Final Assignment: How to make a peanut butter and jelly snadwich

I have taken 10+ photos of the ingredients and process of making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. These photos will be located on my blog and will act as a prompt for my students to write a "How to" essay that will focus on the following literacy learning targets.

• Writes multi-paragraph compositions that uses correct indentation and provides an inviting introductory paragraph and concludes with a paragraph that summarizes the point (Sentences/paragraphs).
•  Present important ideas or events in sequence or chronological order (Sequence/Beginning, Middle, End).

The lesson will go as follows

1. As a class introduce the first image. Ask the kids in small groups to talk about the steps it takes to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Allow time for discussion and then for them to describe the steps.
2. Once discussion has waned, look through the rest of the images, allowing students to see the number of steps that are really involved.
3. Ask the students why the whiteboard only changes its words a few times
• The whiteboard's information represents the paragraph or the very important idea.
4. Ask the kids would it make sense if we listed the steps out of order or skipped some of the information? How important is the sequence and details?
5. Assign students to pre write their "How to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich" essay. They may use the images online to refer back to the sequence and details.

This exercise will allow my students to focus on the structure and sequence of their writing while while not necessarily worrying about the topic. Using the images will allow my developing language learners to have a visual reference to our writing prompt rather than just text projected onto the screen. 

Other possible activities I could do is have the kids group the pictures into sequential order.

Images to be used.

 

Assignment #6: 5 Blogs

Blog #1: http://coconnections.wonecks.net/

I liked the design of this blog. There was a lot going on but this blog's layout is not overwhelming. There is just a lot to see and do. I also appreciate the use of multimedia. I love being able to click and watch. Embedding content is a a great means to deliver information. Within her blog's pages are some great online resources too.

Blog #2: http://missblessings.edublogs.org/

This blog was a little plain. The header image seems a bit blurry and the yellow text in the upper right hand side felt like it was in the way of the image. I do like that this blog is less nosey than other blogs I have seen, but almost to a fault. The colors and the linear layout could use a little something else. Something to spice it up. The images and just placed in a row. As a user I did not feel like spending any extra time at this blog.

Blog #3: http://blogs.bcbe.org/jrhodus/

Mr. Rhodus' grabbed my attention at first, but as I scrolled down my attention waned. Once again the linear layout could not keep my attention. I just did not feel like scrolling down any further. I realize that a blog is a means to keep a record or journal of a time period, but as that scroll bar grows my interest does not. I think I would start to archive my blog in someway. Creating pages may be a solution. This blog did have an archives pages but it does not seem to work. This blog also did not have much to read. There was a lack of content in terms of text. Lastly this blogs seems to have two points of view. Meet the Teacher Day and Ferraris.

Blog #4: http://thompson67.edublogs.org/

I liked the name of this blog. Room 13. Very catchy and to the point. I liked the layout but the author seems to have some trouble. Perhaps it is because I am viewing his blog through Google's Chrome. Some of the text overlaps and some of the images blog others. I love the multimedia options and he has a clear point of view. I can see how an author could start to present multiple points of view in a blog, but when someone is using a blog as a professional tool or resource they really need to stick to what they intended their blog to be for their audience.

Blog #5: http://ilgunas.edublogs.org/

This blog is the online presence for a technology teacher. He seems to have gone a bit page crazy and there are really to many buttons to other pages at the top of his blog. I did like his resource links on the right hand side. A quick way to get students to a webpage. I did not like how different fonts and text sizes were used throughout. I like one font. It is easier on my eyes. There was also a broken image. That really takes away from the overall quality of the blog. Check your images and links often.

Assignment #5: Linking to Web Resources

Outside of my life as a teacher I enjoy many other activities, interests and passions. My number one activity of choice is golf. I love the idea of a sport that is truly me against myself. No matter how well the other players do, my outcome is always dependent on how I am playing. To better my game and keep me aware of what I need to do I often visit the Golf Channel's Tips, Lessons and Instruction. This collection of videos and user comments are very helpful to help correct my swing. I also enjoy keeping up with how the PGA pros are doing. ESPN Golf is a the best way to do that.

Fall is the season when I am getting my classroom back together and welcome my new students. It is also the time of year when I coach my 7 and 5 year olds soccer team. Having never played soccer a day in my life I rely on different web sites to help guide my soccer practices and lesson that I teach. Professional Soccer Coaching.com has been a great website to help me learn, practice and teach kids how to become better soccer players. My daughter has recently begun to play U8 soccer so I am exploring U8 soccer drills and techniques. These sites and more have made me a better coach. Or at lease makes me appear to be a better coach


When I have a free moment online I like to check out what Julian Smith is up to. Julian Smith is a film maker who does primarily web videos. He is hilarious but always has a story worth seeing. I am constantly wondering when he will be hitting the big screen.

Assignment #4: Adding Images

One of my jobs functions is to help support the use of digital cameras with other grade levels. This is very easy to do with older students seeing as they probably use cameras at home. But the little ones need step by step instruction and expectations.

These pictures are ones I use with 1st graders when we begin to learn how to use a digital camera. One frame at a time I introduce them to the cameras they will soon be using. Each picture points out a new function, action or use they need to know. Students will see everything before they can actually use a camera.

This activity always does exactly what I need it to do. The first graders do not worry about how to use their camera, they become more focused on taking good pictures. They know how to turn them on, choose the proper settings and everything else that they need to know.

 

Assignment #3: Third Entry

So far so good. I am learning a lot about the functions and abilities Blogger can offer any user. I wish there were more gadgets to choose from. But it looks like I can copy and paste HTML code from different resources to be added into my blog. I think that once I find a perfect look for my blog I would like to spend less time on layout and more time on content. I think that if I were to be choosing a new template every other week I would through my viewers off. Now, how to find and create the perfect layout....

Assignment #2 Classroom Activity

Recently I led a class that was exploring Google Docs for the first time. This was a a very interesting and fun activity. Some had used this web tool before but many others had not.

We began by going over the basic components of Google's Document. Most of the group has had experience using Microsoft's Word, so the basic tools of a word processor were not new. Font, size, style and alignment were not new. However there were a couple things that were different. Spell check was not in the same place and Google does not offer nearly as many creative opportunities as MS Word. But as for a being a basic word processor, everyone was able to quickly understand the layout and actions Google Document had to offer.

The real power came with the collaborative aspect. Once we began to connect multiple users to one document the users experience took on a whole new meaning. Users were able to work together online and right next to each other. The conversations drove the work which was documented with in the Google Doc. It was a very productive activity where the true meaning of collaborative online work was experienced.

Assignment #1: Blogging in the Classroom

Blogging in the classroom has many possibilities for teachers and students. As a teacher I find blogging could be a brand new web presence for myself and tool for communication between myself and my community. Rather than a traditional static web page that is one diminitial, a blog could be a more dynamic interactive experience for the community I serve. A post can be created by myself and replied to from parents or students. Questions could be asked and clarification can be offered. Blogging can truly offer an online conversation between myself and my class.

I also see the value of using blogs with students as an outlet for their writing. When I was in elementary school everyday we wrote in our journals. Blogs offer the exact same opportunity but for the 21st century learner. Blogging can offer an outlet for my students to express themselves in a safe environment where I can read and comment back. I would like to offer blogging as an option for students to keep their "online" journals. I would hesitate to require all students use a blog due to COPPA and parental permission issues, but would highly encourage all students to keep their journals in a blog.

Blogging also offers up the opportunity for students to use the internet responsibility. Internet responsibility has become an important issue as the internet has become a tool for learning. ISTE's NETS for students state that students should "Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible 
use of information and technology" There is no better way to allow students the opportunity to make the right choice using tools such as a blog in class for themselves. I would use blogs with my students as a tool for their writing while acting as a means to demonstrate ethical and appropitate behavior.