Common Core in Action: How Two Science Teachers are Integrating Common Core

In the Bronx and West Bronx of New York, Katie Abole and Christopher King both applied the LDC module to their science classrooms. Katie led her class in a module on biofuels and fossil fuels. She then had the students engaged in an article or activity every day to support whether they felt biofuels or fossil fuels to be a better source of energy. Christopher did something quite similar with the question of nuclear and/or fossil fuels being the best source of energy. His resulted just as well as Katie did and both groups of students gained confidence and took pride in their superior-level work. Christopher and Katie's overall advice was to start small and help them climb up. I think this was a very practical easy way to integrate common core literacy into science (and social studies). There is no area of study one can be involved and literacy not be important. So teach them the skills they need when they're young. If this is done efficiently through a child's student life, they will learn how to better study and "debate" the topics in life that really matter- whether it be addressing government issues or faith. Too, if Christopher and Katie's advice is heeded to start small, imagine the large things they can tackle after "trained". Alot of potential in this!

Voki

Bully

 Bully is a video to raise awareness of the true effect of bullying taking place in schools nationwide on families and students alike. Here is a link to both a trailer and the video should you choose to watch it. Bullying is very real and intervention can mean life or death for an individual. What are we to do?

http://youtu.be/fhBXlVTNZsg


  I know all students- regardless of age- need an outlet. Students face impossible situations everyday and so many times teachers, faculty, and fellow peers miss opportunities to bring life back to the lives around them. First as a precautionary, I believe one of the best outlets to send a "warning" to you as a teacher would be by a writing (or drawing for young students) assignment in the mornings before class really gets started. When I was in first/second grades, our teacher would give us bell work for the first 15 minutes of class, and at this time we were given a topic to write about and illustrate in our journal. Not only did it help creativity and writing skills, but alot of times, it was personal. I believe warning signs can be seen in such assignments. Kids are honest. If not in words, you can tell alot by a child's drawing. This would be one of the first things I would do as a teacher to catch the early signs of bullying. Even in high school, journaling is important and that's an outlet that is safe and can usually be used at home as well.
  If bullying is already in full stages, naturally, I'd take it to the principal; but because bullying is so often a matter of life and death, I believe the law enforcement needs to be involved. Yes kids are kids, but words have more power than they realize. If law enforcement won't be hired for the school to keep the campus, I don't think it'd be too much to call law enforcement to come pick them up and make the parent come get them from there. It's a situation that has to be taken seriously. Not only that, but I think the law enforcement should be on both ends- the bully and the bullied. Contact should be kept with the family of the student bullied. The family should be made aware. Signs should be taught. And counselors should be made available. Too many times, people miss the signs because they're in denial that it's real and because they're just ignorant to the facts. Parents need to be educated. In the kids having kids world we're in now, it's never too much to educate over the top. If it saves a life, one cannot deny the significance.

Augmented reality snags a coveted spot in classrooms

 Augmented reality is additional information to any source being studied or observed. In the classroom, augmented reality is becoming a whole new way of educating students- by letting them educate themselves! This is hands on discovery for the students, and teachers can "road-map" their classroom to fit the topic needs. This is nothing like research or reading a textbook. There's a new way of learning and this blending technology with the real world is perfect for the technologically-driven age we are now facing.

 This is genius! Any level of engaging the students is always a positive to learning, but with this, students are almost teaching themselves. Naturally, when students "discover" anything on their own, hands-on, it is better remembered. I'm curious to research more results of this being implemented in the classroom!

Five Essentials to Create Connected Students

 All students need to be connected to the rest of the world via WiFi and media for life skill purposes. Since most don't get this privilege at home, it is our duty as teachers to connect them during the school hours. Not only that, but they should specifically be educated on how to be connected and how to disconnect while in the classroom and throughout their everyday lives. The essentials state they need to have (1) a connected author, (2) a connected publisher, (3) a connected conversationalist, (4) a strategic disconnector, and (5) a curious, lifelong pursuer of ingenious solutions. Students should learn to be innovators instead of consumers.

 There is truth to this article. It's important each child has equal opportunity to learn at max, and if that has to be in the classroom, we should take full advantage of the time with them. But a very important point was made that teaching them to connect is just as important as teaching them to disconnect. This is not something being taught anywhere- especially the home. Also, it is time we teach students to think outside the box rather than teaching them the importance of the box.  Students are often not given enough credit to do so, and I think that is one of the biggest pitfalls of our current education system.

Inspiration comments

Erika: Where the Wild Things Are
  Your diagram/presentation was very easy to follow and the color themes all went together. The only thing I thought could be improved was the diagram thing. Will this have been taught previously? If so, awesome!

Jacqueline: Word discovery in "Fun with Dick and Jane"
   Word detective was an awesome idea! That's a fun way to introduce the dictionary! Sounds great! The tall tale was awesome! Didn't quite understand the directions for the tic-tac-toe.

Mary Katherine: Corduroy
   Have fun! I think they'll have fun with the "find that button" activity. It makes the story applicable to them and that's a great "sub-lesson" for them to learn early.

Jennifer: Earth's biomes
   Very creative! I think the kids would really enjoy that. Could use some more technology interaction, but other than that, you did great!

Amanda: Context Clues
   I like how you get them to act out the chapter in the beginning as opposed to the end. You get a clear analysis of how well they know what they are reading/comprehending. It's is very involved! As long as the rules for all these activities are established, great job!

Jordan: Hurricane Force
   Hurricanes are what most students around here can relate to. That's an advantage and disadvantage of this lesson. You have a good flow to increasing the skill of learning about hurricanes. Awesome!

Jonathan: World War 2
  Your class seems very competitive! Eighth graders really enjoy that. I like how you tied an event back to them today. It's important to connect generations!

21st Century Skills: Why they matter, What they are, and How we get there

  Educational systems today are producing students who lack 21st century skills needed in a 21st century world. The normal skills and subject area being taught are simply not enough to be productive in today's society. A job is no longer ensured for the graduate. Creativity, problem-solving, and management are skills now needed that aren't being taught in the schools or workforce, but they are becoming critically important. As the competing nation the United States is, it sure is losing ground when it comes to these skills needed. The infrastructure for these 21st century skills are being built slowly but surely to help ensure future success in our students to come.

   I think this would be wonderful. In alot of ways, it will mean completely changing the mindset and methods of what and how we are teaching. It is not merely focused on technology and that aspect of learning, but the focus is actually on the needs of the individual learners. It's focused on what is best for them. Yes, our system does lack critical thinking and creativity skills. Everything has been baby-fed to us for years. I'm excited to see a challenge arising and people who are willing to meet that challenge. Though it sounds great, I'm sure there are pitfalls to this too. For instance, if students couldn't master the core subjects before, will these students have the ability to attain such skills? I don't know, but I think this would be good to find out.