The educational value of Blogging in the classroom is extremely important in teaching technology to today's students. Blogging can teach students collaboration and organization while using the conveniences of technology.This convenience is important for all students to learn in an educational setting as well as a their home setting. students can create several Blogs depending on the purpose and goal and decide who to invite to view their creation.
As a teacher, I would suggest allowing the student to be creative in their blogging choices and act as a guide which should allow the student to feel more confident in their blogging creation.
With this creation, teachers can adjust the blogging experience to match their teaching style for just about any education setting, age or curriculum.I have used my blogging tools as a way to collaborate and teach my class away from the classroom. For example, this can be done with a substitute in the classroom or as a helpline for class projects and homework.
Another excellent way to integrate the Blogging features into the classroom is to share ideas with other classrooms in the school or district. With older students, blogging can eventually became a national or worldly lesson on collaboration with others an any given education curriculum.
Barry
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Blogger Turnover Reflection B
There are many features of blogging that allow for an excellent communication tool. Many of the features can be used in and educational setting for classroom instruction which make Blogging an ideal classroom tool for teachers and students. The best part of Blogging with google that I have come to use is the idea that you can build a "follow" group which will allow many users to subscribe to your blog. This is an excellent tool because it allows each follower to automatically receive classroom updates and stay connected. Staying connected is the way to keep all students and parents informed of the activities in your classroom and this is extremely important.
Another feature that I think is very important is the poll section of the blog. In this section you can ask important questions and allow feedback and comments from your followers. I have used this in my class and it was a great way to get instant feedback form all students.
My students became followers at an early start of the class and they continue to check in anytime I update a new post automatically. This a very good alternative to emailing each individual student, as it saves time and other resources.
Barry
Another feature that I think is very important is the poll section of the blog. In this section you can ask important questions and allow feedback and comments from your followers. I have used this in my class and it was a great way to get instant feedback form all students.
My students became followers at an early start of the class and they continue to check in anytime I update a new post automatically. This a very good alternative to emailing each individual student, as it saves time and other resources.
Barry
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
PBL Description/Narrative for Immigration:Coming to America
Immigration: Coming to America
Barry D. Thibault
MEDT 7464
Overview, Goals & Objectives
In this particular lesson, children will write scenes for a class play about immigration based on the book, “What if your name was changed at Ellis Island” and write scripted monologues in the voices of their immigrant characters from their group selected countries. Each group of 4 will re-write a scene for the overall play of the story including each member of the group writing his/her own theater monologue about the reactions of coming to America based on the books characters.
The goals are to allow the children to: exercise their Language Art skills, demonstrate their knowledge gained from a social studies unit on immigrants and Ellis Island, interpret the book, present what they had learned about theater monologues and developing characters in theater, while practicing working in groups to accomplish a final goal. The children will conclude the project by creating a Microsoft Movie Maker Scrapbook of their character displaying technology skills introduced through the class with scripted monologue created using Microsoft Word.
Rationale
This lesson will introduce the young actor to the discovery of creating their own monologues and scripts of immigrants coming to America. The idea of characterization is an important role in theater and this activity will allow the actor to develop special characters through the research and study of immigrants along with a Social Studies curriculum.
Prerequisites
Students should have a previous lesson on monologues and characterization to fully understand the background requirements and needs to perform and present special characters in theater. Background knowledge of immigration will be discussed in the Social Studies curriculum. Microsoft Word and Microsoft’s Publisher will also be utilized and should be taught prior to using this lesson.
Resources
This lesson will require a computer lab and internet research for the story “What if your Name was changed at Ellis Island.” Students can bring in old cloths and props to act out the specific characters that they create for this lesson.
Processes
Students will read the book “What if your Name was changed at Ellis Island” along with the Social Studies chapter on Immigration in America for this lesson. The following plans are suggested activities for the students:
1. Students will spend 2-3 days in the computer lab researching their immigrant’s background by reading biographies of immigrants. Students will create a monologue based on this research.
2. Students will create a scrapbook that describes the journey the immigrant had to travel. This can include a background of their life before they left,their trip to the U.S., or life in America based on their monologue.
3. Students will have to assemble a scrapbook or movie video that
describes the events written in the monologue.
4. They can write their monologue script under the picture as a suggestion.
5. Students will then correlate the scripted monologue that details the images chosen with other audio/visuals and other design elements.
6. Students will have to present their character in class or through a video recording
7. Students will be graded on script presentation and scrapbook/movie.
8. Creativity is very important for the students to receive a good grade.
Feedback
Students can present the immigrant’s story on video or perform live for an audience. Many other possible ideas can be presented for performance and feedback depending on the age group and acting/writing levels of the students. The obvious outcome would be a mature monologue that displays the struggles of the immigrants as they arrive to America for the first time. A rubric can also used to detail the requirements of the scrapbook, brochure, monologues, scripts or writings of the students.
Barry D. Thibault
MEDT 7464
Overview, Goals & Objectives
In this particular lesson, children will write scenes for a class play about immigration based on the book, “What if your name was changed at Ellis Island” and write scripted monologues in the voices of their immigrant characters from their group selected countries. Each group of 4 will re-write a scene for the overall play of the story including each member of the group writing his/her own theater monologue about the reactions of coming to America based on the books characters.
The goals are to allow the children to: exercise their Language Art skills, demonstrate their knowledge gained from a social studies unit on immigrants and Ellis Island, interpret the book, present what they had learned about theater monologues and developing characters in theater, while practicing working in groups to accomplish a final goal. The children will conclude the project by creating a Microsoft Movie Maker Scrapbook of their character displaying technology skills introduced through the class with scripted monologue created using Microsoft Word.
Rationale
This lesson will introduce the young actor to the discovery of creating their own monologues and scripts of immigrants coming to America. The idea of characterization is an important role in theater and this activity will allow the actor to develop special characters through the research and study of immigrants along with a Social Studies curriculum.
Prerequisites
Students should have a previous lesson on monologues and characterization to fully understand the background requirements and needs to perform and present special characters in theater. Background knowledge of immigration will be discussed in the Social Studies curriculum. Microsoft Word and Microsoft’s Publisher will also be utilized and should be taught prior to using this lesson.
Resources
This lesson will require a computer lab and internet research for the story “What if your Name was changed at Ellis Island.” Students can bring in old cloths and props to act out the specific characters that they create for this lesson.
Processes
Students will read the book “What if your Name was changed at Ellis Island” along with the Social Studies chapter on Immigration in America for this lesson. The following plans are suggested activities for the students:
1. Students will spend 2-3 days in the computer lab researching their immigrant’s background by reading biographies of immigrants. Students will create a monologue based on this research.
2. Students will create a scrapbook that describes the journey the immigrant had to travel. This can include a background of their life before they left,their trip to the U.S., or life in America based on their monologue.
3. Students will have to assemble a scrapbook or movie video that
describes the events written in the monologue.
4. They can write their monologue script under the picture as a suggestion.
5. Students will then correlate the scripted monologue that details the images chosen with other audio/visuals and other design elements.
6. Students will have to present their character in class or through a video recording
7. Students will be graded on script presentation and scrapbook/movie.
8. Creativity is very important for the students to receive a good grade.
Feedback
Students can present the immigrant’s story on video or perform live for an audience. Many other possible ideas can be presented for performance and feedback depending on the age group and acting/writing levels of the students. The obvious outcome would be a mature monologue that displays the struggles of the immigrants as they arrive to America for the first time. A rubric can also used to detail the requirements of the scrapbook, brochure, monologues, scripts or writings of the students.
PBL Immigration: Coming to America
Follow this link to my project Social Studies/Theater lesson on:
Immigration: Coming To America
http://stu.westga.edu/~bthibau1/
Project Based Learning can be an invaluable tool in the classroom for improving not only student achievement, but engagement as well. The projects that students will participate in during this initiative integrate multiple content areas, maximizing instructional time. Project Based Learning helps students develop higher-order thinking skills and technological awareness that will benefit them as students and as future adults. At the conclusion of these activities, students will possess an understanding of United States history, which will be enhanced by their consideration of history from the perspective of those involved in it. Students will have also developed their writing skills and technological competence. These abilities will improve student success on standardized testing, and students will have become more engaged in the learning process.
In this particular lesson, children will write scenes for a class play about immigration based on the book, “What if your name was changed at Ellis Island” and write scripted monologues in the voices of their immigrant characters from their group selected countries. Each group of 4 will re-write a scene for the overall play of the story including each member of the group writing his/her own theater monologue about the reactions of coming to America based on the books characters.
The goals are to allow the children to: exercise their Language Art skills, demonstrate their knowledge gained from a social studies unit on immigrants and Ellis Island, interpret the book, present what they had learned about theater monologues and developing characters in theater, while practicing working in groups to accomplish a final goal. The children will conclude the project by creating a Microsoft Movie Maker Scrapbook of their character displaying technology skills introduced through the class with scripted monologue created using Microsoft Word.
Immigration: Coming To America
http://stu.westga.edu/~bthibau1/
Project Based Learning can be an invaluable tool in the classroom for improving not only student achievement, but engagement as well. The projects that students will participate in during this initiative integrate multiple content areas, maximizing instructional time. Project Based Learning helps students develop higher-order thinking skills and technological awareness that will benefit them as students and as future adults. At the conclusion of these activities, students will possess an understanding of United States history, which will be enhanced by their consideration of history from the perspective of those involved in it. Students will have also developed their writing skills and technological competence. These abilities will improve student success on standardized testing, and students will have become more engaged in the learning process.
In this particular lesson, children will write scenes for a class play about immigration based on the book, “What if your name was changed at Ellis Island” and write scripted monologues in the voices of their immigrant characters from their group selected countries. Each group of 4 will re-write a scene for the overall play of the story including each member of the group writing his/her own theater monologue about the reactions of coming to America based on the books characters.
The goals are to allow the children to: exercise their Language Art skills, demonstrate their knowledge gained from a social studies unit on immigrants and Ellis Island, interpret the book, present what they had learned about theater monologues and developing characters in theater, while practicing working in groups to accomplish a final goal. The children will conclude the project by creating a Microsoft Movie Maker Scrapbook of their character displaying technology skills introduced through the class with scripted monologue created using Microsoft Word.
Blog Turnover Reflection A
I have learned to enjoy using the Blogging tools in my classroom and have found that my students enjoyed contributing and reading the Blogs. I believe it is a great tool to reflect on teaching and learning. It has become a safe place to receive feedback from students and colleages and an excellent source for sharing ideas. Technology is a necessary tool to be discovered in education and it is important to teach these tools for all students to be successful. I will continue to use the Blogging ideas that I have learned throughout this course. I have always been eager to try new things and have learned that today's students are also eager and interested in learning this type of information. This Blogging experience has helped me feel more confident in the continuation of other technology use in my classroom.
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