stories just after this unit were talked about more and words
like mishap and evidence were used in describing them. Students started looking for
the story's resolution early on and had come to think of each story as an investigation. I
think this helped them in their understanding. They were thinking about more details
and things from the story so when I gave tests or quizzes on novels we were reading or
Callie S. Williams
SIFT 2008
stories we did in class they were more likely to remerrlber small details that they had
before overlooked.
There are the tools andlor experiences I used to implement my action plan:
The biggest and most helpful thing I used was my personal experience. I reviewed
notes I had taken and I went back to the files I had kept about my group (from the
website I created this summer). I shared the pages I created with my class too, which
was interesting to many of them because they are all computer-literate to the extreme. I
even had a few ask me about jobs out at the cape dealing with websites and how old
they would need to be to do that same thing.
Another source was one of the fact-finders, Kerri Callahan. She was not working last
semester due to being on maternity leave, but she kept in contact with me and helped
me to work out my presentation for my class.
Most of the actual materials I used with my kids were worksheets I created and stories
that I already had copies of or that were printed in our textbook.
This is how I determined student achievement:
After the lesson, I did a test of all four stories and I allowed students to use their chart
that they had filled out. I told them that all information was not on their charts, but it
should be enough information to spark their memory to help them in answering the
questions. They did well on the test and I really think it is because of their investigating
the story. Something we learn about teaching strategies in comprehension is to have
students take notes as they read and in a sense, this is a type of investigation.
Students are taking notes as they read. The real achievement to me was hearing them
use the strategies and ideas I had taught them in other areas and as we read more
stories throughout the class.
Lessons Learned:
As a teacher, I learned a lot from this lesson as well. The students liked looking at the
literature we "had to read" in a different light. They were excited to be investigators.
They started using the vocabulary as we did the lesson and that was a big
accomplishment to me. I think shows like CSI and Law & Order are big right now and a
lot of kids watch those shows. 'This added to their interest in this lesson and helped me
in getting them excited.
I learned that I have to be very flexible. I knew this as a teacher already, but this is
probably the first time since my first year teaching that I had what I thought to be the
Callie S. Williams
SIFT 2008
"perfect lesson plan" and that was not true. One thing I wanted to do as part of this was
a mini term paper about careers at KSC and there just wasn't time. Plus the people I
had lined up this summer to come talk to my class about their interesting jobs were tied
up for most of last semester with shuttle missions. That was a letdown to me, but I still
carried on with what I could in the plan and I felt very positive about what we did
complete. I really wanted to share my summer experience and I got to do that so I was
glad. I am glad I was able to tell them about my job and creating the website because I
had many kids interested in working in some way with computers so I still got to tell
them about some of the jobs that are available right here in our backyard.
What workedldidn't work:
Most of the fact finding lesson worked. I had not planned originally on the class mishap
discussion or the compare and contrast, but I thought that was a neat way to end the
lesson and bring it all together. I'm glad I added that because the kids had a lot of
questions that day that I was able to answer or help them to find.
Like I said before, the mini term paper did not work. I would need more time to prepare
for the people that I wanted to visit our classroom. A spring mini term paper may be
what I will do. Eleventh graders are required to write a term paper so I thought it would
be a great way to introduce the paper and have them write a smaller version while
learning about jobs at Kennedy Space Center. I'm in touch with my contacts at the
cape so I hope to set that up this semester.
Changes to future use of this lesson:
One change I think I w o ~ ~make
l d is the stories I used. "Rip Van Winkle" is the longest
and it took most of the class period just for them to read the story, so I will take that one
out. The kids enjoy it though and that was my thought in putting the lesson together.
All four stories are easy to read and the students enjoy them so that niade it easier.
Another idea I had was to pick four stories by the same author or four mystery stories
that really need an investigation. Although, I liked the students thinking of the conflict as
a mishap and realizing that they could investigate a sirr~plestory. I'm not sure other
than these things what I would consider changing. For the most part, everything went
well and the students enjoyed it.
The Feather Pillow
FACTS
Author
Protagnist
Antagonist
Location
Time
Author's Purpose
Theme
Any other characters
Any other characters
Any other characters
Point-of -view
Mishap/Incident
Cause/Ef f ect
Witness
Observation
Evidence
Solution
Rip Van Winkle
Secret Life of W. Mitty The Minister's Black Veil
FACTS
Author
Protagnist
Antagonist
Location
Time
Author's Purpose
Theme
Any other characters
Any other characters
Any other characters
Point-of -view
Mishap/Incident
Cause/Ef f ect
Witness
Observation
Evidence
Solution
The Feather Pillow
By: Horacio Quiroga
Her entire honeymoon gave her hot and cold shivers. A blond, angelic, and timid young girl,
the childhood fancies she had dreamed about being a bride had been chilled by her
husband's rough character. She loved him very much, nonetheless, although sometimes she
gave a light shudder when, as they returned home through the streets together at night,
she cast furtive glances a t the impressive stature of her Jordan, who had been silent f o r an
hour. He, for his part, loved her profoundly but never let it be seen.
For three months - they had been married in April - they lived in a special kind of
bliss. Doubtless she would have wished less severity in the rigorous sky of love,
more expansive and less cautious tenderness, but her husband's impassive manner
always restrained her.
The house in which they lived influenced her chills and shuddering t o no small
degree. The whiteness of the silent patio - friezes, columns, and marble statues produced the wintry impression of an enchanted palace. Inside, the glacial
brilliance of stucco, the completely bare walls, affirmed the sensation o f
unpleasant coldness. As one crossed from one room to another, the echo of his
steps reverberated throughout the house, as if long abandonment had sensitized
its resonance.
Alicia passed the autumn in this strange love nest. She had determined, however,
t o cast a veil over her former dreams and live like a sleeping beauty in the hostile
house, trying not t o think about anything till her husband arrived each evening.
I t is not strange that she grew thin. She had a light attack of influenza that
dragged on insidiously for days and days: after that Alicia's health never
returned. Finally one afternoon she was able to go into the garden, supported on
her husband's arm. She looked around listlessly. Suddenly Jordan, with deep
tenderness, ran his hand very slowly over her head, and Alicia instantly burst into
sobs, throwing her arms around his neck. For a long time she cried out all the
fears she had kept silent, redoubling her weeping at Jordan's slightest caress.
Then her sobs subsided, and she stood a long while, her face hidden in the hollow
of his neck, not moving or speaking a word.
This was the last day Alicia was well enough t o be up. The following day she
awakened feeling faint. Jordan's doctor examined her with minute attention,
prescribing calm and absolute rest.
" I don't know," he said t o Jordan at the street door. "She has a great weakness
that I am unable t o explain. And with no vomiting, nothing. . . if she wakes
tomorrow as she did today, call me at once."
When she awakened the following day, Alicia was worse. There was a consultation.
I t was agreed there was an anemia of incredible progression, completely
inexplicable. Alicia had no more fainting spells but she was visibly moving towards
death. The lights were lighted all day long in her bedroom, and there was
complete silence. Hours went by without the slightest sound. Alicia dozed. Jordan
virtually lived in the drawing-room, which was also always lighted. With tireless
persistence he paced ceaselessly from one end of the room t o the other. The
carpet swallowed his steps. A t times he entered the bedroom and continued his
silent pacing back and f o r t h alongside the bed, stopping for an instant at each end
t o regard his wife.
Suddenly Alicia began t o have hallucinations, vague images, at first seeming t o
float in the air, then descending t o floor level. Her eyes excessively wide, she
stared continuously at the carpet on either side of the head of her bed. One
night she suddenly focused on one spot. Then she opened her mouth to scream,
and pearls of sweat suddenly beaded her nose and lips.
"Jordan! Jordan!" she clamoured, rigid with fright, still staring at the carpet; she
looked at him once again; and after a long moment of stupefied confrontation she
regained her senses. She smiled and took her husband's hand in hers, caressing it,
trembling, for half an hour.
Among her most persistent hallucinations was that of an anthropoid poised on his
fingertips on the carpet, staring at her.
The doctors returned, but t o no avail. They saw before them a diminishing life, a
life bleeding away day by day, hour by hour, absolutely without their knowing why.
During the last consultation Alicia lay in a stupor while they took her pulse,
passing her inert wrist from one t o another. They observed her a long time in
silence and then moved into the dining room.
"Phew. . ." The discouraged chief physician shrugged his shoulders. " I t ' s an
inexplicable case. There is little we can do . . ."
"That's my last hope," Jordan groaned. And he staggered blindly against the
table.
Alicia's life was fading away in the subdilirium of anemia, a delirium which grew
worse throughout the evening hours but which let up somewhat after dawn. The
illness never worsened during the daytime, but each morning she awakened pale as
death, almost in a swoon. I t seemed only at night that her life drained out of her
in new waves of blood. Always when she awakened she had the sensation of lying
collapsed in the bed with a million pound weight on top of her. Following the third
day of this relapse she left her bed again. She could scarcely move her head. She
did not want her bed t o be touched, not even t o have her bedcovers arranged.
Her crepuscular terrors advanced now in the form of monsters that dragged
themselves toward the bed and laboriously climbed upon the bedspread.
Then she lost consciousness. The final two days she raved ceaselessly in a weak
voice. The lights funereally illuminated the bedroom and drawing room. I n the
deathly silence of the house the only sound was the monotonous delirium from the
bedroom and the dull echoes of Jordan's eternal pacing.
Finally, Alicia died. The servant, when she came in afterward t o strip the now
empty bed, stared wonderingly for a moment a t the pillow.
"Sir!" she called t o Jordan in a low voice. "There are stains on the pillow that look
like blood."
Jordan approached rapidly and bent over the pillow. Truly, on the case, on both
sides of the hollow left by Alicia's head, were two small dark spots.
"They look like punctures," the servant murmured after a moment of motionless
observation.
"Hold it up to the light," Jordan told her.
The servant raised the pillow but immediately dropped it and stood staring a t it,
livid and trembling. Without knowing why, Jordan felt the hair rise on the back of
his neck.
"What is it?" he murmured in a hoarse voice.
" I t ' s very heavy," the servant whispered, still trembling
Jordan picked it up; it was extraordinarily heavy. He carried it out of the room,
and on the dining room table he ripped open the case and the ticking with a slash.
The top feathers floated away, and the servant, her mouth opened wide, gave a
scream of horror and covered her face with clenched fists: in the bottom of the
pillow case, among the feathers, slowly moving its hairy legs, was a monstrous
animal, a living, viscous ball. I t was so swollen one could barely make out its
mouth.
Night after night, since Alicia had taken t o her bed, this abomination had
stealthily applied i t s mouth - i t s proboscis one might better say - t o the girl's
temples, sucking her blood. The puncture was scarcely perceptible. The daily
plumping of the pillow had doubtlessly a t first impeded its progress, but as soon
as the girl could no longer move, the suction became vertiginous. I n five days, in
five nights, the monster had drained Alicia's life away.
These parasites of feathered creatures, diminutive in their habitual environment,
reach enormous proportions under certain conditions. Human blood seems
particularly favorable t o them, and it is not rare to encounter them in feather
pillows.