assignment 4

Well this is the last week of my student teaching here at Red Lake High School. Wheeww the time has flown by, today was a particular hard day... my teacher and some of my students went on a field trip down to the cities. I know that next week I will be working here and seeing them but one student will not be back. We had a lovely chat this morning about his hopes and dreams. He has come a long way this year and he is now finishing up in a different school setting. I am nervous for him, but I told him no matter what I know that he will be just fine! These 12 weeks have been uplifting and heartbreaking at the same time. Some teachers here say that this is a place either you love and stay forever or you hate and leave. On the notion that I am coming back to be a sub starting next week I know that I am one of those that is in the LOVE category. Being in that category I now am understanding that I am "RUINED" as the teachers put it, in a good way of course :) I am ruined in sense that I will not be able to teach in a regular school setting where teachers are not necessarily needed as we are here in Red Lake. Not only am I a Secondary Social Studies guru, but also a math, English teacher; a counselor, friend, and parent CRAZY!!! But a good crazy at that. I know when I wake up in the morning, I am needed, I have to be here, I am one of only a few influential people in my students lives and that my friends makes me very, very happy! I have accomplished teaching a class of ten with each one of them having some sort of issue that hinders their learning ability and to me that is a goal in itself. I was given a pat on the back by my fellow teachers for being able to keep a class together and teach it completely all at the same time. So I feel like I have accomplished more than I ever had imagined. I am now a person who people look to for advice, look up to for guidence, and see me a as a person who was and still is a kid but a mature one at that! I have learned how to bond with kids, make them laugh, make them think hard..., how to be a kid and a responsible student in a world that hinders them. I feel that what I learned will be a great asset to the next school I encounter. Having students coming to me with issues that should only apply to adults on a regular basis, opening their hearts to teach them that people may leave but it is their thoughts that stay with you for the rest of your life. To realize that there are three types of people that come in and out of your life. The first is one that brings you down, has negative impacts on your life as a whole. The second type, leaves you where you are... just hanging not expanding your mind in a positve way. Then there is the third type, the person enters your life pushing you to get outside the box and realize that in the end it is only you that takes care of you. My kids now realize that. With the morning cirlce discussing important and real life issues, having me explain where I have come in life from the choices I have made. Small quick confrences outside the classroom to discuss serious personal issues where we decide what action they should take and whether or not they need to seek help. My kids know that I am here for them, that if they are not sure about the decision they should make, that I will ask them the right questions to get them in the right direction. The counselors have told me what I have been doing has an awesome impact in the students lives. In the last two weeks I have been eating lunch with many students and asking them where they see themselves ten years from now and if they were to run into me what would they love to tell me. When put that way it gives them a goal that they can picture and know that if they run into me in ten years they want to be able to impress me. To me I now know that being an educator is what my gift is and I want to be able to share my gift with others. Helping those who need help: children!

Assignment 3

In my Unit on Westernization with bits and pieces of different happenings throughout the years of 1790-1840 prep the kids for a wider understanding of why the Civil War takes place a short time later. The Civil War in my teachers class is a very important part of his history class. Mr. H said that any amount of background information will help the students grasp the entire war. Throughout the Unit my students are subject to independent as well as group work. For instance when we first start out the students get into groups and read together and discuss important facts. I then guide them through notes and what they should know. Then they move on to learning independently working on their chapter packets. To close the unit they get get to do a group verbal test working together bringing a card with the information they think is important to strive for the same goal (70 pts.) After they complete the oral test, they turn in all of their work and if bits and pieces are incomplete, points will be deducted from not only the work but the test as well. Having a verbal test in my class works the best. Most of my students are under a lot of stress as is, so when they receive a test where they have to think and remember things their mind goes blank. I have a wide variety of ways to obtain the information, whether it is reading together, independently, note taking, and a vairety of different worksheet through out the packet it helps a wide range of students to be able to complete the unit to the best of their abilities. When my students did their test today it was fantastic, everyone was laughing and having a good time and some of them not realizing that this was the "big" test. They were blurting out all sorts of information, sometimes not even looking at their little index card. I know my students know the information they just can not seem to take tests. Most were blowin away by how much they really knew. Mr. H was pleased to see how well the students worked independently to ge their information in. As well as how great they worked togther and not putting anyone down during the group oral test. I looked at him and said "I think I hit the Jackpot too bad I just now realized it and I am done next week!" He said it is not that, it is the fact that I have figured it out! For next week I will be breaking the notes down a little more and having the students woring on chapter lesson questions and worksheets to each lesson instead of all the notes for all lessons before moving on to chapter questions/worksheets.
Here are a few examples of work: where the section questions are complete and where they are not. As well as the notes that students were supposed to take. One student writing them all completely and the other not...

Assignment 2

Unit Plan- Expansion: American History
Chapter 10 and 11: AGS-United States History Book
In class we broke down the lessons in Chapter 10: 1 and 2 and Lessons 2, 3 and 4 in Chapter 11. Students were placed into groups. They were given each a lesson section and had to come up with what they thought to be the key points in the lesson. Each group then presented their findings.
As we move through the two chapters we will be taking notes, doing section questions, and worksheets. For Review students will complete a chapter outline. Testing on this chapter will be a group test. Students will work together as a whole to find the correct answer. Points will be based on participation, how much of their chapter work they have completed, and as a class how many questions they received right. Once the total amount of points have been compiled that the class did as a whole, I will be going through their chapter work and take points off if they did not have sections completed.
Chapter 10: Lesson 1
materials needed: notes, chapter packet(AGS United States History), section questions and lesson 1 worksheet.
Anticipatory set: Asking the students what they remember about what was presented on lesson 1 by group 1.
Lesson: Students will take notes on lesson one that I think are the key points. After they complete the notes the students will work independently on their section questions and work sheet.
Goal: Students will understand how the United States expaneded between 1790-1820.
Objectives:
Objective 1: Students will be able to identify two ways of transportation to the west.
Objective 2: Students will be able to compare and contrast a Westerner and a Easterner.
Objective 3: Students will be able to compare and contrast the North and South.
Check for understanding: I will be going around the room asking students questions and helping them with their packet work.
Assessment: Lesson 1 section questions, notes and worksheet to be turned in at the end of the unit.

Chapter 11 Lesson 2
Materials needed: notes, Chapter packet (AGS-United States History) lesson 2 worksheet, section questions
Anticipatory Set: I will be asking students what the remember from group three's presentation of Chapter 11 Lesson 2.

Lesson: I will be having students take notes on chapter 11 lesson 2. After they have completed the notes, the students will then complete lesson 2 section questions and their worksheet.

Goal: Students will be able to understand the growing tension in the South in the 1830s.
Objectives:
Objective 1: Students will be able to recite three facts from Nat Turner's Revolt
Objective 2: Students will be able to explain why the North wanted Tariffs and the South did not.
Objective 3: Students will be able to explain what the Ordinance of Nullification was and how the government stopped it.

Checking for understanding:
I will be going around the room to make sure the students do not have any question and if so, be answering them.

Assessment: Not due until the unit is complete.

Assignments

here are some pictures of a complete and an incomplete current event

In my class we do current events tuesday through thursday. The students use the Pioneer paper and a current event sheet that is worth ten points total. The students choose an article of their choice and complete each question on the form. To get all ten points they must have their name, date, class, title of article,who the article is about, what the article was about using two to three complete sentences, when did this happen, where did this happen, how they thought this would happen and why they chose this particular article.

We use these also for extra-credit on test days