Meghan+Cole

====Hello Classmates! For those of you who I haven't worked with yet my name is Meghan and I teach 7th grade Language Arts in Northern Kentucky. I live in Cincinnati, Ohio and I have a 19 month old son and 6 year old chocolate lab. Currently, I am completing my fifth year of teaching and working on finishing the masters program through Walden. I look forward to working with everyone here on our new WIKI!====

~Meghan
Hi Meghan, Interesting that you work in a different state than you live. How long is your daily commute? I look forward to collaborating with you. ~Lauren

Lauren- It is about a 1/2 hour commute. It used to be shorter but I moved further into the suburbs earlier this year. Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky boarder the Ohio River so I just cross the bridges a bunch each week!

Week 5 Application

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION FOR MEANINGFUL CLASSROOM USE
A Standards-Based Approach 7th Grade Language Arts =Daily Lesson GAME Plan Template= Students will explain or analyze how the use of text features (e.g., subheadings, bullets, fonts, white space, layout, charts, diagrams, labels, pictures and captions) enhances the reader’s understanding of a passage. DOK 3 Students will apply knowledge of organizational patterns (e.g., cause and effect, comparison, contrast, sequence) to understand a passage. DOK 2 Students will evaluate the effectiveness of organization or format in fulfilling the purpose of a passage.
 * Lesson Title: Feature Articles || Related Lessons: Text Features, Text Structure, nonfiction texts ||
 * || Unit: Nonfiction/Text Features ||
 * GOALS ||
 * Content Standards:**
 * RD-O7-5.0.8**
 * RD-O7-5.0.9**
 * RD-O7-5.0.7**


 * **ISTE NETS-S**

o Creativity and innovation o Communication and collaboration o Research and information fluency || o Critical thinking, problem-solving, & decision-making o Digital citizenship o Technology operations and concepts || Students will be able to research a problem related to middle school students and write a feature article explaining the problem. . (48 minutes)
 * Instructional objective(s):**
 * ACTION ||
 * **Before-class preparation:**
 * sign up for computer labs
 * find articles online that vary in reading levels
 * create a list of potential problems for students who may find this challenging
 * Choose article from literature book for students to read
 * Make all photo copies of tools to analyze articles
 * Gather newspaper articles on potential topics ||
 * During class ||
 * Time || Instructional Activities || Materials & Resources ||
 * 1 Day

1 Day (48 minutes)

3 days (48 minutes per day)

2 days (48 minutes per day) || Students will read several examples of nonfiction texts from their literature book. The students will also look at examples of feature articles from newspapers, magazines, and the internet. Teacher will choose articles for varying reading levels to meet the needs of the diverse population of students in the classroom. The class will also have a discussion about the potential problems they will research for their articles and partners for the project will be chosen. Pairs will be created by looking at student interest inventories and student interest in the different topics developed by the class. (Laureate 2009)

As a whole class students will look at and analyze a feature article from the internet. The students will discuss the characteristics of the feature article and the problem being discussed.

Students will work on finding information about their topic to include in the article. At this time students may also start drafting their articles. This will be completed with their partner for the assignment.

Drafting, peer revision, editing, and creating final copy for publication. || Student text book, worksheets for corresponding articles, and newspapers.

Article(s) from reliable internet sources.

Computer Lab

Computer Lab ||


 * MONITOR ||


 * Ongoing assessment(s):** The teacher will use formative assessments by questioning the students while they are researching, looking at student notes, and checking students’ drafts of the feature articles.
 * Accommodations and extensions:** Incorporating examples at the beginning of the lesson and prior lessons will allow students to have many examples of a feature article discussing a problem facing today’s society. Using the technology of the SmartBoard and Internet for research will also allow students to be creative in how they find their information. For students who receive a reader the collaborative teacher or regular classroom teacher will monitor student progress and aid them in researching. Students who need frequent redirection the teacher will use proximity to monitor student progress. Students who are gifted and talented in language arts, creativity, general intelligence, or leadership will be given deadlines for checkpoints in the assignment and more responsibility to complete the required work on their own (with their partner).


 * Backup plan**: If the computer lab is not working students will analyze a feature article from the textbook and create an idea web for their feature articles.

Hi Meghan,

Check your instructional objective. Should need be read or need to?

In problem-based learning you usually use an authentic problem that students need to solve. If you do not provide them with a problem you will wind up with a diverse group of problems. Perhaps you can give students a choice of three or four problems to research. Then students will still have a choice but it will be more controlled. Then you can differentiate as you have in your lesson by finding articles on different reading levels on those topics. Just a suggestion...

I like your use of different grouping. I also think it is great that you are using a variety of assessment methods and exemplars.

Lynne

Lynne- Thanks for the suggestions! ~Meghan

Meghan, I think it is good that you are going to have your students research the problems. I wonder if you will need to provide a bit more direction in order to have students recognize what types of problems you want them to research. I know many of my students would consider the fact that lunch is only 20 minutes and there is no recess to be a huge problem for them.. What types of questions do you anticipate they will create? Anna Marie

Anna Marie- They will definitely need to check their problems with me but to middle school students researching early start times and short lunch times would be good ideas. I am open to them researching the things they complain about so they know real explanations and realize that the teachers don't just make stuff up! ~Meghan

WEEK 6 APPLICATION: A Standards-Based Approach 7th Grade Language Arts Daily Lesson GAME Plan Template WR-M-1.1.0 Purpose/Audience: Students will establish and maintain a focused purpose to communicate with an authentic audience by · Narrowing the topic to create a specific purpose for writing · Establishing a controlling idea, theme or conclusion about the topic · Choosing a perspective authentic to the writer · Analyzing and addressing the needs of the intended audience · Adhering to the characteristics of the form. · Applying a suitable tone · Allowing voice to emerge when appropriate
 * Lesson Title: Feature Articles and the Ning || Related Lessons: Problem Based Learning Lesson, Digital Storytelling Lesson ||
 * || Unit: Nonfiction/Text Features ||
 * GOALS ||
 * Content Standards: **

In Transactive Writing, Students will communicate a purpose through informing, persuading or analyzing. Students will develop an effective angle to achieve purpose. · Students will communicate as an informed writer to clarify what the reader should know, do or believe as a result of reading the piece. · Students will apply characteristics of the selected form (e.g., letter, feature article, editorial, speech). · Students will sustain a suitable tone. Students will allow voice to emerge when appropriate. WR-M-1.2.0 Idea Development/Support: Students will support main ideas and deepen the audience’s understanding of purpose by · Developing logical, justified and suitable explanations · Providing relevant elaboration · Explaining related connections or reflections · Applying idea development strategies appropriate to the form
 * WR-07-1.1.3 **


 * **ISTE NETS-S**

Students collaborate online to revise, edit, and publish their feature articles about a problem they have researched. (48 minute class periods)
 * Communication and collaboration
 * Digital Citizenship
 * Technology operations and concepts ||  ||
 * Instructional objective(s):**
 * ACTION ||
 * **Before-class preparation:**
 * Set up NING for students to use as social networking website
 * Create a list of classroom rules for the NING
 * Have students and their parent/guardian sign permission slips for online collaboration
 * Make sure students have begun drafting their feature articles
 * Instructions for how to use the Ning, typed and copied ||
 * During class ||
 * Time || Instructional Activities || Materials & Resources ||
 * 1 Day

2 Days (48 minute class periods)

2 Days (48 minute class periods)

1 Day (48 minute class period) || Teacher will introduce students to online collaborating and how to use/navigate the Ning. The teacher will demonstrate how to post an article in the “Blog” area of the Ning, how to chat using the Ning, and how to register for use.

Students will type and post their articles to the Ning’s blog section. During class they will be able to chat with each other about their articles.

Students will collaborate with each other to revise and edit their feature articles on the Ning. The students will leave comments for at least 5 other classmates on how to revise or edit their articles.

The students will make final revisions for their feature articles and re-post to the Ning for grading. || Projector Ning Website Written instructions for students

Computer lab

Computer Lab

Computer Lab ||


 * MONITOR ||


 * Ongoing assessment(s):** The teacher will use formative assessments by questioning the students while they are researching, looking at student notes, and checking students’ drafts of the feature articles. The teacher will also monitor the Ning for appropriate postings, comments, and to make sure students are meeting deadlines. The summative assessment will be conducted when students post their final draft to the Ning.


 * Accommodations and extensions:** Providing a scribe for students who have this accommodation will be essential for typing their articles and comments. This will be provided by the teacher or instructional assistant in the classroom. For students in advanced language arts they will be required to comment on 7 student articles and will have reduced time in the computer lab to complete assignments. Other students who require readers will either have their partners read to them, the teacher, or the instructional assistant. They can also use the program Read and Write Gold, which will read the article to them so they are able to make comments about revisions.


 * Backup plan**: For students who are behind because of absences or not meeting deadlines they will stay in during recess to catch up on their work or the teacher will contact their parent to make arrangements for them to stay after school.

Meghan, I have heard a lot about NING and actually joined a NING group right at the end of school to gain access to some songs a teacher had created about our state test. This past week at a workshop, however, another teacher stated that NING is going to start charging for access. I found on the NING website [] that they are going to start phasing out free access in July...not totally sure of the implications but you might want to consider a wiki or another blog site instead? I think it is great you will have your students responding to each other - what a way for them to get feedback. Anna Marie

Anna Marie- In my other class we are using the Ning website and I think it will still remain free for teachers. If not I will find something comparable to follow through with the idea. ~Meghan

Hi Meghan,

A few questions for you to think about: Are you going to teach how to give feedback using positive comments and constructive criticism? In your introduction are you going to use a "think aloud" approach or is scaffolding necessary? What will your assessment be? A rubric, test, checklist? Won't advanced language arts needs as much time (if not more time) to work more in depth? Can't students work at home using NING? That is one of the advantages of online social collaboration. Right?

I like how you are using NING with the students. I have to check that out, it sounds great. I also like how you give them time in class to collaborate (chat). I also think it is important that you are giving them time to edit their work based on peer feedback. Well done! -Lynne

Lynne- Yes, we will have worked on how to give feedback and constructive criticism in prior units but I will review this again for students as a refresher. I was thinking about using a "think aloud" approach in my introduction. The assessment will be a rubric and there will be a common assessment over the actual state content bullets. We have to give common assessments at the end of each unit but that can't be the only assessment for the unit. Advanced will have to work more outside the classroom. Yes, the students should have access to the NING at home but usually my advanced class is the only class where all of the students have a computer with internet at home. Thanks for all of the help! ~Meghan