Communication

I really enjoyed this activity as well.  I liked the telephone idea and how we can integrate this cross-curricular style.  I also liked the picture/listening activity.  It was different and fun.  It was also interesting to see how different people described the picture, how they communicated and even more how they knew to ask questions about the mental picture they saw in their minds.  Great activity!!! I'm sure no matter what the content or grade level, students will enjoy these activities and showing how important communication is.  Not only in school but everywhere. 

Traveling Story

I really enjoyed the traveling story idea.  I think that the students would definetly enjoy this activity.  I think it would help them socially.  Also, it is different from other activities, it is fun, and makes you think about what your going to say.  Really liked this activity. 

Cross Curricular Project

Where are in your cross curricular project?  
Topic: Holocaust
I have done some research for my 4 week unit. I have not narrowed it done.   
What 4 areas of content will you cover?
1. ELA
2. Social Studies
3. Art
4. Science, Math, or Spanish ???
2-3 Teks per lesson...

§110.18. English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 6, Beginning with School Year 2009-2010.

(3)  Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Theme and Genre. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about theme and genre in different cultural, historical, and contemporary contexts and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding. Students are expected to:

(A)  infer the implicit theme of a work of fiction, distinguishing theme from the topic;

(B)  analyze the function of stylistic elements (e.g., magic helper, rule of three) in traditional and classical literature from various cultures; and

(C)  compare and contrast the historical and cultural settings of two literary works.

(11)  Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Persuasive Text. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about persuasive text and provide evidence from text to support their analysis. Students are expected to:

(A)  compare and contrast the structure and viewpoints of two different authors writing for the same purpose, noting the stated claim and supporting evidence; and

(9)  Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Culture and History. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about the author's purpose in cultural, historical, and contemporary contexts and provide evidence from the text to support their understanding. Students are expected to compare and contrast the stated or implied purposes of different authors writing on the same topic.

(10)  Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Expository Text. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about expository text and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected to:

(A)  summarize the main ideas and supporting details in text, demonstrating an understanding that a summary does not include opinions;

(B)  explain whether facts included in an argument are used for or against an issue;

Rough Draft...

1. ELARead ----Night By Elie Weisel & Someone Named Eva By Joan Wolf
2. Compare & Contrast the two reads
3. Read Poetry related to Holocaust.
4. Create a Poem (How I Feel?)
5. Watch Holocaust Movies (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas) &
6. Compare & Contrast Diaries & Memiors of two different Holocaust survivors. 
7. Create own diary.
8. Blogs & Discussions (Discuss readings, activities, etc about the Holocaust and what we are learning in class.  Online Journal with a classmate or classmates)
9. Read Newspaper article regaring Holocaust era.  (Respond to)
10. Online Discussion on Human Behavior.
11. Research (What is antisemitism?)
12. Write a One Page paper on Antisemitism. 
13. Compare & Contrast Holocaust & with a current issue today.
14. Conduct an interview with a Holocaust survivior via internet, or someone you know who lived around that time and ask questions.  (Prepare to share)

2. Social Studies

1. Timelines, Maps, Research
2. How to Research?
3. How to interpret Timelines?
4. How to interpret Maps?
5. Timeline the events leading up to Holocaust. (Before, During, After)
6. Research what the United States was doing during those times.  (Newspapers, Books Written, Famous People, Who was the President?, Art, School, etc.)Write a 2-3 pg paper on findings.
7. Create a Map (Map found survivors)
8. Create a Timeline of the Events of one survior. 

3. Art

1. Create a poster, powerpoint, dramazation, etc... memorial for Holocaust survior.
2. Draw a painting about how you feel about the Holocaust.
3. Create a collage of words, pictures, etc.  of anything dealing with the Holocaust.
4. Create a newspaper headline with another student about Holocaust events.  (Research/Use dates from that era)
5. Photographs (look at photographs of Holocaust causilities, survivors and discuss on online journal)

4. Science, Math, or Spanish ???

What is Assessment?

What is assessment? 
Assessment is when you assess a student's performance.  Checking for knowledge prior to or after teaching a concept.  Can be formal or informal but in ongoing.  Teacher observes a student looking to see where the student is grade level and age in a more personal and detailed way. 

Name three examples of an authentic assessment.
To me anthing other than the basic paper test.  For example:
1.  Project (performance of something read, by singing or rapping or acting out)
2.  Rubrics (using rubrics to grade by giving guidelines)
3.  Demonstrations/Experiments(having students create or recreate using what learned)

Informational & Persuasive Writing

Informational Writing is sharing information, instructions or knowledge about someone or something.  Step by step information is given.  Some examples of informative activities would be creating or writing:

 Informational brochures

Newspaper articles

How to manuals

Cookbook entries

Writing directions, receipes, and steps in making a product. 

Cause and effect

Comparing and contrasting two things. 

Persuasive writing is trying to get someone else to agree with an idea or opinion of yours.  A writer sometimes takes a position for or aganist an issue.  Usually is used in advertisements to get the reader to buy a product.  Or to try to get a reader to see a different point of view.  Some examples of persuasive writing are:

Advertisements

Brochures

Comic Strips

Posters

Collage

Murals

Paintings

Skits

Storyboard

Newcasts

Wanted posters

The writing process...

The writing process...

Prewriting like brainstorming; venn diagram can help
Writing first draft, getting ideas onto the paper
Edit checking for grammar, punctuation

Proofread re-read to self, aloud, and maybe to others and fix any errors
Publish write final draft, ready for all to see

How are we going to get them to write?

We get them to write by modeling writing.  By having students write about something they know, something meaningful to them, something they care about.  Then they will want to share their stories in class and will want to read them aloud because it is something they created and are passionate about. 

What is a good reader?

What is a good reader?  Are you?  Why or why not?  How can I teach students to become effective readers and writers?

A believe that a good reader is someone who reads for several purposes. Someone who reads for enjoyment, purpose, school, to their children, and etc.  A good reader to me reads often and when possible, someone who reads as a hobby.  Unfortunately, I don't find time to read often, but I do enjoy reading. I try to read the Bible daily.  I believe that a good reader not only reads just to read but also comprehends what they are reading.  To me a good reader uses the dictionary and thesaurus when necessary and stops and questions what they have just read. 

As a future teacher the number one thing I can do to teach my students to be effective readers and writers is to be a good role model.  How?  By reading to them, in front of them, by sharing my thoughts with them about certain books, having literature circles and discussions. 

Motivational Games

Are you gonna use games in your classroom?  Yes, I will be using games in my special education classroom. 
How are you gonna use games?  I plan on using games in every content area, maybe once or twice a week if possible.  Maybe have stations depending on the grade level, maybe have children help to come up with their own version of a game.  Maybe incorporating technology. 
Why are you games important?I believe that using games as a learning tool will help to motivate the students.  They will be so engaged that they will be learning at the same time.  This will also help in sharing, teamwork, self-determination, and will also help some with social skills. 

Blog 2 Motivation

Blog 2 Motivation


Define Motivation.
Motivation means something or an action that helps someone to move toward a particular goal.

What does motivation mean to you?
Motivation to me means something that moves me into accomplishing a goal, whether in school or personally.

How are you motivated?
I am motivated by my family. I have a big family and being a good example (good role model)to them helps me to do better in school, life, and whatever it is I set out to do. Also, changing my financial situation such as, being able to contribute to my family financially helps a lot. As an adult, I am motivated by personal achievment, being able to say "I tried, I accomplished what I set out to do and I did it or I finished it".

Blog 1

For me the connection between culture and learning, would have to be my upbringing, I am a Hispanic, I grew up in a big family.  I was the 2nd oldest out of 6 children.  We grew up in the SW side of town and I was known by my peers as either Valerie's younger sister and Mark's older sister.  My Dad was a quiet and stern growing up, while my Mother was loving and nurturing.  My Dad was a business man and my mother was a hard-working waitress.  I believe that I tend to be a little of both.  I get my organizational skills, neatness, and getting things done from my Dad.  I get my lovingness and caring attitude from my Mother.  My Mother's parents were pastors when I was growing up so I spent a lot of time with them in the summers. 

So the connection between culture and learning is that I tend to use all that I grew up with to help me to learn.  I was not exposed to a lot while growing up, because being one of the oldest, I was always caring for my younger siblings.  I found that education was important however, I did what I had to do just to pass.  My junior & senior year, I was pregnant.  I walked the stage pregnant.  So I didn't belong to any social groups. Even though my family did expose us to church, I didn't really understand the whole concept of having a relationship with God as opposed to just thinking about a whole bunch of rules and things I could not do.  If I had a relationship with God then, I would have understood the concept of keeping myself for my husband and maybe would not have been a teen mother.  So where I grew up most of my friends were having babies at an early age.  I was the last of my friends to get pregnant.  One of the reasons, I decided to further my education was because a vice principal told me, that because I was pregnant again I would never amount to anything. 
This negative account helped me to change the way I thought about learning.  So culture is important in influencing our lives. I learned to appreciate the positive and negative about how I grew up.  So these experiences in my life have cultural/learning connections that have led to my strengths and weaknesses.