Summary of Class

Coming into this class not knowing much but the basic technology needed to write papers and check my email, I found the class very informative. The most useful tools for educating students in a class room environment were the smartboard and the webquests. Both technologies can assist students on mutliple levels of bloom's taxonomy. The Webquests allow students to gain basic knowledge of a topic and then take that information and analyze it in a communinty(classrrom)/group setting. Webquests also often present a question or problem that needs to be addressed, which calls for students to use their problem solving skills. To reach the answer students must apply what they have learned through the webquest to their original knowledge of the topic. Webquests allow a lot of flexability for the instructors as well. All that is needed is a computer and the internet to formulate a webquest.On the other hand, smartboards are very expensive and not all schools will have the finances to provide classrooms with them. The most useful element of a smartboard when looking at bloom's taxonmoy is the communitive environment it provides. The smartboard is a great way for the whole class to be involved in anyalzing information. Overall, combing all of the technolgies that we learned about of the course of the class would make for a very diverse educational experience. Not all students learn in the same way and by combining several different technogilies you are more likely to accomodate more students learning styles.

Webquest Outline

Edgar Allen Poe: Father of Horror
A Webquest for 8th Grade Language Arts

Introduction

Everyone loves a horror story. Stephen King, the master of 20th century horror has over forty novels and numerous box office hits. From his first novel and movie hit Carrie in 1974 to his latest movie hit The Green Mile, Stephen King is often compared to the 18th century weaver of horror tales, Edgar Allan Poe. Poe's troubling life shaped his stories of hauntings and death.

The Task

The class has decided to hold a Poe Festival. They have narrowed the number of selections to six. You are part of a team that will research Poe's life and works to help the class decide which of the six they will include in the Festival.

You will create a program that includes:

 graphics to illustrate the theme of the work

 a timeline of major events in Poe's life biography

 a short biography of events that affected his life and works

 a cast/character list

 a breakdown of your literary work's plot in acts and scenes

You will present your literary selection to the class using your choice of video, Hyperstudio, Powerpoint, or live dramatization.

The Process

To accomplish the task, you will first be assigned to a team based on the literary work you will present to the consortium. Your team must become an expert on Poe's life and the events that later affected your literary work. Visit the Poe Museum to divide up the research and coordinate your teams efforts to find out more about Poe's life. Once you have finished your research, come back together as a team and create a timeline of important events from Poe's life that affected his works.

Poe Museum Poe Library

Second, your team needs to read and reseach the literary work. Visit your wing in the Poe Library to read your literary work and find links to help you research the work itself.

Third, once you have completed the museum task, your team needs to decide how you want to present your literary selection to the class.

Last, you need to bring together all your information by creating your program and playbill. A playbill is simply a poster that includes the title of your literary work, a visual illustrate the work, and a list of characters. The program should be a regular size sheet of paper folded once to create four (4) sides. On the cover put the title and an illustration. On the inside of the cover, put Poe's biography making sure to include all the details required. On the inside left place the literary work outline that is divided by acts and scenes so that the audience can follow your performance. Along the bottom of the inside pages, copy your timeline of events you found affected your literary selection. Finally place the character/cast on the back cover. Make sure to give your team credits on the bottom back cover.

Evaluation and Rubric

It's time to take a look a how your team has done. Click on RUBRIC to begin your evaluation. You will be evaluated on how well you completed each task. Your team will be evaluated plus as a group you will have the opportunity to give feedback on how each member participated during the WebQuest.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You are now an expert on the life of Edgar Allan Poe. Having read at least one of his literary selections, you are now ready to move on. Here are a few web sites you can visit to read more of Poe's work and life.

Credits & References

Websites:

www.answers.com/topic/edgar-allan-poe
www.poestories.com
www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/130
www.nps.gov/edal

Smartboard Response

Never having seen a Smartboard in use I am rather impressed with the technology. The Smartboard allows your presentation to be more interactive and to literally have a more hands on approach to teaching the lesson and getting the students involved. One problem that I could definitely see arising, which was addressed in the article from last class, is that the students would be come more intrigued by the technology than the actual lesson being taught. From experience I also know that relying on only computers as your method of teaching can result in you coming to class with nothing to present when that technology decides not to work. Teachers should always have a back up plan if relying on the Smartboard for their main method of presenting information. Overall, touch screen technology has been around for a while now and if it can be used to get students and teachers to be more interactive with educational information than I am all for it.

Lesson Plan: Solar System Project (9th Grade)

OBJECTIVES:
1) Students will choose the best approach for their research.
2) Students will critique information found online.
3) Students will correctly cite information in a bibliography.
4) Students will use their research to create a weekly mini solar system blog.
5) Students will use Smartboard equipment to create an interactive presentation.

STANDARDS : Science (By Commencement) http://www.nylearns.org/standards/
Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.

Physical Setting
Key Idea : The Earth and celestial phenomena can be described by principles of relative motion and perspective.

Key Idea Introduction:
People have observed the stars for thousands of years, using them to find direction, note the passage of time, and to express their values and traditions. As our technology has progressed, so has understanding of celestial objects and events.
Theories of the universe have developed over many centuries. Although to a casual observer celestial bodies appeared to orbit a stationary Earth, scientific discoveries led us to the understanding that Earth is one planet that orbits the Sun, a typical star in a vast and ancient universe. We now infer an origin and an age and evolution of the universe, as we speculate about its future.
As we look at Earth, we find clues to its origin and how it has changed through nearly five billion years, as well as the evolution of life on Earth.

Performance Indicator A-->
Students explain complex phenomena, such as tides, variations in day length, solar insolation, apparent motion of the planets, and annual traverse of the constellations.

Performance Indicator B--> Students describe current theories about the origin of the universe and solar system.

PROCEDURES:
1)Identify different features of the solar system like the Sun, the Moon, the planets, comets, and asteroids.

2) Ask each student to choose one solar system feature to research per week. Work with students as they choose their topics to be sure that each feature, including the nine planets, is chosen.

3) Talk about where students might find information about their topics. (books, Internet, magazines, newspapers)

4) Review these steps to doing research:
Question - Ask your students what they would like to know about their solar system topics. Have them record these questions.

Search - Tell students to use the Internet, as well as traditional sources, to find information. Have them think of keywords that would apply to their solar system topic.

Analyze - Remind students to always analyze the sources for anything they read online. They need to make sure the information they are using is accurate.

Compose - Have students organize their information and make a blog on the solar system feature they have chosen each week that tells about the part of the solar system they researched.

Share - Schedule time for students to share their solar system blogs with others once a week.

5) Have students determine what they would like to know about their solar system topic. Help them create questions that express what they want to find out.

6) Students should use both online and traditional sources for their research. Encourage them to
check as many sources as time allows.

7) Limit students' online research to search engines that have been screened for children.

8) Ask students to organize their information and make an interactive Smartboard presentation about their favorite solar system feature that they researched throughout the course.

9) Tell students that when they do research, they need to make a list of the resources they
used, called a bibliography. They can go use the How to Write a Bibliography article to see how
their list of references should look. You may want to print copies of this for each student.

10) Students set up and share their finished work in a "classroom galaxy." (Smartboard presentations)

Blog Guidelines:
Size, Composition, Location in Solar System, Number of Moons, Diameter, Volume, Date of Discovery, Physical Appearance and an interesting fact you found out. Please include graphics in your blogs.

Links that may help in your research:

solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/index.cfm

www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/our_solar_system/solar_system.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTHcUFF8OSg

http://www.solarviews.com/

ASSESSMENT : Use the following rubric for evaluating students’ work.

4 – Exemplary Understanding Student:
investigates different research approaches quickly and efficiently.
critiques online information accurately.
produces a creative, well-organized and complete solar system blog/product.

3 – Competent Understanding Student:
investigates different research approaches with very few problems.
critiques online information with occasional prompting.
develops an accurate solar system blog/product.

2 – Developing :Understanding Student
investigates less than three research approaches.
needs guidance to critique online information.
creates a finished blog/product that is short on detail or poorly organized.

1 – Emerging Understanding Student:
investigates research approaches with assistance.
needs guidance to stay on task.
experiences difficulty completing a solar system blog/product.


ACCOMMODATIONS for special needs students:

Students who have disabilities will be assisted by a teachers aid during this lesson. Their weekly blogs and Smartboard presentation will be created with assistance during class time.

Blog Rubric

POSTS & COMMENTS: There are at least 12 posts in the blog,each with at least 20 words. In addition, at least 1 comment has been made in each classmates' blogs. Each comment is at least 20 words long. ( 20 points )

TIMELINESS: A post is added to the blog within a week of each class. ( 20 points )

INTERGRATION OF CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES: The blogs demonstrate an integration and understanding of fundamental concepts surrounding the topics discussed in class. ( 20 points )

CRITICAL THINKING: Posts frequently demonstrate use of upper level thinkinf and illustrate a thoughtful approach to the content. ( 20 points )

WRITING STANDARDS: The writing from the blogginf posts is clear, concise, and easy to understand. Ideas and responses are communicated clearly and coherently. ( 20 points )

TOTAL POINTS = 100

About me.....

I was born in Bakersfield, California on June 29th, 1983. I lived in California until I was twelve years old at which point I then moved to Lansing, NY. I have lived in Lansing and surrounding towns since then; besides the one year I lived in Brooklyn, NY. I have one younger brother and one step brother/sister on the way.
I am a transfer student to Wells College from St. Francis College and TC3 with a degree in Criminal Justice. I am technically a senior with a major in Sociology, but I will not be thesising until next fall semester. I never have and currently do not live on campus.