EDRG 3344, T/R - Blog #13 (Bloome's Objectives)

From lowest to highest

Remembering
TSW identify the five senses by labeling a diagram with 100% accuracy.

Understanding
TSW summarize a book by listing the sequence of its events with 90%accuracy.

Applying
TSW implement the new problem solving skill of working backwords to demonstrate how to find a solution the the problem given with 80%accuracy.

Analyzing
TSW create an outline the class' favorite cookies by surveying and graphing the data with 95% accuracy.

Evaluating
TSW distpute classmates views on global warming throught debate in the class with 80% accuracy.

Creating
TSW design a card game based on the characters and plot of the novel being read in class with 95% accuaracy.

EDRG 3344, T/R - Blog #12 (Darmok Episode)

Well...it's been a while since I have watched Star Trek. Watching today reminded me of why I liked the show so much but I guess not enough to keep up with it after all these years. Any how, the question up for discussion is "Is Captain Darthon's sacrifice worth it"?

I would have to say that the episode was suspenseful and interesting and had me trying to remember what was going to happen but in the end I don't think that Captain Dathon should have sacrificed his life inorder to make contact and communicate with the Enterprise. His first officer seemed to agree with that before he was beamed down onto El Adrell. I suppose the trip down to the planet to face the dangerous creature fit into Darhon's personal history but it didn't help Captain Picard understand The Children of Tama any better. Not until Dathon was about to die did Picard begin to understand their language. If the same amount of effort and patience had gone into trying to understand the Children of Tama from the very beginning then Dathon wouldn't have had to die. It's unfortunate that when we do not understand people from other cultures we jump to conclusions about their intentions. But I guess them getting together to try and talk it out wouldn't have made for a very interesting episode.

EDRG 3344, T/R - Blog #10 (MGP expository)

I apologize for the sloppy post but all I can share right now are my brainstorming notes. My final product format with either be in the form of a brochure or cereal box.

EDRG 3344, T/R - Blog #9 (MGP persuasive)

My persuasive writing is going to be to convince students (Kinder) that they need to learn about Texas wildlife in order to protect them so they can be around for a long time and have fun doing it.

It will be in a poster format. It is going to have a geographic map of Texas with the regions shown with lots of pictures of animals from each of the regions they may have never seen before. There are so many animals to learn about and a lot of them are here in the great state of Texas.

Below are 3 ways students can learn about native Texas wildlife.

School field trips- visit museums and the zoo. View and identify the native Texas animals and where they live in Texas. Learn about how to protect animals and their environments.

Family trips- they can visit museums, zoos, and parks with their families. They can go have fun with their families and go swimming, picnics, and weekend road trips.

Visit Texas state parks and refuges- take tours, hiking, bike riding and see some of these animals in their natural habitat that they might otherwise never see at home. This supports the parks that help protect these animals. With web sites posted.

EDRG 3344, T/R - Blog #8 (MGP narrative)

Olivia Ocelot

By Jade M. Rocha

Olivia is a very curious Ocelot. Olivia’s mother always told her and her sisters to never ever leave the den during the day time. Ocelots only leave the safety of their den at night. One day Olivia decided she was going to leave the den when her mother and sisters fell asleep for the day.

When Olivia stepped out of her den she couldn’t believe her eyes. There were so many things to see because the sun was shining bright in the sky. For the first time Olivia saw clouds and birds flying in the sky. Olivia liked being outside during the day time. “I think I will go explore,” said Olivia. She began walking and looking all around her. As Olivia walked toward a pecan tree near her den she suddenly stopped. Her ears began to twitch. She could hear something and it sounded like it was digging in the sandy soil. As Olivia stepped closer she was able to see a strange grey animal shaped like a ball digging next to the tree. “Excuse me,” said Olivia. “My name is Olivia Ocelot, who are you?” The strange looking animal replied, “My name is Eddie and I’m an armadillo.” Eddie went back to digging for something to eat in the ground so Olivia kept on walking through the woods.

Olivia stopped when she heard another noise, this time it was up in a black oak tree. As Olivia looked up, a small brownish colored animal with a bushy tail came running down the tree trunk. “Hi,” said Olivia to this strange new animal. “Hello my name is Suzy,” said the brownish animal, “I’m a squirrel.” “Who are you and what are you doing?” asked Suzy. “My name is Olivia Ocelot and I am exploring,” replied Olivia. Suzy warned Olivia to stay close to home or she might get lost. Then Suzy disappeared into the high braches of the black oak tree.

Olivia continued her exploring. She stopped when she saw a rippling stream. Olivia decided to get for a drink of water. As she stepped closer to the stream she saw a tall brown animal with big horns coming out of its head. This animal was much taller than Olivia and it looked a little scary to her. Olivia had never seen such a large animal before so she wanted to get a better look at it. She slowly crept closer to the strange animal. It saw Olivia and stopped drinking from the stream. “Who are y..y..you?” stuttered Olivia. “Don’t be afraid, I’m a deer and my name is Danny,” replied the deer. Danny told Olivia that it was not a good idea for her to go exploring all alone because she might get lost. Olivia thanked Danny and told him good bye. She turned around to head back home.

As Olivia turned around to head home she could not remember which way to go. Olivia was lost and scared so she began to cry. Then Olivia heard a soft fluttery voice ask her why she was crying. Olivia looked around to see who was talking to her but she did not see anyone. “Up here,” said the soft fluttery voice. Olivia looked up in the tree to see who was talking to her. “Why are you crying?” the soft voiced blue bird asked again. “I’m lost and I want to go home,” cried Olivia.

“I have been watching you and I know where you live.” “Follow me,” said the blue bird, “I will help you find your way home.” Olivia stopped crying and followed the blue bird through the woods. After a long walk the blue bird stopped on the branch of a pecan tree. Olivia saw Eddie armadillo still busy digging and knew she had found her way home. Olivia thanked the blue bird for her help as she ran into her den. Olivia slowly snuggled in between her sleeping mother and sisters. Olivia had a very exciting day meeting new animals but she was even more excited to be back home with her family. Olivia decided to never leave her home without her mother’s permission ever again.

Obsessed much? Not really.

I was tired of looking at other sites for the countdown so I figured I should put it somewhere that I can see it everyday.

Twilight,Twilight pictures,Twilight fansite


GET THIS COUNTER FOR YOUR PROFILE!

Pearl Jam - Austin City Limits

Just have to say that the studio recording of the Pearl Jam concert in Austin on Saturday night was amazing. I sat stage right in the front row just 5 ft from the stage and Eddie Vedder was phenomenal. That was the best concert experience I have ever had. I don' t know if I will ever be able to top it. Plus, I got to meet and talk to a few celebrities which just topped off the best concert I've even witnessed. All I can say is WOW! Pearl Jam still rocks.

EDRG 3344, T/R - Blog #7

How does talking benefit students in the classroom?

Talking in the classroom setting is one of the most basic means of communication. We all do it to express our thoughts and feelings. Children are no different. The only issue that may arise is that children can sometimes get out of hand with the timing, volume, and intensity of their talk. That's why it is important to encourage students to talk things through while following the rules regarding talking at school and in the classroom.

Talking is how students interact socially. They benefit from talking casually and academically throughout the school day. Talking may also enhance student learning. Some students may only need to hear directions or an explanation while others may need to talk their ideas out with peers. Talk also provides an avenue for gaining new ideas and information from friends, peers, and adults over a variety of subjects and topics.

Students also benefit from talking by using known vocabulary and language skills. These skills are enhanced and broadened in and out of the classroom setting. Students also learn how and why it's important to listen to others speak. Taking turns speaking is a very difficult but important skill for children to learn. Talking also allows students to hear and share their ideas about different topics in the school setting.

Finally, talking in the classroom can be geared towards working students up to public speaking. Students may participate in school plays or musicals so feeling comfortable with speaking in a public setting is a skill that may be enhanced by encouraging talk in the classroom. As a teacher many opportunities arise that can lead into public speaking, such as encouraging show & tell, assigning oral reports, having readers theatre, and making time for group and individual read alouds. Students freely talking in the classroom may seem chaotic to many people, but a good teacher will know that amongst the many conversations occurring in the classroom students are learning and growing by sharing and listening. Talk is a tremendous benefit for all students and so it should be encouraged in every class and grade level.

EDRG 3344, T/R - Blog #6

Memories...

After listening to my classmates share their memories it made me think of so many of my own. For me this isn't a difficult task because I am always thinking of so many things at once that current thoughts and past memories are continually co-mingling. All it takes is for me to hear a song, or something a person says, maybe something I see, or even just a thought about one thing that triggers a memory of something else. So since I am always thinking and remembering I figured that I would share something that I often think about (also triggered by a classmate) but didn't mention in class.

There was one item shared in particular that brought back many memories for me, Randy's dog tags. This made me think of my dog tags along with all of the good and bad memories that I associate with them. There were so many times that I remember laughing, crying, and feeling that special warmth. I even remember having a few precious as gold moments mingled in amongst the chaos of my life and military career. There are far too many memories (6 years worth) that my dog tags bring to mind for me to share but it's nice to know (and share), that when I look at them I have something to symbolize not only my service but also the sacrifices me and my family endured. This tiny symbol is a constant reminder of events that helped shape the person I am today for better or worse. I am grateful to have had the experiences that I had and that I still have a small piece here to help remind me of this extremely important part of my past.

I feel a little embarrassed that so many people shared such intimate memories that they brought tears to my eyes while a share such vague and nondescript memories from my past. However, for me this blog and the entries we make are far more personal than I am used to sharing. I would like to thank everyone who was brave enough to share their memories with me. Thank you.

I love the Twilight Saga & I can't wait to see this movie.

EDRG 3344, T/R - Blog #5

RAFT

R - Blanky
A - Baby
F - Letter
T - Love



Dearest Little One,

I am so happy you have finally arrived. I have been patiently waiting to wrap myself around you, to keep you safe and warm throughout the night. You are the reason that I exist. I was made of the softest cotton to protect your delicate skin. I was created to love and comfort you for as long as you will let me. I can't wait to watch you grow up. I will be here for you when you out grow your crib and get your big kids bed. I will be here waiting to comfort and warm you after your first day of school. I will still love you even when I am put away in a box under your bed because you feel that your way too old for a blanky. Even when it seems that you no longer want or need me I will still love and be here for you. Thank you for being my precious little one and for giving me a purpose. I can only hope that I will make you as happy as you already make me. Thank you for letting me be your blanky.

Love Always,
Your Blanky

EDRG 3344, T/R - Blog #4

And the winner is...
And the winner of the Texas Lottery and one hundred million dollars is...ME? It was just another slow lazy Saturday at home when I remembered that I bought a lottery ticket a few days ago. The news was about to start so I turned on the television to see if I had wasted yet another dollar or perhaps gotten lucky and actually got enough matching numbers to win back my dollar. I gave up crossing my fingers about fifty dollars ago. I never win anything or even get more than one matching number so as I sat in front of my way too small television I barely paid attention to the numbers that I was copying down on the corner of a newspaper article. After a few seconds I was able to snap out of my daydreaming haze to check my ticket against the winning numbers that I had just jotted down. I was happy when I noticed that my first number was on the list but then I really started to get excited when my next two numbers were also a match. This was definitely a first for me but I was sure that three numbers was already way too much to have wished for. That is when I realized that all six of my numbers were a match; at that point I may have forgotten to breathe for just a second. I am certain that my brain was numb from the overwhelming screaming that was going on inside of my head because I couldn’t seen to speak or even will myself to sit down on the couch. It took me a few minutes to realize that I had not only matched all six winning lottery numbers but that I had just won more money than I had could have ever imagined.

Unlike most people I did not go straight to the store that I had purchased my ticket from, instead I waited until Monday to confirm my unexplainable good fortune. I kept thinking that I had made a mistake so I didn’t want to face reality too soon. By mid-afternoon I shuffled into the grocery store and headed straight for the customer service counter. The sales clerk behind the counter began asking how he could help me without even looking up from his cash register. I opened my mouth to ask how to redeem my lottery ticket but nothing came out. I couldn't force the words out so with my index finger I slowly slid my ticket towards the clerk. He took my ticket without a word and scanned it. I waited to hear some sort of congratulatory remark but nothing followed the humming buzz of his computer. I slowly peered up at the clerk who was now staring at me with his mouth wide open. He must have lost the ability to speak because he handed me a slip of paper with directions and a phone number for claiming lottery winnings. At that moment I felt my stomach hit the floor as I realized that I really was the winner of one hundred million dollars. I exchanged a look of overwhelming awe with the clerk, did an about face and then sprinted out of the store and back to my car. As I sat in the store parking lot I called the lottery claims office on my cell phone and made arrangements to claim my winnings that afternoon. I took a deep breath, signed on the dotted line, and became a millionaire.

I soon started receiving my lottery winnings just three short months after receiving my winning numbers on that extraordinary Saturday evening. The remarkable thing is that my life did not change very much. I had thought about telling everyone I knew of my recent windfall, and buying a private island or some other obscenely extravagant real-estate, when I realized that I was completely satisfied with my life just how it was. So I decided not to tell anyone about my continually expanding bank account or about how I paid off my mortgage and now own my two cars free and clear of all debt. However, I am now able to help my family and closest friends when money issues arise. I don’t want to make anyone suspicious of my new found generosity so when someone insists on paying me back I let them, but I always find some way of making sure that they never really get around to it. Although I am now a millionaire I have not let money change who I am or how I live my life. The only real change that winning that lottery has made is that I have now made traveling around the world with my friends and family a mandatory part of my life.

EDRG 3344, T/R - Blog #3

Explain Writing
Writing is a process. Yes, I said that writing is a process. The writing process is done in stages...five to be exact. Stage one is prewriting: here brainstorming is done with semantic maps and graphic organizers. Stage two is drafting: this is the first/rough draft, when you create your outline. Stage three is revising: during this stage you make additions/deletions, elaborate, check the sentence structure, and your adjectives. Stage four is editing (not to be confused with revising): now you check for conventional errors such as spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. Stage five is publishing: printing it out, sharing it, or just getting it out there.

In order to write effectively you should follow the stages in order. Although most people do not like to take the time to jot down their brainstorming; however, creating a rough draft is a very important step when writing. Revising is when you go back and add/delete sentences or words that you feel make your writing better. Revising and editing seem to go hand in hand but they are actually very different processes where it is alright to go back and forth between them until you feel you are ready for the last step of writing. Once you feel that you are ready to publish, you should find someone to read and give their opinion on your writing. Once you are completely satisfied you can then publish your writing to share with everyone.

EDRG 3344, T/R - Blog #2

When teaching we should integrate instruction and incorporate opportunities for our students to use the six language arts (listening, talking, reading, writing, viewing, and visual representation) on a daily basis. The six language arts can be incorporated into daily learning by using the pre-lesson, during lesson, and after lesson strategy.
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Some examples of this strategy include taking students to the school library, taking a book walk, sharing a book box (objects or pictures of items mentioned in the story), word wall additions from the story, asking questions, have students make predictions, students' retelling story with puppets or props, sequencing, and creating individual books using words from the story. Many of these teaching ideas may be used in more than one area of this strategy. Sharing a book box is an example of a technique that can be used as a pre - and after reading activity. Sharing a book box as a prereading activity would introduce new and high frequency words from the story while using that same book box as an after reading activity to teach sequencing or retelling of the story by the student.
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These strategies help because they provide multiple opportunities and entry points for student understanding and emergence into reading and writing. Not every strategy will work for every student so using many strategies throughout each lesson increases your chances of supporting all of your students as they begin learning to read and write.

EDRG 3344, T/R - Blog #1

How do I learn?
In this weeks classes we discussed the many ways in which we all learn, the multiple intelligences(MI) we may all possess, how our MIs impact our learning, and then we finished off our discussion with motivations for learning. I never really thought about how I, or anyone for that matter, learned. I always took how I learned new information for granted until I entered college. This was when I realized I had to figure out how I needed to study in order to do well and retain as much information as possible.

Once I decided to really get to know myself I realized that I am a kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learner. I always have to take notes of what I hear and see regardless of any type of handouts or slide printouts I may be given. If I don't take notes then I loose the connections that I have made during class discussions and lectures. (This may also stem from my compulsive need to write everything down but I am going to say that it's just the way I learn.) According to the MI test I took I scored highest in the intrapersonal intelligence which did not surprise me. I do have to reread texts and study my notes for tests and quizzes but I don't ever do this with study groups. I do best when I do these things alone. However, I have no aversion to working in groups but solo I find that I do my best work.

I also thought about what motivates me and I came to the conclusion that I really feel satisfied with myself when I can say that I have accomplished my goals to the very best of my ability. Doing alright just isn't good enough for me. It's not just about getting an "A" for me but what it means when I do that well. To me it means that I have learned a lot and have become a smarter person in the process. I am also motivated by the idea of being a fully competent and knowledgeable teacher for my future students. I would not be able to even consider teaching if I felt that I had not prepared myself for the challenge of teaching in elementary school. This is how I learn and what motivates me.