6 C's of Motivation

by Vicki Dobbs

for: EDIT 6400

The Problem:

In Gwinnett County all High School students must pass the Gateway test. The test is given to all 10^th grade students. This is a writing exam based on content in science, social studies, and language arts. Students are given a choice of two writing tasks and support documents in a content area. The students then must choose a task and write an essay using the support documents and prior knowledge in a three-hour time block. The test is given over two days. The first day is the social studies/language arts essay. The second day is the science/language arts essay. Students must write two essays. One essay must pass in the language arts content area. The science/language arts essay must pass in the science content area and the social studies/language arts essay must pass in the social studies content area. If the student does not pass a content area, the student must retake the test for that content area. The student must pass all three content areas in order to graduate from high school. This is a very high stakes test. Without a passing score in ALL THREE content areas, the student WILL NOT GRADUATE from high school.

Because of the importance of the Gateway test, all teachers must help prepare students. Social studies and science teachers are not only expected to teach their content areas, but teach writing skills as well. Many students at the 10^th grade level are still using the five-paragraph essay formula used in middle school. Because the Gateway test may ask for the essay to be in the form of a letter, news article, standard essay, or another style of writing, teachers need to have students write in different styles and advance beyond the five-paragraph essay. The writing task will ask the student to apply content knowledge; therefore, the student needs to be able to do more than list facts. The student must be able to write a flowing paper incorporating and applying information from the support documents and prior knowledge. It is the responsibility of the teachers to prepare the students for this test.

Target Audience:

2000-2001 Georgia Public Education Report Card for Dacula High School

Total number of students 9-12	2035
Black	6.0%
White	87.9%
Hispanic	3.0%
Asian	2.5%
American Indian	0.0%
Multi-Racial	0.6%

Enrollment in Selected Programs

Gifted	16.0%
Vocational Labs	30.2%
Alternative Programs	0.1%

Enrollment in Compensatory Programs

Special Education	10.4%
ESOL	1.4%
Remedial Education	2.8%

Students Eligible to Receive Free/Reduced-price Lunches: 7.6%

Average SAT score: 989

Tenth grade students at Students at Dacula High School will be using this lesson plan. The tenth grade studentsí population is identical to the make up the school. Dacula High School is in Gwinnett County. Gwinnett County is an east metro area county. The High School is in a growing area of the county. The area, Dacula, is rural transitioning to a suburban area. Tenth grade college preparatory and honors chemistry students will be using this lesson plan. These students are highly motivated and academically orientated. Many have chosen colleges and career paths. Most students at this grade level are becoming more active in school and community events. Students in this grade are waiting for the chance to get their driverís license. Some students in this grade have begun to plan for the Jr./Sr. Prom. The typical tenth grade student is very social and enjoys keeping up with popular culture.

In Gwinnett County students must take a high stakes test to be promoted to the 5^th grade and to the 8^th grade. Students in the 10^th grade have been made aware of the importance of high stakes testing and realized the importance of the Gateway Test. These students also know in the 11^th grade, they must take the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT). The GHSGT is a high stakes multiple choose and writing test that must be passed in order to graduate from a Georgia high school. The GHSGT covers the areas of science, social studies, language arts, and math. A written component must be passed as well. Tenth grade students have high motivation to do well on the Gateway Test and other high stakes test. The motivation comes from wanting to graduate from high school. This lesson plan will help students strengthen their writing skills and review biology content. Both of these areas, writing skills and biology, will be tested on the Gateway Test and, in the following year, on the GHSGT.

Proposed Solution:

I propose a creative writing project using the 6 Cís of motivation. The 6 Cís of motivation are 1) choice, 2) challenge, 3) control, 4) collaborate, 5) constructing meaning, and 6) consequences. The project will involve both science and language arts content area. I am concentrating on the science content area because this area seems to be the most difficult area for students on the Gateway Test. Students in the 10^th grade have already passed/taken biology in the 9^th grade. Biology will be the science content area this lesson will concentrate on because many students need to refresh/review their biology knowledge. The lesson will concentrate on Language Arts writing skills so that students can review these skills as well.

The Theory:

If you want unmotivated students, tell them to write a paper. If you want to completely shut down students, tell them to write a research paper and give them a topic. To motivate students to write, give them an open-ended writing task; let them express their creative talents. By using the six Cís of motivation students can be motivated to improve their writing skills as well as retain content (Turner & Paris, 1995).

Give students choice. When students are given choice, they feel greater personal interest in the topic. Choice gives the students a higher sense of motivation to do the assigned task. Student choice may come in many forms. Students may choose from a variety of topics, formats, or presentation styles. One of the most motivating choices a student can be given is a choice in topics. If a student can choose a topic they are interested in, they will want to learn more about it.

Challenge the student. Students will be bored if a task is too easy for them. They will not want to do the task; it is beneath them. Students will become frustrated and shut down if the task is too difficult. When the students are given a challenge their skill levels but is reachable, they will want to rise to the challenge. After the task has been met, the students will have pride in their work. They will be motivated to take on the next challenge.

Give students control. When students are given some control over their assignments and the direction, students become more responsible and self-regulated learners. Students must make decisions about what they want to do, how they want to do it, and who is going to do it.

Let students collaborate. Students can share ideas and help each other. Peer tutoring; peer editing, or group collaboration can help all students stay involved. Students helping students is an excellent way to inspire both the struggling student and the helping student. The struggling student gets one-on-one help from a student who has mastered the material. The struggling student sees that the material can be mastered: the goal can be reached. The helping student gains confidence in the knowledge mastered. Students working in a group can depend on and support each other to reach a common goal.

Let students in on the constructing meaning. Do not hide the meaning of the lesson from the students. Students need to know why they are learning what they are learning. When they understand why they are learning something, why the procedure needs to be done a certain way, or why they are doing the activity at all, they are more open to learning. They will value the lesson more and be motivated to do well.

Tell the students about the consequences. Students need to know what the final recognition will be for their hard work. Will the consequences be a grade written on a paper, a display for all to see, or a presentation for the class and teacher? Students need to know what lies ahead for their hard work. Knowing what the final consequence is motivates students and gives them ownership of their work.

Theory Applied to the Solution

This project grew out of a creative writing project I created by myself. This year, two biology teachers wanted to do a reading project with their extended lunch period classes. The biology teachers approached me to help design this project because of my knowledge of the Gateway Test and my internship in the media center this year. Because I have rated the Gateway Test for five summers, I have a understanding of what is expected of the students. My internship has enabled me to recognize the resources available.

This project is open-ended in many ways and the six Cís of motivation are represented in different phases of the project.

Phase 1:

Constructing meaning ñ Explain to students what the Gateway test is, why they take it, and when they take it. Explain to the students that this project is to help them review biology without being handed review worksheets to do. Also explain that this will help them practice writing without having to do a formal research project.

Choice ñ Students are to pick a book that contains biology. (Biology is chosen because students have had a complete year of the subject. Students should be able to recall basic biological principles and compare them to the information in the books. Because the students are expected to recall biology knowledge from biology class a year ago, on the Gateway Test, this provides an excellent way to review the material.) The student may pick a non-fiction book, such as The Hot Zone, by Richard Preston. The student may also pick a fiction book, such as The Andromeda Strain, by Michael Crichton. Students are to read the book and make note of the biology in the book. (For more of a variety, the teacher may choose to expand the project to include movies and TV shows. Also the teacher may choose to expand to chemistry. The students are taking chemistry in the 10^th grade. This will be a way to review material they are learning for class and for the Gateway Test. The Gateway Test may ask chemistry-based questions as well as biology-based questions.)

Challenge ñ Students may have forgotten some of their biology. Because of this, students will need to do a little reviewing of biology concepts. Some of the books may not be what the students are use to reading or the student may not be a strong reader. The teacher needs to act as a guide to make sure a student does not pick a book that is beyond the studentís reading ability. Also the teacher needs to make sure a student does not pick a book that is below the studentís reading ability. This could lead to the student being bored.

Phase 2:

Challenge -- As a student reads the book, he/she needs to keep a list of the biology used in the book. This means the student must use prior knowledge to be able to recognize a biology concept when he/she read one. The list does not need to be formal; a brainstorming list will do.

Phase 3:

The student is to review the list of biology concepts, recall prior knowledge or research about the biology used in the book.

Challenge -- If the student has read a fiction book, the student must decide if the biology is ëgood and validí biology. The student must justify his/her decision. For example: in The Andromeda Strain, by Michael Crichton, a virus comes from space to infect a town. Can a virus survive in space? The student would have to recall prior knowledge about viruses or review/research viruses to answer this question.

Challenge -- If the student has read a nonfiction book, the student must decide if the biology is current and valid or is out of date. For example: in The Hot Zone, by Richard Preston, the filorvirus family of viruses only contains Ebola and Marburg. Is this still true? The student would have to recall prior knowledge about viruses or review/research viruses to answer this question.

Phase 4:

Control ñ The student is to create a book review. The only restriction is the format must be written. The book review must include a critique of the biology used in the book. For a fiction book, is the biology ëgood and validí? Why or why not? The student must justify his/her answer. For a nonfiction book, is the biology current? The student may create the book review in any format he/she wishes. Formats may include those acceptable for the Gateway exam such as: a traditional written book report, a magazine article, a tri-board presentation, a script for a radio book talk show, or some other written format.

Phase 5:

Collaboration ñ Students may work in pairs and review each otherís work for any mistakes.

Constructive meaning ñ The teacher needs to model how to diplomatically point out errors in another personís work. The teacher will explain to the students that all writers have editors to check and double check for errors. Any errors in grammar, sentence structure, word choice, or any other language arts errors need to be pointed out, so that the student may correct his/her work. Also students may compare their prior knowledge of biology to double-check the biology critique. All mistakes need to be corrected. This peer editing will help students strengthen their language arts skills. A student must be able to recognize a mistake in order not to make the mistake.

Collaboration ñ After revisions are made in the studentsí work, the pairs will once again review each otherís work to once again look for any mistakes. Students can see how much they have improved over the first draft.

Phase 6:

Consequences ñ Students will share their book reviews with the class. The biology in the books will be discussed as a class. The presenting student must be able to defend his/her decisions about the biology in their book. Tri-board reports may be displayed in the media center and the classroom. Traditional book reviews and magazine article reviews may be published in the school newspaper or literary magazine. Students with scripts may enlist friends and act out the script. Other methods of public displays for the appropriate format can be used.

Rational

The standard method of reviewing content, such as biology, in class is to give the students worksheets. The worksheets are often boring, require the student to simply recall basic facts, and are often not graded. There is little motivation for the students to do the worksheets or to do them well. To review language arts skills, students are often asked to write about topic they donít care about or have little meaning for them. Students are not motivated to do much more than a standard five-paragraph essay.

By using the six Cís of motivation to create a unique project for science students, students do not become bored. Students get to review/research biology in a fun and motivating way instead of listening to review lectures or doing review worksheets.

Students are given a choice about what they will read and how they will present the review. Students will feel a greater personal interest and a higher sense of motivation in the biology review and writing. Students will be challenged with this lesson. Students will rise to the challenge and have great retention of the material. Simply using rote memory to fill in the blanks on a review sheet will not challenge a student; they will become bored and resent having to do the worksheets. Students get to control their writing instead of writing another research paper, essay or filling in worksheets. Because of the control students will have, they will become better self-regulated learners. By having students collaborate through peer editing, they can help and learn from each other. A teacher could not catch every single language arts mistake in 140 student papers (140 is the maximum number of students a regular education high school teacher can have). One student editing a fellow studentís paper can catch all/almost all the mistakes in the paper. The teacher becomes a resource for students to use for reference instead of always relying on the teacher to catch all the mistakes. Students begin reading their own work with a critical eye, catching many mistakes. By letting students understand how important passing the Gateway Test is and why they are doing this lesson helps them construct meaning. They understand why they are learning something, why the procedure needs to be done a certain way, or why they are doing the activity at all, they are more open to learning. They will value the lesson more and be motivated to do well. Students will work hard and perform well when the consequences are known.

Students need to practice writing for the Gateway Test. The Gateway Test is a high-stakes test. High school graduation depends on students successfully passing this test. Teachers are under pressure to prepare students for this test. The writing task for the Gateway Test does not have to be a traditional essay. The task could ask for a letter, a magazine article or other format. The task may be biology centered or chemistry centered.

Teachers must review and prepare students for this high stakes test. Reviewing an entire year of biology during chemistry class is impossible. With this project, students can read about and review biology independently and as a class. Also writing skills are reviewed and strengthened through practice and peer review.

This project will bring together science and language arts by using the 6 Cís of Motivation. Too often students believe these subjects are separate and should never mix. Students will exercise their research skills to review any biology they have forgotten. Also students must think critically about the biology they read about. Is the biology ëgood and validí? Why or why not? Is the biology out dated? How do you know? With this review, they will strengthen their store of biology prior knowledge. By incorporation their biology with their writing they will also review language arts writing skills that are critical to the Gateway test. Peer editing also strengthens the students writing skills. The students must have language arts writing skills in order to recognize mistakes in someone elseís writing.

Finding time to review an entire year of biology during chemistry is next to impossible. Having a chemistry teacher review biology and incorporate language arts and cover the chemistry curriculum is a monumental task for both teacher and students. This lesson incorporates an excellent review of biology and language arts. It also challenges the student to use critical thinking skills and research skills. By using the 6 Cís of motivation, this lesson encourages students to review biology and language arts in a fun and challenging way.

Other models could be applied to this theory but may not be as successful as the 6 Cís of motivation. For example, the problem-based learning model could be used. Unfortunately the problem-based learning model works best if the entire class is focused on the same concept. Because an entire year of biology must be reviewed, many concepts must be reviewed. At the same time, a full year of chemistry must be taught. Due to time restraints and the large number of concepts that must be reviewed, the problem-based learning model would not be viable. Also, although the 6 Cís of motivation may incorporate elements of other learning theories, none of the other theories has the ability to adapt to the varied interests and abilities of these tenth grade students.

References

Tuner, J., & Paris, S. G. (1995). How literacy task influence childrenís motivation for ÝÝÝÝÝÝ literacy. The Reading Teacher, 48 (8), 662-673.