One last thing....

Sharing my e-folio with the class

All good things must come to an end...

This was the final day of the research methods in social studies class--What a journey it has been!!!

The final class allowed everyone to share their unit plans in an e-folio using a Wiki at PbWorks

Group 1: The Road to the Revolution
It was a pleasure to collaborate with my fellow students on the development and implementation of a unit plan.  What a great experience!


The National Council for the Social Studies envisions purposeful and powerful social studies teaching; this class was exactly that-purposeful and powerful:

1. Learning was meaningful: learning experiences were constructed to support implementation of techniques and strategies.
2. Learning was integrative: methods of social studies was taught in the context of cross-curriculum teaching
3. The activities were value-based: critical thinking skills were practiced and value based decsions were supportedd
4. The course was challenging: a great number of resources were supplied, assignments could be completed with some effort, actvities supported critical thinking skills; learning and implementing teaching methods and strategies.
5. The learning was active: classroom instruction was supplemented by the execution and observation of classroom instruction creating opportunites for practice and active learning.

There have been some great projects and activities which have helped me to grow as a social studies teacher and an educator.  I feel I have the proven ability to effectively utilize strategies and methods to help student learn.  Check out my projects:

BizMovie
See our movie.                                  



Native American Project: Jigsaw Learning about Geography
Prezi: The Tlinglit Tribe

Click to see the full prezi

Learning of teaching theory method and strategy.
See our groups direct instruction lesson:



Technology and resources for teaching:

• Blogs
• Wikki
• Google Docs

Check out my wiki for a full list of resources:
Educating Global Citizens

Learning to teach:
I have learned to embrace technology and to work to empower students to discover meaning while learning new skills.  Although class has ended the journey continues, my learning will continue, so that my students will have the benefit of knowledge, skill and practical application. 

In one of the last classes students practiced mock interviews for teaching positions.  Whether you were a prospective candidate or an administrator seeking to fill a vacancy, this opportunity provided an authentic, critical and theoretical examination of interview responses.  This experience was very applicable to the real world and prepared students for future experiences.

Be passionate about what you do; seek new learning and new methodologies try new things and see what happens!!

"The mediocre teacher tells.  The good teacher explains.  The superior teacher demonstrates.  The great teacher inspires."
                               -William Arthur Ward

Teaching Current Events

Our class used Tween Tribune to experience an approach for student learning about current events.

Click on the image above to take you right to the site!

What is Tween Tribune?
Tween Tribune is a free not-for-profit online newspaper that shares age appropriate news stories that are of interest to kids.

Teachers are able to monitor and approve comments by students, allowing students to experience current events and use social media in a safe and secure way!
 

Benefits of Tween Tribune:  

• Using technology students are reading, writing and learning about current events.
• Encourages student expression in an exciting way
• Students learn online skills
• Can focus on a variety of topics.
• Offers 
• TT Junior for younger children
• Tween Tribune for ages 8-12
• Teen Tribune for older students

Here are just a few of the posts I created on Tween Tribune:
  barbarab-Smi commented on: Could you bear to spend a year in space?

I am glad to see the United States continued involvement in space exploration despite the recent retiring of NASA's shuttles and vast changes in the space program. There is still much that needs to be explored and learning to be done and it is positive that we can partner internationally to accomplish goals and increase knowledge. There is huge sacrifice on the part of the individuals who are willing to take on a year long mission in space for the benefit of science and future exploration. They are not only leaving behind their families, but all of the daily activities, conveniences and comforts of home--at the same time, it is an amazing opportunity for these astronauts whose study could impact understanding of space and future space travel.

barbarab-Smi commented on: GM unveils new electric car (batteries included)

The idea of an electric car is much more appealing to me than the actual use of it. According to the article there are huge limitations in the distance a car can travel on a charge. Without the charging stations available nationwide to support it, it is an impractical option for any sort of long distance travel. Although you are not paying for gas, you will pay for the electric, I would be curious to know what the effect on a household electric bill would be for a car used daily--or what about two or more car households, would one really feel the savings?!? The cost of the car itself is also a consideration, making it accessible only to a certain percentage of the population. It is necessary to continue to develop this type of technology so that we may see the day where there is less reliance on gas, but I do not believe we are there yet.

barbarab-Smi commented on: Can you trust a girl with power tools? Uh huh.

I think t hat it is excellent that so many young women at the school have a desire to learn about things that have been traditionally seen as "boys work". I appreciate the teacher who sees the aptitude that the female students bring to their projects and his support of their learning, although I look forward to the time when this is not something to report, but just simply what is! The young ladies are not only learning vital skills that can assist them in daily living and decision making as they move toward adulthood, but are learning skills that are a foundation for so many careers that they may not have pursued if not for this class. As the article points out, the young women are increasing self-efficacy and developing a sense of empowerment--I would absolutely trust them with power tools!!!

 I believe Tween Tribune is a powerful tool which supports a multidisciplinary approach to learning about current events.                 

I believe tween tribune would be a great resource to use in conjunction with classroom discussion.

The technology is important, but there is great learning that can come from face to face discussion and debate!

"Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important."
                                                                                       -Bill Gates                                                                                                           

Classroom Teaching

Lauren M., Sam and myself were the first group to begin teaching our unit on the American Revolution to 4th graders at Bishop Dunn Memorial School.

Our Topic: The Road to the Revolution

3 Lesson were taught on the Events leading up to the American Revolution.  The focus was on the cause and effects of the following events:

• The French and Indian War
• The Stamp Act
• Boston Tea Party
• Battles at Lexington and Concord
• Fort Ticonderoga

First Lesson: Direct Instruction

Goal:  To introduce new concepts to students

A powerpoint was used to teach topics and check for understanding

Take a look at our first lesson:

Second Lesson: Iquiry Lesson
Goal:  Students will explore and analyze artifacts from this time period and solve a problem.

A prezi presntation was used in the classroom.  Students were given mystery boxes to identify the event the objects belong to.

Click on the Prezi below to take a look!

Third Lesson:  Cooperative Learning

Goal: Students will write a newspaper article while developing social skills.

Students were assigned roles to complete the task.  The groups used the supplied resources to create a newpaper article as if they are in colonial times.

Newspaper Articles Created by the Students:

What I Learned:

• Tremendous work goes into the design of a unit plan
• It is important to use assessment and evaluation to guide planning and lesson goals
• Be ready to adjust and modify
• Be flexible and Prepared
• Have Fun and the Students will too!

It can be difficult to get students attention when involved in active work.  Click on the image below for teacher tips on getting students' attention:

"People never learn anything by being told, they have to find out for themselves."

                                                                 -Paulo Coelho

Integrating Geography and Native American Tribes

                                                                

Asking the essential question: what influence did geography have on Native American tribes?  My Social Studies Research Methods class utilized the jigsaw, a social interactive strategy for learning in the classroom. 

 The class broke up into groups of 5 (base groups).  Each group member was assigned a Native American tribe to research focusing information related to geography.  The members of each base with the same tribe collaborated together creating expert groups who were then responsible for teaching the learned material to members of the base group.

Giving students the opportunity not only to learn material but to teach it to others allows allows for an increase in understanding and an ability to remember content material. Students are actively engaged with the curriculum.  This is also a forum where students learn to work cooperatively and develop social skills.

Each group member in my class was assigned one of the following:

• The Iroqois
• The Tlingit
• The Navajo
• The Muskogee
• The Lakota

Myself and Lindsay, as members of the expert group put together the Prezi below to share what we learned about the Tlingit tribe.  Click on it to check it out...

Click on the Prezi below to see the presentation that was then developed by the base group which highlighted the information from all 5 tribes.

It was a positive learning experience for all and we ended the activity with a treasure hunt using QR codes.

More Technology....

Teacher candidate students in the class used IPads or IPods to scan bar codes and then read the question that come up to move onto the next station...It was fun and highly interactive!

Take a look at the following sites for information on QR codes:

For information: Class Tech Tips

To download IPod and IPad:  ITunes

Download For Android:  Google Play

Download For Smart Phones: App World

Should we all teach the Same Thing?

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The Common Core Standards

Designed to provide high quality education consistently across schools and states.

The standards were formulated not to tell teachers HOW to teach but to identify the skills and knowledge students should have to then build lessons and activities to achieve goals in the classroom.

Click on the link below for a brief overview on the Common Core

Click on the engage NY logo to down load videos on the Common Core.

                                                   
Click on the Common Core Standards below for the standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics
                                           

English Language Arts and Literacy in Historical/Social Studies and Technical subjects is designed to ensure students are college and career ready in literacy by the end of High School

The standards set the requirements for literacy, and are to be supplemental to and used to support the content areas of History/Social Studies and Technical subjects.

Mathematics standards expect focused and coherent teaching with the goal of improving mathematical achievement in the United States.  The standards are focused are the learning of organizing principles of math knowledge, taking into account how students learn. 

Standards define what students should understand and be able to do in Math.  There is an increased focus on student understanding of WHY a mathematical answer is correct rather than to have the ability to do it.

                                                                                       
With the exception of Texas, Alaska, Minnesota, Nebraska and West Virginia all states have adopted the Common Core.  

Time will tell if the common core guidelines will provide a clear map of the curriculum to guide the success of all students.  Full implementation in New York State began with the 2012-2013 school year.

       

I think that if the standards are supported by research and are able to support teachers in developing high quality lessons and activities to students...We are moving in the right direction!!

As a teacher candidate it is an exciting time in the classroom with new and challenging standards and systems of evaluation.  I am looking forward to facing those challenges and being apart of improving student learning evidenced by growth, change and skill development.

"The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies can continue growing as we continue to live."
                                                                         -Mortimer Adler

Teaching Group 3: Cooperative Learning

Group 3 continued the exploration of Victory and Independence in the American Revolution utilizing cooperative learning activities.

                                          

The teachers did a good brief review of the content that was previously taught, and asked the class, "what makes a good team?" to review group processing.

Each group was then given an assignment to work on together and then present the projects to the class.

    

Group Projects were:

• Create a poster about what freedom means
• Write a poem about the American Revolution
• Write a letter to President Obama about what they have learned
• Perform a play about the signing of the Declaration of Independence

The students presented their projects and all worked well together.

The teachers did a nice job of supervising the student work, and each teacher took responsibility for a group of students.

The time allotted for student work was appropriate for the task, and all completed their assignments and felt successful!

The teachers could have provided some more focused and formal discussion of group work process.

It may have been helpful to have students complete a final feedback form on the work they did.

Good Job Student Teachers!

"Learning is more effective when it is an active rather than a passive process."

                                                                  -Euripides

Teaching Group 3: Inquiry Lesson

Group 3 continued teaching their topic of Victory and Independence in the American Revolution using an inquiry approach to teaching 4th graders.

The group focused on the famous people of the revolution as students wrote books on heroes of the time.

The group began with a quick review of the information covered previously.  The 5 E modeled was followed to engage students in the learning process.

5E's:

1. Engage: A review of information and the introduction to a puzzling event or problems.
2. Explore: The identification of the information processing model or indirect strategies being used.
3. Expand: Student are actively engaged in a learning discovery task.
4. Elaborate: Time for independent work by students.
5. Evaluate:  Formative and diagnostic assessments on both the content material and the inquiry process.

The group did good job of setting up a scenario of an author who has lost pages of a book and asks the class through a Voki to help her write the pages.  Each researched and wrote a book on an assigned hero of the American Revolution.

• Good idea, students were interested in finding out more
• The students worked together well
• Provided materials to help students find and organize information and create a finished project.

                                                                                Learning & Sharing Together

     

The teachers did  a great job of guiding student learning.  It may have helped to provide more instruction on how to implement the specific steps of the inquiry process and in completing the outline.

Well done activity!!!

"Wonder is the foundation of all philosophy, inquiry the process, ignorance the end."

                                            -Michel de Montaigne