North Carolina DEN

Well, 10 days into May and teachers are counting down the days until the buses leave campus for a well deserved summer hiatus of sorts. At the beginning of the school year, students walked patiently in straight lines are now trying to run, shout, scream, giggle, and jump like they are wild.  Some blame it on the rising sap, I think they are also ready for a change.

Folks, we must focus some of this raw energy on preparing for those wonderful end of grade tests. Trying to be politically correct, these tests are an opportunity to show how well our students have mastered the curriculum.

For my fellow teachers that are overwhelmed by all the end of year events, and celebrations and such, here is a wonderful gem that folks at Discovery have shared, at no cost, with educators, students, and parents. Homework Helper has resources to help students master the basics of mathematics of numbers and number operations. Videos and tutorials explain basic operations and help with the mastery of math skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division–essential building blocks for success in mathematics. I like this site too- Webmath.com Then for science review earth, physical, and life science resources are excellent for viewing at home or in the classroom.  For English, they have video chapters and web resources to assist students with their written and verbal communication skills. Content areas included are grammar, composition, and mechanics from Kindergarten to Grade 1 - high school. Hold on, there are social studies recources too! The section keys in on chapters and web resources will assist students with understanding the election process, as well as the powers of and people behind the U.S. presidency.

Marvelous? Yeah right.

Please, don’t let your middle schoolers run over you on their way out the door. All I can say is that I am bad of backing into my parking space everyday this time of the year.

Mediashare

This is an entertaining for schools using Discovery Streaming. The reporters show how to use Mediashare. I wish we had this tool to use with our One to One learning program. We try to use the teacher wiki and we have iWeb, but this is really slick. I read in the Den Spring Training 2009 post that DEN members have a contest running through May 22nd. Lance and Steve do a great job explaining how to upload. So, with this in mind, why not share?  I need to dig through my videos and see if I can earn some “Resources Shared” points. If I can get around to it.

Spring Breaks marks the coming of the end of the school year. The number of school days between now and the end of grade tests in middle school means it’s time to focus on resources for review. As a teacher, high stakes testing preparations is serious business. It is like Tax Day deadline for CPAs and due dates for expectant mothers. Schools have their favorite strategies designed to remediate, reteach, and reinforce. Hopefully, this blog will help readers share some of their secret strategies or best practices (let’s post the legal ones only folks–please).

Personnel

Reading coaches. As a classroom teacher, I have always argued that if Johnny can not read the question, then he can not show proficiency. Designing a program within a school is not for the faint of heart. Pulling Johnny out of his art or computer skills class for reading coaching requires buy in. Again, data driven decision making is crucial for a focus intervention.

Printed Materials

Our middle school math teachers are fond of their textbook ancillary materials. These materials are correlated with the North Carolina Standards. Another publishing companies sell books and if your schools has the funds, buy them and try them. In my personal opinion, just passing out the EOG books and having them work through the pages is a poor use of instructional time. Worksheet do not build dendrites. Creative uses of this material can engage students. This spring break, our middle school students were provided with a packet of review materials as a graded assignment. The completed packet if due the Monday we return from break. On my way to my vehicle, the day we dismissed for spring break, I passed a parent talking with our principal at 3:35 PM. All I could here was her talking about her son’s packet. She was not trying to assault our principal, so I dashed to my vehicle and speed out of the teacher’s parking lot with dust flying!  Our teachers are trying to do all we can. Providing every affordable opportunity to learn. I am not trying to be negative here, but everyone has responsibilities. Ok, here’s the question- what printed materials do you use in your classroom? Leave a comment.

Online resourses

Our district has Compass, StudyIsland, Accelerated Math, and Streaming Discovery (in one school). I created lessons for my students using the Teacher Center section. There are lessons available in the Teacher Center. The links below was copied from our school’s front page. Teachers have already received positive feedback from parents.

Parent Night

Everyone knows that parent involvement is the key to academic success.  Our school is planning a night for parents to come out and view the various strategies our teachers are implementing. One idea I have heard them discussing is a timed mock test (shortened version) formatted like our North Carolina EOG. Also, there are plans to distribute materials for parents on test-taking strategies and proper nutrition for test days.

Earth Day

Remember to mark your calendar for Earth Day.  http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/ Streaming Discovery Education has a bundle of resources ready to roll out to participating schools.

Description of Earth Day:
Former Senator Gaylord Nelson’s concern about the environment led him to organize the first Earth Day “teach in” demonstration in April 1970. Twenty million Americans participated in environmental rallies, demonstrations and other activities to raise environmental awareness, to celebrate Earth’s life and beauty, and to alert people to the need for preserving and renewing the threatened ecological balances upon which all life on Earth depends. Later that year, on December 2nd, President Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address pollution problems in America. The agency focuses on cleaning up our nation’s water, air, and soil. It conducts research, sets standards, monitors activities, and helps enforce environmental laws. Celebrated on April 22nd, Earth Day is a reminder to learn more about environmental protection through educational programs and activities. It has been observed on that date every year since its first celebration in 1970.

After reading this article “Where Education and Assimilation Collide” I do not feel guilty about posting my favorite resources for St. Patrick’s Day.  According to my family tree, most of my ancestors immigrated from Scotland and England, not Ireland. As I walk the halls of my rural middle school, there are students from Mexico, Venezuela, several Asian countries. These students know what a Leprechaun is, or do they? If you are working on your lesson plans today, Sunday, for next week, put some Green in your week!  Kiss a Leprechaun, but do not pinch any kids- you could get sued.

• JibJab.com: http://sendables.jibjab.com/category/st_patricks_day  I have 6th graders that taught themselves how to upload photos of their classmates to create Irish dancers. They have even put my head on them. They think this is really funny.
• DE Streaming: I found a couple of full length videos and almost a dozen segments about St. Patrick’s Day. Holiday Facts and Fun: St. Patrick’s Day (Second Edition)  and Holiday Facts and Fun: St. Patrick’s Day
• St. Patrick’s Day Math
  http://www.pics4learning.com/lessonplan_details.php?id=m03
• HISTORY OF ST PATRICK’S DAY green was not the first color associated with St. Patrick’s Day on the History Channels web page. http://link.history.com/services/link/bcpid12040009001/bclid1675979350/bctid1455377204 (you have to sit through a commercial, but it is free)
• Today March 17th, in History  - The Library of Congress                  http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/mar17.html
• This is my favorite- Writing Prompts: I have posted these on our Student Wiki - http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/523297/st_patricks_day_writing_prompts_story.html

This past week, our 6th grade teachers spent several hours during their common planning brainstorming and learning how to use their student’s wiki. My brain was fried from working on all the technical issues and updating laptops. So, I decided to share the training manual we used as my post this time. I searched DE Screaming’s videos for ideas to use with this training and found the “The Underground Railroad: Escape from Slavery” title. It has black line masters ready to download. However, due to budget constraints coupled with research, our teachers know that worksheets don’t build dendrites.  Here are the minutes from my PD sessions.

Essential Question: How can student wiki pages be for informal assessments?

Activating:
Pair-share the essential question with a partner.

[Participants navigated to the student wiki, logged in, and walked through the process of creating a new wiki page, copying and pasting test, adding tags, and titles, and saving their page.]

Description
In this lesson, teachers will learn how to facilitate students creating short answers and comments about the Underground Railroad using their Apple student wiki pages and blogs.
Teachers will practice using the student wikis.
Ingredients (Resources)
Scholastics Online activity: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/index.htm

Blog and wikis needed:

1. On the Plantation. Using your favorite reading strategies for the online content, students will become familiar with “On the Plantation” passages. Wiki pages and the Blog feature. In this part of the lesson, students will comment on the questions linked in the blog post. The instructions are on the blog post at: [link deleted, it is on our Intranet and is password protected]
2. ESCAPE! is the second part of the Scholastic online activity?  Please have your students use the online activity.  http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/index.htm
3. Reaching Safety:  [link deleted, it is on our Intranet and is password protected]
4. Reaching Freedom: Use the online activity found on Scholastic’s page. It is super! http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/almost_free.htm
5. Tell the Story, the last part. http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/almost_free.htm In this activity, use the student wiki page to record student work. [link deleted, it is on our Intranet and is password protected]

Instructions:

Part 1: On the Plantation - Guided Practice-Writing Activity:
In Fannie’s Shoes students will:

Use the prompt: “Now imagine yourself in Fannie’s shoes when she was a child. Post their answers to these questions on the blog post as COMMENTS!!!”

Use this Blog on the student wiki: [link deleted, it is on our Intranet and is password protected]
Part 2: Escape - Students, you will read and complete the letter writing activity where you are an agent on the Underground Railroad writing to a stationmaster in Philadelphia. <follow steps online>

Part 3:  Reaching Safety - The Underground Railroad - escape from slavery

[link deleted, it is on our Intranet and is password protected]

Post a Comment to answer these questions.

STEPS:

1. Follow the link to the website. Find the correct answer to the questions.
2. Copy the question to use in your comment.
3. To Post a COMMENT, scroll down to find the word “comment” and click on this.
4. Save your comment. It will not show up immediately.
5. THEN continue this process until you correctly answer all questions on this blog.

Part 4: Reaching Freedom - use the online resources for this part, they are super!!

Part 5: Tell the Story - students create their own wiki page to answer questions.

1. Tell the Story - Students will use this blog: [link deleted, it is on our Intranet and is password protected]
2. Select and Copy the text of all the questions below.
3. Click on the + icon to create a new wiki page
4. Enter the name of your new wiki page. Give the page a name like Nikki’s Telling the Story Wiki. Click the Create word to open the new page.
5. Click on the pencil icon so you can edit your new page.
6. Paste the text with all the questions below into your new wiki page.
7. Save the wiki page by clicking on save.
8. Tag your wiki page with your name. You may want to bookmark your new wiki page so you can find it easier. Tip: use another New Window to open both your new wiki page.
9. Read the questions and click on the links to navigate to the online resource.
10. Read the material linked to and look for the best answer to the question. Read carefully!!!
11. Navigate back to your new Telling the Story wiki page and click the pencil icon to edit.
12. Type in your answers.
13. MAKE SURE YOUR FULL NAME IS ON THE WIKI PAGE [this helps searching for student work]
14. Add Tags to your new wiki page with your name and another tag Tell the Story
15. View “The Underground Railroad: Escape From Slavery” on DE Streaming.

Assessment:

Informal question and answer while students are reading and listening to the content online as you move around monitoring students.

* Teacher created rubric for writing projects.
* Peer-assessments to evaluate each other’s writing.
* Use North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s supplied writing rubric.
* Exit slips to check daily progress.
* Teacher created K-W-L or other graphic organizer.

Integration of Technology/21st Century Skills

* Information literacy
* Effective written communication
* Technology using wiki and online resources

Integration of Other Academic Areas

* Communication Skills
* Social Studies

Differentiations

* Auditory learners use headphone
* K-W-L for visual learners
* Modification for EC - fewer questions, learning pairs to create common wiki page.

Tech Facilitator Reflections:

For students that had not used our student wiki prior to this activity, the learning curve was steep. However, many of our students have been using their student wiki on a daily basis to post comments, photos, videos, music, and writing assignments. A positive experience that a teacher shared with me was when a teacher was telling the students about how to create a new wiki page. The teacher made a mistake and several of her teachers were quick to point out that she had made told them the incorrect procedure. The teacher made the transition from “sage on the stage” to coach on the side. Students have an opportunity to serve as mentors, peer tutors, and tech experts when there is one teacher and 27 laptops or computers in a lab setting. I tried to talk to the students that the teacher told me were their experts. I could not catch up with them so I pulled up their wiki page and left a positive comment and asked our principal to leave a comment of their pages.

Mastering how to create wiki pages requires several sessions. Teachers have their own teacher wiki pages. However, it is different when they are trying to tell middle school students how to use them. Having setup the student wikis as a social network and encouraging them to share photos and things that they like for example- dogs, hunting, baseball, books, vacation trips, and even trips to the D.C. This usage let them explore the wiki environment. We posted tutorials and FAQs for students to use as they learned how to use the wiki. Teachers on the other hand commented that they just did not have enough time to learn how to use the wiki. They would find it hard to believe that some of their students comment on their classmate’s wiki posts after 1:00 AM and as early as 5:30 AM - and these are middle school students!

Should our student’s wiki be public or remain private. In my humble opinion, no. I was surprised at the number of our 6th graders that bragged about having their own MySpace page. One Friday, our content filter device died and our school filter was inactive. I was in a classroom when the students discovered the hole in our filter. As I walked around that particular classroom, about 1/3 showed me their pages. All of them had password protected their profiles and all knew about the dangers of MySpace. By having our entire student wiki behind our firewall and password protected, the students generally approved of this arrangement. 7th and 8th graders do not have laptops this year and the student wiki is most populated by 6th grade students. I have had one student complain about using the wiki to post his assignments. His complaint is well founded. He complained that if he posted an assignment on the wiki, that anyone can change it. To combat this issue, students are instructed to post their documents in a pdf format. Also, students can post their presentations as movies. Keynote and PowerPoint documents can be exported as movies. Students can post movies with their names in the titles and credits. This seems to slow down copycats and vandals. So, private wikis have a place in our program, even if students are not exposed to “a larger audience”. Maybe after using the private wiki in grade 6, they will be ready to move to a live blog and wiki environment next year.

Being a computer nerd, Valentine’s day was never one of my favorite holidays. Now that I am married with kids it is starting to grow on me. For the record, I ordered their presents from amazon on my iPod Touch.

This week would be perfect to have a Valentine’s day post, but I am not going to do it. Instead I am going to write about Chocolate.

On Hershey’s Making Chocolate site you will find a video tour of the chocolate making process and they also have a print version. I have been lucky enough to see the tour live in Hershey PA, thanks Mom.

Search for “chocolate” on Discovery Streaming and you can find…
24 full videos
50 video segments
17 articles
6 images
2 quizzes
2 songs
2 writing prompts

Still need more ideas, check out Mrs. McGowan’s site for Chocolate Integration Tips. Be sure to check out the Name the Candy Bar Quiz.

Special thanks to Donna Rudisill (an awesome tech facilitator in Catawba County) for this post.

Picture Citation
Chocolate. Jupiterimages Corporation. 2006.
Discovery Education. 9 February 2009

“I view [education] as the most important subject which we as people can be engaged in.”

–Abraham Lincoln

February 12th will mark Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday.  On lincolnbicentennial.gov, you can find out about the plans for celebrations all over the country.  I didn’t see any celebration planned in North Carolina, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a celebration in your classroom.  On this site, you can find lesson plans, an Honest Abe Quiz, coloring pages, podcast, and a whole lot more.

Then go check out Discovery Streaming and find…

• 47 full videos
• 115 video segments
• 40 images (including the one in this post)
• 5 writing prompts
• 1 song

If you still need more, check out these sites.

Whitehouse.gov Biography Here you will find a quick biography of Lincoln.

Lincoln / net Here you will find historical materials from Lincoln’s years in Illinois (1830-1861).  Included are Lincoln’s writings and speeches.

Library of Congress Here you will find over 20,000 documents.  There are special sections for the Emancipation Proclamation and his Assassination.

Picture Citation

Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States. IRC. 2005.
Discovery Education. 9 February 2009
<http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>