Module 6

1.  I am going to implement Marzano's daily, opportunistic and extended strategies I learned from, the book The Highly Engaged Classroom!

2. I had heard about and used RubiStar when doing my undergrad but had since forgotten about it.  I can't remember who it was that brought this back to my attention but it was one of you and I am so grateful!  Rubrics are so important for providing specific feedback and clear expectations.

3. Now that I know how to blog I am going to create a class blog that my students will be able to use.

4. This course has also made it easier to utilize the partners in our community.  I am going to team up with Sanitation District 1 to teach my students about water pollution and prevention methods.

5. My students are definitely going to do a service learning project this year.  This is something I have been interested in but didn't know a lot about before this class.  Now I already have a plan and thanks to our blogs I have lots of ideas for other service learning projects!

Module 5

The title of my unit is Energy Transformations and it is designed for my fourth grade science class.  

At the end of the three to four week unit the students will be able to do the following:

·      I can explain the  importance of plants getting their energy from the sun to produce their own food.

·      I can explain, analyze patterns and model the transfer of energy in the food chain/web.

·      I can explain the difference between producers, consumers and decomposers as part of a food chain/web.

·      I can explain the difference between a carnivore, herbivore and an omnivore as part of a food chain/web.

·      I can demonstrate open and closed circuits using batteries, bulbs and wires.

·      I can demonstrate series and parallel circuits using batteries, bulbs and wires.

·      I can analyze a variety of electrical circuits in order to predict changes to the systems.

·      I can describe how electricity can produce light, heat and sound.

·      I can design and conduct investigations to compare properties of conducting and non-conducting materials using the scientific method.  

This unit utilizes a variety of teaching and assessment strategies, as well as technology.  Students will learn about the different types of  energy and that the sun is a source of energy for life on earth. Students will also learn how energy is transferred, how light moves and interacts with different materials.

Students will explore current electricity and learn about circuits. 

The unit will culminate with a Duke Energy representative speaking to students about electricity and how it is used in our homes. 

Students will participate in a  Service Learning Project in which they will launch school wide recycling program and will be introduce to our school’s Energy Team.

Module 4

Module 4:

Locating and Partnering with Co-Teachers Plan

Plan Elements:

1-    Name the professional educator you plan to partner with.  Include the following information:

a.     Ashley Olwine

b.     Environmental Education Program Manager

c.     1045 Eaton Drive, Fort Wright, KY 41017  (859) 547-1657 aolwine@sd1.org

2-   Describe the plan you have made with this person.

3-   How will you bring what they have to offer to your students?

a.     I will teach an environmental unit provided by the Sanitation District.  The program provides teachers with a Unit Guide, which contains five detailed lesson plans.  They will also provided each student with a workbook and the necessary materials for use in class.  The unit consists of 5 hands on lessons about managing storm water.  Lesson one, “Would You Swim Here?” introduces students to water pollution and pollutants.  In the next lesson students will learn about Best Management Practices.  This will be followed by a lesson on map skills and the concept of connecting the use of land to the quality of water.  Lesson four will provide students with an opportunity to observe the effects of erosion.   Through the final lesson students will understand the importance of wetlands.  Sanitation District 1 will also provide my students with a field trip to their Public Service Park with free transportation via TANK.

b.     The Environmental Unit has lessons developed for use with SMART board technology.  These lessons are available on the Sanitation District’s website. http://www.sd1.org/Education/Storm_Water_Education.aspx

4-   What are the school disciplines and specific national, state, district or school standards that it will address?

a.     The lessons in this unit apply to standards across grade levels 3-5.  The core content addressed in each lesson is provided in the teachers' Environmental Unit Guide.  Because I teach fourth grade I will focus on the following content:

SC-04-4.7.2

SC-04-4.7.1

SC-04-2.3.2

SC-04-4.7.1

5-   How will you assess what your students have learned?  

The Environmental Unit includes pre and post assessments in the student workbooks.  Each lesson has an open response question that can be used as formative assessment.

Module 3

1.    Our school's Energy Team will start and maintain a school wide recycling program.  We will be recycling white paper.

2.    As the sponsor for our Energy Team, I will be organizing the recycling program and my team members will help to execute the plan.  In addition to the Energy Team we will need cooperation from our custodial staff and classroom teachers. We will need each classroom to teacher to commit to having a recycle bin placed in their classrooms and we will need the custodians to help in emptying the recycle bins.

3.   

· PL-04-3.1.4 Students will identify and describe consumer actions (reusing, reducing, recycling) that impact the environment.


 ·      PL-05-3.1.4 Students will describe consumer actions (reusing, reducing,    recycling) and identify ways these actions impact the environment (e.g., conserving resources, reducing pollution, reducing solid waste)


 ·      RD-04-3.0.4 Students will identify main ideas and details that support them.


 ·      RD-05-3.0.4 Students will identify main ideas and details that support them.


 ·      T-I-ICP-S-P1 Students will develop, publish and present information in print and digital formats
 

4.    As a school we use a ton of white paper and unfortunately at the end of the day a lot of that paper simply goes into the trash.  By recycling students will become aware of the amount of paper we consume as a school.  By making students aware of the amount of paper we use we will be able to teach them how to conserve paper.  I hope that students will take what they learn about the benefits of recycling and conservation home and encourage their families to participate.  

5.    Our Energy Team meets once a week and will need one month to get the program up and running.  At our first meeting we will read informational text about recycling and its benefits.  We will also commit to the project at this meeting.  I'd like to have a guest speaker come to the next meeting to encourage the students to promote recycling.  At the third meeting students will design posters to advertise our school wide recycling plan.  Students will also create skits/commercials to advertise the program on the school's morning news show.  During the next week pairs of students will deliver recycling bins to each classroom and briefly talk to each class about how to use the recycling bin.  By our fourth meeting we will be going room to room to collect the recycling bins.

6.    In order to promote recycling and measure our program's success the Energy Team will weigh each class's bin when they pick it up.  The energy team students will chart and graph the weights each week.

7. At the end of each month one classroom will be announced as the winner for recycling the most paper.

Module 2 Reflection

I'm starting to see just how easy this is!  I'm inspired to create a class blog that parents and students could access from my school website.  The possibilities of all the things we could share are endless!  It would definitely enhance school-home communication.  It could also provide study material!  This is too cool!

Module 2

I just got back from a very informative rocks and minerals workshop in Georgetown, KY so I thought I would look for a related video.  I found this song about the three different types of rocks.  I think the kids will like it because it has a more modern sound.  It may even inspire them to create their own song!

Up and Running!

Try, try and try again.  Finally up and running!

Assignment #1

I currently teach 4th grade math and science.  We use the Everyday Math program which engages students in several ways.  We begin our class with a "warm-up" where students record their answers to metal math questions on a dry erase board, or sometimes orally.  The program promotes partnerships and the use of math manipulatives.  It also provides review of basic facts through games which the kids love.  My science class is very hands on as it is my goal for my students to see how science occurs in their daily lives.  With every unit I do science centers where students work in small groups and sometimes independently on different tasks.  In my centers and in my science class I incorporate art, music, dance, reading, writing, and math skills.  We do lots of different activities throughout the school year working in pairs, doing experiments in the lab, doing group and solo presentations and so much more.  One way we use technology in science class is to review our content with the Turning Points system.  The kids love the instant feedback they get from this.  I realize I haven't said anything about the text I'm reading for this class and that's because I am still waiting for it to arrive.  Hopefully it will be here by the end of the day!

Testing

I just wanted to test this our before starting my work.  Let's see what happens!