For today's assignment, we have to make a voice thread to go along with a lesson plan for our future classroom. Since I am going to be teaching little kids (approximately 4 to 5 year olds), I have to keep lessons very basic and fun and interactive. For this assignment, I choose to make a voice thread on my trip to Washington D.C.. Since I do will have to do a History lesson for my class, what better to do a History lesson on rather than our own capital. During my show, I will show my students:
1. Where the president lives
2. What the capital building
3. What is inside the National Museum of American History
4. Other historical monuments
I will also ask my students questions such as:
1. Why does the president live in the White House?
2. Why is the capital building important?
3. Why is the Lincoln Memorial/Washington Monument important?
This meets ISTE standards because it
1. Facilitates and Inspires student learning through an interactive and engaging way
2. Models Digital Age work and learning through a technology inspired lesson plan
3. By designing a Digital Age learning experience by once again using technology to teach my students.
I will use voicethread in my future classroom because it gives children a new way to learn. Instead of watching a boring power point, this voicethread gives teachers a whole new range for making presentations. A teacher can give a presentation without speaking a word to the class! This is a very neat and engaging way to inspire learning and I plan on using it in my future classroom.
link to voicethread
Monday, February 7, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
Survey in Google Docs
After reading over the article, I have found new ways to use Google docs in a way that I didn't know was possible! I think these are creative ways of using Google! I had never even thought of using Google for making a spelling test before, so this website really opened my eyes to some new and creative ideas!
After talking to the girls at my table, we have decided that the three best ways to use google docs are:
I think that there are many possible ways for me to use Google Forms in my future classroom. I plan to use Google Forms to make surveys to see what my class wants to study. I could also do a survey to see what my students know before we start a new unit. That way I know what I should be teaching!
Click here to look at my technology survey!
After talking to the girls at my table, we have decided that the three best ways to use google docs are:
- Get to know the class
- Weekly reading log
- Spelling Tests
I think that there are many possible ways for me to use Google Forms in my future classroom. I plan to use Google Forms to make surveys to see what my class wants to study. I could also do a survey to see what my students know before we start a new unit. That way I know what I should be teaching!
Click here to look at my technology survey!
Monday, January 24, 2011
WebQuest Evaluation
An Insects Perspective
This Webquest is about insects and trying to save their habitat. During the webquest, a child would pick an insect to become and learn all this information about a specific animal. During the webquest, I decided to research Bee's. I was able to find out what they ate, where they lived... everything about Bee's. After my research was finished, I had to write a letter to the exterminator and make a poster about why I was helpful to the environment and why I should not be exterminated! Overall, I thought this was a good webquest. I think that to a second grader this would be very interesting and a very hands on activity, which is good for younger students. This activity would allow them to be moving around, yet also learning at the same time. For the five points that the webquest has to meet, I would say.
1. Introduction - the introduction was very clear
2. Task - the task was clearly defined and I thought it was developmentally appropriate for children at a second grade level.
3. Process - While I thought the webquest was good, there were some parts that were lacking. On some pages, there was no arrow or something to take you back to the main page ... you were just stuck on a page with pictures of bees. Another problem would be that there was not a multitude different learning styles; adding more learning styles would improve the quality of the webquest.
4. Resources- There were no resources listed, only what you would need if you were to do a lesson like this; adding resources would improve the webquest and make it more credible.
5. Evaluation- Yes, the evaluation rubric is very clear and concise.
The Four Seasons
This webquest is about the four seasons. The point of this webquest is for second graders to learn about the seasons and all the things that go along with the seasons, such as: holidays, typical weather and the months in that season. For this webquest I followed the season spring and I was able to learn so much about it! I think that this is appropriate second grade, but i think it would be for a low functioning second grader. By second grade, a child already knows the months and knows the type of weather for the months, so thats the only thing I would say I don't like about this.
1. Introduction - I thought the introduction was catchy, but not in-depth; providing a more in depth introduction would improve the quality of the webquest.
2. Task - the task was clearly defined and but I thought it was a little below developmentally appropriate for children at a second grade level; making the webquest more age appropriate would improve the webquest.
3. Process - I thought the process was very clear. It was very easy for a child to find what they needed to do and how they needed to research it.
4. Resources- Resources were listed and credible on this page.
5. Evaluation- I could not find an evaluation for this webquest, making it non-complete
Who Really Owns the Rosetta Stone
This webquest is about the Rosetta Stone. The introduction gives a background about what the Rosetta Stone is and why it is important. I think that this was a good way to begin, because, I personally don't know a lot about what it is. Other than the introduction, I thought this webquest was hard to follow. While the information was more in-depth than the other webquests, I found this one to be difficult. I think this could partially be because in other webquests you are able to follow a specific thing, like a bee or a month, here you are just learning history about the Rosetta Stone.
1. Introduction - the introduction was very clear and very beneficial to the webquest personal
2. Task - The task was spoke about but it was not that in depth.
3. Process - I could not find a specific process, so adding one would improve the webquest.
4. Resources- The resources were listed and are credible
5. Evaluation- I could not find an evaluation; adding an evaluation would improve the quality of the webquest
Review of Algebra One
This webquest is about reviewing Algebra One for eighth grade and high school students. I think that this is a good webquest for helping math students. What a person needs to do to improve their Algebra One is clearly stated. Unlike the others, I felt that this webquest is developmentally appropriate. Any person who has taken algebra one or is taking algebra one can use this as a study aid or a refresher.
1. Introduction - the introduction was very clear and concise; i thought it was very appropriate
2. Task - the task was clearly defined and I thought it was developmentally appropriate for students at the eighth grade or high school level
3. Process - the process is clearly stated and is very easy to follow
4. Resources- The resources are listed and are credible!
5. Evaluation- I could not find an evaluation rubric; by adding an evaluation, it would make the webquest more credible and would improve the quality of the webquest.
Click here to visit my webquest!
This Webquest is about insects and trying to save their habitat. During the webquest, a child would pick an insect to become and learn all this information about a specific animal. During the webquest, I decided to research Bee's. I was able to find out what they ate, where they lived... everything about Bee's. After my research was finished, I had to write a letter to the exterminator and make a poster about why I was helpful to the environment and why I should not be exterminated! Overall, I thought this was a good webquest. I think that to a second grader this would be very interesting and a very hands on activity, which is good for younger students. This activity would allow them to be moving around, yet also learning at the same time. For the five points that the webquest has to meet, I would say.
1. Introduction - the introduction was very clear
2. Task - the task was clearly defined and I thought it was developmentally appropriate for children at a second grade level.
3. Process - While I thought the webquest was good, there were some parts that were lacking. On some pages, there was no arrow or something to take you back to the main page ... you were just stuck on a page with pictures of bees. Another problem would be that there was not a multitude different learning styles; adding more learning styles would improve the quality of the webquest.
4. Resources- There were no resources listed, only what you would need if you were to do a lesson like this; adding resources would improve the webquest and make it more credible.
5. Evaluation- Yes, the evaluation rubric is very clear and concise.
The Four Seasons
This webquest is about the four seasons. The point of this webquest is for second graders to learn about the seasons and all the things that go along with the seasons, such as: holidays, typical weather and the months in that season. For this webquest I followed the season spring and I was able to learn so much about it! I think that this is appropriate second grade, but i think it would be for a low functioning second grader. By second grade, a child already knows the months and knows the type of weather for the months, so thats the only thing I would say I don't like about this.
1. Introduction - I thought the introduction was catchy, but not in-depth; providing a more in depth introduction would improve the quality of the webquest.
2. Task - the task was clearly defined and but I thought it was a little below developmentally appropriate for children at a second grade level; making the webquest more age appropriate would improve the webquest.
3. Process - I thought the process was very clear. It was very easy for a child to find what they needed to do and how they needed to research it.
4. Resources- Resources were listed and credible on this page.
5. Evaluation- I could not find an evaluation for this webquest, making it non-complete
Who Really Owns the Rosetta Stone
This webquest is about the Rosetta Stone. The introduction gives a background about what the Rosetta Stone is and why it is important. I think that this was a good way to begin, because, I personally don't know a lot about what it is. Other than the introduction, I thought this webquest was hard to follow. While the information was more in-depth than the other webquests, I found this one to be difficult. I think this could partially be because in other webquests you are able to follow a specific thing, like a bee or a month, here you are just learning history about the Rosetta Stone.
1. Introduction - the introduction was very clear and very beneficial to the webquest personal
2. Task - The task was spoke about but it was not that in depth.
3. Process - I could not find a specific process, so adding one would improve the webquest.
4. Resources- The resources were listed and are credible
5. Evaluation- I could not find an evaluation; adding an evaluation would improve the quality of the webquest
Review of Algebra One
This webquest is about reviewing Algebra One for eighth grade and high school students. I think that this is a good webquest for helping math students. What a person needs to do to improve their Algebra One is clearly stated. Unlike the others, I felt that this webquest is developmentally appropriate. Any person who has taken algebra one or is taking algebra one can use this as a study aid or a refresher.
1. Introduction - the introduction was very clear and concise; i thought it was very appropriate
2. Task - the task was clearly defined and I thought it was developmentally appropriate for students at the eighth grade or high school level
3. Process - the process is clearly stated and is very easy to follow
4. Resources- The resources are listed and are credible!
5. Evaluation- I could not find an evaluation rubric; by adding an evaluation, it would make the webquest more credible and would improve the quality of the webquest.
Click here to visit my webquest!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Website Evaluation
For this assignment, we have to evaluate five different websites on immigration and whether or not they would be credible sources for classroom use.
Website #1: FAIR
The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is a national, nonprofit, public-interest organization whose members believe that immigration policies must be reformed to serve national interest. Due to the fact that this website is a .org website, I find it to be a non-credible source. A .org ending to a website means that this website is made by an organization, which therefore means that the website is not credible. This is not a credible resource because it only shows the negative side of immigration, while a credible resource would show both sides of immigration. Lastly, this website was updated in 2005. Due to the fact that it is 2011, I would say that this is not credible information because it is not consistently updated.
When debating to use this in a classroom, I would have to say yes. The only reason I would show this in my classroom would be to show the students a type of website to NOT use.
Website #2: Immigration Blog
Immigration Blog is a Blog done by a man named Bradley Maged. He blogs about immigration and policies that are adopted through immigration. Due to the fact that this website is based on only the opinions of one man, I would deem this website not credible. Maged even states that his blog is from a "liberal" viewpoint. Along with having a biased opinion, Maged states in his blog that "None of the attorneys listed in this Web site is certified as an “expert” or “specialist” pursuant to any authority governing the practice of law in any state". If the lawyers are not certified, then clearly this is not a credible source. Once again, I would not use this as an example website for students to gain credible information. The only reason I would use this website would be to show my students where to NOT get credible information.
Website #3: Amercia.gov
America.gov is a government website about Immigration and U.S. History. The article on the website is written by Hasia Diner, a professor at NYU in New York. I would find this source to be credible because it is a .gov website. We know that the government has all the facts about what goes on in this country, so we know the information that they give us has to be true. Another reason I would view this source as credible is because it is written by a college professor. To be a professor and teach students, one has to be knowledgeable and credited in a subject. The government wouldn't throw any random person on their website if their information was not un-biased and credible. I would definitely use this in my classroom because this would show students what a credible resource is and how to maneuver a credible resource website.
Website #4: US Citizenship and Immigration Service
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the government agency that oversees lawful immigration to the United States. In their mission statement, it says, " the USCIS will secure America’s promise as a nation of immigrants by providing accurate and useful information to our customers, granting immigration and citizenship benefits, promoting an awareness and understanding of citizenship, and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system". Because this is a .gov website and because of the statement "providing accurate and useful information to our customers", I would find this to be a credible resource. This website gives information on green cards, citizenship, adoption, anything that an immigrant would need to know. I would definitely show this to my students as a credible resource. They could use this website to find un-biased information about immigration and also learn about the government as they do so!
website #5: News from the Onions
This would in no way be appropriate for classroom use, and I would find this resource not credible just by looking at the website. There are multiple uses of inappropriate language and is defiantly not for the use of children. It even says in the disclaimer that this is not appropriate for children under 13 years of age. I believe that this is not a credible resource because it is a .com website and .com means this is a commercial site, meaning that anymore can make one. Also, I believe that this website is for a comedic purpose, and not for an educational standpoint. In conclusion, I would for sure not be showing this website to my students.
Website #1: FAIR
The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is a national, nonprofit, public-interest organization whose members believe that immigration policies must be reformed to serve national interest. Due to the fact that this website is a .org website, I find it to be a non-credible source. A .org ending to a website means that this website is made by an organization, which therefore means that the website is not credible. This is not a credible resource because it only shows the negative side of immigration, while a credible resource would show both sides of immigration. Lastly, this website was updated in 2005. Due to the fact that it is 2011, I would say that this is not credible information because it is not consistently updated.
When debating to use this in a classroom, I would have to say yes. The only reason I would show this in my classroom would be to show the students a type of website to NOT use.
Website #2: Immigration Blog
Immigration Blog is a Blog done by a man named Bradley Maged. He blogs about immigration and policies that are adopted through immigration. Due to the fact that this website is based on only the opinions of one man, I would deem this website not credible. Maged even states that his blog is from a "liberal" viewpoint. Along with having a biased opinion, Maged states in his blog that "None of the attorneys listed in this Web site is certified as an “expert” or “specialist” pursuant to any authority governing the practice of law in any state". If the lawyers are not certified, then clearly this is not a credible source. Once again, I would not use this as an example website for students to gain credible information. The only reason I would use this website would be to show my students where to NOT get credible information.
Website #3: Amercia.gov
America.gov is a government website about Immigration and U.S. History. The article on the website is written by Hasia Diner, a professor at NYU in New York. I would find this source to be credible because it is a .gov website. We know that the government has all the facts about what goes on in this country, so we know the information that they give us has to be true. Another reason I would view this source as credible is because it is written by a college professor. To be a professor and teach students, one has to be knowledgeable and credited in a subject. The government wouldn't throw any random person on their website if their information was not un-biased and credible. I would definitely use this in my classroom because this would show students what a credible resource is and how to maneuver a credible resource website.
Website #4: US Citizenship and Immigration Service
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the government agency that oversees lawful immigration to the United States. In their mission statement, it says, " the USCIS will secure America’s promise as a nation of immigrants by providing accurate and useful information to our customers, granting immigration and citizenship benefits, promoting an awareness and understanding of citizenship, and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system". Because this is a .gov website and because of the statement "providing accurate and useful information to our customers", I would find this to be a credible resource. This website gives information on green cards, citizenship, adoption, anything that an immigrant would need to know. I would definitely show this to my students as a credible resource. They could use this website to find un-biased information about immigration and also learn about the government as they do so!
website #5: News from the Onions
This would in no way be appropriate for classroom use, and I would find this resource not credible just by looking at the website. There are multiple uses of inappropriate language and is defiantly not for the use of children. It even says in the disclaimer that this is not appropriate for children under 13 years of age. I believe that this is not a credible resource because it is a .com website and .com means this is a commercial site, meaning that anymore can make one. Also, I believe that this website is for a comedic purpose, and not for an educational standpoint. In conclusion, I would for sure not be showing this website to my students.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Wiki!
Hello :)
For this assignment we had to make a Wiki page. I decided to make mine an interactive Wiki that will be both beneficial to my future students AND their parents. I think a wiki is the perfect place for a teacher to let parents know what is going on in the classroom as well as a safe place children to go online. I made one page of my wiki for my kindergarten students. This page has free down-loadable worksheets and activities for children to do at home. My other page leads children to a counting activity that I have made. This gives children help with their math skills. On my home page I added a calender so parents cans see what their child will be learning in class on each specific day. This works perfectly with my age group of students that I want to teach! Along with the worksheets I uploaded, children also gain technology skills! The standards for this assignment are to "model digital age work and learning, as well as facilitate and inspire student learning". I did just that by using the internet (the model of digital age) to create a website for my students to get worksheets (facilitate learning). Below is a link to my Wiki ... enjoy :)
Click here to navigate to Wiki page
For this assignment we had to make a Wiki page. I decided to make mine an interactive Wiki that will be both beneficial to my future students AND their parents. I think a wiki is the perfect place for a teacher to let parents know what is going on in the classroom as well as a safe place children to go online. I made one page of my wiki for my kindergarten students. This page has free down-loadable worksheets and activities for children to do at home. My other page leads children to a counting activity that I have made. This gives children help with their math skills. On my home page I added a calender so parents cans see what their child will be learning in class on each specific day. This works perfectly with my age group of students that I want to teach! Along with the worksheets I uploaded, children also gain technology skills! The standards for this assignment are to "model digital age work and learning, as well as facilitate and inspire student learning". I did just that by using the internet (the model of digital age) to create a website for my students to get worksheets (facilitate learning). Below is a link to my Wiki ... enjoy :)
Click here to navigate to Wiki page
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Counting In Kindergarten!
Welcome :)
Today's assignment was to make an interactive power point presentation for our future classroom. Well, since I am an Early Childhood Education major, I think it is only appropriate to make a kindergarten based activity. For my activity, I made an interactive, kindergarten level counting activity! Students will follow Carl the Counting Pig on his journey through the farm. Students will count farm animals and look to Carl to see if they have counted correctly! I made this an interactive PowerPoint presentation by hyper-linking slides to one another. This way, it is easier for younger students to move through the presentation. This activity is definitely good for kindergarten level students! In kindergarten, children are still learning all about the world, including math skill and even about animals, too! This activity combines both life learning skills into one activity! I am really proud of how this turned out and I hope you enjoy it too!! Below is a link that will allow you to follow Carl the Counting pig on his counting adventures! Enjoy :)
Counting In Kindergarten - Interactive PowerPoint Presentation
Today's assignment was to make an interactive power point presentation for our future classroom. Well, since I am an Early Childhood Education major, I think it is only appropriate to make a kindergarten based activity. For my activity, I made an interactive, kindergarten level counting activity! Students will follow Carl the Counting Pig on his journey through the farm. Students will count farm animals and look to Carl to see if they have counted correctly! I made this an interactive PowerPoint presentation by hyper-linking slides to one another. This way, it is easier for younger students to move through the presentation. This activity is definitely good for kindergarten level students! In kindergarten, children are still learning all about the world, including math skill and even about animals, too! This activity combines both life learning skills into one activity! I am really proud of how this turned out and I hope you enjoy it too!! Below is a link that will allow you to follow Carl the Counting pig on his counting adventures! Enjoy :)
Counting In Kindergarten - Interactive PowerPoint Presentation
Monday, January 3, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)