Beverly's Academic World: July 2011

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Latest Tech Trend

Social networking is a tech trend that I feel has had a tremendous impact on me personally, and can have an even greater impact in the field of education. Personally, social networking has allowed me to stay connected to friends and family and reconnect with old friends (from all over the world) in a manner that I had not dreamed up a few years ago. Social networking has allowed me to stay current on what is going on with the people around me and keep them abreast of what is going on with me. I have had the opportunity to minister to others and be ministered to using social networking.

However, I do not believe that the true impact that social networking can have in the field of education has been felt yet. I can see class sessions being held via social networking. As a teacher, I can post a discussion question, and my students can post their responses real time (similar to tweeting). I can see this happening during actual class time and also being completed as a homework assignment. I have mixed feelings on whether or not this will become a mainstream idea, but I do feel that it could truly enhance classroom learning.

Lesson Plan Summaries

Lesson Plan #1: The objective/goal of this lesson is for students to demonstrate their knowledge of 3-D figures. Students will do this by drawing and identifying the shape when a 2-D shape is rotated and translated through space. The procedures for this lesson include: 1) Pre-assessment, 2) Direct Instruction-the class will be broken down into 6 groups of 4 and rotate through stations. In the first station, students will rotate 2-D shapes on straws and draw and identify the 3-D shape formed. The next station includes students translating 2-D shapes through moon sand and drawing and identifying the 3-D shape formed. In the 3rd station, students will explore 3-D shapes further on the following website: http://www.learner.org/interactives/geometry/3d_pyramids.html. Students will then log onto their blogs and answer the following question: Which activity did you enjoy and most and why? Students will be assessed in a variety of ways. First, the pre-assessment will be an Anticipation Guide in which they will answer a series of questions. Throughout the lesson, they will fill in a graphic organizer for their rotations and translations. For the post-assessment, students will fill out the Anticipation Guide again.

Lesson Plan #2: The goal/objective of this lesson is for students to add integers using counters, number lines, technology, and the rule. The procedures for this lesson include students taking a Pre-assessment over adding integers. Next, students will be divided into 6 groups of 4 and rotate through 3 stations. In the first station, students will explore adding integers with red and black counters. They will see if they are able to come up with the rule for adding integers. In the second station, students will use number lines to explore adding integers. They will see if the rule they came up with in the 1st station also works in the 2nd station. At the 3rd station, students will continue exploring adding integers by using the following website: www.explorelearning.com/. Students will then log into their blog and explain how to use counters, number lines, and the rule to add integers. Students must include diagrams. The assessments include students taking a pre-test, using the counters, number lines, and rules to add integers, and creating a SmartBoard page and presenting it to the class.

Plan #3: The objective/goal of this lesson is for students to find the prime factorization of a whole number using the factor tree and upside-down division methods. The procedure for this lesson was for students to complete Prime Factorization WebQuest (included in the WebQuest links). In the WebQuest, students watched videos and read summaries of how to use the factor tree and upside-down division methods to find the prime factorization of whole numbers. Students kept tracked of what they learned which will be used in designing their final project. The assessments throughout the lesson include taking notes on how to use the factor tree and upside down division methods in order to find the prime factorziation of whole numbers. Students will then use that informatin to choose one of the following activities: PowerPoint presentation, comic strip, rap, poem, song, or a storyboard. Students will present their projects to the class.

Lesson Plan #4: The objective/goal of this lesson is for students to create an online animation to show what they learned over the course of the school year. The procedures for this lesson include: 1) Students creating an ABC book (using Word) to define and show an example of the vocabulary words they learned in the 7th grade. 2) Students will then use the site www.exploretree.org.uk/explore/?notice=new_user to create graphic organizers for their vocabulary words. 3) Students will use either of these sites: http://goanimate.com/studio or http://www.xtranormal.com/ to create an online animation. The animation must include a topic/unit covered in the 7th grade, define key vocabulary terms and pictures, explain how to solve at least 3 problems, and give example problems for others to solve. Students will then post a link to their animations on their blogs. The assessments for this lesson include the ABC book and the animation (which will be graded using a rubric).

WebQuest Links

1) Prime Factorization -This WebQuest has students exploring how to find the prime factorization of whole numbers using the factor tree and upside down division methods. Students are then given the choice of presenting what they learned by choosing one of the following activities: PowerPoint presentation, comic strip, storyboards, creating a rap, poem, or song, or creating another method to find the prime factorization of a number.

2) Graphs - This WebQuest has students exploring various types of graphs (bar, line, histogram, line plot, box and whisker plot, scatterplot, circle, and pictograph). Students have to define, explain when best to use, and draw an example of each graph and create a foldable with this information. This page also includes the Hangman Game and a Quiz.