LEP

This is my final projet for Tech 3210
www.student.gsu.edu/~ebolton1/AddieLEP.html

Web Blogs

I think blogging is a good tool. I feel good about using it and posting my work on it. I even googled my addie and it came right up. CRAZY! I think that using it to post our work was a good way to get comtorable with it and use it on a regular basis. I think i will use them in my classroom an with my students.

Software and Internet evaluation

The software I reviewed was Kidspiration. This is used for younger elementary students. The students can use it for many activities keeping a journal, drill and practice, writing a story, or brainstorming. This program can be used in many ways. The website I reviewed was www.discoveryschool.com. This website is also directed towards younger children and their teachers. The students can learn fun fact, search topics, play games and many other activities. I enjoyed learning more about both of these tools.

Digital Divide

I read an article, The next Decade of Educational Media. This article was about the importance of understanding the software that is called educational. Th eauthor was a addressing the fact that knowing how you learn is still very important and new media cannot teach that. “No matter what age you are, your learning style can be shaped by the kind of media you use.” I feel this is a very important concept to understand no matter how advanced technology is it still cannot teach humans everything. There is an art to being an educator

Final Reflection Paper

I feel that I have really learned a lot from this class. I walked through the door very nervous and hating computers. I never used computers. I did not even think that they were fun to play with. Now, my entire attitude toward computers is different. I enjoy using the computer, and it hardly makes me nervous. I thought that I would never feel this way. I am not the best, but now I am willing to learn a lot more about them. This class has been very beneficial for me.
I do feel much more prepared to walk into a classroom having the knowledge I learned in this class. I did not even know how to attach a document to an e-mail before this class. Now, I feel very confident in many more programs. I can build a website, use educational programs such as Inspiration, create a spread sheet as well as a Power Point presentation, and make a newsletter. I cannot believe I can do all of these activities; I am very proud of myself.
I think much of what I learned in this class I will be able to use in the classroom. I want to especially use both Inspiration and Kidspiration. I think those programs are especially useful and helpful to students. I think that to put these programs to use in my classroom, I will plan to have certain activities that just use them. I also hope that technology is available to my students and me in my classroom. I do not think that it will be very hard to use the technology I learned about during this course in my classroom.
I think it is a very nice addition to have technology resources in the classroom; however, it will not be a huge surprise to me if technology is not readily available. I have always wanted to teach in a very urban/inner-city environment, so I do not have my hopes set high for technology provided by the school. I would love to still bring technology into my classroom with my own personal tools. I feel that technology can always enhance the learning or lesson for the students. I love the break it gives from the everyday reading and question answering. I also feel that researching is a very important skill and the earlier the student starts the better. I also hope to use the internet and computers as a research tool in my classroom.
I hope to keep up with technology throughout my teaching career in many different ways, taking classes, reading articles, through lots of use, learning from fellow teachers and hopefully other ways my school or the system I work for will provide. I think that keeping abreast of what is new in the technology world will prove more and more important over the years.
I think technology is a great tool for everyone, parents, teachers, and students. The teacher of course, will use technology in the classroom but also make it a communication tool for parents to be in touch with the teacher. It makes having more contact with the parents much easier for all involved.

created by Addie
contact me Addieos@aol.com

Database Doc

Project Name:
Categorizing Animals into a Database

Description of Learning Goals:
The students will see the similarities and differences of the animals described in the data base. Topic: Science Inquiry, Process Skills and Problem Solving
Standard: Asks questions, makes and keeps simple records of observations, sorts and classifies objects, communicates with others, makes predictions, uses estimation and measurement, and makes sketches and diagrams to explain ideas. The technology standard would be Topic: Problem Solving/Decision Making Standard: Uses technology to solve problems and make decisions with teacher guidance.


Rational For Technology:
The use of technology will enhance this lesson by illustrating the use of the computer program and the benefits of categories. The students will then understand better which animals live in similar environments and have similar features.

Description of Lesson Implication:
The teacher will give the class ten animals. The students will describe the individual characteristics of each animal. The teacher will write on the board. The class will also observe pictures to see how correct their descriptions were. The class will then create the different categorizes the animals should be placed in. The teacher, with the overhead projection, will create the database. Once the database is created each animals will be placed into the correct field.

Assessment:
The teacher will create a worksheet to be completed as a class. This will contain questions that will require the students to find the correct animal in the database. The teacher will control the computer but the students will direct her. The students will complete the worksheet as the teacher works on the computer. This may not assess each student on an individual basis but will prove the effectiveness of the data base.

Other places:
This activity could be used in many different subjects. I think it would be especially helpful for understanding broad subject material. In a younger classroom the teacher would have to manipulate the technology. This is a very advanced way to use technology in the first grade.

What I Learned:
I think I may learn the class will lose their attention span because the teacher will have to focus so much on the computer. I think this may not be the best use of technology in a first grade classroom. I also learned that I will be very hesitant to create/use a data base again. It is the most frustrating program I have ever tried to use.


References:
Handout from Mrs. Davis
www. glc.k12.ga.us/

created by Addie
Addieos@aol.com

Excel Documentation

Project Name:
Using a spreadsheet to categorize animal characteristics

Description of Learning Goals and Standards:
This lesson is directed to a first grade class. The students will look at pictures of different animals and collect required data. The students will be mainly concentrating on the numerical data associated with each animal. The data will be interpreted by the class and placed on the spreadsheet for calculations. The QCC standard that applies is 1.20 Counting: Standard: Connect number words and numerals to the quantities they represent, using various physical models and representations through 100. The technology standard is 1.12 Topic: Problem Solving/Decision Making
Standard: Uses technology to solve problems and make decisions with teacher guidance.

Rational for Technology:
This lesson will benefit from the use of technology in many ways. The way that I see as the most beneficial is that the students will really be able to concentrate on that actual math component….the counting, analyzing and grouping together of similar animals. The spreadsheet will help to clearly see all the numbers. I think doing this as a class activity will help the students who are struggling.

Description of Lesson Plan:
The teacher will guide the class through this entire lesson. The lesson will begin by projecting the already composed spreadsheet on the overhead. The teacher will explain that she will show the class pictures and the class will place the correct numerical data next to the displayed animal. The teacher will go through all the pictures. Entering data after each one was viewed. Once all the data is entered. The class will analyze it. The class will also answer some discussion based questions and add them to the spreadsheet as well. The class will find the totals and averages of each group listed. Once the lesson is complete the students will get to keep a copy of the completed spreadsheet.

Assessment:
To assess this lesson the teacher would observe the involvement of the students. I will also ask the class to write a summary of the activity upon completion. I would put 3-4 “starter” questions on the board to test for more complete understanding of the lesson.

Other Places:
This spreadsheet could be used in any subject area as long as the teacher has composed it efficiently. I good place for a spreadsheet like is during a math unit on shapes. This was you could group similar shapes together by number of sides, angles etc.


Improve Next Time...
I think it would be good if eventually groups of students could work together with supervision and complete the spreadsheets themselves. I might also split the class into teams during the beginning of the lesson to keep them involved while finding the data.


References/Resources:

http://www.glc.k12.ga.us

www.microsoft.com

Created by Addie 03-31-05
Questions? Addieos@aol.com

Thinking about Bloom

Knowledge: Make a list of the words you already know animals and their environment.
Comprehension: Think about all of the different animal environments we see everyday.
Application: Draw a picture of the environment you are thinking about.
Analysis: Think about if you know what all the objects in you picture are called. Do you know that vocabulary?
Synthesis: Write the vocabulary word in the proper place on your picture of an environment.
Evaluation: Now, look at your neighbor's environment and learn about their environment and vocabulary.

Newsletter Documentation

Project Name:
A Student Focused Classroom Newsletter

Description of Learning Goals and Standards:
The student will write articles about his/her favorite animal that has been studied over the unit. The teacher will choose the best article form one boy and one girl in the class that will be published in the class newsletter. The QCC pertaining to summarizing in first grade is: 1.34Topic: Writing Standard: Writes a minimum of three sentences about a topic. The teacher will be using the technology to create the newsletter.

Rational for Technology:
. The class/teacher will create a monthly newsletter in the same format throughout the year to keep the parents abreast to current events. This newsletter will benefit greatly by the use of technology. Microsoft Publisher will allow the teacher to keep a steady format and one that will be easy for both students and parents to read and understand. By having a consistent format the parents will be able to use each newsletter as a reference sheet by knowing exactly where to find all the information they will need.

Description of Lesson Implemented:
The students will be asked to write a summary of their favorite animal the class has studied. The written assignment should be at least five sentences. They will use this assignment to express both individual understanding of the content area and written expression. The teacher will explain to the class that the best boy’s work and the best girl’s work will be published into the class newsletter. The idea of the work being published will hopefully create some good writing samples.

Assessment:
These written samples will be assessed based on accuracy of the subject, complete thoughts and if the student followed the instructions. The teacher will choose the two best assignments to be published in the newsletter.

Other Places:
The teacher could ask for written samples in any subject area to be published into the newsletter. The teacher will focus on different subject areas in this newsletter. I think that a class newsletter is more popular with the parents when works from the students are included.

Next Time…
I will use template in Microsoft Publisher for my next newsletter. I will also use more of the student’s work.



Resources:
www.glc.k12.ga.us/
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/Quotes%20for%20kids.pdf
www.dictionary.com


Created by Addie Bolton 03.24.05
Any questions contact me Addieos@aol.com

Visual Literacy

I think that visual literacy is understanding the important of using visual aids to help students learn. This technique has been very much advanced in the last 15 years because of the new technology. I think this is great. Teachers should use this resource to the fullest not only for teaching purposes but also to keep the students involved. I looked an activity involving digital cameras. There is nothing more fun than taking pictures and using then for learning...or even learning how to take pictures. Teachnology should be used to its full ponitial in a classroom. Check out tis website: http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/sbeck/digital/goingdigital.htm for more about digital cameras.

Power Point Slide Show

Project Name: Using a “Power Point Slide Show” to increase the understanding of science/animal vocabulary.

Description of Learning Goals and Standards:
The students will be able to understand fully the definition of given vocabulary word. The QCC for this lesson in grade one is 1.12.Increase vocabulary to reflect a growing range of interest and knowledge. This lesson will also include a Science element of 1.11 Compares and describes different animals in the ways they look, grow, and move; such as tadpoles, caterpillars, kittens, puppies, colts, chicks, snakes, sharks, opossums and eagles.
The technology used will be Power Point slides to drill the vocabulary along with a worksheet. This could be set up as a center or as a projection for the entire class. There will be pictures on slides will be used as context clues. A worksheet will allow for the students to match the definition and express understanding. Some technology standards they apply to this activity are: 1.3 demonstrates an understanding of the uses of technology and communication tools at home and in the community. 1.4 Follows established rules for the care and use of technology tools. And 1.5 operates basic technology tools and applications.

Rational for Technology:
I feel that vocabulary often becomes redundant in the classroom. I think that using Power Point with a worksheet to accompany it will help raise the student’s interest level. The worksheet will help the teacher to evaluate the individual students understanding of the vocabulary. Some advantages of this lesson are that the students would enjoy learning vocabulary this way. This lesson would be very interactive and a great way to the teacher to measure the progress of the class and on an individual basis. If the teacher chose to do this activity in a class setting it may be difficult to teach the students that are having a harder time with the vocabulary. However, the worksheet should help to address this problem. A downfall to this lesson could be that the Power Point Center would take very close supervision and attention of the teacher. It would be helpful to have an extra adult during this lesson.

Description of Lesson Implementation:
The Steps to setting up this lesson:
1. While using the vocabulary being studied creates a Power Point slide show with the words in random order. Add pictures to give clues.
2. Create a worksheet to accompany the lesson. The worksheet will have written out the definitions on one side. On the other side have a place to write out the correct word. The students will find the correct definition as they see on the slide show.
3. In a class of younger students it would be better to do this activity as a whole using a projector. In a classroom using this activity as a center allow only 2/3 students at the computer at a time. This center needs to be supervised.
4. The students can work together but each student will turn in an individual worksheet for assessment.

This activity will be done with time constraints if using centers so keep that in mind when choosing the vocabulary for slides.


Assessment:
The students would be assessed based on their performance on the individual worksheets. This would measure their understanding of the vocabulary. The teacher would have to assess the activity/center based on observation. It will be very important to be available to help with the technology. As the teacher you will need to decide if this activity was a success in your classroom. This activity should be used to break up the cycle of studying vocabulary.

Other Places to use this Solution:
This lesson could be used in all different subjects. I think using power point as flash cards is a very useful tool.

Improve Next Time:
I would like to improve the amount of information be used on each power point slide. A goal for my classroom would be to get the student comfortable enough with power point that the worksheets could be eliminated. The worksheets are good for beginner but older children would not need a worksheet.

Resources:

http://www.glc.k12.ga.us/

http://www.lessonplanspage.com/LAAlphabeticalWarCardGameIdeaP1.htm

http://www.robinsfyi.com/kids/playground/animalgame.htm

http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/index.htm

Any questions contact: Addie Bolton at Addieos@aol.com