Blog Posting #3

Content Specific Ideas: What Do You Want to Learn About Rome?

I could definitely see myself using this handout. I find it very useful and important for a teacher to include their students in some of the topics they learn about. I feel when students have a say in what they want to learn about that means they are interested in that subject and therefore would learn more and do better. This is also a great tool to assess my students and see what they already know as well as help me see what they are interested in. Another reason why I really like this handout is because it is versatile with multiple subjects. You could easily incorporate, say for instance, history with language arts, art, math, etc. Each subject can be used my taking a survey and then compiling that information and teaching from what you discovered. This survey helps me to see how advance my students are and what kind of level or readiness they are in.

Vertebrates Chart

I really like this chart and can imagine not only me as a students using it but also introducing this type of tool to my students. I am a very visual person and learn well when I can see my thoughts organized and written down. I like this chart because it helps the students organize their thoughts as well as help process and detect where each bit of information goes. I think this chart would help the students organize and prepare a paper or an essay. It starts them off by explaining what it is and what it is about and then goes into different parts of vertebrates (examples and non-examples). This tool could also be used with math. For instance, learning a new concept or a new method. They could organize and produce examples and non-examples and could refer back to this chart in the future. This chart serves as a multipurpose chart and is not subject to only helping in one content area. I could easily make this a chart work for all students and all learners. I could add more in depth topics such, as type and where they came from for advanced students. This chart will also show me what their interests are by selecting what examples and non-examples they use and the readiness they have in vertebrates.

Six-Trait Guide to Revision

This handout is a great tool to have hanging up in your classroom. I also think it is a great tool for students to use to check off whether they accomplished and included everything they needed to in their paper. This check off list also allows them to add in anything that they may have missed. I think it would also be easier for you to help teach them about each trait because it has great definitions of what should be included with a detailed sentence. I like that it is not too long so the students will easily be able to look at this chart and go straight to their paper to check if they have it included or not. I love that this chart can be used at all times, whether it be introducing the trait, in the middle of using certain traits, or at the end when the students should know all six-traits. This tool can be used with any subject that includes writing, which could be any of them. Students have to write papers in science, history and even math. I could use this handout to help all students by differentiating it enough to help all learners. I could add examples and include interesting words. I could add in grammar tools and what I will be looking for. When the students are done writing I would have them turn this checklist off in along with their papers to show the readiness they have and whether or not they were organized and prepared throughout their writing. This also shows their personality and interests by the way they write and the words they used.