technology IN the classroom

My Technology Integration Plan

Technology Synthesis Paper

THE GOOD AND THE BAD OF TECHNOLOGIES

MACUL WEBSITE

Here is the MACUL website link in case you would like to check out all of the cool things that they are up to....

http://www.macul.org/

have fun :)

Personal Development....YES please

I had never heard of MACUL before class last Tuesday and when I started to play around with the website I once again was happy that I took this class. All these new technologies and how much technology is being integrated into the classroom is amazing! I know that I should be looking for these kind of conferences myself, but with school and work and being a senior, I feel so busy, I know that this is an excuse. But, lucky for me I am taking this technology course and am getting all of these resources thrown at me. So thank you!

The first site in which I came across was http://www.techsavvyed.net/ which is a teachers blog all dealing with technology. This blog seemed so cool, the teachers who are involved are so into technology and brining it to their students, letting them mess around with it. I just think that it is so cool. And these teachers are getting involved and staying up to date, they write about their excitement for the upcoming MACUL conference.

The second page I looked at was http://www.macul.org/site/files/js06digitalst.pdf
This was located in the 2006 conference files and I thoroughly enjoyed reading how this teacher used digital storytelling in their classroom. This idea is very interesting to me and I am glad that i came across ways to use it in my classroom next year.

The third page that I looked at
http://classroomhelp.com/macul/index.html and from here i connected to the handouts...
http://classroomhelp.com/macul/handouts.html
Then I had to download the participating schools handouts. It was so interesting to read through the steps that these classrooms went through and I plan on using their directions to have students in my classroom do the same.

Introduction to Literacy for Parents

Literacy is like a homemade apple pie.

My mission with your child this year is to make apple pies. (No not the real pies, although that would be fun, if you would like to volunteer for baking let me know). The task I have is to prepare your child for the next step in their lives. Literacy is the apple in the pie, without it, the pie is just a bunch of ingredients mixed together. Literacy will lead your student to learn about any and everything in the worlds. Literacy will give your child the tools needed to learn for the rest of their lives. Preparation: This year, I will be your child’s teacher, or if you will their baker. I will be preparing them for what’s to come. I will also be relying on previous knowledge which they should have been prepared with for this year. Then I will be building upon that knowledge. The experience is never over, and the preparation will continue forever. Just like when you are baking your apple pie. You have to constantly be preparing for what’s next, like presetting the oven, having your recipe out, and any ‘special’ ingredients.

Environment: When making a pie, one needs to have an oven, time, and all of the ingredients needed to bake the pie. Not only what goes into the pie is necessary, but the tools that are used to make the cake; the bowls, the mixers, the measuring cups. Students need to be surrounded by helpful tools that will guide them to be a better reader, writer and person. In my classroom I will have a library for their own personal use, to go along with frequent visits to the school library. I plan on taking them on a field trip to Borders, where they can explore the store, and possibly sit down and read a book that grabs their eye. In my class I will allow time everyday for reading. This time (just like you need time to gather ingredients) will be spent reading individually, reading as a group, and reading as a class. We will use flashcards to help them with sight words and play games that help connect how to sound out words. Other helpers, and teachers, possibly parents to help are more than welcome, and I would love the help. Just like, Chefs have helpers to assist in the baking process.

Making the Pie: When baking, ingredients are added together in order to end up with the precise taste. In my classroom we will be adding more knowledge and enjoyment to make your child the very best that they can be. Some activities that they will be involved in are journaling, reading activities and D.A.R.E. time. But also they will learn to incorporate reading and writing to other elements of life. For instance, if the student is interested in science, being a strong reader will help them read the passages, and discover new information. Their writing skills will then help them to write down what they find, and give it a new twist or a different voice. An additional tool for the students will be the classroom word wall, where any words that the students have trouble with will go up on the wall so the students can refer to it frequently. Each student will also be allowed to make mini word walls these can be made on folders, so that they can always have words that they find hard available to them. This is also a great idea at home, to have a piece of paper on the refrigerator with words for the student to see and look at.

Baking the Pie: Time is the key essential for the pie, just as with your child. Every student will need their own exact amount of time to develop their own strategies as to how to improve their reading and writing. The students will also need time to find something that they really enjoy reading about it could be a topic, or an author, but eventually they will find something that they are interested in. Baking an apple pie with love is crucial. Your child also needs this love from me, from other mentors in my classroom, and most importantly you.

Let's bake this Apple Pie Together!

Michigan's Marvelous Mackinac

Day-to-day Teaching Plan

Prior to Day 1: Preparing students for maps

Materials:

1-Maps: climate, rainfall, landforms, vegetation, rivers and lakes

Objectives: 2, 3, 4 and 5

Michigans’ Marvelous Mackinac requires the students to have some knowledge dealing with maps and the different types of maps. Therefore, two weeks before the unit starts the class will begin their exploration of maps. In order for students to understand how to read these maps, we will practice with other maps. The class will start with basic maps of the classroom, school and playground. The students will also create a map of their own bedrooms. Each of these maps will include the idea of a legend, or key with different symbols to represent things on the map. The last couple of days before the lesson, students will read weather maps, from newspapers and have to be able to understand what the different colors indicate, as well as what the symbols represent. Therefore, showing that they are ready to conquer Mystery Island – Where in the WORLD? Parents will be encouraged to help their children with reading maps, asking them to read the maps at the mall, library, stadium maps or maps of their town.

TOTAL TIME-> 2 hours

Students’ Prior Knowledge: The students will be writing in a journal everyday from the beginning of the school year, so they will have a good grasp on what is expected in their journal entries. For example, pictures are encouraged, bullets and jotting down ideas is acceptable, as long as they are not instructed to write paragraphs. The students will have prior experience and will be comfortable with writing these journal entries. The parents will also be asked to help develop their journaling habits. Some ways they can do this is to read their students journal every night and ask students different questions related to the topic at hand.

Day 1à Mystery Island- Where in the WORLD?

Materials:

1- Model of Mackinac Island (paper machete)

2- Maps of Mackinac Island

-climate, rainfall, landforms, vegetation, rivers and lakes

3- World Map/Globe

4- Map of Michigan

Objectives: 3, 5 and 6

In order to intrigue the students and to excite them about the Unit on Mackinac Island, I plan to set out a paper machete display of Mackinac Island. At the beginning of the day, I will draw attention to the display by starting the day acting as if we are going to talk about it. However, I will then act as if we have no time to do it right then. The children will then start to ask questions about the Island and this will lead us into guessing what it is and where it is located. After the students make hypothesis for a couple of minutes, I will ask them if they would like to find out more about the Island. Then I will arrange the students into groups of 4-5 and pass out the worksheets that have the different maps on them. I will then explain that they will be working in the groups and coming up with ideas as to where the Island is on the globe/map. They will then use the maps of the Island that are given to them and decide where the island is located.

The students will then discuss with the rest of the class what there group talked about and where they decided the Island was located. After all the groups have had a chance to discuss the Island and where they believe it is located. I will then use either a globe or a world map to show the students Mackinac Island. There will also be a map of Michigan out as well, so that the students can get a closer picture of the Island. This introduction to the unit on Mackinac will draw the students in to the unit and get them excited about learning about Mackinac Island and its unique location.

Journal Discussion: I will inform the students that just like their regular journals; we will also be keeping journals related to the new unit of Mackinac Island. I will explain that these journal entries will be used to assess where they are at in their thinking, so they should produce their best work. I will also inform the students that they will be receiving a mini journal with each students work displayed inside, which they will be able to keep. I will then ask the students to write a quick entry; this entry should include what they want to learn about Mackinac Island as well as what they already know about Mackinac Island.

Time: 15 minutes

Homework: (20-25 minutes)

Journal entry: Students will describe how their group made decisions about Mystery Island. Where was the island? What maps did you use to make your decisions? Why did you think it was where you said it was? These questions should all be addressed in their writing. Students will also be asked to collect pictures from home, if they have ever been to Mackinac Island. Parents will be imperative in order for this to work. Therefore, parents will be sent a letter before the unit begins, this letter will inform parents of the different activities that we will be participating in and the different things they can do at home to facilitate this learning.

Total Time: 1 hour 15minutes

Day 2- Legends

Materials:

• “The Legend of Mackinac Island” book
• Paint and Paint Brushes
• Construction Paper
• Blown up pictures: (1) a turtle in the water from the side (2) Mackinac Island from the side
• Pencil
• Journals

Objectives: 3, 4

The “The Legend of Mackinac Island” book gives students the opportunity to understand where Mackinac Island received its name. The Native Americans believed the Island looked like a turtles back sticking out of the water. This book goes into detail about why the island is named after a turtle; therefore, students will have a better understanding of the physical features of the island. Students will be able to describe the physical aspects of the Island, stating that the Island looks like a turtles back from above and from the side. This book also has amazing pictures, which will help the students to visualize the Island and to be able to paint their own pictures of Mackinac Island.

Students will also distinguish the differences between a legend that is unverified historical events and the legend, which is used on a map. In order to comprehend this, I will bring out a map of the classroom and discuss the symbols which are used on the map. After completing the book and discussing the two different definitions of legends. The class will also discuss the pictures in the book and the portrayal of what the island looks like. While discussing what the island looks life from afar, I will set a turtle stuffed animal in the back of the classroom, as well as a side picture of Mackinac Island, so that students can see the similarities between the two.

Students will then be instructed to return to their seats and to start painting a picture of the Island. This painting must have both legends that were just discussed. After completing their painting of the Island that has a legend on it, the students will then write in their journals a story of the Island and how it was created, serving as their own legend of Mackinac Island. Students will then be given the opportunity to share with their classmates their paintings as well as their legends.

Homework:(10-15 minutes) Journal Entry: Come up with a different name for the Island and give at least three reasons as to why you named it that. The students should share with their parents their island names.

Total Time: 1 ½ hours

Day 3- Mackinaw’s Past

Materials:

• “The Story of the Straits” reading(revised) and worksheet(revised)
• Fur
• Necklaces:

-4 French Necklaces

-4 Native American Necklaces

• Blanket
• Beads
• Canoe (made of cardboard boxes)
• Bus
• Chaperones
• Waterproof cameras
• Fish lunch
• Journals

Objectives: 1, 2, 5, 6

In order for students to understand the timeline of Native Americans and Europeans, the students will read a short story as a class, pulled from the Mackinac Island Website. Because the text goes into explicit detail, I have revised some parts by taking out unneeded information. The main points that students will read about is who was on the Island first, who came next and the relationship between the two. In addition, how these groups lived on the island and how the Island has changed over time. The students will read this information and then complete a worksheet, which was also taken from the same website. The worksheet has also been revised, according to what information they read.

After completing the worksheet, students will participate in a short skit of the fur trade. This will allow the students to see the differences between how they lived on the island and how people do presently. Students will then be given time to write a journal entry of this skit. They should discuss the different amounts of fur that was given for the beads and blankets. Then compare this to how we trade and buy goods today. They should also draw a picture of these different encounters.

Homework: Field Trip! - 3 hours

The students, chaperones and I will be going on a real life adventure, canoeing. After the canoe trip, students will have a better idea as to how tiring and how long it takes to travel by canoe. Students will take pictures during the Canoe trip. The students will also eat a fish lunch; therefore, they will really experience how the first people on Mackinac Island lived. Where the students will get to taste traditional fish, in which the Native Americans and Europeans ate.

Homework: At home, students will enter in their journals their canoe trip, giving details about their experience. Parents and students should discuss and go over their journal entries and talk about their field trip.

Total time: 1 hour

Day 4-The Doctor

Materials:

• “Dr. Beaumont and the Man with a Hole in his Stomach” book
• Journals
• Pencils

Objective:

Students will learn about Dr. Beaumont and his methods. Students will love learning about this interesting story and will give students a break from learning about Mackinac Island. After completing the book, students will be engaged in a discussion about the book, students will then write a journal entry. The students must pretend to either be Dr. Beaumont, the man having the surgery, or a person that was present at the surgery. Students will then describe their thoughts of the surgery. Did they think it was neat? Didn’t like it? And why?

Homework: (15 minutes)

Finish Journal Entries and draw a picture of the surgery room. Students are encouraged to share these entries with their friends and family.

Total time: 30-40 minutes

Day 5- Maps

Materials:

• Map Worksheets of Great Lakes and Michigan

(Compass Rose will be on the map)

• Chart Paper
• Chaperons
• Journals
• Transportation
• Throw Away Cameras
• Worksheet dealing with blown up Maps
• Maps (blown up)
• Climate
• Rainfall
• Landforms
• Vegetation
• Rivers/lakes

Objectives: 1, 2,3,4,5

Students will label on a blank worksheet of Michigan and its Great Lakes. They will label all five of the Great Lakes, as well as Mackinac Island and their own city. In their journals, students will first describe their town in relation to Mackinac Island. In addition, they will enter in their journals a couple of differences and similarities between their hometown and Mackinac Island. Then as a class, we will come together and study the blown up maps. We will discuss what each of the maps mean. Students will then talk about the impacts that this information has on the people who live there, for example, the climate is very cold so they need to wear warmer clothing.

Students will fill in worksheet. Questions on the worksheet will include:

o Naming two reasons why people live on the Island

o Describe 2 of the maps we discussed and what these maps impact

o Explain two positives and two negatives of living on the Island

Homework: Field Trip! 3 hours

Ferry Boat ride! Students will experience the transportation methods, which are still used today to access Mackinac Island. Students will take pictures, just like the canoe field trip. The parents who are on the field trip will be asked to help take pictures as well as watch the students and make sure they are not wasting the film, with silly pictures.

Journal Entry: Students will be able to compare and contrast the two methods of transportation. Parents will be encouraged to discuss the field trip and talk about the canoe experience and the differences.

• Physical work
• Faster/Slower
• Number of people that can travel at a time
• How many objects you can bring
• Enjoyment of both

Total Time: 1 hour

Day 6- Linking 2 Cities

Materials:

• “The Bridge”
• Journals
• Pencils
• Chart Paper
• Photos of myself at the Mackinac Bridge, as well as just pictures of the Mackinac Bridge

Objectives: 2, 3,4,5,6

Before the students come into the classroom after lunch, I will spread different pictures on their desks. These pictures will be comprised of my multiple trips to the Mackinac Bridge. Some pictures will be of the Bridge, while others will be of my family crossing the Mighty Mac. The students will have the chance to look at these pictures and then we will come together on the risers and discuss the pictures.

I will then read the students the book “The Bridge”. The students will once again learn about the different transportation methods that were used in the past as well as those that are still being used today. The book will also show students more facts on the surrounding areas of Mackinac Island, as well as distinguish the different lifestyles of people who lived on the Island and the changes that the Bridge brought.

Students will create a class time line of events dealing with transportation methods. The key methods include: walking, canoeing, driving, ferry boats, bikes and so on. After the time line is finished students will then write a journal entry discussing these methods. They will rank in order their favorites to least favorites and give at least one reason why.

Homework: Art Project: 2 hours

Students will be placed into groups according to where they live. These groups will consist of 4-5 students. The parents will be especially important for this to work, so that they have a location for the creation process as well as rides and snacks for the children. The students must create an art project that has to include the Mackinac Bridge, as well as Mackinac Island. (It could be a painting, drawing, display and so on) The parents of the children are encouraged to work on these with their children, as long as the children are the ones who are doing the work.

Total time: 1 ½ hours

Day 7- Past and Present

Materials:

• Chart Paper
• Sharpie Markers
• Journals

Objectives: 4, 5, 6

Students will have Group Presentations showing their artwork of Mackinac Island and the Mackinac Bridge. Each group must receive 3-5 positive comments on their work.

The class will then switch gears and students will form groups of 5 and work to create a comparison chart of the past and the present of those living on Mackinac Island. Each group will then present their chart to class. We will then make a collaborative class chart. There must be at least three things that each group will compare: transportation, occupations and travel time (more comparisons are welcome.) After the students share their charts, the students will then write a journal entry describing what they personally like best from both the present and past and give reasons as to why they think this way.

Homework: Finish Journal Entries if not completed in class, share with parents: 10-15 minutes

Total Time: 45-60 minutes

Day 8- Mackinac Books Galore

Materials:

• Library (with supply of books on Mackinac Island)

Objectives: 1-6 (depending on books chosen by students)

The students will take a trip to the school library, specifically to obtain a book that deals with Mackinac Island in someway. The librarian will help direct students to the right area of the library and then they will have 15 minutes to look through the pictures of their book and to check out their books to bring home.

Homework- Book Report: 1½ hours

Students will read their book of choice to parent or have parents read book to student. Students and parents will work collaboratively on book report. The book report must include the following:

• Title of book
• Author
• List two characters or two events that took place in the book and describe it
• Draw a sequence of events that took place in the book

Total Time: 30 minutes

Day 9- Life of Mackinac

Materials:

• Chart Paper
• Sharpie Marker
• Assessment Worksheet
• Journals
• Pencils

Objectives: 6

Students will create a time line of the major events that took place relating to Mackinac Island. In order to do this, the students will break up into groups of six and have the events that they can put in order what their groups thinking. The class as a whole will then come together and go through every groups time lines. Then we will discuss the similarities and the differences between the different time lines. The students’ time lines will then be hung around the classroom. The students will each personally write in their journals the time line of Mackinac Islands’ key events. Students will then write a paragraph in their journals and explain which event on the time line they would want to be apart of and name at least three reasons why they feel this way. Then they will act as if they were apart of this event and write how they feel, what they see, who is there, what time is it (year and hour), where are they?

The students will then be engaged in an assessment worksheet. The worksheet will have a different section for everyday and the main goal for the day. The students must answer all of the questions and will be given as much time as needed. The students will also be taken individually out into the hall and asked what they enjoyed and disliked about the unit and be asked for suggestions.

Homework: Finish Journal Entries: 10 minutes

Total Time: 2 HOURS

Day 10 -> Mackinac Lives On

Materials:

1- Mackinac Island game ( 5 copies of the board)

2- Construction paper

3- Markers, Colored Pencils, Crayons

4- Newspapers/Magazines

5- 25 Hangers

6- String

7- Tape

8- Scissors

9- Paper bag (cover to culminating class journal)

Objectives: 2,3,4,5 and 6

The students will play the Mackinac Island game. This way the students go through the positive and negative events that took place on the Island (certain spots on the game board make you jump forward or fall back). Therefore, students will be reviewing what events took place on the Island.

The students will also create a Mackinac Mobile that will hang up in the classroom. The students will be allowed to pick whatever they want to put on the mobile; they must draw it, or cut out a picture of it from newspapers/magazines. Each item must have a reason for being on mobile. Students will have the chance to explain their mobile and why they drew certain things. The students will also be asked to write a paragraph that goes along with the mobile, which explains the mobiles parts, why they were chosen and what they learned about each part of the mobile.

Journal: Last entry- Students will write about what was their favorite/most unique part of the lesson and why? What do you remember the most? I will then collect all Journal Entries from the past two weeks, and make a compilation book of all the students’ work. Later in the day, or even the next week the students will have the opportunity to look through the book. They will then share with the class their favorite entry and read it aloud to the class.

Throughout the last day of the unit, students will be reflecting on their learning of the past two weeks, as well as participating in metacognition. They will do this in numerous ways. First of all students will play a game based off of Mackinac Island, the game includes many of the important events that occurred on Mackinac Island in which they learned about throughout the unit. The mobile that will be created is another opportunity for students to reflect on their learning, they will be asked to choose whatever parts of the unit that they enjoyed and learned about. Then students will write a paragraph on the different aspects in which they learned. Lastly, students will be applying what they learned throughout the unit to the journal entry. Students will be writing about the unique things in which they learned the past two weeks. This will allow the students to think about the different things in which they learned as well as thinking about their own thinking and how this has changed over the course of the two weeks.

Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Extra Opportunity! For those students who have been well behaved on both field trips, have been working hard and completed all assessment tasks will be asked to go to Mackinac Island for a weekend trip. Again, parents are encouraged to help their students to work towards this goal, as well as to participate in this amazing opportunity.

Nervous

On Tuesday I am teaching a lesson on problem solving using measurement. The students are being asked to each take on a specific role in a group as well as figure out what the perimeter of a fence is on a worksheet. I am kinda nervous about the outcome, they have been involved in groups like this before, where they are receiving no help and have to figure out everything on their own and work together to do this. Hopefully everything goes as planned and they understand how to find the perimeter.
Wish me luck.