Name:  Heather Connolly

 

Name of Strategy:  Jigsaw- after reading

 

Source:  Jigsaw .org – Elliot Aaronson

 

Link: http://www.jigsaw.org/

 

Description of strategy:

Here is how it works: I would use this jigsaw activity after reading and discussing the Revolutionary War. The students in my class would be divided into small groups of five or six students each.  Their task is to learn about the Revolutionary War. In one jigsaw group, each member of the group would be responsible for a specific material.  Eventually each student will come back to her or his jigsaw group and will try to present a well-organized report to the group. This situation is structured so that the only access any member has to the other five assignments is by listening closely to the report of the person reciting.  To increase the chances that each report will be accurate, the students doing the research do not immediately take it back to their jigsaw group. Instead, they meet first with students who have the identical assignment (one from each jigsaw group). For example, students assigned to the same topic meet as a team of specialists, gathering information, becoming experts on their topic, and rehearsing their presentations. We call this the “expert” group. It is particularly useful for students who might have initial difficulty learning or organizing their part of the assignment, for it allows them to hear and rehearse with other “experts.”  Once each presenter is up to speed, the jigsaw groups reconvene in their initial heterogeneous configuration. The experts in each group teach the other group members about their topic. Each student in each group educates the whole group about her or his specialty. Students are then tested on what they have learned about the Revolutionary War from their fellow group member.

Addresses standard course of study:  Social Studies- Grade 8

Competency Goal 2:  The learner will trace the causes and effects of the Revolutionary War, and assess the impact of major events, problems, and personalities during the Constitutional Period in North Carolina and the new nation.

Why this strategy will work & how this strategy helps student learning: 

Using this type of strategy is a remarkably efficient way to learn the material. But even more important, the jigsaw process encourages listening, engagement, and empathy by giving each member of the group an essential part to play in the academic activity. The group members must work together as a team to accomplish a common goal and each person depends on all the others. No student can succeed completely unless everyone works well together as a team. This “cooperation by design” facilitates interaction among all students in the class, leading them to value each other as contributors to their common task.

 

Heather Connolly

 

 

 

Name:  Heather Connolly

 

Name of Strategy:  Hands-on activity- Science lab

 

Source:  Lesson Plans Page- Shannon Watson

 

Link:  http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceRockCycleFudge58.htm

 

Description of strategy: 

This hands-on science lab/activity could be done either while we were reading and discussed or after we read and discussed the different types of rocks and the rock cycle.  Students would participate in this fun and engaging lab to learn more about rocks.  The class would be divided into a few small groups in order to complete this activity.  First, I would review with my students that this activity/lab was a simulation of the rock cycle and that the actual cycle takes millions of years, incredible temperatures, and very high pressure.  I would then continue to explain that we would begin our journey (lab) through the rock cycle with sediments that have been weathered into small pieces.  These sediments will come together to form sedimentary, then metamorphic rock.  They will melt into magma, and finally end up as igneous rock.  Students will be required to play the part of the forces involved in creating and destroying rocks in the endless rock cycle.  I would also have my students write a reflection about this experience including what they learned, what they liked and didn’t like about this activity.

 

Addresses standard course of study:  Science – Grade 8

 

Competency Goal 5:  The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of evidence of evolution in organisms and landforms.

 

Why this strategy will work & how this strategy helps student learning: 

Giving students a chance to experience science with a hands-on activity or inquiry allows for students to gain some background knowledge as well as formulate questions which make reading more meaningful and purposeful. Students will benefit greatly by being actively engaged and having real science materials in their hands and making connections to science vocabulary as they encounter these words in a text. 

 

Heather Connolly

When I was searching for instructional strategies, I found tons of information on many of the sites listed.  However, many sites had similar strategies.  Many of these strategies included strategies that should be used prior to, during, and after reading.  Many of the strategies consisted of graphic organizers, web quest, identifying key words, hands-on activities, text marking, cause and effect flow charts, summarizing, skimming or scanning, restating, predicting, clarifying, evaluating, oral presentations, KWL charts, and so much more.

I feel that using these strategies will not only be very beneficial in helping students to become better readers, but also to become better at comprehending the material they are reading.  I’m sure that as I put these strategies into practice, I will find that some may not work as well as others.  I know that some of these strategies may work well for some of my students while other strategies may not.    

Heather Connolly

Name:  Heather Connolly

Name of Strategy:  ABC Brainstorm

Source:  Reading Quest

Link:  http://www.readingquest.org/strat/abc.html

Description of strategy:

Before we discussed the Revolutionary War, I would have my students complete an ABC Brainstorm about this topic.  This type of strategy is meant to be simple.  Students will try to think of a word or phrase associated with the Revolutionary War, which is matched to each letter of the alphabet.  Students would list all the letters of the alphabet down on a sheet of paper, leaving room beside each letter to write out the rest of a word or phrase. I would let them work individually at first; thinking of as many words as they can that could be associated with the Revolutionary War.  I would give students enough time to think of a lot of ideas, but then I would allow them to work in pairs or in small groups to fill in blanks for letters they had not yet completed.

Addresses standard course of study: Social Studies- Grade 8

Competency Goal 2: The learner will trace the causes and effects of the Revolutionary War, and assess the impact of major events, problems, and personalities during the Constitutional Period in North Carolina and the new nation.

Why this strategy will work & how strategy helps student learning: 

Using this type of brainstorming activity/strategy will help to activate students’ background/prior knowledge about a subject or topic and this will help to get them thinking and focused on a the particular topic which in turn will actively engage them leading to increased learning and knowledge.   

Heather Connolly

I found this cool video on mechanical and chemical weathering.

 

 

 

Heather Connolly

Name: Heather Connolly

 

Name of Site:  Smithsonian Education

 

Link: http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/

 

Teaching Topic:  8^th Grade Science

 

Students will use investigations, models, experiments, simulations, and technologies to build an understanding of evidence of evolution in landforms.

Students will interpret ways in which rocks, fossils, and ice cores record Earth’s geologic history and the evolution of life.  They will also examine evidence that geologic evolution has had a significant global impact.

 Dynamic Earth

This material is an interactive experience that allows the students to explore the dynamic forces that formed and are continually reforming the Earth and our Solar System.

 

Description:

As a class, we would be continuing our discussion about rocks.  The students may to choose to work in small groups, with partners, or individually.  The students would go to this site, click on student, the science and nature tab, and then click the tab to explore the dynamic earth section.  They would have a choice as to view this material in the multimedia or printable version.  Their focus would be on the rocks and mining section and the geo-gallery section.  They would view this material and present their findings to the class.

 

EC Students:

 For EC students, I would pair them up with another student in order to help navigate through this site.  I would also give these students a printed copy of the important information in this section. 

 

Why use this material and how will this help students learn?

 This material is very interactive and entertaining.  I feel that students will have fun while exploring and learning which will increase their understanding of this material along with reinforcing it.   

 

      Heather Connolly

 

 

 

 

Name: Heather Connolly

 

Name of Site:  North Carolina WiseOwl- Grolier Online

 

Link: http://www.ncwiseowl.org

 

Teaching Topic:  8^th Grade Social Studies

 

Students will trace the events leading up to the Revolutionary War and evaluate their relative significance in the onset of hostilities.  They will describe the contributions of key North Carolina and national personalities from the Revolutionary War era and assess their influence on the outcome of the war.  They will examine North Carolina’s role in the war and the reasons for the colonists’ victory over the British.  They will even evaluate the impact of military successes and failures.

 

Description:

As we discussed the Revolutionary War, I would have my students go to this site and choose material to view relating to the Revolutionary War and North Carolina.  They could use the maps and media portion of this site to further their understanding about this time period.  They could also use the web links, or the different tab buttons for government, culture, economy, geography, spotlights, cities, profiles, timelines, fast facts, a word find, and a small “what do you know” quiz.  I would ask the students to create some type of visual representation of important places, people, and events related to North Carolina and the Revolutionary War. 

 

EC Students:

 For EC students, I would allow them to have guided notes to record important information from this site.  I would even allow them to work with a partner to make sure they understood the information that was being presented. 

 

Why use this material and how will this help students learn?

 Most of today’s students love to work on computers.  Having students look at specific material about this time period will help them to gain a better understanding.  Also having a hands on activity will help to reinforce their learning.

 

Heather Connolly

     

 

 

 

Name:  Heather Connolly 

Name of Site- Discovery Education Unitedstreaming

Link:  http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm

Teaching Topic- The Revolutionary War

Students will be able to identify the causes and effects of the Revolutionary War along with the impact of major events, problems, and personalities during the Constitutional Period in NC.

Grade- 8^th Grade Social Studies

The Events Leading Up to War:  The Revolutionary War Series 

This video traces the events that led to the Revolutionary War, the key contributions of North Carolina and national personalities, and their influence on the outcome of the war.

Description-

As we were discussing The Revolutionary War in class, I would have my students view this video.  This video discusses the events that led to the war along with the contributions from key persons during this period.  I would have students view this video independently or with a partner.  Students would go to this site, view the video, choose a specific person, place, or event to further research, and then create a PowerPoint, flyer, poster, rap, poem, etc. to demonstrate their understanding and knowledge about the war.

EC Students-

For the EC students, I would give them guided notes to fill out while they watched the video.  This would help them to learn the material presented and it would also help for creating a poster or flyer.

Why use this material with my students and how will it help them learn?

Today’s world is all about technology, and our children are surrounded by and immersed in it.  So why not use it as a teaching tool?  This video will help students gain a firm understanding of the key events and people during this time.  Using this type of material allows for the students to be actively engaged critical thinkers, which reinforces the information presented.  Using this type of material also ensures that all the different types of learners are being reached.

 

Heather Connolly

 

 

 

       

 

 

Name: Heather Connolly

 

Name of Site:  Discovery Education Unitedstreaming

 

Link: http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm

 

Teaching Topic:  8^th Grade Earth Science

 

Video – Greatest Discoveries with Bill Nye- Earth Science

            This video examines the Earth’s inner and outer cores, illustrates plate tectonics, and describes the Earth’s magnetic field and the effects of cosmic radiation. It even examines the Earth’s climate changes, including global warming and the Earth’s periodic ice ages. The Rocks of Ages portion of this video analyzes the methods scientists use to date rocks and minerals. 

           

Description:
Students would go to this site and view the video.  This would serve as a reinforcement activity in order for students to gain a better understanding of a geologic time scale, the methods scientist use to date rocks and minerals, and the Earth’s climate change, etc. I would use this video in conjunction with specific lesson plans for this objective. I may even have students come up with their own creative ways to present specific parts of the video to the class or maybe even other classes.

 

EC Students:

 For EC students, I would allow them to have guided notes for recording valuable information from this video.  I would even allow them to work with a partner to make sure they understood the information that was being presented. 

 

Why use this material and how will this help students learn?

From my experience, students like to watch videos and what better way to teach them.  Having the students view this video on their computers would actively engage them.  This may help them to learn, especially those students who are visual or auditory learners.  Having the students take responsibility for their own learning and having them actively engaged in their learning seems to help them retain and gain a better understanding of the information.

 

 

 

Heather Connolly

 

 

Name: Heather Connolly

Name of Site- SAS Materials

Link: http://www.sasinschool.com/

Teaching Topic- Earth Science- Rocks

Students would gain an understanding of the ways in which rocks record Earth’s geologic history.  They would also gain an understanding of mechanical and chemical weathering.

Grade- 8^th Grade Science

Description-

 On this site, I found a web inquiry entitled “Does That Rock Have a Future?”  I would use this “material” to help students identify the different types of rocks, how they are formed, and to explain the rock cycle.  Of course, I would have already discussed some of this information with my students beforehand.  I would allow this to be done independently or with a small group.  Students would go to this site, fill in the chart, answer the questions, and print out their completed assignment.  The students would also have to imagine that they were a certain kind of rock and they would be given a “what if” scenario to critically think about and solve.  I would use this material in conjunction with the web lesson “A Rock is a Rock.” 

EC Students-

As far as EC students go, I may cut the inquiry down a bit and modify it to fit their specific needs.  I may give the EC students pictures of each type of rock and have them to orally identify these rocks.  I may even have them to work in small groups with other students to gain a better understanding of the material presented.    

Why use this material with my students and how will it help them learn?

    I would use this material because I feel that my students could be actively engaged in learning with the help of technology.  Besides, what student doesn’t like to work on computers?    This type of material would help students learn because they would be actively engaged.  This type of material also requires students to critically think.  This type of material would reinforce the information being presented.   

Heather Connolly