Sunday, March 9, 2014

Webquest Summary

For the Webquest, I created a "Verbs in Action--or not?" The link is: http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=230818 The students had to solve a mystery, and while doing this they were learning about linking, helping, and verb phrases. The mystery they are solving is helping Professor Quinton locate the predicate of the sentence when the verb is not an action verb. The students have two different roles: detective and crime scene technician.


Lesson Plan 4 Summary

In this lesson, students went on a virtual field trip to a local news station and had the weatherman explain the importance of recording temperature and weather patterns. The students learned how to read  and create a thermometer in Celsius and Fahrenheit. The students answered questions while reading and creating thermometers and found the temperature in different cities.

Lesson Plan 3 Summary

In this lesson, students learned how to recognize faces, vertices, and edges on 2-D and 3-D shapes. They learned how to locate the different sides, made 3-D shapes with toothpicks and mini marshmallows, and did a scavenger hunt with QR codes to practice applying their understanding. At the end of the lesson, the students had to write a blog entry that included a picture of their made up shape and the labeling of the faces, vertices, and edges. The blog was graded using a rubric.

Lesson Plan 2 Summary

In this lesson, my students learned how to make a presentation displaying their understanding of place value. The students took pictures of base ten blocks formed like the number they were supposed to create (i.e. 367), added videos where the students explained their understanding, and created slides with written explanations. The presentations were graded using a rubric.

Lesson Plan 1 Summary

In this lesson, my 8th grade Pre-Algebra students were challenged to solve multi-step word problems with mixed numbers. The goal of this lesson was for students to be able to use virtual tools to solve problems within a word problem that dealt with fractions. The students needed to be able to solve 4 out of 5 questions correctly and independently by the end of the assignment. The students were given word problems that would be familiar (concert tickets, etc.) and would use fraction circles (online or physical) and a fraction calculator. The goal was not to answer the fraction questions correctly, but to figure out how to solve the problem. At the end of the lesson, students were assessed with a written assessment.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Technology benefits and demands

Technology is everywhere in my life. When I wake up, I get my coffee and then open my laptop. This is my favorite time of day to prepare activities for school. At the end of the day, I am exhausted; however, first thing in the morning I am ready to go. When I get in my car, my phone syncs with my Bluetooth radio, and I listen to music from my iPhone. When I get to school, I prepare the slide for morning meeting. During school, I use my White Board, iPads, and Laptops every day.

I sometimes feel like I want to go on vacation from my technology. Due to having my phone with me at all times, and my email coming directly to my phone, I am always available for my students and parents. The downside is: I'm always available to my students and parents. When it is 9:00 at night, I will receive an email and I feel the need to answer it. I am never off from work, and my students always have a safety net. Would they be better off if they had to fall because I wasn't so readily available to save them when they need a question answered or forgot an assignment?

There are times when I have to plug my phone into the bedroom, close my laptop lid, and put my iPad on the side stand. If I didn't do this, then my husband would feel as if he was not a priority. Unfortunately, I have become so attached to the items, that is difficult to do this. Sometimes, it is not until I look over and see my husband and me sitting side by side on the couch and not saying anything that I finally realize that it is time to put the items away. Technology makes me available and allows me to build a relationship with my students and parents that would be much harder otherwise.

Thursday, February 20, 2014