The kids I nanny for surprised me with a handmade poem book one time. Here are some of the poems from their book:
My Friend
My friend shall you be,
My friend shall I keep,
My friend shall I have forever.
I will never forget you; you will always be my friend.
Stars in the Sky
Stars in the sky,
No clouds pass by,
Stars in my eye,
They twinkle as they lie,
In the dark, black sky.
The air is cool,
With a slight, light breeze,
May the stars shine bright,
In the black night sky.
Light, so bright,
Shines down from heaven above.
The angels rejoice,
Above the starry sky.
Let the Lord’s creation resound,
In the bright starry night sky.
Grubs
Grubs,
Grubs they look like
Toast,
Grubs,
Grubs they’re absolutely
Gross.
Grubs,
Grubs they aren’t very
Cool,
Grubs,
Grubs yuck…I think one
Is in my shoe!
My point is grubs are
Gross!!!
Sara Fisher
Sara Fisher,
Sara Fisher is #1
Sara Fisher,
Sara Fisher she really won!
Sara Fisher is the best,
I could prove it so.
Sara Fisher,
Sara Fisher she’ll get all the fame,
Sara Fisher I think I’ve gone insane!
Sara Fisher,
Sara Fisher I think she’s gonna win,
Sara Fisher,
Sara Fisher she won,
She did it again!
Seaweed
Seaweed,
Seaweed,
Seaweed,
Seaweed it’s slimy,
It’s sticky,
It feels like hair,
But whatever you do
DON'T GIVE IT A PEAR!
(and you don’t want to know why)
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Blog as a Worldwide Collaboration Tool
A literacy related blog activity that could be adapted to any grade level:
At the end of each week/ every other week, the students post to the blog a short description of a book they are reading and whether they like/dislike the book and why. For Kindergarten/ first grade, this activity may have to be a whole class activity using teacher chosen read aloud books. For example, at the end of the week, students would vote and choose the best book from the week. Then as a class (and a lot of teacher support), they would compose a brief description of the book and post it on the class blog. Older students would likely be able to take more ownership in their book reviews by reading their own books and creating their own descriptions/opinions of the books they read.
This activity would be educational because it would give students an opportunity to reflect on the books they are reading as well as practice writing at the same time. This activity would be fun for students because it would enable them to find out what their classmates are reading as well as students in classrooms across the United States (if a teacher had the ability to jointly administer this project with other teachers of the same grade level across the United States). The students could even have the chance to comment on their peers’ posts. This activity may encourage kids to read because it enables them to easily see that all of their friends/peers are reading too. It also may help students learn about new authors and series of books. Overall, this blog activity keeps students reading!
At the end of each week/ every other week, the students post to the blog a short description of a book they are reading and whether they like/dislike the book and why. For Kindergarten/ first grade, this activity may have to be a whole class activity using teacher chosen read aloud books. For example, at the end of the week, students would vote and choose the best book from the week. Then as a class (and a lot of teacher support), they would compose a brief description of the book and post it on the class blog. Older students would likely be able to take more ownership in their book reviews by reading their own books and creating their own descriptions/opinions of the books they read.
This activity would be educational because it would give students an opportunity to reflect on the books they are reading as well as practice writing at the same time. This activity would be fun for students because it would enable them to find out what their classmates are reading as well as students in classrooms across the United States (if a teacher had the ability to jointly administer this project with other teachers of the same grade level across the United States). The students could even have the chance to comment on their peers’ posts. This activity may encourage kids to read because it enables them to easily see that all of their friends/peers are reading too. It also may help students learn about new authors and series of books. Overall, this blog activity keeps students reading!
Blog as a Learning Journal
I would use this journal reflection for my hypothetical 3rd/4th grade class after an Earth Day lesson.
“Today we celebrated Earth Day by bringing in recyclable items to recycle in the school’s recycling center and by making signs to educate others about ways that they can take care of the earth on earth day. Although we did a lot of good things to help the earth today, it is important that we remember that it is not only important to help the earth on earth day, but everyday of the year.
Respond to this post with a short paragraph in which you describe at least 2 detailed examples of how you can make everyday earth day.”
This journal assignment enables students to reflect on the information presented in class, extend it, and make a personal connection with it. This journal assignment would enable me to see if my students learned what I wanted them to learn during the lesson (ways that they can help the earth).
“Today we celebrated Earth Day by bringing in recyclable items to recycle in the school’s recycling center and by making signs to educate others about ways that they can take care of the earth on earth day. Although we did a lot of good things to help the earth today, it is important that we remember that it is not only important to help the earth on earth day, but everyday of the year.
Respond to this post with a short paragraph in which you describe at least 2 detailed examples of how you can make everyday earth day.”
This journal assignment enables students to reflect on the information presented in class, extend it, and make a personal connection with it. This journal assignment would enable me to see if my students learned what I wanted them to learn during the lesson (ways that they can help the earth).
Personal Thoughts:
Last Thursday was the final day of the Practicum experience; I have mixed feelings about this event. On one hand, the end of Practicum makes me really sad. This semester, I was placed in a first grade classroom at Marlatt Elementary School. At first, I was kind of unsure about this placement because I generally want to teach upper elementary; however, I ended up having a blast this semester. I really bonded with the students over the course of the Practicum experience and just enjoyed going to the school each week; therefore, I’m really upset that I won’t be going back this week or ever again. It really makes me sad that I’m not going to see the kids anymore or be able to teach any more lessons this semester. I don’t like change and I don’t handle it very well, so this transition from classroom teacher mode back to student mode is kind of hard for me.
On the other hand, I am really excited about the end of the Practicum experience. The end of Practicum means that student teaching is just around the corner, and I am really excited about student teaching because it will enable me to be in the classroom all day everyday. The end of Practicum really just means that I am one step closer to becoming a real teacher, so it’s actually really exciting that it is ending – I am one step closer to reaching my dream. I am also excited about the end of Practicum because it means that summer is almost here:)
On the other hand, I am really excited about the end of the Practicum experience. The end of Practicum means that student teaching is just around the corner, and I am really excited about student teaching because it will enable me to be in the classroom all day everyday. The end of Practicum really just means that I am one step closer to becoming a real teacher, so it’s actually really exciting that it is ending – I am one step closer to reaching my dream. I am also excited about the end of Practicum because it means that summer is almost here:)
Voicethread Link
In the following voicethread, a second grade class reads their class created book called "The Adventures of Baby Bob." It can be found at the following link: http://voicethread.com/#q.b13047.i83097.
I really like the idea of turning a class created book into a voicethread production because this enables student work to be seen by a large audience of people. Showing their work to a large audience may keep students motivated to create quality work, and it also may help students gain confidence in their own abilities as they recieve positive feedback concerning their work. Also, this project may enhance literacy skills as it enables students to read their class book in a variety of locations (not just at school).
I am still new to the voicethread application, and I don't fully understand how to use it yet;however, I think that it is a great educational tool that I would love to learn more about!
I really like the idea of turning a class created book into a voicethread production because this enables student work to be seen by a large audience of people. Showing their work to a large audience may keep students motivated to create quality work, and it also may help students gain confidence in their own abilities as they recieve positive feedback concerning their work. Also, this project may enhance literacy skills as it enables students to read their class book in a variety of locations (not just at school).
I am still new to the voicethread application, and I don't fully understand how to use it yet;however, I think that it is a great educational tool that I would love to learn more about!
Links to important places in my life!
The following links provide access to the schools that I completed my Block A Clinical and Block B Practicum in (Bergman and Marlatt). For this reason, these schools represent very important places in my life right now. Both of these schools are very open, inviting, strong educational institutions; therefore, I recommend that you check them out if you would like observation/volunteer opportunities.
http://www.usd383.org/Schools/Elementary/Bergman/
http://www.usd383.org/Schools/Elementary/Marlatt/
The following links provide access to the Kansas City school districts that I hope to student teach in in the fall. These links provide the keys to the next chapter in my life, and I’m sure that come next fall, these links will become very important to me.
http://www.bluevalleyk12.org/education/district/district.php?sectionid=1
http://www.olatheschools.com/
http://www.smsd.org/
http://www.usd383.org/Schools/Elementary/Bergman/
http://www.usd383.org/Schools/Elementary/Marlatt/
The following links provide access to the Kansas City school districts that I hope to student teach in in the fall. These links provide the keys to the next chapter in my life, and I’m sure that come next fall, these links will become very important to me.
http://www.bluevalleyk12.org/education/district/district.php?sectionid=1
http://www.olatheschools.com/
http://www.smsd.org/
Educational Websites for Teachers and/or Students
http://funschool.kaboose.com/index.html - This website provides students with a variety of fun, interactive learning games and activities. For example, in one game, students race against the clock to put litter into the appropriate recycling bins. The games and activities on this website span multiple subject areas and topics; therefore, this would be a great website to incorporate into the classroom to give students extra practice working with classroom content.
http://www.wordsmyth.net/ - This website provides teachers with a quick online guide to kid friendly definitions. I recently discovered this website, and I absolutely love it! It has become a very useful reference that I have used quite often when planning lessons for Block B. I definitely recommend taking a minute to check this website out.
http://www.preschooleducation.com/song.shtml - This website provides teachers of the lower elementary grades with a large supply of classroom songs. These songs cover a wide variety of topics and are sung to the tune of many common nursery rhymes; therefore, they could be easily taught to students and incorporated into lessons. These songs may not only make learning more fun for students, but they also may help students learn and remember information.
http://www.educationoasis.com/resources/student_sites.htm - This website provides teachers with a large, multiage list of student centered websites related to a wide variety of topics and content areas.
http://faculty.pnc.edu/dpratt/top20/student/ - This website provides teachers with a list of the “top 20 student sites.” This list is organized according to broad subject headings; therefore, it would be really easy and convenient for a teacher to find a good student centered website related to the topic they were teaching.
http://www.wordsmyth.net/ - This website provides teachers with a quick online guide to kid friendly definitions. I recently discovered this website, and I absolutely love it! It has become a very useful reference that I have used quite often when planning lessons for Block B. I definitely recommend taking a minute to check this website out.
http://www.preschooleducation.com/song.shtml - This website provides teachers of the lower elementary grades with a large supply of classroom songs. These songs cover a wide variety of topics and are sung to the tune of many common nursery rhymes; therefore, they could be easily taught to students and incorporated into lessons. These songs may not only make learning more fun for students, but they also may help students learn and remember information.
http://www.educationoasis.com/resources/student_sites.htm - This website provides teachers with a large, multiage list of student centered websites related to a wide variety of topics and content areas.
http://faculty.pnc.edu/dpratt/top20/student/ - This website provides teachers with a list of the “top 20 student sites.” This list is organized according to broad subject headings; therefore, it would be really easy and convenient for a teacher to find a good student centered website related to the topic they were teaching.
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