Lessons, Examples, Use of Tools
In 2016 and 2017, my ELA colleague, Kayt Schott, and I collaborated to create an interview lesson using Storycorps.me and the available application for both Apple and Android products. We called it "The Gr8 BSMS Listen." Over the course of a month, students set up interviews with friends, family, classmates, and members of the community. In class, we studied the qualities of effective interviewing and evaluated the importance of interviewing others in our world in order to understand each other.
In 2017, I utilized Aurasma for various assignments. First, students were introduced to the application via a vocabulary word scavenger search where they scanned a deck of cards to the definitions to key terms in our unit. Next, students were given a scenario and asked to create their own forms of government. In this scenario, students created propaganda, then gave a speech about their ideas. These speeches were then embedded in the propaganda posters so they could be seen.
BreakOutEdu is a game-based break-out which is an "immersive learning platform." With a lot of help from Donor's Choose, I was able to purchase four boxes which I share throughout my building. I started the year with students breaking out their syllabus, and then many other break-outs followed. BreakOutEdu is a great way to help students learn to collaborate and apply critical thinking techniques to solve puzzles related to the curriculum.
I've begun exploring alternative seating in my classroom. By scavenging at garage sales and thrift stores, I've found ways to introduce alternative seating options in my classroom. In the Spring of 2017, the Bermudian Springs Middle School PTO awarded me a grant to purchase several types of alternative seating which students began using at the end of the year. I've found that when students are offered a choice of seats, they're often more productive and focused.
I've always been a fan of infographics and find myself really enjoying all the ways we can visually share information with Piktochart. One of my first accomplishments with this tool in 2017 was to revamp my syllabus.
I hope to have students utilize this to share information from several research projects and/or books they've read throughout this school year.
At the end of the 2017 school year I partnered up with several other teachers to help organize and the first Adams County EdCamp which was held at Maple Avenue Middle School in Littlestown.
I helped take pictures and update the Twitter feed throughout the event, collaborating with peers from around the county and learning about new ideas and innovative techniques I can use in my classroom.
In Septemeber of 2017, students learned more about the heroic deeds of the average American in our ELA class.
My 8th grade students were born after September 11th, 2001, so have a limited understanding of this event. Students explored the event through the eyes of friends and family by interviewing the people they knew who were alive on this fateful day.
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You can find recordings of all the projects here.
In January of 2018 , my 8th grade ELA students demonstrated their understanding of plot and theme by creating a film in iMovie (or other film app of their choice) which demonstrated a theme from a play that we read and demonstrated a complete plot with conflict and resolution.
In addition, students also played with film techniques like shots and camera angles. They were asked to demonstrate at least three different angles/shots and explain why they used them.
In February of 2018, my colleagues and I developed a new Project Based Learning unit in which our students identified an individual they wanted to interview to gain a new perspective, interviewed (or researched) this person, and then curated a website devoted to this person.
Students curated short stories, poems, articles, art, film, and songs for the individual and identified a theme based on the interviews. In essence, the students created an online 'exhibit' devoted to items which represent this theme.