Aziz's KWL

Unfortunately, my student's KWL Chart is not popping up on his blog. Therefore, I am going to post it here on my blog for you all to see. Enjoy! Aziz's KWL

Our Last Meeting...

Aziz and I last met last Wednesday. We worked diligently together so that we could cram all we could into our meeting. I asked Aziz the three unit questions I came up with and he answered each one to the best of his ability. We then took each answer and found clip art to match each answer for Aziz's voice thread. We picked out the clip art together, but Aziz was very creative and put thought into each piece. This is all that we could complete in our last meeting together, but it was enough for me to put together Aziz's voice thread. Aziz informed me that he loves to write stories. He said that he would like to use his blog to post different stories he has written so that others could read them as well. As I have said before, Aziz is truly a bright student. I honestly have never encountered a child that loved to learn as much as Aziz. I am really excited that I could teach Aziz how to use blogging for his benefit! I love being a "teacher!"

Our Second Meeting!

Aziz has been a great student! He is so full of creative ideas and he is very bright. Our second meeting, unfortunately, did not go as planned. On Monday of last week, we were supposed to meet for about thirty minutes so that we could go over our next steps, moving toward our voice thread creation. I arrived at the school to find no one there! In this situation, I had to think like a teacher. I told myself, "OK, there is no school today, therefore, I need to make new plans and extra preparations for my student so that we can get our project done on time." I decided that I would need to create three unit questions that we could use to incorporate into Aziz's voice thread. In our next meeting I planned on letting Aziz answer these questions so that we could show his answers along with clip art in his voice thread. I also wanted to find a credible website that we could find clip art on, but I ended up not finding a good one until our next meeting. Aziz is a good student, and he always did what I asked him to do. He always took initiative and handled our meetings maturely. I am so privileged to have a great student!

My First Student!

I was really fortunate to have such a wonderful student to work with. Aziz is a very intelligent student and he has creative ideas. When Aziz and I first met, we ran into a few technical difficulties. Instead of giving up and rescheduling, we were able to work through those problems and together, we were able to make Aziz's first blog post. On this post we included what his project was about and we posted a KWL Chart as well. I also added a link to improve Aziz's typing skills. He does type well, but I thought that the website I provided would improve his skill. Our first meeting lasted an hour and a half, but it was really productive! In our next meeting I hope to create a voicethread with Aziz and put his creative talents to use!

WEDDING PLANNER CHART

Using spreadsheets allows for creativity, planning, and lots of thinking. It is a great tool for organization and it incorporates your math skills as well. Once you get the feel of spreadsheets, the are efficient and pretty easy to use. In my wedding budget that I created I was able to use formulas to help calculate all my expenses. In the A column I had the estimated cost, in the B column I put the actual cost, and in the C column I put the difference between the A and B columns. I did this by imputting a formula that subtracts column A from column B. I also was able to get the sum of each column by using the same method within the rows of my spreadsheet.


This blog is geared toward 4th to 5th grade students, and as the years pass students are expected to learn more and more at a younger age. My blog may be a bit of a challenge for them, but I think it is a good challenge. I could see myself working with spreadsheets in my future classroom and I believe the students would enjoy it too. You can teach almost any subject and be able to incorporate this tool. I have decided to use my last unit question to be the basis of my inquiry based questions below. My last unit question is "How can I use resources, such as money to help me be successful?" Through these questions students can use graphs in spreadsheets to illustrate their ideas and make charts to explain their findings. Students can get really creative with their graphs because of what spreadsheets offer! This project can be a great learning experience and great fun for students growing up in such a technologically savvy world.

1.) Estimate how much money it take for you to live comfortably in our world today.

2.) How much money does it take to live comfortably in our world today?

3.) Did you go over your budget or under your budget? Why?

These questions can also be linked to the previous two unit questions that I have used. Using those questions I asked the students what occupation they wanted to be to obtain success and what kind of education would they need to obtain that success. We can easily apply that information that we gained to this mini project. I would then ask my students to use the information they obtained about their occupation that they first chose and look up the salary. With this information they can create a budget within this project. They can understand how much things cost and how much they can make in the future.

Cool Tools Used for Making Movies!

I really enjoyed making my movie that is posted below. It was truely an enlightening expierience and a fun one as well. My topic for children throughout this blog has been obtaining success. I have thus far used two of my unit quesitons to help a child find out what that means to him. The unit question I used to create this movie was "How can accademics help me achieve success?" Using this unit question, I was able to show how my education will help me achieve the success I desired. I took pictures with my digital camera and uploaded them into Windows Movie Maker. From there I was able to upload some music into Movie Maker as well from a web site called www.freekidsmusic.com. I was able to start and stop the music anytime I wanted to and with a microphone on my lap top I was able to record my voice within Movie Maker as well. I also made my music fade out when it stopped at the end. Within Movie Maker I created a few titles and credits slides that I could write some open ended questions on and I also used this for my last slide that incorporated my credits. And finally, I added a fade in and fade out transition to all my photos used in the movie. Movie Maker has a lot of fun tools and options to make a great movie educationally and can even liven up a school presentation. I had great fun and I hope you will try it too!

My Education to Yours!

7 Elements of Digital Storytelling

The 7 Elements of Digital Storytelling include: point of view, a dramatic question, emotional content, gift of voice, power of soundtrack, economy, and pacing. Point of view refers to the author's point of view and the dramatic question that is asked at the beginning of the story is answered at the end. The emotional content is addressed to the reader in a serious, and personal way. The gift of voice of your voice refers to the author making their story their own so that the reader can understand the story completely. Power of soundtrack is used to create a certain mood and helps the flow of the digital story. The economy aspect of the 7 Elements makes sure that the story does not have too much content that would in turn bore the reader. Pacing is also important because it determines how slow or fast your story unfolds.


My project plan and storyboard incorporates all 7 Elements of Digital Storytelling. Within my project plan and my storyboard, my dramatic question was "How can academics help me achieve success?" I showed emotional content in my storyboard when I displayed pictures of myself at the University that I had chosen. Through these photos, I am then able to excite my students about going to college and choosing their own school in my project plan. I have personalized by both my project plan and my storyboard by incorporating my voice in my teacher tube video and then using that video to teach in my project plan assignment. I also used within this teacher tube video a children's song to set a mood for the occupation I was attending a University for and also to reach to the children as well. I was careful in my storyboard not to use too many slides because I did not want the students to loose interest in the video. I tried to make my point clearly by using interesting slides and photos. I also made my slides last for around three seconds each so that the video is able to flow nicely.

TEKS and Works Cited for Voice Thread

TEKS:

(14) Economics. The student understands patterns of work and economic activities in the United States. The student is expected to:
(A) analyze how people in different parts of the United States earn a
living, past and present

Works Cited:


Clip Art Graphics. 26 March 2009

United States Department of Labor. Feb. 2009. Bueau of Labor Statistics. 26 March 2009

Choose a Career for Future Success!

How Can Internet Tools Help Me in the Classroom?

Technology gets bigger and broader as each year passes, thus I cannot stress enough how important it is to help our students learn how to use so many available resources! Tools such as VoiceThread, Slideshow, and SlideCasts are helpful and innovative for teacher's use in the classroom.


In my essential question, I ask my students what steps need to be taken in their lives in order to achieve success in our world today. This essential question is then followed by three unit questions. In the third unit question I ask my students what occupation they would choose in order to achieve success. Using this one question, I can then create a VoiceThread that illustrates that essential question, and makes it fun and interactive for the students as well. I would then show several pictures of different jobs as I narrate what I expect my students to perform at the end of the VoiceThread. In the VoiceThread, I also have links that correspond with each occupation that explain what the occupation is, and the occupations annual salary. With these links, the students will choose one occupation and explain how and why that occupation will help them be successful in their future world. Here is an outline of the project in an ideal format. VoiceThread: Technology-
Integrated Plan


In my future classroom, I hope to do similar projects that peaks my students interest. I may even have my students create their own VoiceThread for future presentations in the classroom. I really believe that students could get creative and find that they enjoy the new tool available. Many times students get tired of the same method of learning, and some students learn better when they teach themselves. Using VoiceThread, Slideshow, and SlideCast would give these students to learn how they learn best. Instead of a teacher constantly telling them how to do something, it could be that reading the material, comprehending it, and then performing the task given will help students truly learn because of the hands on experience that this opportunity brings. Of course, I strongly believe that this type of learning is not for everyone, but it can be useful in my future classroom.

Theories of Digital Storytelling

Place based digital storytelling is an interesting theory to explore and can be used often in the class room. In Brenda Dyck's article, she explains that an Alchemist, according to Annette Moser-Wellman, are those who use other people's ideas and thoughts that they have shared with others and apply those thoughts to new ideas and fun activities. The author of this article lets us know that this is exactly what teachers do. Teachers can go to conferences, converse among themselves, or even listen in on their students for new ideas and creative ways of learning. With place based storytelling, you could incorporate your ideas into an interactive learning experience for students.




Instead of students using their imagination only, the internet is a new tool that students can use now to help them get a better understanding of what they are learning. Dyck gives an example of Google earth being used by a teacher to bring different classic novel settings to life. To cut down on all that internet search time to find what you are looking for, why not incorporate all the information into one place based learning digital storytelling slide show? All teachers have to do is incorporate photos and narrate through text or speaking to instruct their students about how to use this presentation for learning purposes. Easy right? I think it is a perfect and compact way to incorporate learning with modern technology.

Internet Resources: A Whole New Beggining!

I honestly never knew the fantastic oppertunities that are actually out there on the web today until this week. I have gained so much knowledge exploring web page after web page of information and ideas to expand my classroom physically and mentally. Many children love to learn by having their own hands on expieriences, and honestly, so do I. But one would have never have guess that you could actually obtain this type of interaction with a computer. As our generation goes more and more high tech. our oppertunities rise higher and higher to obtain a greater education that the internet provides. Many of the educational based websites I explored were very informal and helpful. I could easily invision myself using their available tool in my classroom. For example, there are educational safe web sites that have videos that can teach you and your students more about a certain subject. Also, you can use a eductational video web site to inform your students of current events. Or you could even give your student these web sites and let them find the current event and present it to you! Maybe you are working with a younger group of children. There are still great sound websites to choose from. You can use these sound websites to help children learn what sound each animal makes, or how to pronounce a word. The use of a website like this does not just have to stay in the classroom, but also it would be helpful to send it home with the student's parents so that they could help the child learn while they are at home. This could also promote more family unity in the home by getting the parent involved in his/her child's education. One of the most amazing aspects of using these wonderful webistes is by useing chating, emailing, and Volp. Through these educational websites, students and teachers alike can communicate with students and teachers from all over the world. You can expand your classroom by getting to know another classroom in Europe and learn about what they are learing currently in your Geography class. You can even have a one on one pen pal session, so that each student can have a pen pal to discuss educational topics with. What a great oppertunity our current technology has provided us!

Getting Creative with Blogging (link included)

Using Blogs in My Future Classroom

In order to prepare our future generation for the real world that they will be apart of, we need to incorporate as much technology in their learning as possible. Blogging is a great way to teach students because they can start with basic knowledge of a computer and the Internet. There are many different educational blogging website for a child's personal use and they can learn form other blogging websites as well. David Warlick's article called "Bloggers Who Help You Teach" gives teachers many options of educational blogs to choose from. This opens up a whole new avenue of learning! Students can use their blogs in my classroom to share their knowledge about subjects they are learning in my classroom. Since a blog can be collaborative, it will be easy for groups of students to combine their individual projects so that those interested in their topic of study can see all aspects of their work. Again, those who are interested in the topic of study can comment on the blogs of the student working on the certain project. Through commenting, students can gain knowledge they never explored before, or they can help other students in their own quest for knowledge.

One way that I would use blogging in my classroom is by having students answering open ended questions to different novels we have explored in the classroom. Once a week, my class could go into the computer lab and blog in that class period. I could give them a grade, not only for the content, but for participation. This could be an easily earned grade and can motivate students to give blogging a try! As a fourth grade English teacher, we would be reading small novels, therefore, I could ask the students opened ended questions to allow for their own personal input. For example, "How do you think this character should have acted in this situation?" "Would you have done something differently?" "Why or why not?" This question would then stimulate the children into creating their own rightful opinions and engage them in the novel. Also, student can also enjoy reading what their friends thought about the situation in the novel and how they would have handled it. The blogging we did in class could also be shared with students from a town, city, state, or country! The children could also explore what someone elsewhere thought about the novel they explored in class. This is truly exciting, not only for students, but teachers as well.

Students Engaging in Inquiry and Project Based Learning: The Use of Questioning

Inquiry and Project Based Learning: Letting Our Children Teach Us

Inquiry-based learning is centered around the children asking questions about what surrounds them in life and taking the steps to resolve those issues. This type of learning has some a long way since Socrates and has developed into a very popular style of teaching in today's society such as Montessori schools. This type of learning is effective because not every question has a specific answer and so children are given the opportunity to not feel self conscious about answering because there is not a definite answer, there can actually be many. The term inquiry means "...a seeking for truth, inforamtion, knowledge -- seeking information by questioning" (Project Based Learning). This can be used in the classroom effectively because there are so many different ideas that a teacher can come up with to stimulate the children's minds. Naomi gave a great example about questioning children about a recent novel that they might be reading in class. Asking them questions to stimulate their critcal thinking skills. This would be useful in the classroom because it would involve all students and because of the nature of inquiry based learning, the students would not have to have a "wrong answer". In turn this would make students more comfortable in the classroom and more willing to get involved. Ultimately, children would have better grades because of the easily earned participation grade on Fridays. Valarie, who wants to teach younger children could have the students draw pictures of thing that they would like to invent on day. This assignment would help excerise the children's mind causing them to think outside the box. The key is to get students of all ages involved in the process of learning as a whole as well as individual. This excitment about learning helps todays students become more involved in the workforce. For example with the new technologies invented everyday, the work force must learn the new technology.
Project based learning is centered completely around the students working together on a given project in order to solve problems and answers questions that they are given on a subject. John Dewey was of the first to really come up with this concept but he was not able to successfully apply it because of the lack of technology during his time. Project- Based Learning is a very good way to make learning come alive to students; it helps bring something that they might have only seen in a book seem real. This concept is readily available today because of the advance of technology and is used on a daily basis in classrooms around America. There are many aspects to project based learning. It involves the student directly with the issue at hand. When the student gets involved in their project they have a real life expierience. While students are working together in a project based learning atmosphere, they learn leadership skills and communications skills that they can put to use in their everyday lives. For example, there might be disagrements of argurements that the group must work through through the project. Students can put into their projects their own thoughts and opinions and determines answers on their own. This creates a feeling of accomplishment, not only for the student, but the teacher as well. All in all, everyone has learned something important. Katy thought of the idea that students could create a model solar system together. As the students create each planet, they could get hands on expierience and learn the different aspects of each planet and the solar system as a whole.

What are the keys to success?/5th

Essential Question: What are the essential keys to success in our world?

My essential question meets the constructs of Essential Questions because this question can be used by people today and people most likely used it in the past. People have pondered this question for generations because everyone wants to be a success. Also, one can put thier own ideas and input into this question because it is entirely open ended for interpretation. This question can easily be related to one individual person or a group of people.

Unit Questions:

1.) How can I use resoarces such as, money to help me be successful?

This Unit Question Applys to the Following:

• 13) Economics. The student understands the impact of supply and demand on consumers and producers in a free enterprise system. The student is expected to:

(A) explain how supply and demand affects consumers in the United States; and

(B) evaluate the effects of supply and demand on business, industry, and agriculture, including the plantation system, in the United States.

2.) How can accademics help me achieve success?

This Unit Question Applys to the Following:

• (2) Scientific processes. The student develops abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry in the field and the classroom. The student is expected to:

(A) ask questions about organisms, objects, and events;

(B) plan and conduct simple descriptive investigations;

(C) gather information using simple equipment and tools to extend the senses;

(D) construct reasonable explanations using information; and

(E) communicate findings about simple investigations.

• (3) Scientific processes. The student knows that information and critical thinking are used in making decisions. The student is expected to:

(A) make decisions using information;

(B) discuss and justify the merits of decisions; and

(C) explain a problem in his/her own words and propose a solution.

3.) What kind of occupation am I interested in the future?

• (14) Economics. The student understands patterns of work and economic activities in the United States. The student is expected to:

(A) analyze how people in different parts of the United States earn a living, past and present

My unit questions meet the constructs of Unit Questions because it contains the main ideas of what incorporates success. They also incorporate Bloom's taxonomy in that they allow for the child to have basic knowledge and skills to understand the importance of their future success. It also allows the student to get creative and involved in the questions by applying it to themselves and finding their own creative way of answering the questions. The Phyco-Motor domain is also involved in that it allows the student to act on these questions and begin to dive into their education with a new purpose. Through these unit questions they can put more effort into their education and learning and even act by using projects and voluntary activity. Through the Phyco-Motor domain in Bloom's Taxonomy the student can learn the skills provided in Howard Gardener's Multiple Intelligences by thier expieriences in their active learning.