Cool video, so true!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Classroom Pictures
Hi everyone! I decided to start my blogging by posting pictures of my 2nd grade classroom this year. I'm super excited to get started, we start school tomorrow! LOTS to do...I'll hopefully update once a week. I know I love seeing pictures on other blogs so my goal is to post as many as I can so you know what I'm talking about. Enjoy! Please comment with ideas or suggestions for improvement, I appreciate feedback! :)
LOVE this bulletin board idea from Mrs. Lemons
Calendar area
Student mailboxes, Caterpillar Helpers, Classroom Library/Carpet area
Math Word Wall; Math manipulatives
Math manipulatives shelf-I had this shelf built over the summer specifically for these tubs
Inside recess activities, Classroom management "Pull a Card" system
My class of F.R.O.G.S. "Fabulous, Respectful, Outstanding Group of Students"
Marble jar, Hand in/Hand out baskets
My desk area/storage; student book boxes
Guided Reading area/small group work
Thursday, July 14, 2011
3 Webquest Reviews
Video #1- Literacy: A world to discover--digital literacy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLfd-VgTjD0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLfd-VgTjD0
This video gives a short clip proving the idea that technology is literally everywhere we go in our world today. New technologies are discovered and created every minute of every day. To make connections to the highlighted terms in the video, I support using webquests and quest-based learning with students because these engage students, help them acquire new skills, present them with opportunities to create projects, and allow them to communicate and connect with people all over the world.
Video #2- Exciting new approach to classroom learning!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSJ5LwAXxLk&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSJ5LwAXxLk&feature=player_embedded
After watching this video, I immediately bookmarked tutpup.com and the other websites Mr. Pai is using with his students to help them learn and achieve the skills they need. They were so engaged and excited about their learning because they got to use different forms of technology. It is not just about playing games, Mr. Pai really takes into account how his students learn best and then finds the technologies that allows them to be successful, independent learners. I think that is the most crucial idea, enabling students to be independent learners and giving them the tools necessary to do so. Webquests and quest-based learning allows students to work independently or collaboratively to achieve a goal. Technology itself allows students to discover information on their own without a teacher spoon-feeding them knowledge.
Webquest Review #1: “A Trip to the Rainforest”
http://QuestGarden.com/123/28/7/110404112407/index.htm
http://QuestGarden.com/123/28/7/110404112407/index.htm
This webquest caught my eye because I teach a unit on the rainforest with my 2nd grade class. This quest was designed for K-2 students. The webquest takes students on a journey through the rainforest while stimulating them to think of ways they can prevent rainforest animals’ homes from being destroyed. T.J. the Toucan leads students to learn about a few animals in the rainforest, their habitats, and all of the sad things that are being done to destroy their homes.
Overall Design: 1/2 points. The design of this website is simple and allows for easy navigation from page to page. The author uses fun and encouraging language to keep students moving from task to task. There are not many graphics, but that’s good for elementary students who get easily distracted by flashy animations and colors.
Ease of Use: 1/2 points. The rainforest webquest provides clear directions, which would allow a young student to move through it with a partner or independently with ease. It has five sections to complete: Introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation, and Conclusion. Throughout the quest, students keep a journal of their travels. The author provides the journal activity sheets in a downloadable Word document. A teacher would have to first print and copy these for students since some of the activities ask the students to draw a picture. Another issue I discovered with this webquest is one of the videos is off brainpopjr.com which requires a subscription to view their videos. Other than these two pitfalls, the quest is easy and understandable.
Use of Higher Order Thinking Skills: 1/2 points. Before beginning the webquest, students are asked to complete a KWL chart. Next, they read about an animal that lives in the rainforest and writes down facts about the animal. Then, the student learns what “endangered” and why animals are becoming endangered. As the final evaluation, students are asked to write a letter to any rainforest conservatory telling them what they learned and ways they will try to help. All of the information students would need is provided through links and videos within the webquest. Most of these assignments take place on the lowest levels of thinking, that is, knowledge and comprehension according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. However, the final activity, writing a letter explaining what they will do to help save the rainforest would fall into the synthesizing category because students have to create a plan. This webquest allows for some higher order thinking skills to be used.
Overall Evaluation: 3/6 points. “A Trip to the Rainforest” is an informative and interesting webquest for young students. I believe they would have fun navigating through it and could do it independently or with a partner. It provides them with an opportunity to gather their own information through investigation.
Overall Design: 1/2 points. The design of this website is simple and allows for easy navigation from page to page. The author uses fun and encouraging language to keep students moving from task to task. There are not many graphics, but that’s good for elementary students who get easily distracted by flashy animations and colors.
Ease of Use: 1/2 points. The rainforest webquest provides clear directions, which would allow a young student to move through it with a partner or independently with ease. It has five sections to complete: Introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation, and Conclusion. Throughout the quest, students keep a journal of their travels. The author provides the journal activity sheets in a downloadable Word document. A teacher would have to first print and copy these for students since some of the activities ask the students to draw a picture. Another issue I discovered with this webquest is one of the videos is off brainpopjr.com which requires a subscription to view their videos. Other than these two pitfalls, the quest is easy and understandable.
Use of Higher Order Thinking Skills: 1/2 points. Before beginning the webquest, students are asked to complete a KWL chart. Next, they read about an animal that lives in the rainforest and writes down facts about the animal. Then, the student learns what “endangered” and why animals are becoming endangered. As the final evaluation, students are asked to write a letter to any rainforest conservatory telling them what they learned and ways they will try to help. All of the information students would need is provided through links and videos within the webquest. Most of these assignments take place on the lowest levels of thinking, that is, knowledge and comprehension according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. However, the final activity, writing a letter explaining what they will do to help save the rainforest would fall into the synthesizing category because students have to create a plan. This webquest allows for some higher order thinking skills to be used.
Overall Evaluation: 3/6 points. “A Trip to the Rainforest” is an informative and interesting webquest for young students. I believe they would have fun navigating through it and could do it independently or with a partner. It provides them with an opportunity to gather their own information through investigation.
Webquest Review #2: “Show Me Your Teeth!”
In this webquest, students learn how to infer what an animal eats from the shape of its teeth. This is a collaborative group webquest because following their research groups of students create and present a puppet show to demonstrate what they have learned about animals teeth and the environment they live in.
Overall Design: 1/2 points. The design of this website is simple and easy to navigate through. However, the color scheme is quite dull, black and white, with only a couple graphics. It may not appeal to elementary students since it’s not very inviting, but the information and assignments are good and it is easy to follow.
Ease of Use: 1/2 points. This webquest provides step-by-step directions, allowing students to understand what they are suppose to be doing and in what order. It has five sections to complete: Introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation, and Conclusion. The author provides websites for students to use to do their research, however, students would need to record their notes on paper or type them into a Word document.
Use of Higher Order Thinking Skills: 2/2 points. This is the area where this particular website excels. Following their online research, which requires lower level thinking skills (knowledge, comprehension), students must take what they learned about their chosen animal’s teeth and create a puppet that represents their animal using the provided recyclable materials by the teacher (synthesis). Finally, groups present their research in a puppet presentation that requires resourcefulness, conclusions, expression, and creativity (synthesis, evaluation). The teacher records the presentations in order to have students watch them and reflect on their work (evaluation).
Overall Evaluation: 4/6 points. “Show Me Your Teeth” is an informative webquest for young students requiring creativity, design, and innovation. I believe students would have fun with the project and enjoying the collaborative work. It provides them with an opportunity to gather their own information through investigation and then creativity present it to the class.
Overall Design: 1/2 points. The design of this website is simple and easy to navigate through. However, the color scheme is quite dull, black and white, with only a couple graphics. It may not appeal to elementary students since it’s not very inviting, but the information and assignments are good and it is easy to follow.
Ease of Use: 1/2 points. This webquest provides step-by-step directions, allowing students to understand what they are suppose to be doing and in what order. It has five sections to complete: Introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation, and Conclusion. The author provides websites for students to use to do their research, however, students would need to record their notes on paper or type them into a Word document.
Use of Higher Order Thinking Skills: 2/2 points. This is the area where this particular website excels. Following their online research, which requires lower level thinking skills (knowledge, comprehension), students must take what they learned about their chosen animal’s teeth and create a puppet that represents their animal using the provided recyclable materials by the teacher (synthesis). Finally, groups present their research in a puppet presentation that requires resourcefulness, conclusions, expression, and creativity (synthesis, evaluation). The teacher records the presentations in order to have students watch them and reflect on their work (evaluation).
Overall Evaluation: 4/6 points. “Show Me Your Teeth” is an informative webquest for young students requiring creativity, design, and innovation. I believe students would have fun with the project and enjoying the collaborative work. It provides them with an opportunity to gather their own information through investigation and then creativity present it to the class.
Webquest Review #3: “The Life of Rosa Parks”
This webquest helps students about the life of Rosa Parks and determine 3 key events in her life. It provides structure and the tools necessary to plan, write, and publish a short story based on Rosa Parks' life. The webquest is designed for primary grades and for students to complete with a partner.
Overall Design: 2/2 points The clear design of this webquest is very simple and easy to maneuver through. The color scheme is bright and includes pictures with the instructions to ensure comprehension.
Ease of Use: 1/2 points. Like the other two webquests, there are five sections to for students to go through: Introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation, and Conclusion. The author provides four websites with information on Rosa Parks, with reasonable reading levels. Following the research using technology, students use pencil and paper to create a story web and then write their story. An evaluation rubric provides students with guidelines to follow.
Use of Higher Order Thinking Skills: 2/2 points. Anytime you ask a student to write, you are encouraging higher order thinking skills. The ultimate purpose of this webquest is to have partners decide what the most important event was in Rosa Park’s life and then write a short story about it using the writing process. Students collect and discuss their research findings (knowledge, comprehension) and then collaborate and compose a story indicating the event they feel was the most important (synthesis, evaluation).
Overall Evaluation: 5/6 points. “The Life of Rosa Parks” requires students to research Rosa Parks and uncover three important events in her life. From those three, students select the one they feel was most important and write a story about it. The webquest allows students to easily navigate through all the directions but students must have prerequisite knowledge on the writing process and how to write a story in order for them to be successful.
Overall Design: 2/2 points The clear design of this webquest is very simple and easy to maneuver through. The color scheme is bright and includes pictures with the instructions to ensure comprehension.
Ease of Use: 1/2 points. Like the other two webquests, there are five sections to for students to go through: Introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation, and Conclusion. The author provides four websites with information on Rosa Parks, with reasonable reading levels. Following the research using technology, students use pencil and paper to create a story web and then write their story. An evaluation rubric provides students with guidelines to follow.
Use of Higher Order Thinking Skills: 2/2 points. Anytime you ask a student to write, you are encouraging higher order thinking skills. The ultimate purpose of this webquest is to have partners decide what the most important event was in Rosa Park’s life and then write a short story about it using the writing process. Students collect and discuss their research findings (knowledge, comprehension) and then collaborate and compose a story indicating the event they feel was the most important (synthesis, evaluation).
Overall Evaluation: 5/6 points. “The Life of Rosa Parks” requires students to research Rosa Parks and uncover three important events in her life. From those three, students select the one they feel was most important and write a story about it. The webquest allows students to easily navigate through all the directions but students must have prerequisite knowledge on the writing process and how to write a story in order for them to be successful.
I used QuestGarden.com for all three of my webquests. I found it to be easy to use and there were hundreds of quests to be discovered. It allows you to search by grade levels and subjects which was also helpful. Happy reading!
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