The professional development video that I chose to watch was titled, Educational Change Challenge. In the beginning of the video the narrator stated something about 25 students sitting in a classroom with one adult and if that was the best way for them to be educated. I think he meant that experiential learning needs to be taking place more than what it is. However, I began to ponder and I do not think having 25 students to one adult is best for their learning either, but our state/government obviously do not care because they keep taking more and more funding away. So, how can that be solved? Class sizes need to be smaller if we are considering the best way for a child to be educated, but that is the last thing that will happen. During the intersession the first week of spring break, I had 7 kids in my group and we got a ton done. I felt like I knew where and when they were going to struggle or succeed. My class sizes on a normal school day are small too, but only because I am in the special education department. The other classes have much bigger groupings. Class sizes keep getting larger every year, which means the rooms are getting smaller and it falls on the one adult to meet every child's needs. Cutting school funding every year tells me they could care less about education and what is happening in the classroom daily. This could easily turn into a whole other posting as I am sure all of you have your feelings on the issue, but that is another time.
The video narrator made a comment that I think applies to every teacher either one way or the other. He stated, "Am I preparing students for my age or their age." I have never heard that, but I think it stands out. I think technology is a huge part of this statement. I will say that I am up to date technology wise on what is available, but I do not always know how to use it. If I start to use it and it malfunctions the likelihood of me using the technology again is slim to none. I am just like my dad when it comes to that type of stuff. I am all for new technology here and there, but when it doesn't work it makes you not want to use it or be able to depend on it. I use technology everyday in my classroom, but not as much with my students hands on. I need to do a better job of that, because they are going to be the ones growing up with it.
Resources:
History Channel/Discovery Channel
- This is a great addition to reading non-fiction novels, articles, etc.
- Easy for students to navigate
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Goanimate book video
Out of the Dust preview by kestnerk on GoAnimate
Animated Presentations - Powered by GoAnimate.
I selected the book, Out of the Dust to create my video over. This book is age appropriate as the main character is 13 years old, the same age or close to the same age as my middle school students. The other resource teacher and I teach an 8th grade reading class that switches half a year. The class has to incorporate history-based texts as the students are pulled from their history class a semester and added into our reading class. This truly is a benefit for these kids as reading, especially non-fiction reading, is a struggle for majority of the students. Out of the Dust is written in a poetry format incorporating stanzas instead of paragraphs. There are breaks between stanzas and some of the lines only have 3-4 words. This format makes the book bearable to read for my students and not so overwhelming. There are unexpected events in the story that bring you in, directing your attention. Because this story is written in a poetry format it includes a ton of figurative language. (Simile, Metaphor - a really big metaphor throughout the entire story, Personification, Alliteration, Repetition, Onomatopoeia, Idioms, and Hyperboles) Learning definitions and examples before hand help to explain the story as well as understand it.
Standards:
7.1.1 - Identify and understand idioms and comparisons - such as analogies, metaphors, and similes - in prose and poetry
7.3.7 - Explain the effects of common literacy devices, such as symbolism, imagery, and metaphor in a variety of fictional texts.
7.5.6 - Use varied word choices to make writing more interesting and more precise.
8.1.1 - Analyze idioms an comparisons - such as analogies, metaphors, and similes - infer the literal and figurative meanings of phrases.
8.5.6 - Write using precise word choices to make writing more interesting and exact.
Activities:
Animated Presentations - Powered by GoAnimate.
I selected the book, Out of the Dust to create my video over. This book is age appropriate as the main character is 13 years old, the same age or close to the same age as my middle school students. The other resource teacher and I teach an 8th grade reading class that switches half a year. The class has to incorporate history-based texts as the students are pulled from their history class a semester and added into our reading class. This truly is a benefit for these kids as reading, especially non-fiction reading, is a struggle for majority of the students. Out of the Dust is written in a poetry format incorporating stanzas instead of paragraphs. There are breaks between stanzas and some of the lines only have 3-4 words. This format makes the book bearable to read for my students and not so overwhelming. There are unexpected events in the story that bring you in, directing your attention. Because this story is written in a poetry format it includes a ton of figurative language. (Simile, Metaphor - a really big metaphor throughout the entire story, Personification, Alliteration, Repetition, Onomatopoeia, Idioms, and Hyperboles) Learning definitions and examples before hand help to explain the story as well as understand it.
Standards:
7.1.1 - Identify and understand idioms and comparisons - such as analogies, metaphors, and similes - in prose and poetry
7.3.7 - Explain the effects of common literacy devices, such as symbolism, imagery, and metaphor in a variety of fictional texts.
7.5.6 - Use varied word choices to make writing more interesting and more precise.
8.1.1 - Analyze idioms an comparisons - such as analogies, metaphors, and similes - infer the literal and figurative meanings of phrases.
8.5.6 - Write using precise word choices to make writing more interesting and exact.
Activities:
- Writing down examples of figurative language terms from the text in notes
- Practicing writing poems using figurative language incorporating symbolism of seasons and colors
- Creating a narrative poem from a famous picture during the Dust Bowl - using figurative language and facts from the Dust Bowl.
Voicethread (Autobiography)
My voice thread is a recording stating the pathway that lead me to where I am today. I chose to record and tell about my own life as an example of a autobiography. Differentiating and recognizing a biography and an autobiography is a 7th and 8th grade standard. I chose to use this voice thread as an introduction activity to the class, for example during the first couple weeks of school. Standards state that students are supposed to write a biography/autobiography and deliver a speech. Well, I know how scary and nerve racking it can be to deliver a speech in front of your peers. Using voice thread to record what they want to say and playing it in front of the class may help to give them confidence the next time they really have to stand in front of a group and present. An essay will still have to be written, but voice thread could be used as their speech. They would then do the same thing after reading a biography of their choice, writing an essay and presenting their life story with images and recordings on voice thread. My students will have to have a step-by-step process of what to put where, but I think they will be able to do it and have fun with it.
Standards:
7.5.1
8.5.1
Link to voice thread below:
https://voicethread.com/share/4371789/
Standards:
7.5.1
8.5.1
Link to voice thread below:
https://voicethread.com/share/4371789/
Monday, March 18, 2013
My Webquest - Figurative Language
http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=188419
Hope you can take from this and use it in your own classroom.
Hope everyone had a good Spring Break last week, if you had one. Mine is coming up this Friday and I will have 2 weeks off. I cannot wait because I have been going non-stop now that coaching high school softball was added to my list. I look forward to viewing all your webquests.
Kacy
http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=188419
Hope you can take from this and use it in your own classroom.
Hope everyone had a good Spring Break last week, if you had one. Mine is coming up this Friday and I will have 2 weeks off. I cannot wait because I have been going non-stop now that coaching high school softball was added to my list. I look forward to viewing all your webquests.
Kacy
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