Wiki-Wiki

I have been having a tremendous amount of fun creating wikis for use in my classroom and with my students. This week, I decided to create the instructions for an upcoming project into a home page on the newest wiki that I will be creating interactively with my 8th graders. It is called BigKidRecommend; 8th graders will develop short author studies accompanied by videos that they produce of scenes from their favorite children's books. Once completed, they will add their pages to the wiki space and I will use it with my younger students when we do author studies or when they are searching for something new to read. I have produced several wikis; a couple of these are www.whome.wikispaces.com (a website with lessons regarding our environment) and this one www.bigkidsrecommend.wikispaces.com. These are a practical and easy way to connect your students to technology.

RSS Feeds

Really Simple Syndication; not so much. I had trouble just getting started in bloglines.com; doesn't seem really simple to me. I understand the concept, however, a great, short way to see what is up to the minute in news, blogs, video, and audio; a busy man or woman's way of keeping up without leaving where they are. I appreciate the fact that many major news networks such as CNN and USA Today offer this format. I don't quite get how blogs can really be that important. Maybe my tendency to hang on to a little bit of "I don't really need it now" is holding me back on this one. I think out of all the technology that I have researched and "played" with in my SLIS classes, this one seems to be the one that I probably won't use.

Been A While

As I continue on my journey towards my second master's, I am now in a class that continues to stretch me in regards to technology. Blogging this week is to be about things we are exploring. I have been using wiki spaces alot during this school year; sometimes quite successfully; other times not so much. It can be a challenging experience at times, but not nearly as challenging as developing your own web page so I choose it often. I have developed several lesson plans using it and my 7th graders and I developed a school history for our school's 35th anniversary; that was interesting and challengeing. It can really be tough when kids accidentally wipe out the work of others kids. Such is life.

Reflective Journaling

The following inquiry steps noted by Barbara Stripling (2003) will be used in the reflective journaling process: "connecting, wondering, investigating, constructing, expressing, and reflecting." Students will be given the following steps for their responses:
1. Connect- to the researched child by using observation of the researched background and bio materials while keeping a first person diary that connects the child to the information that is uncovered daily in lit circle and novel readings
2. Wonder--"develop questions" that your child might have about the oppression that is taking place in their country
3. Investigate--on your own, e-mail a local expert (professor, teacher, rabbi) and ask them what they know about the Holocaust
4. Construct--Based on your prior introduction including readings, video, research, and discussion, journal about what you now understand about the Holocaust that you did not at the beginning of the unit
5. Express--Develop a song or poem from the perspective of your child that incorporates both the feelings and new understandings; share this with at least one class mate
6. Reflect--Look back over your journal and determine at least three new things that you are now compelled to learn about this time period (Stripling, 2003)

Book Circles

Students will be allowed to peruse the listed book titles and take the survey at Survey Monkey (linked below) to determine the four novels to be used along with the Holocaust unit study. These novels will be read during library class in conjunction with the reading and study of Number the Stars that is being done in the literature class. Each student will keep a reflective journal during the process.

Literature Circle Survey

Please click on the link below to take a survey regarding the best book choices for students in grades 6-8 to use in literature circles during the Holocaust unit study.

Click Here to take survey

Book Talk Follow-Up

To access the book talk link, you must have Windows Media player. After clicking the link, you will log into oncourse and listen to the book talk.

Once students have listened to the book talk, they will be asked to view the following pictures from the book and make predictions about the book as well as make connections between the historical overview that has been presented and the content of the book.

number the stars.wma

number the stars.wma

A Child of the Holocaust Speaks

Using the video Anne Frank "Speaks," students will be introduced to the life of a child of the Holocaust via video. After watching the video, students will be asked to begin to make connections of all the information that has thus far been presented. Students will be asked to begin a "Child of the Holocaust" journal. In this reflection and journaling piece, students will be asked to journal in response to the novel that they will be reading in literature class as well as the literature circle books they will be reading in library class. These journal responses will be first person responses as students "adopt" a name of the child of the Holocaust and begin to response to all the reading and information through that child's eyes.

Anne Frank "Speaks"+Holocaust Documentary: Click the video link below

Anne Frank "Speaks"+Holocaust Documentary

Historical Overview

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum offers a plethora of resources for students and teachers alike. To access the site, go to www.ushmm.org and click on teacher's or student's link. As the next step in my study, I plan to do a broad overview of the rise of Hitler, the oppression of the Jews, and the plight, particularly of children in the Holocaust. Afterwards, students will be placed into groups of four and assigned an historical section of the Holocaust to research using the www.ushmm.org website. Studies will click on the "student's link" and go to A Learning Site for Students. Each small group will choose a section to explore. Students will spend one class period exploring their information and preparing to synethsize and present the information in a multiple intelligence choice format to other groups. The following class period, students will present the information and use large group discussion to draw connections to the down fall of Germany in WWI, the rise of Hitler, and the oppression of the Jews.

Writing Prompt

After reading the poem "I Never Saw Another Butterfly," write a one paragraph response to what emotions and thoughts were evoked as you read the poem and looked at the cooresponding images. In addition, answer these questions: How could a child find any joy in such deplorable circumstances? Have you ever found yourself in a devasting situation, but found ways to see elements of goodness and joy? After writing the prompt, go to the following link and click on the names of at least three children of the Holocaust, read their biographies and jot down five biographical facts about at least one of the children. The link is: www.graceproducts.com; click on the Forget Me Not--Anne Frank box.

I Never Saw Another Butterfly by Pavel Friedman

The last, the very last
So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow.
Perhaps if the sun's tears would sing
against a white stone...

Such, such a yellow
Is carried lightly 'way up high.
It went away I'm sure
because it wished
to kiss the world good-bye.

For seven weeks I've lived in here,
Penned up inside this ghetto. But I have found what I love here.
The dandelions call to me
And the white chestnut branches in the court.
Only I never saw another butterfly.

That butterfly was the last one.
Butterfies don't live in here, in the ghetto.

Where Shall I Begin

After searching several websites, I have determined that the best place to start the introduction of the Holocaust with 6th graders would be through the children's poem "I Never Saw Another Butterfly." The poem written by 20 year old Pavel Friedman while interned at the Terezin Concentration Camp is a true testament to the spirit and pain of the more than 12,000 children who were imprisioned in the camp between 1942 and 1944. More than 90% of these children died. I think is very important to help my students see the Holocaust through the eyes of those close to their ages. There is significance in the empathy that can grow between today's children and those in history. I have developed a short writing prompt that incorporates the words of the poem and visuals that I feel would prove stimulating and moving to my 6th graders. I do not plan to go "overboard" with graphic visual images, rather focus on the individuals in this horrific time in the history of our world. Students will also be reading Number the Stars in their literature classes while I am leading some historic research on the children.

Here I Am Again.........

It has been awhile. School work and my new job seem to have me burning the candle at both ends. I am struggling with how I want to make my new connections. I have always been intrigued by how strong of a role faith (belief) has in the lives of others. Particularly, those who have been oppressed. One of the religions that I researched in my last entries was Judiasm. I am still eagerly awaiting answers from my expert in that area: our local rabbi. She was last preparing for High Holy Week and was unable to answer my survey, but promised to do so in a couple of weeks. I think I will e-mail her again, because I am feeling a prompting to begin to look further into the Jewish religion and into their years of oppression focusing particularly on the Holocaust. I began researching this week about Children of the Holocaust for a unit that I am preparing for my 6th graders. I will be working with the technology teacher and the literature teacher as students read Number the Stars. I think this novel shades an important light on some of the unsung heroes of the Holocaust. As I look through resources, I am intrigued by the plethora that abounds about the Holocaust. But to be honest, introducing the information at this age is something I often struggle with.
For those of you who are educators or parents a couple of questions: 1. What age is too young to present this information even at a limited level? 2. How much visual information on the Holocaust should students view prior to middle school? Hope to hear from you...Shelly

Reflecting and Wishing

In reality, my main wish is that I had submitted the surveys to my experts sooner. As the daughter of a religious leader, I realize how very busy, these servants get and, therefore, why I only received one survey back. When doing this project with my students, I will definitely have them interview an expert as a part of their information seeking. The answers from a person that we can see versus a book or an online article make everything feel much more personal. I have learned a TREMENDOUS amount in such as short time not just about world religions, but about technology, digital photography, and mainly, myself. There have been many, many frustrating moments yet the triumph of coming close to the end of this project quite amazes me. I recently attended a workshop where the speaker spent the entire time trying to help teachers understand the way kids feel. His statement reverberated in my head throughout this entire project; the statement "Students do not think the way that you do, but they feel the way that you do." In other words, those feelings of inadequancy, frustration, intrigue, and triumph, are things that they will more than likely feel as they move throughout the project. My goal will be to walk along side them with understanding and empathy for having been there myself.

I enjoyed the use of gimp, picasa, inspiration, and learning to use and upload a screen shot in this project. All this is so new and exciting to me when I moved beyond the frustration level. My professional links and resources are cited below.

I hope you learn something; more than anything else, I hope you walk away knowing that believing in a God bigger than we are makes life much more joyful. Shelly

Professional Sources:

www.religioustolerance.org
www.workersforjesus.com
www.doe.state.in.us
www.picasaweb.google.com
www.temple.abi.org
www.onlinecfc.com
www.brescia.edu
www.thirteened.online
Armstrong, T. (1994). Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Callison, D. (2006). The Blue Book.
Gardner, H. (1993). Frames of Mind.
Marchant, K. (2003). Great Religious Leaders.
Martin, M. (1985). The Kingdom of the Cults.
Stripling, B. (2003). Curriculum Connections.

Taking the Leap at Waving

It has been an interesting day. I spent some time driving around the city photographing houses of worship for my MI project starter. I am intrigued by the multitudes of religions represented in such a small area. I was able to locate houses of worship for Judaism, Catholicism, Christianity, and Islam. The only major world religion not represented in my small city is Hinduism. I, however, found an impressive visual online. You can view my project starter at www.picasaweb.google.com/smain6 be sure to click on World Religions as my albums are growing. This project starter is just that the first steps in my MI Unit on World Religions. It encompasses the first 3 steps of the Big 6--task definition, information seeking strategies including locating sources and information use. The synthesis and evaluation steps will allow students to choose their own projects to continue research and to present their knowledge. The project choices will encompass all of the multiple intelligences.

Connecting the Standards

As I continue to deliberate on the wrapping phase, I do a double check of the Indiana social studies/history academic standards. I couldn't remember the exact wording; although since I taught social studies for years, I knew there were standards in the middle school level dealing with world religions. Social studies standard 6.1.2, 7.1.4, and high school standard GHW.2 all connect to my final MI project that I plan to use in the classroom:

• 6.1.2-Describe and compare the beliefs, the spread and the influence of religions throughout Europe and Mesoamerica.
• 7.1.4-Describe the historical origins, central beliefs, and the spread of major religions.
• GHW2-Examine the impact and spread of major world religions.

These standards all connect to the origins which will include religion leaders, basic tenants, and historical background of the major religions that I have researched. My plan is to do the MI unit in connection with the middle school social studies teacher as a prelude to a debate that will be conducted on major world religions.

I plan to incorporate the Big6 model with the MI project as a step by step guide to students as they wonder through the research cycle. The Big 6 as described in The Blue Book (Baker, p.585) shows the steps as Task Definition, Information Seeking Strategies, Information Use, Sythesis, and Evaluation. These steps along with the Four-Step Model in the MI Unit will go a long way in helping students inquire and learn about world religions and the impact of faith.

Wrapping It Up for My Students

Taking this journey of inquiry and discovery for me has been insightful and frightening. The topic, itself, is one we tend to walk around on tippy toe. As I've said before, I am not sure why; I just know we do. I also know that many, many students have posed questions to me about why people believe and what they believe so there is room for their inquiry. Social studies standards in grades 6-8 dealing with world culture and belief systems could easily be fulfilled using a MI unit on World Religions. I feel that the Multiple Intelligence model developed by Dr. Howard Gardner would provide a safe, effective unit for inquiry of this delicate subject.

When an educator begins to look for ways to incorporate the multiple intelligence theory into his or her lesson plans, it can be overwhelming, but it is always rewarding. The Four-Step Model developed for use with Dr. Howard Gardner's MI theory (Frames of Mind) can be easily adapted and used and will be a technique that I use when I present the World Religion unit to my 7 and 8th grade students. The four step model includes : the main lesson, centers (based on the different intelligences), sharing and reviewing, and individual projects implementing the multiple intelligences. The sharing and reviewing step will be pivotal; it involves journaling, oral presentation of learned materials, and large group discussions. The main lesson is a "15-20 minute multimodal overview of the topic to be studied that day. Each main lesson consists of a lecture presented by the teacher or student, including visuals, possibly kinesthetic activities, and provocative questions, many of which are left to explore" (Campbell). My plan is to use visual images that are commonly connected to faith and religion to spawn intrigue and spur inquiry.