Reflection on this Course?

My final thoughts.  To be completely honest I did learn a few thing in here.  I learned how to create a blog, how to use a blog as a teacher, and how to be a blogger.  However I feel that this course could have been taught in a week long seminar instead of being used as a 3 hour credit class.  I find everything that we learned in here as beneficial but I believe we should have been offered a course on classroom management instead.

Will you continue finding resources?

Of course I will just as students are constantly learning, teachers have to constantly find new ways and new resources to use with them.

Which sites did you find most useful?

I found google as well as youtube as the most useful.  I probably will not not be a technologically advanced teacher because I believe that students should still be taught the basics.  I have learned how to use google and youtube better on an educational level.  I also found my peers’ sites useful.

Will you continue with your blog?

Most likely not.  I did not find it as useful as most.  I do not think this is meant for me.  It has been nice to see the thoughts of my classmates, and get ideas from their lesson plans.  As far as having a blog in my classroom… I see the benefits but, I feel like realistically there would not be enough time for me to keep up with one.

Elements & Compunds – Half Life – LP#2

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/elementsandcompounds/

Okay this activity deals with half life.  Most students even I have had a tough time grasping this concept.  This lesson plan allows especially visual learners to actually see how half life occurs.  For teachers this is an easy demonstration/lab to conduct because the materials are simple all one needs is a shoebox and 100 objects that have a back and front.  Students will also be able to use their 21st century knowledge and use technology to graph their results.  I would use this lesson plan to teach to my Eighth Grade Science class.  I find this lesson plan suitable for all levels of education.  Like my other lesson plan my students will be working with objects that are familiar to them, making it more likely for them to grasp this concept.  I would not expect this activity to take up the typical amount of classtime so I would probably use it as an introduction activity.

How Hard is Your Chocolate? – LP #1

http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/psu06-nano.sci.hardchoc/

I found this lesson plan to be perfect for teaching the physical properties of an object.  To begin with the title is eye catching and something that the students can relate to.  Every child has come in contact with chocolate, and most love it.  I would be teaching this to an Eighth grade Science Class.  I would probably modify the length of this activity.  I know from this internship that my students have a tough time concentrating especially for a long time.  I may cut out some of the videos as well as the extension.  The only thing that I would be worried about in conducting this activity would be food allergies.  Now a days teachers have to be really careful as to what food products they bring into the classroom.  I most likely do this with an AIG class and do a more simple activity for my lower level and inclusion classes.

SCIENCE PEOPLE… Hope you enjoy this!

Instructional Strategy 4

Your Name: Katie Gregory

 

Name of Strategy: Think Sheets

Source (Where did this come from?): Eureka Agora

Link to the Strategy: http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/think_sheets.pdf

Give a thorough description of the strategy and how it will be implemented. This should be a summary of the strategy according to the original source: To prompt learners to ask themselves the kinds of questions expert writers automatically ask themselves as they go through the writing process.  This is a check sheet for students to fill out as they are writing. They use it when editing, revising, and reading

Explain what part of the standard course of study is addressed by this activity. Grade 8

Competency Goal 6The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.   6.01 Model an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by:

• using a variety of sentence types, punctuating properly, and avoiding fragments and run-ons.
• using subject-verb agreement and verb tense that are appropriate for the meaning of the sentence.
• applying the parts of speech to clarify language usage.
• using pronouns correctly, including clear antecedents and case.
• using phrases and clauses correctly, including proper punctuation (e.g. prepositional phrases, appositives, dependent and independent clauses.)
• determining the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words using context clues, a dictionary, a glossary, a thesaurus, and/or structural analysis (roots, prefixes, suffixes) of words.
• extending vocabulary knowledge by learning and using new words.
• evaluating the use and power of dialects in standard/nonstandard English usage.
• applying correct language conventions and usage during formal oral presentations.

6.02 Continue to identify and edit errors in spoken and written English by:

• using correct spelling of words appropriate in difficulty for eighth graders and refining mastery of an individualized list of commonly misspelled words.
• producing final drafts/presentations that demonstrate accurate spelling and the correct use of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling and the correct use of punctuation, capitalization, and format.
• self correcting errors in everyday speech.
• independently practicing formal oral presentations.

Explain why you think this strategy will work. How does the strategy help your students learn? Students will be able to physically see their work being checked off. And the teacher can get an idea if students are understanding the writing process.

 

Instructional Strategy 3

Your Name: Katie Gregory

Name of Strategy: ABC BRAINSTORM

Source (Where did this come from?): Reading Quest

Link to the Strategy: http://www.readingquest.org/strat/abc.html

Give a thorough description of the strategy and how it will be implemented. This should be a summary of the strategy according to the original source:

Have students list all the letters of the alphabet down a sheet of paper (or use the printable ABC Brainstorm sheet available through ReadingQuest), leaving room beside each letter to write out the rest of a word or phrase. Let them work individually at first, thinking of as many words as they can that could be associated with the topic you identify. Do note: The topic should be big and general enough that students can actually think of a lot of possible terms. Then, in no particular order, let them begin filling in the blanks beside each letter of the alphabet. For instance, if the topic were World War II, students might list Allies, Bombers, Concentration Camps, Dachau, Europe, French Resistance, Germany, Hitler, Italy, Japan, and so on.

It seems to work well if you give students enough time to think of a lot of ideas, but then let them pair up or work in small groups to fill in blanks for letters they had not yet completed. In this way, you can let the brainstorming function like a Think-Pair-Share. This would be the “Pair” phase. Then, go around the room or get students to report out (“Share”) possible terms for the different letters of the alphabet. Be open to a wide range of possibilities! Make sure students know that you’re not looking for exact answers, just justifiable and relevant ones.

Explain what part of the standard course of study is addressed by this activity.

Competency Goal 1

 

1.01 Narrate a personal account which:

• creates a coherent, organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context.
• establishes a point of view and sharpens focus.
• uses remembered feelings.
• selects details that best illuminate the topic.
• connects events to self/society.

 

Explain why you think this strategy will work. How does the strategy help your students?

It allows students to think outside of the box.  It will also create a challenge for a student to go through all the alphabet and think of related topics to the subject.

Instructional Strategy 2

Your Name: Katie Gregory

Name of Strategy: Accelerated Reader

Source (Where did this come from?): Renaissance Learning

Link to the Strategy:

Give a thorough description of the strategy and how it will be implemented. This should be a summary of the strategy according to the original source: Students will read text and then be assessed on their reading through a series of questions.  I know that I was encouraged throughout my elementary and middle school years to do these tests.  The more tests the students took the more pizza and ice cream parties they got.

Explain what part of the standard course of study is addressed by this activity.

Sixth Grade Competency Goal 4

5.01 Increase fluency, comprehension, and insight through a meaningful and comprehensive literacy program by:

• using effective reading strategies to match type of text.
• reading self-selected literature and other materials of individual interest.
• reading literature and other materials selected by the teacher.
• discussing literature in teacher-student conferences and small group discussions.
• taking an active role in whole class seminars.
• discussing and analyzing the effects on texts of such literary devices as figurative language, dialogue, flashback and sarcasm.
• interpreting text by explaining elements such as plot, theme, point of view, characterization, mood, and style.
• investigating examples of distortion and stereotypes.
• recognizing underlying messages in order to identify theme(s) within and across works.
• extending understanding by creating products for different purposes, different audiences and within various contexts.
• exploring relationships between and among characters, ideas, concepts and/or experiences.

Explain why you think this strategy will work. How does the strategy help your students?

Students will be encouraged to read and comprehend their readings based on a reward.  Students also like to use technology every chance they get.

Instructional Strategy 1

Title your post: Instructional Strategy 1

 Your Name: Katie Gregory

 Name of Strategy: Story Mapping

 Source (Where did this come from?): The University of Texas at Austin College of Education

 Link to the Strategy: http://readingserver.edb.utexas.edu/downloads/primary/booklets/Essential_Strategies.pdf

Give a thorough description of the strategy and how it will be implemented. This should be a summary of the strategy according to the original source:

This activity begins after students have already read through a story or passage at their instructional

level. Then,

1. Discuss what happened in the story or reading passage and the students’ reaction

to it. Discuss the setting, names of the characters, the story problem, and the

solution.

2. After reading the entire book/passage, give each student a piece of paper.

3. Have the students fold the paper in half lengthwise, then twice widthwise, to make

eight symmetrical rectangles.

4. In the first rectangle, have the students write the title and author of the story.

5. In the following rectangles, have the students write/draw the characters, setting,

plot, and solution. A story element may take more than one rectangle. Continue work for more than one day if necessary.

Explain what part of the standard course of study is addressed by this activity.

Seventh Grade Competency Goal 5

5.01 Increase fluency, comprehension, and insight through a meaningful and comprehensive literacy program

5.02 Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry)

 

 

Explain why you think this strategy will work. How does the strategy help your students learn? It will help students review different elements of literary work.  They can also compare their maps to other works in the same genre

Materials 5 Science Middle Grades

Your name: Katie Gregory

Name of Site: AAAS Science

Link to Resources: http://www.sciencemag.org/journals/

Source (Author–if available): High Wire Press

Identify the teaching topic : Journals, would be used in a research project.

Eighth Grade, Science

This website gives a link to scientific journals that my students would be able to use for research purposes.

I would use this material with my students because it is a trusted website.  Not only can they find information on their research topic but links to other fascinating science journals.  This website not only contains a section for journals but blogs as well as podcasts, videos, and seminars.  This website provides an endless about of scientific information.  The information found on here would be able to relate to any of the eighth grade standards.

Materials 4 Middle Grades Science

Your name: Katie Gregory

Name of Site: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Link to Resources:

http://www.mnh.si.edu/earth/main_frames.html

 Source  - government

Topic: Plate Tectonics

Eighth Grade, Science

I would bring students into the computer lab and tell them to log on to this website.  Plate Tectonics are hard to explain to people especially students so this would be the best option for visual and kinesthetic learners to know about this subject.

Like I said before I would use this because I feel like this website is more interactive than reading from a book.  Young adolescents have a tough enough time reading and paying attention on their own that this would be the best option for them.  This website would allow them to take their time learning about the subject matter.  They can for forward and back as they please.  They will be able to see the visuals to get a better grasp of plate tectonics

Materials 3 Science in the Middle Grades

Your name: Katie Gregory

Name of Site: Amazon

Link to Resources: Amazon.com

Source (Author–if available):

Teaching Topic: Eighth Grade, Science

Give a brief description of how the materials would be used: I would not use this website to buy activity books for my students that would engage them in class.  Such books would be Brain works.  If students looked as if they need to wake up I would let them do an activity to get their brain working.  I would also refer this website to my students that were interested in doing more hands-on activities.  There are multiple activity books where they can read about “do it yourself” labs.

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