Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed this class and learned a lot of new techniques and electronic mediums that I can use in and out of the classroom. I feel the best part of the class were those frustrating moments when you were trying to figure out how to do something new, and the satisfaction in brought when you completed the assignment as so. I enjoyed the interaction the blog created with my classmates, and made the experience more intimate and real. I now have an electronic record of my work in this class, which can be shared from anywhere at anytime. I see now the real ways that technology can be used in the classroom, and not just for technology's sake.

After reviewing the results on Survey Monkey about my project I feel I could of better explained how the students were to use technology for the project. I figured that most students were used to using YouTube, and that much discussion on how to access and use it would not be neccessary. I also feel I could of allowed more use of technology in my project, but for the project's sake and the content standards given, I felt it was appropriate and sufficient. Classmates seem to enjoy reading my project and even one student commented on the effectivness of my rubric.

Thanks so much Colin, I am signing off.

Prezi Presentations

Prezi seems to engage the audience more so than Power Point. Prezi shows like a map rather than a bunch of linear slides like in Power Point. I thought it was interesting that Prezi points out that our brain's thoughts are not produced linearly in our mind, but in dialogue over time, with feedback--this is a definite difference or advantage between Power Point and Prezi. Prezi claims to be easier and more user friendly, however, I feel Power Point is really easy to use too. I think it comes down to the user and what they feel more comfortable using when creating a presentation. I think they are both good, but the main difference is how it is presented, which is up to the creator on what they prefer to use. I think Prezi is cooler, but Power Point still gets the job done.

Final Project: Menu

Studying American ideals-5th grade Social Studies

This lesson plan is for 5th graders studying American ideals through music or songs in America. Students are asked to listen to and analyze the songs "America the Beautiful" and "The Star Spangled Banner." The final project is for the students to find songs that they think represent American ideals and present the project to class by playing the song via YouTube and explaining their thoughts on the song as it relates to ideals in America.

Please click on the links below to view my final project, and then complete the survey when you are done.

Content Standards

Content Objectives

Lesson Structure

Assessment

Technology Utilized

Survey

Thank you!

Frank Nappi

Final Project: Technology Utilized

Students will have used technology for this project by using a computer to write a reflection on their own song that reflects on American ideals, and the Internet to find and print song lyrics, plus, using YouTube to download the songs and listen to them on the computer as part of the assignment. Specifically, when the students present their own version of songs that represent American ideals, they will hold the interest of the class by playing the song from YouTube for the class, which will enhance the lesson and their presentation. By using YouTube the students have successfully communicated to the class the song that they feel best represents American ideals.

Final Project Menu

Next: Survey

Final Project: Assessment of Student Performance

Students will be asked to share music other than the songs played in class, which too represent American ideals. They will be asked to write a short paper on how the song represents the ideals of America and why, which will be turned into me. The presentation will include playing the song and discussing shortly with the class why they think their song of choice represents the ideals of America. Also, the students will play the song for the entire class before presenting, by going on to YouTube to download the song (I will have loudspeakers set-up to the computer in the class, which will play the song selection for the class to hear).
My assessment will be to read their papers and listen to their presentations as an assessment for the project. In order to receive the grade of "+" the students must successfully download the song on Youtube to be played for class, and the song must be representative of ideals in America. My rubric for the assignment is listed below:

"+" grade will be given for a song that appropriately and clearly represents American ideals, and the student was able to use YouTube on their own to download the song on the computer to be played for the class during their presentation.

"check mark" will be give to students who find a song that mostly represents American ideals, and the student was able to use YouTube with little to no help to download the song on the computer to be able to be played for the class during their presentation.

"-" grade will be given to students who find a song that somewhat or does not represent American ideals, and the student was not able to download the song on YouTube on their own to be played for the class during their presentation.


Final Project Menu

Next: Technology Utilized

Final Project: Lesson Structure

The lesson should be done in the course of one day during Social Studies time, preferably on the same day that we go to computer lab. Half the class will be used to discuss ideals and American ideals by listening to songs that represent the ideals of America, and the other half of class will be spent searching and listening to these songs in the computer lab. We will end the lesson with a journal entry about the meaning and thoughts about the translation of the two songs.
I will begin the lesson by having a class discussion about what it means to have an ideal or what ideals mean or is meant by ideals. Then, I will ask the students to work in pairs to come up with a list of American ideals or what are the ideals that we hold dear in America, which will be shared with the class. Next, we will listen to the songs "America the Beautiful" and the "Star Spangled Banner." I will ask the children to review their list of American ideals that was done previously with a partner, and see how it compared to the ideals represented and sung in the songs of our national anthem and the nation hymn. Afterwards, we will take a trip to the computer lab to search for these two patriotic songs and their lyrics on the internet, using YouTube, to listen to and comprehend the meaning of the two songs.
At the computer lab, I will have the students individually work and use the internet to find the lyrics to the songs "America the Beautiful" and "The Star Spangled Banner," and have them print up the lyrics. Next, I will have them go to YouTube to search for and listen to both songs. It will be their job to listen to the songs and read the lyrics as they go and follow along with the song. I have allotted 20 minutes to find the lyrics on the Internet and listen to the song of YouTube. Within this time frame, the children can listen to both songs as often as they want. Last, we will go back to classroom to do a journal entry on the songs that we have listened to.
When we return to class the children will have about 10 to 15 minutes to record their thoughts on the meaning of the songs and how it relates to representing American ideals. As homework or work beyond the lesson, I can have the students find other songs that represent American ideals, with their translation and thoughts written as a paper to be turned into class or used as a presentation, provided they bring the music or upload it on the computer (using YouTube) to be shared with the rest of the class.

Final Project Menu

Next: Assessment

Final Project: Content Objectives

The goal and objective of this project is to get students to learn about American Ideals by using YouTube and the Internet to listen, gather song lyrics, and examine the songs "America the Beautiful" and "The Star Spangled Banner." Ultimately, I want my students to understand and reflect on the meaning of the national anthem and patriotic song as it relates to our ideals in America.

Final Project Menu

Next: Lesson Structure