Blog Post #6

Project Based Learning Part 1. Project based learning has an authentic audience; it should involve the community, and should be driven by content. In order for the student to complete the project, the student should learn along the way. Anthony actually used a national headline to help his students learn things from social studies, as well as writing to the congressman. This is an amazing strategy. The children were excited about this project because it was content driven and it was directed towards the community.

Project Based Learning Part 2. Children used culture such as Haiti and Afghanistan in a project. This lesson stemmed from a Science article. They found facts and different things about Afghanistan by practicing tools. Anthony made the children give a narrative script from a childs view that lives in Afghanistan. The children used Imovie to do this. Pulling pictures from search engines they completed the project. The students had many different ideas such as, Food, Religion, Fashion, Warfare, in their projects. A students father didn’t want him to learn about Afghanistan because he served and reality is harsh. The student did an alternate science project that the class also benefitted from. Through this video I learned to never limit your students. They will always give you more than you expect. I also learned that every project isn't going to always go as planned.

iCuroio. Baldwin County uses this. It is an online tool that allows students to save online research that can be pulled and filtered for educational use. Audio and Video content can be saved as well. The students have their own log in, like a search engine. It has a storage capacity so the students can store many things. The teachers and students can both store content that is valuable. This engine gives students practice to organize things online.

Discovery Ed. “Picture is worth a thousands words”, is a very important quote Anthony gave us in this video.Discovery Ed gives the students visual pictures. The visual pictures help children retain more. This source is good for research. The students can also look at videos. The source also brings experts into the classroom via video for students to learn different things they are interested in that the teacher is not familiar with.

Strange Tips For Teachers.A good tip Dr. Strange gave is to be interested in learning yourself, which he says many times throughout the semester. Dr. Strange and Anthony both agree that teachers learn the craft of teaching in their free time, like a hobby. Anthony says teachers need to become fastinated by different things by letting your work become fun. Hard work is very important when teaching, it is rewarding. Teachers should be flexible and creative when teaching. One very important key in teaching is to never leave a child behind. Give the children topics that excite them and interest them.

Use Technology Don't Teach It. Technology is everywhere. Kids enjoy using technology to learn. Technology should be taught in the curriculum. Start the students off by learning something from a tool or source, then make the students apply this to something. In the middle of this video, Dr. Strange says the third grade students learn iVideo or iMovie faster than the students in EDM310. This may be true, but these children have grown up sing Apple software and computers such as, iphones, ipads, ect. As toddlers these kids have been playing games on iPhones where as my generation was playing outside or with blocks. I believe naturally the new generation would catch on faster than my generation. I grew up with a pencil and a piece of paper in second and third grade. Times are different.

Additional Thoughts About Lessons. In the last video, Anthony says a lesson should be at least 4 layers thick. 1. Determine how the lesson fits in with your year. Ask yourself, "Have you covered all of the standards?". 2. Unit size. This is determined by having a unit connected and divided properly, stretched out within a lesson. 3. Week. How are you using your week so that you get everything done on a day to day basis? 4. Daily learning. This is determined by evaluating what the children will learn every class session. All of these are key components to making a lesson.