Introduction: To stay informed of technological advances in education, I have found two very useful resources. The first is the The Ed. Tech. Roundup, which offers a forum for teachers to discuss new and interesting ways they are incorporating the use of technology within their classroom. I am also a member of the SMART Board Revolution. This site is very helpful in providing ideas and activities to use in class. I recommend this resource to anybody who has access to a SMART Board and I will certainly use it in the future if whenever this technology is available. I also think technology is particularly useful when engaging and assessing students. I have used online games, such as Kahoot, and assessment tools like Socrative within my classroom. I also think Wikisites and Padlet are useful for discussion.
Content:
- Discussion Board Assignment
- SMART Board Activities
- Pay It Forward Webquest
World War II Facebook Project -
Discussion Board Assignment -
My students completed a project on the role of individual leaders during World War II. The lesson was extremely successful because it got all students engaged in creating a presentation on a leader during the war and allowed students to develop their communication skills when they presented their finished product to the class. The assignment I designed required student to create a mock Facebook page for the leader their group was assigned. Each individual in the group was responsible for researching information and creating three or four slides within a Powerpoint presentation that resembled an actual Facebook page.
The lesson was successful because it incorporated technology students were familiar and interested in, helped students develop online research skills, and allowed students to demonstrate their creativity. The lesson was also successful because it introduced to student which countries fought together during the war because each group had to identify the leaders “friends” with their leader and the leaders theirs would choose to ignore on Facebook. Achievement was measured based on the accuracy and completeness of the group presentation as well as whether students could correctly identify the leaders, countries, and side each fought on during WWII. Students also completed peer evaluations, which made sure their groups members were held accountable for their portion of the project.
SMART Board Activities -
I developed SMART Board sorting activities, which allowed students to interact with the SMART Board themselves. One activity required student to sort a list of countries based upon which side of World War I they fought on. Another activity required students to arrange historical events chronologically on a time line. I have also used the SMART Board to play a Pictionary review game.
I also attended SMART Board training to learn about incorporating the use of responders for classroom assessment. I look forward to having the opportunity to use responders to efficiently administer pre and post-assessments at the beginning and end of my lessons.
Pay It Forward Webquest -
I developed a Webquest that allowed students to research local volunteer opportunities online that related to their Pay It Forward Projects presentations on global issues. Students used a half day in the library to come up with local volunteer opportunities. While the project did not require students to volunteer, they had the opportunity to do so for extra credit. I decided that compiling a list of viable volunteer options would help students realize that they can make a difference in the world by starting within their local communities. After the students completed the Webquest, I verified with the various organizations whether they would welcome student volunteers.
Global Connections Name: ______________________________
Pay It Forward Challenge Webquest:
Local Volunteer Opportunities
The Pay It Forward concept, doing unselfish acts of kindness, a service for someone, and asking them to pay the kindness forward instead of paying it back, is a powerful idea. You have the opportunity to make a difference in our world. Making a difference in the world often start with first making a difference in your own community. This Webquest will help you brainstorm ways you can make a contribution to the communities of Bolingbrook, Darien, Downers Grove, Lisle, Oak Brook, and Woodridge to successfully complete the Pay It Forward Challenge.
Directions: Search the web to find one volunteer opportunity for to each of the following Pay It Forward topics.
Suggested starting points: Volunteer Match - www.volunteermatch.com
American Towns - http://www.americantowns.com/il/downersgrove-make-a-difference
Health
(HIV/AIDS Epidemic, Malnutrition, Malaria, Water Scarcity)
Organization name: ___________________________
Phone #: ____________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________
Description of volunteer activity: _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
The Environment
(Global Warming, Natural Disasters, Rainforest Destruction)
Organization name: ___________________________
Phone #: ____________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________
Description of volunteer activity: _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Veterans/The Military
(Landmine Removal, Terrorism, Effects of War on the Individual)
Organization name: ___________________________
Phone #: ____________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________
Description of volunteer activity: _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Children and Women
(Gender Discrimination, Child/Sweatshop Labor, Child Orphans, and Soldiers)
Organization name: ___________________________
Phone #: ____________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________
Description of volunteer activity: _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Education - (Educational Inequality)
Organization name: ___________________________
Phone #: ____________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________
Description of volunteer activity: _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Animals
(Global Animal Abuse)
Organization name: ___________________________
Phone #: ____________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________
Description of volunteer activity: _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Poverty
(Structural Poverty, Refugee Crises)
Organization name: ___________________________
Phone #: ____________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________
Description of volunteer activity: _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
