PLASTICITY

Course Information and Syllabus:

Davison High School Online Couse
2015/2016
Mr. Mark Ragnone Rm. 261
mragnone@davisonschools.org
Pursuing problem solving and flexibility as a course of practice
Course Description:
Welcome to Plasticity! I am so glad that you decided to learn with us this semester.
Plasticity is an online course that will challenge you, allow you to hone your
knowledge and skills and work with others while having a lot of fun. Your
participation in this class will be like adopting a new identity while in this class. The
more you think of yourself as a problem-solver in the world the greater success you
will have in this class. For many of our assignments you will have to find
information and do things you have never done before. I know that you are up for
the challenge and will rise to what every crazy twisted puzzle I throw at you.
Course Overview: Plasticity is a multi-literacy course designed to give high school
students supplementation to their learning in and out of school. This includes
problem-solving skills, 21st Century skills, collaborating with others, leadership
skills, and soft or tacit skills that are gained through experience rather than direct
instruction.
Expectations: Students will be expected in this course to be self-driven and to work
simultaneously as a leader and as a member of a group. Because of the real-world
nature of this course all work will be done more or less with collaborators.
Learning Objectives (Students will):

1. explore, recognize and utilize current literacies and areas of expertise for their
use in group collaboration and work.
2. work effectively within diverse groups, by being a reliable member and initiating
leadership when needed while working in equality with others.
3. enhance problem-solving skills through group projects and by constructing
methods for dealing with real-world issues.
4. design and implement a strategy for dealing with a social, ethical, or
environmental issue of choice.
Units:
1. Introductions, assessing interests, literacies and skills, Plastic Puzzles
2. Deconstructing Plastic Puzzles
3. Constructing Pathways, Designing Puzzles
4. Implementing Pathways
Grading Policy
Marking period grades are comprised of a 90/10 weighted scale. 90% of the
grade is made up of summative assessments and major works, while the
remaining 10% is comprised of class-work, including: homework
assignments, minor quizzes and participation.
Daily work constitutes as part of the formative assessments, while end of unit
and project work will be part of summative assessments.
Grading is two-tiered consisting of (1) Students self-assessment, and (2)
Instructors assessment of students working individually, in
partnerships/small groups or large teams.
All Unit Assessments will be graded on a four-point scale.
4: Exceeds Expectations
3: Meets Expectations
2: Partially Meets Expectations
1. Needs Improvement
Self-Assessment will be a critical part of the students evidence for growth in
the course
4.0 A
3.75 A3.5 B+
3.0 B
2.75 B-

2.0 C
1.75C1.5 D+
1.0 D
0.75 D-

2.5 C +

<0.5 E

Late Work
All work for each week will be due by Friday at 3 oclock pm. If you are working on
an assignment and you need extra time please email me and let me know when you
will have it done by.
While late work will be accepted up to two weeks after the due date with the
expectation that all students will give 100% to meet the deadlines of the class.
Students are encouraged to complete all assignments in order to keep pace with the
rest of the class and to keep with the policy of doing ones part in a partnership or
group.
Retake and Re-Do Policy
All students will get the opportunity to retake or re-do an assessment, including a
unit assessment or a major assignment. However, this policy is designed for
students who are struggling with the material. In all cases the new score will
replace the original score whether it is better or worse! This is a great
opportunity to ensure that you have learned the material and those students found
abusing this policy will have their right revoked until the teach sees fit to reinstate
said policy.
Plagiarism and Cheating
Davison High School as well as myself take plagiarism and cheating very seriously.
Any plagiarized assignment submitted will receive a zero. This includes papers that
are very similar or identical to another students paper. Any student cheating will
receive a zero and will not have an opportunity to make up these points. Depending
on the severity of the situation the students parents/guardians will be contacted
and the administration informed of the infraction.
Schedule:
Unit 1: Weeks 1-3
Introductions, assessing interests, literacies and skills, Plastic Puzzles
Weekly Format:
1. Brain Teaser/Warm-Up
2. Literacies Assessment
3. Partner Work: Plastic Puzzles: Team Building/Problem Solving Tasks
End Unit Assessment:
Partners will be assigned based on differing personalities and
literacies. A problem will be assigned. Partners find as solution and
produce an artifact/write-up/reflection on the problem.

Skills Assessed:
Self Reflection:
literacies, areas of interest, skills, struggles, goals for improvement.
Instructor: (four-point scale)
1. Alignment of self-reflection with instructors observations
2. Willingness and ability to work with others
3. Initiative to problem solve and remain flexible
Unit 2: Weeks 4-6
Deconstructing Plastic Puzzles
Weekly Format:
1. Brain Teaser/Warm-Up
2. Partner Up and Deconstruct Puzzle/Reflection on Partner and Problem
3. Assessing how to choose partners and methods for working with others
End Unit Assessment:
Partners will be chosen by the students. A problem will be selected by them
from a list of choices. Students will create an artifact on how the problem
works and how to solve the problem.
Skills Assessed:
Self Reflection:
What skills am I building? What skills do I want? How am I going to get
there?
Instructor: (four-point scale)
1. Current competencies. Alignment of self-reflection with
instructors observations
2. Willingness and ability to work with others/finding and choosing
suitable partners/exploring different partnerships
3. Initiative to problem solve and remain flexible
4. Completion of artifact (understanding of puzzle and
deconstruction)

Unit 3: Weeks 7-10

Constructing Pathways, Designing Puzzles
Weekly Format:
Part 1. Choose Partner/Small Group. Collaborate on a problem solving
strategy.
Part 2. Choose Partner/Small Group. Design a puzzle like the Plastic puzzles
Part 3. Choose Partner/Small Group. Trade puzzles with an other group and
use problem solving strategy from part one to solve puzzle.
End Unit Assessment:
Keep same partners from unit. Use strategy to solve other teams puzzle.
Artifact on how well strategy worked.
Skills Assessed:
Self Reflection:
How well group worked together (strengths and weaknesses). My role in the
group. How well did the strategy work? What did I learn? What needs to be
altered to have strategy work more efficiently?
Instructor: (four-point scale)
1. Current competencies. Alignment of self-reflection with
instructors observations
2. Willingness and ability to work with others/finding and choosing
suitable partners/exploring different partnerships
3. Initiative to problem solve and remain flexible
4. Design of strategy. Design of problem. Completion of artifact
(understanding of puzzle and deconstruction)
Unit 4: Weeks 11-15
Implementing Pathways
Unit Format:
1. Individually propose a real world issue or cause worth pursuing (civic,
environmental, local)

2. Form teams based around issues/causes (take into consideration

interests, skills, literacies)
3. As a team design a method or strategy for working on issue/cause
4. Members choose roles within the group based on needs
(One person is designated as The Hub)
5. Initiate plan
End Unit Assessment:
Group Presentation of work done. Artifact from group as a whole. Write-up from
individual members on their role and what their tasks included and the results.
Skills Assessed:
Self Reflection:
How well group worked together (strengths and weaknesses). My role in the
group. How well did the strategy work? What did I learn? What needs to be
altered to have strategy work more efficiently? What are my future pursuits
for this project?
Instructor: (four-point scale)
1. Current competencies. Alignment of self-reflection with
instructors observations
2. Willingness and ability to work with others/finding and choosing
suitable partners/exploring different partnerships
3. Initiative to problem solve and remain flexible
4. Design of strategy. Design of problem. Completion of artifact
(understanding of puzzle and deconstruction)
5. Individual write-up on the group project