Literature, Travelogues, & Google Maps

Integrating geography concepts into the ELA classroom is easy to do when a story features characters undertaking a physical journey. Students and teachers can create collaborative Google Maps pinned with specific locations to practice digital literacy and research skills.

To enliven our study of Homer's Odyssey, students worked collaboratively to create a map of Odysseus' and Telemachus' journeys.  Using evidence from the text, students pinned a specific location on the map, selected an appropriate and symbolic icon for the pin, typed up a blurb about the location, inserted an image for the location, and attached a link to a source that would extend visitors' understanding of the location.

You can visit the map and click on pins. 

To facilitate the process, students were directed on the daily agenda posted to Edmodo to visit the Chrome Web Store and install the Google URL Shortener, Tab Scissors, and Tab Glue extensions.

The extensions allowed students to split their browser windows, placing them side by side for easier jumping between tabs, and the URL Shortener truncated the long links for inclusion in the pin description. Each pin's description can be color coded and enhanced with images, text, and links to other sources.

In addition to marking locations, students could map the travel routes, customizing the color and width of the line. Additionally, the style of the map can be changed as well.

Odysseus' journey from Ithaca to Troy and then to the Land of the Ciccones,  and the Lotus Eaters. I can quickly see that this class is starting to get off course as they have skipped the Cyclops Island. 

 Throughout this "fun" collaborative class activity, students demonstrated digital literacy skills that included typing, searching, using the trackpad, and jumping between browser windows all the while speaking to each other face to face as they divvied up tasks and reviewed the content.

Brainstorming other ways to incorporate Google Maps in the ELA classroom, students could....

• Pin where they went during summer or school-year breaks. 
• Research their heritage and pin locations where their families originated
• Write a creative travel-themed short-story with pins of scene locations and the text of the scene in each pin's description
• Compose poetry based on specific pinned locations.

How have you used Google Maps with your students?

What other ways could Google Maps be incorporated into your classroom?

Post a comment with your thoughts!

How to (Not) Fill a Blank White Page

Working with Ms. Morris, Mr. Lindgren-Streicher, and Mr. Thomasson back in August and similar in concept to Google's 20% time projects, the Blank White Page Project was conceived as a way to connect students and teachers through questioning and self-directed learning. While we are implementing this within the confines of the continental US, this project could be adapted to include classrooms around the globe.

The Process

1. The class discusses types of questions and students make a list of questions they have always wondered about. The questions should be open-ended and require research and creativity to answer. 
2. One of the teachers in the group creates a Google form for recording and a Google site for housing the questions. 
3. Students go to the BWP site and record their questions.
4. The teacher moves the questions entered by his/her students on the Google form to the various categories on the BWP site.
5. Students return to the site and peruse the questions, choosing one to answer. 
6. Students create "an answer" to the question, share it with the teacher, and the teacher posts it to the site. Answers can be in any form as long as they address the question.

Students can complete the BWP project individually or in groups comprised of members from their own school or elsewhere. Using Edmodo, Twitter (#BWP12), Skype or Google Hangouts, students can collaborate on creating and sharing answers. This process can be continually repeated throughout the year and additional teachers and classes can be added to the site. Additional participants could be found via networking on Twitter with other educators-- just pop into a #flipclass chat on Monday nights-- or via posting a request to one of the communities on Edmodo. I've met teachers online from all over the country, Canada, and Australia, many of whom are interested in connecting their classes.

Grading

Since this is project based learning, students could be scored with rubrics on the use of technology and creativity and effort in answering the chosen question. Self evaluation and reflection is also an important piece of the assessment process.  Students could also be additionally evaluated on their communication skills and ability to collaborate. The objective is for students to take ownership of their learning, so they should "own" the grade, not the teacher.

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MY Implementation Issues

This has really been bothering me. I was so excited to begin this project (and I STILL AM excited to continue it), but I have met with some set-backs this year that have impeded the process and participation. I'm very frustrated by these set backs and not being able to better connect with the other teachers and classes.

1. "Hey guys, wait for me!" Not all schools are on the same schedule. My collaborative colleagues began classes in August, and my school year did not begin until after Labor Day in September. I was the last one in the group to get my students started. Between mandatory diagnostic testing and getting the school year rolling, I wasn't able to get started on BWP until mid-September, a full month and a half behind the other participants. 
2. "We can't get in the computer lab today."  While we have computer labs, media centers, and now a solid wi-fi infrastructure for BYOD in my district, we are not as far along with integrating technology on a daily basis in the classroom as compared to a 1:1 district. I am bound by scheduling constraints and access to the computers themselves. We have 6 computer and mobile labs for 2000+ students right now and students' home access is inconsistent.
3. "What's a Google Site?"  I may be a MS Word wizard, but I haven't earned my wings yet flying through the cloud.  I didn't learn about Google Sites and how to create Google Forms until this summer and, other than using Microsoft programs, my students have also had limited exposure to technology in the classroom. This September was the first time many of my students have filled out a Google Form. My district is on the cusp of emerging from a ground-based school to one in the clouds as more teachers integrate web 2.0 tools in the classroom, and (after much delay) we are finally becoming a Google school and students will have their own Google Drive and access to collaborative apps. We are all learning as we go! 
4. "We got walloped by a hurricane."  Seriously, walloped. I was all set three weeks ago to get students started on answering questions for BWP, and then we got hit by Hurricane Sandy and school was closed for two weeks to be an evacuation shelter for our regional community. Numerous teachers and students were and currently are displaced and the past week has been about the recovery efforts and supporting the community. I can't complain about a change in plans considering the circumstances. 

Thinking Ahead

For any collaborative project that extends beyond the bounds of the physical classroom, teachers need to consider the following logistics: 

• Infrastructure: Does the school/classroom have the ability to connect to others? Does the school have available technology for completing the project and staying in contact?
• Timing: How will the school calendars and schedules hinder communication and the process?  What are the timelines for the project?
• Participants: Are all participants on the same page? Do all have the same expectations? Are all participants able to give the same level of commitment?  

If I've had issues on a national-scale, these could be compounded when applied to a global project. It is important to be proactive and prevent issues from occurring so that the project will be a success. I want the BWP to be a success because I know that it is a valuable self-directed project for my students, as well as myself. So, after much delay, we are ready to move ahead.

We all have so much to learn! 

"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because your would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions." 

- Rainer Maria Rilke

Beware of Teachers Speaking About Greeks

I am a fanatic about Homer's Odyssey and all things related to the epic poem. I am such a fanatic that I convinced my colleagues the past 4 years to let me give a 2-day lecture to the entire 9th grade on background information associated with the Trojan War.  I cram 10 years of war and mythology into two 45 minute periods (repeated 7 times for the various class periods).  It is an epic task that I love. I may be the sage on the stage, but I use engaging story-telling techniques so that students can practice auditory processing. For the visual learners, my lecture is supplemented with a PowerPoint presentation and complimentary handouts.

For those students who are absent and those who want to review the presentation at home or on devices in class, I created a video version of the PPT with enhanced notes that students can pause and rewind to gain understanding.  

After the 2-day lecture has concluded, students return to their respective classrooms and complete review activities of the material via review sheets on paper and on Edmodo and group Socrative Space Races. All of this culminates in a multiple choice test taken on Edmodo on the characters and plot of the Trojan War. Once students have demonstrated understanding of the material, study of the text of The Odyssey begins.

Capturing Classroom Videos

Screencasting

Using the FREE and super easy Screencast O Matic web tool and a $25 headset, I've started to create videos that will supplement my explanation of concepts studied in class. I haven't really used videos all the much for flipping my classes because of accessibility and inequity with technology in the classroom, but now that those issues are close to being resolved, I am very interested in learning how to  to add videos to my bag of tricks.

This is a 15 minute video that I created which explains elements of an adapted version of "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe. I just made this video today during the 2nd half of my prep period in one take. I had the document previously created, and I recorded myself discussing the text. Students don't have a copy of my answer sheet, but now they can use the video to make sure their pages are complete.

For one of my students on homebound instruction, I created a personalized screencast to show her how to navigate Edmodo and answer some of her questions. As I always tell my writers, showing is much more effective than telling. Now I can show them showing is more effective!

For our study of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, I opened the book using the Kindle Cloud Reader and recorded myself discussing elements of Chapter 1.  Students then completed various tasks reviewing Chapter 1 and viewed the screencasts prior to taking a quiz. Many students stated that they preferred the screencasts to a live lecture because they could control the pace. As a delivery method for information, the screencast is efficient, and using Screencast-O-Matic, I was able to create the video in under about 20 minutes taking into account the time for uploading to Youtube.

Smartphone

And while this isn't a screencast, I used my android cellphone to record a quick video of students reviewing the site No Red Ink. Students were using No Red Ink for the first time and since they were really enjoying using the site for grammar instruction, I captured their responses. Using cellphone video recorders are an easy way for students to do book reports, show group work in process, or record a group discussion.

And for something REALLY COOL, Karl Lindgren-Streicher, a 9/10 world hisotry teacher in San Mateo, CA used his iPhone and a time lapse app to create a video showing a day in his class.

Whether for information delivery or capturing the moment, video production in the classroom can be as easy as using a screencasting or smartphone app. If you have any tips, tricks or feedback for making videos and using them for supplemental purposes, please share your ideas and examples.

Easy as Fish in a Barrel: Structured Socratic Discussions

Having all students involved in a focused class discussion instead of being prompted and lead by the teacher, requires all students to be invested in the process. When the discussion is structured so that all students are vested in the process, students can use critical thinking to practice crafting and supporting arguments.

In this video posted on Edutopia, KIPP King Collegiate High School teachers learn to facilitate fishbowl discussions to promote the Socratic process in class.Using a critical thinking model, the teacher serves as a facilitator of the discussion and orchestrator of the activity. While this isn't a new technique, there are key components mentioned in the video that are applicable for any classroom.

The Socratic Seminar or fishbowl discussion begins with the layout of the classroom and the assigning of roles to students. The classroom is set up with an inner square of about 12 desks, surrounded by an outer square of 12-14 desks.  Students sitting in the inner square are discussing, debating, and arguing the specific topic as they reference texts, use analytic language, connect to other statements made, and agree or disagree with the other participants. Students sitting in the outer square evaluate the participants in the discussion by being assigned a specific role: reporter, silent contributor, and shadow-er.

The video does not explain in great detail the exact tasks each role plays. Generally, the reporter "reports" on the action of the discussion (provides a report after or during the discussion?); the silent contributor participates in the discussion as if he/she were in the middle, but is not allowed to speak until the conversation has ended; and the shadow-er is directly assigned a student in the inner square to evaluate on specific and multiple points.I would think it is awkward for the silent contributor to contribute at the end of the discussion-- although both the reporter and silent contributor would provide an opportunity for reviewing the discussion overall.  The silent contributor would also have to be a student who has self-control, something many students need practice one. The shadower would be the most assigned role by pairing up students in both the inner and outer squares.

Why I like this...
Students need structure: The classroom set up promotes the discussion and puts students on the spot and the specific roles keep everyone involved. The roles are different from the ones I've seen before and I can see practical application-- my favorite being the shadow-er. I also like that it is another opportunity for peer review/evaluation and that the students are taking responsibility for the discussion instead of listening to the teacher lecturing. I also like that this activity promotes face to face conversation--something modern students need to practice since they like having their faces glued to a computer or cell phone screen.

What I dislike...
The 4:22 video does not provide suggestions for shy students to overcome fear of speaking in class nor does it provide specific examples of what happens after the discussion. The video assumes that all students will be prepared and responsible in the discussion process-- I can't always assume students will be model citizens of the process. Also, specific rubrics are not provided. In theory, I like the possibilities of this activity, but realistically, the teacher and students need to be organized, prepared, and structured.

Previously, I've used a koosh ball or other soft material ball to facilitate whole class discussions.  The room is arranged so that all students are facing one another in a large square or circle (no one in the middle). Students come to class having written down 3 questions on the assigned topic. They take turns throwing the ball to either ask a question or answer a question.  One student is charged with keeping track of who speaks and how many times. The goal is to have everyone in class ask at least one question and add to an answer for one question.  This works well as an introductory activity to class discussions, but the conversation becomes too disjointed having to rely on the throwing of the ball to keep it going. I will say that the baseball players in the class usually get a kick out of this type of discussion.

Applying the KIPP fishbowl technique in my classroom, instead of being in small groups (which is my usual set up for structured discussions), my students could as a whole class argue answers to open-ended questions. Since my classroom layout is similar to the fishbowl layout, it would be easy enough to move some desks around so that students could debate on topics that connect to the literature studied (heroism, leadership, euthanasia, resolving conflict, civil rights, attaining the American Dream, etc). The Socratic discussion could be used as a precursor for writing an argumentative essay. Also, as stated in the video, the skills used in a Socratic discussion are the same skills that are used in daily life when arguing or supporting any point made.  Small group, whole class, or just speaking to one person, the critical thinking skills used in the Socratic discussion are skills that students need for every class and beyond.


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Update 12/7/12:  Applying the Socratic Seminar in Class

Students engaged in their first Socratic Seminar based on questions connected to Chapters 1-2 in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. I adapted the process shown in the video above.

My Process:

1. Desks were arranged to create an inner circle of about 8 students and outer circle with the remaining members of class. Ground rules and expectations were discussed.
2. Students in the outer circle used their devices or a netbook to sign on to TodaysMeet.com and join the chat room I created for the backchannel discussion. The outer circle asked questions and made comments. 
3. Four students in the outer circle volunteered to be the two Recorders of Answers and the two Reporters of Interesting Points. They kept track of the conversation on a collaborative Google Doc.
4. The discussion questions were posted one at a time on the front board and I moved the conversation along as needed. 
5. After about 10-15 minutes, the students changed roles and new questions were asked of the inner circle.

The questions themselves were open-ended, connected to the novel, and controversial so that students could reference the text, provide numerous opinions, and support their arguments. Students stated that they liked being given the choice to participate in the spotlight of the inner circle or keep a lower profile, but still strong presence, in the chat room.

After some initial trepidation, silliness in the backchannel chat room, and the inner circle learning not to talk over each other, the conversation progressed smoothly. I was able to moderate and facilitate the conversation as needed--which was minimal, except as you'll see towards the end of period 2's conversation. Notice the students aren't shy for calling out the inner circle or noting when students are monopolizing the conversation.

For the first time doing a backchannel discussion, things went well. I'm pleased with the level of engagement and can ignore the silly comments. Some of the students' comments were spot on and most haven't read to the end of the novella. One student stated that George was the kind of friend who would take a bullet for Lennie-- little does he know where George will "take" that bullet! A few knowing students did chuckle at the use of the cliche in period 8.

Today went so well because it was structured but still allowed the students to take control. I just hovered and monitored until needed.  The next step will be to add the role of the shadower so that students can get peer evaluations on their speaking and participation skills.

Claco: Teachers & Technology Team Up

Claco (in Beta right now, but you can request an invite) provides a place for educators to store all their resources including files, bookmarks, websites, videos and just about any other content imaginable in organized and tagged online binders. Claco also allows for easy sharing with other educators, parents, and teachers with the ability to "snap" binders and files from other Claco users or share via Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. While the organization and sharing are the foundations of Claco, there are additional features and the "what is to come" that make Claco stand out on the web.

The organizational and sharing aspects of Claco are excellent. In my previously paper-based classroom, I had shelves with 3 ring binders of each unit and novels studied, and file folders of resources stashed (ok, crammed) in filing cabinets. Claco mimics this design by streamlining the binder and file folder features in the Claco cloud. No longer do I need to worry about lending out binders hoping they get returned in pristine condition or running to the copier to share resources with my colleagues, since with one click I can determine if resources, for example Short Stories,  are public or private. It is now the responsibility of others to "snap" my resources to their own binders (and mine to snap their's) and I don't ever have to worry about collecting the lent out materials or remembering where I put my colleague's materials. 

 
The tagging feature is one of my favorites. Resources can be tagged by grade level, subjects, Common Core Standards (YES, Common Core Standards!), and keywords. Having the Common Core Standards already embedded is a major selling point for me. I do not have to look up the numbers or copy/paste the standards into my own plans. This feature is vital for saving time writing lesson plans online. The "What is to Come" has me very intrigued: According to Jordan Hamel (@JordanHamel), member of Team Claco, "We will have real-time lesson plan collaboration, and lesson building on Claco."



Jordan also puts it best with articulating the goals of Claco, "We are creating a place where educators can build, share and store class curricula, but also a community of educators that will share and learn together."  Team building and organization are vital in the online world of education, and Team Claco can help educators become connected. Claco promotes a positive networking environment that extends beyond the walls of one's own school building: teachers from across the country and world can share resources. #UnitedWeTeach

Edutopia Video Reflection: No Rigor Mortis at SOF

"What if we...?"

With the new school year barely a month old, assessments and goals have been in the foreground of my educational schema:  beginning the year with multiple days of diagnostic assessments and trying to figure out how to authentically assess my students and manage the use of technology, I'm constantly thinking about where are we headed and how will we get there. I've started off the year with Edmodo and using a flipped process from day one (ok, really day 4 after mandatory diagnostic testing).  I have a general game plan in mind that I am constantly tweaking. I will say it is invigorating to explore the technological landscape and figuring out how to do what we've done in past years in a new tech-y and paperless way (just read my "soon" to be written post about The Most Wonderful First 1:1 Week).

Thinking about assessments, I came across this video on Edutopia.

The video, "Strategic Goals: Formative Plus Summative Assessment Equals Rigor," highlights NY's School of the Future use of thought-provoking authentic assessments to promote student performance. The students work on drafting and revising projects and papers to create an 8-10 page (minimum) Exhibition at the end of the school year. Teachers assess students on the formative process throughout the year, culminating in the final summative Exhibition. Some 9th grade students even wrote 15-20 page papers on controversial topics-- that is simply  astounding.

What I like about SOF's Exhibition:

• Goal oriented
• Personalized
• Strategic
• Authentic use of higher level thinking
• Process oriented
• Cross-curricular

I also like that the Exhibition is not a standardized test and that it is a project that pushes the students to achieve lofty academic goals.

While I do not use the Habits of the Mind on such a grand summative project as the teachers and students at SOF, I do constantly promote the use of critical thinking skills everyday in my classroom.

"But what if we....?"

MC Assessment = Meta Cognitive Assessment

To be a progressive teacher, you find and do what works. Period.

The students should be stakeholders in their education and have accountability, responsibility, and be actively engaged in and out of the classroom. Period.

I apply the theories and philosophies of Bloom, Bandura, Vygotsky, Maslow, Gardner, and many many many others. I'm a proponent of critical thinking, cooperative learning, metacognition, blended learning, flipped learning... see a pattern? I'm a proponent of learning. Period.


Progressive teachers cannot get away from testing in the current educational climate, but at least we can make it engaging for the students in the class. The trick is in the design of the test. Despite criticism, a traditional well-written multiple choice assessment can be a valid assessment tool (I'm bracing for rebuttals).  The techniques outlined below can be used for formative and summative assessments. And, this works for any subject, not just Language Arts.

Teacher Generated Multiple Choice Assessments

Some givens for my MC assessments in 9th grade English:

1. All test/quizzes are open resources (notebook & text).
2. Students only get about 30-45 seconds per question. I purposely make time an issue. They might get lucky not studying, but in order to complete the assessment in time, they need to be organized and have worksheets et al complete.
3. Students are assessed on a range of skills: comprehension, application, identification, etc.

How MC assessments are administered:

1. MC assessments vary in length, time to administer, and formative/summative purpose. 
2. On paper in class
• using scantron forms (really old school), but good back up when servers go down
• photocopies
3. On computer in library/computer lab
4. On computer at home 
5. On student personal device

For assessments administered on the computer, I use the following platforms:

1. Edmodo's quiz feature
2. Socrative

How students are organized:

1. Alone
2. In partners-- one stipulation for working with a partner: students cannot communicate audibly, no sounds allowed. They can communicate textually. 
3. In groups-- the Socrative space race is great for this! 

As far as the questions themselves are concerned, I never write nit-picky questions: What was the color of so-so's shirt in Chapter 2? What is that type of question really assessing? To write valid MC questions and answers, constantly ask, What is the point or goal of this question? What is being assessed?



Here's some sample questions from a paper test on Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey that assess students on comprehension and application. We live in a shore community, so many of my students are familiar with nautical themes.

In my transition to going paperless, I don't have to reinvent the wheel and throw out my paper copies; it just requires some time to copy/paste questions from tests written as Word docs to the online format.

I like Edmodo best for traditional administering of tests. The gradebook feature and automatic scoring save me time and all tests are time-stamped and teachers can set a limit on how long to take the test. Scored tests also include a pie chart for each question letting me know which questions students struggled on. As a reflective teacher, this is very helpful.  And once the test is created in Edmodo, it is saved in your Edmodo cloud and can be assigned to other classes/groups and edited as needed. As of now, Edmodo tests cannot be taken through the app. I hope this changes soon! Edmodo tests are best administered on computers; I vary on whether a test is administered in class or to be done at home/in study hall.

Socrative is my choice for BYOD-esque assessments in class. Students without devices can be paired with those who do have them. I can also create group assessments and have the student with the device be the group leader. I have never laughed so hard watching my students take part in a group Space Race for Act II of Romeo & Juliet. They were so animated and engaged. I wish had video! Socrative quizzes are also very useful because they can be shared with other teachers.  Check out this collaborative effort & add your own Socrative quizzes!



All this above seems pretty standard as far as MC assessments go. Nothing out of the ordinary for testing.

But how about this... 

Multiple Choice Peer Assessment

This is very similar in design to the Peer Assessment for Writing & Projects. They key again is structure and design. This can be applied to any subject.


Note on rubrics:
I use 2 different rubrics for facilitating the peer evaluation.  The Yes-Partial-No checklist is point by point assessing whether the student completed specific aspects proficiently. Students receive 2 points for every Yes, 1 point for each Partial, and 0 points for each No. The OSU rubric is for overall effort, presentation, etc.

• O= Oustanding, the student exceeded expectations for the assignment 100%/A
• S= Satisfactory, the student met expectations and performed proficiently approximately 90%  A-/B+
• U= Unsatisfactory, the student did not meet expectations approximately 75% C/D

Notice for the OSU rubric there are no in-betweens & no coddling. Student work falls into one of the 3 categories. When students reply, "but shouldn't I get an S+, it was really good!," I rebut with, "Maybe, but it is still just a S. It either is outstanding or it isn't. Figure out what you need to do to make it outstanding next time."  I'm trying to combat all of my students asking me, "What do I need to do to get an A?" and settling for "good enough."  I refuse to give them the answer for how to get an A. Obviously, do what I told them to do, but I want more. I want them thinking BEYOND the requirements. Stop settling for "good enough" and excel! THINK! Don't just be a robot following commands.

One of our first novel studies of the year is Anne McCaffrey's Dragonsong. This comes at the end of our narrative short story unit in the first marking period and transitions into our 2nd marking period unit on Steinbeck and the American Dream which includes reading Of Mice & Men, The Pearl, and the short story "Chrysanthemums." In the narrative unit, all procedures and skills for the year are introduced: peer assessment, group work, active reading, narrative terms, analysis, etc. Dragonsong is read primarily out of class and students engage in cooperative critical thinking activities in class. We look at literary criticism, how to manage digesting large amounts of information, and how we think in general. In addition to taking a teacher generated test, my students use their critical thinking skills for the Multiple Choice Peer Assessment.



The Game Plan:

1. Students can work in groups, pairs, or individually.
2. To generate a test, students are supplied with a template for creating the questions that specifies number and types of questions. I adjust the template as needed, varying the types and number of questions. Students may type or hand write their questions and answers.
3. Students create a separate answer key for their test.
4. Students trade tests and take it.
5. While taking the test, the Test-Takers evaluate how well the test was written, completing an evaluation checklist (point by point with Yes-Partial-No) and OSU (Outstanding, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory) rubric for the Test-Generators that assesses the validity, complexity, and over all quality of the test. 
6. Test-Takers return the test to the Test-Generators and get assessed on right-wrong answers. 
7. Test-Generators review the Test-Takers' evaluation, conference, sign off on the evaluation scores, AND complete the checklist on the evaluation.
8.  Students write a journal entry reflecting on the entire process (which is turned in for credit) and we then have a class discussion debrief.

Whew! For one MC assessment, students now have... let me count....  5 scores and used critical thinking and metacogitive skills. The whole process takes about 2-3 in-class periods. So, this is more time consuming than traditional testing, but the trade off is the depth of critical thinking and metacognition that takes place.


Call all this what you will.  Is it flipped? Is it blended? Is is social learning?  Does it align with Common Core Standards? Is it authentic?

Whatever it is, it works. Period.

After a Day at the Beach

My daughter
boogie-ing
to the surf.

While on the beach watching my 4 & almost 6 year old daughters play in the surf and not just get knocked over for once, I was knocked over by a wave of realization: I take the beach/ocean/bay/marsh for granted. I've lived near the ocean my entire life. It has always been there and will continue to always be there. Whenever I needed a day at the beach any time of the year, I could be digging my toes in the sand in under 5 minutes. The crash of the surf, the smell of the salt, and the burn of the sun are a part of my personal life and will be part of my daughters' lives, but little have I incorporated our local ecosystem into my literature lessons.






Here's some  ideas...

1. Sample sentences for grammar exercises include local information and landmarks.

2. When reading Abarat by Clive Barker and The Odyssey by Homer incorporate lessons about sailing, navigation, and other maritime info.
    a. Write creative stories based on constellations
    b. Read and analyze informational articles about the type of ship Odyssey sailed; create models of the ship
    c. Create transformational metaphors for real life hazards (Scylla & Charybdis-esque monsters for Barnegat Inlet)

My husband and our dog, Brody, surf fishing last fall.

3. Creative writing picture prompts based on pictures taken locally.

4. Research assignments are based on topics that deal with local issues. For environmental issues, cross-curricular assignments can be created for English and Science classes.

5.  At home, students watch informational/news videos about the local region, such as Life on the Barnegat Bay or NBC's report on algae in the bay and practice note taking skills at home. 

6. Students view local videos (example the winter fowl found near Barnegat Inlet) and write stories/scripts based on the images.



If you have any other suggestions (not just locally based for my area), please share! I'd like to generate some ideas that incorporate the use of technology and flipped techniques.