Blog Phase 3: Comprehensive Reflection

Standard 1

1. A way that I promoted, supported, and modeled creative and innovative thinking was with the    activity where I had the students make their own desert ecosystem.  This allowed the students to pick what they wanted in their ecosystem and create a scene using Pixie.  It was totally up to them on what to have in this and how to arrange it.

2. I engaged the students with real-world issues using digital tools and resources by having them create a timeline based a government system.  They had to look at different issues within a government system that they picked and they picked and ordered the events onto a timeline with brief descriptions.

3. I promoted students reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding by having them create their own desert ecosystem.  This assignment was a reflection of what they learned throughout the lesson.  During the lesson we read a book about the desert that talked about different desert animals and they plants they use to survive.  We then went over how to make their own ecosystem by making a forest one as a class.  They then went and created their own desert ecosystem by reflecting on what they already knew, what they learned from the book, and what they learned in the class discussion.

4. A way that I could have modeled collaborative knowledge by engaging the students in other face-to-face virtual environments is to have a lesson where my students go on a virtual field trip.  With this they would be able to talk and communication with someone, say at the zoo.  They would be able to ask questions and see what is going on in real time.  They would be able to get their questions answered right then and there and not have to conduct research.

Standard 2

1. Both of the lesson I taught to my group were designed and adapted to relevant learning experiences that used digital tools to better promote their learning and creativity.  I especially think this with the desert ecosystem.  I am sure it was easier for some students to make this on the computer because not everyone is confident in their drawing and creative skills.  This activity allowed the students to be completely creative and use whatever kinds of tools they wanted, as long as they ended up producing a desert ecosystem.

2. Both of the lessons I conducted within the classroom were technology enriched.  Almost everything we did was on the computer, except for reading a book.  All of the research and actual assignment they made were on the computer.  My "students" got to learn new technology tools and different ways to do things that I would hope they can also use later on in their teaching experiences.

3. Although I did not have to really customize or personalize any activities for my current students that I taught the lessons too, I always had in my lesson plans how to accommodate these lessons for gifted, ELL, and cognitive delayed students.  With these accommodations, I always tried to make sure it would be a way that they would also be able to participate and get the same learning experience as everyone else.  Of course, these were just guesses for me, but if I actually had a student like this, I would make sure that the lesson was specially adjusted to their needs.

4. The activity that I really used both formative and summative assessments was the desert ecosystem.  As a class, we read a book on a desert and the different animals and plants that are in it.  After the book was read, we had a class discussion on what we learned and why we thought some of the plants went with those certain animals.  This showed me if I had to go back through the book and clarify some things.  We then also made our own ecosystem of the forest on the computer.  I chose to do the forest since we currently live in one and it would show me if they understood what an ecosystem really was, but in a different context.  Then, for summative assessment, that was the students creating their own desert ecosystem based off what they had learned.

Standard 3

1. In both of my lessons, the students used the knowledge they have about their personal computers and applied it to working on the SmartBoard.  Students were able to come up during the group activity and work with the SmartBoard.  They were allowed to do different things on the SmartBoard that they couldn't do on their computer like draw.

2. Based on my time limits, I did not have a lot of student collaboration.  But with another activity, I would maybe have my students use Google Docs where they could all be working on the same document at the same time.  Each student will have a different component to the project and will work on it collaboratively toward a common goal.  They would be able to see what the other students are working on and talk with each other to be able to complete and the assignment.

3. My students communicated relevant information and ideas to other peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats when they created their timelines.  They were using a variety of sources to find information to put on their digital timeline.  If I had more time in the lesson, they would have also created a Word Document with added information about each event they chose to put on their timeline.  They would have then share what they created with their peers.

4. To model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning by having my students rotate centers that used the iPads, tablets, SmartBoard, and computers.  I would model how to use all of these technologies before the students used them to either do math, science, social studies, or language arts centers.

Standard 4

1. Before my lesson on timelines, I made sure to tell my students about how to be safe on the Internet.    If I did this lesson with younger students, I would have given them specific websites to do their research on so they were openly searching the web.  I did not think of it for my hour long lesson, but I would have also had the students document where they got their sources from.  Not only so I know where they were getting their information, but so they learn that you cannot just steal someones else's information, they have to give credit to them.

2. To address the needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate and digital tools, I would have allowed students to use a iPad or SmartBoard if it better met their needs opposed to a computer.  If I had a students with visual issues, I would let them use the SmartBoard.  If I had a gifted student, I would let them use the iPad to navigate and find information.

3. To promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions, I would teach and show my students that they are to be responsible on the Internet and if they come across someone who wants to talk to them, not too, especially at school.  They should also just be conducting research on their given topic and not using the computers do play games if they are not asked to do so.

4. To develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness with students I would have students use different websites where maybe they can connect with others and learn about where they are both from.  They could also just do research and maybe look at blogs from others around the world.

Phase 2: Reflection on Lesson

INSTRUCTIONAL DECISIONS/TEACHING

• Overall, I think that the activity went really well.  I had some trouble with a student loosing their work and not being able to fully complete it, but everyone else was able to complete their work and actually put some effort and thought in it.  I did have some complaining throughout doing the activity and a student telling me "this is too hard for the grade level" but it met the standards and everyone else enjoyed it.

• I was able to keep aligned to my standards and objectives.  During the activity every stayed on task and it seemed to keep their interest for the whole hour.  I made this activity take up most of the hour to keep everyone interested and engaged.  They were also teaching themselves about a topic that came from an overarching topic, which was part of my objectives.

• Modifications that I made during the lesson was to not have the students keep a word document containing added information from their timeline presentation.  There simply was just not enough time for that.

MECHANICS

• Technologies the teacher used was the SmartBoard.  Technologies the students used was their personal computers.

• Technologies that I used for the teacher was the SmartBoard.  I just used this to show the students how the timeline maker would work.  Students then just used their personal computers to conduct the research and make their timeline.

• Yes, my lesson was within the 60 minute time frame.  The students had plenty of time to do their activity and I had them wrap up a couple minutes early so a student could present their work.  If I had a little more time, I would have had all of the students present their timeline, but it was not needed.

ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING

• Digital Artifacts:

• Two out of my three students were able to successfully complete the assignment.  The only reason the third student did not fully complete it is because she kept closing out of it without saving it.  Regardless, they all did what they were supposed too very successfully with what was turned.

• I believe I had success in teaching this lesson.  There was not a lot of lecturing, it was more the students working on the activity so they could later on teach each other.  I think this is a more effective way to teach instead of just lecturing them on each topic.  Based on the responses, all my students enjoyed doing this too! 

Lesson II: Phase 4 Materials and Resources

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/timeline_2/

Word Document

Lesson II: Phase 3 Assessment

ASSESSMENT

Procedure:

• I will assess my students by looking over their project through observation.  As long as the students have picked a country to research their government system and have at least 10 points on their timeline, they will be successful.  They also have to present to the class and assess the other students on their project.  I will use the student assessment to determine how the student did.  
• I will have a checklist to make sure the students research a government system from a specific country, have at least 10 points about it with some pictures, and that they presented to the class.

Reflect on...

• This assignment aligns with the standards and objectives of this project because it will show me if the students accomplished what they were supposed to learn.  All of the standards and objectives are components of the project.
• The main part of the assessment that demonstrates the students understanding is their presentation to the class.  They will be able to tell everyone about it and teach them about that government system along with showing me what they have learned through this assignment.
• This assessment involves higher ordering thinking because they have to present their information to the class and explain what they have learned.
• This assessment demonstrates that the individual needs of the student were met because if their assignment needs to be adjusted, then they can do so accordingly.  Also if the students has a cognitive delay or is an ELL student, they do not need to present to the class if they do not feel comfortable or capable of doing so.

Lesson II: Phase 2 Implementation

IMPLEMENTATION

Procedures:

1. I will gather the students in a whole group and start a class discussion.  We will talk about different countries around the world and if anyone knows the different government systems that they use (i.e democracy for the United States).
2. I will then discuss that each student will need to pick a country to research their government system to then create a timeline.
3. I will show how to use the timeline creator and how to plot events on it.
4. Each student will need to find 10 main events to put on the timeline that leads up to today's date.
5. When I send the students back to their seats, I will have them start the research aspect of the project.
6. As they find different information that they might find useful, they will write them down in a Word Document.  They can also save pictures to use.
7. Once the students has found at least 10 items to put on the time line, they can then go into the timeline creator and start putting their information in.
8. Once all of the students have finished their timelines they will then share with the whole class.
9. The students will then evaluate each other and write what they liked and what the student could do to improve their project.

Technology Integration:

• Students will be using the Internet to research their topic and find pictures of different events.
• Students will use organize their information in a Word Document. 
• The timeline creator (an online tool) will be used to create their timeline.

Differentiated Instructional:

• Cognitive Delays: Students with cognitive delays can use pictures to represent their information and possibly write a couple of words to describe it if they can.  They do not need to present if they are not capable or comfortable doing so.
• Gifted: Gifted students can use more than 10 points to research and compare one government system to another.
• ELL: ELL students can use pictures to represent their information and possibly write a couple of words to describe it if they can.  They can also research the government system from their home country so it is something familiar.  They do not need to present if they are not capable or comfortable doing so.

Reflect on...

Designing Instruction:

• I am using the instructional method I described because I want my students to be very independent with this project.  This is their way to show me what they know and what they have learned.
• My instructional methods align with best practices because I think students should have project-based learning.  When students are creating something on what they know, the information stays with them longer.
• I am engaging the students with higher order thinking because they have to decide what to research and then have to conduct the research themselves.  They can also pick a country they know nothing about and research their government system.
• My integration of technology supports best practices because this activity is very individualized to the student.  The student can pick what to research and add whatever valuable information they want.  They will be using this activity to teach the other students about a particular government system.

Lesson II: Phase 1 Overview

OVERVIEW

Grade Level: 3rd

Subject: Social Studies

Topic of Study: Timeline of different governments systems from different countries 

Time Allotment: 60 minutes

Standards:
      AZ Social Studies Standards: 

• Strand 2: World History Concept 1: Research Skills for History PO.1 Use timelines to identify the time sequence of historical data.

      Common Core: 

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.5
  Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.7
  Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.8
  Describe the logical connection between particular sentences and paragraphs in a text (e.g., comparison, cause/effect, first/second/third in a sequence).

Objectives:

• Student will be able to pick and conduct research on a different countries form of government.
• Students will create a timeline based on the the research they have conducted to show the progression of a certain government.

Reflect on...

Assessing Prior Knowledge:

• Prior knowledge that the students will have is an idea of what chronological order is (I will go more into depth with this project).  They will also know about different countries around the world to pick from.  They will also have a understanding of different government systems that we have been learning about, but this will be their first research project on it on the topic.
• I will assess their prior knowledge during the discussion that we have in the beginning of the lesson.  If the students seem unclear about any of the topics I ask about, we will have a further discussion.
• I will use this information in the planning process because if I feel that the students are unclear on a certain topic (like different countries to pick from), I will review different countries they can research and what they need to be researching.

Planning Instruction: 

• This content should be taught at this grade level because in third grade, students are utilizing informational texts to pick out the key information and create a product showing those details.
• The objectives align with the standards because they are picking a country to research to find out more about their government system and then creating a timeline about the important events.
• This lesson will be taught more towards the middle of the school year after we have discussed different countries and their government systems.

Phase II: Reflections on Lesson Implementation

INSTRUCTIONAL DECISIONS/TEACHING

• Overall, I felt that my lesson went well.  One thing that I struggled with was treating my fellow peers like they were 1st graders.  I feel like because of this I struggled a little teaching the "new concept" since they already know it now.  But other than that, my activities went well and went according to plan.  I am glad that I decided to do a class example on the forest ecosystem because I think that it helped the students create their own because they then knew what I was looking for.  I am also glad that I decided to read the book about the desert.  I think it gave the students an idea of what kinds of plants and animals they could use and if they remembered, they could use what they saw in the book instead of trying to come up with them on their own.

• I feel that I kept my alignment to the objectives and standards throughout the lesson.  We all stayed on topic and did not stray away and I feel we ended up learning what I wanted the students to learn.  As I started teaching the lesson I decided to add a journal assignment in order to better the students understanding.

• A modification that I made during the lesson was I added a quick journal assignment in the beginning of the lesson to get the students thinking about the topic and see if they would develop the other questions to ask during the lesson.  I feel like doing this worked out better than just asking them what they knew about each ecosystem in a class discussion.  It allowed them to think on their own and I could see what they knew before we started so I could adjust my teaching.

MECHANICS

• Technologies that I used during this lesson were the SmartBoard and the students' computers.  On both of these technologies I used Pixie.

•  I used the SmartBoard to do the class example of the forrest ecosystem and how to give them a brief overview on how to use Pixie.  The students used their personal computers to write their quick journal assignment and to create their own desert ecosystem. 

• My lessons in the correct time frame because it was 30 minutes.  I was able to manage my time well and the students would have been able to add onto their assignment if they finished early which worked out well because no one was sitting around waiting and no one did not have enough time to finish.

ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING

• Artifacts of students learning:

Journals: 

Desert Ecosystems:

• I think my students succeeded in achieving the objectives and standards of the lesson.  They were all able to compare the different plants and animals within the desert and forest ecosystem and learn how they are different.  The only thing was one of students (the top picture of the desert) is an example of how students can misinterpret the two different types of deserts.  For example, in the Arizona desert there are no camels.  But this is something that can easily be taught again.   

• I think I was successful in teaching this lesson.  My overall feedback from everyone was good.  Someone said I could have taught how to use Pixie better, but I showed them what they needed to use on their and when i asked for questions no one had any.  So I feel like I ended up doing fine on that.  I also stated in my lesson that this was not the first they were using Pixie.