Robin's Tech Tips

Integrating Technology One Classroom at a Time

Posts Tagged reading

Idea #4 – Concept Mapping with Inspiration

Sep 20

Posted by Robin Young in projectors, reading, tips, tutorial | No Comments

Want to increase brain activity in your students,  encourage active comprehension and step-up dynamic discussions in the classroom?  It all can be done with one simple activity of concept mapping.

Today’s idea uses  the software Inspiration 8 (installed on all teacher machines on campus) and your projector.  The document camera can also be incorporated as student’s share the maps they have created.



Why use Inspiration?

  1. It’s easy and already loaded on all teacher machines on campus.
  2. Inspiration provides pre-made templates to get the concept map going for the big screen (choose New – From Template to see the options)
  3. Keeps the map organized and easy to read for the class.
  4. Circles can be changed to clip art for more of a visual impact.
  5. Brainstorming is easy with the lightening bolt icon.
  6. Maps and ideas can be easily rearranged without starting over.
  7. Finished products can be saved as Word files and placed online for those who missed the class.

Ideas on How to Use Concept Mapping in the Classroom:

As a reading strategy:

1. Pre-reading:  have students brainstorm what they know about the items listed on the skelton concept map.  Add those ideas in and have students record on their own papers.

2. During Reading – Students then read the assigned passage and add in more details as they learn them.

3. Post reading – Compare maps with the class and add in details students might have missed.  (Use the document camera to show student’s original maps.)

Extension:

    • Sub-topics can be recorded on note-cards and students can add in more details about that topic as they read/learn more
    • Cards can then be turned into a paragraphs within a research paper.
    • Each sub-topic could become a research topic for the class.

As a note-taking strategy:

  1. Give students a partially filled concept map and have them add to it as you discuss, research, etc. the topic given.
  2. Have students create their own map of the story/event with main characters/main events in ech sub-circle and details surrounding from there.

Getting Started:

Download a how-to guide for Inspiration 8:  How to Use Inspiration 8

Watch a quick tutorial on the software here:

Documentation and research on using concept mapping in the classroom is based from “Classroom Instruction that Works” by Robert Marzano and Project Criss.

Twitt

Tags: , , , , ,

Idea #3 – Read a Children’s Book

Sep 14

Posted by Robin Young in math, projectors | No Comments

Our third idea for using projectors and document cameras in the classroom is incorporating Children’s Picture Books into lessons.

The Technical Side:

Before Doc Cameras:  When reading a book to the class you had to stop and hold the picture up as you walked around the room, or panned the room for all to see.   Most of the meanings in the pictures were lost on the students who could not see the image well enough or long enough to derive meaning from it.

With Doc Cameras: When placing the book under the document camera the entire class can see the pictures as you read the story aloud.   Students can look for meaning in the illustrations and how that meaning matches, or does not match with the text.   With the zoom feature you can focus in on details of the pages they would have never seen before.

Why read picture books in middle school?

Research shows that reading aloud to students is an important way to build their vocabulary, reading and comprehension skills.

Here are some of the highlights of an article written in the Middle School Journal on why you should read picture books in middle school:

  • Provides students with an opportunity to read a variety of texts
  • Increases and enhances the reader’s personal connections with the subject matter
  • Picture books are now being written to address middle school needs and interests.
  • Many picture books can be interpreted on several levels.
  • Students are visually oriented and are accustomed to using visual images to assist in learning new concepts
  • Good activity for English Language Learners – it reduces the word load for students while keeping a high level of comprehension needed

Things to consider when choosing a Picture Book:

  • How enthusiastic are you about it?  The more you like the book and are excited about it, the better reception the students will give it.
  • What are your learning objectives?  Books should always be chosen to help meet those objectives.
  • What is the quality of the book?
    • Does it have rich information?
    • Does it meet high literary standards with it’s vocabulary and author’s style of writing?
    • Look for awards such as the Caldecott for indications of a good book.

A great place to start when choosing a picture book is your library! use the librarians expertise in helping select books that meet the needs of your classroom.

For more details on choosing books for each academic subject area see  A Middle School Teacher’s Guide for Selecting Picture Books – Middle School Journal.   Half way through the article they break it down for each academic area to choose books.    You can also search for “picture books in middle school (insert your subject here).”

Resources:

Twitt

Tags: , , , , , ,

Idea #1 – Teach Students How to Read the Textbook

Sep 3

Posted by Robin Young in reading, tutorial | No Comments

With the addition of document cameras and ceiling mounted projectors in the classroom, the challenge is learning to use this new technology to it’s fullest.   This is the first in a series to offer teachers ideas:

Idea #1:  Teach Students How to Read the Textbook

Students do not automatically know how to read any given  textbook.  Each book is different with it’s own structure and style.  Using a document camera and a projector, teachers can teach students to analyze the structure of their textbooks so that they can better comprehend what they are reading.

Students who have more knowledge of text structure learn more from expository material that students who are not aware of text structure.

The document camera makes it easy by allowing the teacher to project the textbook onto the screen for all to see, instead of having to hold up the book and hope students are looking at the same place they are.

The video walks you through the basics of teaching students to evaluate the structure of a textbook and to identify the resources provided.

For more information on teaching students how to read a textbook see:

Twitt

Tags: , , , , , ,

Encourage Reading – Share your book shelf!

Jan 28

Posted by Robin Young in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Want to promote literacy but are not a Language Arts teacher or librarian? Don’t have time to do book talks in the middle of math class? Want to share a good book with those around you? Would you like to prove to your students you do do more than grade papers and think of ways to torture them with homework and projects?

I have known about Shelfari for a while now, but hadn’t really thought of it as a way to show students what I am reading. While reading another blog, I was struck by the idea that you can actually add this to a TeacherWeb page and share good books with students. It would look like the one I have below.

Shelfari: Book reviews on your book blog

How do you do this?
Step 1: go to http://www.shelfari.com/ and sign up for an account.
Step 2: Add books to your shelf and divide them into “I’ve Read,” “reading Now” and “I Plan to Read”
Step 3: On your home page – Go to the “More” tab and choose “My Widgets”
Step 4: Create a Widget by clicking on the link.
Step 5: Choose a JavaScript Widget (TeacherWeb will support it.)
Step 6: Select a list to be displayed on your shelf and click “Customize your Widget.”
Step 7: Select the design and size you want. I recommend setting the width to 100% as this will make the widget resize itself based on the space available. Click on “Save and Continue.”
Step 8: Copy the widget code provided.
Step 9: Open the teacherweb page in Edit Mode and paste in the widget code. Save the changes.
Step 10: check out your own virtual bookshelf! http://teacherweb.com/TX/RidgeviewMS/MrsYoung/h1.stm

Anytime you update your book list on Shelfari, it will update the shelf on your TeacherWeb page. This same method works for most any type of web page.

So what are you reading?

Twitt

Tags: , ,

Blogging in Literature

Oct 9

Posted by Robin Young in Uncategorized | No Comments

Teachers struggle with getting non-writers writing and non-readers reading.  But why should those students practice a skill they struggle with?  Why will another book and another essay help when so far it has not made a difference?  We know that more practice helps, and that you can’t improve unless you work at it, but sometimes we have to approach kids and assignments from a different point of view.  We need to find out what they are doing and see if we can make that a hook into their learning.  Blogging and online communication is one of those hooks.

What does blogging do for your students:

  • Provides a real world situation for kids – authentic learning.  They are no longer writing just for you, but for the world.
  • “Research has long shown that students write more, write in greater detail, and take greater care with spelling, grammar, and punctuation, when they are writing to an authentic audience over the Internet.” ~ David Warlick
  • Encourages reflective writing – Something about seeing your work online and knowing that everyone can see and read it causes you to think harder about what you want to say.  Reading comments about that writing can spark new thoughts and new ideas that would not have been there otherwise.
  • Blogs are a great equalizer.  Student’s opinions and voices can be heard they same way adult voice can be heard giving weight and value to the thoughts and opinions being expressed.
  • Parents can access the student writing at a moment’s notice and see the progress their student’s are or are not making.
  • Student get feedback on their writing from more than just the teacher or a peer reviewer.

What are some ideas for using Blogs in Language Arts classes:

  • Literature Circles – students can answer questions about a book the class is reading and provide insight on plot and character developments
  • Original Writing – students could keep their own blogs and record their writing throughout the year.  At certain points the students would have easy access to look back over how their writing has developed over time.
  • Reflective Writing – Students could reflect on class topics, lectures, novels, or discussions.
  • The student that never contributes due to shyness or not wanting to look “smart” can now contribute without having to speak in front of the class.

Examples of Blogs in Language Arts:

Grading Blogs:

So how do you assess what students do on a blog?

Here is one teacher’s solution:

My solution was to design a blogging rubric that would enable me to attach a grade to something I previously had had only a gut feeling about. I assigned excellent, satisfactory, and unsatisfactory to

  • How well students’ blogs integrated the concepts and principles from class discussions and activities;
  • How effectively students’ writing conveyed their understanding of the content
  • Students’ use of higher-level thinking (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation) in their blogging; and
  • How well students’ blogging entries demonstrated a personal connection with the topic and applied course readings.

Taken from” “Log on to a Blog” – http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/voice/voice123.shtml

So are you willing to give it a try?  Do you have any other ideas for using blogs in your classroom?

Word of Caution: When having student’s publish online, you must remember at all times to be safe!  Using full names, posting emails, or giving out personal information must be off limits at all times.  For more information about thinking through these issues, please see:  http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech232.shtml

and talk to your campus technologist to make sure you have thought through everything!

Twitt

Tags: , , , ,