When I Become a Teacher.......

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Lesson Plan and CSO

I have chosen to do a Language/ Reading project for my lesson plan.  I will be doing the lesson on: 

Choosing One Word: Summarizing Shel Silverstein’s “Sick

Driving Question:  How can we use words to express our feelings?

The CSO For reading I will be using are:

RLA.S.2.1  

Students will apply reading skills and strategies to inform, to perform a task and to read for literacy experience by

·         identifying and using grade appropriate essential reading components (phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, written application) and

·         selecting a wide variety of literature and diverse media to develop independence as readers.

RLA.O.2.1.2
identify and practice grade level appropriate sight words and reading vocabulary (e.g., high frequency words, homonyms, homophones, multiple meaning words, synonyms, antonyms).

The CSO for Writing I will be using are:

RLA.S.2.2.4

Writing

Students will apply writing skills and strategies to communicate effectively for different purposes by

·         using the writing process

·         applying grammatical and mechanical properties in writing and

·         selecting and evaluating information for research purposes.

 RLA.O.2.2.6

use conventions of capitalization in written composition (e.g., titles, initials, titles of written works, greeting and closing of a letter)

      

 

 

Web Quest (Efficiency Expert)

Grow School Greens:
Strengths: Good animation and great use of color.
Weaknesses: Time is of the essence and there is a lot of time wasted on preparation. There are steps that could be combined to make this process go faster.

Where is my Hero?
Strengths: Great use of color and pictures. The author gets right to the point and jumps in with the tasks. This activity also gives students a chance to be creative.
Weaknesses: There are too many things for the students to have to look up,some steps could be combined.

Unraveling the Underground Railroad.
Strengths: Great use of color and pictures. Great way to get the students ready for the adventure. Weaknesses: Again, there are too many processes and some could be combined to save time.

We All Scream for Ice Cream!
 Strengths: This is a great topic and will get the students attention. The steps are clearly laid out and combined so there won't be much wasted time.
 Weaknesses: The colors are a little bright and a lot of the process must be done at home.

Ancient Egypt.
 Strengths: I like that everything is on one page for the students to read and understand. All the information is clearly laid out for the students. I also like that there is only one topic for the students to focus on. Weaknesses: It may take the students some time to do all the research needed to make their brochure and this might give the students an opportunity to goof off a bit.

I felt the Grow School Greens  and We All Scream for Ice Cream were the best two WebQuests.  They would get the student's attention the best and keep them interested for a longer period of time.  They also had the best time management in the classroom.  There wasn't very much wasted time and what there was, the teacher could work around.  Both WebQuests give the children the opportunity to be creative and to think for themselves.

The worst two WebQuests are Ancient Egypt and Where is my Hero.  They both had a good message and the authors had good ideas, but I don't think they would hold the student's interests like the other three.  They waste way too much classroom time on research that could be done at home.

Best means the best way to keep the children interested while teaching them about a certain subject.  The students need to be interested and have fun with the project in order to succeed.  There is only so much time  alotted for certain subjects, so time management is very important.

Worst means how much time is wasted on going over instructions and doing research.  The students need to be engaged and interested through the whole project.  They also need to have the freedom to be creative when doing certain projects.

Story Bird

Mr Buggs Armstrong's First Day Adventures by jleech2201, jmorris2201 on Storybird

IPAD App

I found a really cool math program to help students learn factors which will in turn help them add, subtract, multiply and divide.  The program is called Math Blaster.  You steer the avatar and blast things out of your way.  When you come to a brain monster, you must solve the math problems in order to move onto the next level.  I think students would love this program because it is like a video game but it is still educational.  I would use this program to help my students understand that math can be fun.  So many times, kids are scared of math because they think it is hard and not fun but with Math Blaster, the kids will get to play games and learn at the same time.  This program will be really helpful when it is time for the students to learn their multiplication tables.  By the end of the school year, the students should be able to spout them off with no problems.  My friend's children used this program over the summer to brush up on their multiplication tables.  Math Blaster is a good program for all gradeschool children.       

Social-networking ban for sex offenders

This article has some very good points.  There is a new law prohibiting registered sex offenders from joining social-networking web sites.  They are also not allowed to leave messages on profile web pages that are visible to users.  This law is supposed to protect minors from people who troll these sites looking for victims to abuse.  The article states that this might not be the best idea.  The experts mentioned say that not very many of the minors hurt or abducted are caused by sex offenders who found them on the internet.  This article reminds people that registered sex offenders have rights too.  The article explains that there are different types of registered sex offenders and that some cases are not as bad as others.  The author is also worried that this law may give minors and parents a sense of false security.  I have a hard time completely agreeing with this article.  I try to put myself in the shoes of both sides, and while I agree there are many different types of sex offenders, I would not want someone convicted of hurting a child to be able to look at my child's profile on Facebook.  I don't think all sex offenders should be labeled the same, there are cases of a 17 year old boy having sex with his 16 year old girlfriend and then there are cases of 50 year old men forcing young boys to have sex with them.  If they are going to pass laws about registered sex offenders and social-networking web sites, then there needs to be a gray area because this is not a black/white situation.  No two cases are the same so no two convicted people should be treated the same or labeled the same.  I also think we do need to not only focus on teaching our children internet safety where sex offenders are concerned but also where bullying,harassment and impersonation are concerned.  Parents and teachers need to be aware of what their students are doing on the internet and be sure to enforce internet safety.

Wikipedia: Friend not Foe

I was shocked to learn that Wikipedia is blocked from all computers in the Warren Hills Regional School District. I don't really understand why they wouldn't want their students using Wikipedia as a starting off point when doing research. The article also talks about how Wikipedia has helped "dumb down" the research process. I would think it would help students when doing research. Having access to this information on line is easier than trying to look up the information in an actual book. I never thought about using Wikipedia to get students involved in online discussions. You could also get different perspectives on one certain topic. It helps students to learn to think "out side the box." I just wonder if there would be a way to limit who could post on Wikipedia and limit what kind of information they are putting on the site?


http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/wikipedia-in-the-classroom-tips-for-effective-use/

Orlando, John. "Wikipedia in the Classroom: Tips for Effective Use." Faculty Focus. (2010): 1. Web. 2 Nov. 2011. <http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/wikipedia-in-the-classroom-tips-for-effective-use/>.

Flag of the United States on Wikipedia

1. This article does not have any cleanup banners and already meets Wikipedia's standards. This article is very neutral and just states facts. The factual aspects of this article are not disputed. The article does not need any editing for spelling errors or grammar issues. The material is appropriate for an encyclopedia and it covers many aspects of flag etiquette. The article is up to date and has been verified by an expert. This article has footnotes as well as references.

2. This article is written in a clear and organized way. It has very neutral tones, the authors do not take sides, they just give the facts and all the facts are referenced. And the information reported seems to be complete with no gaps.

3. Reliable References:
General Service Administration
US Flag Facts
The Government Code

Possibly unreliable references:
London Olympics
Public Law

Definitely Unreliable references:
What's Hot at Fort McPherson

4. This article has a rating of a B and has a Top Importance rating. The main topic of discussion is the Civil Flag and what its purposes are. This article is very informative and I don't doubt its facts at all.

5. I feel this article is very reliable and very user friendly. It was easy to scroll down and find one particular aspect of the flag. It states facts and the facts are easy to check. This article gives plenty of references (78) so there are many places to follow up on the research.

Wikipedia

A. Wikipedia is a multilingual, web based encyclopedia project,operated by the Wikimedia Foundation. B. I agree with the article when it discuses how to trust its reliability when anyone can edit it. Wikipedia puts its trust in the wisdom of the crowds, which means, they trust the people to post what their research tells them is true. It is almost based on the "honor system" and they expect the general public to only post things that are true. C. Again, they put their trust in the crowds to be able to detect what is vandalism and what is true. D. Mr. Sanger left because he felt Wikipedia should give more authority to experts. E. If vandalism appears on a Wikipedia page, it will be red and highlighted so the proof readers can easily spot it. F. The statistics reveal that Wikipedia works and people all over the world are not only using it for a starting point for research but that people are also posting what they find during their research so anyone can have access to it. G. I think Wikipedia is so successful because it gives people information right at their fingertips and helps guide research. If you have a question concerning the topic you are reading about, you can post the question right on the discussion page and someone will help you understand and guide you to more information. H. I think if they start accepting advertising, that opens a whole new can of worms in terms of people thinking they are in charge and can change things. I. Wikiscanner can quickly expose the IP addresses of self-interested editing by prominent businesses and governments. This tool is basically used so people can't control what other people say about their business.

My Think Aloud

Thinkaloud

View more presentations from JessicaLeech

Website Evaluation: Feline Reaction to Bearded Men

After reading this website, it is clear many people contributed to this article, but it is also clear they are making fun of the research.  The facility showed cats pictures of different sizes of beards and then they analyzed they reactions of the kitties.  I think these people had too much time on their hands and were bored one day and decided to have some fun with their cats.  I know my cats love when my husband is a little scruffy because they love to rub their faces on his stubble.  However, if I showed my cats pictures of beards, they would probably look at me like I was crazy.  I can't even tell if the website was accredited.  The name of the website is Improbable Research, so I don't really believe anyhting they say to be true. 

Words Failed Me Then Saved Me

   I am in Intro to Special Education class with Dr. Moorose and he has taught us the differences between  the learning disabilities.  I was not aware how hard it is for dyslexic children to not only learn to read but to be able to process what they read.  I really never thought about how it would affect their being able to tell their left from right.  I just thought dyslexic children couldn't tell the difference between B and D and that is why they have so much trouble learning to read.  I didn't know it affected other areas of learning.  I also didn't realize assistive technology was available to students with learning disabilities.  This tool would be very useful when teaching children to read.  They could listen to a tape while looking at the words and be able to associate those sounds with the worlds.  There are also numerous computer programs that help children with learning disabilities.  Spell checker is a tool almost everyone uses now and it helps kids and adults learn to read.  I found a website that will link you to other materials to help assist learning disabled children.  This website gives links to videos, worksheets and advice on how to teach these children.  I found it to be very useful and plan on bookmarking it to use in my future classroom.

http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/education/at.html

Internet and Anti- Social Behavior

QUOTE:
    "On the contrary, cyber or online social networking may increase a person's social ease, the breadth and depth of off-line relationships, and their overall "social capital" – the resources accumulated through the relationships with people." (Owens, 2009)

RESPONSE:
      I agree with Ms. Owens.  Social networking is a great way to meet new people and also a way to reconnect with old friends.  It is so much easier to communicate with someone online because you have  time to get  your thoughts in order and you can avoid confrontation.  I have been able to reconnect with friends who have moved away and even out of the country.  I can also use email and facebook to catch up with family overseas.  Sometimes, when you need to get a message to a bunch of people, it is easier to just send an email or a note through facebook and then people can respond when they a have time.  Children, especially use the social network when communicating with friends, or even just getting their opinion or voices heard.  They don't have to worry so much about what their friends will think and they have more freedom to express themselves.  I do feel, however, that we need to teach our students the dangers of social networking nad make sure they are informed when using these tools.

Owens, Laura. "Internet & Anti-Social Behavior Theory Unfounded." (2009): n. page. Web. 21 Oct. 2011. <http://laura-owens.suite101.com/internet--anti-social-behavior-theory-unfounded-a111897>.
http://laura-owens.suite101.com/internet--anti-social-behavior-theory-unfounded-a111897

"Does the Internet make kids anti-social? Does it make them stupid?." Millions of us, 10 Nov 2008. Web. 21 Oct. 2011. <http://millionsofus.com/blog/2008/11/10/does-the-internet-make-kids-anti-social-does-it-make-them-stupid/>.
http://millionsofus.com/blog/2008/11/10/does-the-internet-make-kids-anti-social-does-it-make-them-stupid/

Chart for Quiz

By looking at my graph, it shows the Asians, Blacks, Females and Hispanics did better in level two than the ones in the first series.  Then, the values start to vary and there isn't a set group that does better than another.  In series 8, the Special Ed students did a lot better than the other students, this could be because they had assistance from teachers. 

Line Graph

Life on Screen

Quote:

"When people talk to me about the digital divide, I think of it not being so much about who has access to what technology as who knows how to create and express themselves in this new language of the screen." (Lucas)

Response:

This is so true. Its not so much about who has access to the technology but who has the ability to use that technology. Students may have access to the newest and best technology but may not know how to use it. Or students may not have access to the best but can turn their ideas into something wonderful. Students need to feel comfortable in turning their ideas into something wonderful. We need to support students creative side and help them explore the ways technology can be useful for them.


Lucas, George. "Life on the Screen: Visual Literacy in Education." Edutopia. Interview by James Daly. Print. <http://www.edutopia.org/lucas-visual-literacy>.
http://www.edutopia.org/lucas-visual-literacy

Venable, Melissa. "New Literacies and Online Learning: Digital, Media, and Visual." On line college. (2007): n. page. Web. 14 Oct. 2011. .
http://www.onlinecollege.org/2011/05/27/new-literacies-and-online-learning-digital-media-and-visual/ 

Voki Lesson Plan

Click here for my Voki lesson plan
http://l-www.voki.com/open_pdf.php?file=Prince Charming (2nd - 3rd Grade Reading).pdf

Voki

"They may forget what you said but they will never forget how you made them feel."
Carol Buchner

Teaching Media Literacy

QUOTE:

"Even though students are spending more and more time on the Internet and teachers increasingly expect their students to do assignments online, digital media literacy skills are vastly underrepresented in the curriculum for all but the most advanced students (as, indeed, are offline critical-thinking and reading-comprehension skills)."  (David, Jane L)

RESPONSE:

  After I read this quote I was shocked but after I gave it some thought, I found it to be surprisingly accurate.   Even though students are on the internet the majority of their spare time is spent looking for friends or facebook and twitter.  The average middle school and high school student doesn't really pay much attention to current affairs when they are searching the web.  When a teacher assigns a research paper, the students usually just research their given topic.  We as teachers need to help guide the students to see that there are other information outlets.  When students use google, for example, they usually skim the first two or three available options and then they only skim the article.  We need to encourage kids to try and find other information outlets that give them more details. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVzLRher5Cw 
Pilgram, . " Teaching Media Literacy in the Digital Age." Youtube. N.p., 30 Oct 2008. Web. 7 Oct 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVzLRher5Cw>.
David, Jane. "Teaching Media Literacy." Education Leadership. 66.6 (2009): 84-86. Web. 7 Oct. 2011. <www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar09/vol66/num06/Teaching-Media-Literacy.asp&xgt;



                              


 

 

Seven Power Lens

QUOTE:



 "Together, these colors suggest
patriotism to American readers, an
association that is reinforced by the
U.S. flag at his right hand and on his
lapel." (Abiloc, Debbie 2000)


Response:


   In my quote the author talks about how the colors you wear can depict a certain view.  Blue and Red are considered "power colors" and whoever wears these colors almost demands respect and shows authority.  This is why the president is always shown to be wearing either a red or blue tie with his suit, especially when he is giving a televised report.  Wearing these colors also makes a person feel more confident.  I know when I have to give a presentation for school, I try to dress this way and incorporate these colors in my wardrobe. My parents, who were business owners, always stressed the importance of looking good and dressing the part, but I didn't realize other figure heads shared the same attitude.  I will be sure to notice what people are wearing, especially the people on news shows.  


A b i l o c , Debbie. "A Seven Power Lenseon 21st Century Literacy." Multi Media Schools. (2002): 30-35. Print. </docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B6DFAmexYq7vMTFmZjZhNWItZWY5Ni00NzdhLWIxYzItMmE4NmI0MGI5NzJl&hl=en_US>


http://www.touro.edu/tabs/journal02/tabs5c.pdf


In this article I found, it explains how color affects marketing.  It is very interesting to see how and why the marketing geniuses use the colors they do.  


Leichtling, Channa. "How Color Affects Marketing." Tabs Journal. (2000): 23-31. Print. <http://www.touro.edu/tabs/journal02/tabs5c.pdf>.

  

Photo Anaylasis

Art as the 4th R

As I read this I can remember when I was in high school and the teachers all emphasized the importance of writing well.  We were not encouraged to use art as a way to communicate what we were thinking or to express ourselves.  Three of my four brothers are very artistic as is my husband, yet they were never encouraged to take their talent to the next level.  It makes me sad how the schools are trying to remove art from their curriculum.  Art is such an import way for children to express themselves and they need to have the freedom and the support to be able to possibly make a career out of their talents.

Ohler, Jason. "Art Becomes the Next R." Educational Leadership Magazine. Oct 2000: 16-19. Web. 27 Sep. 2011. <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vCKbHYY-gzXtLXnLak8i_hoV7TPAOfxNIamNrkWW3Pc/edit>

I found an article that supports what Mr. Ohler is saying about Art becoming the fourth R.  Art is so important in our school systems and it is an amazing way for students to be able to express themselves.  Art also isn't just about drawing and painting, its about digital media and story telling.

http://www.artrenewal.org/articles/2001/Alexandra_York/fourth1.php

My Concept Map

Copyright in an Electronic Environment

1. Can students upload their multimedia project to YouTube?
2. Are there limitations to the amount of pictures or length of music or video that can be used in a multimedia project?
3. Do you need to request permission from the original creator in order to use copyrighted material in multimedia project for school related assignment?

In my reading of Copyright in an Electronic Environment, I learned students are allowed to upload their own works on You Tube as long as they use the proper citations.  There are limitations on the amount of pictures and length of music that can be sampled and the magic number seems to be 10%.  That also goes with any type of multimedia.  As long as the student is using the samples for educational purposes, there is no need to get written permission from the creator.  The moment the samples are used for anything other than educational purposes, all bets are off and they need to get written permission from the creator.  Teachers and educators are so afraid of getting in trouble they don't give students the freedom to go out and make their own multimedia projects. 

What teaching means to me......

Digital Story Telling

Quote
As with any art form, digital storytelling continues to evolve to accommodate new technologies, purposes and creative visions.  The important question for educators to ask is, "What does digital story telling offer education?

 Response
I feel digital storytelling can offer lots of possibilities to education.  It gives the student the freedom to express themselves any way they want.  It is hard to express yourself with just a pen and paper, and digital storytelling gives them the opportunity to be creative beyond just with their words.  I would also much rather watch a short movie than read a bunch of term papers.  Digital storytelling also gives the reader a sense of who the creator really is and it offers a glimpse of the type of person they could become.


 http://www.jasonohler.com/pdfs/digitalStorytellingArticle1-2006.pdf
Ohler, J(2005). Digital storytelling. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 44-47. Retrieved from http://www.jasonohler.com/pdfs/digitalStorytellingArticle1-2006.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP6CeGLPuOY
Digital Storytelling in Plaine English. Dir. Unknown. Perf. Cox, Amy, Morgan Watson, Lindsey Quinlisk, and Young Kim. You tube, 2009. Film. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP6CeGLPuOY>

The Keypad Solution

QUOTE


"Naomi Baron, a professor of linguistics at American University and author of “Always On: Language in an Online and Mobile World,” shares Crystal’s view. She predicts that the number of “textisms” will stop growing as people continue to develop more proficiency in using handheld devices and as the devices continue to grow more sophisticated than simple telephone touch pads. She adds that part of the appeal of texting shorthands is their novelty, and that that will fade."


RESPONSE


I have mixed feelings about this.  I do feel that texting is a "new" form of the english language and we need to embrace it, but I also agree with Ms. Baron, to a point.  This new "form" of spelling and especially with the acronyms could possibley be just a "fad" and could continue to change.  As our technology continues to evolve and become more percise, the texting language could also be affected.  As the texting age gets older, the vocabulary will continue to change and evolve.  We need to stop fighting this change and just embrace it and continue to change with the times. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWhYj5K5-MA


Wood, C. (2010, January 25). Experts: texting helps kids to spell. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWhYj5K5-MA




Shea, AMMON. "The Keypad Solution."New York Times January 22, 2010. n. pag. Print. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/magazine/24FOB-onlanguage-t.html>.

The trouble with texting

My Learning Style

After taking the short learning test, I realized I am a kinesthetic learner, which means I learn by doing something over and over.  As I think back on the last thing I truly learned how to do, which was drive a manual (stick shift) car, It took me forever to get the practice down.  I had to just keep practicing and practicing until I got it right.  I'm also a visual learner, which means I need to see many examples before I truly understand something.  Being in college again has helped me realize my learning processes so my study habits are better and I know what will help me learn the fastest and be able to retain what I have learned.    

Using Wordle and polleverywhere in the classroom

Wordle, which is a text analysis, works in the classroom because you can take all different data and compare it to see what the students are actually learning.  This helps the teacher to accomidate the students and teach to their strengths and weaknesses. 
Polleverywhere, which is audience response tool, helps students to see what their classmates are thinking about specific topics.  It also helps students learn more about their classmates by answering questions and then polling the answers. 

I would use polleverywhere in my classroom as a tool to help the students review everything we've gone over.  I would be able to put up some science questions, for instance, and then poll their answers to make sure they have a clear grasp on the subject matter.  I would then take the answers and make a wordle for them to see their responses.  This would also allow me to see what subjects I need to focuse on to make sure they have a clear understanding of what they are reading and learning.  Using wordle will also give the students a chance to be creative and express what they have learned and what their misconceptions are in that subject matter.   

Favorite Animal Wordle

Click here to view my poll.

Are Digital Media Changing Language?

"Although journalists tend to sensationalize the linguistic strangeness of "online lingo," quantitative analyses of instant messaging conversations and text messages reveal that abbreviations, acronyms, and even misspellings are comparatively infrequent, at least among college-age students."

I know teachers have been having this debate for a long time. I have mixed emotions about how students text. I have found that when I text and miss spell a word, my phone automatically fixes the mistake so I am able to learn the correct spelling. I think texting is helping kids to learn proper grammer and spelling.I agree with the author and I've found people that text me are also using correct grammer. People all over the world are using text and instant messaging, so educators need to embrace this fact and stop fighting children when it comes to instant messaging and especially text messaging!! 
Baron, N. (2009). Are digital media changing language. Educational Leadership, 66(6), 42-46.
unknown, Initials. (2009, April 9). The art of conversation (aka how social media is changing the way we interact). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdu3CV8JCoY&feature=youtu.be

http://youtu.be/fdu3CV8JCoY

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar09/vol66/num06/Are-Digital-Media-Changing-Language%C2%A2.aspx

My Wordle

Click here to view my Wordle

Education needs a Digital Upgrade.

"A classroom suited to today’s students should deemphasize solitary piecework. It should facilitate the kind of collaboration that helps individuals compensate for their blindnesses, instead of cultivating them."

I feel strongly that we, as teachers, need to teach to the kids interests and help guide them on their journey.  As the saying goes, "Times are a changing" and we need to help the children in our classrooms change with the time.  Technology plays a big part in the change and we need to help the children understand this now.  http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/07/education-needs-a-digital-age-upgrade/?hp