Curriculum Standard: Students develop an understanding of the properties of Earth materials, objects in the sky, and changes in Earth and sky.
Objectives:
1. The students will recognize various rock types.
2. The students will differentiate between rock types.
3. The students will identify the characteristics used to categorize rocks.
Big Idea: Rocks are categorized into types by specific characteristics caused by their formation.
Preparations:
1. Introduce basic rock types and how they are formed.
2. Look up the National Geographic web site and show examples of each rock type.
3. Discuss the characteristics of each rock type.
4. Pass around actual examples of each rock type for students to view firsthand.
Guidance:
1. Ask each student to examine the rock he/she brought into class today.
2. As a whole group, divide the rocks into the basic rock categories.
3. Discuss why each rock was placed in the appropriate group.
Application:
1. Students will go outside in groups and collect rocks to add to the classroom
collection.
2. Students will examine the guidelines for properly storing a rock collection.
Assessment:
1. The teacher will observe the students as they work and use a check list to
verify understanding of the concepts involved in categorizing rocks.
2. The students will complete an exit slip listing two characteristics used for
identifying each of the three basic rock types.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Response to Shardae's Chapter 5 Blog
I agree with you about the need for technology in the classroom. I would not want any student to feel as inadequate with using technology as I do. However, I do have some concerns about trying to incorporate an extensive amount of technology. First, many schools have very limited resources as far as computers for students to use. This is especially true for elementary schools. When a classroom only has one computer for twenty five students, how can a teacher assure enough time for each student to gain training and use of the computer? Also, many children do not have a computer and/or Internet access at home. Giving assignments to be completed with a computer will cause major problems for these children. I know public libraries have computers now that can be used, but in my community the library is only open three afternoons a week until 5:00 p.m. Many parents are still at work when it closes and cannot get their children to the library to use the computer. I think we as teachers should incorporate technology as much as possible without creating additional stress and hardships for the students.
I also agree with your ideas about worksheets. I am so tired of seeing them in every classroom we go into. We have been taught not to use worksheets, that worksheets have very liitle value in instruction. Nonetheless, every teacher we encounter relies heavily on them. Will we be like this when we get our own classrooms? Will the convenience of having preprinted activites and exercises influence our teaching styles to the point that we become what we hate?
I also agree with your ideas about worksheets. I am so tired of seeing them in every classroom we go into. We have been taught not to use worksheets, that worksheets have very liitle value in instruction. Nonetheless, every teacher we encounter relies heavily on them. Will we be like this when we get our own classrooms? Will the convenience of having preprinted activites and exercises influence our teaching styles to the point that we become what we hate?
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Chapter 5
Many changes have occurred in the classroom since I was in elementary school. Our school office did not even have a computer then. Literature was limited to reading and English classes. We used our textbooks only and our teachers did not even attempt to arouse our interests in the often boring texts. My first experience with a teacher actually caring enough to motivate us was in seventh grade science. In fact, she is one reason I love science so much today!
Life experiences and proir knowledge definitely affect the way texts are received by students. These sources of knowledge work together to help children make sense of the information. As teachers, we must analyze a text to ensure that it is appropriate for the students in our classroom. Adding interesting resources that compliment the text will help motivate the students to learn.
Informational texts can sometimes be dry and complicated. In some cases, the teacher may need to simplify or spice up the content in some way. Other texts may need to be broken into chunks to prevent overwhelming the students with too much information at one time. We may also need to offer more examples and explanations for informational texts to enable students to make connections to their own lives. Narrative texts give students the chance to relate to the characters and situations presented. This reflection helps the students understand more about themselves and others around them. Digital texts play a role in how people view reality. For this reason, we must take great care to review these texts to prevent unintended messages from being conveyed to the students.
According to Conley, the best way to assess text complexity consists of evaluating how students experience the text. An early way to do this is by using readability formulas such as the Fry formula. The focus is on sentence and word length. However, many other factors such as readers' experiences and the required tasks should be considered. Readability checklists look at these additional factors: authority, accuracy and bias, understandability, usability, and interestability. The checklists are most appropriate when used with a particular group of students in mind.
Selecting texts needs to begin with identifying what information and skills the students need to learn. Textbooks can be supplemented with trade books and web sites. The more sources available for students, the more motivated they will be to learn.
Life experiences and proir knowledge definitely affect the way texts are received by students. These sources of knowledge work together to help children make sense of the information. As teachers, we must analyze a text to ensure that it is appropriate for the students in our classroom. Adding interesting resources that compliment the text will help motivate the students to learn.
Informational texts can sometimes be dry and complicated. In some cases, the teacher may need to simplify or spice up the content in some way. Other texts may need to be broken into chunks to prevent overwhelming the students with too much information at one time. We may also need to offer more examples and explanations for informational texts to enable students to make connections to their own lives. Narrative texts give students the chance to relate to the characters and situations presented. This reflection helps the students understand more about themselves and others around them. Digital texts play a role in how people view reality. For this reason, we must take great care to review these texts to prevent unintended messages from being conveyed to the students.
According to Conley, the best way to assess text complexity consists of evaluating how students experience the text. An early way to do this is by using readability formulas such as the Fry formula. The focus is on sentence and word length. However, many other factors such as readers' experiences and the required tasks should be considered. Readability checklists look at these additional factors: authority, accuracy and bias, understandability, usability, and interestability. The checklists are most appropriate when used with a particular group of students in mind.
Selecting texts needs to begin with identifying what information and skills the students need to learn. Textbooks can be supplemented with trade books and web sites. The more sources available for students, the more motivated they will be to learn.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Chapter 4
I do not remember any variety in assessment in the classrooms I was in during my elementary or high school years. We always followed the same pattern each week. We began a lesson on Monday, added more information on Tuesday, added even more about the topic on Wednesday, and reviewed the material on Thursday. We had a written test on Friday. The schedule only changed if we had a day off from school during a week. In this case, we simply received less information to keep basically the same schedule.
I have learned through our classes that assessment means much more than a written exam once a week. Assessment should be ongoing and diverse. Assessment should also happen in all situations. For example, an assessment can be performed during a class discussion, teacher observations, and verbal questioning. An assortment of assessments should be used to ensure that all students have a chance to show their knowledge in a way comparable to their own learning style.
Assessments should also take into account the interest level of a student. If a student is interested in the material, he/she is more likely to perform better on the assessment. If the students interest level is low, his/her performance on the assessment will probably be lower than a student that does show interest in the material. Educators can help with this problem to some extent by connecting the material or concept to real life situations. In other words, students are more likely to appreciate information if they can associate it with their own lives. We as adults do the same thing. We tend to take issues that directly affect us more seriously than issues that are completely foreign to us. Students are the same way. To me, this is the reason some students do poorly on state tests. They do not have a connection to these standardized tests in many cases. Relying on these scores often lead to poor decisions about a student and his/her ability. For this reason, I have a problem with the importance we place on these tests. For instance, if a child has a very high grade in a subject but fails the exit test for that subject, how can we retain that child or make them retake the class?
I have learned through our classes that assessment means much more than a written exam once a week. Assessment should be ongoing and diverse. Assessment should also happen in all situations. For example, an assessment can be performed during a class discussion, teacher observations, and verbal questioning. An assortment of assessments should be used to ensure that all students have a chance to show their knowledge in a way comparable to their own learning style.
Assessments should also take into account the interest level of a student. If a student is interested in the material, he/she is more likely to perform better on the assessment. If the students interest level is low, his/her performance on the assessment will probably be lower than a student that does show interest in the material. Educators can help with this problem to some extent by connecting the material or concept to real life situations. In other words, students are more likely to appreciate information if they can associate it with their own lives. We as adults do the same thing. We tend to take issues that directly affect us more seriously than issues that are completely foreign to us. Students are the same way. To me, this is the reason some students do poorly on state tests. They do not have a connection to these standardized tests in many cases. Relying on these scores often lead to poor decisions about a student and his/her ability. For this reason, I have a problem with the importance we place on these tests. For instance, if a child has a very high grade in a subject but fails the exit test for that subject, how can we retain that child or make them retake the class?
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