Anthony Hazard
4/20/08
Final Self-Reflection Report
When I first began EDU 506, I honestly wasn’t sure if this class would be useful to me because I considered myself skilled in computer technology, and was afraid that I would be wasting my time here. However that was not the case. Throughout each project completed, I learned at least two things about Word, Powerpoint, and Excel. I had never used Microsoft Frontpage or Inspiration 6 before so that was a great experience also. I could not have asked for a more effective teacher of this course as well. Dr. Yang always came to class up-beat and engaged the class in the activity. I also loved that there was virtually no homework throughout the semester, and the projects were still challenging and worthwhile.
Assignment #1 – Red Scare – McCarthyism – Word
The lesson plan I completed using Microsoft Word was based on McCarthyism during the Cold War. This assignment basically tries to convey to the 8th grade students what Senator Joseph McCarthy was trying to do to Americans, and the dangers he posed to the constitution of the United States. This lesson also attempts to link the current ‘War on Terror’ with McCarthyism because the Bush Administration has used 9/11 to strengthen the federal government in terms of limiting some freedoms, and testing people’s right to privacy (ex. Patriot Act) in several instances.
As the lesson begins, students are given a contract that they are expected to sign that says that they have never been a part of a terrorist organization, and have never known anyone that was a terrorist themselves, or had contact with a terrorist cell in their lifetimes. This contract would be similar to contracts workers would have to sign in the US during the Cold War, but instead of terrorists, it was the communist party. Students then receive a reading packet that summarizes the virtual witch-hunt for communists Joseph McCarthy embarked on during the beginning stages of the Cold War. Students will then watch a short clip from the video Good Night, and Good Luck in which Edward Murrow challenged McCarthy using the airwaves and risking his job and freedom to expose McCarthy for the liar he was. Students will then answer thought-provoking questions about the packet and the video clip.
This topic is extremely important for students to grasp and connect with today’s world because this sort of fear was virtually repeated after 9/11, and the possibility of another Red Scare was more than possible in the years that followed. The NYS standards utilized for this lesson were standards 1, 3 & 4 for History (History of the US and NY, Economics, and Geography), ELA standard 3 (Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation). The one thing I learned about Word that I didn’t know before was how to move a picture around, and adjust the text that surrounded it, so that was an excellent skill to learn in regards to creating worksheets, tests, and other forms of print.
Link: lesson plan McCarthy
Assignment #2 – Spreadsheet using Excel – Political Poll
This assignment dealt with the current primary elections in 2008 for the Presidential nominees for the Democratic and Republican parties. Basically my students looked at each candidate and I provided them with information on what each of them basically stands for, and they voted as a class on who they would choose if they could vote. I tallied up the votes for each class individually, and the 7th grade class as a whole as well. In my classes, Barack Obama did quite well, but overall it was very close for the most part accept for Mike Hukabee falling a bit short. This poll could have been taken at any adolescent grade level, and is great to incorporate both current events and political science together. Since this was a 7th grade classroom, I would have liked to see who the students thought their parents would vote for, and see how that correlates to who they would vote for as well, and see if the parents had a profound influence over who they chose. Even though these students are still several years short of the voting age, it is important to attempt to get them involved in politics and discuss political topics so that when they do reach that age they will be prepared and hopefully look forward to participating in the process. This primary as well is history in the making as far as how tight the democratic race has become, and the high voter turn out rate this year.
This activity primarily relates to Standard 1: History of the United States and New York. I learned several things about excel while completing this assignment. One thing was how to access calculation in the cells, and how to group cells together. I also learned how to make different charts and graphs and add them to the spreadsheet.
Link: political poll results
Assignment #3 – powerpoint on Autism
The powerpoint presentation my group created was based on Autism spectrum disorder. We informed our class that some form of autism is affecting 1 in 150 students in our classrooms, and every educator needs to know how they are going to get these students to succeed and reach their full potential. There is no one method to use for children with autism. There are so many different types of autism, so there will never be just one solution that will help all of them succeed in the classroom. Each case is unique, and teachers need to take the time to find out what is going to work for each individual child. We also offered some examples of techniques that have been commonly helpful to educators in the past, and tried to model some of those things for our classmates. We also tried to incorporate some of the new technology being used in schools for students with autism into the lecture as well.
This was an assignment that I had mixed feelings about. I knew that the topic of Autism was important, but I was disappointed that in my particular group I didn’t feel that the actual presentation was very strong in terms of the usage of tools available to us using powerpoint, and the presentation at times seemed to lack enthusiasm and depth. I tried my best to not talk from the slide and offer as much outside information as I possessed, but I noticed on the feedback sheet we received that many classmates were not in love with the presentation. Autism is something that every educator needs to not only know about, but also learn what strategies work in helping these children reach their full potential and diversify the methods of teaching that will be used. This presentation was aimed at educating students that would like to someday be educators, or who already are educators so that they can have some background when they have these autistic students in their classrooms.
Link: autism
Assignment #4 – Webquest – Civil War
The webquest I decided to create for this assignment was based on the Civil War. The main aspect of the Civil War that I wanted to focus on was all of the different perspectives that Americans approached the war with. I wanted to accentuate how each type of person saw this war differently. The types of people my students had to choose from were: white males from the North or South, African Americans (free or slave), women supporting the war effort, and politicians from either side (North or South). The reason I chose to do this project with my students was because one of the hardest things you can get a 7th or 8th grade student to do, is to see someone else’s perspective; not their own. This is a challenge I have faced several times in my young teaching career, and I really try to make sure that by the time my students leave my class, most of them will at least have the skills to take a step back and look at a situation differently. The only problem with that is, will they choose to use it?
The assignment is to choose one of these perspectives, and complete one of the following choices for the project. They can write letters home to a spouse or family member while they are fighting in the war. The can create a newspaper article that would be printed after a battle or event that took place during the war. Or they could write journal or diary entries during the war describing major events or turning points that they are living through and watching. All of these options needs to portray the attitudes of each of these groups of people accurately, and in order to get an idea as to how these people felt or acted, the students will have to use the websites I have listed in the webquest to learn enough to complete the project.
This project not only ties in ELA standards, but History Standard 1: History of the United States and New York. This project also includes Standard 3: Geography depending on which part of the country you are choosing to research and present. The grading rubric is listed on the website, and this project was very enjoyable to create, and will be very meaningful to my students. I am sure after my students complete this webquest I will attempt to fine-tune it a bit more, but overall I was very pleased with how it came out. I am certain that this project will increase student knowledge and understanding of not only the Civil War, but the context in which it was fought, and what the people living during that time must have gone through.
Link: Civil War Webquest
