Final Reflection

Nathan Jacobs

12/7/14

ETC-447

                                                                  Final Reflection

            For the first standard: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity, I believe I have done this by offering alternate forms of assessment/presentation. For the final lesson the students were to demonstrate their knowledge on the topic through PowerPoint presentations. I could have easily made the assessment a quiz and or worksheet that needed filling in. In the same lesson that used PowerPoint, the students were given the chance to research whatever volcano they desired, this gives them options, and options inspire creativity. For the second lesson we used Pixie to illustrate cells and all their organelles. I think that letting the students express their knowledge in an artistic manner facilitates creativity.

            I believe the easiest way, and most recurring way I have developed Digital-Age learning experiences was by presenting my content to the students via PowerPoint presentation. It is the spiritual successor to the overhead projector, and is a material/program that the students have access to. It may be kind of silly to call this “Digital-Age”, but for most of my public education I was taught with chalkboards and overhead projectors.

            One thing however that I may not have achieved was modeling fluency in technology systems. My very first lesson that I did this semester used a Smart board. However I did not use this Smart board effectively or even properly. It was kind of a catastrophe; it took most of the lesson to figure out what I had to do to make the Smart board work. On the bright side, the set back slowed things down and gave me a second to think/breath, and I ended up feeling more comfortable through the rest of the lesson. It was kind of like a “you can only go up from here” feeling, but it also took some of the seriousness out of it.

            Standard 4 is a little tricky to answer. I don’t think I really promoted and modeled digital citizenship and responsibility in any of my lessons. Aside from the very first assignment we received as a class, which dealt specifically with standard 4, I didn’t think about. Even though I was not actively pursuing this standard I wasn’t modeling irresponsibility and unethical digital citizenship. The only questionable thing I did was not request a work cited on the projects that were turned in. This could be seen as allowing plagiarism or something of the sort, but the presentations were brief, and didn’t hold anything that wasn’t publicley known. Also I felt that bibliographies are usually a thing that students learn in high school (my lessons were for middle school), and I didn’t want to make a chore out of my lessons. Also the most notable thing in all of my lessons was the general lack of prepared modifications for students with disabilities. I would have been more beneficial if I had tried to model some sort of all inclusive lesson, but with the students I had there was no reason to really try. It could have been a valuable challenge, but laziness got the better of me.

            I think this was an important class form me to take because it pointed out the rising presence and benefit of technology in the classroom. In the class we looked over a number of resources that were designed for use in the classroom, and I feel like there will only be more to come in the future. This increase in education specific technologies will come in handy when trying to make schooling dynamic and enjoyable, it will also give teachers a plethora of ways to educate and assess students.

Lesson Plan 3 Reflection

1. Instructional Decisions/Teaching (InTask Standard # 9): Discuss the implementation process and describe
• What went well and what didn't go well during the implementation of your lesson?
• according to my peer review my lesson plan worked well for the average student but, they suggested I implement measures for students with disabilities. Also they thought that having some sort of hand out in which to take notes would've be great for when they had to craft presentations of their own.
• How well was the alignment to objectives and standards maintained?
• Fairly well. 
• Describe any modifications made during the implementation of the lesson.
• This time I stayed for faithful to the lesson plan. However, I was a little short on time at the end so I filled up the remaining 5 minutes or so with a documentary on the Mount St. Helens eruption of 1980. 
2. Mechanics:
   
   • What technologies did I use (for the teacher and the learner)? How were the technologies used (by whom and in what manner)?
   • I gave my initial presentation using Microsoft Power Point and added links to Youtube videos that depicted various types of eruptions. The students were asked to go on the internet and research a volcano of their choice, after which they would make a PowerPoint that addressed the topics I wanted them to present on.  
   • My lesson was within the correct time frame?
     • My lesson was short by about five minutes, the student presentations were a little shorter than I anticipated. However I was still able to use the time by rounding out the lesson with a documentary on Mt. St. Helens. 
3. Assessment of Learning (InTask Standard # 6): Refer to Assessing Student Learning

• Include at least 2 digital artifacts that demonstrate what you or your students (peers) have created as a result of your lesson.
• The picture of the road was from yellowstone and the student used it to descrobe the effects a volcano/volcanic area has on its surroundings.
• The other slide was taken from a student's presentation on Sunset Crater. I tells us what type of volcano it is, what type of eruption associated with the volcano, and further explains the eruption process.  
• Describe your students' level of success in achieving the standards and objectives for your lesson based on your assessment.
• Two out of the three students did quite well. However the one that didn't, got their vocabulary terms mixed up. This is a good reason to have had a volcano worksheet. If i were to do this lesson over I would have provide a handout that elaborates more on the vocab. 
• Describe the level of success you had in teaching the lesson.
  • From what I have gotten from my responses the lesson is quite appropriate for mainstream students. But I could do more for students with disabilities. Also having students take notes on the terms they learned during my introductory presentation would help them with their presentations that they do later. 

Lesson Plan 3

Nathan Jacobs

11/13/14

ETC 447

                                                          Lesson Plan 3

Grade Level:  7^th grade.

Lesson:  Volcanoes and their properties.

Objective:  Students will be able to identify the properties of volcanoes and be able to distinguish the different types of volcanoes and what makes them different.

Time:  60 minutes.

Materials:  Computer, PowerPoint and google.com. 

Procedure:  

1             1.)   The lesson will begin with an introductory PowerPoint presentation on Volcanoes. This presentation will get students familiar with volcanoes and ready to research them for later on in the lesson. The PowerPoint will go over the different types of volcanoes, the different types of volcanic eruptions, the effects eruptions can cause, the different types of lava, and different types of rocks associated with volcanic formations. This will take about 15 minutes.

2           2.)  The students will break off on their own and research a particular volcano of their interest. They will spend 30 minutes doing so.

3           3.)  Students will make a PowerPoint presentation on their volcano of choice. In the presentation they will address the following characteristics of their volcano: type of volcano, eruption type, eruption effects on the area and possibly the world, the date of the eruption, location and name of volcano, lava flow associated with volcano, and they will include some pictures. Their presentations will be 5 minutes each. This will take 15 minutes.

Assessment:

Assessment will be made based on the students’ presentations addressing the characteristics of volcanoes. Whether or not they answer all the questions, and whether or not the answers are correct.

Micro lesson plan 2 reflection

1. Instructional Decisions/Teaching (InTask Standard # 9): Discuss the implementation process and describe
• What went well and what didn't go well during the implementation of your lesson?
• I would say that the hands on aspect of the lesson did well, but at the last minute I decided to let students chose cells other than the two standard plant and animal cells. The ones that did chose to do obscure cells felt a little less supported, and felt they had a harder time. I just wanted a little more diversity during the organelle presentation portion of the assignment.  
• How well was the alignment to objectives and standards maintained?
• It was under the umbrella of introductory life sciences. 
• Describe any modifications made during the implementation of the lesson.
• I let students draw and present on whatever cell they wanted to instead of just sticking to the basic plant and animal cells. 
2. Mechanics:
   • What technologies did I use (for the teacher and the learner)?
   • I had the students use computers and the program Pixie to draw and research their cells. 
   • How were the technologies used (by whom and in what manner)?
   • the students used their computers for their research while I guided them.  
   • My lesson was within the correct time frame...
     • My lesson was actually perfectly on time, though the presentation of the organelles was rushed a bit. In the end everyone did what was asked of them in the required amount of time.
3. Assessment of Learning (InTask Standard # 6):



• Include at least 2 digital artifacts that demonstrate what you or your students (peers) have created as a result of your lesson.
• I would say that these are two examples of what I was looking for. One did the basic animal cell that I was originally looking for, and the other did an alternate type of cell. Though one did do a leaf pore guard cell, the organelles included are, for the most part, shared with a normal plant cell. 
• Describe the level of success you had in teaching the lesson.
  • I probably should have only let the students due basic plant and animal cells. I only wanted to do more so that each student didn't present on the same parts. However I think this just made the lesson more complicated and it could/should be done away with all together. But aside from that i would say the lesson was as successful as any other cell project.  

Micro Lesson Plan 2

Nathan Jacobs

10/28/2014

ETC 447

Grade Level:  7^th grade.

Lesson: Cells and their parts.

Objective:  Students will be able to identify the different parts of both plant and animal cells and their function.

Time:  30 minutes.

Materials:  Computer, Pixie and google.com. 

Procedure:  

1.)  The lesson will start with a brief introduction to cells and their structure and purpose. The introduction should be along the lines of this: the smallest structural and functional unit of an organism, typically microscopic and consisting of cytoplasm and a nucleus enclosed in a membrane. Microscopic organisms typically consist of a single cell, which is either eukaryotic or prokaryotic (this will take about 5 minutes).

2.)  The class will then split off on their own to research the type of cell they want to illustrate (this will be about 10 minutes).

3.)  After they get familiar with their cell of choice they will then illustrate it in the program Pixie. They will draw the cell and include a minimum of 10 different parts with each part properly labeled (10 minutes). 

4.)  After the class finishes their drawings, each student will chose 5 of their favorite parts and share with the class the function of them, try to make it so that each student doesn’t do the same parts. The students will include their summaries of the parts with their illustrations they turn in (5 minutes).

5.)  End of lesson.

Assessment:

            Assessment of students will be made based on their illustrations of cells and their knowledge/explanations of the cell parts they covered In relation to the following.

Plant Cell Parts:

amyloplast - an organelle in some plant cells that stores starch. Amyloplasts are found in starchy plants like tubers and fruits.
ATP - ATP is short for adenosine triphosphate; it is a high-energy molecule used for energy storage by organisms. In plant cells, ATP is produced in the cristae of mitochondria and chloroplasts.
cell membrane - the thin layer of protein and fat that surrounds the cell, but is inside the cell wall. The cell membrane is semipermeable, allowing some substances to pass into the cell and blocking others.
cell wall - a thick, rigid membrane that surrounds a plant cell. This layer of cellulose fiber gives the cell most of its support and structure. The cell wall also bonds with other cell walls to form the structure of the plant.
centrosome - (also called the "microtubule organizing center") a small body located near the nucleus - it has a dense center and radiating tubules. The centrosomes is where microtubules are made. During cell division (mitosis), the centrosome divides and the two parts move to opposite sides of the dividing cell. Unlike the centrosomes in animal cells, plant cell centrosomes do not have centrioles.
chlorophyll - chlorophyll is a molecule that can use light energy from sunlight to turn water and carbon dioxide gas into sugar and oxygen (this process is called photosynthesis). Chlorophyll is magnesium based and is usually green.
chloroplast - an elongated or disc-shaped organelle containing chlorophyll. Photosynthesis (in which energy from sunlight is converted into chemical energy - food) takes place in the chloroplasts.
christae - (singular crista) the multiply-folded inner membrane of a cell's mitochondrion that are finger-like projections. The walls of the cristae are the site of the cell's energy production (it is where ATP is generated).
cytoplasm - the jellylike material outside the cell nucleus in which the organelles are located.
Golgi body - (also called the golgi apparatus or golgi complex) a flattened, layered, sac-like organelle that looks like a stack of pancakes and is located near the nucleus. The golgi body packages proteins and carbohydrates into membrane-bound vesicles for "export" from the cell.
granum - (plural grana) A stack of thylakoid disks within the chloroplast is called a granum.
lysosome - (also called cell vesicles) round organelles surrounded by a membrane and containing digestive enzymes. This is where the digestion of cell nutrients takes place.

mitochondrion - spherical to rod-shaped organelles with a double membrane. The inner membrane is infolded many times, forming a series of projections (called cristae). The mitochondrion converts the energy stored in glucose into ATP (adenosine triphosphate) for the cell.
nuclear membrane - the membrane that surrounds the nucleus.
nucleolus - an organelle within the nucleus - it is where ribosomal RNA is produced.
nucleus - spherical body containing many organelles, including the nucleolus. The nucleus controls many of the functions of the cell (by controlling protein synthesis) and contains DNA (in chromosomes). The nucleus is surrounded by the nuclear membrane
photosynthesis - a process in which plants convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into food energy (sugars and starches), oxygen and water. Chlorophyll or closely-related pigments (substances that color the plant) are essential to the photosynthetic process.
ribosome - small organelles composed of RNA-rich cytoplasmic granules that are sites of protein synthesis.
rough endoplasmic reticulum - (rough ER) a vast system of interconnected, membranous, infolded and convoluted sacks that are located in the cell's cytoplasm (the ER is continuous with the outer nuclear membrane). Rough ER is covered with ribosomes that give it a rough appearance. Rough ER transport materials through the cell and produces proteins in sacks called cisternae (which are sent to the Golgi body, or inserted into the cell membrane).
smooth endoplasmic reticulum - (smooth ER) a vast system of interconnected, membranous, infolded and convoluted tubes that are located in the cell's cytoplasm (the ER is continuous with the outer nuclear membrane). The space within the ER is called the ER lumen. Smooth ER transport materials through the cell. It contains enzymes and produces and digests lipids (fats) and membrane proteins; smooth ER buds off from rough ER, moving the newly-made proteins and lipids to the Golgi body and membranes
stroma - part of the chloroplasts in plant cells, located within the inner membrane of chloroplasts, between the grana.
thylakoid disk - thylakoid disks are disk-shaped membrane structures in chloroplasts that contain chlorophyll. Chloroplasts are made up of stacks of thylakoid disks; a stack of thylakoid disks is called a granum. Photosynthesis (the production of ATP molecules from sunlight) takes place on thylakoid disks.
vacuole - a large, membrane-bound space within a plant cell that is filled with fluid. Most plant cells have a single vacuole that takes up much of the cell. It helps maintain the shape of the cell.

The lesson abides by Arizona State standards for 7^th grade science because it is basic life sciences, which is the main subject of middle school science. Life Sciences. Strand 2 Concept 1, and Strand 4 Concept 2 of Arizona State Standards’ Science Standard Articulated by Grade Level: Grade 8.

Reflecting on Micro Lesson Plan 1.

1. Instructional Decisions/Teaching (InTask Standard # 9): Discuss the implementation process and describe
• What went well and what didn't go well during the implementation of your lesson?
• My biggest problem with the lesson was my lack of experience with SmartBoards. I really should have been more familiar with how they worked, because the troubleshooting that occurred mid lesson really just derailed the whole lesson and kind of killed my momentum. However I did cope with and adapted to this obstacle fairly well and was able to pull it off with in the time limit.  
• How well was the alignment to objectives and standards maintained?
• I feel like my lesson was inline with the Arizona state standards, because my particular subject was outlined as a possibility on the standards page. 
• Describe any modifications made during the implementation of the lesson.
• I had to cover things fairly fast to be done in time, but I guess my SmartBoard survival techniques would be the biggest modification. I had a certain Idea of how the SmartBoard would work in my head, which was different from the reality of how I ended up using it. 
2. Mechanics:
   • What technologies did I use (for the teacher and the learner)?
   • During the lesson I used Youtube.com for a video, and I used a SmartBoard for demonstration and class participation. 
   • How were the technologies used (by whom and in what manner)?
   • I used the video to provided a slightly different explanation of Punnett Squares, and I used the SmartBoard for the students to demonstrate their understanding of the lesson. 
   • My lesson was within the correct time frame.
     • The lesson was within the correct time frame because... I improvised in my time allotment for the lesson mid lesson. I kind of made it so that the time it would take was somewhat flexible. 
3. Assessment of Learning (InTask Standard # 6): Refer to Assessing Student Learning
• Include at least 2 digital artifacts that demonstrate what you or your students (peers) have created as a result of your lesson.
• This was a Dihybrid Cross, a slightly more complicated version of what we learned in the lesson. I included this to see if the students could recognize the same thing that was taught if it was represented in a different manner. It looks strange and complicated, but still rests on the same principles as the basic Punnett Squares we learned.   

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• Describe your students' level of success in achieving the standards and objectives for your lesson based on your assessment.
• It looked like they all understood the lesson very well based on their work sheets handed back, and their participation in filling out the Punnet Square examples in the power point; including the Dihybrid Cross (I couldn't save the writing on the other slides because of technical difficulties). 
• Describe the level of success you had in teaching the lesson
  • How do your individual reflections support this?
  • They appeared to have learned all I had to teach despite my mess of a  SmartBoard disaster.
  • How do the comments from your classmates support this?
  • They seemed to agree that I should have had more experience with the SmartBoard. 
  • Some said I could make it more grounded in what they are familiar with, providing examples from their families particular traits to make it more personal and interesting. Or just to make it more hands on.

Micro Lesson 1

Nathan Jacobs

10/9/2014

ETC 447

Grade Level:  8^th grade.

Lesson: Punnett squares.

Objective:  Students will be able to identify the purpose of Punnett Squares and how to use them.

Time:  30 minutes.

Materials:  Computer, PowerPoint, smart board, worksheets, writing utensils, Youtube.com.

Procedure:  

1.)  The lesson will start with a brief introduction video describing what a Punnett Square is and what it is used for (the video is 5 minutes long).

2.)  The lesson will then proceed into a brief history of the science of genetics and Punnett Squares.

3.)  After the history is given the students will then learn key vocabulary terms that are critical to the lesson.

4.)  Then the students will be shown an example of how to do a Punnett Square.

5.)  After the example, the students will then learn 2 more vocabulary terms that are relevant to the example Punnett Square that was given.

6.)  Now the students will be given a handout that has six Punnett squares that need to be solved.

7.)  After the students are done with the handout, the class will go over three of the worksheet Squares together as a whole. Students will use the Smart Board’s paint feature to fill in the Punnett Squares in the PowerPoint.

8.)  End of lesson.

The lesson abides by Arizona State standards for 8^th grade science because it incorporates a history of science and is of a science that falls under the umbrella of Life Sciences. Strand 2 Concept 1, and Strand 4 Concept 2 of Arizona State Standards’ Science Standard Articulated by Grade Level: Grade         

                                                                Here Is the PowerPoint.

                               The Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4izVAkhMPQ&list=LLFW76YzcSdEU8zeHaAE85KA&index=1

The Work Sheet