As I finish up my classes for my Rank 1 certification, I began to think about the last 30 hours of graduate work that I have completed. EDG 693 has to be one of the most rewarding classes that I have taken at NKU. As I began this class let's just say I was a computer amateur. I was able to use Microsoft Word and search the internet-pretty basic concepts. Now, I feel confident enough to embed videos into my lessons and include Wikki classroom discussions with students and parents.
I never knew how easy it was to create a blog. I do have a webpage that my district coordinator helped me design but now I can be completely indepedent. Having a blog will be a great way for me to communicate the happenings in class. This will also give parents a chance to voice opinions and give ideas about things happening with their children.
Next, our physcial education teacher is in charge of redesigning the practical living part of our Program of Studies. One aspect of this new design is creating a service learning project for our school. I am so excited to share with her my service learning project and I am so excited that I got so many wonderful ideas from my classmates.
Finally, locating co-educators in the area to assist with education outside of the classroom was such a beneficial project. I feel like I have established some great relationships at the Cincinnati Museum Center and the Behringer Crawford Museum. I am so excited to try the programs that each of these places provide. After completing this project I also found out that my father's place of employment is an active co-educator. Bavarian Trucking offers tours of their garbage landfill and talk to the children about recycling. Who knew that I had another co-educator in my family??
This class has been one of the most rewarding experinces of my Rank 1 experience. EDG 693 has provided me with the confidence to incorporate technology and actively engaging lessons in my classroom. I can't wait for this school year to begin, so I will be able to show off some of my new ideas!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Exploring the World- Instructional Unit
Title: Exploring the World
Description of the students:
This plan was designed as a 1st grade Social Studies Unit. Students will work collaboratively in groups to explore different cultures and geography around the world. This class has a variety of academic abilities. Children range from gifted and talented and average learning abilities to having speech/language IEP's and developmental delay IEP's.
Note: This unit can be modified to accomodate grades 2-5
Description of the plan highlights:
Description of the students:
This plan was designed as a 1st grade Social Studies Unit. Students will work collaboratively in groups to explore different cultures and geography around the world. This class has a variety of academic abilities. Children range from gifted and talented and average learning abilities to having speech/language IEP's and developmental delay IEP's.
Note: This unit can be modified to accomodate grades 2-5
Description of the plan highlights:
- Students will take a pre-assessment on the first day of the unit to check prior knowledge of countries and continents.
- Students will take a week long journey across the world.
-During class students will visit a new continent each day and learn about a specific country.
-Students will learn about cultural differences between countries.
- Each day 4 activities will be set up around the room. Students will work collaboratively in groups to explore each country. Each day the activities will consist of: Art projects, Writing, Math Exploration, and Food Tasting.
- Students will take a group post assessment at the end of the unit to see how much new information they retained
- Students will host a Cultural Fair at the end of the unit to show off their new knowledge.
Key Learner Outcomes:
1. Students will visit a new continent each day and learn about a specific country’s culture within that continent. They then will be able to locate their country/continent on a map.
2. Students will learn to work collaboratively in groups to complete specific tasks.
3. Students will use their math, writing, reading, and artistic to complete specific tasks.
4. Students will be able to inform others about the various cultural aspects of each country they studied and inform others about which continent you can find each country.
5. Students will learn that are many cultures around the world.
How will I measure if the plan was successful:
- Family and friends will be invited to attend a Cultural Fair hosted by the students at the end of the unit. At the fair the children will be divided into groups and each group will talk about one of the continent/ country they explored in class. ( Food Tasting, Visual Art displays, etc.)
- Family and friends will be encouraged to ask children questions about each contient/country and will evaluate each group on their ability to answer questions.
- These results will help to indicate how well the groups worked together and how much knowledge they retained about their country/continent.
Survey for Cultural Fair Using a scale of (1-5) 1= lowest 5= highest Evaluate each group on their ability to answer questions about their country/ continent: 1. Brazil/ South America_________ 2. Italy/ Europe ________ 3. Japan/ Asia _________ 4. Egypt/ Africa ________ 5. Australia/ Australia ___________ 6. Antarctica/ Antarctica ___________ ** USA/ North America – we covered together as a class |
Post Assessment- Students are able to work in groups to complete this assessment
- Students will be asked to work in groups to match a country with the correct continent and with a picture from that country. They will then be asked to tell what their favorite country/continent was and why.
Grading for Post Assessment RP (Rapid Progress): Students will be able to correctly match all continents, countries, and pictures together. - Students will be able to answer which country was their favorite and why with specific reasons or examples studied in class. SP (Steady Progress): Students will be able to correctly match at least 4 out of 6 continents, countries, and pictures we studied together. - Students will be able to answer which country was their favorite and why with only one reason or example from class. PH (Progressing with Help): Students will be able to correctly match at most 2 out of the 6 continents, countries, and pictures we studied together. - Students will be able to answer which country was the favorite on their own but needs help telling why. HD (Having Difficulty): Student is able to correctly match only 1 of the 6 continents, countries, pictures we studied together - Student is not able to recall any of the countries we studied on their own |
Friday, July 1, 2011
Collaboration with the Cincinnati Musem Center & the Behringer Crawford Museum
Collaboration with the Cincinnati Museum Center
1301 Western Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45203
1301 Western Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45203
Co- Educator's Name: Amanda Bishop
Position: Home School Coordinator/ Learning Lab Instructor
Contact Information: (513) 287-7000 ext. 2378
Amanda Bishop informed me of all of the wonderful programs that the Cincinnati Museum Center offers.
Programs Available:
1. Programs- on- Wheels: This is a program that allows educators from the museum to visit your school and provide a more in-depth, “hands-on” approach of reinforcing a topic that you are learning about in school.
2. Teacher Resources: On-line teacher guides of various topics that have been covered at the museum are available for downloading. http://www.cincymuseum.org/educators_researchers/educators/teacher_resources/
3. Learning Labs: These programs take place inside the museum center and are available to preschool,elementary, middle, and high school students. The labs are concentrated in the subjects of Science, Social Studies, and Early Childhood Development. These programs are designed around state standards and incorporate hands-on activities, games, and cooperative learning activities. http://www.cincymuseum.org/educators_researchers/educators/learning_labs/
4. Museums: The Cincinnati Museum Center has various sites to visit
- OMNIMAX Theater
-Cincinnati History Museum
-Duke Energy Children’s Museum
- Museum of Natural History and Science
Instructional Plan: Digging for Dinosaurs (grades 1-4)- Programs-on-Wheels
-provided by Amanda Bishop and the Cincinnati Museum Center
-provided by Amanda Bishop and the Cincinnati Museum Center
Things to do in my 1st grade classroom before Programs-on Wheels comes to school:
- Activate prior knowledge- Begin a KWL chart on dinosaurs
- Read The Magic School Bus in the Time of Dinosaurs by: Joanna Cole
- Research dinosaurs and chart their size relationships. Include the dinosaurs that will be focused on Programs-on Wheels- Compsognathus, Allosaurus, Stegosaurus, T. Rex, and Brachiosaurus. We will use the website www.kidsdinos.com to help us explore the world of dinosaurs
- Look at a map/ globe and find locate places around the world where dinosaurs fossils have been discovered.
- Talk about a paleontologist’s job:
Video to be used in the Classroom: (retrieved from Teacher Tube)
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Hooray for Hats-Service Learning Project
Title of Project: Hooray for Hats
Grade Level: 1st Grade
Number of Students Participating: 40
Contributed by: Stephanie Eby- EDG 693
School: Arnett Elementary (Erlanger-Elsmere Independent)
County: Kenton County
Date: 2011/2012 School Year (TBD)
Description of Plan:
Students will learn about the devastating disease cancer through books and websites and how it can effect children their own age. Next, students will research the Hats Off For Cancer organization and learn how to be helpful citizens by designing and contributing hats for cancer patients at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital or other local organizations and writing encouraging letters of support to these children. Finally, students will learn that being thoughtful can really help brighten someone’s day.
Who will be involved in the plan:
1. First Grade Teachers and Students: All first grade teachers and students will be asked to work on this service learning project to help brighten the spirits of children in need of some sunshine. Teachers and students will create hats and write letters to give to the Hats Off For Cancer organization.
2. Parents/ Guardians: A letter will be sent home informing parents/ guardians about the service learning project. The date and time of the service learning project will be included in the note. Parents will be asked to donate their time or materials to help decorate the hat. The note will also indicate that there will be an ice cream party at the end of the project. All are invited to attend the party and a special invitation should be extended to family members or friends who are cancer survivors.
3. School Counselor- The school counselor will be asked to assist with this project. The counselor will be used to assist with the hat making. The counselor will also be available to discuss emotional issues with students who may have personally experienced the effects of cancer (ex: relatives who have had cancer: parents, grandparents, close friends etc.)
3. School Counselor- The school counselor will be asked to assist with this project. The counselor will be used to assist with the hat making. The counselor will also be available to discuss emotional issues with students who may have personally experienced the effects of cancer (ex: relatives who have had cancer: parents, grandparents, close friends etc.)
4. Hats Off For Cancer Coordinator:
-Let Dennis know when the hat drive will begin and when it will end
School Disciplines/ Standards Addressed: Below I have provided a list of Kentucky Academic Expectations, Program of Studies and Core Content Standards for this Service Learning Project
Academic Expectations:
1.2 Students make sense of the variety of materials they read.
1.11 Students write using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and
information to different audiences for different purposes.
1.13 Students make sense of ideas and communicate ideas with the visual arts.
1.16 Students use computers and other kinds of technology to collect, organize, and communicate
information and ideas.
2.7 Students understand number concepts and use numbers appropriately and accurately.
2.17 Students interact effectively and work cooperatively with the many ethnic and cultural groups of
our nation and world.
2.26 Through the arts and humanities, students recognize that although people are different, they
share some common experiences and attitudes.
2.32 Students demonstrate strategies for becoming and remaining mentally and emotionally healthy
information to different audiences for different purposes.
Program of Studies and Core Content
Arts and Humanities:
AH-P-HA-U-2
Students will understand that the arts help us understand others’ (often very different) ways of thinking, working, and expressing ourselves.
Mathematics:
MA-P-NPO-U-1
Students will understand that numbers, ways of representing numbers, relationships between numbers and number systems are ways of representing real-world quantities.
Practical Living:
PL-P-PW-S-PPH4
Students will recognize indicators of mental/emotional, social, and physical health during childhood.
Social Studies:
SS-P-CS-U-3
Students will understand that interactions among individuals and groups assume various forms (e.g., compromise, cooperation, conflict, competition).
SS-P-CS-S-2
Students will investigate social institutions (e.g., schools) in the community
Technology:
T-P-ICP-U-1
Students will understand that technology is used in all content areas to support directed and independent learning.
T-P-ICP-S-C2
Students will participate in group projects and learning activities using technology communications.
Writing:
EL-P-WC-S-3
Students will write for a variety of authentic purposes and audiences:
EL-P-WS-S-1
Students will use complete and correct sentences of various structures and lengths (e.g. simple, compound) to enhance meaning throughout a piece of writing; apply unconventional sentence structures to achieve intended effect on audience.
WR-E-1.1.0
Purpose/Audience: Students will establish and maintain a focused purpose to communicate with an authentic audience.
Activities and Timeline:
Activity | Time Length |
-Students will learn about the project Hats Off For Cancer. Together we will visit the website www.hatsoffforcancer.org Next we will read: I Can Too! (Girls: Cancer Kids Can Too!) By: Cristine Thomas I Can Too! (Boys: Cancer Kids Can Too!) By: Cristine Thomas - Finally, we will discuss the Hats Off For Cancer Project - A note will be sent home to parents explaining the service learning project - The note will ask: -for donations to decorate the hats - volunteers on the specified date and time | 1st week - We will give a week’s time length to collect items for the hats - |
-Mrs. Eby ordered hats to be decorated - Children count out 40 hats (1 per child) - Each child gets a hat and begins to decorate their hat with various materials (cut-outs, markers, ribbon, yarn, etc.) - Volunteers will be asked to help assist children with cutting and glue. - Students will allow one day for glue to dry - | 2nd Week- Day 1 -Distribution of hats and decorating will take 1 day. -A note will be sent home to parents asking for a head count for the ice cream party. |
- Students will place all hats in plastic bags - Students will discuss why they have to place hats in plastic bags (germs) - Students will create a “happy card” for the patients - Students will write some motivating words in the card - Teacher will collect cards and place them in a big envelope to be sent with the hats | Day 2 |
- Students will orally reflect on “Why it was important to create the hats?” - Students will orally reflect on “How they helped a this particular organization?” - Students will write in their journals: “Why it feels good to help others?” - Mrs. Eby will contact the Hats Off For Cancer organization and deliver the hats and letters to the specified hospital or organization | Day 3 |
-An ice cream party will be held to celebrate being a good citizen -Students, parents, relatives are welcome to attend (an extra special invitation will be extended to relatives that are cancer survivors) | Day 4 |
Note: Jason Brubaker (Community Recorder ) Will be contacted at the beginning of this project -Pictures will be taken throughout this process to be displayed at the ending celebration |
Benefits for my students:
1. Students will learn that there are ways to help others in the community.
2. Students will learn that sometimes people get sick and we need to raise their spirits.
3. Students will learn that doing something for someone else can be fun and rewarding.
4. Students will show their creative abilities by decorating/ designing their own hats.
5. Students will learn how to reflect on their service learning project.
6. Students will reflect in their journals “Why it feels good to help others?”
Measuring Success for this Project:
- Looking at the creative hats being designed will show that the students are using their creative abilities.
- Listening to oral reflections by students will determine if the students really understood the purpose of this service learning project. (Did the students really understand why the created the hats?)
- Listening to the students read their responses to the question “Why it feels good to help others” will really show that the students understood the true concept of this service learning project.
Ending Celebration: (Day 4- Last Day)
-An ice cream party will be held in the school cafeteria to celebrate being good citizens.
- Students will be allowed to invite parents and other relatives to share in the celebration.
- A special invitation will be extended to family members and friends that are cancer survivors.
- A special invitation will be extended to the members of Hats Off For Cancer organization.
- Pictures will be displayed and journals will be read reflecting the events of this service learning project.
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