Science Biomes

Making Our Voice Thread

This week Mark and I created a voice thread on the tundra and rainforest biomes. Mark did all of the research reagrding the two types of biomes and eveything said in the movie is from his work. We both found some suitable pictures and created the voice thread. When it came time to record Mark's voice we had a very hard time. We ended up recording it onto my cell phone and transferring it to voice thread. That is why it may sound a little scratchy! Despite that, I think we did a great job on this collaborative project. I know I learned alot! Mark had already been studying biomes, so he was an old pro, but I think he had lots of fun too!

Here's the link to our movie! Hope you like it!

Collaborative Project - Touring CCMS

This Thursday, April 9, I was able to tour the Corpus Christi Montessori School. It was a great experience! The school was unlike any other I had ever seen. Students worked quietly on the floor or at tables. They were busy and looked engaged by their assinments. Many were working in their socks! Miss Sylvia, the school's principal, showed us around enthusiastically. The lower grades worked with many manipulatives, while the older children did more group work and experiments. The three of us on tour were also treated to a look at the student's garden and PE area.

I really appreciated the peace and unity that evidently exists among the students. Even children in the lower grades were calm, busy, and seemed to be having fun. I also like the methods used by the teachers. They didn't order the children around and there was no yelling. Every teacher at CCMS is called by her first name, making the impression that teachers are not above, or more important than, students. At the end of the tour we all asked about how to become Montessori teachers because we were so impressed and excited by their methods. The school is small and humble, but within those walls many children are experiencing and learning great things!

Collaborative Project - Week 2- Meeting My Student for the First Time

After a week of trying to meet with my young student, i was finally able to do so yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon at CCMS. The scene was a little crazy and confused, but we were able to figure out a strategy for Mark's project. I'm very excited to get started. Mark has chosen to focus on two biomes- tundra and rainforests. He is going to learn all he can about them, compare and contrast them, and find lots of great pictures of the biomes and the kinds of animals that live in them. I think it will be a great project!

Collaborative Project - Week 1

My first week working on the new collaborative project was very interesting. I was assigned a student from Corpus Christi Montessori School named Mark. Mark’s project is on science biomes. As I knew little about science biomes, I was eager to get started. I emailed Mark and his family Monday night and received an email asking me to call at my convenience. I called the next morning and was asked to call back later. Because I had classes later, I emailed once again stating the purpose of the assignment as I understood it, offered a few suggestions for when we could get together for a face-to-face meeting, and left my phone number encouraging Mark and his family to call or email me with their preferred time and any questions. A few days later I decided it might be a good idea to get to work on explaining how a blog is created. I wrote a detailed (step-by-step) description of how to create a blog and begin blogging. I again emailed, attaching the explanatory document. Hopefully I’ll hear something soon! I can’t wait to meet Mark and learn more about science biomes and show him all about a few other cool computer tools!

A few questions I am planning to ask or incorporate into the project’s blog are:

1. What are biomes? Why are they important?
2. How many different kinds of biomes are in existence?
3. Where are biomes found? Does climate matter?
4. How do plants, animals, and other orgaisms live in biomes abd how do they affect each other?
5. How do biomes affect humans? how do humans affect biomes?

Plans for my parent-child meeting will include

1) In general, getting to know the parent and child
2) Finding out what the child wants to achieve from this project
3) Asking what role they would like me to play and how I can be of assistance in the project
4) Help Mark set up his blog and get started on ideas for his voice thread
5) Have a good time and learn something new!!!

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets are a valuable tool to all educators and students. They provide a way for gathering and viewing data and help lists of numbers and information to make sense. Students who created their own spreadsheets will be doing a majority of the work themselves. They will gather data, organize it, and find answers to questions. This style of learning has been referred to as inquiry-based learning. It is the seeking of knowledge. The process of inquiring begins with gathering information and data through applying the human senses. Children need this style of hands-on learning to be successful in their education. When children learn things first hand, they grasp and retain the information much better.
A few questions I would use to guide my students in creating their own spreadsheets are:

1. By what means will you gather the needed information?

2. How much information will you decide to use and how much is really needed to get a good understanding?

3. Which Excel tools will you use to present this information?

These types of questions will help students think about what they are doing. They will have to consider what information they want to use and how much they need to use in order to create a viable spreadsheet and an understandable presentation.

A Great Way to Teach and to Learn!!!

My video, entitled Our Warm Earth, deals with issues that face all of us. In it I talk about the earth’s perfect distance from the sun, the average temperatures of Venus, Earth, and Mars, and what we need to do to keep our earth’s ecology healthy.
I used various tools to create this movie. First, I drew several pictures/illustrations that appropriately depict earth’s distance from the sun and temperature. Another tool I used was my video camera. I filmed a gas tank (depicting the need to be fuel efficient drivers), an electrical outlet (depicting the need use less electricity), and a few pictures of easily recycled items. In addition, I used pictures downloaded from the internet to supplement my video. Most importantly, I utilized Windows Movie Maker. Movie Maker allowed me to blend together the internet pictures, original pictures, and videos in order to create a film. I also employed a headset and microphone for use in narrating my movie.

Although this was a tricky assignment, I feel that now that I understand how to do it, I would love to teach my future students how to make their own movies. There are literally endless ways students can learn by watching and creating original movies. The information they gather will be their own. They will be able to put it all together and organize it according to how they see fit. Such a hands-on task will surely be beneficial and the educational benefits derived will be long lasting! Additionally, parents can join their child in creating movie projects. It would be great to see several parents and children work as teams on specific projects.

I would also love to see students create movies as part of their science fair projects. Instead of the usual flat board, I would encourage students to put their findings, pictures, charts, and anything else into video and picture format and create a movie! In fact, I believe that any subject can be explored thoroughly by means of a creative original movie-I hope to use this tool regularly in my future classroom!

My Video- Our Warm Earth

My Storyboard and the 7 Elements of Digital Storytelling

How does the sun affect the Earth’s temperature? This is a subject I have always been interested in investigating. This week’s assignment, to create a storyboard based on one of our unit questions, has been very exciting. It is very important to address the seven elements of digital storytelling in our storyboard and unit plan. The use of digital multimedia allows for the appropriate presentation of this information by combining pictures, video, and audio to tell a story.

The first element of digital storytelling deals with point of view. This storyboard reflects my (the teacher’s) point of view regarding how amazing the earth’s placement in our solar system is. My goal is to help the audience appreciate how marvelously well positioned earth is and how, because of that, life is possible. The dramatic question, to be answered at the end of the story is, “How does the sun affect the earth’s temperature?” By the conclusion of the story, the audience should be well aware of the role the sun plays on our earth. It should be clear that without the sun, life would be impossible and that if our earth gets too warm, life will become very difficult for humans and animals alike. The emotional content, again, deals with the warming of our earth. We all play a role in earth’s future and its future will directly affect our descendants. How will we respond to this issue? This topic is very important and dear to my heart. I hope to use clips and pictures that demonstrate this. Additionally, the soundtrack used will compliment the points that my story makes, and will support the storyline. Although there is a good deal information on this topic, I’ve done my best to be economical with how much I present. There is enough data on this topic to make an hour-long movie (or more), but I’ve chosen to use points that I feel are especially relevant. Finally, the pacing of this story will be quick, but not too quick. As mentioned, there is a lot of information to be discussed pertaining to this topic. Although the information is very interesting, I don’t want my audience to become bored or disinterested in the topic, so I plan to go at a brisk pace. The information is not very difficult and the manner in which it is presented will be easy to understand.

Digital Storytelling- Why and How We Use It

Digital storytelling is an exciting, fairly new way of telling stories through the use of computer-based tools. As the name implies, digital storytelling involves the use of images, text, recorded audio narration, music, and video footage. Most digital stories focus on a particular topic and have the storyteller’s point of view. Students and teachers can create veritable time machines by searching for images, audio, and video clips that are part of history. Digital storytelling allows students to deeply explore historical themes and research events not previously known to them. It is a thrilling way to explore and educate. Every student should have access to digital storytelling, by both viewing and creating.

Voice thread, slide share, and slide cast are all excellent tools for use in the classroom. Teachers can (and should) give their students the opportunity to create voice threads/slidecasts/slide shares as a means to increase what and how they learn. Who wouldn’t prefer creating a voice thread to writing an essay? They can be used in every subject. History, math, science, English, art, and many other curricular areas could be enriched by the students’ use of digital media. One of the neat things about voice threads is that multiple people can comment via recording with a microphone, posting with a computer keyboard, by video, and by using a phone. Slideshare is site where presentations can be posted and shared with others. It is a simpler way of using digital media and is basically a power point presentation.Slideshare can be linked to at the site or can be embedded into a web page. Slide presentations can also be synchronized to an MP3 audio file, creating a slidecast- an even better way to share information!

I found that voice threading and slideshare/cast can be used very easily in my unit plan. The sun is a broad enough topic to lend itself to much investigation. I was able to create a voice thread based on two simple ideas related to the sun. It was so much fun to create! I envision doing lots of voice threads and slideshare presentations as a future teacher. They are a simple, convenient way to get information across to the students. I believe that teachers can use digital stories in lieu of teaching a lesson in the traditional way. Additionally, teachers who know they will be absent from their classrooms can leave lessons and information via digital media.

I also hope to teach my students to use digital media for themselves. I want a classroom full of students who are not afraid to dive in to technology and who are interested in what they are learning. Voice threading and slideshare/cast allows students to generate and construct their own knowledge based on research and preparation they did on their own. What a great way to learn!

The Sun's Role in Plant life and Our Lives

Internet Resources

Although some internet resources are new to me, in the short time I've known about them I can see that they will be very valuable to me as a future teacher. The field of education is changing. Resources such as those found online, can enrich a unit plan. I would love to use email projects to add color and flavor to what my students are learning. Imagine their excitement when they recieve an email or IM from a fellow student who lives out of town or out of state, or even out of the country. The depth of knowledge and meaning will, no doubt, have a far greater impact that anything read from a textbook.

I also envision using online video and audio resources. As I explored these resources I was fascinated. I saw Saturn's rings moving and heard Apollo 10 take off into outer space! It was exciting for me and made me want to learn more. I'm sure students, too, will find it mesmerizing to be able to see and hear things they could have only imagined or read about until recently.


Additionally, I would like to use kid-safe search engines. One that I liked is Cyber Sleuth Kids. It contains a variety of subjects that children of all ages would be interested in learning more about. I also like MSN Encarta. I think it's great that encyclopedias are accessible to everyone and just a click away. These resources can be easily used by students for gathering information to prepare reports, make presentations, or just to learn a bunch!

Photos are another great tool for learning and teaching. There are zillions of photos available on the web! They are varied and beautiful and, as is often said, are worth a thousand words. I envision being able to print some pictures for use on word walls, or as inspiration for art or science projects. The students could put together class-made picture books, outlining what they learned about the particular object pictured. The possibilities are endless!

The Role of Technology in the Classroom: How Blogging Can Help

As I close in on my education degree I become giddy with excitement. Years of homework, late nights, stress, and tests will (fairly soon) be a thing of the past. However, what really excites me is the prospect of running my own classroom. I envision a room full of children, calling me “teacher,” and telling me about their pets, or siblings, or a book they’ve recently read. It sounds a little too ideal, I know, but there is one other thing I envision- and I vow to make it a reality. I want to use technology in my classroom. I want my future students to be computer literate and I want them to blog.

Blogging is one key way to keep children intensely involved in the material they are leaning. As a teacher I would be able to look at their blogs and discern whether or not they have a good grasp on the material we are covering. Additionally, blogging is a fine way to teach students the vital, life-long typing skills they will require. Finally, I believe it will be a tremendous confidence booster for each and every child. No doubt, they will be thrilled to see their own creations and read the points of view of their fellow students.

Blogging can be of great benefit to teachers as well. It can assist teachers in keeping connected and up-to-date. The need for increased technology in the teaching profession grows every year. Today’s elementary students are tomorrow's college students. Therefore, teachers must be at the technological forefront. How can we teach what we do not know?

One website that is of infinite use is David Warlick’s 2 Cents Worth. One article I found to be very interesting was Bloggers Who Help You Teach. It discusses the need for teachers to conference with fellow educators so as to obtain newer and more captivating teaching techniques. One of the ways these educators have come together is via blogging. They are able to share their ideas and learn new ones and they have seen positive results.

Given its many benefits, it’s clear that blogging is the ultimate way to a successful student life and teaching career.

The Sun and You

The sun is the most important source of energy and life on Earth. It directly affects all human, animal, and plant life. Without the sun, our planet would be a frozen, tundratic wasteland. The sun lights our world and its delightful rays warm our skin. This topic is of great interest and importance to students and provides a vast array of leaning experiences.

Inquiry and project-based learning are essential elements in any unit plan. Both allow for students to be deeply involved in their learning experience. Students must be involved in order to be successful learners. Those who merely sit at desks or listen to lectures are far less likely to be engrossed in the material they are supposed to be learning. Such boredom often leads to distractions, misbehavior, and a lack of understanding of the material.

It is important for students to understand the most amazing star in our universe- the sun. They should learn to appreciate its power, and come to see how they can protect themselves from its potentially harmful effects. Inquiry and project based learning are essential to students gaining these understandings, as they provide a hands on way to expeiment, explore, and attain new knowledge. An essential question that can be asked regarding the sun is: How does the sun affect our lives? Follow up, or unit questions, That could be asked are: 1. How does the sun relate to plant life? 2.Explain how the sun affects Earth’s temperature. 3. How might your family help reduce the depletion of the ozone and how does it affect humans?