Meghan+Petrie's+Cool+Tools+Review+and+Application+Plan

 ACRE: I attended the A.C.R.E. session for my first Cool Tools session on Wednesday. I was initially interested in the session because ACRE stands for “Accountability and Curriculum Revision Effort” and curriculum revision is something that interests me greatly and I would like to know more about the current effort in NC and elsewhere. Dr. Cindy Williamson lead the session as the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology for NC DPI. Dr. Williamson began by discussion the skill sets that we require our students to master, and why they may need to be reconsidered. Is it essential for students to maintain knowledge of trivia facts? As Dr. Williamson began to discuss assessment strategies, I was relieved to find that they were not recommending more standardized testing such as the EOCs, but rather they would like to assess students on skills that are most relevant to the skill set that they will require to have in the 21st century. Dr. Williamson described the various groups who are currently working to push this effort forward. The session was helpful, but I would have liked to learn more about the specific pieces of curriculum that will be taken out of the current curriculum and what it will be replaced with. Apple Remote Desktop: This was a great session, I was the only one there! Because of that, I got a private lesson on the Apple Remote Desktop, as well as numerous other Apple operations which I was unfamiliar with. The ARD is a wonderful tool for any teacher. One of the biggest problems that I encountered during my teaching was the amount of time that students waste time on the computer because they believe that their teachers can’t see what they are doing (unless they are standing over them). The ARD allows for teachers to monitor students while they are on a classroom computer set. Not only is this helpful to ensure that students are staying on task, but it is also helpful for teachers to help students who might not be as familiar with technology as their counterparts. Teachers can easily identify problems that students may be having and assist them without calling attention to them. I hope that whatever school I teach in has this capacity! I was hooked! Primary Access: Primary access is a free, online tool, for teachers to use with their students to create narrated slideshows. I tried primary access as a social studies tool and found it to be very useful and can see where it would help my lessons as well as allow students to creatively show that they understand the content that is being taught in the classroom. Primary access’ best element is its focus on writing as opposed to visual and audio creation. Students must first write the script that they intend to use, and organize the visual aids to correspond with the script. It is only after the script is written and typed into the program that the students can proceed with their narration. Furthermore, it seems that PA has found a way around the trouble that many teachers have with image searches in their schools. Each student is able to access a library of images uploaded by teachers, and only accessible by PA users. This tool allows for students to choose their own images in a safe way. I certainly intend on utilizing this in my classroom. FIZZ: The FIZZ session was great! I had no idea that there were school-only internet video sites. FIZZ seems like a wonderful solution for schools who want to utilize YouTube type sites, but are unable to allow access to them in their schools. FIZZ is a website that is only accessible to the members of the school community in which that FIZZ site was set up for. Students can see eachothers work, but cannot upload to it themselves. Additionally there are no comments allowed on the site, unlike YouTube. Often times, comment boxes on these sites are abused and can cause problems for educators. FIZZ seeks to solve tis problem by not including them.

Lesson Application Plan

Objectives:  1. Students will be able to identify reliable internet sites, from which to obtain information regarding the topic they have chosen to write about.  2. Students will be able to map their thoughts and the facts they have obtained during their research in a web or linear outline.  3. Students will be able to write a well constructed essay with a thesis statement, three supporting paragraphs, and a comprehensive conclusion.

This lesson plan is designed to be implemented in several units and in both Social Studies and English classrooms. Writing is a skill that must constantly be refined, and will not only serve students in academia but in their everyday lives. Day One: Students will choose a topic which they find interesting, and is related to the unit they are currently studying in the classroom. Once the topic is chosen, the students will use the following rubric to “grade” each website they consider using. Only websites with a rating of 5 or greater can be used. See rubric. Once the students have “scored” a website for use, they can store it in their delicious account in order to use it later. The students will be able to write notes to themselves about the site, and what part of their paper they need the information for. Additionally, I will easily be able to access their sites to ensure that they are using reliable sources.

0 points || .net 0 points || .org 0 points || .edu 1 point ||  || 1 point || No -1 point ||  ||  || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;"> || 2 points || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;">No 1 point || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;"> || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;"> || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;"> || 2 points || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;">No -1 point || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;"> || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;"> || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;"> || 2 points || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;">No -1 point || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;"> || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;"> || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;"> || Total: || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;"> || Please be sure to store it to your delicious account before you close it out! ||
 * **<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Website Score Card ** ||
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;">The website address ends with… || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;">.com
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;">The website has an author or organization who takes credit for the site || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;">Yes
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;">The webpage containing the information you wish to use, has (or is connected to a larger, organizations website which has) a mission statement or an “about us” statement that is appropriate for what you are researching. || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;">Yes
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;">The information presented on this website is cited, or its author is clearly represented on the webpage. || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;">Yes
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;">This website contains information that is pertinent to the topic I wish to research. || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;">Yes
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;"> || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;"> || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;"> || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;"> || <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;">
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontweight: bold;">You must have a score of 5 or higher to use the website.

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Day Two/Three Students will use the sources they have indicated as reliable to gather information about their chosen topic. Once they choose the important pieces of information, they will map them on a webspiration page. The students can choose the format that they feel most comfortable using to load the information, but should then change between the web and linear design to understand how both are designed to help in the writing process.

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Day Four/Five: Students will use Letter Pop as the template for which they will write their essays. The template will be chosen for them in the following format:

Box 1: Topic Sentence/Thesis and three supporting facts Box 2: Topic Sentence regarding first supporting fact. Include two supporting details Box 3: Topic Sentence regarding first supporting fact. Include two supporting details Box 4: Topic Sentence regarding first supporting fact. Include two supporting details Box 5: Conclusion. What was the point of your paper. What do you want the readers to know?