Monday, December 14, 2009

Funhouse Webquest Pictures & Survey


A Finished Fun House Project


Young Architects at work


Check out the color and detail in this work



Look at the concentration on these faces


I designed a survey for my students to take after finishing the Fun House WebQuest Project. Below you will find the survey and their responses.

Response Summary
Total Started Survey: 14
Total Completed Survey: 14 (100%)

1. The Fun House activity allowed me time to practice determining perimeter and area using laptops and WebQuest.

answered question 14
skipped question 0

Strongly agree 21.4%
Agree 71.4%
Disagree 7.1%
Strongly disagree 0.0%

2. The Fun House activity directions were clear and easy to understand.

answered question 14
skipped question 0

Strongly agree 28.6%
Agree 64.3%
Disagree 7.1%
Strongly disagree 0.0%

3. I learned something doing the Fun House Web Quest that I can use in everyday life.

answered question 14
skipped question 0

Agree 85.7%
Disagree 14.3%

4. This activity allowed me to be creative.

answered question 14
skipped question 0

Strongly agree 78.6%
Agree 21.4%
Disagree 0.0%
Strongly disagree 0.0%

5. I would like to use more WebQuests to support our curriculum, what we learn in our core classes.

answered question 14
skipped question 0

Strongly agree 35.7%
Agree 57.1%
Disagree 0.0%
Strongly disagree 7.1%


6. Explain how you find perimeter.

answered question 14
skipped question 0

Responses:
1. count
2. I counted the squares by tens.
3. We found perimeter by adding length and width and multiplied by two
4. I use 2(L+W) to find the perimeter
5. you count the squares around your house and multiply it by ten.
6. to find the perimeter you need to add all the way around
7. you find the perimeter by adding
8. you find the perimeter by adding.
9. you do length plus the width plus the length plus the width
10. Counted the outside squares then added them all up.
11. regular-l*w; irregular-count all outside edges of each small sq.
12. I found the perimeter by adding all of the sides of the shape
13. You add up the length of each side, then add on your labels.
14. we found the perimeter of each side. we counted each side then added it all up.


7. How did you feel about using technology (laptops and websites)to practice determining area and perimeter?

answered question 14
skipped question 0

Responses:
1. awesome
2. It's pretty fun.
3. I liked using laptops to do our project it was easy
4. I liked using technology to practice area and perimeter
5. It feels alright but it is confusing.
6. I think it is really great to use the laptops
7. I felt great
8. I felt good because you do not have to write them down.
9. It's fun. I'd rather type than write.
10.I thought it was fun but i think it could of been better.
11. I like using technology.
12. I felt good by using technology to practice perimeter
13. I think that it is fun to use laptops and websites to practice determining area and perimeter.
14. It is a little easy


8. How much active working time did you put into the Fun House WebQuest and activity?

answered question 14
skipped question 0

1 to 2 hours 21.4%
2 to 4 hours 35.7%
more than 4 hours 42.9%

9. A parallelogram has a base of 8 units and a height of 7 units. Find the area.

answered question 14
skipped question 0

Responses:
1. 56 units
2. 56 units.
3. the answer is 56 units
4. The area of the parallelogram is 56 units
5. 7*8 =56 units
6. the area of this shape is 56
7. the area is 56 square units
8. the area is fifty six square feet.
9. 8x7=56
10. 8x7=56
11. b*h
12. the answer is 56 units.
13. The area is 56 square units, because you would do 8 x 7.
14. its 8x7 =56 sq units

10. I would like to use technology (laptops, websites, blogs, or wikis)more often in our classroom.

answered question 14

No 7.1%
Yes 92.9%
Responses:
1. yes very much
2. yes because it would be fun.
3. yes, to do home work, practice our facts
4. i would love to
5. I would like to use more laptops, and websites.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

"Fun House": My research project grade 5 area & perimeter






My research project involves teaching 5th grade students area and perimeter, practice finding area and perimeter, and assessing their understanding of the concept with a project called "Building a Fun House". Below is my lesson plan:

5th grade Math Web Quest on Area & Perimeter
Objectives:
· Students understand and use appropriate tools and units for measuring triangles and quadrilaterals
· Students find the area of triangles and quadrilaterals
· Students find the perimeter of triangles and quadrilaterals
· Students find the area and perimeter of parallelograms
· Students use perimeter and area for real life math situations
Students know how to derive and use formulas:
A= L x W or for parallelograms A=B x H
P= 2(L+W)

Web Quest: Using Area and Perimeter to Design a Fun House

I. Unit work on area and perimeter (Scott Foresman Grade 5 Math)

II. Introduce project using webquest from Guilford County, NC (http://its.guilford.k12.nc.us/webquests/math.html) and assign students homework of measuring their bedroom and one other room in their house

III. Students will receive handout and checklist on this project and we will read the handout together. Handouts, check lists and blue prints will be collected at the end of each class period.

IV. Students will get laptops and do the Area Explorer, print their results then do Perimeter Explorer and print their results.

V. Students will use laptops to access Math Goodies-Perimeter, do exercises, print their work and go on to Math Goodies-Area, do the exercises and print the results.

VI. For an assessment of students’ knowledge, students will be given graph paper and instructions to draw a house with a perimeter of at least 900 feet and have a minimum of three rooms. Students will determine how much vinyl flooring or carpeting they will need to cover two rooms of their house. Measurements will be shown in the drawing of the rooms.

VII. Students will draw a fence around the yard and then determine how much fencing they need.

VIII. Students will turn in their printed results from the Area Explorer, Perimeter Explorer, Math Goodies-Perimeter, Math Goodies-Area, the blueprint of their house and their checklist.

IX. Students will be given a survey on this learning activity.

X. Students will be graded on neatness, following instructions, correct perimeter and area of their design, labels on measurements and effort.

Materials are provided for students to complete their projects.


Day 1: Students were given homework assignment to measure a bedroom and one other room in their home in feet.

The teacher of the class placed the web links on the classroom blog, allowing faster access to web links. Here are the blog links:

Classroom Websites
Fun House: Area: Link 1
Fun House: Perimeter: Link 2
Fun House: Review: Link 3
Fun House: Review: Link 4

Day 2: Students shared the measurements of two rooms in their homes. This activity is to give students an idea of the size of an average room in a house. The handouts were distributed to the students and we read it aloud together, allowing students to ask questions. The next task was to retrieve the laptops. Once all students had a laptop, logged in, they were directed to the class blog where they could click on the links for area and perimeter practice and review. We allowed 90 minutes on the laptops for students to practice and then complete the reviews and print their results.

Day 3: Students that did not finish with the web links are allowed to retrieve laptops to finish the activities. Students that are finished with web links are given graph paper and asked to draw four figures, giving area and perimeter of each. The students were given 30 minutes to accomplish this task; papers were returned to teacher's in-box.

Day 4: Students are given their packets with the checklist and graph paper to begin drawing their fun house. The teacher and I used an overhead to demonstrate how to draw blueprint for a small house on graph paper. The graph paper given to students is 1cm blocks, so we decided to scale 1 cm = 10 ft. Students then started their Fun House blueprints. We allotted 30 minutes for today's activity.
Day 5, 6, 7, 8: Students are given their packets and allowed to work on their blue prints for approximately 20 to 30 minutes each day. Once students have completed the blueprint, the perimeter is checked by teacher as is the area of the two rooms to have carpet or vinyl flooring. Next students are to start the drawing of the front of their house. One change: Day 5 we decided that students did not have to do the fence around the yard. After day 8 of working in class on this project, we announced that student's had been given all the class time we could afford to give; projects will have to be finished during recess or at home.

Pictures of students working on projects and their projects will be posted later as will the survey and the survey results.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Wiki Reflection

I think a wiki could be used for writing, science or social studies. I like the fact that alterations to the wiki can be tracked and that anyone can add useful, reliable information.
If I were a teacher, I could have students use a wiki to document lab steps and findings in science or share thoughts on the Westward Expansion in social studies. Students could keep a writing journal, using what they learn in writing class to share different forms of writing, maybe even documenting how their class spent the year.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Learning Reflection

I have most learned that there is an overabundance of websites and information on the internet and you have to be careful when surfing through it. The most useful thing I have learned is how to do more productive searches for information and that our government has great websites that supply a wealth of information as well as teaching tools. Instructional technology can take many forms. I like videos, where I can see and hear the information, stop and review it when ever I choose.

I have been taking online classes since the fall of 2007. Overall, it has been a good experience and worked well for me. It's nice not having to physically go to class, especially during the winter. Online classes allow me to complete my assignments on my own time during the week.

Learning Website

The world revolves around MONEY and I enjoy having MONEY, but I never knew I'd enjoy the US Mint website as much as I do!

My Teaching and Technology insturctor asked us to review an instructional technology website and I have chosen the US Mint site. I found the site extremely easy to navigate and it provides many learning experiences, from learning the value of coins to learning the history behind each coin. There are games and information for coin collectors.

One aspect of the website that I like is the History In Your Pocket (HIP) Pocket Change. Students can play games as they travel across the United States learning about the state quarters. Another game they can travel the world, learning historical facts as well as learning about other countries, cultures and their coins.

Another aspect of the website I like is the Teachers and Parents tab. This tab gives access to Site Information, Lesson Plans, Teaching Resources, Class Activities and Financial Literacy tabs. The lesson plans include lessons from K to 12. They address subjects such as identifying coins and their value, saving or spending, fractions, and much more. The sites provide complete instructions on how to do the lessons as well as provide the materials needed to carry out the lessons.

I believe I will be using this website throughout the year with the students I work with in the Resource Room and in a 5th grade classroom.

http://www.usmint.gov/kids/

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Belly Dance Novice


What images come to mind when I say I am a Belly Dancer?

Do you think it's the same thing as stripping?

WELL - IT IS NOT!!!

The art of belly dance can be traced to every continent on Earth.

It is a rite of passage in some cultures.

Belly dance originated as a dance of expression for women by women.


The movements of belly dance require control and isolation of muscles from your

head to your toes.

The dance can be spiritual and/or emotional. Sometimes simple, other times

theatrical.

There are many styles of belly dance - Egyptian, Oriental, Greek, Tribal.

I am just a student, but I love the dance.

One of the websites I have found interesting and easy to navigate is



As you will discover, the dance requires some music study.

You don't want to be dancing happily to a song about death and destruction!

Finding interpretations in English can be trying, but it is worth the effort.


Maine has a large and growing Belly Dance Community.

To learn more about the dance or performances in Maine

check out:







Saturday, September 19, 2009

Newbie

My technology class assignment is to create a blog - I think that's what I've done! Even though I have worked with and played with computers 30 years, there is so much to learn. I'm up for a challenge - how about you?