Teachers (and Students) Create the Curriculum
Curriculum is that from which we learn, and it is never neutral. It embraces the what, how, and why of learning. Teachers use resources, materials, and student ideas to create learning opportunities that are meaningful, authentic, and socially relevant.
Issues in Africa Blogging Project
Understanding the learning needs of students is vital to creating a curriculum that has a lasting impact on the students. For them to truly understand the material, I found ways to differentiate my instruction to meet these needs. I found many of my students to be tech savvy and enjoyed working with and learning from computers. From this observation, I developed a project that had students create a blog on an issue that currently affects Africa. This project allowed for students to work with technology and to utilize the internet to research information on their chosen topic. In the end, students presented their blogs to the rest of the class. This ensured that each student was exposed to each topic.
Overall, I found the lesson to be quite engaging. Students were able to work with computers and to explore sources that they do not typically work with in the classroom. However, this project was not without its problems. Looking back, I see a plethora of improvements that can be made to improve the project, including the quality of computers, the effectiveness of presentations, and the variety of topics. Nonetheless, I found the project to be beneficial and worthwhile for my students.
Overall, I found the lesson to be quite engaging. Students were able to work with computers and to explore sources that they do not typically work with in the classroom. However, this project was not without its problems. Looking back, I see a plethora of improvements that can be made to improve the project, including the quality of computers, the effectiveness of presentations, and the variety of topics. Nonetheless, I found the project to be beneficial and worthwhile for my students.
Project Description and Rubric
current_issues_in_africa_blog_project.pdf | |
File Size: | 117 kb |
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Examples of Student Work
Triangular Trade Activity
While learning about the geography of Africa this semester, students investigated the important concept of the transatlantic slave trade, including the economic, political, and social factors of the trade. To reach the kinesthetic and listening learners, I developed an activity that put the students in the shoes of the transatlantic slave trade as either a slave or trader. It is important to use resources as a teacher to create lessons. For this particular lesson, I utilized the experience of my father who is a former teacher, and I used my understanding of students’ needs, such as how they learn material best. As I narrated, students acted out the process of the slave trade. Along the way, we had discussions about the lives of slaves, the economic implications of the trade, and the process by which the transatlantic slave trade took.
On this particular day, I was fortunate enough to have been observed by my field instructor, and my mentor teacher was also present in the room for a lesson to see the activity. Overall, I feel as though the lesson went very well. I was happy to see students behaving well while moving about the room and participating in discussions frequently. When speaking with both my field instructor and mentor teacher, I was given very helpful comments about how well the activity went but also ways in which I can improve the lesson. Nonetheless, when discussing the activity with the class the final day, I was pleased to see and hear deep understanding of the transatlantic slave trade.
On this particular day, I was fortunate enough to have been observed by my field instructor, and my mentor teacher was also present in the room for a lesson to see the activity. Overall, I feel as though the lesson went very well. I was happy to see students behaving well while moving about the room and participating in discussions frequently. When speaking with both my field instructor and mentor teacher, I was given very helpful comments about how well the activity went but also ways in which I can improve the lesson. Nonetheless, when discussing the activity with the class the final day, I was pleased to see and hear deep understanding of the transatlantic slave trade.
Lesson Plan
lesson_plan_3.1.13_-_wc_africa_-_slavery.pdf | |
File Size: | 71 kb |
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Accompanying Worksheet
slave_trade_video_and_reenactment_activity.pdf | |
File Size: | 386 kb |
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Silk Road Mimio Board Activity
Technology can be quite a useful tool to make lessons engaging. Technology is not simply sitting at a computer, but can be kinesthetic and active. I quickly found, by working with my students, that they enjoy being active and learning through movement. During the first semester, I was not lead teaching all classes; however, on this particular day, I taught all four classes. During the second marking period, I was teaching Ancient Chinese history. One major concept that I covered with my classes was the Silk Road. Our school has a limited amount of interactive whiteboards, but luckily, there is a Mimio board on my team. The Mimio board acts as a SMART Board. The activity included an interactive map of the Silk Road, in which I had students drag and drop traded items, cities, and land formations to their respective places on the map. This activity allowed students to be interactive with the material, and catered to students who learn best visually, kinesthetically, and by listening.
The ideas behind this lesson were good ones. I had students actively come to the front of the room and use their knowledge to learn and help teach others about the Silk Road. However, I can learn much from this activity. The biggest thing is accountability, making sure that students always are accountable for something during the activity. When students would come to the board to place an item, other students became off task. I spoke with my mentor after this activity, and we discussed ways in which I can hold students more accountable while still having this engaging lesson. Ultimately, my mentor teacher was fond of the activity and was impressed by the use of technology in the classroom.
The ideas behind this lesson were good ones. I had students actively come to the front of the room and use their knowledge to learn and help teach others about the Silk Road. However, I can learn much from this activity. The biggest thing is accountability, making sure that students always are accountable for something during the activity. When students would come to the board to place an item, other students became off task. I spoke with my mentor after this activity, and we discussed ways in which I can hold students more accountable while still having this engaging lesson. Ultimately, my mentor teacher was fond of the activity and was impressed by the use of technology in the classroom.
Lesson Plan
lesson_plan_10.13.12_-_silk_road.pdf | |
File Size: | 71 kb |
File Type: |