Look Micro-routine Recap

In the ELA Department's most recent PLG we examined a couple Micro-routines for Literacy put out by New Vision for Public Schools.  One appealing feature of these routines, which have been adapted specifically for remote instruction, is that they are intended to take a short amount of time and have very few steps. As I've been sharing micro-routines with teachers in and out of the ELA department, I sense a healthy amount of skepticism from teachers about the actual amount of time these routines would take. While it is within our control and discretion to adjust the timing to suit our students, I also see the value in keeping to these time frames. 

For one, we know that everything (everything!) seems to take longer in the remote classroom. I wonder if sticking to the brief time limits of these micro-routines could actually be a way to increase efficiency. If we incorporate the routine frequently enough,  students' ability to respond within the time frames may increase. 

Another benefit to sticking closely to the allotted time is that even if things feel like they're going poorly, the routine only lasts for 6-ish minutes. When we think about the UDL concept of varying demands and resources, one really interesting way to create a reasonable challenge for students is to play with time. If they run out of details to share or feel confused about the image you're using in this routine, they know each step of the routine will only last for two minutes and they won't be struggling for an undetermined length of time.

WHY  include the Look routine? 

• To provide multiple representations of ideas and concepts students are studying
• when using images/art specifically, to provide an alternative to print text.
• To provide opportunities for students to observe closely and identify specific details
• To pique students' curiosity about something they will read more about or extended their thinking about a topic they've already read about.
• To increase students' comfort and confidence in speaking out loud and sharing with the class
• Naming specific details students have observed seems like a low-risk, high reward opportunity for student participation

HOW I might implement Look:

(Ideas that follow assume that the routine has been introduced and practiced with familiar content and students are familiar with the routine).

• Choose an interesting image that connects in some way to a thematic idea of a text students will be reading in ELA class.
• Display the image for students and allow them 2 minutes to look closely at the image and use the CHAT  to record as many details as they notice in the quadrants. Give students 2 minutes to share out loud the details they find to the most interesting in the quadrants (as outlined in the slides example we looked at). 
• Repeat the Look process with a second related image. There are a few possible approaches I can imagine for this.
• If your students are efficient with breakout rooms this could be a way for students to engage in the Look routine in a much smaller group.  When students return to the whole group (after 4 min), each group could share out the most interesting details they discussed.
• We discussed the possibility of assigning students different quadrants to focus on and share out with the class. This could be done by displaying a list of student names in a grid on the slide (pictured below). Assigning students to specific quadrants could help limit the amount of students entering in the chat at once in the first part of the routine.

Photo from National Coalition Against Censorship blog

• Pair these images with a short excerpt from the anchor text students are reading. After students have examined and discussed ideas in one or two images, provide them with a short reading excerpt that examines some of the ideas reflected in the images. Students could complete the reading semi-synchronously annotating for a specific reading focus. For example, after examining the two images about "courage" students could read an excerpt from Number the Stars. A possible reading focus could be to identify evidence in the excerpt that reveals a character's courage. (RL 6.1 citing evidence and RL 3 character's reaction). Students could complete a reading in pairs, small groups, or independently depending on how the teacher wanted to structure this.
• Return whole group and have students share examples of the textual evidence they cited. Examples could be shared by cold-calling on several students, asking students to agree, disagree, or add-on to a peer's response. Students could type evidence in the chat, but if they've also completed a Google Doc with annotations, sharing in the chat may not be worth the time.
• Possible Exit Tickets: Use a Google Form and ask students to share an interesting observation they heard a classmate share today. Ask students to explain which of the two images they think best pairs with the excerpt they read. Students will have to pull evidence from both texts in order to explain thoroughly (RL 6.1).

Below are some examples that I compiled should anyone want to incorporate this routine into an upcoming lesson. Each of the images align with a thematic idea explored in each of the Trimester 1 Anchor Texts for grades 6-8. 

Grade 6 Examples for the thematic idea of courage. Number the Stars

   

Grade 7 Examples for the thematic idea of empathy. Walk Two Moons

Grade 8 Examples for the thematic idea of censorship. Fahrenheit 451

One of the groups also discussed the idea of concealing some of the quadrants in the beginning of the routine and to slowly reveal each quadrant so the students could see the image being pieced together. This was an easy adjustment to the slide by simply adding filled-in shapes and covering up the quadrants 2-4. The video below shows an example of the "slow reveal" version of Look. 

For anyone interested in using the images they slides template is linked here. Please share additional ideas or experiences with the Look Micro-routine!