Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Standard 1

Candidates use all of the following:
  1. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
To support promote, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness I first had to practice this myself. In class I always attempted to think outside the box and try to do activities in a way that allowed for high order thinking in real life application. I did this by allowing open ideas and thought processes in planning and accommodating for and during lesson application.
  1. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.
In all of my lesson plans, I really thought of how I could apply the standards to real life situations that the students could relate to. I wanted the students to learn to information but also be able to relate to the lessons in their own life. I think by allowing them to do this, the students will learn the information that much more in depth. I let the students use a classroom blog and the internet to solve authentic problems related to the lesson topic, they could write openly about what we learned about and use their imagination to create stories, letters, and speeches related to the Civil War era. Since we live in a digital world I believe it is important to allow students the responsibility to use technology for their own creative thinking. 
  1. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.
During this semester, we were required to reflect back on our time spent in class and grow from it. We also had peer feedback that allowed us to reflect on what worked and what didn't work during teaching lessons. For myself when teaching, I could look back at what I wanted my students to learn, look at their work, and see an overall of what I could improve on by what kind of work they did. In learning, reflecting is an important part of the creative process in order to learn and grow from the experience. After every session I allowed my students to talk about what they did, and why they did it as such with each other. People learn better when it is a social interaction between their peers. It is important to allow for this collaboration in my future endeavors as a teacher in order to reveal and clarify each student's understanding.
  1. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.
I think in class we allowed for collaborative knowledge construction by allowing for peer reflection and conversation. We could talk about the lesson of what went good and what I could improve on in the future. It is good to get reflection back from students in order to see what you should do in the future. When I was teaching I created my own example of the work I wanted them to do,  I think this was a good engaging learning experience because it allowed them to see what I wanted from them. I think it also engaged the students with the teacher because I was putting myself in the students shoes for the lesson. By having a blog, I was allowing the students to participate in a virtual environment while still having face-to-face interactions in class.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

  1. Instructional Decisions/Teaching (InTask Standard # 9): Discuss the implementation process and describe
    • What went well and what didn't go well during the implementation of your lesson? For my lesson I believe that it went very well and very smooth during the hour. I started the lesson with reviewing their previous knowledge about the Civil War and the important people involved with the war ending. The only thing that didn't go so well is my blog was not popping up for the class at first and I had to go in and change my settings.
    • How well was the alignment to objectives and standards maintained? I stuck well with aligning my objectives and standards during the lesson. We stayed on topic well and had discussions furthering their information about the Civil War and about the Emancipation Proclamation.
    • Describe any modifications made during the implementation of the lesson. During instruction I had to modify my blog in order to allow the students access to my blog that I thought they already had access to. I also had to modify my lesson to allow for room for difficult students who could not stay on track, I had to remediate the lesson to go over multiple times information that other students had already got and learned. 
  2. Mechanics:
    • What technologies did I use (for the teacher and the learner)? I used a blog, word processor, and the world wide web during this lesson for my students.
    • How were the technologies used (by whom and in what manner)? The blog was used for their speeches to be posted on and viewed. I used word processor for them to look up other words to be used in their speech and to first write their speech with to see any grammatical errors. Finally I used the world wide web for them to use with looking up unknown words, watch a video online, and finally using the blog to get to.
    • My lesson was within the correct time frame
      • It was short because…
      • It was too long because…
      • The lesson was within the correct time frame because...The lesson ended in perfect timing because of how I had to re teach items to students who were not understanding the objective. I let them take their own time writing their speech, if they had extra time, I wanted them to keep going with their speech and add more reasons of defending their side. At the end I had them present their speech to one another, if I had extra time we would have created a class speech about rights and respect.
  3. Assessment of Learning (InTask Standard # 6): Refer to Assessing Student Learning
    • Include at least 2 digital artifacts that demonstrate what you or your students (peers) have created as a result of your lesson. If you look under http://shannonschwecke.blogspot.com/ you will find the students' speeches.
    • Describe your students' level of success in achieving the standards and objectives for your lesson based on your assessment. My students succeeded beyond expectation, they understood the concept of the lesson and understand why we were doing the task. I think they succeeded so well because we talked about how to relate the speech to their own lives. 
    • Describe the level of success you had in teaching the lesson
      • How do your individual reflections support this? Their reflection supported this because they had to relate a speech and give reasons for their purpose of the speech in their writing.
      • How do the comments from your classmates support this? The comments I received from my peers supported this because they mentioned how they really could understand why the Emancipation Proclamation was important. They also mentioned how I knew the topic inside and out, which I believe is important when teaching a subject because it instills confidence in the students as well.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES (4th Post)
In this section include any examples you have created for the students, resources (software, weblinks, books, crafting items, etc.) and other necessary items
The Emancipation Proclamation
January 1, 1863
By the President of the United States of America:
A Proclamation.
Whereas, on the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, to wit:

"That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.

"That the Executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be in rebellion against the United States; and the fact that any State, or the people thereof, shall on that day be, in good faith, represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such State shall have participated, shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such State, and the people thereof, are not then in rebellion against the United States."

Now, therefore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-Chief, of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days, from the day first above mentioned, order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof respectively, are this day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit:

Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, (except the Parishes of St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James Ascension, Assumption, Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the City of New Orleans) Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Ann, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth[)], and which excepted parts, are for the present, left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.

And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.

And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defence; and I recommend to them that, in all cases when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages.

And I further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.

And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the eighty-seventh.

EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION WORD CHOICE:
1)

2)

3)





WHAT IS THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION ALL ABOUT?
1) Were the slaves immediately free?
-Why?

2) Why did President Lincoln wait until 1882 to announce the Emancipation Proclamation?


3) Is the Emancipation Proclamation a law?


4) Where is the Emancipation Proclamation located now?


ASSESSMENT (3rd Post)

Procedure: Read Assessing Student Learning (Include a description of how you will determine the students' success in meeting the standards and objectives of the lesson (You must include what artifacts and activities will be assessed as well as a description of the assessment process))

I will be making sure my students meets the standards and objectives of my lesson by formally and informally assessments. My formal assessment will include assessing their copy of the Emancipation Proclamation and the words they chose to define and look up independently. Another form of formal assessment will be from their speech they write on their choosing of freedom they want. I will assess this from my rubric I pass out about what I am looking for in their speech. Once the students go onto the next provided website
My informal assessment will be that of assessing what my students write on the board about why the Emancipation Proclamation is important to our history now and also our history as a country.

Instruments: (Include any tools that you will be using to assess your students (e.g. rubric, checklist, worksheet, test)
SPEECH RUBRIC: WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

Topic
Reasons
Layout
3: GREAT
Topic is strong and relates to freedom
A strong list of reasons that support the topic clearly
The layout of the speech flows clearly and in order of topic, reasons(3), conclusion.
2: GOOD
Topic is concrete, but only somewhat relates to freedom of choice and decisions
A couple reasons that relate to the topic, are not presented clearly and definitely
The layout of the speech has 2 or less reasons to defend topic with a conclusion.
1: NEEDS REVISING
Topic does not relate to freedom
There are little to no reasons that support the topic of freedom and why they deserve this freedom
The layout of the speech has no order and does not have reasons to support the topic chosen.


Reflect on:
Planning Assessment (InTask Standard # 6):
  • How does the assessment align with the standards and objectives of this lesson?
    The assessment aligns with the standards and objectives for this lesson by grading the students on their words they defined, their ideas on the E.P, and on their speech they wrote and how clearly they defined their topic and reasons. 
  • How does the assessment demonstrate that the students have been successful in learning the content?
    The assessment demonstrates that the students have been successful in learning the content by having the students think creatively about freedom and what it means to them in their own lives. 
  • How does the assessment demonstrate student engagement in higher order thinking?
    The assessment demonstrates student engagement in higher order thinking by having them create their own speech about something they can relate to. It also allows them to be creative and individual on the topic of freedom and choice. 
  • How does the assessment demonstrate that individual student needs were met?
    The assessment demonstrates that individual student needs were met by letting the students have their own identity in the topic and their own choice. Their needs will be met by allowing them to review the rubric and what I will be looking for during their speech. 

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

IMPLEMENTATION (2nd Post)

Procedure: (Include a step-by-step description of what the students and the teacher will be doing (i.e. walk me through the lesson)

1) Begin by passing out pre-assessment worksheet for students to fill out.
2) Go through their answers and correct any misunderstandings of the Emancipation Proclamation.
-Read outloud the Emancipation Proclamation:
The Emancipation Proclamation
January 1, 1863
By the President of the United States of America:
A Proclamation.

Whereas, on the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, to wit:

"That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.

"That the Executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be in rebellion against the United States; and the fact that any State, or the people thereof, shall on that day be, in good faith, represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such State shall have participated, shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such State, and the people thereof, are not then in rebellion against the United States."

Now, therefore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-Chief, of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days, from the day first above mentioned, order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof respectively, are this day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit:

Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, (except the Parishes of St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James Ascension, Assumption, Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the City of New Orleans) Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Ann, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth[)], and which excepted parts, are for the present, left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.

And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.

And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defence; and I recommend to them that, in all cases when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages.

And I further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.

And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the eighty-seventh.

3) Move on to talking about and discussing the Emancipation Proclamation and why they believe it to be important in our history.
-Have the students write these on the board as they answer.
4) Go through their answers and discuss their importance to American history and the present today.
5) Bring up the Emancipation Proclamation video and have each of them watch it on their computer.
6) They will then read the Emancipation Proclamation on their own and highlight words they do not know. They will then go online to look up these words and write them down.
7) I will then hand out a worksheet for them to fill out when going onto the next site to answer questions regarding the Emancipation Proclamation. They will be using this for discussion about the Proclamation and for assessment.
8) We will then discuss issues going on in today's world about freedom from government or laws and they will then have to write their own speech about freedom and liberty for everyone. I will have an example and guideline rubric for what should be on their speech. They will be able to follow this to create their own. 
9) I will call students at random to discuss what they talked about in their speech and why they believe it to be important.

Technology Integration: (Describe how students and the teacher will use technology throughout the lesson)
I will be using technology throughout this lesson by having students go on various websites to look up definition of words and to find answers to a worksheet I previously handed out. 

Differentiated Instruction: Describe how you will differentiate the instruction for each of the following:
  • Cognitive delay: For students who need extra help with this lesson, I will provide a summary of what the Emancipation Proclamation is saying through the speech in an easier way to decipher. If they still need extra help, they will be provided their own form for their speech they will write with writing prompts for them to choose from, to make it easier for them to write an complete the task. 
  • Gifted: For students who need enrichment, they will be asked to write a short summary of the Emancipation Proclamation and explain why we still have this document today and how we can still relate to it. 
  • ELL: For ELL students, I will provide a summary of what the Emancipation Proclamation is saying through the speech in an easier way to decipher. If they still need extra help, they will be provided their own form for their speech they will write with writing prompts for them to choose from, to make it easier for them to write an complete the task.
Reflect on:
Designing Instruction (InTask Standards 7 and 8):
  • Why are you using the instructional methods you have described? I am using these methods for this lesson because I believe that having students learn about the topic and then recreate it in their own way, is the best design for them to retain the information. 
  • How do the instructional methods align with what you know about best practices (think about your methods classes)? The instructional methods align with what I believe to be the best practices because involving students in the lesson is a way to create higher level thinking students. We learn by doing, and having students be creative in this project will help them in wanting to learn more about speeches, the Emancipation Proclamation, Abe Lincoln, the U.S., it could open up the doors to much more than anticipated.
  • How are you engaging students in creative and higher order thinking? I am engaging my students in creative and higher order thinking by having them create their own speech on something they are passionate or interested about. By having them come up with their own speeches, they are being creative and thinking at a more personal level with the assignment.
  • How does your integration of technology support what you know about best practices for technology integration in the classroom? I believe that integrating technology into my lesson will have my students more engaged and interested in the lesson. Students see technology as freedom, and giving them the freedom to use technology will have them more interested in the subject. 

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Grade Level:3rd

Subject(s):Social Studies, Language Arts

Topic of Study: Emancipation Proclamation

Time Allotment: 1 hour

Standards: (Include Common Core and Subject Area (if needed))
1.       Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers. (3.RI.1)

2.       Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea. (3.RI.2)

2.       Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect. (3.RI.3)

Craft and Structure
3.       Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area. (3.RI.4)

5.       Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently. (3.RI.5)

6.       Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text. (3.RI.6)

Objectives: (What do you want the students to know or be able to do?, I will be looking carefully on how they align with your assessment)
Students will be able to read and understand the Emancipation Proclamation and why it is important in our history. The students will create their own speech about freedom and present it to the class.

Reflect on:
Assessing Prior Knowledge: (Discuss the following for this lesson)
  • What do the students need to know prior to the lesson?
  • How will prior knowledge and experience be assessed?
  • How will you use this information in the planning process?
The students need to know when the Emancipation Proclamation took place and why it happened. Prior knowledge will be assessed by having my students fill out a pre-assessment of what they know or think they know of the Emancipation Proclamation. I will use this information in my planning process by taking into account each student's understanding of the topic and planning to each students needs. 

Planning Instruction: (Discuss the following for this lesson)
  • Why should the content of this lesson be taught at this grade level?
  • How do the objectives that you have for the lesson align with the standards?
  • When will the lesson be taught in the course of the school year? Why?
I think the content should be taught at this level because it is a precursor to them learning about government and US laws and rights. The objectives that I have for the lesson align with the standards by having my students read, research, and answer questions pertaining to the Emancipation Proclamation. I would teach this lesson about a month into the school year. I would teach it then because I believe that we will have already covered the Civil War and be moving onto government and state history.