Widman(sinclair)+Ami

Ami Sinclair Cranston High School East Resource/Inclusion 9th-12th Grade widman.ami@gmail.com Final Project TIMELINE: These lessons should be completed in one quarter. The lessons do not necessarily need to be completed in a sequential manner because in the resource setting. The students will need to complete each lesson by the end of the quarter. The timeline will also have to be flexible because the students often come needing help on assignments and tests that I will have to help them on. For this reason most of the lessons will have to completed on an individual basis.

STANDARDS: 01 The CHSE graduate exhibits proficient communication skills. The student is able to: 1.1 Comprehend and respond to various types of reading material. 1.2 Write effectively using standard English in a variety of formats for a variety of purposes and audiences. 1.3 Speak effectively, communicating ideas and information in a variety of circumstances. 1.4 Listen actively and critically. 1.5 Evaluate and employ a variety of visual media. 01 The CHSE graduate is a respectful, ethical, responsible, and courteous individual, who can work both independently and cooperatively by following the rules outlined in the student handbook. **__State of__** **__Rhode Island__****__’s Grade Span Expectations Definitions English Language Arts__** W-2 Writing in Response to Literary Or Informational Text/Understanding Plot/ Ideas/Concepts W-2.1 selecting & summarizing key ideas to set context W-2.3 connecting plot/ideas/concepts by referring or explaining. W-8 Informational Writing (Reports, Procedures, or Persuasive) Using Elaboration Strategies)   W-8.2 facts & details relevant to controlling idea    W-8.3 sufficient facts & details for appropriate depth    W-8.4 addressing readers’ concerns    W-8.5 commenting on significance   LESSON 1:  Introduction:  The students will be introduced to the classroom blog. They will see that this is a learning environment where they can express their ideas. If they ever have any questions while they are home this is a place they can turn to find answers. In this lesson the students will come up with ideas of how they want their classroom blog to work.  Goals:  Pre-Activities:  Writing Assignment:  The students will write up a proposal as to what they would like to see on the blog and why it would be beneficial. This will be written in paragraph form.   Extension:  The students need to write in all their classrooms so this will be practice for all of their other classes. Students will become comfortable with blogs and will be able to find blogs that deal with topics that they are having difficulty with. LESSON 2: Introduction: Now that the students know how a blog works they will create their own blog that will be part of the classroom blog. This lesson will allow the students to personalize their learning experience. Goals: Pre-Activities: Writing Assignments: The students will write a letter to their parents and to the principal explaining how they are going to be using their blog and all the educational benefits of it. They will also incorporate that they are to be trusted and will not make any inappropriate comments on their blog or any other students blog. Extension: The students can use their blog to help them with all their other classes. They can use their blog to help them understand concepts that they are having difficulty with. LESSON 3: Introduction: The students will get practice using their blog. They will be able to use their blog in any educational purpose that they want but there are certain aspects that they are going to have to incorporate. Goals: Pre-Activities: Writing Assignments: The entries will be their writing assignments. The entries that they make on their own blog and the comments that they leave on other students blogs. Extension: In all classes the students have deadlines that they have to meet for assignments. Having a blog where they have to keep current will help them follow timelines. LESSON 4: Introduction: This lesson will be used with the students who are planning on going to college. This will be a place for the students to find out what will be expected of them when preparing for college. Goals: Pre-Activities: [|http://www.learnoutloud.com/Catalog/Education-and-Professional/Exam- Preparation/Get-in-to-College-Podcast/6765] Writing Assignment: Students will write a one page reflection on what they learned from the podcast. They will then write us a proposal on what they will do to plan for the college application process. Extension: Many of the teachers in the general education classrooms spend time showing that what they are doing in the classroom will prepare them for when they go to college. LESSON 5: Introduction: The students will get accustomed to podcasts. The students will see that if they are having difficulty in a certain area they can go on the Internet and find a podcast that can clarify the problem that they are having. Goals: Pre-Activities: Writing Assignment: The students will make an outline of a podcasts that they would like to add to the Internet. They will have to explain the topic and how they would go about getting the information across so that other students will be able to learn from it. Extension: This activity will help them in the subjects that they are having difficulty in. They can even show their outline to their regular ed teacher and see if they can get extra credit. ADAPTATIONS: The students that are in my resource class all have different learning disabilities and difficulty in different areas. These lessons are formatted in a way that will allow each individual student to work at a pace that fits them and use the learning style that works the best for them. They can go as basic or as advanced as they would like with their blogs. ASSESSMENTS: School Wide Rubrics will be used with all writing assignments. They can be found on the following site http://cpsed.net/chse/2007-2008-mission-wide.doc.
 * __Cranston__** **__High School__** **__East Academic Expectations__**
 * __ Social Expectation __**
 * 1) Use the classroom blog. http://chseinfo.blogspot.com/
 * 2) For the students to decide how they want the classroom blog to be used.
 * 1) Show how to access the classroom blog and how it has been being used so far.
 * 2) The students will explore the classroom blog and find other blogs that they find interesting.
 * 3) Go through how Blogger works so that the students know how to use it.
 * 4) Brainstorm as a group what they like and do not like on the blogs they have looked at.
 * 5) Make a chart of what they would like to see on the blog and how they would like it to be used.
 * 1) What will make learning the most enjoyable?
 * 2) Create their own blog.
 * 1) Brainstorm what they enjoy about school and what their interests are.
 * 2) Make an outline on what their blog is going to look like and what they are going to put on it.
 * 3) Create their blog.
 * 1) Add to their blog what their goals are for the year and how they are going to accomplish it.
 * 2) Make a schedule and stick to it.
 * 1) The students will write in their blog what they did over the summer.
 * 2) The students will have to add a comment on another student’s blog to get comfortable with the writing style.
 * 3) The students will then add an entry on their educational goals for the school year.
 * 4) The students will come up with a schedule in their assignment book on how often they are going to update their blog with their educational progress.
 * 1) Do you know what the application process is for getting into college?
 * 2) For the students to know what they will need to do in order to apply to college.
 * 1) There will be a discussion on what the students plan on doing when they graduate from high school.
 * 2) A chart will be made on what they think the requirements are for getting into college and what the application process requires.
 * 3) The students will write down what questions they have about the college application process.
 * 4) The students will listen to the following podcast on getting into college.
 * 1) Find a podcast that will help them in an area they are having difficulty in.
 * 2) Come up with a plan of a podcast that they would like to put together that would help other students.
 * 1) Show the students some podcasts that are already on the Internet. (Audio and Video)
 * 2) The students will each come up with two areas that they are having difficulty in.
 * 3) Go on the Internet to find podcast in these two areas.
 * 4) Complete a graphic organizer on what made the podcast help them understand a topic.

Ami Sinclair Cranston High School East Resource 9th-12th Grade
 * Deliverable #3**

To implement a classroom blog to be used with all resource classrooms at the high school level at Cranston High School East. A blog, from the term web log, is usually maintained by an individual with ongoing entries. Blogs can include text, audio, video, and hyperlinks. It is a place for students to express their creativity, communicate with others, and to advance their literacy skills (Wikipedia). I have started a classroom blog to be used as a reference for the other resource teachers. There will also be a section that will list all the people who are part of the blog. All of the students will their own blogs that will be listed on the classroom blog. http://www.chseinfo.blogspot.com/ The majority of students have cell phones, Ipods and love using the computer. There are also many students who become bored with the way they are being taught in the classroom. Having a blog for students to put their ideas is a great way for students to become part of the learning process and make it their own. Parents at the high school level complain all the time that they never know what is going on in the school. This blog will also be used as a place to go to find out important events that are going on in the school.
 * Proposal for Using a Classroom Blog:**

1. http://www.butlerville.net/ This is an example of a principal stated a school blog. It is a place to list all the important events that are going on in the school. There is also a section to go to visit teachers from the schools blogs.
 * Evidence:**

2. http://fwe2.motime.com/ This is a great example to show that once the students start with a blog they will come back year after year. Learning is always ongoing. This example shows how teachers can show parents or whoever else visits the blog what is going on in the classroom. There are also examples to show that the students can use the blog to help them master certain skills that the teacher notices are lacking.

3. http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/163/report_display.asp This is an example of how many students are using the Internet. This example shows that the students enjoy using the Internet to help them with school and they know that that they are not to use it to cheat.

4. http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=1337 This is another example to show how a teacher is using a blog to show what is happening in her classroom. There are links to each of the students own blogs. This shows that the students are involved in their education and are enjoying using this technology.

1. In the resource classrooms there are only a few computers so the students would have limited time to use them when they are in resource. 2. There are a number of students who do not have a computer or the Internet at home so they would only be able to access at school. 3. The students might not use the site as educational and can become inappropriate. 4. Teachers might not want tot take the time to learn something new with something that that they have no experience with. 5. With all of the budget cuts the school no longer is offering in school professional development so when will the teachers be trained?
 * Roadblocks:**

One way to overcome getting staff to find time to learn about blogs and feel comfortable using them in the classroom is to have a fellow teacher show how they are currently using a blog and how it is successful in their classroom. Students will have to be given alternatives to where they can access the Internet. They might have to talk to friends and make plans to go over to their house or get them comfortable going to their public library. A usage policy will have to be signed by all students and their parents to know what the consequences are for not complying to the rules.
 * Overcoming Roadblocks:**

https://www.blogger.com/start
 * Blogger Software:**

The reason that I chose to use Blogger was because it is free and very easy to follow. It is also user friendly for staff, students and parents. The students can tailor their blogs to their own likings. They can make them as simple as they want or as fancy as they want.

Here is a site to visit to watch videos on how to use Blogger and all the benefits. http://movielibrary.lynda.com/html/modPage.asp?ID=113

I would love for this to work with all the resource teachers so that all the other departments can see all the benefits to using a classroom blog. Hopefully the students will enjoy using the blog and will become more excited about learning. Teachers always need to keep up with the latest technology and using a classroom blog will help the students who are having difficulty become successful in school.
 * Hopes for the Future:**

Ami Sinclair Resource 9th-12th Grade Deliverable #2 Intro: As a resource teacher I have put much thought into how I want to use the blog I created in the classroom. I will use the blog as a resource for students and parents to turn to for important dates. I will also use the blog as a reference for students to ask for help on an assignment that they are having difficulty on. Standards: **State of** **Rhode Island****’s Grade Span Expectations Definitions** ** English Language Arts ** W-3 Writing in Response to Literary or Informational Text/Make & Support Analytical Judgments W-3.1 establishing a claim W-3.2 making inferences about relationships W-3.3 using details and references W-3.4 organizing ideas, using transitions/drawing conclusions to synthesize information Goals: 1. Make students aware of where they can turn to when having difficulty in classes. 2. When in resource and they say they have nothing to do they can explore the blog to improve their writing. Pre-Activities: 1. Ask the students if they are familiar with blogs and what could be the educational benefits of using them. 2. Show the students the blog that I have created and other blogs that have been up and running and working in classrooms and brainstorm what the students would like on a classroom blog. 3. Go over the rules of using the blog and have each student sign a sheet that they will follow the rules. Writing Activities: Have the students respond to the blog and comment about what the other students write. Extension and Adaptation: The students will be able to work on different subjects based on what their needs are. The students so not get grades in resource but they do receive effort grades so their participation in the blog will determine their effort. Future Goals: Hoping that the students will go along with this activity because they do not get graded they will be able to keep going back to the blog to keep up and improve their writing. Have the student’s parents not only use the blog to look for important dates but also comment on what their children write.