:)
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Monday, April 28, 2014
Monday, April 21, 2014
Edmodo
Group code: iwd45a
Edmodo reminds me of a free version of Blackboard. Students can use Edmodo to submit assignments, receive instructor feedback, and see the class calendar. The teacher can use Edmodo in order to send important links, reminders, and encourage students to share their own resources. Additionally, discussion questions can be posed that require student responses and a continued discussion outside of the classroom. Students can post their own assignments that can be shared/ embedded within Edmodo so that students can see each other's work and provide feedback. Overall, Edmodo can greatly enhance the way the classroom operates and communication with the students can become even clearer and more transparent.
One way I would use Edmodo would be to have students submit projects that they would create with a one out of a choice of several Web 2.0 tools such as glogster.com, smore.com, and weebly.com. For example, I would have my students research a historical figure and creatively present at least 10 important facts using a tool. I would post this project online, with a link to a pre-made symbaloo I made showing what tools they could use and what websites would be appropriate to use for research. Then through edmodo, they would post their projects. Students would then be required to post one response to each project that shows that they not only viewed the project, but learned something new.
Edmodo is a good way to get students involved with a participating in a project. Not only does it instill 21st Century Skills, but it also gives every student the opportunity to be apart of this project. For example, if students were to simply present their projects in class, not everyone would really have a say in what they learned… or if they had a question… it may not be expressed and therefore not answered. Students who may be less likely to participate in class will have the requirement of actually participating in Edmodo. This would provide for a good learning experience for students to be able to articulate their ideas about what they saw when giving feedback and also give others the chance to see other perspectives they may not have seen if it were responded to by the “same old people” who always raise their hand in class.
Here are pictures of a couple Edmodo accounts I have made in the past for my students to submist assignments and participate in polls:
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Monday, April 7, 2014
Week 10: Assignment 2
The game I chose is called “Case
Chase” from The Teacher’s Gaming Network. This game allows students to
participate in a game that would make them feel like they were on a television
game show. This game reminds me of “Deal or No Deal.” The game is completely
customizable and teachers can make several multiple choice questions or
true/false questions. Students will want to continue playing to see how many
points they can get. Students are able to read the text presented on the suit
cases. There are many graphics and sounds to help them feel like they are on a
game show. The goal of the game is to have students earn as many points as they
can get, adding to the competition and motivation. There is no time limit.
Basically, students are presented with a series of suit-cases with an amount of
points on each. They click on the cases with points they would like to earn. If
students answer the questions successfully, they earn the points. If they do
not, they do not earn the points and have to try again. Overall, students are
pretending to be on a game show through a scenario design. Through the layout,
students can quickly become engaged and learn/practice while having fun.
Monday, March 31, 2014
The Watsons Go to Birmingham Unit
Here is a link to my unit with technology integrated lesson plans using dropbox:
Link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/n0dycj2r66zvmb1/unit%20watsons.docx
Monday, March 17, 2014
Math Lesson Google Drive Link :)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B97r46BvxnsidENTWHlKSVF4NlE/edit?usp=sharing
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Week 7: "A Good Man is Hard to Find" Lesson Plan
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B97r46BvxnsidGZhNldIU0FFYkk/edit?usp=sharing
Monday, March 3, 2014
Lesson Plan II Writing CC
Bullying Part II
Activity Lesson: Students will read The Bully in stages,
discuss the story events and issues related to bullying, and complete graphic
organizers to help them organize story information. As students read, they
write reflective journals and perform Readers Theatre in groups. Students are
continuously asked to put themselves in the characters' shoes and explain how
they would respond and react in similar situations.
Topic: Reading and Writing
Grade: 6
Aim: Students will continue explore bullying
and how it can affect people’s lives. What are the many forms of bullying? How
can people become affected?
Learning Objectives
Students will
Increase reading
comprehension and understanding of the theme by developing and applying various
reading strategies (i.e., predicting, making text-to-self and text-to-world
connections, using T-charts, writing in a response journal, performing Readers
Theatre)
Explore various
aspects of bullying (drawing on their own experiences and characters'
viewpoints) and demonstrate an understanding of the effects of bullying
Work cooperatively
in groups to summarize plot elements, discuss the text, and help one another
better understand the theme
Respond to the text
on a personal level through journal writing
Improve their
reading ability and demonstrate their understanding of the relationships and
reactions among various characters in the novel through Readers Theatre
rehearsal and performance
Standards:
NY.CC.9-10.RI.
Reading Standards for Informational
Text
Key Ideas and Details
9-10.RI.2.
Determine a central idea of a text
and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it
emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective
summary of the text.
Craft and Structure
9-10.RI.4.
Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and
technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of
a newspaper).
9-10.RI.5.
Analyze in detail how an author's
ideas or claims are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs,
or larger portions of a text (e.g., a section or chapter).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
9-10.RI.8.
Delineate and evaluate the argument
and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the
evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious
reasoning.
NY.CC.9-10.W.
Writing Standards
Production and Distribution of
Writing
9-10.W.4.
Produce clear and coherent writing
in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are
defined in standards 1-3 above.)
9-10.W.5.
Develop and strengthen writing as
needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and
audience.
Research to Build and Present
Knowledge
9-10.W.8.
Gather relevant information from
multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches
effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research
question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow
of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
9-10.W.10.
Write routinely over extended time
frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a
single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
9-10.W.11.
Create literary texts that
demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a wide variety of texts of
recognized literary merit.
9-10.W.11.d.
Create poetry, stories, plays, and
other literary forms (e.g. videos, art work).
Vocabulary: cyber-bullying, t-charts, character, conflict,
resolution, readers theater, literary elements
Materials:
Smartboard or
whiteboard & markers, computer, headphones, printer, graphic organizers,
pens/pencils, internet connection, list of suggested websites and videos, The
Bully by Paul Langan
Motivation:
-
Have students
participate in an anti-bullying activity at https://learninglab.org/. Have students
click on the cyber-bullying activity and complete the steps in the game. This
activity may be a bit young for the older students, but it is still a fun way
to generate a discussion about bullying and learning about the key ideas
towards prevention and action against it.
Learning
Activities:
1. Explain to the students that they will
be reading the rest of the novel in segments (Chapters 2-5, Chapters 6-8, and
Chapters 9-12) and will be using several reading strategies to help them
understand the text and its theme. Let them know that these strategies are:
Literary elements
mapping
They will analyze
what they have read by focusing on the literary elements of character,
conflict, and resolution.
T-charts
They will expand on
their descriptions of bullying as they become familiar with personalities in
the text.
Journal writing
They will reflect
on what they have read by writing personal journal responses.
Readers Theatre
They will gain
reading fluency and greater understanding of the text through rehearsal and
performance of Readers Theatre.
Also share rubric
criteria with the students so that they know what is expected of them and how
they will be evaluated.
2. Have students read independently or
partner read with a team member Chapters 2-5 of The Bully. (You might also read
the first of these chapters aloud to the class.)
3. Let students know to be on the lookout
for key scenes that highlight plot and character development for use in Readers
Theatre reenactments. As they are reading, students should use sticky notes to
mark various parts that they think would be interesting to 'act out.'
4. After reading the chapters, have students
work in their teams using a character map and conflict map. For Chapters 2-5,
students should focus on the characters of Darrell, Mom, Tyray, and Uncle
Jason.
5. Have Teams A and B share their maps.
(Teams C and D will share in Session 3; E and F, in Session 4.)
6. Still in teams, have students create
new T-charts revolving around specific characters from the novel as follows:
The chart on
someone who is a bully now describes Tyray and/or Rodney.
The chart on
someone who is bullied now describes Darrell and/or Harold.
The chart on
someone who is a bystander now describes Amberlynn.
7. As was done in the first session, have
students share their work and record their responses on chart paper. Invite
discussion.
8. At the end of class, have students
write a personal response in their journals. You can allow students free
response or you can use prompts. For this set of chapters, sample prompts might
include:
Which character do
you identify with the most and why?
Is there something
that has happened to you that is similar to what has happened to Darrell? If
so, write about it and tell what you did.
How would you feel
and what would you do if you were:
Darrell?
Mom?
Tyray?
Uncle Jason?
This could be a
homework assignment if necessary, but if there is still time left, you can
invite volunteers who are comfortable doing so to share their journal
responses.
Differentiation:
Students can do
further research on the topic of bullying or violence in schools and write
reports to share with the class.
Students can work
in their teams or with a team partner to create (their choice) a poem, rap,
song, poster, slogan, artwork, or cheer against bullying. These can then be
shared with the class and displayed on a bulletin board. These do not have to
be graded or assessed, but are meant to demonstrate your students' creativity
and their understanding of bullying and its effects.
Students can write
their own scripts for various scenes in the novel, creating two outcomes-the
original one and an alternative. They can then perform them for the class.
Higher Order
thinking Questions:
How can I be a
better friend?
What can I do if I
am bullied?
How can I
discourage bullying?
Assessment:
Assess students' participation in
teams and whole-class activities and discussions through observation. Also, the
Group Processing Evaluation Form may serve as a sample rubric.
Compare the original group T-charts
with the final class versions, and reflect on your students' use of T-charts to
summarize information about the characters in relation to bullying.
Review the completed Literary
Element Maps to be sure students have included and understood the key
character, conflict, and resolution points that are most relevant to the text.
Assess Readers Theatre participation
and performance by considering if students select appropriate scenes to reenact
(i.e., scenes that have dialogue or events relevant to the theme of bullying)
and by observing if their performances are fluent, expressive, and reflect
comprehension. For assessment, you may also use the Readers Theatre Evaluation
form.
For journal entries, ask the
following questions during assessment:
Are the entries reflective of an
understanding of the text?
Do students make personal
connections that are relevant to the text and the discussions?
Rubrics
Closure:
Collect students'
materials to be sure they are following directions and completing their written
assignments as expected. You should also respond to their journals and, as need
be, model the type of response you would like them to make.
Next:
Students can extend
this activity, maybe doing more research on bullying and writing a paper or
creating a skit.
Evaluation of the
Lesson:
Students use
multiple methods using technology, reading, writing, and personal experiences
in order to get a better understanding of bullying and why it is important to
take it seriously. There is quite a bit of group work, but through working with
others, students can develop empathy towards others and learn through new
perspectives. Overall, assessing using rubrics different aspects such as the
journal entries and readers theatre helps to establish the objectives in this
lesson.
Lesson Plan I Reading CC
Bullying
Activity Lesson: In many of today’s schools, bullying and
violence are prevalent. After completing this lesson, students will have a more
in-depth understanding of these problems. Using a realistic, high-interest
novel (The Bully by Paul Langan) and interactive reading strategies, students
discuss many issues that surround bullying and consider what they themselves
can do to prevent bullying.
Topic: Reading and Writing
Grade: 6
Aim: Students will explore bullying and how it
can affect people’s lives. What are the many forms of bullying?
Learning Objectives
Students will
Increase reading
comprehension and understanding of the theme by developing and applying various
reading strategies (i.e., predicting, making text-to-self and text-to-world
connections, using T-charts, writing in a response journal, performing Readers
Theatre)
Explore various
aspects of bullying (drawing on their own experiences and characters'
viewpoints) and demonstrate an understanding of the effects of bullying
Work cooperatively
in groups to summarize plot elements, discuss the text, and help one another
better understand the theme
Standards:
NY.CC.9-10.RI.
Reading Standards for Informational
Text
Key Ideas and Details
9-10.RI.2.
Determine a central idea of a text
and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it
emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective
summary of the text.
Craft and Structure
9-10.RI.4.
Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and
technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of
a newspaper).
9-10.RI.5.
Analyze in detail how an author's
ideas or claims are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs,
or larger portions of a text (e.g., a section or chapter).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
9-10.RI.8.
Delineate and evaluate the argument
and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the
evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious
reasoning.
NY.CC.9-10.W.
Vocabulary: bullying, t-charts, character, conflict,
resolution
Materials:
Smartboard or
whiteboard & markers, computer, headphones, printer, graphic organizers, pens/pencils, internet connection, list of guided websites and videos,
The Bully by Paul Langan
Motivation:
1. Ask students to share any personal
experiences they have had in relocating to a new school. You could ask some or
all of the following questions:
Has anyone ever
moved? If so, can you share what it was like?
What do you think
it would be like to go to a new school in the middle of your freshman year?
What would be good
about it?
What might be some
problems?
Would you like to
do that or not? Why or why not?
2. If students haven't mentioned issues of
bullying by this point, bring it to their attention. Introduce the novel The
Bully and explain that the situation you were just discussing (moving and
changing schools in the middle of freshman year) is what takes place in
15-year-old Darrell's life. Ask them, based on the title of the book, what they
think the main problem will be for Darrell. Has this ever happened to any of
them? Allow them to share.
Learning
Activities:
3. After interest has been generated, have
students read Chapter 1 silently or read it to them.
4. Next, have them discuss Darrell's
thoughts about moving from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and starting at a new
school. Encourage them to make relevant connections to their prereading
responses.
5. Divide students into six teams
(referred to hereafter as Teams A, B, C, D, E, and F) and distribute a T-chart
to each one. For the topic line at the top of the page, have Teams A and B
write 'Someone who is a Bully'; Teams C and D, 'Someone who is Bullied'; and
Teams E and F, 'Someone who is a Bystander'. Give them time to brainstorm on
their topics, coming up with at least five descriptions in each column ('Looks
Like' and 'Sounds Like').
6. Next, have the groups share their
ideas. Write each group's ideas on chart paper for classroom display and
reference purposes.
Differentiation:
Students can do
further research on the topic of bullying or violence in schools and write
reports to share with the class.
In Chapter 7 of the
novel, Mr. Mitchell recommends that Darrell read Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
because he believes that Darrell can learn about survival from it. Darrell
reluctantly accepts the novel, but as he reads it, he finds that its main
character Brian has many similarities to him in his lonely and 'impossible'
situation. Students can read Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (or, if this is too
difficult, do this as a read aloud or shared reading). Lead students in a
discussion of the events that influenced both Brian and Darrell to change their
lives to solve their problems at school; help your students connect these
events to their own lives.
Encourage students
to find out more about Paul Langan. They can also read other books in the
Bluford Series
Higher Order
thinking Questions:
Has anyone ever
moved? If so, can you share what it was like?
What do you think
it would be like to go to a new school in the middle of your freshman year?
What would be good
about it?
What might be some
problems?
Assessment:
Assess students' participation in
teams and whole-class activities and discussions through observation. Also, the
Group Processing Evaluation Form may serve as a sample rubric.
Compare the original group T-charts
with the final class versions, and reflect on your students' use of T-charts to
summarize information about the characters in relation to bullying.
Do students make personal
connections that are relevant to the text and the discussions?
Rubrics
Closure:
With remaining time
or as homework, have students go to http://vetoviolence.cdc.gov/stryve/
for information on bullying and what they can do to prevent and stop it. Also
let them know that this information will provide background for understanding
and discussing the rest of the novel The Bully.
Next:
Part II, students go
more in depth about the effects of bullying and what they can do to prevent it.
Evaluation of the
Lesson:
Students use
multiple methods using technology, reading, writing, and personal experiences
in order to get a better understanding of bullying and why it is important to
take it seriously. There is quite a bit of group work, but through working with
others, students can develop empathy towards others and learn through new
perspectives. Overall, assessing using rubrics different aspects such as the
journal entries and readers theatre helps to establish the objectives in this
lesson.
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