Communication

In the classroom communication is the key. As teachers we must be aware of how we are relaying a message and how our students are receiving it. I think it is very easy to assume that the person/people we communicate with know more about the topic of discussion than they actually do. This can create communication problems so we must keep in mind that when we are speaking/writing/etc. that we include all the information needed to relay the correct message. Our students will also need to practice their communication skills. I love the picture activity from class. It is a fun and effective way to improve communication skills that I plan on using in my classroom.

I really enjoyed the traveling story. It was entertaining while being effective. I think students would have fun with this activity while being actively engaged in learning. The fact that the students must pay attention to the previous words/sentences most likely will prevent them from misbehaving. I really want to implement this lesson into my classroom one day. It is a great way to activate student's imagination which I believe is important at any age!!

Cross Curricular Project

I have started my cross curricular project featuring "Vacation Location". Students will select their dream vacation location and which they will work with in various classes. I have selected 9th grade ELA, Algebra I, US History, and PE/Health. In ELA I have created a hand-out to give the students explaining the requirements of the 4 week portfolio. To complete this subject I need to create a lesson plan and rubric. In Algebra I have created a 2 week lesson plan and hand-out. I still need to determine the assessment and extend the lesson 2 more weeks. In US History I have completed the lesson plan and hand-outs. A rubric is the only thing lacking. For PE I want to incorporate "The Amazing Race". Other than this idea, I have not started on this subject.
This is what I have so far for ELA:
(hand-out for students)

Vacation Portfolio
You will be creating a portfolio of your ‘Dream Vacation Location”. After researching your location you will complete a variety of activities. You may select from the list below. Each activity is worth the amount of points notated next to it. You must complete at least 100 points worth of activities. You can complete up to 10 points more for extra credit. You may NOT repeat any activity.

Travel Brochure ~ 15 pts. Create a travel brochure that describes your location. It should include, but is not limited to: brief history, current trends, famous attractions, hand-drawn photos & printed pictures.
1 page persuasive essay ~ 25 pts. Write a persuasive essay explaining why your ‘Vacation Location’ is the best or worst place to go on vacation. This essay should be well written, organized, and have zero grammatical errors.
Digital Tour ~ 50 pts. Create a digital tour of your ‘Vacation Location’ using Microsoft Power Point, Movie-Maker, ect. The tour should include but is not limited to pictures (which must be labeled!), words, and sounds.
Poem/Song ~ 20 pts. - 30 pts. Write a poem or a song about your ‘Vacation Location’. You must use facts but you may include your imagination. (20 pts). Perform your song in front of the class for an extra 10 pts.
Draw a Picture ~ 10 pts. Draw a picture of your ‘Vacation Location’. You must include factual images.
Newspaper Article ~ 20 pts. Write a newspaper article about a current event that is happening at your ‘Vacation Location’. This must be factual and include at least one photo.
Design a T-Shirt ~ 5 pts - 10 pts. Design a T-Shirt that represents your ‘Vacation Location’. (5 pts) It may be drawn on paper, designed on a computer program, on an actual t-shirt, ect. (If you design a real t-shirt and wear it to school you will receive an additional 5 pts.)
Commercial ~ 10 pts - 20 pts. Write a script for a commercial promoting your ‘Vacation Location’. (10 pts) Perform it in front of the class either individually or with a group for an extra 10 pts. If you perform with a group only you will receive the extra points.
Interview ~ 35 pts. Interview someone who has gone to your ‘Vacation Location’. Create a list of at least 25 questions and add the answers. Make sure you include questions that are open-ended. Create a page that includes the individual/individual’s that you interviewed, date, time, and have the interviewee’s sign it.
Photos ~ 5 pts. Make copies from photos taken by someone who has personally gone to your ‘Vacation Location’. You must have at least 5 photos with labels on the back explaining what the photo is.

Setting Box ~ 25 pts. Create a 3-D representation of your ‘Vacation Location’ inside a shoebox. The representation should include key components of your specific location.

The following are TEKS that may be covered depending on what activities the student chooses.

(11) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Procedural Texts. Students understand how to glean and use information in procedural texts and documents. Students are expected to:
(A) analyze the clarity of the objective(s) of procedural text (e.g., consider reading instructions for software, warranties, consumer publications); and
(B) analyze factual, quantitative, or technical data presented in multiple graphical sources.
(12) Reading/Media Literacy. Students use comprehension skills to analyze how words, images, graphics, and sounds work together in various forms to impact meaning. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater depth in increasingly more complex texts. Students are expected to:
(A) compare and contrast how events are presented and information is communicated by visual images (e.g., graphic art, illustrations, news photographs) versus non-visual texts;
(B) analyze how messages in media are conveyed through visual and sound techniques (e.g., editing, reaction shots, sequencing, background music);
(C) compare and contrast coverage of the same event in various media (e.g., newspapers, television, documentaries, blogs, Internet); and
(D) evaluate changes in formality and tone within the same medium for specific audiences and purposes.
(13) Writing/Writing Process. Students use elements of the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing) to compose text. Students are expected to:
(A) plan a first draft by selecting the correct genre for conveying the intended meaning to multiple audiences, determining appropriate topics through a range of strategies (e.g., discussion, background reading, personal interests, interviews), and developing a thesis or controlling idea;
(B) structure ideas in a sustained and persuasive way (e.g., using outlines, note taking, graphic organizers, lists) and develop drafts in timed and open-ended situations that include transitions and the rhetorical devices used to convey meaning;
(C) revise drafts to improve style, word choice, figurative language, sentence variety, and subtlety of meaning after rethinking how well questions of purpose, audience, and genre have been addressed;
(D) edit drafts for grammar, mechanics, and spelling; and
(E) revise final draft in response to feedback from peers and teacher and publish written work for appropriate audiences.
(14) Writing/Literary Texts. Students write literary texts to express their ideas and feelings about real or imagined people, events, and ideas. Students are responsible for at least two forms of literary writing. Students are expected to:
(B) write a poem using a variety of poetic techniques (e.g., structural elements, figurative language) and a variety of poetic forms (e.g., sonnets, ballads); and
(E) an analysis of the relative value of specific data, facts, and ideas.
(17) Oral and Written Conventions/Conventions. Students understand the function of and use the conventions of academic language when speaking and writing. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to:
(18) Oral and Written Conventions/Handwriting, Capitalization, and Punctuation. Students write legibly and use appropriate capitalization and punctuation conventions in their compositions. Students are expected to:
(A) use conventions of capitalization; and
(B) use correct punctuation marks including:
(i) quotation marks to indicate sarcasm or irony;
(ii) comma placement in nonrestrictive phrases, clauses, and contrasting expressions; and
(iii) dashes to emphasize parenthetical information.
(19) Oral and Written Conventions/Spelling. Students spell correctly. Students are expected to spell correctly, including using various resources to determine and check correct spellings.
(20) Research/Research Plan. Students ask open-ended research questions and develop a plan for answering them. Students are expected to:
(A) brainstorm, consult with others, decide upon a topic, and formulate a major research question to address the major research topic; and
(B) formulate a plan for engaging in research on a complex, multi-faceted topic.
(21) Research/Gathering Sources. Students determine, locate, and explore the full range of relevant sources addressing a research question and systematically record the information they gather. Students are expected to:
(A) follow the research plan to compile data from authoritative sources in a manner that identifies the major issues and debates within the field of inquiry;
(B) organize information gathered from multiple sources to create a variety of graphics and forms (e.g., notes, learning logs); and
(C) paraphrase, summarize, quote, and accurately cite all researched information according to a standard format (e.g., author, title, page number).
(22) Research/Synthesizing Information. Students clarify research questions and evaluate and synthesize collected information. Students are expected to:
(A) modify the major research question as necessary to refocus the research plan;
(B) evaluate the relevance of information to the topic and determine the reliability, validity, and accuracy of sources (including Internet sources) by examining their authority and objectivity; and
(C) critique the research process at each step to implement changes as the need occurs and is identified.
(23) Research/Organizing and Presenting Ideas. Students organize and present their ideas and information according to the purpose of the research and their audience. Students are expected to synthesize the research into a written or an oral presentation that:
(A) marshals evidence in support of a clear thesis statement and related claims;
(B) provides an analysis for the audience that reflects a logical progression of ideas and a clearly stated point of view;
(C) uses graphics and illustrations to help explain concepts where appropriate;
(D) uses a variety of evaluative tools (e.g., self-made rubrics, peer reviews, teacher and expert evaluations) to examine the quality of the research; and
(E) uses a style manual (e.g., Modern Language Association, Chicago Manual of Style) to document sources and format written materials.
(24) Listening and Speaking/Listening. Students will use comprehension skills to listen attentively to others in formal and informal settings. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to:
(A) listen responsively to a speaker by taking notes that summarize, synthesize, or highlight the speaker's ideas for critical reflection and by asking questions related to the content for clarification and elaboration;
(B) follow and give complex oral instructions to perform specific tasks, answer questions, solve problems, and complete processes; and
(C) evaluate the effectiveness of a speaker's main and supporting ideas.
(25) Listening and Speaking/Speaking. Students speak clearly and to the point, using the conventions of language. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to give presentations using informal, formal, and technical language effectively to meet the needs of audience, purpose, and occasion, employing eye contact, speaking rate (e.g., pauses for effect), volume, enunciation, purposeful gestures, and conventions of language to communicate ideas effectively.

Assessment

Assessment is a means of gathering information for a specific purpose, and most often reveals one's knowledge about targeted content. It is a way of determining whether a student knows information about a topic or how much they know about the topic. It can be formal or informal, have high-stakes or low-stakes, come in a variety of forms, and can be graded multiple ways.

Authentic Assessment Examples:
1.) Create a product: (Ex: shoe-box setting) Students can create a setting of a story/novel inside a shoe-box. They will make the inside of the shoe-box look like a setting in the story. It should display what the author describes.

2.) Make a movie: Students could re-create a scene in the story and film it. An extension of this could be to take the idea/concept of the story and relate it to a modern day idea. They would film the new version of the story and show how it relates the old story. The new film would need to follow the same story structure. (Ex: Students could take the storyline from 'Frankenstein' and use it to re-create a film about 'Pimp My Ride ~ Went Wrong'.)

3.) Create a collage: Students would find pictures that are relevant to the topic and create a collage. This could be abstract. For example, the collage could represent the mood of the story.

Informative & Persuasive Writing

The goal of informative writing is to provide information. This means that the content is full of facts. By writing an informative text you must keep in mind that you are teaching the reader about the topic. The purpose must be very clear and follow with organization. Keep in mind that accurate definitions are vital and word choice needs to be carefully selected. If your goal of writing is to convince the reader to agree with your opinion then you will be taking a different approach. This type of writing is called persuasive writing. When writing a persuasive paper, including facts that support your opinion are crucial to influence your reader because you want to ensure your reader that your opinion is best. It is important to consider the targeted audience, data, and a focused argument. Determining if you are selling toward egos, emotions, fear, or character can be helpful. By using adjectives and feeling words you can really sell your point.

Activities:
Informative - Students will select a career that they are interested in pursuing. They will research it and use what they have learned to write a newspaper ad about a job opening. Their ad should contain job requirements, skills, possible salary or hourly rate, opportunity's for advancement, structure of work schedule, and a description of the job and what is expected.

Persuasive - Give each student a bite-size candy bar (a variety may be used). The student will write a letter to candy company convincing them what they should do to improve the candy bar.

What is writing???

Writing is a PROCESS!!!!! This process called writing is composed of five stages. They include:
1.) Pre-Writing
2.) Drafting
3.) Revising
4.) Editing
5.)Publishing

During the pre-writing stage the topic is decided and ideas are considered. An example of this would be a web or outline or any strategy to organize brainstorming. Once a suitable amount of ideas are in place, drafting can begin. This would be the first draft. The ideas would be transformed from simple ideas and statements to complete sentences. This stage will most likely look messy as will the revising stage. During this stage unnecessary segments may be deleted and more elaboration may be added as needed. An example would be using sticky notes in places where information needs to be added and scratching out useless or irrelevant parts.
The first three steps can be revisited multiple times before moving on to the editing stage. These first three steps is where the content is created and composed. This should be complete before any editing of grammar and mechanics begins. Editing the paper consists of correcting grammar mistakes, misspelled words, and sentence structure. Editing symbols would be used to notate errors. An example of this would be three lines below a letter that is lowercase and should be capital. Once these mistakes are corrected it is time for publishing. The paper is delivered during this stage. By following these steps you are capable or creating a masterpiece.

Good Readers

Good readers often enjoy reading. There is a common saying, "practice makes perfect". I believe this pertains to reading as well as many other skills. The more someone reads the better they will become at reading. With experience in reading, good readers acquire strategies such as making predictions, connecting reading to background knowledge, making connections with the real world, asking questions, expanding vocabulary, and visualizing. Good readers are also aware when they need to re-read a section or research more about the topic being read. Comprehension is the goal of reading and when this is not met a good reader will make an effort to identify what is needed to understand the text. There are many tools which help readers become good at reading.

I believe that I am a good reader when I want to be reading. If I am interested in the subject matter of what I am reading, I become captured in the text and devote my concentration to just that. I have noticed that when I am reading text of my choice I make connections and predict what will happen among other strategies. On the other hand, when reading something I do not enjoy I find that I make minimal efforts to comprehend all aspects of the text. This is why I want to give my students choice when it comes to reading. When they are able to read about something they enjoy, practicing reading strategies will be more effective. I really like the idea of literature circles because students are allowed to choose books of their interest. The roles that they can assume (such as word finder, connector, character analyzer, etc.) will help build reading strategies while also giving students the chance to listen to other points of view. Teaching students these life-long skills is pertinent because it will help them with an indefinite amount of other tasks. It is something they will need in order to do their best in real life experiences.