Allie+F

Hi, I am really trying to keep up with this.

Dear Allie, I loved your topic and your essential and unit questions. I thought your content questions were more like unit questions and not specific enough. That is strickly from my understanding. I am sure Linda would be a better person to ask. I would like to be part of your project. It sounds so cool.

I was hopping all over the internet and found a lot of places looking to connect with other teachers on projects. Of course now I don''t remember where I was, but again I am sure that Linda and John can connect us with some really cool spots. Good luck. See you tomorrow. Jamie

Module 2 reflection The idea of an essential question is great, it helped me to focus on how to teach the complete course and not just the segmented parts. Having said that it is the segmented parts that make the SOL end of year test that my students are so geared to. If they pass the test they will receive high school credit for the class. However, hopefully the unit plan that I am trying to produce, will offer a chance for a mor comprehensive picture which will enrich the more interested and more capable students and help give meaning and pleasure in the course to those who might not be interested in world geography.

Response to 3.O4

By the time our students come to 8th grade they are savy in cutting and pasting, making powerpoints and adding details better then I willl ever be able to do. The will log on to a computer to go to dictionary.com rather than look the word up in a dictionary even if it takes less time. However, I have found that most still do not know how to search effectively, or analyze the information that they have found. They see everything offered as factual. One of my greatest goals would be to help my students as well as myself to learn how to critically analyze what is being offered on the internet. We had a case this year of an urban legend that fooled us all. It was the fact that the years did not add up that finally made me do some research and it took me a while to debunk the story. How do we teach our students to think about what they read and not just accept it, whether it be on the internet or in a book?

Response to 3.18 This module has helped me to think about the impact of the internet on my students learning in the following ways: It has given me incentive to speak to our principal and our tech person about what we actually can and cannot use in our school. I have found out that our students cannot use a blog or wiki or even e-mail each other while in school and from what I gather it is because of one bullet mentioned in the textbook " people may respond to entries with inflammatory or inappropriate content". As an American civics and history teacher it has made me realize that freedom of speech while cherished as one of our fundemental beliefs is not any easier a concept to define today than it was in the time of our founding fathers.

Reference 4.01 In my unit the internet will be used primarily for research and for presentation. As mentioned in the previous entry our school has definite limitations on internet usage in the school. It also has limitations on tasks that can be assigned for out of school completion. However, within these limitations the 21st century skill of: Acssessing information efficiently and effectively, evaluating information critically and competently and using information accurately and creatively for the issue and problem at hand will not only be addressed but hopefully honed within the scope of this unit. Another 21st century skill that I hope to develop is "Going beyond basic mastery of skills and/or curriculum to explore and expand one's own learning and opportunites to gain expertise. Individual self directed research as well as group collaboration on information gathered be inhanced with internet application since most students view, computer work as "more fun" than regular classroom paper and pen assignments.

Reference 4.02 How do we help all students to successfully complete project tasks with the ability to: set manigable goals, manage timelines and adjust as neecessary, generate and investigate questions about their work, work productively with others and select and plan for improvement? In any given group of students each will have a weakness and strength among the tasks just listed. In any long term project based activity it is necessary toclearly define a series of shorter task that will join togehter into a larger whole. This helps the students to focus on a managable task, to stop to evaluate or reflect on each step. It also allows the teacher to guide in the right direction and correct minor mistakes before they become major challenges, Also by encouraging and allowing for collaboration at shorter intervals, students will be given a chance to encourage each other share their strengths with their classmates and their classmates to share their own strengths with them.

Reflections Module 6

In the past I have used and adapted to numerous projects a tic-tac-to assessment. Basically it is a three-by-three grid with nine possible assessment assignments of which the students needed to pick three to complete for an assessment grade. The assignments consisted of a variety of ways to show knowledge gained; drawings, maps, shadow boxes, graphs. diagrams, essays, poems,etc. It allowed students to chose things they liked or had strengths in which were at the same time paired with an assignment which would be more challanging. I am wondering how I could apply this as a modification to the unit already planned or perhaps add a third group of choices that the students could pick from to add to the already required Tri Venns and powerpoint presentations