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!