Phase Six - An Update on my ImagineIT
Early in the school year, my seventh graders spent a few days discussing the definition of patterns and systems and brainstorming the ways that they related to our Earth Science curriculum. After an excellent discussion, I introduced the first part of our project, a way to dive into the details about the types of patterns that exist in the world. My seventh graders had to research a pattern I asked them to focus on, and create a short Google Slides presentation. The presentation had to consist of at least one informational slide and three or more image slides. This was also the time we discussed fair use photographs and information. A slideshow at the bottom of this webpage shows the completed projects. After spending several days working on and presenting our Patterns in Nature projects, we dove back into our curriculum.
We have now uncovered two chapters of our textbook, focusing on weather and climate. We have built anemometers and measured wind, we have created barometers and measured air pressure, we spent time learning about convection currents and how they influence the planet, We have also discussed clouds and cloud formation and precipitation, conveniently talking about it the day before our first snowfall in Chicago. At this point, we are ready to revisit our Patterns in Nature project, supplementing it with our current learning. My students' homework over the weekend was to snap two photos (one of the snow and one of a cool cloud formation) and have them easily accessible in class. We will be adding these photos to our projects on Monday, and we will keep doing this as the year goes on.
At the end of the year, they will have a beautiful portfolio, showcasing what they have learned during our study of Earth Science. They will see a glimpse of our world, through a lens of patterns and systems. I'm excited for my students, because I can envision what this project is going to look like at the end, and I think that they will be blown away by the final product.
We have now uncovered two chapters of our textbook, focusing on weather and climate. We have built anemometers and measured wind, we have created barometers and measured air pressure, we spent time learning about convection currents and how they influence the planet, We have also discussed clouds and cloud formation and precipitation, conveniently talking about it the day before our first snowfall in Chicago. At this point, we are ready to revisit our Patterns in Nature project, supplementing it with our current learning. My students' homework over the weekend was to snap two photos (one of the snow and one of a cool cloud formation) and have them easily accessible in class. We will be adding these photos to our projects on Monday, and we will keep doing this as the year goes on.
At the end of the year, they will have a beautiful portfolio, showcasing what they have learned during our study of Earth Science. They will see a glimpse of our world, through a lens of patterns and systems. I'm excited for my students, because I can envision what this project is going to look like at the end, and I think that they will be blown away by the final product.
Phase Six - Final Report
As we get closer and closer to Winter Break, I have been taking the time to reflect on the school year so far. Coming back after the two week break will feel like a fresh start so I want to make sure that I am taking advantage of that. In my reflection, I have been thinking about the book we read, What Should I Do? Confronting Dilemmas of Teaching in Urban Schools by Anna Richert. This book really made me think about the issues that come up during my teaching. Is what happened a problem? Then I should think about my previous experiences and come up with a solution. Or is this a dilemma? If it's a dilemma then I know that there might not be one solution; I know that I might need to consult with a colleague or administrator. This book helps me to focus on the actual issues and provides a pathway toward a resolution.
After my focus group and teaching demonstration, I have a stronger appreciation for my students' maturity and desire for learning. One thing that my colleagues and I stress is taking ownership of behavior and learning. My students definitely took ownership of the ImagineIT project. They came up with very thoughtful suggestions about my dilemmas and really took the time to internalize the issues and communicate with each other and with me.
My colleagues have been incredibly supportive during this process. They took time to listen and give feedback. They had great insight into the students, seeing them from different perspectives. With their help, I tweaked some of my initial thoughts about the assessment piece of this project.
Since writing my implementation report, we have competed another section of our project. During November and December we have been focusing on weather, specifically cloud formation and precipitation. Luckily for us, the first Chicago snowfall was the weekend after we finished the unit. I tasked my students with taking two pictures, one of a cool cloud formation and one of the snow. They added in their own pictures to the initial Patterns projects. They really loved this piece of the ImagineIT because they were able to use their own photographs. They also enjoyed sharing them with their classmates.
Moving forward, I need to structure my class time differently to account for our work on this project. I tend to laser focus on all of the other things that we need to do; our curriculum, testing, etc. I need to make sure that I set aside time for us to come back to this project, to discuss it, and to keep enriching it. I need to make sure that I and my students are focused on the end goal. Creating a beautiful portfolio of all of their hard work and learning during their seventh grade year.
After my focus group and teaching demonstration, I have a stronger appreciation for my students' maturity and desire for learning. One thing that my colleagues and I stress is taking ownership of behavior and learning. My students definitely took ownership of the ImagineIT project. They came up with very thoughtful suggestions about my dilemmas and really took the time to internalize the issues and communicate with each other and with me.
My colleagues have been incredibly supportive during this process. They took time to listen and give feedback. They had great insight into the students, seeing them from different perspectives. With their help, I tweaked some of my initial thoughts about the assessment piece of this project.
Since writing my implementation report, we have competed another section of our project. During November and December we have been focusing on weather, specifically cloud formation and precipitation. Luckily for us, the first Chicago snowfall was the weekend after we finished the unit. I tasked my students with taking two pictures, one of a cool cloud formation and one of the snow. They added in their own pictures to the initial Patterns projects. They really loved this piece of the ImagineIT because they were able to use their own photographs. They also enjoyed sharing them with their classmates.
Moving forward, I need to structure my class time differently to account for our work on this project. I tend to laser focus on all of the other things that we need to do; our curriculum, testing, etc. I need to make sure that I set aside time for us to come back to this project, to discuss it, and to keep enriching it. I need to make sure that I and my students are focused on the end goal. Creating a beautiful portfolio of all of their hard work and learning during their seventh grade year.