Saturday, September 17, 2011
problems
I am having problems with this blogging thing, so I hope you can keep up with me. I am doing my blogs on wordpress now, but I am making my comments from this site using my wordpress adress. Confussing I know but my followers do not show up on wordpress and I can't comment using just blogger. I hope you can still comment on my blogs.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Life Can Be So Short!
My niece just past away from a massive heart attack. She was only 42 years old and never sick a day in her life. She leaves behind 3 lovely boys, 11, 13, & 23, and 1 granddaughter 2. Please pray for this family in the days to come.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Up Date
What to do? All of a sudden I can respond to other bloggers from my house! Go figure! So now I'm torn and don't know what to do, ugh!
Anyway, those of you who knew my granddaughter broke her leg in 2 places playing softball and after 3weeks of wearing a cast ALL the way up her leg, she got a shorter one today that is water proof. She is one happy child. Will wear this one until the 20th then get a new one for her trip to Ohio to see her grandmother there. Finally, when she comes home hopefully it will come off.
I have been reading about literature circles and I really want to try it with 1st graders. I think they can do it, made be after Christmas and a lot of modeling. Anybody have any ideas?
Anyway, those of you who knew my granddaughter broke her leg in 2 places playing softball and after 3weeks of wearing a cast ALL the way up her leg, she got a shorter one today that is water proof. She is one happy child. Will wear this one until the 20th then get a new one for her trip to Ohio to see her grandmother there. Finally, when she comes home hopefully it will come off.
I have been reading about literature circles and I really want to try it with 1st graders. I think they can do it, made be after Christmas and a lot of modeling. Anybody have any ideas?
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
FYI
Since I cannot respond to anyone using blogger unless I am on Chowan's campus I will be switching over to Wordpress this summer.
What I Have Learned During the Summer Session
Oh my! where do I begin! My head is spinning with so many good ideas that we have discussed in class, on discussion board, blogging, and reading. I plan to take the summer and go back through it all. The books were all very good and easy to understand. I enjoyed them all, I just need more time to let the information sink in this old brain.
Melber & Hunter's 25 strategies for Integrating has a lot of good activities that are easy to follow. I especially like the way they give suggesions for teaching each grade level and how the lessons meet the needs of ELL and EC students. The work is all done for you, all you have to do is adapt it to fit the needs of your students. I even used one of the lessons in my Transportation Unit.
Drake & Burns' Meeting the Standards for me was a great guide in learning how to design an integrated unit. The backward design is just what the name implies and it was not an easy task. By doing it I think I now understand what it means, knowing where you want the studetns to be at the end in the beginning is very important (I hope that made sense). When you know this, it makes it easier to develop the activities. The KNOW/DO/BE bridge was also very helpful. I really like the idea of the BE. While this part seems like it cannot be measured it really can because our AIM as teachers is to produce responsible citizens. When I see former students working or preparing for college I am proud to say that was my student.
Daniels & Bizar's Best Practice made me do a lot of reflecting (not my favorite thing to do). Chapter three Representing-To-Learn, I realized I have been cheating my students in the area of writing because I only do the story writing. I now realize that there is sooo much more to writing than just writing stories. Again oh my! art is writing I had never considered this, and writing for fun what is that! Maybe if I had experienced these when I was in elementary school, I would not be afraid to write. Yes writing was one of my weakest subjects. Everything was graded in red and given back to correct and I always got mine back more than once and the more I corrected the worst it got.
With all that said, I will be doing a lot of rereading this summer!
Melber & Hunter's 25 strategies for Integrating has a lot of good activities that are easy to follow. I especially like the way they give suggesions for teaching each grade level and how the lessons meet the needs of ELL and EC students. The work is all done for you, all you have to do is adapt it to fit the needs of your students. I even used one of the lessons in my Transportation Unit.
Drake & Burns' Meeting the Standards for me was a great guide in learning how to design an integrated unit. The backward design is just what the name implies and it was not an easy task. By doing it I think I now understand what it means, knowing where you want the studetns to be at the end in the beginning is very important (I hope that made sense). When you know this, it makes it easier to develop the activities. The KNOW/DO/BE bridge was also very helpful. I really like the idea of the BE. While this part seems like it cannot be measured it really can because our AIM as teachers is to produce responsible citizens. When I see former students working or preparing for college I am proud to say that was my student.
Daniels & Bizar's Best Practice made me do a lot of reflecting (not my favorite thing to do). Chapter three Representing-To-Learn, I realized I have been cheating my students in the area of writing because I only do the story writing. I now realize that there is sooo much more to writing than just writing stories. Again oh my! art is writing I had never considered this, and writing for fun what is that! Maybe if I had experienced these when I was in elementary school, I would not be afraid to write. Yes writing was one of my weakest subjects. Everything was graded in red and given back to correct and I always got mine back more than once and the more I corrected the worst it got.
With all that said, I will be doing a lot of rereading this summer!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Assessment Daniels and Bizar
Assessment is a word I have very much come to hate. The authors of this book have really showed us how politicians, state legislators, governors, and business men have taken over the education system by imposing so many meaningless types of testing. I wish they would read the research.
With the new formative assessment that North Carolina is going to start using with the Common Core and Essential Standard I hope we are turning the assessment piece around. Formative Assessment will allow us to use informal assessment to guide our instruction. That means we will be able to use conferences, anecdotal records, checklist, and rubics. In our units we have used guided questions, checklist to assess the students as they work. We have also included rubics for grading students work.
With the new formative assessment that North Carolina is going to start using with the Common Core and Essential Standard I hope we are turning the assessment piece around. Formative Assessment will allow us to use informal assessment to guide our instruction. That means we will be able to use conferences, anecdotal records, checklist, and rubics. In our units we have used guided questions, checklist to assess the students as they work. We have also included rubics for grading students work.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Integrated Unit
Our unit on transportation is really taking shape. We have been working very hard and I think our work is going to pay off. I am excited that we were able to create a unit that I can use in my 1st grade class next year. Since two of the group members also teach 1st grade with me we can tweak and add to it as we go. Dr. Long has also been very helpful in the process because we did not have a model to go by. She has checked over anything that we have asked her to and given us feedback. Feel free to look at anything we have completed so far. I am looking forward to seeing all the units!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Task 3 Art Lesson
Exploring Nature:Symbols of Life
http://ncmoa.org/artnc/lesson.php?themeid=1&lessonPlanid=13
This piece of art work is a 17th/18th Dutch still life showing earth's life forms. I would use it with my first graders at the beginning of the year. This lesson would target science, language arts, and art activities.
Day 1
I would begin the lesson by showing the picture and discussing what they know about life forms (if anything) and still life. I would need to explain these if they do not have the background information. Once they know what life forms are I would have them look at the picture and identify as many as they could and write them on chart paper.
Day 2
I would give them some information about 17th century Dutch still life provided by the web site. Then we would discuss why they think the artist used the life forms that he did. To set the stage for our next activity I would then talk about how the lion respresents courage and the owl stands for wisdom and then have them talk about other animals and what they stand for. Then for homework I would have them look for magazine or computer pictures of animals that would tell about themselves. I would explain these will be used to make a still life collage about them. I would have an example of myself and explain why I chose the animals that I did. (For those students who do not have magazines at home I will have some on hand).
Day 3
Using a projector students will trace each others profile (shoulders up).
Day 4
Students will use the pictures that they found of animals to fill in their profile that are symbolic of themselves. Making sure they understand that these respresent their personal characteristics.
Day 5
Students will write 1 to 3 sentences telling about their work of art. Since this is the beginning of the year I would give alot of assistance. When all students have finished they will share and tell about their art work and read their sentences. I will display their work in the hallway. Then toward the end of the year I would have them revisit their art work and add to their writing.
http://ncmoa.org/artnc/lesson.php?themeid=1&lessonPlanid=13
This piece of art work is a 17th/18th Dutch still life showing earth's life forms. I would use it with my first graders at the beginning of the year. This lesson would target science, language arts, and art activities.
Day 1
I would begin the lesson by showing the picture and discussing what they know about life forms (if anything) and still life. I would need to explain these if they do not have the background information. Once they know what life forms are I would have them look at the picture and identify as many as they could and write them on chart paper.
Day 2
I would give them some information about 17th century Dutch still life provided by the web site. Then we would discuss why they think the artist used the life forms that he did. To set the stage for our next activity I would then talk about how the lion respresents courage and the owl stands for wisdom and then have them talk about other animals and what they stand for. Then for homework I would have them look for magazine or computer pictures of animals that would tell about themselves. I would explain these will be used to make a still life collage about them. I would have an example of myself and explain why I chose the animals that I did. (For those students who do not have magazines at home I will have some on hand).
Day 3
Using a projector students will trace each others profile (shoulders up).
Day 4
Students will use the pictures that they found of animals to fill in their profile that are symbolic of themselves. Making sure they understand that these respresent their personal characteristics.
Day 5
Students will write 1 to 3 sentences telling about their work of art. Since this is the beginning of the year I would give alot of assistance. When all students have finished they will share and tell about their art work and read their sentences. I will display their work in the hallway. Then toward the end of the year I would have them revisit their art work and add to their writing.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Task 2 Melber & Hunter
I just want everyone to know I am enjoying reading your blogs and learning so much from them. However, those of you who are also doing blogger I cannot comment and this is making me sad!
I have chose strategy 6 because it goes with our unit on transportation and it can go with so much more. In first grade the big theme is community past, present, and future. With transportation we can collect pictures of different areas of Hertford Co. from the past over different time periods that show cars, trucks, etc. and have students compare them. I would also like this to be the activity that introduces the students to the unit. Melber & Hunter point out that, "the elements in a photograph-are the 'words' of the text". What better way to teach 1st graders, expecially struggling beginning readers, through pictures and help them feel successful too!
I have chose strategy 6 because it goes with our unit on transportation and it can go with so much more. In first grade the big theme is community past, present, and future. With transportation we can collect pictures of different areas of Hertford Co. from the past over different time periods that show cars, trucks, etc. and have students compare them. I would also like this to be the activity that introduces the students to the unit. Melber & Hunter point out that, "the elements in a photograph-are the 'words' of the text". What better way to teach 1st graders, expecially struggling beginning readers, through pictures and help them feel successful too!
Task 1 Schell & Fisher Chapter 4
I like the way the authors have organized this book and write in a simple way so I can understand. This is what I understood from the reading.
Topics are stand alone with no connection to the other subjects, unless the teacher chooses to do so. This is the way I have taught in the last few years becuase of Reading First. I am planning on changing that next year.
Themes allow you to develop other content into the curriculum and make a connection for the students so they get a deeper understanding of what is being taught. Our group will be focusing on the Time, Continuity, and Change. This is the approach I like best.
Concepts are like themes. The only difference I found was the teacher will bring in these ideas because they are not in the standards or the textbook. Our group will also be using some of this in our unit.
You will have to tune in later to see what our group is planning!
Topics are stand alone with no connection to the other subjects, unless the teacher chooses to do so. This is the way I have taught in the last few years becuase of Reading First. I am planning on changing that next year.
Themes allow you to develop other content into the curriculum and make a connection for the students so they get a deeper understanding of what is being taught. Our group will be focusing on the Time, Continuity, and Change. This is the approach I like best.
Concepts are like themes. The only difference I found was the teacher will bring in these ideas because they are not in the standards or the textbook. Our group will also be using some of this in our unit.
You will have to tune in later to see what our group is planning!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
End of Year
End of year is always a sad time for me, because I try to make my students feel like we are a family. So in a way it is like saying goodbye to your family and moving away. On the up side to that I am on the hallway where the students get off the bus so I do get to see them as they come in each morning (if they ride the bus). However, as I prepare for next year, it is up in the air as to where I will be becuase the principal has told us she will be moving us around next year. I will go where ever she put me, but I really want to stay in my comfort zone (1st grade). In look ahead I am excited about trying out the integrated units that we are going to be working on, no matter where I am.
I have tried this out with my end of year activity. We did the Rainbow Fish last week. Some of the activities we did with this book were; talking alot about shareing and what it means, writing about what makes me happy, drawing a rainbow fish and adding glitter to one scale, relating it to some of the books we have read this year, fractions in math then eating our rainbow fish crackers, and reading about the charactertices of fish. We ended up by reading other Rainbow Fish books.
I have tried this out with my end of year activity. We did the Rainbow Fish last week. Some of the activities we did with this book were; talking alot about shareing and what it means, writing about what makes me happy, drawing a rainbow fish and adding glitter to one scale, relating it to some of the books we have read this year, fractions in math then eating our rainbow fish crackers, and reading about the charactertices of fish. We ended up by reading other Rainbow Fish books.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Memorial Day!
Memorial Day is an important day for students to remember because they need to know that there are people out there who are willing to die to provide us with freedom. These people are not only in the military but all people who protect us, police, firefighters, and rescue workers are just as important.
I have been talking to my students about all these important people and relating it to 911, since that is something they are familiar with. I have also read them the book "A Patriotic Alphabet Book", then we went to YouTube and searched for the song Yankee Doodle. They enjoyed this. I did this because I didn't want them to only remember Memorial Day as death, even though that is what it is about.
I have been talking to my students about all these important people and relating it to 911, since that is something they are familiar with. I have also read them the book "A Patriotic Alphabet Book", then we went to YouTube and searched for the song Yankee Doodle. They enjoyed this. I did this because I didn't want them to only remember Memorial Day as death, even though that is what it is about.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Ch. 2 "Reading as Thinking Strategy" Daniels & Bizar
At my school last year we had a workshop on Thinking Maps and I use these all the time with my first graders. I use the maps in addition to the usual predicting and think aloud with my students. I have also seen an increase in reading comprehension. The students enjoy using the maps because we have made them bigger and laminated them so they can use them during work station time and this also saves on paper. At the beginning of the year I introduce one map at a time and model how to use them before putting them in the work station. My favorite maps are: circle map-is used for defining a word or event, tree map- used to classify things and has many uses (setting, characters, problem, solution; answering questions, and is great for writing activities), flow map-sequencing, double bubble map-comparing and contrasting (I use different colors this helps the students identify the 3 parts), and brace map- whole-part relationship helps brake words and ideas apart. There are other maps with this program, however, these have proven to be the most useful with my students. The great thing about these maps, they can be used in all content areas!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Welcome to my blog
This blog is for my graduate class, Language Arts/Social Studies 520. We will be doing weekly discussions about our understanding of the reading assignemnts. Please feel free to leave comments about my discussions. It will help me to have a better understanding.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
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