My lesson plan is a study of symbolism used in Toni Morrison's novel, The Bluest Eye. Morrison utilizes various examples of symbolism throughout the novel. Students are required to identify the symbolism, and write a three page analysis about their interpretation of it. In the analysis, they are to provide not only their own interpretation, but also what they feel was the intent of the author and how the novel relates to race relations in America. In addition to the analysis, students will be required to create a Prezi presentation or, for extra credit, can create a video depicting a scene from the novel.
The Prezi presentation helps students to identify various examples of symbolism throughout the novel. The purpose of the Prezi supplemental material is to help the students in writing their three page analysis paper. The rubric is also provided to establish the standards for the three page analysis for grading purposes. The instructions for creating a video is provided to assist with the extra-credit video presentation. A link is provided within the document so that students can access additional information on the process if needed.
Monday, December 7, 2015
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
PicMonkey Photo
I recently created an edited picture in PicMonkey. The result was somewhat impressive. The application is fairly easy to use, and I was able to upload my photograph from Facebook. The result is a nostalgic looking photograph. I have posted it to this blog. Take a look below:
The link to PicMonkey is http://www.picmonkey.com/.
The link to PicMonkey is http://www.picmonkey.com/.
QR Code
This is a QR code link to my blog site that I created from the QR Generator website.
The link to QR Code generator is below:
http://goqr.me/
Friday, November 6, 2015
Growing Up Online
I’ve just completed watching the Frontline documentary, “Growing Up Online”. I found the documentary to be very interesting and informative. It gave a well-rounded, thoughtful and insightful view of cyber-lifefor the average American teenager. Included were the comments and opinions of teenagers, teachers, parents, and professionals. The contents covered were: 1) Living Their Lives Essentially Online; 2) A Revolution in Classrooms and Social Life; 3) Self Expression, Trying On New Identities; 4) The Child Predator Fear; 5) Private Worlds Outside Parents’ Reach; 6) Cyberbullying; and 7) Updates. Each topic was covered in an interesting way with compelling life stories and examples. Below, I will answer the 7 questions pertaining to this assignment.
1. I think that parental support for children’s independent use of the Internet is decreasing primarily because of the fear of someone dark and menacing molesting their child, as most parents think about their child potentially being lured into a dangerous situation by a sexual predator. However, according to the documentary, this fear may be over-exaggerated because most children know how to avoid predators online. They simply block someone who might ask them for their address or other personal information that they do not feel comfortable sharing. But, of recent note, cyberbullying and poor behavior that might affect future college acceptance or employment has become major concerns as well.
2. I’m not sure if educators can stop students from utilizing online resources for completing assignments. A major complaint is that students have less time for homework; so, if they can getthe answer or tools to complete an assignment online, why not? Now, is getting the answer online ideal, I don’t think so. Children, as well as adults, struggle to focus mentally and there is an epidemic of information overload and overexposure. It was sad how the young man in the documentary said that he could not remember the last time that he had read a book – it is quickly becoming a lost art. The honest and straight-forward me wants to say, unequivocally, that finding the answers online is cheating; however, the truth be told, I’m a little conflicted. Theharsh reality is that the information is out there – in cyberspace – for just about any question a person could conceive. Should a computer-savvy student be penalized for finding a quicker way to the end result? I’m still not so sure about this one. I tend to agree with the educator who said that we have to meet the student half-way and accept that they are going to use Spark Notes and other sites like this one. But the real question is, “How do we make learning meaningful knowing that these shortcuts are being taken?” And, I have to wonder, in the end, as long as the student is learning, does it really matter?
3. Back to the kid who “doesn’t read books”. Well, I think a little guilt may be good for him – at leasthe knows what a book is! But, the sad reality is that our world has not become less stressful dueto technology. In fact, it has become more stressful and people have less time for family, philanthropy or recreation. So, yes, he should feel guilty; but I’m willing to bet that, even though he may feel guilty, it is a guilt that will continue to be easily dismissed because the payoff is a good grade without consequences, as long as he’s not brought to task on it. Perhaps since the documentary has aired… I realize this is an older documentary :-)
4. I think that the “Autumn Edows” of the world are semi-celebrities in their own right. She has done what managers and publicists have done for entertainers years before – created a carefully crafted image for the viewing public. I’m not knocking her for that. I believe that social media has in many ways leveled the playing field for individuals who want to rise to stardom. One can start a video website or You Tube page with just a computer and webcam and potentially gain “overnight” popularity. Our cultural values have been affected. We definitely live in a more forgiving society than we did in the 1950s or 1960s. The public is much more forgiving of their celebrities’ shortcomings, and much more permissive regarding ethics and moral values. I almost feel sorry for television actors and actresses because the competition is stiff for airtime with reality television “stars”.
5. There was an article published by Ars Technica, a technology news and information website created by Ken Fisher and Jon Stokes in 1998 that featured an article about a 12 year old girl in middle school who was abducted by 32 year old Victor Yanez Arroyo – a convicted felon from Mexico. The girl’s name was dubbed “Jane Doe” due to the nature of the crime committed against her. Arroyo contacted the girl through her Apple device, ICloud, Xbox Live gamer tag, and an application called Kik. Arroyo apparently picked the young girl up right at her doorstep inOctober of 2014. Unfortunately, authorities discovered that Arroyo was not the only predator that the girl had been in contact with. The article also included a chart that showed the increase in arrests for tech-facilitated sex exploitation crimes between the years 2000–2009. The link to this article is: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/11/12-year-olds-online-life-brings-an-abductor-to-her-doorstep/.
6. The Suler’s affect that I think is being demonstrated here is invisibility – “You can’t see me.” Sulermentions that invisibility gives people the courage the say things that they otherwise would not. This is exactly what the young lady in the documentary stated. I thought that it was interesting the way she said that she would have an online exchange of some sort, and then see the person in school the next day, and it would be as if nothing had occurred. Now, there was the incident mentioned where the girls started fighting because of online bullying; however, there was also this obscure world that cyberspace allows which emboldens people to engage in behavior that they otherwise would not do face-to-face.
7. I have thought about disconnecting from it all. In fact, I think that it would be a wonderful experience. However, I am 50 years old! I can remember the joys of reading a book and using my imagination to create images of the characters and locations that I am reading about. It would be easy for me to do this – in fact, I have done it before. I managed to read an entire novelwhile vacationing with my children in Florida one year. It was absolutely heavenly! I enjoyed seeing nature while disconnecting by primarily reading my book outside on an enclosed patio. I enjoy peace and serenity, and would much rather work outside in a garden thaan inside on a computer, iPad, or iPhone. I’m an Apple person, can you tell?
1. I think that parental support for children’s independent use of the Internet is decreasing primarily because of the fear of someone dark and menacing molesting their child, as most parents think about their child potentially being lured into a dangerous situation by a sexual predator. However, according to the documentary, this fear may be over-exaggerated because most children know how to avoid predators online. They simply block someone who might ask them for their address or other personal information that they do not feel comfortable sharing. But, of recent note, cyberbullying and poor behavior that might affect future college acceptance or employment has become major concerns as well.
2. I’m not sure if educators can stop students from utilizing online resources for completing assignments. A major complaint is that students have less time for homework; so, if they can getthe answer or tools to complete an assignment online, why not? Now, is getting the answer online ideal, I don’t think so. Children, as well as adults, struggle to focus mentally and there is an epidemic of information overload and overexposure. It was sad how the young man in the documentary said that he could not remember the last time that he had read a book – it is quickly becoming a lost art. The honest and straight-forward me wants to say, unequivocally, that finding the answers online is cheating; however, the truth be told, I’m a little conflicted. Theharsh reality is that the information is out there – in cyberspace – for just about any question a person could conceive. Should a computer-savvy student be penalized for finding a quicker way to the end result? I’m still not so sure about this one. I tend to agree with the educator who said that we have to meet the student half-way and accept that they are going to use Spark Notes and other sites like this one. But the real question is, “How do we make learning meaningful knowing that these shortcuts are being taken?” And, I have to wonder, in the end, as long as the student is learning, does it really matter?
3. Back to the kid who “doesn’t read books”. Well, I think a little guilt may be good for him – at leasthe knows what a book is! But, the sad reality is that our world has not become less stressful dueto technology. In fact, it has become more stressful and people have less time for family, philanthropy or recreation. So, yes, he should feel guilty; but I’m willing to bet that, even though he may feel guilty, it is a guilt that will continue to be easily dismissed because the payoff is a good grade without consequences, as long as he’s not brought to task on it. Perhaps since the documentary has aired… I realize this is an older documentary :-)
4. I think that the “Autumn Edows” of the world are semi-celebrities in their own right. She has done what managers and publicists have done for entertainers years before – created a carefully crafted image for the viewing public. I’m not knocking her for that. I believe that social media has in many ways leveled the playing field for individuals who want to rise to stardom. One can start a video website or You Tube page with just a computer and webcam and potentially gain “overnight” popularity. Our cultural values have been affected. We definitely live in a more forgiving society than we did in the 1950s or 1960s. The public is much more forgiving of their celebrities’ shortcomings, and much more permissive regarding ethics and moral values. I almost feel sorry for television actors and actresses because the competition is stiff for airtime with reality television “stars”.
5. There was an article published by Ars Technica, a technology news and information website created by Ken Fisher and Jon Stokes in 1998 that featured an article about a 12 year old girl in middle school who was abducted by 32 year old Victor Yanez Arroyo – a convicted felon from Mexico. The girl’s name was dubbed “Jane Doe” due to the nature of the crime committed against her. Arroyo contacted the girl through her Apple device, ICloud, Xbox Live gamer tag, and an application called Kik. Arroyo apparently picked the young girl up right at her doorstep inOctober of 2014. Unfortunately, authorities discovered that Arroyo was not the only predator that the girl had been in contact with. The article also included a chart that showed the increase in arrests for tech-facilitated sex exploitation crimes between the years 2000–2009. The link to this article is: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/11/12-year-olds-online-life-brings-an-abductor-to-her-doorstep/.
6. The Suler’s affect that I think is being demonstrated here is invisibility – “You can’t see me.” Sulermentions that invisibility gives people the courage the say things that they otherwise would not. This is exactly what the young lady in the documentary stated. I thought that it was interesting the way she said that she would have an online exchange of some sort, and then see the person in school the next day, and it would be as if nothing had occurred. Now, there was the incident mentioned where the girls started fighting because of online bullying; however, there was also this obscure world that cyberspace allows which emboldens people to engage in behavior that they otherwise would not do face-to-face.
7. I have thought about disconnecting from it all. In fact, I think that it would be a wonderful experience. However, I am 50 years old! I can remember the joys of reading a book and using my imagination to create images of the characters and locations that I am reading about. It would be easy for me to do this – in fact, I have done it before. I managed to read an entire novelwhile vacationing with my children in Florida one year. It was absolutely heavenly! I enjoyed seeing nature while disconnecting by primarily reading my book outside on an enclosed patio. I enjoy peace and serenity, and would much rather work outside in a garden thaan inside on a computer, iPad, or iPhone. I’m an Apple person, can you tell?
Monday, October 26, 2015
Tech Tool Reveiw
Google Presentation (Click link below):
<iframe src="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1fAJF6XaYUIgZks3us9_K2LYNSAICHw22CZQiZCcqmJE/embed?start=true&loop=true&delayms=3000" frameborder="0" width="960" height="569" allowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
Friday, October 16, 2015
ORC Lesson Plan
I found a great lesson plan that was designed for third graders. I really like it because in addition to covering the standards for elementary social studies, this plan does so much more! It teaches the children an object lesson about life. As explained within the plan, sometimes we have to make this OR that choices as opposed to this AND that choices. The children are forced to distinguish between needs and wants. They are taught life lessons about scarcity, opportunity cost, and choice. The link to the lesson plan is below:
http://www.ohiorc.org/record/15964.aspx
Students are encouraged to do this by participating in various activities as explained on the Econedlink website at http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.php?lid=517&type=educator. Some of the activities found are an interactive poem that explains the value of needs over wants. There is also another interactive health wants versus fun wants activity where students drag various items into a health wants and fun wants column. Students are also encouraged to think about five choices they had to make in preparation for school. There is a link to a dictionary which explains economic terms. Students are taught that they cannot always have every toy that they want, but that they are sometimes forced to make a choice. This teaches the concept of opportunity cost. The students are expected to be able to make decisions based on the following Ohio social studies standards for third graders:
Ohio Social Studies Academic Content Standards (2010)
I would love to teach this lesson plan because it teaches principles the students can use throughout their lives. When choices are made, other things must be given up. The students are taught to make wise choices. The students are encouraged to discuss the choices they have made personally in everyday life about school. I also like the various activities (i.e., a poem, an interactive game, a dictionary resource, talk time with the teacher and an opportunity to hear other student's thoughts in group discussion). Below are screenshots of the entire Econedlink lesson, the health wants versus fun wants activity, as well as the key concepts of the lesson plan.
TOYS FOR ME: A LESSONON CHOICE SCARCITY PROJECT
To know what Economics is about, you have to understand scarcity. Scarcity means that you always want more than you can have. Every person—-child and adult, rich and poor, U.S. citizen and non U.S. citizen—-has to deal with scarcity every minute of the day, because no one can have everything they want. You cannot have all the time you want. You cannot have every toy you want. You cannot have more of anything you want without having less of something else you want. All choices have costs. Not only do you have to make a choice because of scarcity, but the cost of making that choice means you give up the chance to get something else. This is called opportunity cost.
Therefore, the choice you make is very important. Not only do you have to make a choice, because of scarcity, but also, when you making a choice, you have to give up something.
Follow along with the story poem print a copy of the poem.
In the story poem, Scarcity does not understand that the world is “this OR that,” not “this AND that”. In other words, when you make a choice, you have to give up something else, which is the cost of the choice. Scarcity is limited to one toy as a gift from Mother for her birthday. Then, Scarcity is limited to one toy as a gift from Mother for Christmas. But Scarcity does not believe it is fair, or right, to have to choose. She does not want to pay the cost of having to give something up when she makes a choice. She wants every toy that she can see.
Click on the word to look at the definition of scarcity and opportunity cost .
Discussion questions:
Assessment Activity 1:
Identify five choices you made today preparing for school. For each choice list the opportunity cost. (Remember, opportunity cost is the next best thing you would choose to do.)
[Possible answers: to wear the red or blue sweater, to eat cereal or toast, to ride in the car or walk, to take lunch money or a lunch to school, to brush your teeth or not.]
Assessment Activity 2:
Discuss opportunities that Scarcity gave up (costs) by choosing to spend the night picking toys off of the magic tree.
[She did not eat dinner, she did not get to sleep, she did not get to play with a friend or a pet.]
Discussion questions:
http://www.ohiorc.org/record/15964.aspx
Students are encouraged to do this by participating in various activities as explained on the Econedlink website at http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.php?lid=517&type=educator. Some of the activities found are an interactive poem that explains the value of needs over wants. There is also another interactive health wants versus fun wants activity where students drag various items into a health wants and fun wants column. Students are also encouraged to think about five choices they had to make in preparation for school. There is a link to a dictionary which explains economic terms. Students are taught that they cannot always have every toy that they want, but that they are sometimes forced to make a choice. This teaches the concept of opportunity cost. The students are expected to be able to make decisions based on the following Ohio social studies standards for third graders:
Ohio Social Studies Academic Content Standards (2010)
Grade 3: Communities: Past and Present, Near and Far
Economics Strand
Scarcity
16.
Individuals must make decisions because of the scarcity of resources. Making a decision involves an opportunity cost, the value of the next best alternative given up when an economic choice is made.
I would love to teach this lesson plan because it teaches principles the students can use throughout their lives. When choices are made, other things must be given up. The students are taught to make wise choices. The students are encouraged to discuss the choices they have made personally in everyday life about school. I also like the various activities (i.e., a poem, an interactive game, a dictionary resource, talk time with the teacher and an opportunity to hear other student's thoughts in group discussion). Below are screenshots of the entire Econedlink lesson, the health wants versus fun wants activity, as well as the key concepts of the lesson plan.
TOYS FOR ME: A LESSONON CHOICE SCARCITY PROJECT
Students encounter the concept of scarcity in their daily tasks but have little comprehension as to its meaning or how to deal with the concept of scarcity. Scarcity is really about knowing that often life is 'This OR That' not 'This AND That'. This lesson plan for students in grades K-2 and 3-5 introduces the concept of scarcity by illustrating how time is finite and how life involves a series of choices. Specifically, this lesson teaches students about scarcity and choice: Scarcity means we all have to make choices and all choices involve "costs." Not only do you have to make a choice every minute of the day because of scarcity, but, when making a choice, you have to give up something. This cost is called oppportunity cost. Opportunity cost is defined as the value of the next best thing you would have chosen. It is not the value of all things you could have chosen. Choice gives us 'benefits' and choice gives us 'costs'. Not only do you have to make a choice every minute of the day, because of scarcity, but also, when making a choice, you have to give up something of value (opportunity cost). To be asked to make a choice between 'this toy OR that toy' is difficult for students who want every toy. A goal in life for each of us is to look at our wants, determine our opportunities, and try and make the best choices by weighing the benefits and costs.
Read more...
To know what Economics is about, you have to understand scarcity. Scarcity means that you always want more than you can have. Every person—-child and adult, rich and poor, U.S. citizen and non U.S. citizen—-has to deal with scarcity every minute of the day, because no one can have everything they want. You cannot have all the time you want. You cannot have every toy you want. You cannot have more of anything you want without having less of something else you want. All choices have costs. Not only do you have to make a choice because of scarcity, but the cost of making that choice means you give up the chance to get something else. This is called opportunity cost.
Therefore, the choice you make is very important. Not only do you have to make a choice, because of scarcity, but also, when you making a choice, you have to give up something.
Follow along with the story poem print a copy of the poem.
In the story poem, Scarcity does not understand that the world is “this OR that,” not “this AND that”. In other words, when you make a choice, you have to give up something else, which is the cost of the choice. Scarcity is limited to one toy as a gift from Mother for her birthday. Then, Scarcity is limited to one toy as a gift from Mother for Christmas. But Scarcity does not believe it is fair, or right, to have to choose. She does not want to pay the cost of having to give something up when she makes a choice. She wants every toy that she can see.
Click on the word to look at the definition of scarcity and opportunity cost .
Discussion questions:
Assessment Activity 1:
Identify five choices you made today preparing for school. For each choice list the opportunity cost. (Remember, opportunity cost is the next best thing you would choose to do.)
[Possible answers: to wear the red or blue sweater, to eat cereal or toast, to ride in the car or walk, to take lunch money or a lunch to school, to brush your teeth or not.]
Assessment Activity 2:
Discuss opportunities that Scarcity gave up (costs) by choosing to spend the night picking toys off of the magic tree.
[She did not eat dinner, she did not get to sleep, she did not get to play with a friend or a pet.]
Overview
Essential Question
Economic Concepts
Choice , Opportunity Cost , Scarcity , Costs , Wants ,Mathematic Concepts
Students Will Be Able To:
- Explain why they cannot have everything they want because of scarcity.
- Describe why scarcity is characterized by “this OR that” and not “this AND that”.
- Define opportunity cost.
- Explain how all choices have costs.
- Identify five choices we make every day in preparing to go to school and identify the opportunity costs associated with each choice.
Time Required
To know what Economics is about, you have to understand scarcity. Scarcity means that you always want more than you can have. Every person—-child and adult, rich and poor, U.S. citizen and non U.S. citizen—-has to deal with scarcity every minute of the day, because no one can have everything they want. You cannot have all the time you want. You cannot have every toy you want. You cannot have more of anything you want without having less of something else you want. All choices have costs. Not only do you have to make a choice because of scarcity, but the cost of making that choice means you give up the chance to get something else. This is called opportunity cost. Therefore, the choice you make is very important. Not only do you have to make a choice, because of scarcity, but also, when you making a choice, you have to give up something.
Materials
- Health Wants vs. Fun Wants: This interactive activity teaches students about the difference between wants and needs.
Health Wants vs. Fun Wants
- AmosWEB: A database containing over 1800 economic terms and concepts. Students can use it to look up scarcity and opportunity cost.
scarcity
opportunity cost
- Toys for Me: A poem written by the author of this lesson, C.D. Crain.
Interactive Version
Print Version
Process
Follow along with the story poem print a copy of the poem.In the story poem, Scarcity does not understand that the world is “this OR that,” not “this AND that”. In other words, when you make a choice, you have to give up something else, which is the cost of the choice. Scarcity is limited to one toy as a gift from Mother for her birthday. Then, Scarcity is limited to one toy as a gift from Mother for Christmas. But Scarcity does not believe it is fair, or right, to have to choose. She does not want to pay the cost of having to give something up when she makes a choice. She wants every toy that she can see.
Click on the word to look at the definition of scarcity and opportunity cost .
Discussion questions:
- Scarcity does not understand the difference between “this AND that” and “this OR that”. What is the difference?
[Discuss with the students the meaning of the words “AND” and “OR”. Discuss why Scarcity cannot have everything in life that she wants. For example, Scarcity cannot have every toy that she wants, every piece of candy that she wants or every pet that she wants, and so on.]
- Why does Scarcity want every toy on the magic tree?
[Because she does not understand scarcity; that she cannot have it all. Discuss with the students why we cannot have everything thing we want because of limitations, such as time and money.]
- There are 10 gifts on a tree. Select two gifts. Mother says it's OK to get one of the two gifts, but not both. You must choose between two gifts. What is the opportunity cost of this choice?
[The answer varies. It may be the eight gifts on the tree if a student wants all the toys, plus other costs. The student also has to give up their other toy of choice. Other costs might include the following: playing with a friend, riding a bike, eating candy, etc. See the discussion on opportunity and cost below.]
Procedures
Assessment Activity 1:Identify five choices you made today preparing for school. For each choice list the opportunity cost. (Remember, opportunity cost is the next best thing you would choose to do.)
[Possible answers: to wear the red or blue sweater, to eat cereal or toast, to ride in the car or walk, to take lunch money or a lunch to school, to brush your teeth or not.]
Assessment Activity 2:
Discuss opportunities that Scarcity gave up (costs) by choosing to spend the night picking toys off of the magic tree.
[She did not eat dinner, she did not get to sleep, she did not get to play with a friend or a pet.]
Conclusion
Because of scarcity, we all have to make choices. No one, not even you, can have everything they want. Every time you make a choice, you have to give up something.
Assessment
Sources
To continue reading, please sign in to myEconEdLink. If you are not already a member sign up for myEconEdLink for free access to this lesson and other great resources.
Key Concepts
Choice , Opportunity Cost , Scarcity , Costs , Wants ,Students Will
- Explain why they cannot have everything they want because of scarcity.
- Describe why scarcity is characterized by “this OR that” and not “this AND that”.
- Define opportunity cost.
- Explain how all choices have costs.
- Identify five choices we make every day in preparing to go to school and identify the opportunity costs associated with each choice.
Current Key Economic Indicators
Introduction
To know what Economics is about, you have to understand scarcity. Scarcity means that you always want more than you can have. Every person—-child and adult, rich and poor, U.S. citizen and non U.S. citizen—-has to deal with scarcity every minute of the day, because no one can have everything they want. You cannot have all the time you want. You cannot have every toy you want. You cannot have more of anything you want without having less of something else you want. All choices have costs. Not only do you have to make a choice because of scarcity, but the cost of making that choice means you give up the chance to get something else. This is called opportunity cost. Therefore, the choice you make is very important. Not only do you have to make a choice, because of scarcity, but also, when you making a choice, you have to give up something.
Resources
- Health Wants vs. Fun Wants: This interactive activity teaches students about the difference between wants and needs.
Health Wants vs. Fun Wants
- AmosWEB: A database containing over 1800 economic terms and concepts. Students can use it to look up scarcity and opportunity cost.
scarcity
opportunity cost
- Toys for Me: A poem written by the author of this lesson, C.D. Crain.
Interactive Version
Print Version
Process
Follow along with the story poem print a copy of the poem.In the story poem, Scarcity does not understand that the world is “this OR that,” not “this AND that”. In other words, when you make a choice, you have to give up something else, which is the cost of the choice. Scarcity is limited to one toy as a gift from Mother for her birthday. Then, Scarcity is limited to one toy as a gift from Mother for Christmas. But Scarcity does not believe it is fair, or right, to have to choose. She does not want to pay the cost of having to give something up when she makes a choice. She wants every toy that she can see.
Click on the word to look at the definition of scarcity and opportunity cost .
Discussion questions:
- Scarcity does not understand the difference between “this AND that” and “this OR that”. What is the difference?
[Discuss with the students the meaning of the words “AND” and “OR”. Discuss why Scarcity cannot have everything in life that she wants. For example, Scarcity cannot have every toy that she wants, every piece of candy that she wants or every pet that she wants, and so on.]
- Why does Scarcity want every toy on the magic tree?
[Because she does not understand scarcity; that she cannot have it all. Discuss with the students why we cannot have everything thing we want because of limitations, such as time and money.]
- There are 10 gifts on a tree. Select two gifts. Mother says it's OK to get one of the two gifts, but not both. You must choose between two gifts. What is the opportunity cost of this choice?
[The answer varies. It may be the eight gifts on the tree if a student wants all the toys, plus other costs. The student also has to give up their other toy of choice. Other costs might include the following: playing with a friend, riding a bike, eating candy, etc. See the discussion on opportunity and cost below.]
Assessment
Assessment Activity 1:Identify five choices you made today preparing for school. For each choice list the opportunity cost. (Remember, opportunity cost is the next best thing you would choose to do.)
[Possible answers: to wear the red or blue sweater, to eat cereal or toast, to ride in the car or walk, to take lunch money or a lunch to school, to brush your teeth or not.]
Assessment Activity 2:
Discuss opportunities that Scarcity gave up (costs) by choosing to spend the night picking toys off of the magic tree.
[She did not eat dinner, she did not get to sleep, she did not get to play with a friend or a pet.]
Conclusion
Because of scarcity, we all have to make choices. No one, not even you, can have everything they want. Every time you make a choice, you have to give up something.
Extension Activity
Discussion questions:- Why does Scarcity believe she wants every toy?
[Because she does not understand scarcity—we cannot have everything we want.]
- Can you help Scarcity to understand what types of wants will help her stay healthy?
[food, water, sleep, medical assistance]
- Do the Health Wants vs. Fun Wants activity. Separate the items in the activity based on wants that are fun to have and wants the help us stay healthy.
[Generally, the bottle of medicine, doctor, water, and shelter would be identified as wants that are required to keep us healthy. The rest of the items are wants that are fun to have, but are not required to keep us healthy.]
INTERACTIVE HEALTH WANTS vs. FUN WANTS LINK
KEY CONCEPTS
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Pinterest Project
What I learned from the activity that I did with Pinterest is that I really do like the quick access to information and visual appeal of Pinterest. My boards were very easy to create. The sign up process was also very user-friendly.
As an educator, Pinterest could easily be utilized to reach out to other educators as well as students in a creative way. Also, it is an excellent forum for an exchange of ideas and solutions to various problems in education.
The strengths of Pinterest are its visual appeal and ease of access to information.
A challenge of Pinterest is that one has to be navigated to a different webpage to read an article in order to get additional information on a given subject.
Overall, I like Pinterest very much. I believe that it is extremely useful, and that it will be around for a very long time; however, Pinterest lacks one component that other successful applications have - the ability for users to comment on Pins. I wonder if Pinterest will develop the capability for user communication.
As an educator, Pinterest could easily be utilized to reach out to other educators as well as students in a creative way. Also, it is an excellent forum for an exchange of ideas and solutions to various problems in education.
The strengths of Pinterest are its visual appeal and ease of access to information.
A challenge of Pinterest is that one has to be navigated to a different webpage to read an article in order to get additional information on a given subject.
Overall, I like Pinterest very much. I believe that it is extremely useful, and that it will be around for a very long time; however, Pinterest lacks one component that other successful applications have - the ability for users to comment on Pins. I wonder if Pinterest will develop the capability for user communication.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Assistive Technology
One of the IDEA disabilities under the umbrella of the autism spectrum is Asperger syndrome which a high functioning form of autism. It is often difficult to diagnose this form of autism because these individuals tend to have a higher form of communication skills than the average person with mainstream autism. Asperger syndrome is also difficult to diagnose because the person also tends to be very intelligent and smart, and one might not think to investigate if they have autism at all; however, their social skills are usually lacking as is true with traditional autism. Persons with Asperger's also tend to suffer from high anxiety and depression as well as autism because of the lack of others to understand their underdeveloped social skills.
One assistive technology that may help the Asperger patient is an iPad or tablet, or a laptop computer. Like most persons with autism, computer communication is preferred to face-to-face communication. The Asperger student may wish to receive school assignments by email which may actually reduce anxiety by helping them to remember the assignments since they are in writing. Also, they may feel more comfortable communicating with teachers by computer. There is an organization based at OSU called Assistive Technology of Ohio which offers great resources for persons with this type of disability. The website at www.atohio.org helps individuals with disabilities to get assistive technology equipment like computers and tablets at a deep discount.
There is also a very good You Tube video by a very informative young lady named Chriselle G. Ly titled, "Three Apps for Anxiety and Depression". In the video, Ms. Ly gives the names of three very helpful mobile applications that she has utilized to help with her own anxiety and depression. The link is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2MH0122EXI . Mobile apps are especially good because most students have cell phones with them all of the time and can therefore utilize the applications whenever they need them. The three applications that Ms. Ly mentions are:
Pacifica
http://www.thinkpacifica.com
Buddha Board
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/buddh...
Louise Hay Affirmation
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/louis...
I feel that there will be more effective and accessible mobile applications in the future as well as improvements made with computers and tablets. Computers and tablets are being made smaller with more memory and speed. Additionally, it is difficult to keep up with all of the different mobile applications being created. It has been estimated that 91% of the U.S. population owns cell phones, so the mobile application future looks very bright.
References:
http://businessdegrees.uab.edu/resources/infographic/the-future-of-mobile-application/
www.atohio.org
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2MH0122EXI
http://www.thinkpacifica.com
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/louis...
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/buddh...
Ohio DL Schools
Ohio has an impressive group of e-schools available to students who may not be good candidates for traditional schools. I have examined five of them, and here are some of my observations.
The e-schools that we examined for this assignment have been around for a while, and I think that most of them know what they are doing. I particularly liked Connections Academy website because it gave access to great information right there on the home page about test results, curriculum, enrollment instructions and a general overview of the school. Virtual Community School of Ohio was user friendly because it had plenty of push tabs for easy access to information, but the picture quality was not the best. ECOT won points for having video links on the home page as well as a very large and clear enrollment icon. The http://virtualschoolhouse.org website also had big tabs, and a current school calendar which is always appreciated by parents. I think that I liked Ohio Virtual Academy the least because it had too many links, and looked disorganized and unattractive.
If I had to choose a favorite between the schools, I think that I like Connections Academy the most because I had heard of it before, and they offer a wide variety of courses. I also liked the website the best because it was user-friendly and had all of the information that I would look for as a parent. I think that I would not be likely to choose Ohio Virtual Academy because the website was not appealing to me, and I probably would tend to think that the curriculum would not be organized either; and, even though that may not necessarily be the case, I guess that first impressions do make a powerful impression.
All of this being said, I do like the idea of e-schools. I believe they are the wave of the future as people become more busy and lifestyles are not a traditional as they used to be. I like having options regarding education. There are some misgivings about whether an online education is a quality education. Also, if my child was going to be educated a home, I would want to be there to take him on field trips, and to help him with assignments and to stay on track when needed.
The e-schools that we examined for this assignment have been around for a while, and I think that most of them know what they are doing. I particularly liked Connections Academy website because it gave access to great information right there on the home page about test results, curriculum, enrollment instructions and a general overview of the school. Virtual Community School of Ohio was user friendly because it had plenty of push tabs for easy access to information, but the picture quality was not the best. ECOT won points for having video links on the home page as well as a very large and clear enrollment icon. The http://virtualschoolhouse.org website also had big tabs, and a current school calendar which is always appreciated by parents. I think that I liked Ohio Virtual Academy the least because it had too many links, and looked disorganized and unattractive.
If I had to choose a favorite between the schools, I think that I like Connections Academy the most because I had heard of it before, and they offer a wide variety of courses. I also liked the website the best because it was user-friendly and had all of the information that I would look for as a parent. I think that I would not be likely to choose Ohio Virtual Academy because the website was not appealing to me, and I probably would tend to think that the curriculum would not be organized either; and, even though that may not necessarily be the case, I guess that first impressions do make a powerful impression.
All of this being said, I do like the idea of e-schools. I believe they are the wave of the future as people become more busy and lifestyles are not a traditional as they used to be. I like having options regarding education. There are some misgivings about whether an online education is a quality education. Also, if my child was going to be educated a home, I would want to be there to take him on field trips, and to help him with assignments and to stay on track when needed.
Saturday, September 12, 2015
My Prezi
Here is a link to my Prezi titled: "What Make a Teacher Great?"
This Prezi is intended to be viewed by adults who want to be inspired to be better educators. It examines what makes certain teachers stand out above the norm - the qualities and skills that make great teachers. One may be surprised to learn that many of the skills covered in this Prezi can be acquired with practice and patience. As an education administrator who has always admired the dedication of great teachers, I seek to explore and honor what makes them so. I hope that my Prezi is enjoyed by all who view it.
Some of the qualities covered in this Prezi are mastery of subject matter, enthusiasm, being a good story teller, utilizing current technology, as well as other things. Many of the orators, authors and business professionals given reference in this Prezi gained their skills by practice over and over again. Although natural ability is an asset, I truly believe that it can be enhanced with practice over time. And, I also believe that we all have some natural ability.
Before utilizing the Prezi software for this project, I did not even know that it existed. I honestly did not realize that there are so many areas of study that could benefit from technology so easily. Great technology is literally right at our fingertips! I like the fact that Prezi software is easy to figure out even if one is fairly computer literate like myself. I am by no means one of those individuals who spends most of her time at the computer, and yet, I've managed to create a Prezi and post it to my blog! It was a bit difficult to figure out how to embed it to my blog - but, now that I've figured that out, I see that it was not really that difficult at all. Overall, I like Prezi a lot.
This Prezi is intended to be viewed by adults who want to be inspired to be better educators. It examines what makes certain teachers stand out above the norm - the qualities and skills that make great teachers. One may be surprised to learn that many of the skills covered in this Prezi can be acquired with practice and patience. As an education administrator who has always admired the dedication of great teachers, I seek to explore and honor what makes them so. I hope that my Prezi is enjoyed by all who view it.
Some of the qualities covered in this Prezi are mastery of subject matter, enthusiasm, being a good story teller, utilizing current technology, as well as other things. Many of the orators, authors and business professionals given reference in this Prezi gained their skills by practice over and over again. Although natural ability is an asset, I truly believe that it can be enhanced with practice over time. And, I also believe that we all have some natural ability.
Before utilizing the Prezi software for this project, I did not even know that it existed. I honestly did not realize that there are so many areas of study that could benefit from technology so easily. Great technology is literally right at our fingertips! I like the fact that Prezi software is easy to figure out even if one is fairly computer literate like myself. I am by no means one of those individuals who spends most of her time at the computer, and yet, I've managed to create a Prezi and post it to my blog! It was a bit difficult to figure out how to embed it to my blog - but, now that I've figured that out, I see that it was not really that difficult at all. Overall, I like Prezi a lot.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Three Great Teacher Blogs
Here are three great blogs that I like:
- Love Those Kinders - I like this blog because the teacher has posted a lot of pictures and videos of her kindergarten class, so, they are the "stars" of the blog. Also, she takes the time to share quite a bit of personal information about herself. She shares pictures of the farm where she and her husband live which is a very nice personal touch.
- The Daring Librarian - This blog is pretty cool. The avatar of the creator is great - it actually looks like her! But, what I like most about this blog is the dark animation, not is a creepy way, but the artistic value of utilizing dark colors and comic book like characters, would actually appeal to teenagers. Also, her blog is updated with posts that are current.
- Edutopia - this blog is supported by a great techie, George Lucas. I like it because, in addition to offering videos and a variety of blogger topics, it also has some neat games to play.
Welcome to My Blog
I am an education enthusiast! My mother always encouraged me and my sister and brother to get an education. It took me quite some time, but I took it to heart. As a result, I was the first person in my family to obtain a degree - actually, I have three! I feel that we all learn from unexpected sources on a daily basis. We are constantly taking in information from one another, the Internet, the media, and the ever changing world around us. So, in my opinion, education is ongoing and constant.
There is nothing quite like a great teacher. Teachers have the ability to shape thoughts, thoughts shape actions, and actions shape lives - quite powerful when you really think about it. I worked as an administrator for five charter schools in Columbus when I first came here - I was asked to come by the school superintendent - and, I respected all of the teachers. They gained my respect because they were on the front lines, in the trenches, so to speak, with the students and the parents every school day of the week. It is not easy work, but can be very rewarding for the teacher and the student.
This blog will celebrate the best teachers who utilize technology in their teaching methods. They are the forerunners... not afraid to take the lead in advancing onto new horizons. Technology will play a major role in how education is disseminated in the future. Teachers who utilize technology now with their students are sharing a precious gift that will travel into future generations.
There is nothing quite like a great teacher. Teachers have the ability to shape thoughts, thoughts shape actions, and actions shape lives - quite powerful when you really think about it. I worked as an administrator for five charter schools in Columbus when I first came here - I was asked to come by the school superintendent - and, I respected all of the teachers. They gained my respect because they were on the front lines, in the trenches, so to speak, with the students and the parents every school day of the week. It is not easy work, but can be very rewarding for the teacher and the student.
This blog will celebrate the best teachers who utilize technology in their teaching methods. They are the forerunners... not afraid to take the lead in advancing onto new horizons. Technology will play a major role in how education is disseminated in the future. Teachers who utilize technology now with their students are sharing a precious gift that will travel into future generations.
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