Lesson Plan Supplemental Materials: Community Helpers

My unit lesson for first graders talks about the different types of community helpers. It is important for children to learn the different roles and responsibilities individuals have in their community. This lesson will provide them with information about the different jobs that people have, and how important they are in helping our community function in society. To begin the lesson, I will introduce to students and how it helps our society function properly and peacefully. It is important for first graders to understand the concept of why rules are created, and that it keeps us safe from chaos and danger. First, the students talk about community helpers around them and who they see in school everyday. Then they further move on to the community helpers in their neighborhood. Furthermore, they will talk about community helpers that they don't often see, such as lawmakers, government officials, and other people who are responsible in making sure our laws work, and that they are put into place. By the end of this lesson, the students will understand that the different roles people have in society as important in keeping our community safe. Community helpers are an essential part in our economy, and students will also develop a sense of gratitude towards community helpers.


As part of my Community Helpers Unit Lesson, here are three supplemental materials that I will be using during the lesson:

Word Search on Google Docs

Word Search: This word search was created by myself on discoveryeducation.com and included community helpers in the puzzle. This type of activity can be given as a fun activity during morning work, or when students need more work if they finish their work early. This can also be sent home as part of a homework assignment.

Who Am I Game: The second activity is the Prezi presentation of "Who Am I." This supplemental material can be used as a game during morning meeting, or after reading a book. This is a fun guessing game for students to do as they start of talk about community helpers. An additional activity to this game is naming people that they know who belong in this category. For example, in the SmartBoard, they can name as many teachers they know, or doctors, or other community helpers. The teacher can divide the class into two groups, and each group will have an opportunity to guess in the game, "Who Am I?"

Worksheet on Community Helpers: The last supplemental material is a formal assessment of what students have learned in this lesson. I can give this worksheet to students as a way for me to see how much they have learned about the topic. This gives me the opportunity to adjust my lessons accordingly. If most students get this wrong, then I need to spend more time teaching this topic. If the students mostly answered this worksheet accurately, then I can move on to a different topic, or expand this topic into something different.

Another iPad application that I would encourage parents to download at home as an extension of this activity is called, "Community Helpers Play and Learn: Kids Educational App" This is a free app, and it is a great way for first graders to expand their knowledge on this topic.

My Technology Lesson Plan

My Technology Lesson Plan

Growing Up Online

This documentary was a reality check of how the Internet has swept our nation into a different direction, and how teenagers are utilizing this tool. The views from specialists, authors, parents, teachers, and even teenagers show how they use the Internet in their daily lives, and are very dependent on it. There seems to be a disconnect from adults who grew up without all this technology and the children who were born as "digital natives," where they see the online web as a normal part of their daily lives. With the creation of the Internet, it has opened its doors to endless possibilities. Some people use it as a tool to help them create and learn new things, while other people use it to abuse or hurt other individuals. We see how teenagers rely on the Internet with schoolwork, and also interacting with other peers through social media. The documentary has emphasized how physical interaction with friends and other peers is slowly fading through time. There can be a negative impact of how teenagers use the web to express themselves or perhaps bully other teenagers using the computers. On the bright side, we see teenagers who have risen above the temptations and have made good life choices despite all the negativity that the Internet might bring. 

1. A survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that in 2004, 67 percent of parents said the Internet has been a good thing for their children. However, this number decreased to 59 percent in 2006. In 2012, 69% of parents of online teens said they were concerned about how their child’s online activity might affect their future academic or employment opportunities, with some 44% being “very” concerned. Cite some reasons why parental support for their children’s independent Internet use is decreasing. Why do you think the number of parents who reported the Internet being a good thing for their children has decreased? 

Many teenagers use the Internet as an outlet for self-expression, a place to rant about adults or to connect to people online, whether they may know them or not. Anne Collier, author of MySpace Unraveled states, “It’s really to control what our kids are doing online. What we have here is kind of the new Wild West, no one’s really in charge.” Teenagers are basically doing whatever they want to do online. They are pretending to be someone who they’re not, lying about their age or what they look like. Most teenagers are glued to the chairs in front of the computers, and rely on the Internet heavily. This takes the interactions that parents used to have with their children. One of the fathers in the documentary says that it is difficult to pry their son away from the computer. The only way that works with communicating is through email, and that usually gets his attention. Although parents attempt to track their children’s activity online, teenagers are smart enough to find loophole from this security monitor. 

2. More teachers are using tools to try to detect cheating or deter students’ inclination to cheat. In the program, we see the use of plagiarism-detection tools like Turnitin.com and writing assignments completed during class time to make sure students do their own work and generate their own ideas. How can we as educators stop students from using material they found online as their own work? Should that be considered cheating, in your opinion? 

I think that teachers should spend time to teach rephrasing or re-summarizing information from the web. I think that the Internet is a good resource for completing papers or projects, but we have to form a habit of putting this information in our own words. I also like the idea of completing writing assignments in class to prevent cheating. However, if students use the entire period writing the assigned paper, then there wouldn’t be enough time for teachers to teach what they need to in order to comply with curriculum and standards. It is considered cheating if the students copy the sentences, or paragraphs, word-for-word. However, if students were able to learn from this information and summarize it in their own words, then I wouldn’t consider it cheating. However, we should never tolerate cheating. One of the teacher claims the way we react to how students use the Internet should be more tolerable, and that we should be able to “accept” this reality. I completely disagree with this. I do not believe in plagiarism, and claiming someone’s work as their own. I think if we tolerate this, then we are sending the message that we don’t think the students are capable of doing work on their own. 

3. One student claims he "never reads books" but relies on summaries and annotated notes he finds on Web sites. He confesses that he feels guilty about this, stating, "I feel like I kind of cheated it." In your opinion, should he feel guilty? Why or why not? 

I have mixed opinions about one the student’s statement. I do believe that most of the high school students feel like they don’t have time to do school work because of sports, or because they might have to work or have other responsibilities. I empathize with students who feel overwhelmed with having great amount of work, and very little time. I have been guilty of using Spark Notes, I feel like I did not heavily rely on this as much as teenagers do nowadays. However, whenever our teacher would assign books or readings, I felt like I did not have a choice but to actually read them. I believe that teenagers are becoming less and less motivated to learn. Therefore, I feel that relying way too much on Internet resources such as Spark Notes will not help students learn about important lessons in school. With technology being very accessible now, high school kids will not have the opportunity to enjoy reading old-fashioned books. 

4. Before the Internet, in order to be seen by the world, you had to be portrayed in some form of mass media, and you had to be famous in some respect -- in the news, in politics or as a celebrity. Now anyone can be seen online by anyone else in the world. Some people have become famous for videos or photos they’ve posted (such as Autumn Edows). In your opinion, should people like Edows, or others who become “ famous” through their online presence, be considered “celebrities?” Has the ability to create an online persona, and receive worldwide attention for it, affected our cultural values? 

I don’t think that people like Edows should be considered as celebrities, and shouldn’t be encouraged to post racy pictures to gain peoples’ attention. She is only a teenager, and although sexuality can be a big part of that age, she shouldn’t display her life stories to the Internet community. I think that people should be admiring “celebrities” who are role models and can inspire other teenagers to make good life choices. I am all for freedom of expression, and being able to share what we feel and what we think. However, when it comes to pretending to be someone else, and creating a different online persona, then I am not an advocate for people who dabble into that. I think that teenage girls should be able to learn to accept themselves for who they are, and for what they are. It is important to value oneself, and develop that confidence because we are all different, and we all portray a different role in our community. I believe that people like Jessica should have another positive way to express themselves. They should find another outlet where other people, instead of stripping their clothes to gain attention, can appreciate them. She can participate in sports, engage in theater, and even take part in art classes. 

5. Shows like "To Catch a Predator" on Dateline NBC (http://www.nbcnews.com/id/10912603/) contribute to parental anxiety about online media. It is obvious that certain elements of programs like “To Catch a Predator,” and even this documentary, will likely increase parents’ fears. Cite one current event from the past year where a young person has been affected (positively or negatively) by being active online. (find a link to a news story, describe it in your answer to this question, and provide the link as well). 

Police Investigating Nude Photo Collage Involving Westerville Students http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2014/04/08/westerville-nude-photo-collage.html 

Parents do have that fear whether or not their children are making good decisions when using the Internet or their smart phones. Having the Internet being so accessible nowadays, everything is within reach. There’s really not much that parents can do to monitor what their children look up online. They just need to sometimes let go, and trust that they make the right decisions, and if they don’t, then they will have to suffer the consequences. This article just came out recently. This viral picture showing naked pictures of Westerville students has affected students in Westerville. As a result, parents worry if their child was ever involved in this, or if their child will engage in sending inappropriate pictures or messages of themselves. It is the parents’ role to instill that value being able to be mature when making good choices, and also thinking about the consequences that will come with it. As long as the parents raised their children in a way that they value respect and modesty, then their children will know what to do in their teenage years. 

6. Teasing, lying, gossiping, threatening, spreading rumors or harassing online (and offline)can severely affect people’s self-concept and self-esteem and have an impact on their emotional state. In the program, we see one girl who describes flirting with boys and then revealing she was just kidding. She explains: "You wouldn’t do that to someone’s face, but online is completely different. ... No one can do anything. You’re at your house, they’r e at their house." In her quote, this teen is describing Suler’s disinhibition effects. Which one do you think it is, and why? 

I think that the teen is describing Invisibility Disinhibition Effect, where online cannot see your face, which gives them the confidence to say certain things to them online. When someone is anonymous, they have more of a confidence to say things without censoring their thoughts. When people are communicating online, they cannot see any emotion, or any facial expression from the other person. Therefore, it is easier to just express what they are thinking at that moment. 

7. At the end of the program, Greg decides it’s time for him to "disconnect" by going to the Coast Guard Academy, where he will spend seven weeks without cell phones or the Internet. 

Have you ever thought about "disconnecting" from it all? 

I have thought about disconnecting from social media during the Lenten period, but I have never been able to do so. I think that is difficult for me to disconnect with the Internet, and my phone because I feel that it is very much part of me. However, if I know that I am with the people that matter to me, and then I don’t think I need any type of technology around me. I just like the idea knowing that I know they are safe, and they are with me 

Do you think it would be easy or difficult for you personally? 

I think it would difficult in the beginning to wean myself from all this technology, but I personally think that it is possible for me to do so. When I was growing up, we weren’t really into the online world. We spent our time playing outside with friends, or actually physically interacting with them. I was already in high school when I owned my cell phone, and I was in my 20s with I started using smart phones. Therefore, I think that it would be easier for me to disconnect myself from these technologies better than the younger generations. 

What would you enjoy or dislike about disconnecting? 

I will dislike not being able check into social media like Facebook or Instagram. I also wouldn’t like the fact that I cannot communicate easily with the people around me. In addition, I wouldn’t be able to efficiently do my homework with the help of the Internet. I think that I would enjoy being able to converse to people in an old fashioned way, instead of texting to chatting. I think that we should value human conversations and being able to appreciate human expression. I also think that I would enjoy the silence from all the hustle and bustle of the busy media world… But only maybe for a while ☺

Tech Tool Review

National and State Technology Standards

      1. As you read the Introduction to the National Education Technology Plan, what did you determine to be the purpose of the National Education Technology Plan? How does it affect teachers and students, people like you and me? (feel free to be critical if you like).

From my understanding, the purpose of the National Education Technology Plan (NETP) is to help students succeed towards a better career after school. Their goal is help reform education with the help of purposeful technology. This will prepare students to become familiar with 21^st century technology, and help them become successful after graduation. The importance of education in today’s economy is crucial in helping our nation progress. Therefore, educators must foster creativity and innovation in classrooms, to be able to compete with students all over the globe. With the help of technology, this will allow learning to be more progressive, and efficient. The NETP strives to create college graduates who are competent in the workforce.

I believe that this plan is achievable, and relative to today’s society. Educators have already welcomed technology into their classrooms such as iPads, computers, Smart Boards, etc. This plan affects both teachers and students, and their methods of teaching. I think that technology will bring a very visual aspect of learning inside the classroom, and also provide an efficient way to learning. However, some teachers might criticize that this might hinder someone’s creativity because everything is offered through the Internet, and web applications. Like any invention, there are pros and cons and it depends on the individual on how they are able to handle technology in their learning.  

2. As you read the Introduction to the National Education Technology Plan (NETP), what were the main assumptions under which the plan was developed?  (you may copy and paste the main assumptions, and then answer the question below in your own words).

•       Many of the failings of our education system stem from our failure to engage the hearts and minds of students.

•       What students need to learn and what we know about how they learn have changed, and therefore the learning experiences we provide should change.

•       How we assess learning focuses too much on what has been learned after the fact and not enough on improving learning in the moment.

•       We miss a huge opportunity to improve our entire education system when we gather student-learning data in silos and fail to integrate the information and make it broadly available to decision-makers at all levels of our education system—individual educators, schools, districts, states, and the federal government.

•       Learning depends on effective teaching, and we need to focus on extended teams of connected educators with different roles who collaborate within schools and across time and distance and who use technology resources and tools to augment human talent.

•       Effective teaching is an outcome of preparing and continually training teachers and leaders to guide the type of learning we want in our schools.

•       Making engaging learning experiences and resources available to all learners anytime and anywhere requires state-of-the-art infrastructure, which includes technology, people, and processes that ensure continuous access.

•       Education can learn much from such industries as business and entertainment about leveraging technology to continuously improve learning outcomes while increasing the productivity of our education system at all levels.

What are some concerns administrators, educators, or even students might have with these assumptions?

            I believe that teachers are experts in motivating children to learn. The assumption of student failure due to the lack of engagement from students’ minds and hearts, will definitely stir some conversation. There are teachers who work tremendously hard to help students learn and motivate them to succeed. Secondly, engaging in real learning experiences is not available to everyone. It is indeed very crucial for students to have real life experiences outside of school, to help them apply their learning. However, not all school systems, or not all families have the luxury to provide these experiences to students. The assumption of how we assess students is definitely a big issue in today’s school system. Every teacher that I have spoken with is not a huge fan of standardized testing, and constantly putting children under pressure to meet scores and progress. There is also an issue of hiring competent teachers in today’s school system. Although we believe that both education and experience is important in hiring teachers, school systems prefer to hire teachers with little or no experience at all, for budget cut reasons. I think that this might be a hindrance to today’s society.

3.  As you read the Executive Summary, the NETP presents a model of learning powered by technology, with goals and recommendations in five essential areas. (You may copy and paste the areas directly from the document and then answer the question below in your own words).

1.0 Learning: Engage and Empower

All learners will have engaging and empowering learning experiences both in and out of school that prepare them to be active, creative, knowledgeable, and ethical participants in our globally networked society.

2.0 Assessment: Measure What Matters

Our education system at all levels will leverage the power of technology to measure what matters and use assessment data for continuous improvement.

3.0 Teaching: Prepare and Connect

Professional educators will be supported individually and in teams by technology that connects them to data, content, resources, expertise, and learning experiences that enable and inspire more effective teaching for all learners.

4.0 Infrastructure: Access and Enable

All students and educators will have access to a comprehensive infrastructure for learning when and where they need it.

5.0 Productivity: Redesign and Transform

Our education system at all levels will redesign processes and structures to take advantage of the power of technology to improve learning outcomes while making more efficient use of time, money, and staff.

What are the “21st century competencies” - see the section titled “what and how people need to learn”- listed in the summary? How will technology support the growth of these competencies?

21^st century competencies are skills that help individuals thrive in today’s technological world. We must include these skills in our everyday curriculum to provide students the necessary skills that will help them progress. These skills include: critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and multimedia education.  These skills, along with education must be incorporated in our lesson plans and curriculum, as we help children problem solve during Math or Science periods. We can also foster collaboration during a Social Studies project by organizing Service Learning. Multimedia education can be woven into English Language Arts, by bringing in books on tape, or movies about book authors. As teachers, we can encourage critical thinking by studying art or paintings. There are endless ways that teachers can include these skills in the classroom.

4.  As you read The State of Ohio's Educational Technology Plan's "purpose and mission" (page 6), how do you believe it aligns with the National Education Technology Plan? In which respects are the two plans perhaps not aligned?  Why?

The purpose and mission of Ohio’s Educational Technology Plans share the same idea with the National Education Technology Plan (NETP) where they believe that the importance of technology in education will help students progress and become competent in today’s society. This organization is able to reach out to those who need access to technology in classrooms. However, it seems to me like the Ohio’s Education Technology Plan is still making constant changes to ensure the success of this program. Their mission sends out the message that their mission statement is flexible and that it is living document where changes can me made throughout the process.

5.  As you read Ohio’ s State Educational Technology Plan outlined on page 8, how do you believe this outline aligns with the "model of learning powered by technology, with goals and recommendations in five essential areas" proposed by the National Education Technology Plan?  In which areas are the two plans perhaps not aligned?  Why?

Both plans include the integration of technology in education, and the importance of providing learning opportunities to students. It also includes the importance of professional development that educators and administrators need to undergo especially when becoming technological-savvy in the classroom. It is important for us to become educated and experienced in using these devices for a better learning experience. One aspect where these plan did not align was the area of assessment. The NETP emphasizes that importance of assessment in the educational system, the Ohio’s Education Plan does not include that.

6.  As you read Ohio’s State Educational Technology Plan's "measurements of success" (page 16), what barriers do you see to fulfilling this plan? Provide four reasons why it may not be possible to reach these "measurements of success" in the state of Ohio.

I see a couple of barriers in being able to fulfill this plan. For online courses in a high school setting, there might be a few issues where it may hinder their learning. The issue of online classes and being able to monitor cheating is a major issue in education. I believe that students can be exposed to online work, but have a security monitor to what they may write for papers. Submitting transcripts and grades online may be a little difficult for teachers who have trouble working the system. Technology will always have flaws along the way, and this can become a barrier. However, I see that the measurement of success is set on a high standard, which can be a great measurement to student success.

ORC Lesson Plan

My dream is to be a first grade teacher. So I chose a lesson plan that would be perfect and interactive for this grade level. English Language Arts (ELA) is one of my strongest area in teaching, therefore it was to no surprise that I picked this area. The lesson plan that caught my eye was a very fun, yet essential an topic in Early Childhood Education. Building Letter Recognition Fluency is one of the building blocks to reading, and eventually writing. In this particular lesson, the students will be practicing letter recognition, and sound these letters out. The lesson is split into three parts or three days. On the first day, they will go on a "letter hunt" where 3-4 students will look for letters around the classroom. Then the students will get the opportunity to use a computer website to practice recognition. The next couple lessons will include naming words, and then applying these words.

Standards

COMMON CORE STANDARDS

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

Ohio's State Standards

• Subject: Language Arts
  Grade(s): 1
  Standard: 1.A.  –  Use letter-sound correspondence knowledge and structural analysis to decode words.
• Subject: Language Arts
  Grade(s): 1
  Standard: 1.3.  –  Grade Level Indicator: Demonstrate an understanding of letter-sound correspondence by saying the sounds from all letters and from a variety of letter patterns, such as consonant blends and long- and short-vowel patterns, and by matching sounds to the corresponding letters.
• Subject: Language Arts
  Grade(s): 1
  Standard: 3.7.  –  Grade Level Indicator: Comprehension Strategies: Create and use graphic organizers such as Venn diagrams or webs, with teacher assistance, to demonstrate comprehension.
• Subject: Language Arts
  Grade(s): 1
  Standard: 6.G.  –  Publish writing samples for display or sharing with others, using techniques such as electronic resources and graphics.

When students go on a letter hunt, they use their letter-sound correspondence knowledge, and their previous knowledge from Kindergarten. Standard 1.A. explains how students will decode words. During this lesson, the first graders will have the opportunity to recognize words with these beginning letter and sounds. The other standard states that students will be able to create and use graphic organizers in this activity. During this lesson, the students will help create a chart of their names and categorizing them into the beginning letter and sounds. Most importantly, children will have the opportunity to sound out these letters, which is very important in early readers.

This is a great lesson that I would include in the first couple weeks of class. This allows me to pre-assess children and their knowledge of letter recognition. I would implement this lesson following the ideas and steps with a few minor changes. I will include in my routine the singing of the alphabet sounds "A.. a.. a... Abby is sad, A... a... a... says A." In the original plan, the teacher plans to have students go into the computer. However, I think that first graders need to constant guidance when it comes to using technology. Therefore, I would change this lesson plan by using the SmartBoard instead, and have a group interaction, instead of having to do this activity individually. In addition to the lesson, I would make an alphabet chart of the students' names. This allows the students to make learning meaningful, especially if they recognize the letters of their names and their friends'. I also think that differentiation is important for this lesson. I may have students who have different reading abilities, learning disabilities or English Language Learners. Therefore, I should allow questions and activities that will help all students with differentiation.

Click HERE for a full view of the Lesson: A is for Apple: Building Letter Recognition and Fluency

Pinterest in the Classroom

Pinterest is full of wonders. It a place where imagination and creativity to be shared with others. I have been using Pinterest for a while, and I have learned that organization is the key. I often go back to my boards to re-visit the ideas, and I find it easy to locate the pins because I organized them in categories. It is also important to not pin just for the sake of pinning. I think that there are quite a few options, and that we can get carried away, but we have make sure that these pins are useful to us now and in the future.

Pinterest is a great place for teachers to share and collect ideas. Teachers are constantly looking for fresh new ways to engage students in their learning. As a teacher, I will be able to use great activities that have been proven and tested by teachers in the past. Pinterest boards also include the latest gadgets and tools that teachers need to keep up. Especially with technology being so popular in classrooms, Pinterest offers so many great websites and programs that can be useful for students. The greatest thing about Pinterest is that it is accessible and free to anyone who wants to use it. I think that this a great teacher resource that everyone can use. Teachers already spend their own money on their classroom, but not with Pinterest. I also think that one of the greatest strength is how it is very visual. The pictures capture the user in a glance, which makes it easy for them to pin and organize. One challenging aspect of Pinterest is that it is so interesting and fun to do, it can take up so much time of our day. I have spent hours on Pinterest just pinning new ideas to my boards. It is also challenging when we have all these great ideas but we cannot put them to any good use. It seems like pins can be forgotten on the back burner.

I love Pinterest, and I will continue to use this program for many things. Right now, I rely on it for new recipes. I also love reading interesting articles about early childhood education. We should find time to draw from these ideas, and actually put them to good use.