Monday, December 10, 2012
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Unit---Finished!
I do believe that the unit is complete now. I am currently on day 6-9 of the unit with my Honors class and plan to make changes as needed on the Google Doc after reflection.
Chemical Reactions Blended Unit
Chemical Reactions Blended Unit
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Video tutorials and the blended classroom
What I enjoy about a blended delivery classroom is making content available online for review or to help a student become successful with Homework. I would like to create my own tutorials eventually but have had a lot of luck finding great videos already out there. I also feel that sometimes seeing the material in another way or from another persons perspective can help with student comprehension. We all know there is usually more than one way to skin a cat. It also helps cut down on class time reviewing allowing for more higher order thinking in the classroom.
For my unit the students will need to balance chemical reactions and identify the reaction type. Many of my ninth grade students are familiar with balancing equations from 8th grade but some come with no idea. In class I will go over the vocabulary products, reactants, yields, coefficients, subscripts and the law of conservation if mass. To ensure the students will understand what I am talking about in my instruction. I will usually work one or two problems with them in class and send them home with plenty of practice.
The following video will serve as extra instruction to aid with their homework. They will also be able to post questions they may have while viewing the video that I can address in class.
For my unit the students will need to balance chemical reactions and identify the reaction type. Many of my ninth grade students are familiar with balancing equations from 8th grade but some come with no idea. In class I will go over the vocabulary products, reactants, yields, coefficients, subscripts and the law of conservation if mass. To ensure the students will understand what I am talking about in my instruction. I will usually work one or two problems with them in class and send them home with plenty of practice.
The following video will serve as extra instruction to aid with their homework. They will also be able to post questions they may have while viewing the video that I can address in class.
Assesments for my Chemical Rxns Blended Unit
In addition to quizzes on content they will be reading from their text which will be taken through Edmodo. Videos will be assigned for them to watch about the content covered to help with homework (Reaction types, Balancing Equations) through Edmodo. Labs we will be conducting during class time. The students will also be creating an iMovie trailer distinguishing between the 5 types of chemical reactions, which will then be uploaded to Vimeo.
With the help of my Team English teacher Jess George, we were able to create an outline and rubric for this project. The outline was a guide to my thinking and planning but I thought it would hurt to post it to the students Edmodo page as a guide to how they will be assessed on each Learning Target.
The rubric was cleverly designed by Jess George giving each group member a role and accountability for a piece of the final project. I went in and adjusted the content to fit the needs of my class.
Click Outline of the Unit for Students for the whole document below is a screen shot:
Click Chemical Rxn iMovie Trailer Rubric for the whole document below is a screenshot
With the help of my Team English teacher Jess George, we were able to create an outline and rubric for this project. The outline was a guide to my thinking and planning but I thought it would hurt to post it to the students Edmodo page as a guide to how they will be assessed on each Learning Target.
The rubric was cleverly designed by Jess George giving each group member a role and accountability for a piece of the final project. I went in and adjusted the content to fit the needs of my class.
Click Outline of the Unit for Students for the whole document below is a screen shot:
ePortfolio assignment- Week 9
So far the blended course is going great! I'm sure that my high success rate is because I chose my honors class to pilot it, but I am learning a lot as well. The students are really responding to it and I have had more positive comments from students than not. Also the fact that there is an Edmodo app for the iPhone is a big winner with myself and the students.
Another bonus! Jess George my team English teacher, is using Edmodo with her honors class as well, so we were able to sign our students up in one day for both our classes while she was in the lab for WV Writes. She has also been a great help with troubleshooting any issues we have with students signing up. We have both decided that we are going to utilize Edmodo with our Honors students next year.
Another bonus! Jess George my team English teacher, is using Edmodo with her honors class as well, so we were able to sign our students up in one day for both our classes while she was in the lab for WV Writes. She has also been a great help with troubleshooting any issues we have with students signing up. We have both decided that we are going to utilize Edmodo with our Honors students next year.
ePortfolio assignment- Week 6
I enjoyed making the iMovie trailer in class so much I have decided to allow the students to make one as a product to show their understanding of chemical reaction types with in my Chemical Reactions Blended unit. Below is a video tutorial on how to create a trailer using iMovie. I posted it to their Edmodo page and required them to comment or ask a question about the video.
ePortfolio assignment- week 4
Parent Letter Home-Chemical Rxn Blended Unit
Letter home to Parents explaining the need for students to participate online and availability of Internet access at school if not available at home. Also letting parents know they can contact me if they have any questions.
I feel that is the only hurdle as teachers we have with a Blended unit is the lack of internet access at home, so making parents aware that their child has options at school then puts the responsibility onto the student.
Letter home to Parents explaining the need for students to participate online and availability of Internet access at school if not available at home. Also letting parents know they can contact me if they have any questions.
I feel that is the only hurdle as teachers we have with a Blended unit is the lack of internet access at home, so making parents aware that their child has options at school then puts the responsibility onto the student.
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