Lesson Unit Of Study

Lesson / Unit of Study Planning and Reflection Guide

Lesson/Unit Title:	Wax Museum Presentation
Content Area(s):	Social Studies
Grade Level(s):	3rd Dual Language	Begin/End Dates:	April 1  to  May 8

Teacher Name:

Learner Outcomes: At the end of this lesson/unit, what did you expect your students to know, understand, and/or be able to do?   Please align this learning to your current district curriculum standards and Common Core where applicable.

Students will be able to research information about important people in history and will gain in depth knowledge of a particular individual of their choice. Each student will present/share information learned with classmates, parents and the rest of the student in the school.

Which levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy will be addressed—identify the level and the related learning.  (You may use the original or the revised framework.)

Students will be applying and creating be modifying the format they will present the information and by summarizing and presenting information learned.

Teacher Technology Use:

What delivery strategies will be utilized by the teacher during instruction?

Presentation and demonstration will be done in whole and small groups.  I will provide individual support and additional opportunities for students in greater need and for those who do not have computers at home.

What technology will be utilized by teacher during the delivery of instruction?

I will be utilizing laptops, projectors to demonstrate how to research information through the internet.

Which NETS-T will be met by the effective application of this technology?

1b.  Students are proficient in the use of technology. 3a. Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote      creativity. 4a. Students use technology to collaborate, publish, and interact with  peers and other         audiences. 5a. Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of      sources.

What, if any, special arrangements will need to be made for this technology to be readily available?

No special arrangements will be necessary since school has laptops available for wireless connection.

Student Technology Use:

What product(s) will the students use to demonstrate their learning?

At the end of the unit  students will produce at least one audioboo to give a summary of their chosen character. They will also be able to explain/tell  in depth information about their character when participating in Wax Museum event  in May.

What technology will be utilized by students throughout their learning?  (During research, knowledge construction, product development, assessment).  Why?

Students will be using computers and internet to research information, collect images  and watching videoclips under teacher/parents supervision. The use of internet will be monitored due to the  age and  beginning level of technology proficiency of most of the students.  There are only 3 laptops in the classroom which will required a longer period to carry out the project, but at the same time will facilitate  teacher’s support and supervision.

Which NETS-S will be met by the effective application of this technology?

1b.  Students are proficient in the use of technology. 4a. Students use technology to collaborate, publish, and interact with  peers and other         audiences. 5a. Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of      sources.

What, if any, special arrangements will need to be made for this technology to be readily available?

No special arrangements will required since students will be using equipment and services which are readily available in the classroom/school.

Ethical/Responsible/Legal Use of Technology:

Which digital citizenship NET-S and NETS-T are relevant to this lesson/unit of study?

For NETS-S Social, Ethical and Human issues. (2a) Understand the ethical culture, and  societal issues related to technology. For NETS-T Social, Ethical and Human issues.   (6a) Model and teach legal and ethical practice related to technology use.

How will these standards be modeled?

I will engage in conversations with students explaining the importance of observing copyrights and ethics when they use materials produced by someone else. Most of this conversations will be open and will occur repeatedly along the project. I will use opportunities when kids copy literal text from a given sources to teach them  to either cite the source or use their  knowledge of how to summarize or interpret information to be expressed in their own language. Students publication of their projects will help them understand the copyrights that they will have.

What instruction will be provided for these standards?

Oral and graphic presentations of copyrights displays on various written  materials, videos, pictures, etc..

Assessment:

What criteria will be used to measure the success of student achievement in the content standards?  Identify any strategies and tools to be used.

Students projects will be judged by: 1. Gathering factual information using internet and books. 2.. Written summary of projects with text that will be uploaded to audioboo. 3. Art work or photographs to be used in projects. 4. Oral presentation (recording) of information uploaded. 5. Proficiency on using computer to research, copy, paste...

How will the effectiveness of the student use of technology be assessed? (Tools, processes, etc.)

Students will work and collaborate with each other when using computer and internet. Those kids who are more fluent will be paired/grouped with those who need support. When all projects are completed I will request parents and family members to comment on most liked projects. Likewise, students will be required to listen to all kids audioboos. The effectiveness of students using technology will be reflected on the quality of the final product and the creativity students used with visuals and voice.

Reflection

Identify the successes of this lesson/unit of study.  What went well?

Most of the students have completed their  research, summaries, and  illustrations of their projects. Some have already uploaded their audioboos and completed the project. The majority will be doing their recording and uploading this coming week (week of May 5). The goal is to have  everyone’s audioboos uploaded by May 16th. What  has been going well so far is the excitement of students expressed along the project. There is a lot of motivation and high hopes to share final project with parents. Most kids are not afraid to try and some have even attempted to work on research at home. I am excited to see parents and kids comments when they attend The Wax Museum Event.

What were the challenges of this lesson/unit of study?  What did not go so well?

The main challenge for me for this unit was the lack of equipment to provide each kids with their own devices (laptops, tablet, etc). I only have 3 laptops in the classroom and I have 26 students. It is difficult to let excited kids work at the same time with only three laptops. It is always challenging to give each kid the same opportunity as someone else. Those kids who are more aggressive got to do their projects faster, while those who are shy and have no support at home will rely on my help or help from peers.

What advice would you give yourself or others to improve this lesson/unit of study?

The first advice  I will give myself is to become proficient with the technology tools I will be using. This part for me was one of the biggest challenges, due to the fact that I never took any form of technology courses. What I know I have learned by practicing on my own. I am excited to be learning new things, even though I am approaching retirement. The second advice will be to encourage co workers and parents not to be afraid of trying technology for learning.  It is a great additional tool for education, as well as, one that will not go away, but rather become a dominant form of learning. Kids should be getting familiar with the use of technology as a learning tool. This is the first year in my 35 years of teaching that I attempt something like this. To summarize I will just say that it is better to stumble while trying than failing without attempting.

Using The Internet For Learning Still Creates Fear

In today's education and with the huge changes in technology, educators are faced with great challenges. We always want to do what is best and we are also pressured by the many forces that play a part in the decision making of education (society, parents, administration, etc.). We must be up to date in educational and technological trends around the country and the world. We also know that technology is the way of the future but many educators are afraid of using technology, particularly the use of resources through the internet because of the so many implications that come with it.

When it comes to using internet for instruction, many educators and school districts are very cautious .Fear of parents reactions and even lawsuits are still causing many schools to be very reluctant when it comes to the use of internet in the classrooms. This sense of fear causes many of us to just play safe and not take risks. The biggest risk however, is not taking the risk to start learning and to communicate in simple ways the what the benefits of learning something new may bring. 

  

I believe the first step educators, parents, administrators or anybody involved in education is to start learning

 the unknown. The fear of changing or trying something new has always been embedded in humans. Everything is, has, and will continue to evolve, whether we want it or not. The second part is to always follow policies that are in place in each school or  school district. Finally, there is nothing more effective and safer that the use of strong ethics and old common sense. As my uncle always said "if you don't know it ask, but if you know better do what is right." Those who seek will find, either good or bad.

Butler, Kevin. Using Internet For Learning Still Creates Fear. District Administration Magazine. 

June 2010.

Audioboo

Audioboo is a tool that offers many possibilities for  use in the classroom and in everyday life. It is a free tool that allows users to utilize a photo or drawings that will serve as  a background for a message that needs to be conveyed. The free option allows up to three minutes of recording. People who need longer periods of recording can pay a monthly fee to get ten or more minutes.

To use audioboo, besides registering for an account, all that is necessary is to have a computer with a microphone and a camera or smart phone with a camera. The process is very simple and is easy to understand when recording is done at http://audioboo.fm .Preparation prior to the recording it is important for a good quality audioboo (having a picture saved in a computer file and the timed message that will presented). In addition, it will be important to practice the spoken message several  times before the actual recording.

For teachers, audioboo is a good tool for kids to present, in an oral format, any projects of their choice. This can be used at all grade levels and the applications are unlimited. For instance, a kid could be describing his/her dog, house, a vacation trip, etc. Older students can make a short presentation explaining a concept learned, a comedy,  a song, and much more. In my classroom my students in third grade will be impersonating a famous historical character during our Wax Museum presentations. They will use a photo and will record a short autobiography pretending to be the actual character.

I believe that use of oral language in the classroom allows students more opportunities for them to develop language. Kids not only need to speak better, but also need to focus more on developing their abilities as good listeners. Audioboo, as simple as it may appear, is one more tool for educators and a different way to enrich the tools we utilize in education.

German Hernadez

Changing Pedagogy for Modern Learners – Lessons from an Educator’s Journey of Self-Reflection

 In  this article Terry Taylor describes her journey as a teacher and how  her views on her role as a educator has evolved throughout her career as a teacher. She, like many of us, was born in the fifties and was exposed to traditional  ways of instruction. The students learned by constant repetition, memorization, recitation and constant drills with the purpose of achieving perfection. Nothing was flexible and there was no room for choice and creativity. The learner was subjected to a strict teacher directed lectures.

As classroom teacher in the late 1970’s, Taylor wanted her students learning to be dynamic and interactive. She wanted to develop the unique talents and interests of her students, but her principal who was double her age would not be very supportive of the approach she wanted to take. Even without support she organized her student in small groups, and even encourage the kids to sit wherever they wanted. It was evident that students enjoyed this freedom and the opportunity to be engaged in more dynamic activities. She continued that approach for six years but she eventually burnt out  due to the extra workload and demands of the system. She left teaching in 1980 to pursue other interests.

Years later Taylor found herself in the classroom again, but this time working with adults. Her views of how students should learn did not change. She encouraged students to write as if they were talking to friends. It was a time when people began to experience learning with computers. Her own children grew up playing and using computers. They were different types of learners, they were multitask and not linear learners. They were not the learners who not just acquired facts, but could understand instead. As technology developed even faster, the needs of the learners have dramatically changed. Today’s learner demands relevance, innovation and the opportunity to develop many skills. The modern learner must adapt to rapid changes in order to survive and succeed in this fast changing technological era. Taylor has designed computer science classes allowing students to choose to work on projects graded based on the level of complexity. Easy projects get less points, while more detailed ones get more. There are even bonuses points for those who work harder and want to achieve the highest possible grade.

The story of Terry reminds me of my own. Being a teacher in Mexico with very limited resources in the late 1970's, coming to the United States to teach Spanish as a foreign language, becoming a bilingual teacher, and going through so many changes of initiatives and trends in education hasn't been a very easy experience. I touched a computer for the very first time in 1995 and I feel I haven't kept up to date with changes in technology. I understand I must educate myself in order to serve better the new learner I am attempting to teach. I must develop the learned who does not know everything, but the one who knows how to find what he/she  needs and wants to know.

Taylor, T. (2014)  Changing Pedagogy for Modern Learners – Lesson from an Educator’s Journey of Self reflection. Educational Technology & Society, 17 (1) 79-88.

Learning From a Test

Learning From a Test

In a world where competition seems to be the way for nations to prove their greatness there is a need for schools to demonstrate that they are preparing future generations.  The United States does not seem to be performing at the level of other advanced nations. It is important to learn from other countries beyond the ranking of a test like the PISA (Program For International Assessment). Therefore, schools must make changes in policy and practices understanding what other countries do with their students.

A School District in Fairfax County in northern Virginia  has taken the opportunity to make a change by signing up for the Test for Schools. It is based on PISA and administered by OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development). The results were beneficial in understanding where those kids from Fairfax County are, compared with middle-income students from around the world. Many of the Fairfax high school performed above the international average, even though many were made-up of low-income populations.

It was discovered, according to Jack dale “that there is a need to revise our instructional approaches to include more interdisciplinary learning, starting in middle school.” The OECD test is more rigorous and takes 31/2 hours. The test assesses problem-solving, application skills and complex thinking. It is also important to mention that the test requires no preparation.

In the way the world is advancing a need to change the ways we teach must evolve as well. We are creating not the student who must learn, master and memorize concepts, but the student who is able to think and solve problems that come their way. As I told a college of mine. “Nobody can’t possibly know everything anymore. Instead of that, we must teach our students where and how to find the information they need.”  Even though testing may not be the exact tool to tell us where kids are, at least it can be a diagnostic instrument that will give us valuable piece of information, provided that the test is well developed and normed.

Dale, J. (2014).  Learning From  a  Test.  Education  Week,  33  (15)  21,24.

Common Core Ratchets Up Language Demands For English Learners

Common Core Ratchets Up Language Demands For English Learners

The Common Core Standards requires higher levels of understanding of what is currently taught and learned in schools. The trend is to emphasize instruction of academic language, which is not the language individuals use in everyday conversations (social language). This language development encompasses a type of language that is more sophisticated and complex. This is the type of language that students must understand and use in order to be successful and accomplish a college degree or any other professional career.

For the English Language Learner (students whose native language is not English) acquiring a new language is already a challenge, which is not something new in public schools. The focus on academic language becomes a more difficult task for ELL students, but also for native speakers of English. As Leslie A. Maxwell states “No One is a native speaker of academic language.” This type of language is not taught or spoken at home. It is not the language used with friends or the language of television, music and other forms of media. This is the vocabulary found in informational texts and teachers must expose students to this type of materials. Teachers must provide all types of opportunities for ELL learners to use academic language during Reading, Writing and any oral opportunities that arise. Therefore, teachers must make a conscientious and strategic effort to make sure students are exposed to those experiences.

Our challenge, as teachers, is to shift from the traditional frame of mind of how we teach or were taught language in school. All students, weather Native speakers or ELL must be exposed to a variety of opportunities. Those experiences may be books, magazine, pictures, videos, internet, etc. Students must be exposed to academic language, regardless of how much English they bring to the classroom. Teachers must seek collaboration from peers and be open to change and learn. We must let all kids play the same game if we want them to compete with all other kids. We must include them and use other kids to become mentors at the same time. Teaching is an art, but we must be willing to get our feet wet, be willing to expose our weaknesses, and be open to learn.

Maxwell,  L. A.     (2013) .  Common Core Ratchets Up Language Demands for English 

           Learners.  Education  Week,  33 (10)  14-16.