Besides doing the decades project, my other favorite project this semester was to do the 5 themes of geography. While I did mine on my hometown, I still had fun doing it.\
I think this project would be fun for students as well because it helps them really become familiar with the themes of geography. Finding pictures that represent place, region, movement, human interaction, and location will help students relate to these things and let them take fun pictures as well.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Third Grade
Before this semester, I mostly worked with Kindergarten. Then for field I was assigned 5th grade and found out that the teacher already had a student teacher. My next stop was 6th grade where this teacher also had a student teacher. I finally found a place to go, which was third grade. While I am a little dissapointed that I didn't get an older grade so that I could gain experience with them, I am so glad that I got the class that I got. I hope that I will be able to do student teaching at the same location.
The first day I walked into the school I was welcomed by every teacher I saw and even the principle. I felt like I was supposed to be here. Throughout the ten weeks, I became familiar with the teachers and even found some teachers I had when I was in school.
I was able to learn a lot from this experience. My field teacher was very helpful also. Even though she has been teaching for a long time, she wasn't a teacher who did all worksheets all day. She let the students move around and play games.
I am glad I was able to be at the school that I was at. It was an experience that I will never forget.
The first day I walked into the school I was welcomed by every teacher I saw and even the principle. I felt like I was supposed to be here. Throughout the ten weeks, I became familiar with the teachers and even found some teachers I had when I was in school.
I was able to learn a lot from this experience. My field teacher was very helpful also. Even though she has been teaching for a long time, she wasn't a teacher who did all worksheets all day. She let the students move around and play games.
I am glad I was able to be at the school that I was at. It was an experience that I will never forget.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Rules, Rules, Rules
This semester we learned the importance of meaningful rules and consequences. We also learned that teachers as well, need to follow the rules. How many times were you told to not talk in the hallway and then two seconds later your teacher is talking to another teacher in the HALLWAY! Whatever the case was, I can remember my teachers throughout school breaking their own rules.
Even though I am not a teacher yet with my own classroom, I think that it is important to have a classroom where students are involved with the creation of the rules and consequences. This begins the first day. As soon as the students walk in, have them notice that there are no rules posted in the classroom. This lets the students know first hand that they will have a say in this room. The first step is to ask students what they would think would make school or the classroom a fun place to be. Write all their ideas on the board and then go through them and find the ones that are acceptable or that can be controlled by the teacher. Then once the students have done this, have them think of ideas that make school a boring place or not a good feeling. Do the same thing with these ideas as before. Then go through and have students think of their own consequences.
Once all these steps are finished, make sure that every student understands what each rule is really about and the consequences that go along with that rule. Growing up I would have loved to help make the rules in my classes, but it was never the case. This gives students the freedom and independence that they yearn for.
Even though I am not a teacher yet with my own classroom, I think that it is important to have a classroom where students are involved with the creation of the rules and consequences. This begins the first day. As soon as the students walk in, have them notice that there are no rules posted in the classroom. This lets the students know first hand that they will have a say in this room. The first step is to ask students what they would think would make school or the classroom a fun place to be. Write all their ideas on the board and then go through them and find the ones that are acceptable or that can be controlled by the teacher. Then once the students have done this, have them think of ideas that make school a boring place or not a good feeling. Do the same thing with these ideas as before. Then go through and have students think of their own consequences.
Once all these steps are finished, make sure that every student understands what each rule is really about and the consequences that go along with that rule. Growing up I would have loved to help make the rules in my classes, but it was never the case. This gives students the freedom and independence that they yearn for.
Where in the World.....
An interesting way to help students learn about geography is to have students find the location of where their clothes were made. A lot of the time, our clothes are made in countries that we may have never heard of, with the exception of China. The first step in this activity is to have students help each other look at where their clothes were made. The students then take a look at a map to find where these countries are. Once students have found the countries, they take a colored pencil and color in the country on a blank map. By doing this activity, it lets students become more familiar with using a map first of all. It also lets students find the countries that they are less familiar with. This activity could even break into discussion about why some countries make more clothes compared to other countries. Talking about trade between countries can also be a discussion when doing this activity.
Making Books
A few weeks ago in Language Arts, we were assigned to make a book. I enjoy working with younger elementary grades so I created an ABC book of spring. For each letter, I thought of a word associated with spring that begin with that letter. A few examples are:
A is for air, so crisp and clean.
B is for beautiful blooming flowers.
C is for chilly spring mornings.
By having students make a book gives them the freedom to write about their interests and share them with friends and family. This also lets students be the illustrator of their books. A few ideas that my classmates had were a book of spring poems, March Madness, and a book about things that happened on the first day of spring for the past 20 years.
Travel Through Time
This semester we were given the opportunity to 'travel through time', and it was a blast. We broke into groups of about 3 or 4 and created a decades project. Each group was to find information on a decade and present it. My group was the 50's. We filled our presentation with artifacts that I found from my Grandma and Grandpa including my Grandpa's Air Force uniform that he wore in Korea. We also used a lot of things from I Love Lucy.
A adults, we enjoyed every minute of this project. I was able to learn a lot about not only my decade, but the other decades as well. I think this project gives children a hands-on experience that they wouldn't learn from a text book. Letting them dress up and find artifacts from their decade is also something they may not be familiar with.
A adults, we enjoyed every minute of this project. I was able to learn a lot about not only my decade, but the other decades as well. I think this project gives children a hands-on experience that they wouldn't learn from a text book. Letting them dress up and find artifacts from their decade is also something they may not be familiar with.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Using picture books to teach history
This week in class, we were introduced to using picture books to teach history. You may think that using picture books with students in older grades such as 5th and 6th grade might not grasp their attention, but even I, being in college, was engaged in these books. There were many things that I read in the picture book that I didn't read in the textbook. Two books that I know interested me are: Roanoke, The Lost Colony, An Unsolved Mystery From History, by Jane Yolen and Heidi Elishabet Yolen Stemple and Lincoln and Douglas: An American Friendship by Nikki Giovanni. The authors of both these books share a lot about history that can't be found in a textbook. As a teacher, finding ways to teach history in a fun and an engaging way is critical.
Book List for a unit on the Thirteen Colonies
The following books can be used in helping students learn and become familiar with the original Thirteen Colonies.
1. Hakim, Joy. (2007). Making thirteen colonies: 1600-1740 a history of US. Oxford University Press, USA
This book is geared toward students who are 9-12 years old. It is part of a nonfiction historical series where the author makes reading about U.S. history fun and exciting. This book has many chapters that explains different things about the Colonists and their journey from Europe.
2. Sakurai, G. (1997). The jamestown colony (cornerstones of freedom). Children's Press. CT.
This book is also geared towards 9-12 years old. It is a smaller book about the colony of Jamestown. I liked that it has a glossary at the beginning with new vocabulary for students.
3. Dubois, M. (2006). The delaware colony (fact finders: the american colonies).Capstone Press.
This book is part of a series, all which are about the thirteen colonies. Each book starts out explaining about the Indians in that area. The books also provide information about the government, economy, resources, the people, etc. The books include maps, timelines, and charts. These books are for grades 2-4.
4. January, B. (2001). The thirteen colonies. Children’s Press. CT.
This book introduces students to the first communities and colonies. It also includes a glossary at the end of the book. This book is also for students 9-12 years old.
5. Rosen, D. (2006). New beginnings: jamestown and the virginia colony 1607-1699. National Geographic for Children.
This book is for grades 5-7. It explains the formation of the first colonies, all the way to formation of Williamsburg. It includes many pictures, maps, and graphs for the students to see.
6. Dean, R. and Thomson, M. (1999) Life in the american colonies. Lucent Books. San Diego California
This series of books gives children an insight to different ways of life in different cultures. The first chapters explains why the colonists came to America. The following chapters explain life in the city and then life in the country. The last chapters explain different skills, crafts, and professions of the colonists. This book would be good for grades 4-6.
7. Huey, Louis. (2010). American acrcheology uncovers the earliest english colonies. Marshall Cavendish. Tarrytown, New York.
This is a very neat and interesting book about archeological findings of the early colonies. The first colony that the book looks at is the lost colony of Roanoke. It then goes through Jamestown. At the end of the book it provides a timeline and glossary as resources for children. This book would be used for grades 4-7.
8. Fradin, Dennis. (2007). Jamestown, virginia. Marshall Cavendish Benchwork. Tarrytown, New York.
This is a book about Jamestown, Virginia. It gives children an introduction to the early exploration of America. It then explores the founding of Jamestown. It also provides students with a glossary and timeline at the end of the book. This book is geared towards students grades 4-6.
This website is filled with all sorts of Social Studies for kids. It has current events, history, Economics, and geography. This website would be suitable for grades 3-6. I think it would be easier for older students to navigate through the website, but fun for all grades mentioned. It also has games for students to play and even includes teacher resources.
This website has many resources for both students and teachers in all subjects besides Social Studies. Regarding our Unit, it has resource websites for each colony.
Friday, February 4, 2011
My Family
Hey everyone!
This first blog is going to be about a few family artifacts that I have added to my blog. As most of you already know, Breast Cancer is very big in my family. My mom, my grandma, and my aunt are all survivors of this horrible disease. Then in high school one of my really close friends lost her battle with cancer when we were freshmen. My dad, along with almost everyone on his side of the family, suffers from Diabetes. I have had my fair share of different types of cancers and I support Breast Cancer to the fullest. I have added a "I support Breast Cancer Awareness" picture at the bottom of my blog. Recently my 30 year old, non-smoking cousin has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer. I added a picture and tried to add the link to their page on Facebook. I ask for your guys support to like their page on facebook and help my family beat this as well.
While these aren't "true" artifacts, just pictures, they still explain who I am and what is important to me. When we did this activity I could really see what was important to everyone else in the class. For young students, this could be an activity to help learn the backgrounds of their peers and to also help them understand that every one has special things or "artifacts" that are important to them as well.
This first blog is going to be about a few family artifacts that I have added to my blog. As most of you already know, Breast Cancer is very big in my family. My mom, my grandma, and my aunt are all survivors of this horrible disease. Then in high school one of my really close friends lost her battle with cancer when we were freshmen. My dad, along with almost everyone on his side of the family, suffers from Diabetes. I have had my fair share of different types of cancers and I support Breast Cancer to the fullest. I have added a "I support Breast Cancer Awareness" picture at the bottom of my blog. Recently my 30 year old, non-smoking cousin has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer. I added a picture and tried to add the link to their page on Facebook. I ask for your guys support to like their page on facebook and help my family beat this as well.
While these aren't "true" artifacts, just pictures, they still explain who I am and what is important to me. When we did this activity I could really see what was important to everyone else in the class. For young students, this could be an activity to help learn the backgrounds of their peers and to also help them understand that every one has special things or "artifacts" that are important to them as well.
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