Flickr Assignment

slideshow from Flickr assignment

This is my link to the slideshow from the flickr link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/70233769@N03/show/

Week 12/13- Refined Integration Lesson Blog Post

My Lesson will be for the Life Sciences and targeted to a Kindergarten classroom.

Due to the nature of the lesson, the estimated time that should be allotted to the lesson is at least 2 days.  

My Lesson Topic includes: Environment, weather/climate, seasonal changes

Title: Living Things and Their Environment

The following learning objectives will be met by the students once the lesson is completed:

The students will interpret everything in an environment as connect

The students will recognize the difference in climate and strategies for survival in harsh climate.

The student will be able to distinguish survival strategies such as hibernation

The student will determine adaption and changes in climate for living things including self

My understanding, prior knowledge, student misconceptions, etc:

          The reason as to why I like this lesson is because it incorporates science, and introduces students to new technologies.  Students will understand that our environment is very important. By them completing the lesson, I want them to know that the weather gets colder we must adapt by wearing different type clothing, etc.  Animals must also do the same.   I also like to encourage students to be able to associate cross related topics.  For example if they see living things (plants, animals, friends) eating they must understand that there exists a correlation, a similarity.  My objective is for students to learn to compare and contrast.

The following forms of technology to enhance the lesson as well:

1) I will be using a smart to project the ebook: Why do Bears Sleep All Winter?  A Book about Hibernation by Mary Englar.  We will use the following link: http://www.ccebook.org/preview/0736863796/

2) We will then be using internet and computers to access the following link that students will explore with help from teacher and/or parents at home:  http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/nat-geo-wild/shows-1/expedition-wild/ngc-built-to-survive.html

          Students will use the internet before results are recorded/assessment portion of the lesson.  After students have learned that living things within an ecosystem must find ways to secure food and water.  They must avoid several dangers such as being eaten by using strategies to survive such as camouflage ad mimicry.  They will adapt to survive harsh climates and seasonal changes.   

Students will also read the following storybook:  What Color Is Camouflage? By Carolyn B. Otto (HarperCollins Juvenile Books, 1996)

We will then explore Kids National Geographic and view a few videos online:

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/nat-geo-wild/shows-1/expedition-wild/ngc-built-to-survive.html

Depicting different strategies on how animals adapt to various environmental conditions.

MAIN SCIENCE ACTIVITY WILL INVOLVE THE FOLLOWING EXPERIMENT:

“Keeping Warm”

Materials: 2 large bowls filled with ice, cooking shortening, large plastic sandwich bag, thin plastic gloves, rubber band.

Step 1: Students will place ice filled bowls with a little water added, to a flat  surface

Step 2: Fill the sandwich bag about 2/3 full with shortening

Step 3: Put thin plastic gloves on their hands

Step 4: Place the shortening filled bag over one hand and secure it with a   rubber band

Step 5: The student will put his/her left hand in one bowl of ice and the right and the right hand in the other.  They will determine which is colder?

Step 6: The students will take turns doing the experiment, then complete their Record sheets.

Example of Record Sheet will be handed out to each student.**

RESULTS FROM EXPERIMENT: Some animals live in cold environments such as sea lions, whales, and polar bears.  A layer of fat, like the shortening in the bag, helps keep them warm.  Fat is an insulator that prevents body heat from escaping.

How student learning will be assessed:

          Students will complete a “Record Sheet” of based on their experiment results.  The record sheet they will answer different questions that assess them on the learning objectives and complete the sheet by drawing.  We will post everyone’s results on a classroom poster board.

Our end result is to determine that some animals that live in cold environments such as sea lions, bears, wolves, etc.  Students will be able to tell their group partners why and how animals adapt.  Example: Whales have a layer of blubber/fat due adapt to cold climate.

Students will also be able to discuss on strategies we must follow during the winter.  In example, we wear coats, gloves, hats to keep warm.  Our parents might use a fireplace or a heater.   Students will be able to discuss in their circles why we must wear these types of clothing.  What happens to us if we don’t wear appropriate clothing (ex: we contract illnesses).  Students must make a correlation on how all living things adapt to the environment including us!

Possible Extension:  On a bulletin board, create a food chain using pictures and yarn.  Begin with the sun which leads to a green plant, which also leads to a plant-eating animal, a meat-eater, a scavenger, a decomposer, and then another new plant growing from the soil

Classroom to Home Extension:  Send suggestions home to parents on possible articles online they can explore with their children.  Also encourage parents to take their children to their local library to ‘explore’ books on this topic with a few suggestions on titles.

VOCABULARY INTEGRATION: Camouflage, Environment, Mimicry

READING CORRELATION: Books mentioned above by Englar and Otto
** Experiment from "Activities for Science Centers", Grade K levels, by Q.L. Pearce

TNTc Conference Reflection

After attending the TNT Conference, I was impressed by the number of attendees but more so with the varieties of technology topics being discussed at the conference.  The levels of attendees included K-12 teachers and it was great to see everyone so willing to learn about using technology in the classroom.  As a presenter I found the attendees very involved and interested in the topics.  I also learned a lot about the challenges that the teachers are facing in their classroom.  It seems they must overcome difficulties with having resources readily available.  Also, doing more with less, especially with schools decreasing their budgets.

The teachers must become very creative within the classroom but they also have to deal with more ‘district-wide’ issues and problems as well.  They other hot topic was the lack of time.  Even though some of the teachers would really like to try something, they don’t have the time.  I was so impressed by the keynote speaker Kevin Honeycutt, he was so impressive that I still remember his name.  I am now following on Twitter.  Well, after the conference I was so happy to see that everyone was in the agreement that technology is important.  After listening to the keynote speaker, he definitely solidified some of my ideas that at times I would think were ridiculous or even impossible.   I have always thought to myself that we cannot continue to teach today’s students the same way they were taught in the past.  It is not ok, that students become disengaged in a lesson simply due to delivery methods.  There are TOO MANY resources readily available at our disposal to ignore.  Now there are free software games, interactive mediums where we can engage those students that might not normally be interested in a static method of learning. 

All in all, I thought the conference was excellent.  I will definitely try to attend next year as well.  It was great to see, learn and hear about their different experiences in their individual schools and classrooms.  However, I was most impressed with the time they were willing to take to learn about new products, methodologies, etc.  It was such a great and positive experience!

Assignment week 11 - How to use Podcast on the Classroom

I never thought that I would be able to really make use of Podcasts in the classroom.  However, after doing some research and looking at how other teachers could use Podcasts in the classroom it would be a great and flexible tool.  I personally would like to create Podcasts and publish them online so that students would be able to read along with certain reading assignments.  Also, for a new practice tool the students can go online and select a story to read.  They can also work with their parents on maybe reading some “extra” and additional stories. 

Another use that I find great is for the “GT” or advanced students.  Often times it is difficult to find additional resources for them.  However one podcast I would select would be the video podcasts from Khan Academy:

http://www.khanacademy.org/video/basic-addition?playlist=Arithmetic

He has created several free video podcasts for students for several topics.  These are great and extraordinarily easy to understand.  So the content on these really depends on the grade level and type of student for example I chose Arithmetic for those students in the K-2 level.  However these tools can be chosen by each individual teacher based on the skill set.  These tools can also be shown and demonstrated in class as well.   A teacher could also then post these to a classroom website so students can access these at home.  Wouldn’t it be great if the student could view this on the weekend if he/she were stuck on a certain subject. 

            Parent involvement can also be a supplemental tool.  Perhaps sending a list of great teaching websites, podcasts home regarding any major subject you are teaching for a certain week.  As teachers sometimes we do get those students that struggle and using this method of communication might even be a great tool for a visual learner, or they can just practice more at home!   These ideas are just the beginning….

Week 10 comment on Podcasting in the Classroom

This was one of my favorite articles because it seems like podcasting in classrooms is relatively new in comparison to other mediums used.  I found it so interesting to read the varying on opinions on educators/professionals in using podcasts for educational purposes.  I also found it intriguing on how the authors documented students’ reactions to learning in using podcasts.  For example, they mention that when students listen to podcast as an assignment they felt compelled to be ready to take notes or become more of an active listener.  This is opposed to how we as people tend to listen to music for example, it is mostly in the background and we are not active listeners.  I don’t know if I necessarily agree, I think there are just too many variables involved.  For example, what about a student studying for a biology exam and what is she prefers to listen to MP3s posted by the author team during a workout session or a long drive home.

            My husband for example loves to listen to books on tape (most purchased from iTunes).  He is definitely an auditory learner.  He is a musician an often can memorize melodies to songs on the first listen… so I assume this is why enjoys listening to books.  I, on the other, hand need to write things down and read them to remember them – very kinesthetic learner, so I need to read to adequately process information.  I think having a podcast is just another method that is available to use in the classroom.  Very interesting article!

My 1st podcast "Halloween story, Scaredy Mouse" K Class - Assignment week 10

Week 9 Technology Integration Lesson

Subject: Sciences- Life Science
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Estimated Time: 1-2 Days
Lesson Topic: Environment, weather/climate, seasonal changes

Title: Living Things and Their Environment

Learning Goals/Objectives:
•To interpret everything in an environment as connected
•To recognized the difference in climate and strategies for survival in harsh climate
•To distinguish survival strategies such as hibernation etc
• To determine adaption and changes in climate for living things including self

Technology that you are going to use and rationale
•Smart Board technology
•Computers/Internet
•Experiment Tools: 2 large bowls filled with Ice, Cooking Shortening, Large Plastic Sandwich Bag, Thin Plastic Gloves, Rubber Band

A scenario of how students use the technology in the lesson:
Students will use the internet before results are recorded/assessment portion of the lesson. After students have learned that living things within an ecosystem must find ways to secure food and water. They must avoid several dangers such as being eaten by using strategies to survive such as camouflage ad mimicry. They will adapt to survive harsh climates and seasonal changes.

Students will read along digital copies on smartboard and print copies of:

1)What Color Is Camouflage? By Carolyn B. Otto (HarperCollins Juvenile Books, 1996)
2)Why do Bears Sleep All Winter?: A Book about Hibernation by Mary Englar.

We will then explore Kids National Geographic and view a few videos online:
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/nat-geo-wild/shows-1/expedition-wild/ngc-built-to-survive.html

Depicting different strategies on how animals adapt to various environmental conditions.
Post activity and final results to classroom blog. Additional Activities: Students will complete a science experiment titled “Keeping Warm”.


How student learning will be assessed:
Students will complete a “Record Sheet” of based on their experiment results. The record sheet they will answer different questions that assess them on the learning objectives and complete the sheet by drawing. We will post everyone’s results on a classroom poster board.

Our end result is to determine that some animals that live in cold environments such as sea lions, bears, wolves, etc. Students will be able to tell their group partners why and how animals adapt. Example: Whales have a layer of blubber/fat due adapt to cold climate.

Students will also be able to discuss on strategies we must follow during the winter. In example, we wear coats, gloves, hats to keep warm. Our parents might use a fireplace or a heater. Students will be able to discuss in their circles why we must wear these types of clothing. What happens to us if we don’t wear appropriate clothing (ex: we contract illnesses). Students must make a correlation on how all living things adapt to the environment including us!

Possible Extension: On a bulletin board, create a food chain using pictures and yarn. Begin with the sun which leads to a green plant, which also leads to a plant-eating animal, a meat-eater, a scavenger, a decomposer, and then another new plant growing from the soil

Classroom to Home Extension: Send suggestions home to parents on possible articles online they can explore with their children. Also encourage parents to take their children to their local library to ‘explore’ books on this topic with a few suggestions on titles.

VOCABULARY INTEGRATION: Camouflage, Environment, Mimicry
READING CORRELATION: Books mentioned above by Englar and Otto

TPACK Assignment

This article was very technical in nature and it has been over 5 years since I have been in the classroom. However, if I were to apply this to my own classroom, I would like to improve on the integration of pedagogical techniquest with technology incorporation. I had always enjoyed using technology with my kindergarten students. It was difficult at times due to time constraints, scarcity of equipment, etc. Therefore I had to be very selective in the activities that were well suited for them. The article also mentions how students learn in a different capacity and level when technology is appropriately integrated into the lesson. I completely agree. At times, I would select activities that were not grade appropriate perhaps would have worked for a first or second grade level. I would have to re-organize the lesson without technology or select a different activity all together. I liked these articles because they use a 'prescriptive' way of encorporating technology.


2) I enjoyed using technology especially when we needed to focuse on certain topics. For example, selecting activities that would reinforce reading/sound discrimination. Kindergarten students are required to be reading phonetically by the end of the year. Several students reach this milestone but some do not. For the TPACK activity I would definitely use technology such as computer programs or tape recorders as well. Practice is key for students at this grade level and also finding valuable links is a great resource. I would create a newsletter for students' parents so that they could assist with online activities to reinforce skills. I could then reinforce these again during our computer lab time. I also would coordinate with the computer lab teacher or coordinator to have any necessary programs to be downloaded.

Week 6 activity: Survey for Graduating Seniors class of 2011- 2012

Week 5: Wiki Assigment in the Classroom

Kindergarten Science Wiki Activity

Source: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/learn.jsp

  This scholastic site is great.  You can view activities by Grade & Subject.  The wiki activity I chose is underneath and it is science related.  Please read below:

After selecting the science activity, I chose the online bug field trip below.  Online Bug Field Trip (2-3 Day Length of Activity).  As a group we would visit Internet Field Trips. My students will visit image sites in the field trip, such as the Entomology Image Gallery . We would point out names of bugs, their habits, and habitats.  We would go to the following website and each student would be give time to select a ‘bug’ (I would collect this data) and assist with posting them on our classroom wiki. The Skill Focus of the assignment are: Have students learned anything new about bugs? Can they describe characteristics that organize bugs into separate categories? Add students' responses to a classroom created K-W-L poster then post the results on our wiki!  http://www.ent.iastate.edu/ - Iowa State Entimology State will be our main ‘science’ site.

After seeing pictures of a bug, exploration field trip, I would organize to have students go out into the playground/field to ‘explore’ the surroundings and see if any bugs can be found.  This would be a class activity and we would organize a time when students can focus and there are not other students out.  We can also request the use of grade appropriate magnifying glasses from the science teacher.  I want to teach the student on appropriate use of science equipment and how we handle things with care.  We will then take pictures and post them to our classroom blog- along with the new and informative images we find on the Iowa State Entomology Site.  For such activities parents are always invited to edit our findings on our wiki and view our classroom blog and wiki for this exercise.  I will also ask students to explore their ‘home’ backyards or nearby parks and bring a picture of bugs they found and we can add further items to our wiki.  During reading time, I will add a book to our reading about bugs with a lot of illustrations and pictures. This project will take us about 2-3 days.

An interactive internet game for our wiki assignment.

One of the specimens on the Iowa State Site.

An Online Zoo Visit also from Iowa State.

Week 3: Lesson with Blogs in Classroom

Our elementary school was considered an “overflow” school for Pre-K through 5^th grade students in H.I.S.D (Houston Independent School District).  The school was very small with only 3 or 4 classrooms for each grade.  One of the issues we often faced was the limited interaction we had as a kindergarten classroom with other kindergarten classrooms across the school district.

What we have learned in our Web 2.0 classrooms are the ease and practical uses of blogs in an educational setting.  My idea for a lesson would be use blogs as a communication tool between my kindergarten classroom and others in the school district.  The objective would be to record ourselves as a classroom and report on the day’s activities complete with weather report, day of week, etc.  I would then upload our video to our classroom blog.  As a teacher, I would partner with another kindergarten teacher located the farthest away from our school at a different elementary school in the district.  We’d log on to their website to see their own weather report, and activities. 

I would have students answer questions after watching the other classroom’s blogs.  We could compare the difference in weather and activities.  From these types of observations several other extensions can be created such as graphing, compare/contrast tables.  We can draw the number of students in their classroom versus ours.  The idea is to have my students understand that we are communicating with a school that is geographically “far” away from our campus and not next door. 

I would also invite my students’ parents to post comments or ideas, and suggestions to the blog.  I would want parents to be open to using technology and not be ‘weary’ of having students being on video.  I think that it would also be important to change this assignment and properly coordinate with the other teachers in the district to make certain it becomes a success.  I think if students get the suppport in the classroom and at home, it would build for great future lessons that would integrate technology.  

Teaching the iGeneration.

I was immediately engaged when reading the article, and the introductory paragraph asks "How will schools respond?". It is such a thought provoking question to pose because although technology is all around us, in my opinion the power of using it as a fully functioning instructional tool is just emerging.

Rosen's description of the young children in the first paragraphs on how their adaptability and ease in using technology is evident in our every day lives.  We no longer have to 'go' to a computer lab to see our students using technology.  Students use technology walking down a hallway, at a grocery store parking lot, restaurants - no lab necessary.  In my case, I walk the college and university hallways and I see students with headphones in ear, probably listening to music, and typing or reading away on their phone, all simultaneously.  Larry Rosen could not have been more accurate as he writes "Children and youth in this new generation are defined by their technology and media use, their love of electronic communication, and their need to multitask."  I agree that students love the immediacy of electronic communication.  It is such a marvel to have a question, type that same question on a search engine Google, FireFox, etc. and get an answer in seconds.  

My favorite portion of the article is summed up in this one sentence "The point is not to 'teach with technology' but to use technology to convey content more powerfully and efficiently."  I resoundingly agree with this statement.  I was working with one of my professors recently and demonstrating to her some of the resources available to her and her students.  Her reaction afeter viewing a 3D animation on dna replication was that of excitement and enthusiasm.  She immediately downloaded it to her zip drive so she could play it for her lecture on that topic.  The instructor explained that this was an amazing resource to have and commented on how lucky today's students are.  When she was taking the same class during her undergrad, she had to mentally conceptualize every single biological step with the use of very little color in textbooks or her professors' yellow-tinged transparency. 

I agree we have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.

What does a Web 2.0 Classroom look like? & Technology-Rich Constructivist Classroom

Today’s students have access to an immense amount of knowledge at their fingertips.  These resources being personal methods of communication, such as e-mail, cellular phones, personal computers, video gaming systems.  I envision a web 2.0 classroom to be an environment that enhances student learning with the use of technology but one that facilitates and aids the students’ learning process.

As in few years past, over-head projectors provided students with a key visual of a teacher’s lesson ‘in action’.  This was a great tool at the time because teachers now stood facing the class instead of writing on a chalkboard in hopes students were listening.  Similarly, web based activities have evolved to better involve the student.  Teachers can now use the use of computers, laptops, even cell phones to create a technology-rich constructivist classroom.

For example, a cell phone that was previously only used to talk to one another can now be used as a web based teaching tool.  For example, allowing students to use their cell to practice math on a planned and approved time.  When I look up “math” as an ‘app’ on my droid phone 2,652 applications can be selected!  When computers were at one point static, can now be wonderful teaching tools.  Web based activities such as e-Readers where students can scroll, interact and read on a screen are another example. Learning to use technology-rich tools is imperative for today’s students.

However, it is also very important to learn to keep a balance where and when technology is implemented.  A technology-rich classroom is enhanced with tools and resources that aid in teaching goals and objectives.  ‘Aid’ is the key word, not replace.  When students learn to read an eBook it is still imperative that they learn to read a physical book, learn how to use an index, a glossary.  Or using the other example, it is great if students work out math problems on web based tools, cell phone, computers, etc., they must still have the skill and knowledge to work problems on paper to show and demonstrate their work and thinking process. 

A web 2.0 classroom and a technology-rich constructivist classroom use the technological resources to complement the objectives within a lesson, not overextend the use of technology.  As educators, we must determine that perfect blend of traditional and foundation building skills while adequately merging them with technology-driven tools and resources.  This is when a technology tool truly becomes a teaching tool in the classroom.

Interesting day

Today was an interesting day.  I completed 5 training sessions mostly for biology and math professors.  I was excited to see how eager most faculty were to use the tools and technology that are available to them.  However, I did happen to run into a student at the bookstore and read her syllabus' - and was sadened to see that the professors explicitly had studends annotate, "no code/technology required, book only".  I guess we all evolve at our own pace.  However for the most part it is great to see everyone embracing change and using their web resources.  It is keeping me busy!

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Technology IS Important.

Consider using a new technology tool each month of the school's calendar year.  It is a great thing to be comfortable with the resources you currently use, but it is also important for us to keep learning with new tools!