5 Powerful Outcomes of Movement in the Classroom

To meet the needs of kinesthetic learners, teachers often add quick movement activities between lessons to allow children an opportunity for movement.- Stacey N. Skoning. I am currently in graduate school at Texas Christian University studying Special Education. We were …

Assistive Technology Brochure

A great resource for Special Education Teachers to send out to parents! I made this intended for parents who need more information on assistive technology. This is a wonderful resource for teachers to add in their resource file for parents.

Click here: Assistive Technology Brochure

Martin’s Big Words Extensive Lesson Plan!

 

 

Part 1: Lesson Plan

 

Intended grade level for this plan: Second Grade

Book title: Martin’s Big Words

Author: Doreen Rappaport

Publisher & year: Hyperion Books for Children, 12/18/2007

 

INTEGRATION PLANNING TEMPLATE

CONTENT AREAS BEING INTEGRATED	Social Studies		English Language Arts
TEKS (1 TEKS FROM EACH CONTENT AREA) TO BE ADDRESSED	SS.2.4.C (4) History. The student understands how historical figures, patriots, and good citizens helped shape the community, state, and nation. The student is expected to:  (C) explain how people and events have influenced local community history.		ELAW.2.18.B (18) Writing/Literary Texts. Students write literary texts to express their ideas and feelings about real or imagined people, events, and ideas. Students are expected to: (B) Write short poems that convey sensory details.
LEARNING GOALS (1 for each of the TEKS) What do you want students to learn?	The students will write at least one way Martin Luther King Jr. influenced his local, state and/or national community for the better.		The students will write at least one way how Martin Luther King influenced his community for the better by creating a poem that conveys at least three sensory detailed words.
IDEAS FOR ACTIVITIES What kinds of learning experiences will help students to meet the learning goals set for each content area?	Materials Needed: The book Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport Promethium board or chart paper (KWL Chart) White board (children’s thoughts/ideas) Sheet of paper for teacher to keep track of student participation Chart paper (to model poem writing) Notebook paper (for their poems) Self-Assessment Sheet (for both language arts and social studies) [The teacher will start the lesson off explaining that the students are going to learn about Martin Luther King Jr. and that they will read the book, Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport as well as create their own unique poems towards the end of the lesson.] Teacher Notes The teacher will explicitly tell the students that they must participate with a meaningful response at least once during either the poem review or during the book reading in order to receive points at the end. First, the teacher will make a KWL Chart (what the students know, what the students want to know, and what the students have learned) onto chart paper. As a whole class discussion, the teacher will write down what the students know about Martin Luther King Jr., specifically what he has done for his community. They will also discuss what they want to know about Martin Luther King Jr. and the teacher will record that information on the chart paper during the discussion. [This is when students receive points and the teacher will keep track of who participates by writing their names down on a pad of paper.] Then the teacher will read the book, Martin’s Big Words, out loud to the class. After reading the story, the students know a little more information about Martin Luther King. Now return back to the KWL chart and fill in the answers to the questions. If any of the questions were answered after reading the story, record the answers below the learned column. After adding the new information some of the questions may not be answered (we will return to this later). Questions to be asked after reading the text to the class (this is when the teacher will grade for participation): How did Martin Luther King Jr. change his community? (Inferential Question) What types of things helped him achieve this goal? (Inferential Question) What kind of leader was Martin?  Strong, passionate, or caring? Explain. (Opinion-based Question) What did you learn about Martin Luther King Jr.? (Opinion based Question) How did he help others? (Inferential Question) Have you ever done something nice or something that helped someone without being asked to do it? (Relatable Question) Why did you do it? How did this make you feel? Now the students will review how to write a poem. The teacher will explain the parts of the poem. For example, we must first write our name in the corner of our paper and then we must create a title for our poem. (The teacher will be modeling this on a piece of chart paper –she will write, Mrs. Cooper on the right side of the chart paper and write “Martin’s Influence” as the poems title). The teacher will tell the students that the title is their choice and that I chose “Martins Influence.” Then she will say we are writing a sensory detailed poem, so it is important to make sure to add sensory detailed words. So using sensory detailed words means to explain using what we see, hear, feel, taste, and smell. “What are some sensory detail words that we could use for Martin Luther King?” –She writes these down on the board so the students can use as a reminder later. (This is when the students respond to the question- also a time for participation points) Some of their responses might be pondered, worried, courage, stutter, blistering heat, and smoky air (words from the book might spark ideas) etc. The teacher will also go over the basics of using punctuation and exclamation points if needed. She will say that periods are used when you are stating something and exclamation points when you are indicating a strong feeling or expressing high volume in your words. For example, Martin Luther King is full of courage! (The teacher will say this sentence with a high volume and in a statement form) The teacher will remind the students to use the dictionary or the book as a guide for spelling. After writing all of their responses down on the board, the students will then listen about what else that needs to be included in a poem. *Teacher passes out the Self-Assessment Sheets at this time Now the teacher will explain to the students that in the content part of their poem they must add at least one way Martin Luther King Jr. influenced his local community to change for the better. In their poem the students must add at least three sensory detailed words. These are the two essential parts of the assessment and how they will be graded.  After discussing what needs to be in a poem, the students are then asked to go back to their desks and to think about some sensory detailed words as well as one way or Martin Luther King Jr. influenced his community that they can use for their poems. Now, the students will create their own poem explaining how the community changed because of Martin Luther King Jr. while adding sensory detailed words. The teacher can walk around to make sure that each student understands and is on the right track. If students are having trouble, encourage them to look at the book we read in the beginning of the lesson. Also lay out some other inspiring texts or books about Martin Luther King to spark any other ideas. *Give the students their self-assessment form after the poem review so they can use it as a guide to make sure they are doing the lesson correctly also for them to know what is expected of them, in terms of the assignment. On KWL chart (For the “W”, what the students want to know): *Go over the questions that may not have been answered on the KWL chart and have them look up the unanswered questions as a homework option for extra credit.
ASSESSMENT How will you determine if the students met the learning goals in each content area? (Student self assessment below)	Each student must contribute at least once during discussion time.  Whether that is during the book reading or during the poem review. This is mentioned before the lesson. Teacher Rubric: 1. Does the student have at least one way Martin Luther King Jr. influenced his local community for the better? 45 Points 2. Did the student participate with a meaningful response during the poem review OR during the book reading? 25 Points 3. Explain in detail how your poem relates to what Martin Luther King did as a community leader? To think about: Why did you choose those words? Why do those words work for Martin Luther King Jr. as a leader? 30 Points Worth a total of 100 Points Student Self-Assessment for both the language arts and social studies aspect (the project as a whole): Give a description of the project you have completed. What did you like about the project or activity? What were you able to do well ? Did you have trouble with this project/activity? Why or why not. Observation assessment: After the students fill out their self-assessments, the students will get into groups of 3 or 4 and discuss the following: 1.What did you learn during this lesson? 2. What did Martin do as a leader? 3. Share your poems with your group and share something you like about each person’s poem. 4.What if Martin Luther King Jr. did not make the “I have a dream speech”, what would have happened? Would anything have been different? Explain why in detail. 5.Discuss how Martin Luther King Jr. can help us become better people in our community. [Afterwards, reconvene and debrief as a class] [Observation Assessment-by the teacher] **Extra credit option (if there are any unanswered questions on KWL chart): Allow one point for each meaningful answer as well as the reference (where they found this information).	Each student must contribute at least once during discussion time.  Whether that is during the book reading or during the poem review. This is mentioned before the lesson. Teacher Rubric: 1.Are there at least three sensory detailed words? 40 Points   2. Does each sensory detailed word make sense in the sentence? 40 Points 3. Do they have all of their conventions? 20 Points Spelling Punctuation Mechanical Errors Title Your name Worth a total of 100 Points

 

 

 

 

Play in the Classroom!

In one of my posts, I talked about one of my favorite professors. This a great resource/information on play in the classroom.

Types of Drama:

1. Dramatic and Socio-dramatic play– children are both actors and directors. As actor’s children actually experience the feelings, thoughts, and behaviors of the roles they are playing. As directors, they imagine feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.
2. Story Play– also called story dictation is form of guided drama that uses children’s own stories as the content for enactment. Children can both be writers and actors dictating stories to an adult or by writing their own stories that later become plays to dramatize.
3. Pantomime- is a type of informal drama, is a good starting point for the dramatic arts. Children use gestures and movements to communicate ideas, feelings, and actions-all without words.
4. 4.    Puppets– they add life to the classroom by naturally fostering creativity, imagination, and arts based learning. They help children convey feelings, emotions, values, and ideas, they invite children to explore their imagination and share it with others.
5. Story Drama– a type of interpretive drama, is based on the reenactment of familiar stories, poems, and fables, or original stories, sometimes called story retelling, story drama often consists of a teacher led group with children creating scenes from familiar literature that use both dialogue and movement.
6. Reader’s Theater- another form of interpretive drama, is an oral reading of a story or script by a group of readers. In selecting literature for readers theater, choose stories with a simple plot, a clear ending, characters that are understandable through their dialogue and repetitive words, and phrases if available.

Benefits of using puppets

• Use of an object to symbolize something else
• Different perspectives
• Children teach each other
• Act out a roll realistically
• Differentiate between props for different professions
• Self expression, story telling, improvisation, and enactment
• Risk taking and building confidence in speaking abilities
• Social negotiation
• Releasing emotions, distinguishing between reality and fantasy and practicing life experiences

Difference between 2 types of playgrounds (traditional and creative) and their purposes:

1. Traditional Playgrounds originated in early part of the twentieth century and were designed for physical exercise to emphasize gross motor skills

• Contain large steel immovable equipment
• Climbing bars, slides and swings
• Lack variety and challenge
• May appeal less to physically able children who are reluctant to participate in these types of gross motor activities

1. Creative Playgrounds adopted in the twentieth century from the adventure playground concept, are a way to integrate elements of adventure playgrounds into contemporary settings

• Contain a superstructure of movable parts
• Are action-oriented provide a safe underneath surfaces, and offer a variety of stimulating materials and equipment
• Promote all forms of play
• Offer children numerous possibilities for social interaction

Justify benefits of recess

• Provides students with discretionary and opportunities to engage in physical activity that promote healthy bodies and minds
• Reduces stress
• Improves children’s attentiveness
• Decreases restlessness
• Unites mind, body, and spirit of the child
• No obesity
• Helps students socially, physically, and physiologically

Divergent and convergence

1. Divergent- invite a variety of children responses through exploration, experimentation, and original thinking that stimulate their problem solving ability

• Examples: blocks, carpentry, tools, dress up, clothes, paint, markers, modeling dough, and mud
• Enable children to use their imaginations in original and satisfying ways
• Encourage children to work cooperatively
• Builds self esteem
• No right or wrong way to use the toy
• Process oriented not product oriented

1. Convergent- leads children to think about a single or correct way to use them

• Examples: Wind up dolls, talking dolls, and coloring books

Benefits of children inventing games

• They learn to be autonomous learners –they have to make decisions
• Practice basic skills  -they have to use writing or mathematics to figure out the procedures
• Develop organizational skills –they have to plan the game, construct it, play with others, discover problems and make changes

Types of materials with their descriptions

1)   Skill/Concept Materials– prescriptive and product oriented. Children commonly practice skills such as hand-eye coordination, sorting, classifying, and counting them. Consist of board games, Cuisenaire rods, and perception materials such as lacing beads and puzzles

2)   Gross Motor Materials- stress large muscle activity and skill development. Children use them primarily to explore and practice motor abilities and to develop strength in large muscle coordination. Include balls, climbers, pull toys, riding toys, and ropes, catching, throwing, and rope courses.

3)   Manipulative Materials– (sometimes called fine motor materials) develops small muscles in children’s fingers and hands, basic concepts, imaginative thinking, and hand-eye coordination. Include beading, building sets, crayons, dough, geoboards, markers, jigsaw puzzles, rulers, templates, and brushes.

4)   Construction Materials– they have separate pieces that can be combined in different ways to encourage children to create different ways to do so. These include blocks, building sets, 2-3 dimensional shapes, and woodworking materials. Endless possibilities and support coordination and inventive thinking.

5)   Self-Expressive Materials– encourages children to experiment with different roles, feelings, and behaviors, and express them through drama, music and art. Include dolls; dress up clothes, free draw, puppets, housekeeping toys, markers, miniature life toys, and musical instruments.

6)   Natural and Everyday Materials– have specific, NONPLAY purposes. Children decide how to use them, employ imaginative and divergent thinking, and imitate and model adult roles with them. Everyday materials include boxes, buttons, carpentry tools, pots, and pans. Natural materials include twigs, leaves, rocks, pinecones, sand, mud, and water.

 

 

Benefits of software and the Internet for developing creative thinking

Software:

1)   Discover and invent with symbols

2)   Foster inquiry, communication, and problem solving

3)   Make connections to their units of study

4)   Apply a range of skills and encourage social interaction

The Internet:

1.Provide Appropriate technology materials

2. Ensure equal access to technology for all children

3. Be an informed and critical user

4. Promote artistic and creative thought that develops visual-spatial perception

Identify appropriate modifications for games when working with ELL children or vision/hearing impaired

ELL

• Simplify the rules or content of the game
• Create games where there is no clear winner
• Introduce games that require little to no reading

Visual/Hearing Impaired

• Tactile maps for exploration
• Large print kits
• Braille materials –menu in housekeeping area
• Toys that emit light
• Bright shiny contrasting colored materials
• Raised slant boards for reading and writing
• Rice table for exploration
• Providing real life materials
• Oversized building sets

In terms of content area classrooms which activities would be better for Pre-K-K classrooms or 1-4^th grade classrooms

• Pages 307-312 and 289, 291

 

Classroom arrangements

1)   The environment communicates messages about appropriate behavior

2)   Space must be easy to supervise

3)   Materials must be accessible and easy to use

4)   Be alert to traffic patterns

5)   Place art station near sink

6)   Do not have reading center next to a louder center for example, blocks

7)   Safe/welcoming

8)   Lots of space between centers

9)   Routine for transitions

10)                  Eye level and reachable

 

Influences parents and families have on talent

• Play a crucial role –singing helps literacy
• Many art based learning activities occur outside the classroom

 

 

Review Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences

1)   Verbal/Linguistic –intelligence with words and language (skill produced by a writer)

2)   Logical/Mathematical- intelligence with sequential thinking and numerical reasoning ability (mathematician or scientist)

3)   Bodily/Kinesthetic- wisdom about ones own body and its movements (football player/figure skater)

4)   Visual/Spatial- intelligence in using the “minds eyes” to work (architect)

5)   Musical/Rhythmic- intelligence having to do with sound pattern, musical talent (composer or performer)

6)   Interpersonal- dealing with human interaction and perceptivity on how to resolve social problems (counselor or therapist)

7)   Intrapersonal- personal growth, intelligence of a person who fully understand how he or she learns

8)   Environmental/Naturalist- intelligence with having to do with adapting to and learning about physical environment both natural and human made

9)   Philosophical/Moral- capable of seeing the big picture getting to the hear to the matter  (judges or clergy)

 

What gets in the way of teachers’ becoming creative themselves?

1. Fear of Risk Taking

2. Premature Criticism

3. Need for Control