Final Assignment Report

I completed part 2 and 4 of the final assignment!!

Internet Safety Reflection
1. I chose to read an article under the media entitled "Leave It Alone" by H. Burke Peterson.
2. I watched some videos on Netsmartz and iKeepSafe Faux Paws. I also watched/read some stuff on WebWiseKids.
3. I really liked the article. It effectively discusses how any media that doesn't uplift, increases the darkness inside us and diminishes the light within us.I also really liked the videos, I think that they are great sources for children and parents to discuss internet safety. My biggest take away message would definitely be that it is important to be open and talk to your family about how to chose appropriate media and internet use. I think that by talking to your family, taking preventive measures, and reinforcing rules, that you can help your family and possible future students be protected from falling media standards and internet hazards.
4. I decided I wanted to talk to two of my nephews (age 13 and 15) about media and internet safety because I have seen how they spend so much time on the computer. I asked them what they knew about internet safety and how media affects us. They knew quite a bit on internet safety because they have had talks at school, but they didn't think that media affected them much. I talked to them about how to chose good media and how it can affect individuals and the importance of setting limits and choosing wisely. They didn't really believe my at first and were surprised at how many hours they encounter media each day. I wasn't surprised at their knowledge but at their willingness to hear me out and try to limit the media and chose more wisely the media they encounter. I don't think that they will stop spending so many hours playing video games as they did before, but I think they will think about it and be more aware. It was a very interesting and fun to talk to them.

Here is my Implemented Lesson Presentation!

Technology Lesson Plans

Language Arts Lesson Plan:
http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhb6rdkw_7cq7rj5gp

Math Lesson Plan:
http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhb6rdkw_8gv8cgmd3

Science Lesson Plan:
http://docs.google.com/View?id=dhb6rdkw_9fxxktgcd

Technology Clips

I really enjoyed watching these videos where students were able to use technology as well as students in the classroom. I like how those teachers were able to implement so much technology into their lessons and it was there to benefit the children. I like how it helped the children discover concepts and ideas as they made discoveries while using technology. Example, I like how the spider lesson and how using technology helped the students discover. I think that the most important thing that I took away from these videos was that no matter what you are teaching or no matter what grade you are teaching, technology is a great way to promote learning. I am excited to use technology in an art lesson plan that I am implementing this week and I like the video we watched that had art and technology integrated into it. Overall, there are endless possibilities to using technology in a classroom to help and promote learning of all students.

My Technology Observations

As I observed the technology in the school, I was surprised in some aspects. I think that it is cool that they have two fully stocked computer rooms and that each grade level has access to them daily. I also was shocked that other than a personal mac in the classroom, my teacher, like most teachers, don't have much else. They have overhead projectors but not much else. They have T.V.'s and projectors to share, but there isn't much else available.
Also, I have completed assignment 2 and 3 for this week!

This is a voice thread that shows an example of the lesson described in last weeks post. Click on the close button, and the use the arrows on the bottom of the page to move backwards and forwards.
Have FUN!

Science Challenge Plan

Standard 4
Students will understand the scale of size, distance between objects, movement, and apparent motion (due to Earth's rotation) of objects in the universe and how cultures have understood, related to and used these objects in the night sky.
Objective 2
Describe the appearance and apparent motion of groups of stars in the night sky relative to Earth and how various cultures have understood and used them.
C. Recognize that stars in a constellation are not all the same distance from Earth.

The Plan:
The students will have access to Google Earth Sky and look at several different types of constellations to look at in the night sky. This activity will take place after instruction on the different types of constellations and what makes up a constellation. The students will have the opportunity to investigate different types of constellations and their stories behind them as well have some knowledge of what different kinds of constellations.

Content:This science activity will focus on identifying constellations and the distance of the different stars in the constellation in reference to the Earth. The students will have access to Google Earth Sky and look at several different types of constellations to look at in the night sky.

Pedagogy:Students will name, explore, and chart 2 different constellations and each of their stars distances from the earth.

Technology:Students will have the opportunity to use the Google Earth Sky. This is a good fit with the content because students will be able to navigate and explore the constellations in 3D as well as the stars give their distance from the Earth and it seems more real creating their own charts than using a chart in a book to look at to show the distances of different stars. The technology will really enhance the pedagogy point of exploring constellations and the distances of the stars.

Looking at Other's Virtual Tours!

This is a list of the other Virtual Tours I viewed created by other students:

Ashley Daley: Ashley Daley took us on a tour of four very different civilizations. We got to view and think about the different characteristics of each civilization.

Malorie Walton: I really liked this tour that was all about New Zealand. There was a lot to explore and it was a fun way to look at New Zealand.

Alyssa Young: Alyssa's tour took us to different rivers in Africa, China, South America, and Mesopotamia. I really liked the pictures that she embeded into her tour! It was fun.

My completed Virtual Tour

Here is the link to my google sites: http://sites.google.com/site/earthslandforms/ashley


The Earth's Landforms:
In this folder, you will find four different places that you can go to that discuss how the earth forms land and lakes by volcanoes and earthquakes.

Virtual Tour Plan

My Google Earth Virtual Tour Plan and TPACK questions!
Content: I will using google earth so students can actually see the landforms created by the earth's volcanoes, earthquakes, and uplift.

In my Google Earth tour, I will be addressing the Fifth Grade Science Standard 2, objective 2b: Give examples of different landforms that are formed by volcanoes, earthquakes, and uplift (e.g., mountains, valleys, new lakes, canyons).

Pedagogy: I will be letting the students discover with discovery learning what volcanoes, earthquakes and uplifts can create and I will guide them to the different things these things can form.

Technology: The technology or google earth will fit good with my content because they get the chance to actually see what they are learning about and how these different land forms look and they will discover their characteristics. It also fits pedagogy because I want them to discover on their own with guided help and google earth gives the students the ability to discover at their own pace with the knowledge they know where to go. I think that google earth is an extremely more interactive way instead of just using powerpoints or pictures which can be extremely 2D.

Location	Activity Description	Google Earth Content
1. Rocky Mountain GeologySouth-Central Colorado Land/mountains created by uplifting.	Measure the height of the mountains. How high is it from the valley?	Turn on a layer to better see the height. Use ruler youtube
2. Yucca Mountain is a mountain in the Nellis Military Operations in Nevada approximately 80 miles northwest of the Las Vegas. Mountains created from earthquakes.	Have them identify the different peaks that are formed by the multiple earthquakes that created these mountains. Details there: when the techtonic plates hit they could go ontop of each other and form a mountain	Path tool and ruler as well as a polygon maybe. Youtube
3. Redfoot Lake in Tiptonville, TN Lakes created by earthquakes.	Measure the Lake. Details: Created by earthquakes, this unique 13,000-acre lake offers year-round fishing and hunting.	Path tool. Ruler and I will use a polygon to show where to measure. youtube
4. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Land Created by Volcanoes.	Identify at least two vocanoes on the Hawaii islands. Details: Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park displays the results of 70 million years of volcanism, migration, and evolution -- processes that thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with unique ecosystems, and a distinct human culture.	Uses layers to see the vocanoes. Image overlay to see activate volcanoes youtube

Watching Other Student's Videos

I really enjoyed watching some other video that where done by people in this class.
I watched:

Brittany Crowther's ABC storybook. I really like the ideas she used as she went through the alphabet and music that went with it.

Kristen Wagner's story book about her parents and their love story. I think it was a fun story and even more fun that it was a true story. I really think it is one that children can enjoy.

Stephanie Anderson's food guide pyramid. I thought it was a great idea and creative way to get a discussion going about this topic.

Carmen Heap's poem "Smart." I was really impressed with the creative way she presented it! It was fun!

Alyssa Young's fractured fairytale version of cinderella. I thought it was very creative and a fun way to explore didn't fairytales and origins.

Camila Monteiro's BINGO story book. I like the way the music and pictures fit together. It was really fun and creative.

Fablehaven Book Trailor

Storyboard!

For my storyboard, I have created a book trailor

for a well known children's series Fablehaven.

My wiki page

Sept. 16, 2009

I have learned so much this week about the internet and all the tools I have to help create a better classroom. I had no idea that there are so many tools to help me and my students stay connected.

The most difficult thing for me was the time that it took to complete this assignment, however, I feel that my time was worth while. The thing I found most useful was google reader which will be a great tool in my classroom. It will help keep me organized and will help keep all the blogs I been watching in one place. I am excited to be able to share this with my students some day!

This is a snapshot of me on goodreads.

This is a snapshot of me on diigo.

This is a snapshot of me on googlereader!

This is a snapshot of me talking to a friend.

Why I Love Education

I love education because I love to teach. I love to see the light in someone's face as they understand a concept or a learn something new. Teaching people is very fulfilling and a great way that I can serve my fellow man.