Week 7: Project-Based Learning

Lesson: For this project-based learning experience, students will start a recycling area in their home for two weeks.  They will explain why it is important to recycling to their family.  Students are to create a PowerPoint presentation with photos and present it to the class. 

Objective: After this lesson, students will be able to describe the importance of recycling. 

Project-Based Learning: The idea of project-based learning is very beneficial for students.  It allows students to apply the information they learn into different settings.  For kindergarten, I believe project-based learning is best used as a classroom collaborative project.  I believe this because students of this age do not have the skills necessary to work collaboratively on their own.  However, these projects could be completed if students work with their parents at home with their help.  I do hope to use more project-based learning projects in the classroom based on science and social studies.  I feel these two subjects lend themselves more to project-based learning. 

Application: I focused on the Personalization Principle for my multimedia elements for this week.  I focused on conversational wording rather than formal in order to help my students connect with the questions and information better.

Reflection:  After this weeks focus on project-based learning, I hope to incorporate more project-based learning.  However, I do not believe rubrics are necessary for my kindergarten age group.  I focus more on completion of projects focused on content, rather than multiple specifics that rubrics focus on.  I hope for my students to start to understand the idea of project-based learning by completing the projects.  I hope that as they continue their education they can focus more on rubrics.

Recycling at Home Zaption

Recycling at Home Kahoot

Recycling at Home Rubric

Week 6 Concept Mapping

Lesson: This concept map would be used as part of my science instruction.  It would be spread out amongst multiple days to allow for students to focus on one season at a time.  I chose to focus on images and videos as they are most appropriate for my Kindergarten students.

Learning Objective: After this lesson, students will be able to describe the 4 seasons and their weather.

Collaboration: Collaboration is an important part to learning.  I believe collaboration allows for students to support each other in problem solving.  It also allows for students with varying achievement levels to help each other.  I can assign higher students with lower students in order to help support them.  However, it is important to reinforce that everyone must contribute in order to make it effective.

Application: For this assignment, I focused on the Segment Principle.   I want my students to focus on one season at a time in order to not be overwhelmed with all of the information.  Therefore, I made four different branches on my Concept Map in order to do so.

Reflection:  After reading more about collaboration this week, I plan to brainstorm more ways to use technology as a tool for collaboration.  I feel it is difficult to do with Kindergarten aged students and would be much easier with students in a higher grade.

References: 

Equinox and the Seasons [Image]. (n.d). Retrieved From: http://www.freestockphotos.biz/stockphoto/15148

Fall [Image]. (n.d). Retrieved From: http://www.freestockphotos.biz/stockphoto/15148

Rain and Sun [Image]. (n.d). Retrieved From: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Weather-sun-clouds-rain.svg

Snowflake [Image]. (n.d). Retrieved From: https://pixabay.com/en/photos/snowflake/?image_type=vector

Sun [Image]. (n.d). Retrieved From: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=130961&picture=sun

Concept Map

Week 5: Augmented Learning

Week 5: Augmented Learning

Lesson: These QR codes would be implemented in my Reader’s Workshop as a listening center. I would cut the QR codes out and laminate them and placed on a ring.  Students would then use iPads/iPods to pick a story’s QR code and listen to the story as they follow along with a hard copy version in the classroom.
 Learning Objective:  Students will listen to these stories as they follow along with their finger in a hard copy book.
 Augmented-Learning: I would use augmented learning during my Reader’s Workshop Centers and Math Centers.  These centers require students to be independent while I work with a small group of students.  Augmented learning such as QR Codes could allow me to record directions or answers to worksheets for students to use for help, rather than interrupting my work with small groups.  However, if I do not have the necessary technology, this will not be possible.
 Application: My Reader’s Workshop Listening Center QR Code cards aligned to the Coherence Principle which reduces extra material that is not pertanent to the multimedia.  The QR Code cards only include the QR Code, book title, and author’s name.  The cards also address the Segmenting Principle by only addressing one book title at a time rather than including multiple QR Codes on one page.
 Reflection: This week helped me to consider more ways to include technology into the classroom.  I plan to implement my QR Codes into my Reader’s Workshop centers next year.  I have created QR Codes before, but I was able to explore more sites during the assignment to see which program I like the best.  I also considered using Aurasma for this assignment, however, I did not think it fit the needs of my students.  I believe they needed something that was consistent with a QR Code image.  With Aurasma, I feel the trigger images change and would be more difficult for my students to remember what to do.