Eureka!

In the midst of my sleeplessness due to this class, I've come up with my telecom lesson! Second and Third grade students learn about animal adaptations so I'm going to involve the website Journey North (http://www.learner.org/jnorth/) to help out.  Journey North has a symbolic Monarch butterfly migration, so I'm going to tell the kids that JN is considering a second symbolic migration since the Monarch project is so successful and they are asking readers for ideas. The students will research the monarch along with 3 other migratory animals on that site (and other sites provided).  They will keep a blog of their animal comparisons and their suggestion for another symbolic migration.  Once they've collected required information, then they will email JN with their ideas.  With 3rd graders I would include a Photo Story presentation, but with 2nd graders, they would just write the letter/email. I'm hoping that JN will send us an email or poster as my exit strategy. :)  

I feel pretty good about this lesson and am hoping it works out well!

My. Brain. Hurts

Is anyone else feeling overwhelmed and inadequate? I am.  I have ZERO, the big, fat zilch for my telecommunications lesson!  ARGH!!!!!!   I was originally thinking of a virtual field trip, but now I'm not really sold on that idea.  I usually think of myself as a smart, creative person...but this class is changing that!  I'm in a stall pattern at work.  I teach on a schedule where I see the kids only 3 times a quarter for 45 minutes each time...which is a bit different than in the past.  I know how I should be teaching, they way I really want to, thanks to being an ITSer, BUT my schedule and stressed out teachers are throwing me for a loop.  I end up doing nothing good with the students (and by nothing good I mean skill and drill websites...ick!)  With weird encore schedules lately (shortened time of seeing the kids) and my being out, it doesn't make sense to start some big lesson...by the time i see them again, they will have forgotten everything.  I'm just venting...not really looking for a solution....

Thanks!

Webquest and Telecommunications

Here's what I'm thinking for my webquest....Smithsonian is planning an American Indian exhibit at the museum of American History and has put a call out to all interested parties to submit a time capsule of what they believe should be included to represent the 3 groups they are exhibiting. So the kids will have to come up with 3-4 artifacts for each group and write a letter presenting their time capsule.

For my telecommunications lesson, I'm thinking of a Virtual Field Trip...just not sure where or with which grade level that I want work.

Brain disengagement

Ok, I've been to Disney World, a place where it's EASY to forget all your troubles and all the work you have waiting for you at home. :) And now I need to get my rear into gear!  

So I understand that we have webquest lessons coming due soon.  I love webquests, but always had a wrong notion of what they were about.  I'm thinking of maybe working on a webquest for either 1st grade or 3rd grade...I feel like it would be much easier to do one with the older kids, but that the younger ones get short changed...so I think I'll look into what I can do with the young ones. :)