Post #8

Theme:  poetry                  There once was a man from Nantucket…

Grade:  10^th

My 4 content areas:  ELA, Chemistry, Band/Music, Foreign Language

TEKS:  I haven’t gotten the TEKS yet, but I know that the 10^th grade English classes here cover poetry.

In ELA:  The students will cover 10 different types of poems (acrostic, diamante, epic, free verse, haiku, limerick, lyrical, narrative, sonnet, and quatrain).

            They will read a couple poems of each type (one for the longer ones).

            Poets examined will include Edgar Allen Poe, Robert Frost, William Shakespeare.

Week 1:  looking at the different types of poems, quiz

Week 2:  Canterbury Tales, begin writing their own poem

Week 3:  Beowulf

Week 4:  Oral presentations, review, exam

Assessments:  The students will create an original poem.  It may be of a type of their own choosing.  Rubric will be used for syntax, grammar, conventions, spelling, etc.

                        The students will present a poem of their choice orally.  It may be their own poem or one by another author

                        The students will take a test at the end of the unit to ensure that they have learned the material (i.e. meter, stanza, types, onomatopoeia, analogy, metaphor, hyperbole, alliteration).  Will involve recall of information about famous authors & poets.

Other content areas:

            Chemistry: the students will create a poem about science, such as the scientific method, elemental properties, periodic properties, electronegativity, ionization sizes, and so forth.

            Band/Music:  I hope that the students would be able to learn songs and lyrics.  Perhaps we could even set up a poetry slam, or an exhibition involving the band/music class.

            Foreign Language:  the students will examine poems in their language of study and create an original work of their own (or perhaps translate one into English or Foreign language).

Post #7

So what is assessment?  Well, it does NOT have to be a test.  Well, it can, doesn't need be.  There are formal and informal assessments.  Formal is the kind that most people hate.  Multiple choice, short answer, fill in the blank, true-false, and the ever dreaded essay.  The other kind is informal, or authentic.  This is usually much more relaxed; the student may not even know he/she is being tested (e.g. observations, portfolio), or the student may perform the action or skill demonstrating they have learned.

In my Science class I should be able to use authentic assessments for my students.

Obviously the easiest to do would be the ever-popular science project.  With this, the students can demonstrate their understanding of the scientific method and how to apply it properly.  Using a rubric, I can amke sure that the students understand it.  Accuracy, while still important, would be second to application.

Another way would be through science labs.  The students would be able to show that they not only have learned the content (what the products of a certain reaction would be) but also the ability to perform it properly (using the lab equipment properly and safely).

One way to assess student learning is by simple observation.  Whether a student participates in class discussions.  Whether he/she uses content-specific language in said discussions.  Whether they can apply known information towards unknown (hypothesizing).  I believe that having the knowledge is most useful when you can walk the walk and talk the talk, otherwise it is a bit wasted.  What good is it if you cannot, or do not, do anything with it outside of spewing it onto a test?

Post #6

Informative writing is writing to well, inform.  It can be in the newspaper, a technical manual, the manual for your newest game.  Instructions are also informative- the assembly sheets for your new entertainment center, and recipes found in a cookbook.  Road maps and the paper you get with medications count as well.  Hey, this is too!

Persuasive writing is done to convince an audience.  Whether it be to sell your product or to try to get people to not buy a certain product.  It is also used to try to change their view or opinion of you, the candidate, or whatever special interest you may be vying for.

Since I will be a Science teacher in a High School, it would be somewhat difficult to incorporate writing into my curriculum. 
I could have the students research signifigant people in the field of science and write a short report on their findings as a acitivity for informative writing.
As for the persuasive writing, I could adapt an activity I saw in the middle school.  I would have the students work in groups of three or four to create a brochure about their favorite element from the Periodic Table, convincing the others why it is the best.

Post #5

Oh Great!  I gotta write a paper!  It is always such a pain in the butt.  it takes me sooooo long just to get started and it seems like I can never get around to finishing it because I can never say exactly what I want to say.  I wish there were an easier way to get this paper done.

Oh, wait, there is...

I merely need to realize that writing is a process.  It is NOT a one-stop shop.  Writing is much easier, well, just about anything is easier, if it is done in steps.  A monumental 30-page research paper seems like much less of a task if it is done bit by bit in an organized manner.

There are five steps to writing:
1.  Prewriting
2.  Drafting
3.  Revising
4.  Editing
5.  Publishing

Prewriting is where you brainstorm.  You think of a topic, if it has not been given to you.  And you throw anything donw on paper.  It needs not be organized yet, but you may want to use a graphical organizer if you want- say a web.  Or you can just jot down ideas on a piece of paper or note cards.  You can start on an outline.

Drafting is where you start actually putting your words on your paper so that they start to make sense.  This is your first draft.  Grammar and spelling are not the priority right now, just get the words into sentences.

Revising is where you may start elaborate on your ideas, and even changing them if it is necessary.  You can add or delete ideas where they need to be.  Here you can use colored pencils to make any changes, or if you have any questions, just jot them down on the paper.  You can start looking at the length of your sentences and paragraphs; you may want to make them larger or smaller here.

Editing is where you really start getting down to business, but most of the hard work is already done.  Here, you look at your grammar and spelling.  Remember: spellcheck is your friend, but it does not know what word you really wanted.  And please make sure you use the right word- their/they're/there, your/you're, and so on.  Make sure that it is in the format that you want it to be in, and be consistent with it.

Publishing is where you breathe easy.  Almost done, but not quite yet.  You must DO something with it.  Pring it out if you doing it on the computer.  If not, take your time and write it neatly; do not rush it, and work on it a bit at a time; take frequent breaks to give your hands and eyes  a break.  All done?  Nope.  Gotta turn it in!

Now pop in a movie or your favorite frosty beverage, time to celebrate.