EDT650

Course Wiki

Assignment: 3 Blogs
1- [|iPad Blog] Our school district recently gave all of the teachers an iPad2. In August I did a course our school offered on how to use it and find applications. I have found that it takes a good amount of personal time to search for good apps, try them out to see if they are useful, and figure out the software. The blog "iPad Creative" will help me do all of those things listed in the previous sentence plus give me great new ideas for using my iPad2 in the classroom.

2- [|American History Blog] I went to several different U.S. History blogs and this one is the best that I found. It is a multifaceted blog with links to associated blogs about U.S. History. It gives daily facts and stories that go along with the corresponding day in U.S. history plus extras. It can be used for my daily warm ups when I begin my classes.

3- [|Ancient Greece and Rome Blog] I was actually very surprised to see an on this day in history for ancient Greece and Rome, but I will definitely use this blog for warm ups for my ancient Greece and Rome course. On most days this blog has an update on something that happened in ancient Greece or Rome for the corresponding day (although I do not know how they manage that because calenders have changed so that historians do not really know those exact days so far in the past). This blog also has great links to blogs and information about ancient Greece and Rome.

Assignment: Create a Blog
[|My Blog]

Assignment: Post a favorite education game or tool
[|Shepard Software] I discovered this website about 1 1/2 years ago on recommendation from another social studies teacher. It features leveled games across an array of subjects including: language arts, geography, science, health, and math. I have primarily used the U.S. and World geography games when prepping students for a test. In those two sections the games cover both physical and human geography. It will usually start off with a introduction level of showing the student where the geographical features are, and then it moves up in difficulty with some going to a level 9.

I have found that the geography games really keep the attention of the students and has a high enjoyment factor as they work there way up through the levels. It is one of those times where the students are working hard and gaining knowledge without much prodding from the teacher. Also, the geography games I believe are great for students of all ages.

Assignment: Find and use a Web 2.0 site
[|Glogster] [|My First Glog] I heard about Glogster from a fellow teacher at an in-service earlier this year. I kind of brushed it off thinking that it was just a glorified poster maker and something that could just as easily be done on a PowerPoint slide. Then last weekend I was trying to think of a major project for the mythology unit in my ancient Greece/Rome class. At first I thought of a simple poster project where each student would highlight a Greek god or hero. I wanted to spice it up a bit though and I remembered Glogster. So, I went on the site, made an account, and started playing around with it. After an hour went by I realized that it was a very cool tool and a lot of fun. I went back to the poster idea and made it a Glogster project, which the students will begin in late October. I am excited to see what their final products will look like.

Assignment: Find and report on 3 websites that model good technology integration in the classroom
1- [|Animated Growth of the U.S.] This is a fantastic breakdown of the growth of the U.S., perfect for visual learners. Along with the great map it gives an explanation into how the U.S. acquired the additional land with some nifty animations to keep student's attention. I recently covered this topic in a PowerPoint in my U.S. history course, and tested the students on it. The results of that section of the test did not meet my expectations, so next week I plan on playing this great animation of the growth of the U.S. and have a discussion to see if this aided in their understanding of the growth of the U.S.

2- [|PowerPoint: Propaganda During WW2] I was sifting through the massive amount of educational tools of this Power Point's [|parent page] when I stumbled upon this interesting presentation. Graphically the way the Power Point is presented on the webpage at first is not very appealing, but when I look through the slides at the U.S. propaganda posters it drew an emotional response from me, which I was quite surprised and shocked at a few of the posters. At that point I knew this is something I should and could easily fit into a lesson on life in the home front during my WWII unit later in this school year. Some of the posters should elicit some great class discussion, and aid in the student's understanding of WWII.

3.[|Khan Academy Video] Sometime in the school year I want to cover the American banking system. Students become very interested when the topic of class goes to money, also with the current U.S. and World financial system still in crises it is an important topic to cover in a high school social studies class. It can be fairly difficult and confusing to understand, so I will enlist the help of Khan Academy to assist me. I saw a few Khan Academy videos in the past sifting through topics on youtube, and I did not realize that it was Khan Academy, and that they had thousands of 10-20 minute videos (good for the attention span of a student) on a variety topics until I saw a talk given about it at TED a few months ago. In doing this assignment I wanted to go and check out the Khan Academy website and sift through their videos. I found out that they had an extensive listing of videos on economics and banking. When I do play these videos to students I will have to start and stop periodically and explain because Khan talks a bit fast sometimes. I also want to try making my own lesson like the ones in the Khan Academy using the [|show me app] for my iPad2; for perhaps when I know I will be absent.

Lesson Plan
Campus: Horace Mann High School || [] [|Technology Education] [|Technology Literacy] |||| __Social Studies Standards __ B.12.1 Explain different points of view on the same historical event, using data gathered from various sources, such as letters, journals, diaries, newspapers, government documents, and speeches B.12.18 Explain the history of slavery, racial and ethnic discrimination, and efforts to eliminate discrimination in the United States and elsewhere in the world __Information Technology and Literacy Standards__
 * Title of Lesson: Traveling the Underground Railroad || Date: 9/26/2011 Timeframe of Lesson: 2-50 min class periods ||
 * Author(s): Brian Kurth || School District: North Fond du Lac
 * Subject Area(s): Social Studies || Grade Level(s)/Course: 9th Grade/U.S. History ||
 * State Standards

B.12.7 Communicate the results of research and inquiry in an appropriate format
|| 2. Explore underground railroad site (below under Tech Resources) using the projector. 3. Using the computer lab students go to the website, explore the additional stories on their own <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">4. Students click on //Tell The Story// tab in the website, and create their own underground railroad story by answering the questions. The website will then put the story together. <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">5. Print out the story and hand in. For extra credit students can choose to read their underground railroad story out loud in class. || <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Computer lab (35 Computers) on day 2 <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Printers in the computer lab on day 2 ||
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Stated Objective(s) |||| <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Analyze a typical slave's life in the pre-civil war south. Develop an understanding of how the underground railroad worked. Using the facts learned about a slave's life and the underground railroad students develop a story about living on a plantation and escaping on the underground railroad using historical facts. ||
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Procedures for Lesson |||| <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">1. Warm up (5 min): Quote from Lincoln <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"Whenever I hear any one arguing for slavery I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally."
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Assessment or Evaluation |||| //<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Underground Railroad Assignment: See Page 2 and 3 // ||
 * **__<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Technology Resources __** |||| <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">[]
 * **__<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Other Resources __** ||||  ||

Week 6 PDP

 * ** Professional Goal Statement 1 ** : I will research my field (social studies) for new information, resources, and techniques ||
 * **// Outcomes //** || **// Activities //** || **// Evaluation method //** || **// WI Teacher Standard //** ||
 * 1. Acquire a database of information from internet based resources || 1. Searching the internet

2. Completing assignment for my master’s degree

3. Social Studies workshops/conferences || Documentation of resources found || Standard 1 or Standard 6 ||
 * 2. Understand and use new resources to enhance my lessons and my student’s classroom experience. || 1. Create lessons using new resources I have found

2. Create projects in which students will utilize technology to create a final product || Documentation of lessons and projects developed using new resources || Standard 1 or Standard 6 ||

Wisconsin Teaching Standard 1. Teachers know the subject they are teaching.


 * ** Professional Goal Statement 2 ** : I will research and use a variety of instructional strategies that will encourage my student’s critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills in the social studies field. ||
 * **// Outcomes //** || **// Activities //** || **// Evaluation method //** || **// WI Teacher Standard //** ||
 * 1. I will research new educational media || 1. Technology workshops/conferences

2. Masters courses in educational technology

3. Using my iPad2 search for educational apps || Documentation of educational media researched

Documentation of masters courses || Standard 6 ||
 * 2. I will use my research into educational media and create a variety of lessons that focus on my student’s critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills || 1. Use new educational media to deliver lessons

2. Assessment of student understanding and achievement

3. Teacher reflection on student engagement and performance || Documentation of lessons using educational media

Documentation and analysis of student learning through assessments

Reflection papers || Standard 1 or Standard 6 ||

Wisconsin Teaching Standard 6. Teachers know how to teach.