Monday, May 13, 2013

Final Assignment


 Name: LeesaWhite
Subject/Grade: Literature 3rd grade

Essential Question:  How can a responsible world citizen promote and advocate for justice and kindness?

Standard 2 – The student responds to a variety of text.
   2.2
The student understands the significance of literature and its contributions to human understanding and culture.
      2.2.1
The student reads to connect personal experiences and ideas with those of other cultures in literature.
      2.2.2
The student compares and contrasts various languages, traditions, and cultures found in literature.
      2.2.3
The student makes connections between specific aspects of literature from a variety of cultures and personal experiences.







Name:
 Leesa White
Subject:
Courage Comes in All Sizes
Source of Original Lesson:
Grade level of lesson:
3
List the one state standard you selected:

3rd grade Literary Standard
2 The student responds to a variety of text
List the Benchmark:
2.1The student uses literary concepts to interpret and respond to text.
List the indicators for your benchmark:
2.1.1 The student identifies and describes characters' physical traits, basic personality traits, and actions.
Essential Question:
Focus Question(s):
How can a responsible world citizen promote and advocate for justice and kindness and courage?

Instant Activity: blue sky
Lesson Objective:
The learner will:
·         review the characteristics of a hero and relate them to citizenship for the common good.
·         explain why acting philanthropically is good for the individual and community.
·         identify the relationship of individual rights and community responsibility.
·         identify community as the degree that people come together for the common good.
·         in cooperate groups, create a cinquain poem about philanthropy and heroes.
Lesson Description:
Anticipatory Set:
Teacher Note: Please review the poem, “Our Heroes.”  The author chose to use language associated with a battlefield.  It is imperative to discuss the role of figurative language with the students and to remind them that most problems are not solved with guns but words.  The virtuous hero wins the fight not with the use of force but through perseverance and self-control.  By showing compassion and concern for others, one shows him/herself as a strong person of integrity and a true philanthropist.
Teacher will say, “Let’s review the definition of philanthropy and common good. Today, we are going to read poetry and in groups you are going to create your own poems.” Remind students that it is the actions people that make an impact in the community and the world. After allowing discussion, tell students to listen closely as you slowly read aloud the poem, “Our Heroes,” found on page 44 of the book The Children’s Book of Heroes (see Bibliographical References).  Lead the discussion by asking for volunteers to tell the meaning in their own words, line by line, stanza by stanza as you clarify any unfamiliar words.  Guide the students to the conclusion that it takes one person to step out from the crowd, take on the responsibility of standing up for what is right even in the face of danger.
·         Have students brainstorm examples of people who have stood up for others, including themselves, family, friends and famous names, and then hold a discussion about courageous actions.  Ask students to compare the actions of a hero and a philanthropist and describe the connection. Discuss how one can act in one’s best interest, but at the same time do something good for thecommunity.
·         Place students in groups of four and have them select someone discussed during the brainstorming. Using Attachment One, discuss how to create a cinquain poem.
·         Working cooperatively, the students will use the format used in Attachment One to create a cinquain poem about someone who is a hero to them.

Materials:The Children’s Book of Heroes (see Bibliographical References)
·         Attachment One: Everyday Heroes, A Cinquain Poem
·         Attachment Two: Cinquain Poetry Rubric
·         Writing materials, one per student
Handout 1
Handout 2

Further discussion will be to apply this to difficult situations that we have connections to already.  The following websites have real-life stories.
Computer Activity:
List the URL’s and other technology that students will use in this lesson.


Part 1 - Share “Kids of courage” website – discuss others that we know  that have illnesses (use wheelchair/in hospital)
Part 2 Courage is necessary for our Moms and Dads – a movie that we can identify with
Part 3 kids that are going through a health crisis – these 5 kids need heart transplant
Extensions:
Write a letter to the kids we talked about needing a heart transplant. Share some words of courage to them.
Other:
None
Bennett William, The Children’s Book of Heroes.  Simon & Schuster, 1997. ISBN: 0-684-83445-6




Worksheet for Assignment 13
Basic Freedoms
Grades 3-5

Name: Leesa White

Assessment Plan
Assessment Timeline



Before project work begins
Students work on projects and complete tasks
After project work is completed









·    Start class with a KWL chart – What do we know about freedom?
·    Journal individually about one specific freedom we have and why it is important?
·     Think and share with a partner about the journal
·    Brainstorm as a class “Rules in School and Why we Have them.”
·   Instruction Roosevelts speech the four major freedoms – use Learning log to answer questions as a group
·    Use questions for Clarifying/
Summariz-ing  as a group
·    Keeping track on a Learning Log – students will select a book from the library regarding a freedom

·    Followed by Student/ teacher conference

·   View Rockwell’s paintings as a group and discuss
·    PRODUCT AND ESSAY Divided by groups of 4 -each child makes a meaningful drawing of one of the 4 freedoms discussed; Rubric for neatness and content. They have a one paragraph summary attached.

·    Collaboration and cooperation with the group regarding group time.
·    Students will present to the 2nd grade a summary of the 4 freedoms.
Assessment Summary
In order to accurately gauge student’s need and to make use of any relevant knowledge the students’ may have, we will use the KWL chart and journaling to investigate their understanding. We will follow up with Think and Share about the journal question and then brainstorm as a class about the needs for Rules vs. Freedom in school.

Students will hears about the four basic freedoms as presented by Franklin Roosevelt speech delivered in 1943.  They will use Learning Logs to answer questions provided earlier and we will summarize as group. The students will follow up with a book in the library on the same content and view Rockwell’s paintings as represent these freedoms.

Following that the students will divide into groups, working together and collaborating they will discuss the four basic freedoms and make their own representation.  Together they will summarize each freedom with a short one paragraph essay and attach it to the art.  They will present to 2nd grade a week later.

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Computer Activity:
List the URL’s and other technology that students will use in this lesson.
 Share “Kids of courage” website – discuss others that we know  that have illnesses (use wheelchair/in hospital)
  Courage is necessary for our Moms and Dads – a movie that we can identify with
 kids that are going through a health crisis – these 5 kids need heart transplant

Materials used:
Bennett William, The Children’s Book of Heroes.  Simon & Schuster, 1997. ISBN: 0-684-83445-6

Additional websites:






-Copy and paste everything below the line into a new document:


Discussion Question:
How can a responsible world citizen promote and advocate for justice and kindness and courage?

Select one newspaper/magazine article that was provided.  Please read and discuss as a group and then write a summary to be shared in class.

1.     Copy and paste a URL listed above (blue line) into a browser and your should get a magazine article about students.  If you do not know how to copy and paste you may be able to let the curser sit on the blue line and click when the link shows in a small box.  After finding your magazine article and reading it then write a one page response and answer the following questions:

+Which person in the story showed the most courage or kindness in your opinion?
+Was it difficult for this person to act in this way? 
+What job did they do or what character trait did they portray?

2.       Share the impact that this story had on you or your group with the whole class.  We will be spending one  day reading and writing our response.  Then on the 2nd day we will return to discuss our articles and share within the larger group.









Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Assignment 8 - Artists slideshow

What is impressionistic art?  An important era in art may have started by a passing comment to Monet about one of his paintings.  A patron of Claude Monet mentioned that the painting "Sunrise" looked more like an 'impression' of the sunrise than an actual sunrise.  This comment may have caught on with Monet and other independent artists.  Impressionists were known for their landscapes and seascapes with bright colors and muted lines. Many critics viewed their work as "unfinished", with an almost 'sketchlike' appearance.  Impressionists often depicted modern life, such as rural and urban landscapes. It was common for the wealthier people to vacation on the weekends at bathing places, and boating spots.  Often this is where the artist' would also gather to capture a moment on canvas.

Please view the following "Impressionistic Artists" Slideshow
All photos from The Gallery

Monday, March 4, 2013

Assignment 7 - Discovering the 'Bounty' in our Oceans

In our upcoming Ocean unit,  we will be investigating the amazing under-water life that we are privy to only because of the amazing photographers that go there.  Please look over the next 5 photographs, thinking of some connection with your experience with the ocean.  As we explore the ocean and it's many life forms, lets keep in mind the conservation of this amazing resource. What is conservation?  How does that impact us where we live?

 

Biologist Ronald Kenny at work on one of his specimens, a deepsea crab

ANARE expedition c. 1953-57.
Photographs from NSW Dept of Education collection
Format: Photograph
Find more detailed information about this photographic collection: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=412531
From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales www.sl.nsw.gov.au
Biologist Ronald Kenny at work on one of his specimens, a deepsea crab

Ostraciidae, Juvenile (Boxfish)

Description: The standard length of the juvenile boxfish is ten millimeters. This image was taken with a Nikon D1X 5.47-megapixel camera with a 105-millimeter f/2.8D AF Micro-Nikkor lens and dual Nikon SB28 flash units.
Creator/Photographer: Belize Larval-Fish Group 2002
The Division of Fishes of the Smithsonian's National Museum Natural History has sent several teams to Belize in order to photograph larvae in the field. The 2002 team included Julie H. Mounts, David G. Smith, Carole C. Baldwin, and James Van Tassell.
Medium: Digital photograph
Geography: Belize
Date: 2002
Persistent URL: http://photography.si.edu/SearchImage.aspx?id=1295

Ostraciidae, Juvenile (Boxfish)

Ocean Life Kelp Forest

This was taken in San Diego at the Scripps Institue Aquarium but it is an accurate recreation of the kelp beds that lay of southern Califorina and contain a rich diversity of sealife . Its a wonderful place to visit if you travel here and you can drive down to the beach afterward and walk by some of the most beautiful cliffs in the entire state as you look out over the Pacific and if you get real lucky you just might spot a whale in the winter season or a dolphin too.
Ocean Life Kelp Forest

Sea Life Park, like Paradise Park, is a commercial enterprise built in a conservation zone, October 1973

Original Caption: Sea Life Park, like Paradise Park, is a commercial enterprise built in a conservation zone. An extensive collection of marine life ranging from anemones to whales is imaginatively displayed. The State Department of Land and Natural Resources controls land use in conservation districts which are primarily forest and water reserve lands, October 1973
U.S. National Archives’ Local Identifier: 412-DA-11307
Photographer: O'Rear, Charles, 1941-
Subjects:
Oahu (Honolulu County, Hawaii) island
Environmental Protection Agency
Project DOCUMERICA
Persistent URL: research.archives.gov/description/553766

Sea Life Park, like Paradise Park, is a commercial enterprise built in a conservation zone, October 1973

"Finger reefs" off Key West

Local call number: DM0731

Title: "Finger reefs" off Key West

Date: October 1978

Physical descrip: 1 slide - col.

Series Title: Dale M. McDonald Collection

Repository: State Library and Archives of Florida, 500 S. Bronough St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250 USA. Contact: 850.245.6700. Archives@dos.myflorida.com

Persistent URL: floridamemory.com/items/show/98080










"Finger reefs" off Key West
l41 Scrabble Simpsons Letter E Coloured bead letter E letter S "A" On a Boat letter W Foam Letter H letter i letter T Scrabble Simpsons Letter E

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Assignment 6 - Avatar and Voki

 
 
 


What can you do on a snow day?  Beside the obvious answer which is sledding, skiing, or the ever-so dreaded shoveling, you can catch up on your list of unwatched movies.  My family and I sat and watch the new "Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dog Days".  This movie was a blast from the past, or the future, I suppose, since it's set in the hottest part of the summer.  We enjoyed watching Greg connecting with his every so odd brother Rodrick and causing just a little bit of trouble for his parents.  Catch a glimpse with this trailer from YouTube.
http://youtu.be/NbnTf8MB8LI

Friday, February 15, 2013

Extra post


Assignment 3B - after a few days..........

Blogging has certainly opened up a whole new world for educators in this century.  I am noticing how there are bloggers/webmasters from all over the world, telling their story about their classroom or their journey through the education maze.

http://www.jeffdelp.com/2012/11/09/how-authentic-is-your-students-audience/

One teacher shares after a community and school wide presentation - the effectiveness of the presentation on the lives of the kids and the community leaders and business owners that attended. How insightful to remember that our kiddos aren't going to be changed by presenting something they don't care about to an audience that isn't there.  Point made.

Our kids to be engaged in their world - not our world.  If we don't make their education progressive and meaningful then we've failed as teachers. How many presentations have I sat through as a concerned parent, that I can hardly wait to leave?! Too many! Why not engage the kids and parents in up-to-date and useful information?  Check this blog out.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Assignment 3A - What I liked!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FSyAehMdpyI

While looking over the website Free Technology for Teachers found at

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/

I was excited to see how education has merged itself with theater. Seriously, now you can watch an interesting and funny video about  chemistry and not be bored to tears!  Try video series out next time you are in need of a classy presentation on one of the tougher subjects to teach.....chemistry!

I really like having access to all these wonderful helps when it comes to tutoring.  As I've tutored over the years it has come to my attention that kids learn in many different ways. One very exciting way to support that learning can be using videos on the web. Hint: Before using, always preview the video!


How to use your Google Reader!!! (extra)

http://23things.barrow.wikispaces.net/file/view/Google_Reader_-_Intro.swf  

Things are changing so quickly these days - If you haven't tried a "Reader" then you might be missing something to make your life easier!  No, I'm not talking about the "tablet" (mini or otherwise), I'm talking about a web-based 'reader' that subscribes to many different websites or blogs and then organizes and manages all of it!

This might be the best way for you to wade through the many different web postings that you need to manage in your job or school on a daily basis.  Just click on this informative video and you're on your way!

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Assignment 2 Week 2 Task 1: Now, for 50 points, go to your blog and create a blog post in - post a response to the reading and questions listed above.



Week two – Review of five blogs
http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=133   “Why I don’t Assign Homework,”\
http://www.ahlness.com/2007/02/is-this-ssr-20.html  Sustained Silent Reading turned out to be reading blogs and writing comments
a digital farm http://reading221.wikispaces.com/Trumpet+of+the+Swan
Sylvia Tolisano shares examples of student-directed learning using Alan November's concept of the "Digital Learning Farm," emphasizing students as contributors.

·  What do you notice about the genre of blog writing in general? Often the blog was written by an adult for other adults to read and observe or gain insight into new teaching techniques.  I found that the blogs/webpages/wikis that were made by the kids with adult supervision of course, were the most interesting and advantageous.  I believe that as adults we are often ‘overwhelmed’ with good information.  This is the age of information – I frankly have more ideas than I have time to read them! However, for the kids it’s a creative form of journaling. The can act-out, audio/video themselves and their ‘art’ and place it on the webpage. They can draw and post their drawings, there are really endless ways to asses their knowledge of the book they read or the project they’ve completed by using webpages.
·  How is blog reading different from other types of reading? How is it similar? The reading is harder for me when the text is smaller – I struggle with on-line reading for very long. The reading is sometimes more interesting than reading a text book.

·  How is blog writing different from other types of writing? How is it similar? The writing is similar in most ways I suppose. You must know how to type fairly well, and at least there isn’t a handwriting prerequisite for blogging!

·  How does commenting contribute to the writing and meaning-making?  Commenting can be beneficial to an ongoing work – a project or class assignment.  Commenting could be an opportunity for the kids to use improper language or terms. I think the posting of finished projects by the kids is beneficial in many ways.  It is a good way to assess their knowledge, and improve their technical skills, as long as every student has the opportunity to actually do the online work.  Often one technically skillful student will ‘hoard’ the opportunity to do the posting.
·  How can blogging facilitate learning? Certainly, blogging can facilitate learning,  As we know there are many hands-on learning benefits.  My kiddos have to watch “Vimeo” films to complete their assignments at home. That a great way for the kids to learn new information and finish their homework.