Here is a Voki I created to introduce a unit on Lewis and Clark.
Discussion Questions: How do you feel about going on this journey? What will be some of the challenges? What about some of the rewards? How do you think your families will feel? What kind of people would be useful on your journey? Why?
Students will be divided into groups of four. Each student will have a different job to get ready for the "Mission to Mars":
1. Design a "peace medal" to be given to any aliens you encounter. Given a budget of $10, purchase some items to give as gifts. Be prepared to share your rationale for the design of your medal and gifts.
2. Practice creating and sending a coded message (in case of trouble) using the Jefferson Cipher located at: http://www.monticello.org:8081/wheelcipher/wheelcipher.html.
3. Create a list of items you will need. Be prepared to share your reasons for each item. You can get some ideas from: http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/lewiss-packing-list.
4. Plan your route across Mars. Choose interesting places to visit. Use Google to do an image search. Be prepared to share why you chose this route.
Students will be given 30-45 minutes to create and research, culminating with a three-minute presentation to the class.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Technology-Infused Classroom
A Technology-Infused Classroom
As a Master's degree student in Curriculum and Instruction: Technology, I certainly dream of what a technology-infused classroom would look like and how I could create one of my own. Current classrooms that do not have technology represent a disconnect between the way students are taught and the real world (Klopfer, et.al.) In the real world, communication and collaboration are valued. This can best be accomplished in schools by creating a physical environment that gives equal weight to technological tools and encourages discussion and working together. The main consideration for me is that there would be no barriers between the technology and the students. Currently we must all troop down to the school library to use technology as a group. I envision a time when "take out your laptops/tablets/smart phones" will be as easy and effortless as "take out your textbooks" is now. Computers or tablets will not be relegated to a separate part of the building, but integrated as a regular feature of instruction and students will "reach" for a digital tool the same as they reach for any other learning tool.
Creating this kind of environment begins with what we have available. If I was interviewing for a classroom position, I would ask in the interview what technology is available in the classroom. Once hired in a new position, I would survey the room. Where is technology hard-wired in? Where are outlets? What digital tools are at hand? Once these parameters are determined (I am assuming, here, that there is an abundance/variety of technology in this ideal room), I would create two types of areas: one for presentation and several areas for technology-based interaction.
The technology-based interaction groups would be desks in small groups centered around technology, such as one or more tablet(s) or computer(s). I would most likely have the technology on a separate student desk in the center of the group (to keep it safe) or, as in the picture above, on a large table. To take advantage of outlets for recharging and spread out the sound of talking, these small, technology-enhanced groups would be around the perimeter of the classroom.
The presentation area would probably be in the middle and against one wall. That wall would contain a screen to be used for PowerPoint presentations, projecting images with a document camera, watching videos, or an interactive whiteboard. This would also be an area for students to record presentations, so a blue or green curtain would be on a curtain rod to easily cover the whiteboard. A digital video camera would be permanently set up in this area as well.The area would be clearly marked by tape on the floor, so that we wouldn't have to worry about heads in the way.
References
Klopfer Eric, Ostrweil Scot, Groff Jennifer, Haas, Jason (2009). Using the technology of today, in the classroom of today: the instructional power of digital games, social networking, simulations and how teachers can leverage them. The Education Arcade: MIT. accessed July 23, 2012 at http://education.mit.edu/papers/GamesSimsSocNets_EdArcade.pdf
Stack, Greg (2012). 10 things in school that should be obsolete. Mindshift. accessed July 24, 2012 at http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/07/10-things-in-school-that-should-be-obsolete/.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Classroom Organization, Part 1
Classroom Organization
Classroom organization is a hot topic for teachers in the summer months. Everyone wants next year to be more efficient. Here is one of my favorite organizational tricks: Bulletin Board in a Bag. Basically you put all your lettering, borders, and small items in a gallon zip top bag, like so:
The bag can be clipped to larger items that can't fit in the bag and hung from pants hangers so the large item doesn't bend.
For more organizational ideas for the classroom, listen to my podcast at: http://frommrsjones.podbean.com, go to my Pinterest page at http://pinterest.com/c4jones or visit my You Tube channel at mrsc4jones for a video tour of my classroom.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Visual Literacy
The Role of the Internet in Visual Literacy
The Visual Teaching Alliance states:
- Approximately 65 percent of the population are visual learners.
- 90 percent of information that comes to the brain is visual.
- 40 percent of all nerve fibers connected to the brain are linked to the retina.
- Visual aids in the classroom improve learning by up to 400 percent.
Visuals, however, can be interpreted in many different ways. Students need strategies for interpreting images. A good teacher combines critical thinking and visual literacy. Some basic questions teachers should ask when showing an image are:
Who created this image?
What was their purpose for creating this image?
What emotions do you feel when you look at this image? Why?
It can also be helpful for the teacher to show multiple images for the same event. In preparing a recent Social Studies lesson on the Trail of Tears, I came across two very different images:
The internet increases exponentially the amount of static and moving images teachers can present to students. Students can find images to represent concepts they are learning. Videos can take students to places and times they will not be able to see. It can open up a wider, global perspective.
References
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Students with Poor Comprehension
Helping Students Who Lack Comprehension During Individual Conferring
It has happened to every intermediate grade teacher. That dreaded moment when you sit down with one of your little friends... and it's obvious that he/she is not comprehending. Your heart just sinks. It is certainly a difficult moment and your response can either turn this student around or lead to years of problems. But at that moment, all you feel like is a deer in the headlights. There are so many things you could do, but which is right?
1. Be honest... and proactive. Say, "It looks like you are missing a lot of the important information in this book. Let's see if we can figure out what the problem is. Are you willing to help me out or should be put aside this book for a later time?" I know this sounds heartless, but we just can't have kids continue to read a book they are not comprehending- no matter how popular it is, no matter how much they want to read it. The child needs to know that, if you can't figure out what the problem is and fix it together, reading this book is just not an option right now.
2. Check the books reading level against the child's. If the level is too high for the child, be brave and tell them they can't read it...YET. Go over to the bin that had the book and help them find a lower level alternative. This is why it is best to arrange your classroom library thematically, rather than by level. I put the child's independent level on the top of my conferring page so I always know it.
3. If the level is right, do a 1 minute fluency check. Have the child start at the top of the page and read for one minute. While they are reading, listen for their prosody (expression and use of punctuation). After they are done, count the words. I keep a piece of paper in my pensieve with all of the wpm goals for different reading levels. If they read too slowly or with lack of prosody, go back to step 2.
4. If the level and fluency are OK, back up and reread. Find the part of the book where the child had good comprehension. Mark it with a stickee. Have the child read from there. Make sure they commit to reading differently the second time, otherwise they will get the same result. This means they have to verbalize a strategy. Model if they need encouragement and write it on the stickee. Here's the important part: Check back with them at the end of the time period to see if comprehension has improved AND...
5. Have the child put a second stickee when they finished and hand it to you. Congratulations, teacher! You now have homework. Your homework is to figure out why this child is loosing comprehension. Read the story (preferably from the beginning) with a critical eye and see if you can come up with one strategy the child can do to improve their comprehension. At this point, the strategy will probably need to involve writing something down since just thinking wasn't enough. With one child, I found that the book had six completely different main characters. I had to write them down, along with a little blurb, to remember them all! I suggested she do the same. Once she did, she came to the conclusion on her own that the book was too hard. Another little friend of mine was having a hard time with a historical fiction book set at the time of the Revolutionary War. I realized he needed a better understanding of this time period to understand the events of the book. I suggested he take a break from the book and read "If You Lived During the Revolutionary War". He did and, when he went back to the book, he found his comprehension much improved.
6. Whether you are able to come up with some specific strategy or not, plan on meeting briefly every day with this child until their issues are resolved with this book or they choose a better book. How do you manage this brief, but intense, support? Have your regular reading group go to your group spot and read their choice book while they wait for you. Do a brief check in with your targetted child. Find out what page they are on and have them summarize the book so far. Also have them commit to a strategy. If all seems well, send them off to read. Run your small group. Check in with your targetted child once more, either during their reading or at the end of the reading time. Doing this will force them to become a more active reader because you are raising the level of accountability. With most children, I find three days in a row is enough. After that, gradually reduce the level of your support.
Class Website: www.4mrsjones.110mb.com
Podcasts: http://frommrsjones.podbean.com
You Tube channel: mrsc4jones
Pinterest boards: http://pinterest.com/c4jones
It has happened to every intermediate grade teacher. That dreaded moment when you sit down with one of your little friends... and it's obvious that he/she is not comprehending. Your heart just sinks. It is certainly a difficult moment and your response can either turn this student around or lead to years of problems. But at that moment, all you feel like is a deer in the headlights. There are so many things you could do, but which is right?
1. Be honest... and proactive. Say, "It looks like you are missing a lot of the important information in this book. Let's see if we can figure out what the problem is. Are you willing to help me out or should be put aside this book for a later time?" I know this sounds heartless, but we just can't have kids continue to read a book they are not comprehending- no matter how popular it is, no matter how much they want to read it. The child needs to know that, if you can't figure out what the problem is and fix it together, reading this book is just not an option right now.
2. Check the books reading level against the child's. If the level is too high for the child, be brave and tell them they can't read it...YET. Go over to the bin that had the book and help them find a lower level alternative. This is why it is best to arrange your classroom library thematically, rather than by level. I put the child's independent level on the top of my conferring page so I always know it.
3. If the level is right, do a 1 minute fluency check. Have the child start at the top of the page and read for one minute. While they are reading, listen for their prosody (expression and use of punctuation). After they are done, count the words. I keep a piece of paper in my pensieve with all of the wpm goals for different reading levels. If they read too slowly or with lack of prosody, go back to step 2.
4. If the level and fluency are OK, back up and reread. Find the part of the book where the child had good comprehension. Mark it with a stickee. Have the child read from there. Make sure they commit to reading differently the second time, otherwise they will get the same result. This means they have to verbalize a strategy. Model if they need encouragement and write it on the stickee. Here's the important part: Check back with them at the end of the time period to see if comprehension has improved AND...
5. Have the child put a second stickee when they finished and hand it to you. Congratulations, teacher! You now have homework. Your homework is to figure out why this child is loosing comprehension. Read the story (preferably from the beginning) with a critical eye and see if you can come up with one strategy the child can do to improve their comprehension. At this point, the strategy will probably need to involve writing something down since just thinking wasn't enough. With one child, I found that the book had six completely different main characters. I had to write them down, along with a little blurb, to remember them all! I suggested she do the same. Once she did, she came to the conclusion on her own that the book was too hard. Another little friend of mine was having a hard time with a historical fiction book set at the time of the Revolutionary War. I realized he needed a better understanding of this time period to understand the events of the book. I suggested he take a break from the book and read "If You Lived During the Revolutionary War". He did and, when he went back to the book, he found his comprehension much improved.
6. Whether you are able to come up with some specific strategy or not, plan on meeting briefly every day with this child until their issues are resolved with this book or they choose a better book. How do you manage this brief, but intense, support? Have your regular reading group go to your group spot and read their choice book while they wait for you. Do a brief check in with your targetted child. Find out what page they are on and have them summarize the book so far. Also have them commit to a strategy. If all seems well, send them off to read. Run your small group. Check in with your targetted child once more, either during their reading or at the end of the reading time. Doing this will force them to become a more active reader because you are raising the level of accountability. With most children, I find three days in a row is enough. After that, gradually reduce the level of your support.
Class Website: www.4mrsjones.110mb.com
Podcasts: http://frommrsjones.podbean.com
You Tube channel: mrsc4jones
Pinterest boards: http://pinterest.com/c4jones
Check out my Teachers Pay Teachers Store!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Read to Someone
My Love-Hate Relationship With Read to Someone (And a Freebie)
True confession time. As much as I love Daily Five, I dread the day I introduce Read to Someone. A big part of it is the age of the children I teach. Younger children may love to read together and I'm sure it really works. Older students are much more social. They are starting to test the absolute authority of teachers and their friends become much more important. Put two upper elementary students together and I guarantee they will be talking about things other than reading.
They are also hyper-aware of reading levels, no matter how well you disguise it. Poor readers are embarrassed by their books. They don't want to be seen with "baby books". Intermediate level books are also longer, so the idea of "I read- you read" doesn't work because it does serious damage to comprehension.
So how do I overcome my natural aversion to Read to Someone? Here are a few tips and tricks I have learned. I hope they will be helpful if you teach fourth grade and up and want to use The Daily Five.
1. Save RTS for last. I save it for when the kids start to get a bit antsy with the typical choices, like around holiday time. That makes it all the more special. Because I make a big deal about it, I also tell them that it is a privilege. If they can't do it well, they will lose it.
I tell my students (and it's the truth) that I check in and confer with partners much more often than "singles", so they better be on their "A" game! When I confer with partners I usually act like a coach for one or more of them, telling them what to say to their partner. I will write those down on stickees for them to refer to later.
2. Take a lot more time to model RTS. Intermediate teachers are lucky in that we probably don't have to spend much time on the foundational skills that primary grade teachers have to teach, such as "good fit" books, and the three different ways to read a book. Even with Read to Self, intermediates develop stamina much more quickly. So use that gift of extra time and spend it on Read to Someone.
What you will need to model is the conversation part. This is where sentence starters come in. Copy them on a sheet or post them on the wall. A "fishbowl" is a good way to model this. This is where two kids do the modeling and you provide the "color" commentary.
3. At first, assign reading material and a specific task. Assignments can be from the basal, a chapter from your read aloud book, a webpage, or Time for Kids. Shorter is usually better. Tasks can be marking or writing on stickees or filling in a traditional worksheet. Make sure students know what to do when they are done. What? Assignments? Isn't this what we are trying to get away from? Yes, but assignments help you determine how successful your partnerships are. Be consist with the rule that if they are not learning, you will separate them with a silent signal. Remember the privilege part? No learning- no privilege! Try it again later in the year.
4. Rename Read to Someone "Read with a Coach". I know it's just semantics, but kids take their job much more seriously when you tell them they are a "coach" rather than just "someone". Since most kids have had a sports coach in their lives, have them brainstorm what a coach does and how they do it. I have designed some Coaching Cards for this purpose. Click the link for the freebie!
5. Partners need to commit to reading the same book...and each have their own copy. As I previously stated, "I read-you read" with two different books does not work with chapter books, which are too small to share. Each child needs his/her own book and needs to be following along. What happens if, a ways into the book, one person doesn't want to keep it up any more? They are welcomed to separate. The person who wants to keep reading can continue with that book or pick another.
6. Variety is the spice of life. Read to Self is really the best for intermediates. That's what they should be doing the most of. If you find a student is always picking Read with a Coach, try to determine why. If a certain book is really popular, involve others and form a book club that meets a few days a week. Bring in Listening to Reading, if you haven't already, for low level students to "save face" and read a more challenging and intersting book.
Me on the web:
class website: www.4mrsjones.110mb.com
podcasts: Http://frommrsjones.podbean.com
You Tube channel: mrsc4jones
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/c4jones
True confession time. As much as I love Daily Five, I dread the day I introduce Read to Someone. A big part of it is the age of the children I teach. Younger children may love to read together and I'm sure it really works. Older students are much more social. They are starting to test the absolute authority of teachers and their friends become much more important. Put two upper elementary students together and I guarantee they will be talking about things other than reading.
They are also hyper-aware of reading levels, no matter how well you disguise it. Poor readers are embarrassed by their books. They don't want to be seen with "baby books". Intermediate level books are also longer, so the idea of "I read- you read" doesn't work because it does serious damage to comprehension.
So how do I overcome my natural aversion to Read to Someone? Here are a few tips and tricks I have learned. I hope they will be helpful if you teach fourth grade and up and want to use The Daily Five.
1. Save RTS for last. I save it for when the kids start to get a bit antsy with the typical choices, like around holiday time. That makes it all the more special. Because I make a big deal about it, I also tell them that it is a privilege. If they can't do it well, they will lose it.
I tell my students (and it's the truth) that I check in and confer with partners much more often than "singles", so they better be on their "A" game! When I confer with partners I usually act like a coach for one or more of them, telling them what to say to their partner. I will write those down on stickees for them to refer to later.
2. Take a lot more time to model RTS. Intermediate teachers are lucky in that we probably don't have to spend much time on the foundational skills that primary grade teachers have to teach, such as "good fit" books, and the three different ways to read a book. Even with Read to Self, intermediates develop stamina much more quickly. So use that gift of extra time and spend it on Read to Someone.
What you will need to model is the conversation part. This is where sentence starters come in. Copy them on a sheet or post them on the wall. A "fishbowl" is a good way to model this. This is where two kids do the modeling and you provide the "color" commentary.
3. At first, assign reading material and a specific task. Assignments can be from the basal, a chapter from your read aloud book, a webpage, or Time for Kids. Shorter is usually better. Tasks can be marking or writing on stickees or filling in a traditional worksheet. Make sure students know what to do when they are done. What? Assignments? Isn't this what we are trying to get away from? Yes, but assignments help you determine how successful your partnerships are. Be consist with the rule that if they are not learning, you will separate them with a silent signal. Remember the privilege part? No learning- no privilege! Try it again later in the year.
4. Rename Read to Someone "Read with a Coach". I know it's just semantics, but kids take their job much more seriously when you tell them they are a "coach" rather than just "someone". Since most kids have had a sports coach in their lives, have them brainstorm what a coach does and how they do it. I have designed some Coaching Cards for this purpose. Click the link for the freebie!
5. Partners need to commit to reading the same book...and each have their own copy. As I previously stated, "I read-you read" with two different books does not work with chapter books, which are too small to share. Each child needs his/her own book and needs to be following along. What happens if, a ways into the book, one person doesn't want to keep it up any more? They are welcomed to separate. The person who wants to keep reading can continue with that book or pick another.
6. Variety is the spice of life. Read to Self is really the best for intermediates. That's what they should be doing the most of. If you find a student is always picking Read with a Coach, try to determine why. If a certain book is really popular, involve others and form a book club that meets a few days a week. Bring in Listening to Reading, if you haven't already, for low level students to "save face" and read a more challenging and intersting book.
Me on the web:
class website: www.4mrsjones.110mb.com
podcasts: Http://frommrsjones.podbean.com
You Tube channel: mrsc4jones
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/c4jones
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Lapbooks for Science
Lapbooks for Science
In the hunt to find information about interactive notebooks, I also came upon the idea of lapbooks. Lapbooks are a creative way to present (mount) a series of small foldables that are linked thematically. They are usually made using one or more file folders, but can also be made out of construction paper or posterboard. They can range from relatively simple to extremely complex. Here is an example of one of those extremely complex ones on cells, but don't be intimidated.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvqjHiNKu2M
Many of the ideas for the foldables come from the world of card-making. I found two really great sites on the web for foldables: Homeschool Share and Mirkwood Designs. And, of course, there is always lots of videos on You Tube about making clever foldables and Dinah Zike's amazing series of books.
Although some lapbooks appear to be a place to store information (more like a portable learning center) and use a lot of pre-printed work, I was interested in how I could turn a lapbook into a culminating project for a unit. I am also on a quest this year to avoid wasting my time slaving over a hot copier, so I wanted to use very few printed materials.
I would love to do some of the super complex lapbooks, but I have twenty students to monitor and purchase supplies for. My lapbook for the culminating project for a Science unit on Weather is one of those simple ones. If the process goes smoothly for this one, I will do others.
If you would like to make lapbooks with your class, I would highly recommend that you make a "mock-up" before you make an assignment to the class. By making the foldables yourself, you will better understand how to model the process for the students, what tricks and tips to give them, and get an idea about how long it will take to make. Here is my "mock-up" for a fifth grade unit on Weather. I have purposely not done any drawing or coloring, since the students will be graded on the information the provide and their color-coding. The purpose of my mock-up is to show my students placement of the foldables. I don't want them copying information from me. From the time this one took, I am going to allow two, forty-five class periods, one for the outside and inside center pages, and one for the four foldables on the two inside "leaves".
In addition, I am going to do a couple of the foldables separately during earlier lessons in the unit so all they have to do that day is glue them in. Any work that still needs to be done will be homework. I made a rubric to go along with this project, too.
Me on the web:
Class Website: www.4mrsjones.110mb.com
Podcasts: http://frommrsjones.podbean.com
You Tube Channel: mrsc4jones
In the hunt to find information about interactive notebooks, I also came upon the idea of lapbooks. Lapbooks are a creative way to present (mount) a series of small foldables that are linked thematically. They are usually made using one or more file folders, but can also be made out of construction paper or posterboard. They can range from relatively simple to extremely complex. Here is an example of one of those extremely complex ones on cells, but don't be intimidated.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvqjHiNKu2M
Many of the ideas for the foldables come from the world of card-making. I found two really great sites on the web for foldables: Homeschool Share and Mirkwood Designs. And, of course, there is always lots of videos on You Tube about making clever foldables and Dinah Zike's amazing series of books.
Although some lapbooks appear to be a place to store information (more like a portable learning center) and use a lot of pre-printed work, I was interested in how I could turn a lapbook into a culminating project for a unit. I am also on a quest this year to avoid wasting my time slaving over a hot copier, so I wanted to use very few printed materials.
I would love to do some of the super complex lapbooks, but I have twenty students to monitor and purchase supplies for. My lapbook for the culminating project for a Science unit on Weather is one of those simple ones. If the process goes smoothly for this one, I will do others.
Me on the web:
Class Website: www.4mrsjones.110mb.com
Podcasts: http://frommrsjones.podbean.com
You Tube Channel: mrsc4jones