What I Have Learned

Wow, where do I begin? I've gained a lot of knowledge this semester in our integration classes.  The textbooks, blog posts, class discussions, and discussion boards have all provided a great input of knowledge.  I have gained many wonderful ideas that I plan to use with my class next year.  It makes me excited to go ahead and start planning some of the fun things I've heard others share! It's very nice to have a summer vacation to help us regain our thoughts and enthusiasm. We never really stop working, even with the summer off, because we are constantly thinking of things that we can do with our upcoming class.

Textbooks:  Schell and Fisher, in Teaching Social Studies: A Literacy-Based Approach, have provided many great ideas throughout their textbook.  I really liked the ideas we shared in class tonight with our tables from Chapter 9, such as Hot Seat, Graphic Organizers, Quickwrite, Quickdraw, and Tea Party. I also liked the ideas from Chapter 4, such as Book Talks, Book Bags, and Walk and Talk.  Also, the strategies found in Melber's and Hunter's book, 25 Strategies for K-8 Inquiry-Based Learning: Integrating Language Arts and Social Studies, provide great ideas that can be used in classrooms.  I like how this book provides grade-level modifications to suit all teachers. Throughout this summer, I hope to look through all of the strategies and really reflect on the ones that I could use with my class this upcoming year. I would also like to look into Daniels' and Bizar's Teaching the Best Practice Way: Methods That Matter, K-12, book in more detail. I think the textbook selections this semester were very relevant. They all provided a lot of practical information that we can use in our classroom.

I really enjoy teaching all subjects. (I've been teaching all subjects ever since I became a teacher.) This may change next year though if I move to 3rd grade. It kind of saddens me because I don't want to be limited to certain subjects.  Even if I am limited, I will still integrate as much as possible.  Children need to see the connections between the subjects.

Assessment

I, like many others, feel that students are tested way too much.  I understand that assessment is very important in an educational setting; however, I think it's done "over the top". Students have so many demands and stress placed upon them. In Daniels' and Bizar's Teaching The Best Practice Way, they go over many types of assessment tools.  Anecdotal records is something that I would like to become better at next year. I'd like to keep track of the students' progress better in written documents. I often take mental observations but I need to actually put my thoughts down on paper.

As far as my group's integrated unit goes, we are doing observations throughout the week and rubrics for certain tasks that the students have to complete. The observations are a good way to make sure that students are focused on their tasks and the rubrics provide clear guidelines for the students to follow.  The rubrics are being used so students will clearly know what they are being graded on.

A Bit Nervous

So, I was told yesterday that I was probably being moved up to 3rd grade. I taught 1st grade my first year and 2nd grade the past four years. Third grade is a big change--SOL tests, only teaching certain subjects, new people to work with, and the same kids from last year! It'll be a change, but if I have to do it, I will. I'm just worried with all of the new stress...

The Time Has Finally Come...

Today was the last day for the kids.  Tomorrow is my last day.  Just a little more packing/organizing, and I'll be done! It feels so good to know that summer vacation is about to begin.  ~RELAXATION TIME!~ Well, semi-relaxation for now, but full relaxation once our integrated unit is turned in. :) I don't know what I'm going to do with myself with not having to worry about any type of schoolwork. It's going to be nice!

Lesson Idea-Ancient Egypt

2nd grade lesson   Content Areas: Social Studies, Technology, Art, and Language Arts

The following link: artwork.http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/ancient/egypt.htm is a great resource for teachers to use that includes a brief description of the history of Ancient Egypt.

As far as my lesson goes, I would begin by showing the students where Egypt is located on the map. Next, I would create a word web on the board and tell the students that we will be recording information on our web throughout the showing of a video. (Since this lesson is supposed to focus on artwork, I would make sure that I find a video that includes some examples of Egyptian artwork.) I would stop the video at certain parts so we could discuss what we saw and record the information on our word web to describe some things about Egypt. After watching the video, I would go into more depth about some of the things that we wrote on our word web. (I would especially focus on the artwork section of our word web.) After the discussion, I would show students some more examples of artwork found on the ArtNC site.  For example, this site includes a picture of the Coffin of Djed Mut and Amunred and a model boat with figures (Middle Kingdom, XII-XIII Dynasty). http://ncmoa.org/artnc/searchresults.php We would discuss the characteristics of each piece of artwork and compare it to our personal artwork.  I would use a Venn Diagram to show the similarities and differences of Egyptian artwork to our "elementary" artwork. The ArtNC site also provides a great description of each work of art.  It includes communication and comprehension strategies for teachers to use as well. As a final fun activity for Egyptian artwork, I would provide each child a printout of hieroglyphics and have them write their name. (My students this year really enjoyed writing/drawing their names using hieroglyphics.)

Strategy 7-Developing Map Skills

I chose Strategy 7-Developing Map Skills in 25 Strategies for K-8 Inquiry-Based Learning: Integrating Language Arts and Social Studies by Melber and Hunter.  I enjoyed reading about this strategy because it is something that directly applies to me.  In VA there are two social studies objectives for maps in 2nd grade: 2.5 Map Skills (continents, oceans, etc.) and 2.6 Simple Map Skills (compass rose, title, etc.).  Melber and Hunter state, "Developing map skills in elementary students can help them as they explore and understand their own neighborhood and school" (p. 48). Students need to know the importance of map skills, both simple and complex.  I liked the idea of map walking and giving students the freedom to choose what they felt should be put on their map.  The K-2 grade level modification provides helpful ideas to use in teaching map skills.  Melber and Hunter suggest that students first begin by working with their families to create a map of their home. I plan to use this idea next year with my class.  I like the idea of starting out the creation of maps with something that is very common to them.  I plan to give them guidelines to use, such as make sure you give your map a title, include a compass rose, and provide a map key.  By creating maps, they will be learning social studies objectives while incorporating the arts (drawing) as well!

Teaching Social Studies for Understanding

Schell and Fisher, in Teaching Social Studies: A Literacy-Based Approach, state that we naturally organize information into categories.  Similarly, social studies information is organized in topical, conceptual, or thematic categories.  Last night after my group decided on a topic, we began categorizing our information in a standards cluster.  By doing so, our thoughts became clearly visible and easy to expand on.  Our next step will be to find some common themes and concepts that exist in our research.  We will have to examine the many aspects of railroad life to piece the information together for our unit.  Essential questions may be used in our unit to help assist students in uncovering the big idea.  Figure 4.4 on page 85 provides some examples of essential questions that can be used in geography, history, economics, and government.  Overall, I feel that chapter 4 has provided some helpful information that will assist in the social studies section of our integrated unit.

End of the Year

I, for one, must say that I have definitely been counting down the days until summer vacation. Nine more to go! My class this year has been a very challenging group, but I will still miss them, of course. (I think the stress of grad school has not helped any as well...) On Tuesday, we will be going to the VA Beach Aquarium which I am very excited about. I think it will be a great opportunity for the kids to learn more about living things, an objective that we cover in 2nd grade. There are many more fun activities planned for the end of the school year as well. I look forward to next year and hope I'll be in 2nd grade again because I've already thought of many new things that I'd like to do with my class next year. But until then, I'm ready for summer vacation and so are my students! I think we all need a break! :)