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students projects: not just for assessing

4/6/2017

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    Project Based Learning is no longer just a buzzword but a growing trend and designed instructional approach.  So often I see teachers struggle to incorporate projects.  They have many legitimate concerns that hinder their ability to fit in activities.  
  • What can the students create to showcase their learning?
  • How can I find time for a long project?  
  • How do I assess learning with a project?  
  • If I want to involve technology, where do I fit in the time to teach the technology too?
Those common concerns and questions revolve around the idea that projects should be used to replace a test as a summative assessment.  We so often feel pressure that the final results should be elaborate displays of learning to showcase to the entire community.  There is value in incorporating summative projects, however, there are time saving alternatives.
    Recently, I modified the fifth grade science unit on terrestrial biomes completely through project based learning.  The student creations are not to assess learning, but to actually teach the unit content; putting the students in the driver's seat of of learning.  The teacher now facilitates learning, through clear expectations, differentiated support, and purposeful mini-lessons.

Why I Changed it to PBL?:
    There is specific science content that the students need to learn.  As I reviewed slides used by previous teachers to lecture the content I realized that the same information was widely accessible through nonfiction resources.  Our library has great online databases and books for students to use and access. I provided specific expectations for students to research all the information.  In my opinion, they are capable of learning about a biomes climate from a book instead of my slideshow.  Secondly, they didn’t need to learn about the animals and plants in my slideshow, but any animal and plant they found interesting.

Project Design:
    The students have a specific list of content they need to find for each biome.  They do all the research on their own.  I check in with each group throughout the class to support their needs.  Additionally, I approve each biome before they move on to the next.
    The project piece to the unit is to create fun documentaries as if they are in each biome.  They need to highlight all the key facts in the video.  Each biome will be graded on the video, so all facts must be included.  

Unit Overview:
    
  • Students understand the 6 terrestrial biomes and the major features that define each biome: climate, seasons, precipitation, geographic location, and terrain
  • Students understand animals and plants in each biome and special adaptations that allow them to survive in that particular biome.
  • As the students progress through the unit, not only will they learn about each biome through research, but they also learn about media productions with iPads.
  • Each biome documentary requires new movie making skills in iMovie and Touchcast.  Each new biome they should use the previous skills and new expectations.
    • Biome 1: Film on the camera, use iMovie to add transitions between clips and trim clips when necessary
    • Biome 2: Film on the camera, use titles in iMovie
    • Biome 3: Film on the camera, use Keynote to add a title slide
    • Biome 4: Film in Touchcast, use vApp picture pop-ins
    • Biome 5: Film on Touchcast, use vApp video pop-ins and titles
    • Biome 6: Film on Touchcast, use the green screen

Mini-Lessons:
    Most of the class period the students are actively engaged in their own work.  They are researching, collecting information, writing scripts, planning documentaries, and filming.  There is constant conversation and collaboration from the teams to work through each biome.
    Throughout the unit I have meaningful and important mini lessons.  My mini-lessons focused on important concepts for students to understand:
  • The difference between weather and climate
  • Types of adaptations: physiological, structural, behavioral
  • The difference between adaptations and traits
    The mini-lessons could be delivered in small group or whole group settings.  It is content I want to make sure they have a clear understanding of and convey that through the video documentaries.

Reflection:
    Facilitating a unit in this model takes time to become comfortable.  I already know specific checkpoints I need to provide more guidance, and also less guidance.  I want to make sure the students have the freedom to be creative, but also learn the important content.

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Preparing Students and Families for the Flip

11/2/2016

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There is a good chance that you could be the first teacher in your school and possibly your district to flip.  Regardless if your the first or not, you need to set your students and families up for success.  As educators, it is critical to spend time in the beginning of the school year or semester to set expectations for your students of routines, homework policies, attendance, participation, etc.  Depending on your age-level and subject area that list of “expectations” changes.
Facilitating a flipped classroom, we still need to follow the same procedures.  I am a true believer in being honest, upfront, and open with students and families.  Here is my laundry list of expectations and topics to review with students and parents about participating in a flipped classroom:
  • Why you made the professional decision to drastically change your teaching style and what you hope to accomplish.
  • How will you be delivering the information home?
  • What are the expectations of families and students when completing flipped homework at home?
  • What will class look like now?  What can students look forward to being new versus the old structure of your classroom?
The best decision I made was spending the first class having the students each on a device going through the first homework in class.  They navigated to my learning management system, logged-in, selected the assignment, went through the slide show, and watched the videos.  Then, the homework was to do the same assignment at home with a family member to show them the process.
The students navigated through a few slides defining the flipped class, and defining my expectations.  However, here is my first video lesson that was included in the presentation…

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My blogging goals

9/21/2016

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My name is Ken Ehrmann, I teach fifth grade in Pennridge School District in Pennsylvania, a small suburban district outside Philadelphia.  In addition to teaching fifth grade, I spent the last 4 year tutoring over 50 different students grades 3-12 in all subject areas, time management skills, and executive function skills.  Additionally, I teach graduate courses focusing on incorporating iPads and 21st century learning skills into the classroom. I am a passionate teacher constantly evaluating my own teaching, learning styles, and the status quo of public education.  I believe that education is on the verge of large transformations that will have a great impact on the success of our students.  This generation of 21st century learners bring so many more diverse needs and talents to classrooms never seen before.  It is our job as educators to meet the times. This blog will serve as one of many avenues in which I bring new ideas, questions, and challenges to the education field.  In addition to the blogs, I will post webcasts that reflect my teaching style as a flipped classroom educator.  Lastly, I offer professional development seminars that range from one hour presentations to multiple class hands-on workshops.  These professional development sessions have flipped learning ingrained in the format, creating this idea of 24seven teaching: reaching all learners at all times.
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    Author

    My blog will focus on instructional strategies based around the ideas of technology, STEM, students exploring learning, and flipped lessons #24seventeaching

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  • Home
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  • Teacher
    • Flipped Instruction
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  • Graduate Instructor
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    • Upcoming Presentations
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  • Contact