Native Americans of the Great Plains Smart Notebook Lesson

     Smart Notebook is a very valuable tool, with a wealth of information and activities for students of all ages. I plan to use this website to help me plan and tweak my future lesson plans. I have used sites that are more user-friendly, but this site is very navigable and manageable with a little practice. Even the most technologically-challenged user should be able to successfully use this website.

     I found a lesson plain about the Indians of the Great Plains. I really like the way the lesson is set up, including the overall flow of events and activities. My lesson covers the Lakota Sioux of the Great Plains as does the lesson on the website. The information is accurate and shown in a sensible way.

     The lesson is also very interactive to help stimulate and engage the students. However, I would like to see a word bank provided on the fill-in-the-blanks slides. The lesson connects well with the learning outcomes I have cited in my own lesson plan. The students can easily navigate the lesson and learn valuable information about the Plains Indians, including daily life and responsibilities. This site is a welcome addition to my teaching toolbox.

 

 

Videos in the Classroom

     Isn't the world of technological advancements a wonderful thing? Teachers now have so many wonderful tools right at our fingertips. Many of these tools provide wonderful audio/visual cues to aid in helping our students receive an authentic experience while learning about new and unfamiliar subject areas. Of course some of this technology is better suited for the classroom. Other forms or websites may cause problems to arise.

     One such advancement in technology has been the creation of video websites. Through these websites, we can search videos, audio, user backgrounds, and even make our own videos. These tools are an invaluable part of lesson plans today. Three such websites are Youtube, Google Videos, and Teacher Tube. All three of these websites operate in fairly similar ways. However, there are some important differences to consider before using them.

     Youtube and google videos are more widely used by the general public. Therefore, just about anything and everything can be downloaded to these sites. Don't get me wrong. These sites contain wonderful videos and a wealth of valuable information. We just have to be extremely careful when using these sites, to keep from allowing our students to view inappropriate material.

     Teacher Tube, on the other hand, is a site made for teachers. It contains a wealth of valuable information, without the worries of accidentally exposing our students to inappropriate material. I definitely value Teacher Tube and plan to use it many times in my classroom. I have a unit in mind that covers Native American culture and Westward Expansion. I plan to show videos such as the Battle of Little Bighorn and many others dealing with the subject. Check out Teacher Tube. I think you will agree with me. It is a great tool.

Voicethread

     Have you ever been told of a new piece of technology and automatically think, "oh boy,this is going to be complicated?" Well, if you have, you are not alone. I am the world's worst about being skeptical of new software or technologies. However, after using Voicethread, I am no longer worried about using this valuable tool.

     The initial account set up was a smooth and seamless transaction. I  was able to navigate the website with ease. From watching the tutorials to actually posting a thread, the whole experience was smooth, easy, and actually fun. The website is very user-friendly and will prove to be very helpful in a classroom setting.

     I can think of numerous ways I can use this technology in my classroom. One specific example comes to mind. If I ever need to have some planned time away from school, I can create several voicethreads to go along with powerpoints. These voicethreads and powerpoints can be utilized by the substitute teacher, making my students feel I am in the classroom with them.

     As I said earlier, I did not encounter any problems using this technology. I do not foresee any dangers or repercussions from using such a tool. I would definitely recommend voicethread to anyone
involved in a teaching-type environment.

Web 2.0 vs. Web 1.0

Today's internet options allow diverse groups of individuals to research
information, create content for others to consume, or interact socially,
whether for work or pleasure. This ease of aquiring or sending information
comes with many benefits as well as challenges. In this blog, I will be discussing
the various nuances of web 1.0 websites and web 2.0 websites.

When the names web 1.0 and web 2.0 are first encountered, we tend to wonder
what these names actually mean. If you have used the internet for any amount of time, you have
used both types of sites, without even realizing. Web 1.0 sites are the basic information-gathering types of sites. In other words, they offer information on certain subjects, but do not allow the user to make changes to the website. There is usually no log in required to visit a web 1.0 site and anyone can access these sites.

Web 2.0 sites are a different concept all together. Web 2.0 sites commonly require the user to log in. By logging in, the user is then able to make changes to the site by adding content such as personal updates, location, pictures, videos, etc. Today's popular social media sites are examples of web 2.0 sites. Although web 2.0 sites are very convenient, they also come with a set of concerns. One of the greatest concerns is security. Many sites allow cross-site scripting which can lead consumers to contacting viruses or being hacked by other unscrupulous users.

Web 2.0 and web 1.0 sites all have advantages and disadvantages to the end user. Teachers, such as myself, can gain valuable information from web 1.0 sites and use web 2.0 sites to allow students to interact with one another as well as with students in other parts of the world. Web 2.0 sites are not as affected by flash crowds (sudden increase in user activity) as are web 1.0 sites. In other words, web 2.0 sites are less likely to get bogged down and become sluggish as are web 1.0 sites.

References

 

L. Backstrom, D. Huttenlocher, J. Kleinberg, and X. Lan. Group formation in large social networks:

membership, growth, and evolution. In
ACM SIGKDD, 2006.

S. Bhagat, G. Cormode, S. Muthukrishnan, I. Rozenbaum, and H. Xue. No blog is an island analyzing

connections across information networks. In

International Conference on Weblogs and Social Media,

2007

Perseverance



     Have you ever felt like the odds were stacked against you? Maybe you felt like you could not carry on or maybe you should just give up. Well, I am willing to bet the farmers all over the United States and the world are glad George Washington Carver did not give up on his dream of a college education. The book George Washington Carver What Do You See? by Janet and Geoff Benge, is a wonderful account of the trials and tribulations of George Washington Carver. This book is perfect to integrate in a social studies lesson because it not only recounts the life and accomplishments of a great American scientist. It gives insight into the plight of slaves and African Americans prior to desegregation.

     George Washington Carver was born into slavery. His mother was taken away by an armed gang of thieves and he was left on the side of a snowy road to die. Luckily a lady found him and brought him in. The slave owner found George and brought him and his brother into his home and raised them like they were his own. George eventually moved away to attend school. He went on to graduate from college and became one of the greatest scientists of agriculture the world has ever known. He is responsible for the peanut boom in the South. He invented over 300 uses for the peanut.

     Check this book out and add it to your social studies library. Your students will all benefit from reading this story of perseverance and success.

"You can think of almost everything as a math problem."

     Our story begins on Monday in math class. Before this day, our main character, who is never named, was just a regular kid. Then it happened! In math class, Mrs. Fibonacci made a profound and life-changing statement. She said, "You know, you can think of everything as a math problem." On Tuesday, the problems started. Our main character starts seeing everything in his life as a math problem. He can not even look in his closet without seeing his clothes as various combinations of colors and designs. At breakfast, he wonders how many quarts are in his gallon of milk, how many pints in a quart, how many feet in a yard, and even, how many yards in a neighborhood.

     This book titled, Math Curse, written by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, is a very entertaining math- based book that is sure to be a big hit with many students and teachers. By reading this book, children will not only be entertained, they will also learn important mathematical facts. Check this book out for your classroom library. It is sure to be a big hit.
                                                                                             

Wind & Water

    
     Do you remember, as a child, ever wondering where electricity came from or how it was generated? I was always fascinated with electricity and lightning, specifically. I often wondered why my toy train or my toy race cars would come to life when I turned them on. I never really understood how this phenomenon happened and I surely never considered alternative methods for producing this terribly wonderful thing.

    The book World About Us Wind & Water Power by Clint Twist is a nicely written non-fiction book about how electricity can be produced by harnessing the power of wind and water. This book has many great scientific facts and would be a great addition to a science classroom library. The book also explains how non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels will run out in the near future. The author also talks about toxic waste generated by coal burning and nuclear power plants and their potential hazards to the environment.

     The illustrations are top quality and very informative to help the students better understand the meaning of each passage in the book. Check this book out and give it a try the next time you are teaching a lesson on electricity or the environment. I think you and your students will really enjoy it.

Just Kidding

     Have you ever been teased by someone to the point of feeling uncomfortable or embarrassed? Unfortunately this kind of scenario occurs all too often. In the beginning the teaser may just having a little fun. Then when other kids begin to laugh at the jokes, the teaser starts to thrive off of the attention. Before long, the teasing turns into taunting, which is a form of bullying. All too often the victim of the teasing blames himself  for the bullying. To make matters worse, when these kids try to tell an adult about what is happening to them, they are called a tattle tale. This gives the victim a feeling of helplessness which often turns into tragedy.
    The book, Just Kidding, by Trudy Ludwig gives the reader an insight to the damaging effects of bullying on a child's sense of self worth. D.J. is a young boy who moves to a new school. He becomes friends with Vince, who in the beginning, seems like a nice and funny guy. Soon Vince begins teasing D.J. and the teasing eventually becomes taunting. This book, even though it is fiction and does not depict any real person or place, is a valuable tool for helping parents and teachers recognize bullying and how to deal with the situations that may arise.

     I plan to share this book with my students to show them the damaging effects of teasing and bullying. To give the students something to do with this information, I would have them create an imaginery newspaper. The students could write articles that deal with different scenarios in the book. They could also write about instances of teasing or bullying they have witnessed, without giving actual names. This would be a great exercise to further educate my students on how to behave appropriately. Check this book out. I know you and your kids will benefit from the information contained inside.

Cheer Up, Mouse!

     Have you ever felt just plain bad? Maybe you or a loved one were sick or maybe you lost a pet, for whatever reason, you were down in the dumps. Do you remember what made you feel better? Maybe it was someone instead of something. The book Cheer Up, Mouse! by Jed Henry is a wonderful little picture book that depicts a mouse who, for some reason, is down in the dumps. It doesn't take long for mouse's friends to realize something is wrong. Many of mouse's friends, including the crow, frog, squirrel, and hedge hog try everything they can think of to cheer mouse up, but nothing works. The last few pages of the book have no words, only pictures. These pictures show mouse's friend, chipmunk, climbing down from his tree and simply giving mouse a big hug.

    This is a wonderful fiction book, full of beautiful illustrations, that helps teach young children the value of friendship. This is also a wonderful teaching tool. One strategy I would use with this book is to have the students act out the scenes in the book. I would have them create masks during art that depict the various characters. Once the masks were complete, the students could act out each character's part in the story. This strategy would help me gauge the mastery the students have of the story. It would also help the students relate the story to events happening in their own lives. Check this book out sometime and use it with your students. You will all be blessed by this story.

David Goes to School

     Have you ever had that one author, who for some reason or other, you really liked and wanted to keep following their work? You're probably sitting there saying, "well duh, that's how authors keep their jobs". Okay, I will give you that. My reason for posting this question is that I just blogged about this same author with a different book last week.

David Goes to School by David Shannon is another example of child-friendly picture books that deal with subjects that children deal with on a daily basis. This book highlights all of the things David did while at school that got him into trouble. From chewing gum in class, being tardy to class, to skipping in the lunch line, David seemed to always be doing the very things that kids should not do at school. This book would be very engaging to children because the subject matter is relevant to their own lives. The book uses humorous illustrations to capture the reader's attention while using vocabulary that is appropriate for younger children.

One strategy that would be fun for students would be to hold a mock trial to deal with David's misbehavior. Students could play various roles of characters from the book and act out some of the situations in the story. This book would be a valued addition to any classroom, especially when discussing appropriate classroom behavior. If you have never read any of David Shannon's books, check them out. I am sure you and your students will enjoy them.

No, David!

No, David!

     Wow! I have heard that saying many times! I still hear that saying now, on occasion. Most of the time when I was a kid, that saying was accompanied by my whole name, middle name included. Nowadays if I do something really dumb or annoying I still hear that saying, whole name included. Now, instead of my mother yelling that phrase, it is my wife.
    
The book No, David! written by David Shannon, covers several genres, but as a nonfiction book, it really shines. The book is a reincarnation of a book the author wrote as a child. It is the equivalent of a childhood autobiography. This book can be considered nonfiction because it highlights events the author experienced in his own life as a child.

No, David! is a delightful and humorous book that elementary-aged children will enjoy. The events are recreated with humorous pictures that depict events we have all encountered while growing up. From playing baseball in the house to playing with his food, David heard that same old saying over and over, No, David!

Traditional Literature: A Different Point Of View

Have you ever heard the old saying, "there are two sides to every story?" How about the old saying, "think outside of the box?" Well, I went outside of the box on this one. We have all heard the stories of the wars with and the relocation of Native American tribes in our history classes. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown is a gripping account of this history of these Native American tribes and nations told from the point of view of the Native Americans. Many accounts are retold from actual documents written by Native American Chiefs such as Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Geronimo themselves. One of the most interesting accounts in the book deals with the Ghost Dance. The Native Americans believed that by performing this dance, they would become invisible and invincible to the bullets of their oppressors. They believed this would be the way that they could take back the lands that had been theirs for thousands of years. Little did they know that such actions would eventually lead to the demise of many men, women, and children.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of our nation and the cultural diversity that has been a part of that history for many years. This book would be a great addition to any classroom or teacher to supplement lessons in social studies, history, or cultural diversity classes. I really enjoyed reading this book and could hardly put it down once I started reading it. Check it out for yourself.

Oxford Book Of Poetry For Children

As many of my friends know, I am a collector of anything vintage. I love old things and I also enjoy reading. This book combines the best of both worlds. The Oxford Book Of Poetry For Children features many authors and was compiled by Edward Blishen, with illustrations by Brian Wildsmith. This book was published in 1963.

I would categorize the book as an anthology of poetry, with contributions from many different poets. The book is broken down into various sections such as weather or animals, to name a few. Each section contains poems that relate to each section heading. This book is a teacher's dream when trying to incorporate poetry into other areas of study. The book contains poems that are appropriate for all ages, with some appealing more to small children and others a bit more advanced. I love the fact that I can integrate my lessons with poetry while teaching about science or weather.

One poem that I found really beneficial was the poem AEIOU.

                    AEIOU
     We are very little creatures,
     All of different voice and features;
     One of us in glass is set,
     One of us you'll find in jet.
     T'other you may see in tin,
     And the fourth a box within.
     If the fifth you should pursue,
     It can never fly from you.
                                Jonathan Swift

This is a fun little poem that grabs the attention of the audience with its rhyme and rhythm and its play on words. This poem would be a great tool for any teacher trying to teach a phonics class. The book is full of these fun little poems and I think any classroom would benefit from having it in the library. Check it out sometime! I am sure you and your students will enjoy it as well.

Introduction

Good morning! I am creating this blog as part of my Early Childhood Literature class. I am working on completing my B.S. in Education specializing in early childhood education. I will be covering several different types of children's literature throughout the next few months. Feel free to check in from time to time and leave comments. Thanks for following my blog.