Monday, January 20, 2014

GAME Plan
My GAME Plan lesson will is titled: Digital Vocabulary.  This second grade unit plan is part of my weekly vocabulary lessons.  The literary unit is entitled: Fairy Tales and Tall Tales. 
This week I will begin to carry out my Game Plan by identifying, what resources I need, and what additional information I will need.
My Game Plan is continuing to develop and evolve this week after learning about the Universal Design to Learning (UDL).  UDL’s which helps educators to create lessons that meet the needs of diverse learners (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). Technology is an important part of a UDL.  For this GAME Plan unit, UDL’s are communication tools and multimedia tools. UDL’s help build communication skills and help support student learning in the mode that they prefer (Cennamo, et. al., 2009).


What resources will I need?

My before class preparation will be to sign up a daily time slot in the computer lab.  Plan B for the technology tools will be to sign up for a daily time slot for the portable I-pad computer lab.  For both cases I need to check that both labs contain the correct software and/or internet access. 
I have decided to begin with the use of  a VoiceThread. I want to collaborate with the technology specialists at my school to gain more insight the best use of  a VoiceThread. I will also need to obtain the school internet guidelines and collaborate with the administrators regarding any suggestions they may have for incorporating these tools and communicating with parents. Through professional collaboration with my colleagues, I will gain the knowledge and resources necessary to carry out my plan.


What Information is Needed?
           I will also communicate with other educators, specialists, and educational coaches in my district to identify what tools do they have in place, and how are they using them. I also want to use a reflective journal of my insights and reflections throughout my collaboration, and implementation process.
Technology allows educators to reach a variety of students with diverse needs.  All students deserve an opportunity to learn and express themselves, in a way that is meaningful to them (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).  Technology provides this opportunity for students to be creative. I am looking forward to begin implementing this unit with my students so that I can further enhance their learning experience.  All children can learn and have their own unique gifts, it is up to the educator to identify those gifts and provide choices and opportunities that allow students to maximize those gifts (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).
References:

Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011) Meeting students’ needs with technology, part 2. [Video webcast]. Retrieved fromhttps://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset

International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National education standards
for teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers




2 comments:

  1. Valentine,

    I like your idea of using VocieThread for a lesson on vocabulary. When teaching the students the vocabulary words you could model for them what they will be expected to create using VoiceThread. As described by Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer (2009) to effectively incorporate the using the universal design for learning, teachers need to administer assessments which are similar to the ways which their students accessed the content knowledge. VoiceThread would also meet a wide range of learning preferences through the use of audio, text, and images. Additionally, being in a digital format, you could provide the parents of your students with access to these VoiceThreads once they have been completed, helping to get them involved with the education of their children.

    I am not sure what your plans are for this literary unit regarding fairy tales and tall tales, or the diverse backgrounds of your students, but it might also be a great way to demonstrate culturally responsive teaching. According to Cennamo et al. (2009) students could use digital storytelling to share cultural information about themselves using family photos or other artifacts. A project completed on VoiceThread would be a great way for students to share their favorite fairy tales, many of which might offer a glimpse into their cultural heritage. Parents could also help out in this process by helping their children scan and cite images from a story book or any other artifact to help depict the words from the fairy tale.

    Brett


    References

    Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

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  2. Brett,
    Being of a Hispanic ethic background, culturally responsive teaching is very important to me. For the current unit, we will be addressing culturally responsive teaching as a writing assignment. Students will be writing their own version of a fairy tale and/or their own version of a tall tale. For this assignment and to make it more personal, students are encouraged to incorporate their heritage/culture into their story. First I model this for them on the Smartboard. I create a class circle map and project it on the smart board. At first I explain how I was born in the little town of Espanola, New Mexico. To give them a visual, I point out New Mexico on the giant classroom map. Usually students hear the Mexico part and not the “New” Mexico. So pointing it out on the map provides that visual that a lot of students need to comprehend. I always begin this lesson by pointing out the state of Nevada, and then to proceed by pointing out the city of Las Vegas.
    To really drive the culturally responsive aspect home, last year my students completed their heritage project. For this project they were required to bring three artifacts from home. Artifacts can include anything from music, food, pictures, music, clothing, sports, and the list goes on, as long as it is from their home and/or . I have to admit the artifacts were way more educational then their presentations for my students. My students and I learned so much more from artifacts they could actually see and touch.
    Val

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