6th Blog" Permanent Change"

I  am writing this blog to address the question, "What have you taken away from this course that will permanently change the way you teach in your classroom?" I think there are many things from this course that will impact my teaching. I will reach more to technology. Dr. Bonk has made a lasting impression on me, and I will make every effort to reach toward technology in my class to engage learners. I want to use videos in my class daily to increase student engagement, and I also intend to focus daily on incorporating technology in a variety of ways. I will use the techniques outlined in the book I read by Pickering and Marzano. I will use games daily and will plan for more competitions (low risk). I also want to use more humor in my room. I do think the biggest permanent change is the desire to use technology to increase student engagement. I'm very excited about using a blog and also Skype. I'm working on my co-teachers to Skype next year, and I don't know that this will occur daily, but it will be as often as I can arrange it. I would like to aim for a daily blog. I will also use the Smart Board to present information and now have an enormous amount of new web pages to use. I could spend endless time with the various video and songs available and will use that daily in the morning and for RTI. I also am convinced about the benefit of service learning and will work towards using that daily to give students meaningful connections to real life situations. I have discussed writing to students in other areas of our country in some type of service learning project but we don't have that all worked out yet. I am excited to email and work with the zoo and Dr. Williams this year. I think the students will have many chances to reflect on these new strategies daily in journals. I also want to use the computer lab to run the content video so students can access this daily. It has been a very busy summer, and I have worked hard to learn about new ways to improve student performance through engagement. I will definitely use these approaches daily for permanent change and more effective instruction.

My 5th Blog/ My Animal Unit

I am very excited about my most recent unit, Animal Life,  for many reasons. In my unit I have tried to use many of the technological suggestions from my class at N.K.U. It has been a joy to explore various technology uses for my classroom. I know that my approach to using technology has been vastly altered because of Dr. Wirtz's class. I will now use technology daily in a variety of ways. I intend to incorporate videos this year daily and to have my students reflect in their journals about the video. I have found and been introduced to many great sites on the web in this class. I think they will increase my students' interest. I will use these videos in my room during RTI and in the mornings for rewards in addition to other times. I think the videos will increase student enthusiasm and they will be excited to learn. I have enjoyed the book, The Highly Engaged Classroom as well. One of the techniques in the book was to offer students choices and I intend to do that intentionally each day. .I will use many of the suggestions in the book. I will use more technology, more guest teachers, and more games to name a few. These techniques I will use often because I am convinced of the value they offer. I will use computer games to increase engagement and I am very excited to use Skpe. I will also use Service Learning Opportunities to enhance my teaching this year. I know that my teaching will be more effective and efficient because of this class each and every school day. I am a better more engaging teacher because of my exposure to the various technological uses to increase learning as well as making more connections to the students lives through service learning opportunities. For my unit students will participate in a two week animal unit that will incorporate service learning elements. There will be many community people involved. My class and one other second grade class, Ms. Currin a second grade teacher, Ms. Ferril a volunteer from Kentucky Tails, parents of students, and River Ridge staff.  The students are a diverse population in every aspect. There is usually a high population of ESL students, students with special needs, various religions, and ethnic backgrounds. There are many levels of family income and several neighborhoods are involved. The second grade students will learn to identify a living organism from a nonliving one in the first lesson. The students will then learn to sort animals based on the animal’s features.  Students will learn that animals have basic needs. After the students learn the content they will have an opportunity to discuss the animals in their lives. We will then classify our pets and sort them into groups. The students will be introduced to the animal shelter called, Kentucky Tails, by a visit from Ms. Ferril. The students will meet actual shelter animals and the owner, Jeff Thelen. They will learn about shelters from visiting the web pages. The class will write letters to families to persuade them to make donations. The students will create posters to announce our drive for donations and to challenge Ms. Currin’s class to see if they can make as many shelter toys as our class. The unit will culminate with the class donating homemade toys to Ms. Ferril and photos posted in the class newsletter and blog.  The class will also write notes to thank our visitors. The winning class will be announced on the intercom and in our grade blog. I think the students will enjoy this unit and it covers a good deal of core content!  Key targets are:

Learner Targets

SC-EP-3.4.1

Students will be able to list animal’s basic needs on an exit slip

Students will be able to sort pictures of living things from nonliving things correctly into stacks of living things and nonliving things.

SC-EP-3.4.2

Students will be able to sort animals into groups based on animal characteristics using animal cards. 

 I will measure sucess with exit slips, observations, and the compass learning path.

4th Module

I was very excited to work on this module because I see enormous value in collaborating with other professionals to better instruct students and engage them in the learning process. I also enjoyed the technology aspect to this module. Technology enhances the educational experience as Marzano and Pickering seem to believe because students become more enthusiastic and interested. Students will perceive that our professional educators are important adults (not just the classroom teacher). This will help students become more engaged as it states in the book The highly Engaged Classroom. Finally, my co-teachers are both people I respect for their extensive knowledge and expertise. I am thrilled to have their collaboration!

Module 4:

Locating and Partnering with Co-Teachers Plan

Plan Elements:

1-      Name the professional educator you plan to partner with.  Include the following information:

a.      Joan Hall and Arthur Williams M.D.

b.      Outreach educator and medical doctor

c.       Joan.hall@cincinnatizoo.org and alaineandart@hotmail.com

2-      Describe the plan you have made with this person.

a.      How will you bring what they have to offer to your students?

The professional educator, Joan, will accept student generated questions about animal classifications submitted through email prior to the zoo’s classroom visit. The professional educator will discuss the questions during the zoo visit to our class. The class will visit the Cincinnati Zoo web page www.cincinnatizoo.org  prior to zoo’s visit and make predictions about the animals they will see during the zoo visit. The students will discuss animal classifications and features. The students will visit the web to learn more about animals. One site will be: http://www.krattbrothers.com/main.html. After the visit we will share pictures and video taken with a flip camera. We will email the professional educator the pictures and video. The students will email any additional questions after the zoo visit. Then the students will choose an animal to create a flip book about. As a culminating activity the students will Skype with a professional. They will Skype with Dr. Williams. He will be presenting a “mystery animal”. He will be introduced as Arthur Williams. The students will each write a question about the animal to discover what kind of animal is the mystery animal. After the students have each read their question Dr. Williams will answer the question. The children will be encouraged to guess what the animal is. Then Dr. Williams will reveal the mystery animal is a human and reveal his title. Students that guessed correctly will be announced in our class paper and on the school news.

b.      What technologies will you use? (video/ voice technologies, etc?)

We will record the visit with a Flip camera; we will explore the web on a Smart board, and send emails or Skype with the expert. The school news is produced, filmed, taped, and broadcast within our school and that technology is reflected in this plan.

3-      What are the school disciplines and specific national, state, district or school standards that it will address?

a.      The Kentucky standards :

Academic Expectations

SC-EP-3.4.1

Students will explain the basic needs of organisms.

Organisms have basic needs. For example, animals need air, water and food; plants need air, water, nutrients and light. Organisms can survive only in environments in which their needs can be met.

SC-EP-3.4.3

Students will describe the basic structures and related functions of plants and animals that contribute to growth, reproduction and survival.

Each plant or animal has observable structures that serve different functions in growth, survival and reproduction. For example, humans have distinct body structures for walking, holding, seeing and talking. These observable structures should be explored to sort, classify, compare and describe organisms.

DOK 2

WR-EP-3.5.3

In Transactive Writing,

·      Students will adhere to standard guidelines for grammar and usage.

·      Students will use precise word choice.

      Students will use the specialized vocabulary of the    discipline/content appropriate to the purpose and audience.

WR-EP-1.2.3

In Transactive Writing,

·      Students will communicate relevant information.

·      Students will develop an angle with support (e.g., facts, examples, reasons, visuals).

Students will apply research to support ideas with facts and opinions.

4. How will you assess what your students have learned?

I will observe the students informally before, during, and after the visit and the Skype chat. I will observe the students during

 discussions held before and after the zoo visit.(SC-EP-3.4.1) (SC-EP-3.4.3)

To assess the learning I will have the students create a work sample. The book will describe animal features, homes, and the animal’s basic needs. The students will write out questions for Dr. Williams using the correct punctuation and language conventions. (SC-EP-3.4.3) (WR-EP-3.5.3) (WR-EP-1.2.3)

Thelens/Service Learning Plan

My service learning project has been influenced by many topics that we have covered lately in class and what I have been reading. I know that children learn best when they are actively involved according to Marzano  and Pickering in their book The Highly Engaged Classroom.  They also state how important it is to get the students attention and I totally agree. In my project I will attempt to focus the students attention and have them deeply involved.

My Service Learning Map/Heavy Metal Service Project 

Name: Kathleen Thelen

Grade: 2nd Number of Students Participating: 70

PREPARATION: Goals/Objectives

• What topic/content area/s do I want to address?

I will cover math, writing, and social studies content.Students will use what they have been learning about recycling benefits, weight as measurement, and graphing data to promote recycling throughout the 2^nd grade. Students will promote and compete in a metal tab collection contest in the 2^nd grade to benefit our Family Resource Center. The center serves local families in need. We will focus on Jamie Smith's family. This is a child that is deaf and attends the Kentucky School for the Deaf. I will work with other 2nd grade classes at River Ridge. Ms. Currin and Mrs. Guether will be involved in the contest. They're classes will also collect tabs. Our Family Resource coordinator, Debbie Burch, will receive the proceeds from the tabs and will use the money for our winter outreach and to supply Jamie's family with holiday gifts.  The parents and families will also be involved. They will be informed of the contest and it's progress in our newsletter and the school newsletter.

Goals: Students will;

Understand the effects humans have on the earth

            Demonstrate that real life activities help them learn practical skills

            Learn that participation in environmental responsibility can promote good citizenship

Core Content:

PL-EP-3.1.4 Identify consumer actions (reusing, reducing, recycling)that impact environment.

MA-EP-2.1.1 Apply standard units of measurement weight (to the nearest pound).

MA-EP-4.1.1 Analyze and make inferences from data displays (drawings, tables/charts, tally tables, pictographs, pictographs, , bat graphs, circle graphs, line plot, two circle Venn diagrams).  

MA-EP-4.1.2  Collect data.   

WR-EP-1.1.3 In Transactive Writing- Students will communicate a purpose through informing or persuading. Students will develop and angle. Students will communicate what the reader should know, do or believe. Students will apply characteristics of the selected form. Students will use a suitable tone. Students will allow voice to emerge when appropriate.

• What do I want my students to learn from this project? Students will learn core content (PL-EP-3.1.4, MA-EP-2.1.1,MA-EP-4.1.1, WR-EP-1.1.3, and MA-EP-4.1.2). They will learn that everyone can help make society better and that even small things (like pop tabs) can add up! Success will be measured in each class participating to various degrees. The winning class will have the most tabs turned in at the end of the contest. I want the students to realize that our actions can have a direct impact on others and improve people's lives.

• Who will we serve? We will serve the local community. We will donate the cash from our recycled tabs to our Family Resource Center.We will also help the environment. Finally, Jamie Smith and her family will be our primary focus as well as other needy children.

• What is the service that we will provide?

We will have a competition to collect pop tabs and will donate the money to local families in need. We will

practice recycling. We will also work to bring holiday gifts to children in need, especially Jamie's family.

Now it’s time to plan:

• How long do I want this project to take?

Start Date: October 1, 2011 End Date: December 1, 2011

• How will classroom learning and activities be connected to the service?

My class will be connected to the service because we will be recycling metal and improving the earth. We will learn in class about recycling and measurement. The students will also be connected to the families that will benefit from our recycling. The families are connected to our school in some way. The students will see direct benefits to recycling metal in the form of a donation. The students will have a chance to contribute to the purchase of gifts for children in need.

• How will I engage the students in the planning process?

Students will brainstorm ways to advertise our tab competition. Students will discuss and create posters to inform and promote our metal tab competition. The students will also write announcements to inform others about our competition. The students will collect the metal tabs as a class and chart the results on posters. The children will learn about the students that will benefit from our recycling. They will have a chance to send letters to Jamie.

ACTION

• What action steps will the students take to perform the service?

Step 1: Preparation

            Students learn and discuss recycling

            Students read about the recycling process

            Students create posters for a grade wide recycling project.

Each 2^nd grade room will compete against the other 2^nd grade rooms to collect the most metal pop tabs.

 Students collect the tabs for two months.

 Students discuss weighing procedure to weigh the tabs to identify the contest winner.
Ms. Burch will visit our rooms to inform children how our tab money will be spent.Students will learn about the children that will receive presents from our tab proceeds.
Students will write letters to Jamie.

Step 2: Action

            Students display recycling posters in rooms and in the hallway.

            Students announce the contest on the school news.

            Students collect and weigh tabs daily and present the tabs to Ms. Burch and the Resource Center
            Students will write letters to Jamie and make holiday cards for children in need.

            Students graph collection on display in hall

            Students identify the contest winner and share the information with parents, the school, and center.
 Step 3: Reflection

Students participate in a classroom discussion about the effects of recycling.

Students identify benefits to recycling.

Students discuss how small things (like metal tabs) can contribute to the positive effects of recycling and discuss other items that could be recycled.

Students brainstorm and chart other ways to recycle in the classroom.

Students reflect in journals.

Students create cards for the families that will receive the proceeds from the tabs.
Students will have the chance to write and send additional letters to Jamie.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Let’s REFLECT…

• List three reflection activities in which students will participate during this project. (Remember the multiple intelligences).

see above

CELEBRATION/DEMONSTRATION

• List at least three ways you could celebrate/demonstrate the students’

work.

1. Students will graph progress on chart displayed in the hall.

2. Students will hear the winners announced on school news.

3. The winning class will have a party to celebrate and Ms. Burch will share pictures of the children that benefited from the project at our party.

What can my service learning coordinator do for me?

• What resources or outside assistance will I need for my project?

After our first collection we may want to involve other schools or more grade levels. The coordinator could connect me to other interested teachers and principals. We also may want to donate to other agencies and the service learning coordinator may suggest which agencies are in need.

Additional Notes or Comments:

Students will reflect on the core content and on the social impact of service. Students will have a chance to share the journals with classmates. Students will also reflect on other ways to recycle.

Thelen 2nd Blog/video

Here is my 2nd blog. In this module I have learned many valuable ways to incorporate technology daily into my class. Many of the tools my fellow students suggested were wonderful. I really enjoyed the site http://www.freerice.com.  This site would be great to develop vocabulary. But, I especially enjoyed learning about using video.  I will use video to improve student learning. The site that I was impressed with was http:www.teachertube.com/. I know I will use more quality videos this year to engage my students in a more dynamic way. I want children to enjoy the learning process and by using videos, especially music videos, children will be more actively engaged in my classroom. Using current media is an efficient way to enhance learning and one that I will use to improve my instruction. From that site there were many types of videos. One fun video I found to instruct about core content will be useful to me in the future. The song is catchy and I think it will help my students remember key terms and underlying content.

 I wanted to emphasize that the use of videos as an online resource will make a permanent change in the way I teach daily.  I will use these videos to introduce topics, to focus on specific areas of a lesson, and as a culminating activity. Using this format will help students to learn more and remain more engaged. I will use videos on the smart board. I will use the videos as a daily morning independent routine to review material and also daily during centers. I could also use music video's to prepare for performances at PTO meetings and during RTI time. Finally, students can use this site during computer class. I have seen first hand how good quality video engages learners. It's too great a tool to pass up! 
The site that I am posting is http:www.teachertube.com. There were several great videos that I could use everyday! Water Cycle Video:

First Pod Response

My name is Kathleen Thelen. I live in Northern Kentucky with my husband and two teenage children. I work at River Ridge as a second grade teacher. Some of the things that I like to do in my spare time are reading and gardening.

Three things that I do in my classroom that promote student-learning are exit slips, flashbacks, and display learner targets.

According to the reading that I've done these are good ways to promote student learning. Gail Weinstein writes about teaching with accountability and these items listed above help me to be accountable to the students in their learning.

According to Dr. Bonk, it is important to engage students in learning, and these items help me to accomplish that.

NKU's QEP states the importance of critical thinking and these above items help me to accomplish that and assess the effectiveness of the instruction.

I hope I have included everything that I was supposed to, but I probably didn't.