Prezi - Characteristics of Prose

Reflection:

I like the concept of Prezi - the layout encourages presentations to include minimal text and to get straight to the point. One thing I didn't like is how images interface with the program. Each section or "slide" has a circle within which your content should fit. This isn't explicitly stated, but it makes sense aesthetically. When using pictures, it is hard to get the image to not look out of place with the background. I wish the circles on each slide would automatically crop the image as you make it bigger so that the image cannot appear outside of the circle. There is a cropping tool within Prezi, but it is still limited to square images.
The image thing was really the only complaint I had about Prezi. I think it would be very easy for students to use to create short presentations. If I were teaching 4th grade literature, I would use this project as an example for group projects that I would have the students create. They would use this presentation as a guide for what I expect from them as they identify characteristics of other types of literature. As a class, we would take time to share and participate in presentations on the different types of literature that we are studying.

Standards:

UEN Standard
Grade 4 Reading: Literature Standard 5
Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of characters, settings, descriptions, dialogue, stage directions) when writing or speaking about a text.
Ed Tech Standard
Standard 5
Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom.
ISTE Standard
Knowledge Constructor
I critically select, evaluate and synthesize digital resources into a collection that reflects my learning and builds my knowledge.

Youtube - Reshaping Earth's Surface

 This video explains simply how weathering and erosion play a part in shaping the Earth's surface.


 

This video shows how earthquakes happen and how that changes the appearance of the Earth.




This is a short video about different types of landforms and how they are created.




This video is a little bit more in depth than the other videos. It explains a few contrasting ways that Earth's surface changes, focusing on tectonic plates.




This video is a simplified explanation of plate tectonics.

Reflection:

Youtube is a site that I have used for many years and is very straightforward. By using keywords, you can search for video content for most topics. Topics covered range from music to explanations of complex engineering concepts to how to fix things. Because there is so much content and it is all user-submitted content, it does require a bit of sifting. By sifting I mean that it is important to recognize quality and filter out the lower quality videos. Sifting is especially important when compiling a playlist for use in teaching children. Not only must the video explain the content well, but it must also be age-appropriate (in both the way they explain the content and the content itself).

This particular playlist is designed to help teach 5th graders about earth science. The students would be able to access the playlist while at home. Instead of having them read a science book, they would be able to watch these brief videos and see as well as hear how the Earth is affected by geological activity. I would hope that having videos to watch would be more engaging for students than reading from a book. Because the videos are short, the students could re-watch them quickly if they needed to refresh their memories.

Standards:

UEN Standard

Grade 5, science, standard 2
Students will understand that volcanoes, earthquakes, uplift, weathering, and erosion reshape Earth's surface.
ISTE Standard
Digital Citizen
I understand the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of living, learning and working in an interconnected digital world.

ED  Tech Standard

Standard 8

Use technology resources(e.g., calculators, data collection probes, videos, educational software) for problem-solving, self-directed learning, and extended learning activies.

Publisher - Utah Peoples and Cultures Brochure

Card Utah Peoples and Cultures
This is an example brochure I created with basic information about groups of people that have had an influence on the state of Utah. As a teacher, I would have students create similar brochures to demonstrate their knowledge on certain topics and to experience working in groups to complete a project.

Reflection:

Asking students to create brochures is a way to have them determine what the most important concepts or facts of a given topic are. It also allows students to easily share what they have learned with their classmates and collaborate in groups. I would like to use brochures as a group project in the future. In this example, I would have the students create brochures on each of the states. I would use the brochure that I created as an example of what I expect from them. After finishing the project, we would display the brochures in our classroom.
I was able to create my brochure very quickly and would expect that, after researching their states (or other topics) they would be able to create their own quickly as well. However, I know that projects can be stressful for me when I know there is a deadline. I imagine my students might feel the same way about this. A project like this may require a lot of one on one help as students are figuring out how to format a brochure and how to use computer programs to do it.

Standards:

UEN Core Standard
Grade 5, Social Studies, Standard 1
Students will understand how the exploration and colonization of North America transformed human history.
EdTech Standard
Standard 5
Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom.
ISTE Standard
Knowledge Constructor
I critically select, evaluate and synthesize digital resources into a collection that reflects my learning and builds my knowledge.