I am teaching a WebQuest to my 5th grade Science class on Electricity. I am using a youtube video on Electricity from School House Rock as my anchor video.
Here is my WebQuest so far.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Double Journal Entry #15
Link to article
1. Give an example of an authentic form of assessment the students engaged in a PBL performed well on?
In one study, students applied the concepts of geometry to architecture and submit designs for a new playhouse for a community center. 84% were judged to be accurate enough to build. Students were able to revise their designs after consulting resources. These students demonstrated a solid grasp of the concepts and were able to perform well on traditional tests.
2. How does project based learning promote intrinsic motivation?
Students will often reach higher and attempt to read more challenging material to find the information they are seeking. The differentiation allows students to develop their own interetss and pursue deeper learning. They are able to soar and learn at their own levels.
3. What do students who experience PBL do better than students who receive traditional direct instruction?
Students who are exposed to PBL have better problem solving skills, are able to critically evaluate their peers, and have better 21st century skills.
4. How does PBL align with John Dewey's philosophy of education?
Dewey proposed that learning by doing has great benefit in shaping students' learning. In PBL students are constructing knowledge and building on their background knowledge. They retain more information when they learn by doing.
5. Why do our assessment practices need to change if we are going to prepare students for the 21st century?
In the future, children must enter a workforce in which they will be judged on their performance. They will be evaluated on more than pencil/paper work. They will be evaluated not only on their outcomes, but also on their collaborative, negotiating, planning, and organizational skills, which can't be learned by the traditional education system. By implementing PBL, we are preparing our students to meet the twenty-first century with preparedness and a repertoire of skills they can use successfully.
1. Give an example of an authentic form of assessment the students engaged in a PBL performed well on?
In one study, students applied the concepts of geometry to architecture and submit designs for a new playhouse for a community center. 84% were judged to be accurate enough to build. Students were able to revise their designs after consulting resources. These students demonstrated a solid grasp of the concepts and were able to perform well on traditional tests.
2. How does project based learning promote intrinsic motivation?
Students will often reach higher and attempt to read more challenging material to find the information they are seeking. The differentiation allows students to develop their own interetss and pursue deeper learning. They are able to soar and learn at their own levels.
3. What do students who experience PBL do better than students who receive traditional direct instruction?
Students who are exposed to PBL have better problem solving skills, are able to critically evaluate their peers, and have better 21st century skills.
4. How does PBL align with John Dewey's philosophy of education?
Dewey proposed that learning by doing has great benefit in shaping students' learning. In PBL students are constructing knowledge and building on their background knowledge. They retain more information when they learn by doing.
5. Why do our assessment practices need to change if we are going to prepare students for the 21st century?
In the future, children must enter a workforce in which they will be judged on their performance. They will be evaluated on more than pencil/paper work. They will be evaluated not only on their outcomes, but also on their collaborative, negotiating, planning, and organizational skills, which can't be learned by the traditional education system. By implementing PBL, we are preparing our students to meet the twenty-first century with preparedness and a repertoire of skills they can use successfully.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Struggling Student
After obtaining the results of the learning style survey, I focused on the struggling students in the classroom. I observed how my host teacher meets their needs through learning activities. She modifies her instruction the best way she can to accommodate all the learning styles in her class. She gave her students a learning style survey at the beginning of the year. So, she already knew how her students learn best before I gave my survey. She has a few students with IEP's and SAT's, therefore she does what she needs to do to best differentiate the instruction so they can learn.
I wrote down some questions my teacher asked, as well as the students. The questions are as follows:
Teacher asked questions:
- Who is going to Boys and Girls club today?
- Who is cold lunch?
- Who has their permission slip and money to turn in?
- Did anyone sell pepperoni rolls?
- Where is your locker at?
Student asked questions:
- Can I call my mom? I forgot my book bag.
- Do we go to lunch after this?
I wrote down some questions my teacher asked, as well as the students. The questions are as follows:
Teacher asked questions:
- Who is going to Boys and Girls club today?
- Who is cold lunch?
- Who has their permission slip and money to turn in?
- Did anyone sell pepperoni rolls?
- Where is your locker at?
Student asked questions:
- Can I call my mom? I forgot my book bag.
- Do we go to lunch after this?
Monday, October 17, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Double Entry Journal #14
Link to article
What are some challenges to inquiry approaches to learning?
One of the biggest challenges to the successful implementation of inquiry is the skills and knowledge of the teachers engaging in the inquiry form of teaching and learning. If teachers don't fully understand inquiry-based learning they may not be able to provide the proper scaffolding, assessment, and redirection techniques.
If students don't have prior experience with inquiry-based learning, they may have difficulty generating meaningful "driving questions". Students may even lack the background knowledge needed to make sense of the inquiry. Students may have difficulty developing logical arguments and evidence to support their claims. Students often find it hard to determine how to work together, manage their time and the complexity of their work, and sustain motivation in the face of setbacks or confusion.
One of the main challenges for teachers is learning to juggle a host a new responsibilities and implementation issues such as, allotting the time needed for extended inquiry to develop new classroom-management techniques.
What are the benefits of group work?
Several experimental studies have shown that groups outperform individuals on learning tasks and individuals who work in groups do better on later individual assessments as well.
Cooperative group work benefits students in social and behavioral areas as well, including improvements in student self-concept, social interaction, time on task, and positive feelings towared peers.
Strategy to support group work:
I found a document online that consists of strategies to improve student reaction to group work. It shows the different ways to group students, etc. I had to save the document to Google docs then upload it. So, please excuse the format of it because Google docs had to automatically modify it. I just really wanted to share it.
What are some challenges to inquiry approaches to learning?
One of the biggest challenges to the successful implementation of inquiry is the skills and knowledge of the teachers engaging in the inquiry form of teaching and learning. If teachers don't fully understand inquiry-based learning they may not be able to provide the proper scaffolding, assessment, and redirection techniques.
If students don't have prior experience with inquiry-based learning, they may have difficulty generating meaningful "driving questions". Students may even lack the background knowledge needed to make sense of the inquiry. Students may have difficulty developing logical arguments and evidence to support their claims. Students often find it hard to determine how to work together, manage their time and the complexity of their work, and sustain motivation in the face of setbacks or confusion.
One of the main challenges for teachers is learning to juggle a host a new responsibilities and implementation issues such as, allotting the time needed for extended inquiry to develop new classroom-management techniques.
What are the benefits of group work?
Several experimental studies have shown that groups outperform individuals on learning tasks and individuals who work in groups do better on later individual assessments as well.
Cooperative group work benefits students in social and behavioral areas as well, including improvements in student self-concept, social interaction, time on task, and positive feelings towared peers.
Strategy to support group work:
I found a document online that consists of strategies to improve student reaction to group work. It shows the different ways to group students, etc. I had to save the document to Google docs then upload it. So, please excuse the format of it because Google docs had to automatically modify it. I just really wanted to share it.
Learning Style Survey & Teacher/Student Asked Questions
Today, I gave my students a Learning Style Survey.
The results are as follows:
Visual: 9
Auditory: 7
Kinesthetic: 2
I, also, took the survey. I was tied as a visual and kinesthetic learner.
The results are as follows:
Visual: 9
Auditory: 7
Kinesthetic: 2
I, also, took the survey. I was tied as a visual and kinesthetic learner.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Double Entry Journal #13
From: Teaching For Meaningful Learning
1. One of the most significant challenges to the successful implementation of inquiry approaches is the skills and knowledge of the teachers engaging in this alternative form of teaching and learning.
1. One of the most significant challenges to the successful implementation of inquiry approaches is the skills and knowledge of the teachers engaging in this alternative form of teaching and learning.
2.
- I. In a study done the results showed students who engaged in project-based learning have a significant increase in scores on critical-thinking tests, as well as increased confidence in their learning (1998).
- II. A comparative study done by Boaler found that students who participated in project-based learning did better on the conceptual problems presented in the National Exam. More students in the project-based school passed the National Exam, than those in a traditional school. (Boaler 1997).
- III. In a third study done on project-based learning, the students gained a broader knowledge of multi-media projects (Penuel, Means, & Simkins, 2000).
3.
- I. In studies done on medical students, the results showed those students scored higher on clinical problem solving measures and on actual ratings of clinical performance than those who are not enrolled in such programs (Vernon & Blake, 1993; Albanese & Mitchell, 1993).
- II. In studies done on students in business, law, and teacher education, the results found students were able to learn how to analyze complex, multifaceted situations, and to develop knowledge to guide decision making (Lundeberg, Levin, & Harrington, 1999; Savery & Duffy, 1996; Williams, 1992).
- III. Additional studies have demonstrated that students who participated in problem-based experiences are better able to generate accurate hypotheses and coherent explanations and are able to support their claims with well-reasoned arguments (Hmelo, 1998b; Schmidt et al., 1196; Stepien et al., 1993).
4.
- I. Design-based lessons are ideal for developing technical and subject matter knowledge (Newsletter, 2000).
- II. Design projects often lead to better learning outcomes than those of the traditional approach (Kolodner 2000).
- III. Researchers have also observed that design activities are good for helping students develop understanding of complex systems (Perkins 1986).
5. Project-based learning teaches students to explore real-world problems and challenges. Problem-based learning challenges students to "learn to learn" by working cooperatively in groups to seek solutions to real world problems. Learning by Design emphasizes the value of learning through creating, programming, or participating in other forms of designing.
6. The most beneficial outcome of students participating in the three different types of learning is the ability they gain to learn better ways to solve real-world problems.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Double Entry Journal #12
From: Learning to ask Essential Questions
Social Significance of Questioning in Social Discourse
3 Things I learned:
- 1). The IRE means Initiation Response Evaluation. Basically, the teacher initiates by asking a question. The students respond. Then, the teacher evaluates.
- 2). IRE's pattern of questioning has very powerful implications in terms of both lesson content and classroom structure.
- 3). The questioning pattern of IRE does very little to verify if any real learning has taken place.
2 Things I found interesting:
- 1). Language communicates control.
- 2). IRE's pattern of questioning has very powerful implications in terms of both lesson content and classroom structure.
1 Question I have:
- 1). If the IRE question pattern does very little to verify any real learning has taken place, then why do many teachers continue to use it?
Learning to ask Essential Questions
Essential questions provide the link between students' lives and the curriculum because they deal with issuses the students deal with every day. They make the unit’s intellectual challenge more clear, more coherent, and more engaging for students.
Social Significance of Questioning in Social Discourse
3 Things I learned:
- 1). The IRE means Initiation Response Evaluation. Basically, the teacher initiates by asking a question. The students respond. Then, the teacher evaluates.
- 2). IRE's pattern of questioning has very powerful implications in terms of both lesson content and classroom structure.
- 3). The questioning pattern of IRE does very little to verify if any real learning has taken place.
2 Things I found interesting:
- 1). Language communicates control.
- 2). IRE's pattern of questioning has very powerful implications in terms of both lesson content and classroom structure.
1 Question I have:
- 1). If the IRE question pattern does very little to verify any real learning has taken place, then why do many teachers continue to use it?
Learning to ask Essential Questions
Essential questions provide the link between students' lives and the curriculum because they deal with issuses the students deal with every day. They make the unit’s intellectual challenge more clear, more coherent, and more engaging for students.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Double Entry Journal #11
From: Teacher Reflection about the Top Ten Project
Authenticity - The problem or question has meaning to the students.
The students were so fascinated by the topic chosen to the teacher. She noticed they were intrigued by her book The 10 Deadliest Predators in the Ocean. The project she chose connected to her students interests.
Applied Learning - Students use multiple high-perforformance work ogranization skills (e.g., working in teams; using technology appropriately; communicating ideas, collecting, organizing, and analyzing information).
The students used a vast amount of technology, such as the wiki and voki, to complete their project. They collected and organized the data they researched to compile the information together.
Active Exploration - Students conduct their own research.
The students were to apply their knowledge of nonfiction text organization as they share their data from their research through individual animal pages on the wiki.
CSO'S:
Language Arts:
Authenticity - The problem or question has meaning to the students.
The students were so fascinated by the topic chosen to the teacher. She noticed they were intrigued by her book The 10 Deadliest Predators in the Ocean. The project she chose connected to her students interests.
Applied Learning - Students use multiple high-perforformance work ogranization skills (e.g., working in teams; using technology appropriately; communicating ideas, collecting, organizing, and analyzing information).
The students used a vast amount of technology, such as the wiki and voki, to complete their project. They collected and organized the data they researched to compile the information together.
Active Exploration - Students conduct their own research.
The students were to apply their knowledge of nonfiction text organization as they share their data from their research through individual animal pages on the wiki.
CSO'S:
Language Arts:
RLA.O.4.1.14
select and use a variety of sources to gather information (e.g., dictionaries, encyclopedias, newspapers, informational texts, electronic resources).
RLA.O.4.2.12
use strategies to gather and record information for research topics:
• note taking
• summarizing
• paraphrasing
• describing in narrative form
• gathering information from direct quotes, maps, charts, graphs and tables
RLA.O.4.2.13
select and use a variety of sources to gather information (e.g., dictionaries, encyclopedias, newspapers, informational texts, electronic resources).
RLA.O.4.2.14
use strategies to compile information into written reports or summaries (e.g., incorporate notes into a finished product, include simple facts-details-explanations-examples, draw conclusions from relationships and patterns that emerge from data of different sources, use appropriate visual aids and media).
RLA.O.4.3.02
distinguish a variety of messages conveyed through visual media (e.g., internet, database, email, electronic resources, online research).
Science:
SC.O.4.1.06
support statements with facts found through research from various sources, including technology.
SC.0.4.2.01
describe the different characteristics of plants and animals, which help them to survive in different niches and environments.
SC.0.4.2.02
associate the behaviors of living organisms to external and internal influences (e.g., hunger, climate, or seasons).
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