Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Technology
Technology
Technology is a mainstay in my classroom and learning environment. In class I use Discoveryed for viewing clips of movies, assigning homework and classwork, and assigning and assessing quizzes.
One way I have integrated technology, math and science is in a STEM lesson. I taught a series of three lessons using the Go-Pro and Vernier Science Technology. We collaborated with our 6th buddies and we worked together in mixed grade small groups to accomplish the objectives.
Click the link below to see one of the complete lesson plans:
Stem Lesson Plan and Photos
One way I have integrated technology, math and science is in a STEM lesson. I taught a series of three lessons using the Go-Pro and Vernier Science Technology. We collaborated with our 6th buddies and we worked together in mixed grade small groups to accomplish the objectives.
Click the link below to see one of the complete lesson plans:
Stem Lesson Plan and Photos
I have integrated a photo story, Vimeo and a power point into this blog. I will post URL links for them below:
Annotated Bibliography
Annotated Bibliography
Click on the link below to view complete annotated bibliography:
Professionalism: Professional Growth
Professionalism: Commitment to Professional Growth
This past summer, I participated in a 10-day, graduate level course in Jackson, WY: Wildlife Biology and Conservation. I have a 4.0 in every graduate class I have taken to date.One of the teachers I met there and her 2nd grade class from Florida have become our class's pen-pals. We have tracked and compared our weather, written one another various times and shared with each other, traditions and artifacts from our regions.
This past weekend I participated in Alaska Wetlands: Project Wild. This two day class taught us how to take advantage of teaching students right here in Homer, AK. I was able to add many more tools into my teacher tool-belt. Here is the letter I received yesterday in regard to my reflection paper.
What a terrific lesson! I’m waiting for UAA to fix a glitch and
then I’ll enter your ‘A’ into the course roster.
Thank you for your work. If I can be of service, please let me
know.
Best to you,
Brenda Duty
From: Lenore
Swanson [mailto:LSwanson@KPBSD.k12.ak.us]
Sent: Monday, April 08, 2013 4:36 PM
To: Duty, Brenda L (DFG)
Cc: Field, Carmen M (DFG); Peter Swanson
Subject: Wetlands class
Sent: Monday, April 08, 2013 4:36 PM
To: Duty, Brenda L (DFG)
Cc: Field, Carmen M (DFG); Peter Swanson
Subject: Wetlands class
Thank you Brenda and Carmen for an awesome class. I
taught “Oh Mealworm!” to my class this afternoon. I have attached a 2
page document and reflection.
Thanks again,
Lenore
Professionalism: Collaboration
Professionalism: Collaboration with Colleagues & Community
The pictures below show the KPBSD music teachers meeting together for professional development and collaboration. At these bi-annual meetings, each teacher shares one or two teaching tips, games or ideas with the other music teachers. We all go back to our individual schools with new tools in our tool-belts.
At McNeil Canyon, teachers use OneNote for on-line collaboration. We use it for mini-workshops, field days, sharing information about writing topics, Reader's Theaters and any other information we want to share with one another. This is a quick and easy way for all staff to share in one document that can be edited by everyone. This saves great amounts of time at staff meetings.
Collaboration Sample
Strong community bonds were forged when McNeil joined the Kenai Peninsula Orchestra and together performed "The Orchestra Sings". McNeil Artists in the School committee helped bring the program to Alaska. The final concert included a collaborative effort between Redoubt School in Soldotna, McNeil, professional guest soloists (of which I was one of), The Kenai Peninsula Orchestra, and professional stage actors. Two sold-out concerts delighted the young students in one of their first ever stage performances.
Click on the link below to see the program:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bw7qFyayV3KgTFlMSnhueGdPSU0/edit?usp=sharing
Parents, Family and Community
Here are four sample letters I have sent home with 2nd grade students during the school year. I believe in keeping parents involved in their child's education as much as possible. Many 2nd grade parents have spent time in the classroom. For example, one parent came in and demonstrated how to make a specific cake (a family tradition). She also brought in a sample so the students could taste it.
November 20, 2012
Dear Family:
Our second
graders are learning about our families in class. In addition to the family letters Debbie is
working on in Language Arts, we will be exploring family traditions that take
place during the winter or Christmas season as part of our Social Studies unit.
During the next
three weeks, we will be studying traditions in different cultures. This can include holiday traditions such as
Christmas, Solstice, or winter celebrations, different types of traditional
foods or unusual family traditions within your own family.
If you have
something you would like to share please send it in with your child or talk to
me before or after school. Perhaps you
have a special recipe (you could send samples in for the class), a decoration
that is special to your family, or tell us about a tradition or celebration you
or your relatives enjoy.
We would like
to incorporate some of your traditions as well as customs from around the
world.
Thank you,
Lenore Swanson
Dear 2nd grade
families:
Student Name
_______________________
We are studying mapping and “Where We Live” in Social
Studies. We have identified where we
live as follows:
Plane: Earth
Continent: North America
Country: United States of America
State: Alaska
City: Homer
House address____________________________ (physical address)
For homework this week, please help your child write (above)
and memorize their address and return it to school. Please use a physical address and not a P.O.
Box number.
Thank you,
Lenore Swanson
Dear Parents,
We are beginning a small
unit on families and family history in Social Studies. It will be very
exciting and fun. Your child will be learning more about his/her own family
history and making a family tree. We will be focusing on the immediate family,
family trees, family names, and traditions. We will be discussing traditional
and non-traditional families, families that include step-parents, brothers,
sisters, adoption and foster care. There are a few things each child will need
to bring from home so that they can focus on their own family. I would greatly
appreciate your support in helping with these items. Each child needs to
bring...
1. Family names of
student, parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.
If your child has more than
one set of parents, you may want to send names for both sets of parents and
grandparents. I am including a family
graph you can use to fill out family names.
2. Pictures of your
family
I would also like to
invite you to come in at any time to see what your child is working on, or to
help out with any of our activities. Please call if you have any questions. Thank you so much for all of your support!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Swanson
Hello:
Our Social Studies class is learning about different types of
careers that make up a community. This
past Monday we discussed veterinarians.
This coming Monday I am planning to discuss Firefighters (smoke-jumpers etc.). Since you have experience in this
area, I would like to invite you to come and share with our class on Monday,
February 13 at 1:30.
It would be fun if you could bring in some of your gear,
photos etc. and talk about what a firefighter does on the job. What do you think? You can email me at the school about
questions, and let me know if it will work out.
Thanks,
Lenore Swanson
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