What Now?

Now that this class is coming to an end, I can think of many exciting changes that will be coming to my classroom as a result of taking part in this class.  I have never taught content in "units". Rather, content was taught in isolation.  Teaching in units allows for more cross-curricular activities to take place and allows the students to gain a deeper depth of knowledge.  I have already compiled a few fabulous instructional units   that I will be using with my class.

Previously, I have completed one service learning project with my class.  However, I feel my next service learning project will be of more value to my students due to my experiences in this class.  I feel more prepared to engage my students in service learning and understand the different components of service learning.  I am super excited to introduce Reduce, Reuse, Recycyle! to my class and plan to encourage other grades to participate in service learning.

Overall, this was a great class and a positive learning experience.  I will use the resources from the wiki page, as well as the insttructional plans and service learning projects to enhance my own classroom. I

Instructional Plan

Title:  Reduce, Reuse, RECYCLE!
    My instructional plan was created for a second grade class that will be partnering up with a fifth grade class.  They will be completing a unit on recycling.  Read alouds will be conducted using two Michael Recycle books.  The students will complete a webquest, create a brochure to inform community members about recycling and create a digital commercial to inform other students how to participate in the recycling program. The commercials will be shown during "Family Literacy Night" to the parents.
      The students will also "clean the streets of Silver Grove" by walking the city and collecting recyclable items as well as picking up trash around the city.  The students will complete a culminating activity by reusing milk jugs to make "jug heads."  Detailed instruction can be found here to make the jug heads.  To measure if the plan was successful, I will analyze the digital commercials and the community/parental involvement.

Partnering with the WAVE Foundation

Module 4:

Locating and Partnering with Co-Teachers Plan

1-      Name the professional educator you plan to partner with.  Include the following information:

a.      Annie Ogonek

b.      WAVE Foundation Educational Curator

c.       Email: aogonek@newportaquarium.com

Phone: 859-815-1442

2-      Describe the plan you have made with this person.

a.      How will you bring what they have to offer to your students?

Writing is an area that I am trying to improve in my classroom.  I have found the best writing comes when there is a spark of interest.  My students completed a feature article last year on an animal of their choice and thought it would be a great addition to our writing toolbox to write about marine life.  Most of my students have never been to the ocean or to any large body of water.  Therefore, I contacted the Newport Aquarium to see what services they offered to primary students.  I was astounded by all of the options I had for my classroom when visiting. Because I am in a school with a high poverty rate, the cost of a field trip is always a concern. The WAVE Foundation has been established and is operated by generous donations from individuals and businesses.  This allows underprivileged students to visit the Newport Aquarium and receive a Finstitute Class when grant money is available!  I have been placed on an email list to receive notification when grant money is available. 


 The contact person at the WAVE Foundation is Annie Ogonek.  Annie is an Educational Curator.  She works with the teachers to plan each component of the field trip. I learned that the field trip experience actually starts at school in the classroom.  Students will receive an information/study guide packet to complete before the trip.  They will being the packet with them to make observations and take notes during their experiences.  They will attend a Finstitute Class where they will gain hands-on learning experiences about Penguins.  After the trip, students will be able to “Ask a Biologist” a question they may have thought of during the trip via their website.   

The following are programs available to students at the Aquarium.  These are offered through the Finstitute class for an additional charge to general admission.  For detailed information about any of the programs offered, visit here!

·         Fabulous Frogs* (Grades PreK-5)

·         Scales & Tails* (Grades PreK-12)

• Hands-on animal encounters

·      All About Penguins** (Grades K-5)

·      What You Otter Know** (Grades 1-5)

·      Incredible Invertebrates* (Grades 1-5)

·      Surrounded by Sharks (Grades 3-8)

·      Sea Turtles* (Grades 3-8)

·      Wild About Water (Grades 3-8)

·      Scuba Science (Grades 3-8)

·      Career Talks (Grades 7-12)

What technologies will you use? (video/voice technologies, etc?)

Penguin Adaptations, Habitats, etc.

Penguin Facts

Penguin Stories and Poems written by 1^st Graders

Fun Interactive Game to get students motivated and engaged!

Readers Theater script for Tacky the Penguin

A ticklish penguin from the Cincinnati Zoo

Ultimate Animal Dads-Emperor Penguins

Macaroni Penguin Video

Pre and Post Assessment

*Conclude the unit with a “Movie Review” Party of “Mr. Popper’s Penguins.”

3.  What are the school disciplines and specific national, state, district or school standards that it will address?

SC-EP-3.4.1

Students will explain the basic needs of organisms.

Organisms have basic needs. For example, animals need air, water and food; plants need air, water, nutrients and light. Organisms can survive only in environments in which their needs can be met.

SC-EP-3.4.2

Students will understand that things in the environment are classified as living, nonliving and once living. Living things differ from nonliving things. Organisms are classified into groups by using various characteristics (e.g., body coverings, body structures).

SC-EP-3.4.3

Students will describe the basic structures and related functions of plants and animals that contribute to growth, reproduction and survival.

Each plant or animal has observable structures that serve different functions in growth, survival and reproduction. For example, humans have distinct body structures for walking, holding, seeing and talking. These observable structures should be explored to sort, classify, compare and describe organisms.

SC-EP-3.4.4

Students will describe a variety of plant and animal life cycles to understand patterns of the growth, development, reproduction and death of an organism.

Plants and animals have life cycles that include the beginning of life, growth and development, reproduction and death. The details of a life cycle are different for different organisms. Observations of different life cycles should be made in order to identify patterns and recognize similarities and differences.

How will you assess what your students have learned?

·         Analyze data from pre and post assessment.

·         Students create a digital story explaining what they learned.

·         Students collaborate together to create a tri-fold board showing their experiences and what they have learned.

·         Students create a brochure.

·         Oral Report