Mod 4, Act 3b: Drafting Outline for Your Assessment Plan

In this activity you developed assessments to use before, during and after the project work. What methods and tools did you use to clearly define expectations and standards for quality in student products and performances?

For this type of activity, journaling and discussions with the teacher and class will reveal a lot. Rubrics will be used to assess the journal entries. I used an ongoing KWL chart to keep us on the right track with the right focus. I will also use a checklist of ELA, Science and Social Studies GLEs covered throughout. The parent/student survey at the completion of the project will also reveal the change of attitudes.

Mod 3, Act 1: Ranking Questions

Blog Prompt: How do you believe the Visual Ranking Tool would promote higher-order thinking in your classroom?

I love the concept of analyzing and discussing the factors within a whole group setting. My first graders would of course have to be led more directly, but we could use this tool thanks to my projector. In science, there are more simplified environmental factors to discuss. I would also like to use it to help the kids think about ways to do fund raisers, go on field trips, handle arguments, etc.

Module 2, Activity 4: Discussing Unit Ideas

First Grade

Unit Title: Grandparents for the Holidays
Objectives:
1. To develop greater compassion for others and their community.
2. To improve oral reading fluency.
3. To improve writing skills.

Activities:
1. TLW visit a local nursing home and read books, sing songs, share poems and plant flowers with the residents.
2. TLW reflect on experiences in written journals.
3. TLW share journal entries and photo slideshow at the end of the unit to encourage others to become more involved in this aspect of their community.

Verbinator

After using Verbinator, I can see how we as teachers could easily just "cover" the GLEs and not put into account the value of each. There are so many lower level objectives seen here, according to Bloom. At the first grade level, there are more "identify" than "apply" or "compare". As a math teacher, I feel as though I am a 7.5 out of 10 in leading my students to higher-order thinking. Math is easily related to life applications and first grade students are so eager to participate in stories of how each topic applies to them. The kids at this age make it easy--they have so far to reach at 6 years old!

Reflecting On Your Own Classroom

I enjoy using the technology I've been blessed with: a SmartBoard, projector, document camera, student digital cameras, access to UnitedStreaming videos and an updated computer. I plan my lessons to not just incorporate these things, but to enhance our curriculum and therefore stimulate student learning. My first graders enjoy experiencing these teaching techniques, but I have to remind myself that the students at this level need hands-on activities as well. Using my digital cameras and document camera, students are able to model and demonstrate their individual and group work. I could (but wouldn't dare) literally sit and teach from my computer all day. I don't know how I taught without these tools, and I hope I do not ever have to do without.