Internet Safety: Sharing

I had a great discussion with my mom about internet safety. Much of our conversation focused around the notion that ultimately, as parents and teachers, the most influential thing we can do is to teach and re-teach corret principles so that our children and students will be able to make good decisions on their own. We also talked about creating a safe class and home environment where children feel comfortable talking about mistakes or confusions they have. We determined that this was important because parents and teachers simply cannot monitor all of the actions of their children and students.

We also talked about training children to have a purpose while they are on the internet. We reviewed how helpful it is to place the computer in an open area. We also talked about the importance of helping children balance how much time they spend with media.

Finally, we talked about teaching children what a wonderfu tool the Internet can be for sharing the Gospel. By focusing more on what benefits the Internet provides, children will be less likely to get caught in the negative trap of the Internet.


This conversation was fun because we often talk about these ideas!

Internet Safety: Thoughts

1. What were the most important things I learned from the readings?

Computer games are on online substitute for real human relationships that are often missing from that person’s life.

Parents need to be involved with their children’s Internet use.

2. How will what I have read influence my actions as a parent and/or teacher of children and youth?

I love the idea of teaching children that they should have a purpose when they are on the Internet. There is danger when they are just mindlessly browsing.

Help your children/students to learn balance.

3. How can I use what I have learned from the reading to have a positive influence on family and friends?

I really appreciated the idea of trying to find out more about the game that your child/student is using. This will help you learn more about the nature of the game and your child/student to feel understood.

4. Am I aware of the benefits and dangers children face when online with cyber bullying and online predators? Do I know how to prevent cyberbullying?

Be aware of what your students/kids are doing. Know their passwords. Know when they are online.

5. What Internet safety issues am I likely to face as a teacher and how will I address them?

Students using questionable material on the internet – I think the first time we use the Internet as a class, I want to have a very straightforward discussion about what the rules and expectations are for our internet use. Also, I will explain and enforce the consequences.

6. How can I leverage the power of the Internet so students can learn, but in a safe way?

Discussing principles seems to be the most effective way. As one article emphasized, if you want to find bad things on the Internet, you can. It’s not that hard. Students and children need to internalize the principles behind safe Internet use so that they can reap the benefits and be ready to steer clear of the filth.

Finalist Presentations

1st Entry: I really liked that this group really wanted the students to get engaged in thinking about history. They centered their project around and really interesting and important idea. I like how they wanted the students to foster individaul ideas based on the research they did.

2nd Entry: I like how this group started with their educational goals in mind and then considered which technology would best help them reach those goals.

3rd Entry: I love authentic lesson plans! Students are so motivated by a final project. I would love to do something like this with my class.

4th Entry: Wow! How involved! I liked the student "I can" statements and student-friendly langauge.

5th Entry: I was impressed that this group had actually tested it in the classroom. That was some of the most convincing evidence. This project also had the capacity to meet the needs of many different types of students. The possibilities of connecting with other schools was also intriguing.

Chinese Greetings

Here is the youtube link to the instructional video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl1hkuPHQR0

Here is the lesson plan:

Lesson Plan: Getting to Know You: Chinese

PLANNING

Date: September 22, 2010

Class and Grade Level: 1^st Year Chinese

Objective(s): Students should be able to carry on a brief introductory greeting with other classmates (including introducing themselves, asking/sharing names, where they are from, what they like to do and giving farewells)

State (or District) Core Curriculum Standard(s):

Standard 1

a. Participate in brief guided conversations related to needs, interests, likes, and dislikes.

(e.g., state what you like to do on the weekend; Talk about what you like to eat and don‟t like to eat).

c. Make introductions, present classmates, adults, family members, and friends. (e.g., introduce yourself to a

new classmate; introduce yourself to your new teacher or the parents of a friend).

d. Ask and answer simple questions (e.g., ask simple questions to solve problems; find out what time it is).

Standard 4

a. Demonstrate culturally appropriate behaviors for introductions, greetings and leave-taking in a variety of social situations. (e.g., participate in a simulated first day of school in the target culture; role-play introductions, employing appropriate social register).

Concept(s) to Be Taught: hello, name, place of origin, likes, goodbyes

Materials Needed: vidcast on imovie

Strategies to Be Used: viewing, practicing with partner

PERFORMING

Announcements:

Continuation from Previous Lesson:

Lesson Presentation:

A) Getting Started:

Explain the day’s objectives. Start the video.

B) Directing the Learning:

Pause the video and allow the students to practice each other at each section. Vary the routines, but create authentic situations.

The different segments may need to be split up over different periods, depending on the speed of the students.

It will help the students to see the overall flow of the conversation right form the beginning. They know the end goal.

C) Bringing the Lesson to a Conclusion:

The students should practice these greetings many times, so by the end they should be comfortable with greetings.

Allow each student to practice with the teacher before they leave as an evaluation of each student.

Assignment:

Evaluation:

Fireside

I attended a really interesting fireside last night. It was all about using the Internet to promote the image of the church. We learned all about how twitter, podcasts and even our wikipedia edits can help internet visitors find positive information about the church.

It is exciting to think how much influence the internet has for good. We saw a short clip about the amount of technology the world is using. It is astounding!

Storyboard

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AiGa_WJ2UpfQdDRmbDc4V2pZLTdxUTJ5blRaRUN3Mmc&hl=en#

Here is the link to my google doc with my storyboard. Sorry the formatting is weird. I couldn't figure out out to move the pictures around.

The goal for this lesson is to help students to learn to introduce themselves in Chinese. The opening scene will have two people meeting each other in Chinese. Then, the video will go through step-by-step to allow students to practice each phrase.

School House Rock - Review

This teachertube video is a really helpful, entertaining method of introducing students to the U.S. legal processes.

This video only shows three minutes of the show, so it should be appropriate, unless this clip is more than 10%.

School House Rock

We Didn't Start the Fire - Review

This teachertube video would be really helpful for introducing students to American history. Music is an easy way to catch students' interest. Teachers could do a K-W-L with the students and have them write down what they know, want to know, and later, what they have learned.

Since this is used for an educational purpose rather than entertainment, it would be okay to use in the classroom setting.

For music videos, the standard restriction is 10% or less than 30 seconds, and this video uses the whole song.

Despite this, playing the whole song for students does not particularly diminish the market value of the piece, so a teacher could probably use it. Teachers should not, however, post the video on the website so that students could repeatedly listen to the song.

Interesting

Recently, the Church has stopped using TV ads to promote the image of Church. This is because the most effective way to reach people is through the Web. They have made great efforts to increase the positive image of the Church. While previously 1 out of 10 google search hits about the church were positive, it is now 6 out of 10.

Interesting, the impact of technology! Especially in spreading the Gospel!

Stargirl Instruction

Here is the link to the Podcast I made. I felt like it would be most meaningful to create a Podcast that had the instructions for my students.

http://audioboo.fm/boos/101552-stargirl-instructions

Podcasts are really fun. I could get into this!

Lesson Plan: Using Technology to Teach Characterization with Stargirl

Lesson Plan: Using Technology to Teach Characterization with Stargirl
PLANNING

Date: March 1, 2010
Class and Grade Level: 7th Grade
Objective(s): The students should be able to discuss the characterization of the main characters in Jerry Spinelli’s Stargirl
State (or District) Core Curriculum Standard(s): Standard 1. Objective 3 b. Describe a character’s traits as revealed by the narrator (thoughts, words, speech patterns, actions)
Concept(s) to Be Taught: characterization
Materials Needed: computers, Stargirl novel
Strategies to Be Used: reading, writing, interviewing, podcasting

PERFORMING

Announcements:
Continuation from Previous Lesson: After the students have read the novel
Lesson Presentation:

A) Getting Started: Organize the students into groups of about 5. Give them the list of characters below. They must each pick one role. The starred (*) roles must be chosen before the other parts. Tell the students they must create a 5-7 minute podcast of an interview. The interviewer will interview all the characters as if they had a reunion twenty years late. The interviewer is primarily responsible for preparing questions and all the other character parts must study their character and prepare answers to the interviewers questions as their character would twenty years later.

*Interviewer
*Leo Borlock
*Stargirl
Archie Brubake
Kevin Quinlan
Hillari
Dori Dilson
Jerry Spinelli

B) Directing the Learning:
Have the students fill out character charts describing the personality of their character.
Have the interviewer pass out his or her questions to the rest of the group.
After each students has prepared answers, they will share them as a group to make sure their answers are accurate.
After a couple of rehearsals, students will create their podcast.

C) Bringing the Lesson to a Conclusion:
The students will then listen to each others’ podcasts (there should only be 4-6 groups, depending on the size of the class) and have a class discussion about the issues that were discussed in each of the podcasts.

Assignment:

Evaluation:

Stargirl Podcast

To help my students develop skills for the 7th Grade State Core standards, we will create a podcast. This will help the students comprehend character development, and it will also help them to connect the text to themselves.

Jerry Spinelli's novel, Stargirl, is about a sophomore who brings a refreshing sense of freedom to her high school when she follows her own heart. She does not seem to care what anyone else thinks.

In one part of the novel, students create a TV show, interviewing different members of the high school. We will follow this pattern, except that students will write scripts analyzing the action of the story.

The technology will help the students become engaged in a meaningful and authentic project.

Great book!

I am reading an amazing book called, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It's a great read and could be used on a variety of levels. Even if you are not an English major, it reads really quickly. Read and enjoy!

Class Website

Here is the link to my class website:

http://sites.google.com/site/emersonsenglish/

Here is a picture of my google reader. I added all of Sarah's awesome websites! I'm excited to see what's there.

I chose to add the Diggo website because I want to be linked to what we are learning in class.

I also added the Edublogger because it was recommended in class.

Cliff notes sounded helpful because I am always wanting to skim through information.

I found another website about using technology to teach English for secondary ed. I'll follow it for a while to see if it has helpful ideas.

I am really excited to be linked to the NCTE or the National Council of English Teachers. They always publish really current and important information.

Why?

I added a Christmas/oriental theme to my blog because I love the holidays and I love Asia.

I'm here to learn!

Technology

I'm excited to be learning in this class. I know that it will really help me to make the classroom more meaninful for my students. I want to learn all the ways I can connect with them. I want to use technology to merge their every day life with important English topics.

Click here to connect to a website I found about a book I am reading for a class.