Audrey+H.


 * April 14, 2011 **

My Teaching Tremendously science lesson went somewhat smoothly. One positive factor was that I was able to obtain a sufficient number and variety of rock samples for observation. The activities went relatively well, but I was lacking some supplies that would have been beneficial. For the assessment piece, for example, students created a Venn diagram to categorize the rocks. Ideally, in the actual lesson we would’ve had half-poster board sized paper for more accessible viewing. Also, in an actually classroom I would have distributed a variety of rock samples to different groups, and they would have been able to walk around and see the diagram (on which the rocks are directly placed) assortment. The thoroughness of the lesson was slightly inhibited, but even with this modification I think I was able to convey the key ideas. Lastly, in a real class situation, I would have identified and labeled to rock samples and had a basic knowledge of their applications. One strategy I learned from this exercise involved including questions in the lesson plan. I had explicitly included questions, but I did not realize how useful they would be until I actually began teaching. They not only kept the lesson on track, but helped me remember what to accomplish at each stage. Teaching the math lesson was significantly less nerve-racking, but had a few more snags than science. A portion of my lesson required a substantial amount of time, so I had to explain the processes rather that have the “students” perform it. They were quite helpful in giving me feedback about how the hypothetical activity would go in an actual classroom. In this lesson, I did not write sufficient number of questions to follow as I taught. This omission was due to the fact that I thought guiding questions would occur to me as I performed the math processes, but I certainly realized that explicitly written questions are important organizational tools. My “class” offered particularly helpful suggestions during this round of Teaching Tremendously. They suggested, for instance, that I allow more time for the students to define perimeter and area. In retrospect, I would have used more scaffolding questions throughout different stages. Also, when I began teaching ‘area,’ I asked a student volunteer to choose the shape with which we would begin. When she chose a circle, I realized that it would have been best if I had begun with a square, which has the most basic area calculation. Besides these obstacles, the activities involving graph paper and estimation were effective.

** March 30, 2011 **

From the Stiggins article, I learned about the multiple forms of formative assessment. To preface these formative assessment descriptions, the article discusses the failings of traditional schooling. For example, the author explains that schools have been traditionally arranged so that students are given the opportunity to learn, but the system is not affected when not all take advantage of this opportunity. Students with good test and academic achievement from an early age are optimistic and thus motivated and successful in learning, while students with less academic achievement become discouraged and stop investing effort. This snowball effect essentially reveals the traditional school system to be one that expects and sets up certain students to fail.

Formative assessment can be used to counterbalance this negative trend by giving all students the ability to reach tangible academic achievement. The three forms of summative assessment fit under the categories for “assessment for learning,” “testing more frequently,” and “manage data more effectively.” Testing more frequently is self-explanatory. Managing date more effectively involves data-based instruction that will be analyzed, observed and reported. “Assessment for learning” is a method that allows students to self-assess.

1) One formative assessment I could use for my science lesson on rock identification is testing between lessons on key concepts. 2) Another formative assessment I could use within my lesson that adheres to the “manage date more effectively” style could involve the students being presented with certain data about rocks, and then observing, analyzing, and reporting on their findings in relation to this data. 3) Thirdly, during the math-heavy section of this lesson (concerning graphing data), students could be assessed according to the “assessment for learning” style by viewing and discussing graph examples that are of varying levels of correctness and thoroughness. This would allow them to understand expectations, and also to use analytical skills.

I will most likely document this information on a computer. With Excel, I can set up a chart using each child’s name and record notes and use the “+?-” system to record progress. This information will be helpful in determining appropriate times to give summative assessments, and also to show each child’s progress for any additional scaffolding requirements. A SmartPhone can collect data by taking photos of student work, record the results from the “+?-“ system, and also take notes on each child’s progress through observation.

** March 27, 2011 **
 * Solar Farm **

A field trip to the solar farm in Taylorsville, NC could be easily incorporated in each of the content areas. The solar farm would widely contribute because each content area contains an element of sustainability as it relates to society, technology, and the environment. In English, students could gain valuable critical thinking and writing practice by applying their knowledge in an essay with a wide range of energy-related topics. For example, they could compose an essay arguing for or against the efficiency of solar energy, or with further research could compare solar, wind, and other forms of energy generators. In science, the solar farm field trip could prompt discussions for material directly concerning sustainability, or introduce related topics such as photosynthesis. In social studies, students will be able to explore the social and economic impact of sustainable practices. Math could be incorporated into this field trip in a variety of ways. Some math questions could involve: 1) Price comparisons between energy types, 2) Specific questions such as “How much/how many would it take to provide energy for __ homes?” and 3) Questions about cost efficiency in specific scenarios. Also, within science and math students could be introduced to and learn to calculate megawatts and other energy-related terms. Student outcomes for the field trip (for all content areas):  TSWBAT: 1) Compose a reflection and discuss their observations from the solar farm. 2) Debate the pros and cons of solar energy using specific examples from observations and additional information resources. 3) Compose a persuasive essay arguing for or against the efficiency of solar energy. 4) Calculate story problems and other math problems using energy-related numbers and information. 5) Explain the social and economic impact of sustainable practices. 6) Form a hypothesis about the future of sustainable practices.

**NCSCOS Standards**: The solar farm field trip would connect to fourth grade NCSCOS objectives in a variety of ways. In math, Competency Goal 4 states that students will “understand and use graphs, probability, and data analysis.” There will be multiple options with solar energy information, cost associations, and energy measurement comparisons that will allow students to construct data displays. In science, Competency Goals 3 and 4 can be related to solar farm concepts. These goals are: “The learner will make observations and conduct investigations to build an understanding of magnetism and electricity” and “the learner will conduct investigations and use appropriate technology to build an understanding of how food provides energy and materials for growth and repair of the body.” Electricity is most closely related, but Competency Goal 4 can also be related through ideas such as photosynthesis and energy in plants and animals. **Outline for the day**: To establish prior knowledge, we will have class discussion (including some direct instruction) on the day before and day of the field trip. A video clip would help students develop a greater understanding of a solar farm before they visit: [] Students will be given a list of questions to consider, along with additional paper for an “I think/I wonder” or “KWL” chart. The questions will not be required as a grade, but rather will provide guidance so that the students will be aware of specific observation areas. We will spend time at the solar farm touring, and presumably getting information from the tour guide. Then, we will find a location for lunch that will ideally overlook an interesting observation point. During lunch, the students will have the opportunity to record any additional thoughts or observations, and share their ideas with the class. During this discussion, I will be scaffolding with guiding questions. If there are any additional areas to see at the solar farm, the class will continue the tour after lunch. Otherwise, we will return to the school and begin integrating our experience with content. To introduce related sustainability concepts that the children will be independently researching later, websites such as this - [] - can be explored and discussed as a class. One supplementary activity students can use is the Enel Solar Power App ( [] ).This app “ will calculate the potential energy produced yearly by a solar panel installed at the terminal's geographic location…you can save the simulation on the map and modify the panel size and slope from the Settings.” This exercise would supplement the students’ understanding of solar power logistics.

**Activity**: One activity that would address math and a fourth grade competency goal would be a research and graphing exercise. Through the field trip and other resources, the students will have gained an understanding of the purpose and functions of solar energy. From their “I think/I wonder” or “KWL” chart, the students can pose a question such as “What is the cost of solar energy versus natural gas, wind, or oil energy for a household?” Using researched information, the students can create a graph showing the relationship in prices. In their presentation, students will have to explain the significance of the data display, which would prove their comprehension of both solar energy use and a range of other sustainable and unsustainable options.

** March 1, 2011 "Connecting Music and Math" **

** Content: ** The content of this lesson would be a great opportunity for arts integration. Exposing children to a variety of music in relation to math would be culturally and artistically enriching, and could make math a more approachable and enjoyable subject. Using music to explain concepts such as fractions would allow students to make a connection between math a "less intimidating" subject, which would hopefully negate anxiety. Also, students would easily be able to relate math to prior knowledge (music familiarity), whereas approaching without music may have made the lessons more difficult to assimilate and accomodate.
 * Pedagogy: ** With this content, pedagogy techniques could include multiple hands-on and visual activities. For example, Smartboards and overheads could provide visuals for sheet music as the necesary foundation to eventually make math connections. One example of a kinesthetic and auditory-appealing activity could include sheet music illustrating using fraction techniques. If children use an app such as musicMath touch, they could more thoroughly understand the concept of music creation related to math.http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/musicmath-touch-music-calculator/id381525762?mt=8 . This app "is a musical tool that includes timecodes calculator and converter, tap tempo, a conversion table from tempo to milliseconds and hertz, and a conversion table for notes to frequencies." Playing music, allowing students to create music, and effectively relating these practices to math operations will all be focal points of pedagogy in these lessons.
 * Technology: ** Technology can be used in this lesson through the multiple music apps and websites that allow children to create and record different music and sound compositions. Another music app that could be helpful is xPiano, []. The students can create and record music, relate the different components to fractions, and illustrate this relationship in a visual representation. For assessment, we could use a video/song such as this one: [], and ask fraction-related questions about the song composition.
 * Sustainability: ** Sustainability could be integrated into this lesson through a song-creating activity. Kids could use their knowledge of fraction-based music and compose a song with a sustainability theme!

** January 27, 2011 "Counting on Estimation..." ** Question: How many people eat breakfast in the Pit and Benson every morning?

**Pedagogy:** One of the best pedagogy tools for this exercise is that students are able to take a "break" to go outside and walk around, while making realistic observations about scenes relevant to their own lives. The activity encourages the development of practical math skills through estimation, and gives them the opportunity to pose and solve a question of their own interest. ** Technology: ** There is not much technology directly associated with the actual activity involving the observation and estimation of data. In fact, part of the usefulness of this lesson is that students are conditioned to use estimation when possible, not exact math with technological resources such as calculators. In this app, [], the user can take numbers and data to create visually compelling and easy-to-read charts and tables. This kind of technology would be helpful in an estimation activity for communicating results and comparing work to others' estimation numbers. For a slightly different estimation practice, this app [] allows users to display, organize and analyze workout distances and results. This tool could be used to develop distance-estimating skills, as students could estimate time and distance covered, then see actual data displayed in this program.
 * Content: ** This question would be appropriate for estimation exercises because the approximate answer could be most efficiently determined through observation and estimation. It relates most closely to math, and within math could be used in a variety of exercises. Students could observe and estimate, calculate averages after multiple observations, and create graphs to present the data. Last week in science, we were learning about nutrition. This activity is applicable to science, as it could spark discussion about balanced meals and regular mealtimes. To tie in cultural diversity lessons within social studies, the class could discuss traditional breakfast food of different international countries. Overall, estimation and math would be the most directly relevant lesson associated with "researching" this question.
 * Sustainability: ** This exercise could be used in sustainability if the estimations gathered were applied as data to solve sustainability issues. For example, this question asks how many diners are in Benson and the Pit for breakfast; to turn this into a sustainability issue, students can inquire as to how many disposable and nondisposable dishes, water, food, and other resources are used, and how to decrease unnecessary waste. Estimations for this type of data would be useful as a foundation to identify un-sustainable practices. [] This video captures sustainable cafeteria practices, and could be used in conjunction with the interdisciplinary lessons related to the initial estimation activity.

**January 20, 2011 "Less is more..."**

** Content: ** In asking about abundant and lacking elements on Wake’s camps, our group found recurring responses. Two answers we heard that were either repeated by another student or reflected our own groups’ ideas concerned parking scarcity and lack of diversity among the student body. Each of these opinions could lend itself to further inquiry, such as incorporating math to offer parking solutions. Also, students could delve into social discussions about the importance of cultural competence and diversity. Our group also discussed the insufficient seating in the pit, which could also be used in a math lesson. **Pedagogy:** The best teaching tool from this exercise was the technology usage. For students of any age group, becoming comfortable with different types of technology, such as the cameras and GPS in smartphones in this activity, is indispensable for students’ continuing progression in technological ability. Both the technology and the time to walk outside of the classroom will keep students actively engaged. For post-activity classroom instruction, students can compare the gathered information, create a display and explanation method, discuss results, and deliberate with personal reactions and potential solutions for the responses. **Technology:** Regularly integrating technology into activities is an invaluable practice for students because it will foster skills and comfort with current and future technological advancements. In this lesson, smartphones (camera and GPS), presentation programs such as PowerPoint, and other editing software could be used to present the work. One app, called //HearPlanet//, relates to the phone’s GPS feature; it would allow students to have immediate audio educational information based their location. < [] > Technology used in presentations is a method through which teachers can connect technology use with creativity artistic development. Certain applications or websites would allow students to practice creatively transforming work into a unique and compelling production; this particular website allows students to build concept maps, which would assess their understanding of the material in addition to building technological proficiency. [] **Sustainability:** Sustainability practices can be easily taught in conjunction with technology; technological innovation drives many sustainable practices. This brief video would provide a good anticipatory set for a lesson on sustainability; it is brief and succinct, and would allow a student-led discussion versus media-led, passive information transfer. [] Sustainability can be incorporated into this particular lesson through discussion of responses. In brainstorming solutions for parking insufficiency, for example, students can discuss sustainable factors such as public transportation, the creation of a “walking” campus, the potential destruction of green area to create parking space, among other issues.