The Grande Finale

From this social studies class, I have gained a lot of knowledge, insight, and experience. I have learned various technological tools to implement in the classroom, the true meaning of social studies, different ways to teach social studies, and how to engage students in the classroom.

I have learned three different types of lessons to teach: direct instruction, cooperative, and inquiry. I have learned about things that worked in my lessons and things that did not. I have learned how to engage students in lessons through interactive technology, such as SMARTBoard activities, Voki, Tellagami, ThingLink, etc. I have learned that social studies is powerful because it is integrative, active, challenging, value-based, and meaningful. I am different today than I was in the beginning of the course by gaining more classroom experience, as well as learning about and implementing various technological tools for the classroom. 

The one thing I had difficulty with in this course was during my fieldwork experience. It was difficult to teach the lessons within the allotted time. I often found myself going over the time limit. This is a weakness that I will continue to work on, until I perfect it. 

As elementary teacher, I will be teaching multiple subjects in my classroom, especially social studies. I plan to make sure all my students academic needs are fulfilled. The social studies class I would like to create in the future, is a fun, interactive, and worthwhile classroom. I want to incorporate technology every chance I get, because technology makes learning interactive, fun, and engaging. I think a worthless social studies class, is one where the teacher just reads to the students and has them regurgitate what was just read. When social studies is taught this way, studies lose focus, become bored, and ultimately, come to strongly dislike social studies.This semester has been a great semester and I am grateful for the technological tools introduced to me by my professor, as well as feedback from both my professor and my peers. 

Mock Interview Trials

In my social studies methods class, I was interviewed by 3 "administrators". I was asked questions by each administrator like I was in a real life interview. Questions were based off of classroom management, inquiry, direct, and cooperative lessons, and social studies methods. 

The most difficult question I was asked was, "If you could relate any animal to your classroom, what would that animal be". For me, this question was very out of the box and open-ended for me. The most inspiring question for me was,"If you could have lunch with anyone, dead or living, who would it be?" This was most inspiring because I chose my great-grandfather who is no longer living and who was an inspiration in my life. All the questions asked were excellent and relative to what we learned in class, as well as a real-life interview. 

Overall, I thought this experience was a great learning experience. I felt prepared and thought I responded well to the questions. I felt this mock interview was a great experience for my future teaching interviews. 

Inquiry Reflective Piece

 

Introduction Engage/Exploratory

• Was the introduction and assessment of prior knowledge using a “think-pair-share” effective enough to engage students and motivate them to solve the problem? (Unfortunately, this could not be completed due to a time constraint. We had to jump right into the lesson.)
• Was using the fictional character Dr. Merriweather an effective and engaging strategy to introduce students to the problem? (Yes, students were focused, paid attention, and thought the tellagmi was awesome.)
• Was using a tellagami an engaging approach to involve students in inquiry? (Yes, students loved the tellagmi and thought it was cool.)

Development - Explore and Explain

• Was using one image and a ThinkLink the best way to model the process students would need to undergo for this lesson? (Yes, students were able to complete the task, see and hearing only one modeling process.)
• Were the images and ThingLink selected to model the process to students engaging and informative? (Yes, the images and ThingLink were imformative for modeling.)

Monitoring Inquiry - Expand

• Were the pictures of artifacts I provided enough for students to make a hypothesis? (Yes,the pictures of artificats were enough for students to make ample hypotheses.)
• Did I create an activity in which students could engage with technology and one another? (Yes, students used Ipads to scan QR codes on websites. Students also had to engage with one another through communicating in groups to complete a task.)
• Were the artifacts students given clear enough for students to understand what their objective was? (Yes, these artifacts greatly linked together, along with the lesson being presented.)
• Was twenty minutes enough time to complete the task? (Since there were not enough Ipads, 20 minutes was not enough. If there were enough Ipads, I believe 20 minutes would be the perfect amount of time.)
• Did I provide enough images and information from the pictures and website links for students to grasp the “big ideas? (Yes, more than enough information and images were provided to students).
• Did the rubric help me to evaluate the student’s inquiry process? (Yes, the rubric allowed me to evalulate student progress because it categorized student progress.)

Closure

• Was using an oral presentation of students finding the best way to allow students to present their conclusions? ( Yes, this allows students to share their findings with their classmates. This also allows students to practice their presentation skills and social skills.)

Independent Practice - Elaborate

• Was using a letter the best way for students to translate the information they learned and the conclusions they came to? (Yes, using a letter allows the student to apply what they have just learned and to make connections with the content.)
• Did the rubrics criteria help me evaluate the student’s ability to write in a clear and concise manner to share information and conclusions? (Yes, the rubric categorizes different aspects that need to be present in the letter, along with a matching grade.
• Was ten minutes enough time for students to complete the task? (Yes, ten minutes was enough time to complete the task. However, if students who need more time, can use more time because this was not a "timed" task since the focus was on content.)

Unit Plan Reflection

This semester, I had to write 3 lesson plans (Direct Instruction, Inquiry, and Cooperative lessons) with 2 other teacher candidates, and implement them in the classroom. I also had to write 3 additional mini-lesson plans individually. These six lessons compiled into my social studies unit plan about the Colonial Hudson Valley.  Here is the link to the outline of my unit plan. This maps the topics and key facts students will learn, as well as how the students are assessed. 

Overall, writing this unit plan was a great experience. By implementing the first three lessons, I was able to receive constructive and viable feedback. I was also able to implement one of my mini-lessons, the artifact bag, to other teacher candidates. I was provided with ample feedback on this lesson as well. Personally, I wish I had more time to write the unit plan, as well as more guidance. However, this experience has been a great one, one that I will carry with me in my future elementary classroom.  

Cooperative Lesson Reflection

     Personally, I thought the cooperative lesson was a great lesson. However there were some aspects of the lesson that I would change. I would change the three historical figures in the lesson because they weren't introduced in the Direct Instruction Lesson. Instead of having each group research each person, I would have one group research one person, and then each group would present and teach their findings to the class.

     Even though some aspects need to change in the lesson, some can remain the same because they worked so well. One aspect of the lesson that worked really well, was the implementation of QR codes. Students love to use Ipads and technology. QR codes allowed the students to scan the code with an Ipad and brought them directly to the appropriate site. This saved a lot of time, instead of having the students search their own websites or try and copy the URL. I also liked the implementation of music as a que for the students to finish up their historical figure and to move onto the next historical figure.

     I have received great feedback on how to better this lesson. After putting much thought and consideration into the cooperative lesson, I modified the lesson. I changed the three historical figures to people who were mentioned in the Direct Instruction lesson. I would also make sure there were more available Ipads, so every student could research and participate. Implementing this cooperative lesson was a great learning experience, one that I will implement in my future elementary classroom.

Global Education

        Another project I had to complete this semester was to use a technological tool to educate others on global education and humanities. Another teacher candidate and I decided to use a tool called glogster. Glogster is similar to a poster, except it is an online, technological tool. The entire page is visibile at one, and you can displat photos, texts, videos, and links. I really enjoyed this tool and it will definitely be something I will use in my future classroom, It is easy to use and highly beneficial. Check out our project about global education using glogster. 

        Global education studies the many different cultures and countries, the issues that they face, and fosters an understanding of the impact that our actions have on them. Global education is an important topic and area to study because the day-to-day lives of citizen around the world are influenced and affected by international connections (What are Global and International Education, n.d.) . Many educators are left to wonder what students should know and understand about the world, as well as skills and attitudes they need to confront future global problems (Weil, 2014).

This project helped me develop content knowledge about global education through researching the topic and coming across various lessons and organizations. Besides becoming knowledgeable about global education, this project has allowed to become more aware about the various organizations and groups that exist to not only educate people about global education, but to make them aware and be contributors to better the world. For example, Unicef is a charity that accepts donations for countries that need the basic necessities of life: food, clean water, clothes, and medicine.

Global education is a power social studies topic to teach in the classroom. It is integrative because it can be used across all subjects. It can be taught with a mathematics lesson, ELA lesson, reading lesson, social studies, and science. It is not restrained to just one subject. It is challenging because it targets ethical decisions. Global education is not a simple concept by any means because it deals with real life and real life situations. It is meaningful because students are able to make a connection with it. It is value-based because it triggers opinions, beliefs, and cultures. It is active because it allows students to be active members of society and donate their time and resources. It promotes civic competence.

References

TeachUNICEF. (2015, January 1). Retrieved April 15, 2015, from http://teachunicef.org/

Weil, Z. (2014, June 10). How Do We Educate Global Problem Solvers? Retrieved April 15,

2015, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/educating-global-problem-solvers-zoe-weil

What are Global and International Education? (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2015, from

http://www.socialstudies.org/positions/global/whatisglobaled

One Door Closed, Another Opened

My time at Bishop Dunn Memorial School for fieldwork this semester has concluded. Throughout this fieldwork experience, I have learned greatly through the creation and implementation of my lesson plans, as well as through seeing other teacher candidates implement their lessons. I have received beneficial feedback on my lesson implementations, as well as provided my peers with honest feedback. In my efolio, I have written and commented on my own work, as well as my peers' lesson plans and some projects. Here is the link to these reflections. I strongly feel that feedback allows teachers to better their teaching instruction so students can receive the necessary education. Reflection is essential and a valuable tool that teachers and students benefit from. 

During this fieldwork experience, I had to create three lesson plans (direct instruction, inquiry, and cooperative learning) with two other peers. These lessons allowed me to see what worked in the classroom, what did not work, and what could work with extra effort. The Direct Instruction lesson allowed me to teach new content to the students, making this lesson a teacher-centered lesson. The inquiry lesson allowed me to teach, as well as allowed the students to use their knowledge ad research skills to answer a question, making this lesson teacher-centered and then transitioning to student-centered. The cooperative lesson allowed students to work in collaborate groups to complete an assigned task and then present their findings to the class. This approach was student-centered. What made this fieldwork experience even more memorable was the students. Every single student wanted to be there and wanted to learn. They were eager to participate, never seeming bored. After my first lesson implementation, a student created a PowerPoint presentation on what she learned from our lesson, all by herself. It is instances and experiences like these that make myself love teaching. 

The teacher candidates I collaborated with on fieldwork, made this experience even greater because we all worked greatly together. We each completed our tasks and were organized. I strongly believe a critical attribute every teacher needs is organizational skills. I believe that through my fieldwork experiences, through the feedback I received, and through my own personal reflections, I will be able to be the best teacher I can be in my future classroom.

Extra, Extra Read All About It!

Current Events

Everyday, different events, phenomenons, and discoveries occur. These current events are portrayed in the newspapers, on the news channels, on websites, and even on handheld devices. Myself and another teacher candidate had to create an activity that we would implement in an elementary classroom. We chose to use the website, NewsELA (which I highly recommend). 

NewsELA is an online website that contains articles of various topics. Each article has different reading difficulty levels, so students on all academic grade levels can read the same article. There are also optional writing pieces and quizzes attached with each article. Teachers can choose articles for students as assignments and students just have to login and begin. 

What's It To You? 

Myself and the other teacher candidate decided to use this article. This article was about how Arizona is the only state to pass a law that high school students must pass a civic competence exam (the same exam that is required for US citizenship) in order to graduate high school and that other states might be passing the same law. We chose this topic because students and teachers can relate and connect to this article because they are both immediately affected. Here is our presentation.

The class divided into two groups to discuss how this article impacts them as a student and as a teacher. They also discussed how this law would impact their families, as well as the world they live in. 

Materials

1) Internet access

2) Youtube

3) Newsela Article 

My Current Events Experience

According to Wise Owl Kids, "Young Americans know less and care less today about what's going on than young Americans of previous generations. It is believed that very few youth are aware of what is going on at the local, national, or international level" (n.d). Current events assist students to becoming more aware of world events and the impact on them as citizens. When students read newspapers and articles, it boosts reading competence through language, vocabulary, and comprehension skills (Wise Owl Kids, n.d.). I believe it is really important that teachers recognize the importance of teaching current events in the classroom. Wise Owl Kids suggests numerous activities to implement current events in the classroom such as: 1) News-mapping, 2) The five w's and 3) What's it to you?. As mentioned earlier, we chose the activity, What's it to you?. 

I thought this current events activity went really well. I thought the design and implementation of this activity worked well with the class. The PowerPoint presentation was able to activate the class' prior knowledge, as well as provide background knowledge about current events. A video provided an introduction to the topic about Arizona passing a state law for students to take and pass a citizens test to graduate high school. The NewsELA article provided that content that was being taught. The class was highly receptive. All students were engaged and participated in the discussion. A debate almost occurred because some students agreed with the passing law, while others did not. 

Overall, I strongly believe this activity is a great way for students to become aware of the events that are occurring in the world they live in. First, this activity aligns with the New York State Common Core Standards for both ELA and Social Studies. Students discuss a topic about citizenship and civic competence, as well write their responses. Second, this activity incorporates the five elements of social studies: 1) Challenging, 2) Value-based, 3) Active, 4) Integrative, and 5) Meaningful. Social studies teaching and learning are powerful when they include these five elements (National Council for Social Studies, n.d.). This activity was challenging because it allowed students to use their higher order and critical thinking skills. If a student was on a lower reading level, he/she could change the difficulty level on the article to a lower level and students who were above their reading grade level could raise the difficulty level of the article as well. This article was value-based because it taught students about a topic that is valuable to them; students might have to take another test and pass this test in order to graduate. This article was active because it required student participation. After students read the article individually, they had to participate in a discussion. When students are active in the classroom, they begin to develop their own opinions and become active members of society. When students become active members of society, they begin to become competent as a citizen. This article is integrative because it can be taught in various subjects, and not just in social studies. This article can be taught in ELA, science, or math. This article was also meaningful because students and teachers were able to make a connection to it (National Council for Social Studies, n.d.). Teachers have to prepare students for the tests and are evaluated off of test scores. By having another test to worry about, teachers will have to take more time out of their day to prepare students for another test. Students would have to worry about passing another test, especially students who are not good test-takers. 

Personally, I greatly enjoyed using NewsELA and thought it was very easy to use. The articles were very helpful to read from the site, especially since they allowed different reading levels. I also like how students could take a brief quiz to see if they comprehended the article they just read. I believe NewsELA is a useful and effective tool to use in my future social studies classroom because it has articles for all subjects and topics, which means there is an article that every student can make a connection too. I also believe this site is effective because it tracks student progress. After a student takes a quiz, his/her score is placed on a graph. As more quizzes are taken, the graph obtains more data points. This allows the student to visually see if he/she is understanding the articles and maybe needs to read the articles on a more challenging level or if the student needs help in comprehending the article and needs to lower the reading level. The only improvement I have for this project next semester would be to implement this activity during fieldwork. I think it would be great to see how receptive the students are to this activity, as well as to teach them about current events. 

References

National Council for the Social Studies. (n.d.) Principles of teaching and learning. Expectations of Excellence: Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Retrieved March 20, 2015 from

Wise Owl Kids. (n.d.) Current events. Retrieved April 2, 2015 from http://www.ncwiseowl.org/ss/Current/activities/default.htm

Let's Learn About the Past

As a teacher, it is my responsibility to make sure all my students learning needs are met, as well as to make sure my classroom is fun. Particularly in social studies, sometimes it is necessary to bring the past to the present. Some students just simply cannot grasp concepts about the past, because they cannot physically see or feel the topic that is being presented. They have difficulty taking abstract concepts and making them concrete. To help students to develop thinking historically and to learn about the past, a fun activity that teachers can implement in their classroom is called, artifact bags. 


In order for the artifact bags to be effective for student learning, certain aspects need to be completed. The teacher should model good classroom practices and treatment of unrelated artifacts. Students need to know that artifacts are extremely delicate and important to history and must be handled with care. Next, the teacher can distribute an artifact bag to each group and students can examine the artifacts. Students are using the inquiry process and asking themselves questions such as: 1) What is this?, Where is this from?, What was this used for etc?. Students can write down their questions and responses on paper as they examine clues to organize their though process. Next, students can unwrap the book and make connections from the book with the artifacts. The book should be able to answer whether the students' hypotheses' were correct. 

Personally, I enjoyed presented my artifact bag to my group of teacher candidates. I was able to receive excellent feedback as to what was great about my artifact bag, as well as what I need to work on. I enjoyed aligning the artifact bag project with a corresponding book and website because it allows students additional ways to learn the material. 

Artifacts allow students to observe, question, and to use their higher order, critical thinking skills. Students carry out the scientific method and inquire about the artifacts.Using artifacts also allows students to make a tangible and kinesthetic connection. Students are able to hold the object and examine it, which is a motivational strategy that brings a period of history to present day life. 

Microeconomics.....? Macroeconomics.....?

Macroeconomics vs. Microeconomics

Microeconomics 

1) small

2) Study of particular markets and segments of the economy

3) Examples: individual consumer behavior, individual market, individual household, individual firm, individual industry

Macroeconomics

1) BIG

2) Study of the economy as a whole

3) Examples: economic growth, unemployment rates, inflation, interest rates

Similarities

1) Microeconomics effects macroeconomics and macroeconomics effects microeconomics

Teaching in the classroom

Since microeconomics and macroeconomics are complex subtopics of economics, I would teach them separately. I would have the students complete a Venn diagram and list the differences between microeconomics and macroeconomics, as well as list the similarities. Since this will be taught at the elementary to middle school grade level, I will have the students complete an activity after learning about and establishing a concrete foundation of understanding for both topics. I would choose a cause and effect activity. I would split the class into 2 groups: 1) business owners and 2) homeowners. Homeowners would be assigned a certain monthly budget and bills and business owners will be assigned when to increase and decrease their prices. Unbeknownst to students, students will lost their "jobs" and will have to figure out a new budget. The point of this activity will be to see how losing a job causes a domino effect by households being effected, then businesses, then the economy (microeconomics to macroeconomics). This activity also allows students to relate a concept they are being taught to a real life scenario or issue.

References

Difference Between Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. Retrieved April 2, 2015, from http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/6796/economics/difference-between-microeconomics-and-macroeconomics/