My Dy/Dan Network
I’ve finished up some general unit plans over the last few weeks. I’ve gotten inspiration from dy/dan ยป Where Is Your List?
which started out asking what videos we use to teach a specific skills/strategies/concepts (metaphor, etc.) I had seen there was a new video from Chris Brown on my Meebo login page, YouTube – Chris Brown – Forever. Normally not something I would listen to, but I decided to look at it because (a) he is popular with my students, (b) the sixth graders do a report on music stars at the end of the year, so I want to be familiar with what they are listening to. Wow, lots of stop action, nice visually, so I shared that one in a comment. The thing that is great is how I connect with others in the comments section. Christian Long and Sarah in particular on that thread were wonderful in their comments. Even though Dan is not participating, the conversation continued. It really helped me see stuff, and after looking at a bunch of YouTube videos over the last few days, I’m already well on my way to finishing up unit plans for upper grade:
Unit Plan for Perseverance Sixth Grade will do posters and then Photo Story PSA using narrative, and visual symbolism/metaphor. I’ll kick it off with that Chris Brown video.
Unit Plan for Cooperation and Competition Fifth Grade will look at some awesomely funny Campaign ads from YouTube. We’ll analyze them for accuracy, and effectiveness (not always the same thing, I know), then I’ll have them do some political posters on their own, and MAYBE a PhotoStory video (I don’t want to bite off more than I and they can chew).
Here is one of the videos:
Unit Plan for Risk and Consequences Fourth Grade will look at the Cooties PSA (thank you Mathew Needleman), and will do either a motivator or PSA poster.
I’ve set my feed reader so that the comment thread’s that I subscribe to (and the blogs that go with them) are at the top of my list. I read your note to Christian there and thought, “It’s so true.”
I never got into message boards, but I love the comment threads that keep my motivated. If I convince myself to get on Twitter this year, it will be for another connection to that group.
Sarah, Thank you for your comments both there and here.
I do twitter, but it really is not great for conversations unless you are wed to your computer, esp. if you get a large following, or have a back and forth with someone who has a large following.
I’m using plurk for that now, which has threaded discussions and is much nicer. I have fewer followers, BUT I get more responses to what I put out there.
Dan does Twitter, but that is well suited to his “I throw it out there, and I’m not looking to follow others” approach.
You teach secondary Math, right? I would really love to do a series with you and some of the elementary math types like myself about what you are looking at and for, and how what we teach in lower grades that is “foundational” for that.
Every now and then I’ll catch up on Dan and Jackie’s Twitter exchanges, but nothing’s attracted me to it yet. I might check out Plurk just to see the alternative.
The series thing would be an excellent exercise for me, and I’ll probably be working more with out elementary teachers this year. Give me a few weeks to get back in the rhythm of the school year first. But I’ve already set a reminder on my calendar to see what I come up with.
I am new to Pre-K. Any OC blogs or reources for my age group?
Nancy, That is a fantastic question! I haven’t heard of Pre-K blogs but there are definitely Kinder ones out there. The best place to find classroom/student blogs is to go to one the “master lists” that are out there:
http://movingforward.wikispaces.com/Blogs
http://supportblogging.com/
I’m not seeing Maria Knee’s blog on there (Kinder in NH), so here it is:
http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=51141