Final Lesson Plan

What influenced your choice of subject matter/focus for your plan?

Completing this lesson plan I spent time with an old teacher who influenced me to go ahead and follow my instincts. I've always had a love for Math and following my goals and the needs of future generation children is what my main focus was. Children need a teacher who is passionate at what they do. A teacher that thinks above and beyond not just meet certain standards but to also meet the interest of the students. I did implement a few techniques I was taught when I was child. It seemed easier for me and hopefully the same for my future students. 

Now that your work is complete, what challenges do you see arising when teaching this lesson?

As hard as it honestly was to complete the final lesson plan that seemed to be the hardest part of it all. Actually implementing this into my classroom as a teacher some day the hardest challenge would probably be staying on task and following the exact lesson plan the way it was designed. Not going around or changing anything that was put into place. Allowing myself enough time to grasp each concept in the lesson. I often find myself half doing things at times and if I want to be a successful teacher I have to go through with what's planned on that day. No matter what kind of day it might be. The students education and needs come first. 

Creative Commons

http://creativecommons.org/

Educators are able to benefit from using creative commons because it helps them determine the difference when it comes to copy right laws and the right and wrong way to use them in a classroom. When gathering more information on a something being taught in class this website is appropriate as long as you use it the right way and your not abusing it. The website gives educators and students access to share someone else information, music, videos etc.. and it'll be okay because there are specific controls on it. The struggles of copy right laws and using them in school are kind of out the door in a way. Creative commons is free and its a great organization that needs to be heard out more. 
 I had to read over the creative commons several times to grasp the concept and it's still a little confusing to me but over time and actually seeing it put to use I may be able to understand it more. 

Week 11 Course Reflection

a. Coming into this course, what was your level of tech skill? Did you find it easy to adapt to the ways we used technology in this class? What was difficult for you? What was easy?

When I first started this class I rated my level of tech skill at about a 5 or 6. I found it easy to adapt to the ways we used technology in this class mainly because I stay up-to-date on my technology because I know its where the world is going. At times it was hard only because I don't do the whole Blogger and Pinterest social network thing.

b. What have been your favorite activity/assignment in class so far and why? 

The teaching presentations have been my favorite activity/assignment because I love learning new things about people and seeing how I don't talk much in class I learned a lot about the people around me that I did not know.

c. Do you think you can easily incorporate your tech knowledge and skills into your role as a teacher? Out of all the tools we’ve  learned about so far this semester, which ones do you see using the most frequently as a teacher?
Actually I already incorporate these skills into my every day life because of the work environment I have. The different application software you should us and we went through and tried out different ones with one other student. It seems to be something more on the lines my first grade class would enjoy.

d. As we approach the final four weeks of the course, what do you want to know MORE about in Ed Tech? What are you still curious about?
The more different applications that down the line could possible help with assignment and lesson plans to make them more interesting and different than what other teachers are doing. I don't want to sit and bore my students. I'd like for them to learn and enjoy learning at the same time.

e. Do you think your level of tech skill/knowledge has increased so far this semester? If so, how?

I rate my level of tech skill/knowledge now around a 8. I don't know everything about the technology field but slowly but surely I am catching on as it increases and teaching myself more and more the things I'll need throughout the future. I'm able to create a Blogger and Pinterest account something I could never see myself creating and I've learned how to use both of the different websites with my new skills.

Pinterest in the Classroom

Account Name: adwilliamson09

1.What did you learn from the PINTEREST activity?  How does it relate to what you learned about UDL, lesson planning, and differentiation?

** I learned about the different things that go around on a social network such as Pinterest. The different ideas and purposes of this website vary depending on what you are looking for. In order to stay focused and to understand this website it has to be an every day occasions you use it. Social networks are changing every day just like the switch from a public school to a UDL school. It's a big change if you don't use social networks. It's also harder if your not use to technology and the new skills it has.

2.How do you believe you will utilize PINTEREST as a teacher?  

** As a teacher I will most likely gather the interesting ideas and different crafts and activities that I like that are appropriate for my subject area and grade level and use this through my teaching career.

3.What are the strengths of PINTEREST?

** The strengths of this are really only the different kind of ways you can use this in your life, whether it be for your career or just in your daily life. There are many different uses for this that benefit just about everyone depending on the category and what you need.

4.What are some of the challenges of PINTEREST?

** For a first time user I had a hard time understanding the whole purpose of this website and I'm still currently trying to figure out how to add the exact pins I want for my different boards. Searching through there data base doesn't exactly have what I'm looking to pin onto my boards. It makes it harder and then I have to go back and change a few things around and not make this assignment harder on myself.

5.What comments, questions, thoughts, opinions, and/or feedback do you have about PINTEREST?

** I personally after this class probably won't use Pinterest. It's to time consuming and I love technology but I don't have time to sit put all this together if I still don't see the purpose in the whole pinning things to your board besides just gaining different ideas.

Lesson Plan Assessment

Click here for larger version

I chose the http://www.classtools.net application because it was something new to me that I have yet to play around with. After playing around with the application and looking at the lesson plan I chose I decided this would be a great application to create the game I wanted to make. I decided to make a game because in the first grade you want to catch their attention with things they like to do and with the generation of children and the increase in technology the whole video games or games in general is what they like to do. I did what I thought would be in their great interest create something where they can learn Math but at the same time have fun doing so. 

ORC Lesson Plan

ORC Lesson Plan

The grade level I chose for my lesson plan is first grade. The subject area I'm focusing on for my lesson plan is Mathematics. I specifically chose this subject area not only because I love Math but also because it's important and we use it in our every day life. It's better to learn Math while you're young so that way as you grow older you learn and discover more. This lesson plan is designed to teach first grade students subtract. They will be using pictures and food to help discover the answer to either the addition or subtraction problem they will be given.

The Common Core Standard designed for this lesson are:

*	Represent addition and subtraction with objects, fingers, mental images, drawings, sounds (e.g., claps), acting out situations, verbal explanations, expressions, or equations. * Solve addition and subtraction word problems, and add and subtract within 10, e.g., by using objects or drawings to represent the problem
	By using different objects such as food in this lesson plan, the students will be able to subtract not only as a group but individually as well. This gives them a visual representation of how adding and subtracting work. In my first grade classroom I'd implement this lesson plan during group time. I would teach this lesson to the group at first and allow each student to come up and demonstrate a different example on their own. After every or most of the students grasp the concept of how to subtract I'll allow them to get into small groups and give each group a problem to work out together. The problem that may come about with implementing this would be the group work. After the group work. Making sure each student understands what I'm asking and making sure they're working together as a group. The challenging part with these specific students would be working independently on their own solving subtraction problems with objects and visual pictures.
	Lesson plan: http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L117

Ohio DL Schools

Out of the five DL Schools listed I personally would choose Ecot for my child. I've had some experience with Ecot and I'm pleased to how things are handed. There mission is to help achieve students education and start their path toward their dreams or future. Ecot is more focused on the education of children. They put out right then and there a free computer or laptop is available. The students are able to communicate with their teacher at any time. The teachers build that type of relationship where the student and the parent both are happy. Being the largest DL school in Ohio it speaks for itself that the school is worth giving it a try.

I would not send my child to the Virtual Community School of Ohio because when I was researching and reading up on each DL's website and their purpose the first thing that pops up on their website is the whole idea that you get a brand new laptop when you enroll. I don't like the idea of that being the most important thing about a Virtual School. The education and how they plan on teaching and the curriclum for students should be on the home page of the website. I haven't heard much abouth this type of DL school but from the website and what I was reading I'm not interested in this school what so ever. It doesn't pop out anything interesting or stand out.