Here is the link for my 2nd grade webquest on rocks. http://ia.usu.edu/viewproject.php?project=ia:9273
Student Log In: rocks
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Digital Photography In My Classroom
There is so many ways that digital photography can be used in an elementary class. When I have my own classroom here are some things I will do. I will have them take their own pictures in order to illustrate a story they wrote. Sometimes they can draw them, but taking real pictures for their story is cool too. Pictures also are really good for enhancing presentations and papers. Also, I can have the students take pictures of the activities we do, then post them to the class blog. Or if I have a parent news letter, I can use my students' photography to enhance it. Pictures are really great for art projects/holiday gifts. I can't think of a parent who doesn't like pictures of their children or a child who doesn't like pictures of themselves, for that matter. If they can take pictures of others and themselves, it will be more personal to the child and the parent. Taking pictures on field trips and big activities helps the children remember and reflect on their experiences. I could keep going on and on about using digital photography in my classroom, but this is a pretty good list, for me.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Educational Software
I would like to teach 2nd graders.
* Utah State Content Core Standard 3: Objective 2: Students will observe and describe weather. Some software I found to go with this unit is from the Weather Channel, http://www.theweatherchannelkids.com/weather-games/ It has a plethora of different activities the students can do related to weather. In the games, all the directions are spoken and written (accommodates all learners), brightly colored and engaging.
* Utah State Math Core Standard 3: Objective 1: Describe, classify, and create geometric figures. Beacon Learning Center had a bunch of great games and activities related to math. One of my favorites was Mr. Mumble http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/WebLessons/MrMumble/default.html It helps the students learn how to describe the shape, by number of sides, angles, etc. It tells the story of a mouse who mumbles about math all day. He helps the students learn to mumble (describe) shapes, just like he does. So it tells a story and teaches students math, excellent integration.
* Utah State Language Arts Core Standard 6: Objective 1: Learn new words through listening and reading widely. I found a website entirely dedicated to making learning vocabulary fun http://www.vocabulary.co.il/games2/matchgame/match.php One of the games is a matching game, but there are over 50 puzzles with different kinds of words. All the matching game cards have a picture, and the written word. Before one can play the matching game, one has to go through and learn the words and meanings. I picked the nature puzzle, because in the content part of the core, students will investigate plants and animals. Yet again another way of integration. I really liked this game, and the other games on the site, were full of color and good sounds.
* Utah State Content Core Standard 3: Objective 2: Students will observe and describe weather. Some software I found to go with this unit is from the Weather Channel, http://www.theweatherchannelkids.com/weather-games/ It has a plethora of different activities the students can do related to weather. In the games, all the directions are spoken and written (accommodates all learners), brightly colored and engaging.
* Utah State Math Core Standard 3: Objective 1: Describe, classify, and create geometric figures. Beacon Learning Center had a bunch of great games and activities related to math. One of my favorites was Mr. Mumble http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/WebLessons/MrMumble/default.html It helps the students learn how to describe the shape, by number of sides, angles, etc. It tells the story of a mouse who mumbles about math all day. He helps the students learn to mumble (describe) shapes, just like he does. So it tells a story and teaches students math, excellent integration.
* Utah State Language Arts Core Standard 6: Objective 1: Learn new words through listening and reading widely. I found a website entirely dedicated to making learning vocabulary fun http://www.vocabulary.co.il/games2/matchgame/match.php One of the games is a matching game, but there are over 50 puzzles with different kinds of words. All the matching game cards have a picture, and the written word. Before one can play the matching game, one has to go through and learn the words and meanings. I picked the nature puzzle, because in the content part of the core, students will investigate plants and animals. Yet again another way of integration. I really liked this game, and the other games on the site, were full of color and good sounds.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Learning Objectives for Webquest
My Target Students:
My students will be 2nd graders, who live in the Cache Valley. This is because the activities are geologically specific.
Learning Objectives:
1. Students will be able to describe rocks and their specific properties.
2. Students will be able to explain erosion of rocks.
3. Students will be able to make structures from rocks.
The Task:
Students will asked to help me build my house from rocks. They will need to know which rocks are available in this area, how they are formed, how they are classified, which is strongest (for a house), and what else could I do with rocks besides make a house.
My students will be 2nd graders, who live in the Cache Valley. This is because the activities are geologically specific.
Learning Objectives:
1. Students will be able to describe rocks and their specific properties.
2. Students will be able to explain erosion of rocks.
3. Students will be able to make structures from rocks.
The Task:
Students will asked to help me build my house from rocks. They will need to know which rocks are available in this area, how they are formed, how they are classified, which is strongest (for a house), and what else could I do with rocks besides make a house.
Friday, March 20, 2009
WebQuest Ideas
I am going to do 2nd grade Utah State Core Content Standard 3: Students will develop an understanding of their environment, objective 3: Investigate the properties and uses of rocks.
Problem: I will explain to the students that the other day, I was driving through Logan Canyon and saw many rocks that had fallen on the road.
Ideas:
1. I want to know why they are on the road, how they got there.
2. What kinds of rocks are on the road in Logan Canyon.
3. Could I find all kinds of rocks in the canyon.
4. I am building a new house, I want to make it out of rocks, which would be the best type(s) of rock(s) to use.
5. Could I do anything we these rocks besides study them. (e.g. Rock climbing, mountain biking)
Possible Resources:
* http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_national_forest/ut/cli_was.html - Link on rock climbing in Wasatch-Cache National Forest
* http://www.fi.edu/fellows/payton/rocks/create/index.html - How rocks are formed
* http://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/diagram.html - The rock cycle
* http://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/types.html - Types of rocks
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erosion - Erosion of rocks
Problem: I will explain to the students that the other day, I was driving through Logan Canyon and saw many rocks that had fallen on the road.
Ideas:
1. I want to know why they are on the road, how they got there.
2. What kinds of rocks are on the road in Logan Canyon.
3. Could I find all kinds of rocks in the canyon.
4. I am building a new house, I want to make it out of rocks, which would be the best type(s) of rock(s) to use.
5. Could I do anything we these rocks besides study them. (e.g. Rock climbing, mountain biking)
Possible Resources:
* http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_national_forest/ut/cli_was.html - Link on rock climbing in Wasatch-Cache National Forest
* http://www.fi.edu/fellows/payton/rocks/create/index.html - How rocks are formed
* http://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/diagram.html - The rock cycle
* http://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/types.html - Types of rocks
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erosion - Erosion of rocks
Friday, March 6, 2009
Website Evaluations
Elementary School - http://www.uinta1.k12.wy.us/AspenElem.cfm?subpage=95897
I evaluated this site using the Kathy Schrock's Guide. It was organized very well, easy to navigate with a table of contents, it has a few pictures of the students and teachers, it has an intro page, it does not have a ton of information, but it has the basics. The author is the school board, and it was last updated, yesterday. It is an accredited website, pretty much just some basic information, for parents.
Lesson Ideas - http://teachers.net/lessons/
I evaluated this site using the PDF found at this site: http://www.ncsu.edu/midlink/tutorial/WWW.eval.html. With the scoring system, the website scored 13 out of 20 on the navigation, 15 out of 16 on the content, 8 out of 8 on appropriateness, and 10 out of 12 on the scope & validity. This means the website scored a 46 out of 56, which according to the the scale on the evaluation this website fair, or not so hot.
Informational web site - http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Animals/CreatureFeature/Lion
I evaluated this site using the form found at http://www.bv229.k12.ks.us/bvn_lmc/web_site_evaluation_form2.html. For the first section of the evaluation the website was voted A Parents' Choice Recommended Winner for 2008. I would say this is pretty good evidence of creditability, but it wants to know about the authority. It was written by National Geographic, and I went into the site specifically designed for kids. The next section is objectivity. This website is obviously meant to inform, this web page is mean to inform about lions, it's not biased, and the information is very clear, meant to a young audience. The next section is accuracy. All the information is accompanied by real pictures, and the scientist that researched each topic. The last section is currency. The site was created in 1996, and was lasted updated in 2009. The last question asks me to rate the website, I would give it a 5 - Great.
Interactive Website - http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/interact-math.html
The evaluation form I used was found at http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/tnl/detectives/eval_form.html. The form is organized in who, what, when, where, & how. WHO - It is published by the Jefferson County School District, and you can contact them by phone or e-mail. WHAT - It is no biased and it covers all the subjects in explicit detail. WHERE - it is a .net web site. WHEN - It was created in 2007 and it was updated in 2009. HOW - The page is very well organized into subjects, then into categories. Last WHY - The information is targeted for elementary students and is a good place for interactive games, better than a book. I would say this is an excellent website.
Overall Questions:
a. I liked the form from http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/tnl/detectives/eval_form.html, because it's organized for the use of an elementary student, They understand the 5 W's, so this worksheet is self explanatory.
b. On some of the evaluations I was asked to find the author. Some of the websites are from a culmination of different teachers, so this means, according to the evaluations, that the website looses some of it's creditability. I don't think this should be the case, especially for teachers lesson plan websites.
c. The value in using a website evaluation tool is it makes you think about where you are getting your information and if it is really is reliable.
d. If I was doing a big project I would want to do website evaluations. For an informal google search on a random topic just for my own information I wouldn't bother with a website evaluation.
I evaluated this site using the Kathy Schrock's Guide. It was organized very well, easy to navigate with a table of contents, it has a few pictures of the students and teachers, it has an intro page, it does not have a ton of information, but it has the basics. The author is the school board, and it was last updated, yesterday. It is an accredited website, pretty much just some basic information, for parents.
Lesson Ideas - http://teachers.net/lessons/
I evaluated this site using the PDF found at this site: http://www.ncsu.edu/midlink/tutorial/WWW.eval.html. With the scoring system, the website scored 13 out of 20 on the navigation, 15 out of 16 on the content, 8 out of 8 on appropriateness, and 10 out of 12 on the scope & validity. This means the website scored a 46 out of 56, which according to the the scale on the evaluation this website fair, or not so hot.
Informational web site - http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Animals/CreatureFeature/Lion
I evaluated this site using the form found at http://www.bv229.k12.ks.us/bvn_lmc/web_site_evaluation_form2.html. For the first section of the evaluation the website was voted A Parents' Choice Recommended Winner for 2008. I would say this is pretty good evidence of creditability, but it wants to know about the authority. It was written by National Geographic, and I went into the site specifically designed for kids. The next section is objectivity. This website is obviously meant to inform, this web page is mean to inform about lions, it's not biased, and the information is very clear, meant to a young audience. The next section is accuracy. All the information is accompanied by real pictures, and the scientist that researched each topic. The last section is currency. The site was created in 1996, and was lasted updated in 2009. The last question asks me to rate the website, I would give it a 5 - Great.
Interactive Website - http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/interact-math.html
The evaluation form I used was found at http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/tnl/detectives/eval_form.html. The form is organized in who, what, when, where, & how. WHO - It is published by the Jefferson County School District, and you can contact them by phone or e-mail. WHAT - It is no biased and it covers all the subjects in explicit detail. WHERE - it is a .net web site. WHEN - It was created in 2007 and it was updated in 2009. HOW - The page is very well organized into subjects, then into categories. Last WHY - The information is targeted for elementary students and is a good place for interactive games, better than a book. I would say this is an excellent website.
Overall Questions:
a. I liked the form from http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/tnl/detectives/eval_form.html, because it's organized for the use of an elementary student, They understand the 5 W's, so this worksheet is self explanatory.
b. On some of the evaluations I was asked to find the author. Some of the websites are from a culmination of different teachers, so this means, according to the evaluations, that the website looses some of it's creditability. I don't think this should be the case, especially for teachers lesson plan websites.
c. The value in using a website evaluation tool is it makes you think about where you are getting your information and if it is really is reliable.
d. If I was doing a big project I would want to do website evaluations. For an informal google search on a random topic just for my own information I wouldn't bother with a website evaluation.
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