A total Change

Ok, so I had my lesson already to go, worked on it a lot on Sunday and then decided to scrap the whole idea! I'm CRAZY!  The problem with the original lesson was that it was really a waste of time for any 5th grade class to do, because it didn't really help them learn about their geography.  So, I switched it up.

Here's the new deal.  Our assistant principal is putting together a "fun festival" for next fall.  He's charged the 5th grade team with putting together a concession stand.  He's given them a budget (which I haven't worked out yet) and a list of items to buy.   The students will have to search online databases for prices of different items to determine whether the given budget will be enough (which it won't).  They will then have to write a persuasive essay in the form of a letter to our AP make their case. 

So instead, social studies, the focus will be on math and language arts.  

I like this idea much better and now just have to work out the logistics.

Database Lesson Plan

When thinking about my idea for my lesson, I thought, no biggie, I'll whip this out in no time.  NOT!   I have the idea, but when I sat down to start typing up the plan, it became much harder than I expected.  My idea is this....A crime has been committed and I'm thinking of artwork stolen from the Met in NY and the criminal is traveling through the northeast and southeast regions.  Based on the clues in the "criminal report" the students will have to use a database of states to figure out through which states the criminal has traveled.   That's pretty much as far as I've gotten.  I'll be doing this lesson with 5th graders based on their geography curriculum.  I'm kind of stuck on what they should do as part of the "create" section of the SSCC.  I was thinking they fill out a chart or timeline type thing of the states that the criminal traveled through, but then what do I do for the "communicate" part?   I was thinking of a wanted poster, but then that doesn't really fit.  I'll have to keep thinking on this one. :) 

Fun Lesson Design

I designed this lesson for fourth graders based on their social studies curriculum.  They need to know about artifacts and the Powhatan capital of Werowocomoco.  So, I told them they were on an archeological dig in Gloucester County, VA when they found a pottery shard and a stone tool.  Because of their expertise, they are pretty sure it's from about 8000 B.C. and that it was from an American Indian tribe.  They need to find out who the artifacts belonged to and the important place where they were found...etc. When they've found out what they need to know, they have to make a poster to present to the Archeological Institute of America.   So we talked about using the internet as a tool to search for information and Google being a good search engine to use.

This was a very hard task for them to do.  We didn't even get close to the poster part during the short 45 minutes that I have them.  They discovered that searching the internet for information isn't that easy.  That if they put in a search for "pottery" they would get all kinds of useless information.   At the end of class I asked the kids, what was hard about the lesson...and most said searching was the hardest.  And when I asked what they learned, I got some great answers like "we have to be specific when doing a search." 
They were all extremely engaged and were psyched when they found a site that would help them in their research.

A Different Kind of Thinking

As I was thinking about my database lesson, I thought it was ironic that we were doing it backwards...we're designing a lesson that affords the technology instead of the other way around, but either way I get why it has to be done that way.  And since I've never used Access before this will interesting....and it's been a brain taxing process.   :) But I've come up with something that I think will work with our 5th graders....I'm excited about that.   Now I'm really thinking of my lessons more with ACTS in mind, even though I do only have them for about 45 minutes.  Usually the teachers are very receptive about bringing their kids back to finish any lessons I've started, so if it can't be done in one session, they'll just have to bring them back.    

Quest to be a designer

Right now, I'm an activity giver.   I teach in a lab setting for half of my day where students rotate to me once every 12 days for 45 minutes.  This leaves me with very little wiggle room. I am an activity giver, but I want to be a designer.  

My job is supposed to be out of the block, where I can work with teachers to DESIGN lessons that integrate technology. I do have some hope that next year, I'll be out of the block. But that worries me too, because how do I then work my ideas/designs into the classrooms?  How do I make myself indispensable?  How do I get teachers to buy in?  Help them plan?  Work in time, when time is so precious?  I've been in the trenches. I know that time is scarce and it's hard to sit down to plan with someone that isn't a teammate?   

Right now, I get to introduce students to new technologies and ideas on my own time, without anyone butting in...lol...and then the teachers see some of those ideas trickle back to the classroom, which eventually will send them my way.   Once I'm out of the block...I won't have that little "in"...