Module 6/7

Thanks so much for posting the concept map! I'm also glad that we were able to work so well together to get the website finished. I think it turned out pretty well. :) I just posted the link for our web site, so we should be good to go!

Concept Map

I don't know why this won't go any bigger...but if you click on it, it will open in bigger in a different window.

Website/Meeting

That all sounds great Kelly! I was really glad we were able to meet up last night. I think we got a lot accomplished and the site is looking good so far. Still have some to go, but it helped being able to get together and figure things out. All the things you mentioned, you are correct - that is still what we need. The only other thing I can think of is that we need an opening paragraph on our home page explaining everything. Oh, and the concept map still isn't showing up on my computer? Don't know if it's just me? I will try it from another computer and see if it works. Anyway, talk to you soon!

Meeting tonight

Madeline and I met tonight to work on our website. So far it's turning out fairly well.

Just to double check, Madeline...what we have left is:

-3 sites in addition to hotlist

-Images on pages

-2 pages, with new info

- 1 new item

- email address on all pages

- Page created w/our name

Right? :) I'm pretty sure the rest of it won't take long now that we have the template set up...I will get the images in, and do the rest of what I have to do individually!

Meeting/Final Inspiration

Hey Kelly! Just wanted to check with you and make sure that we were still on for meeting up on Monday night? Also, wanted to make sure you had received my copy of the inspiration map, so you could download Kidspiration and we could have our final copy posted? Let me know whenever you get the time, thanks!

Final Podcast & What Not

Hey! Your podcast sounds great. :) No worries about it being posted "late." It was perfectly fine and on time. I finally just finished mine and submitted it! Hope yours turned out as well as it looked on paper. We do need to figure out for next week about the final web map thing...I know I added some to it before, but I know you will need to download the Kidspiration program and then will have to post the finalized version of it, (ie. added on to what the first one was.)...Hopefully that makes sense! Don't know if you've read the module for next week or not. Let me know your thoughts. :)

Podcast Part 2 Script

To help establish these concepts, we have done several projects throughout the semester. These projects have helped the students to explore recycling on their own, and with the assistance of other students and experts around the world.

During the first few class periods of this project, we did lessons that pertained to the different aspects of recycling. The first lesson was about what things can and cannot be recycled. Students watched a video on recycling, and were also given what is a called a “hotlist” of websites to visit to do further research on this topic. Students then presented the information that they had found to their fellow students, so that all of the different aspects were covered. Students also did a lesson about the benefits of recycling. This was a very important part of the unit, because it shows the students why we should recycle. If the students are going to convince others to recycle, they should just exactly why recycling is beneficial. Students did a powerpoint at the end of this lesson to present their information.

Along with other short lessons we have done over the semester, we also did a longer project in which students were able to communicate with a group of students from New Delhi, India. Before our students here in Kalamazoo could communicate with the group of students from India, they had to do some of their own research. The students researched a few different recyclable objects to find out what they could be recycled into, along with where they could be recycled. Once they had found that, they were able to ask the students from India some of the same questions that they had to answer, but in reference to recycling in India rather than here in Kalamazoo. The students were able to compare and contrast the way that India recycles with the way we recycle here in the United States, and to use a blog and Google Maps to communicate those things from one group of students to the other.

We are very excited to continue this unit. It has been a lot of fun to do, and we’re looking forward to sharing with you even more in the near future!

Part 2

That looks great! I will make sure my beginning flows well with your ending. I will make sure to post my stuff tomorrow before like 3 or 4...(sorry it's so late, I was out of town all day today...it's been crazy!) but you can double check it over and make sure it's all good. I'll text you and let you know once I've posted it!

Audacity Podcast Part 1

Tell me what you think...!

So far this semester, our students have been learning many things, but one of our many focuses has been on the topic of recycling. Not only have we learned what recycling is, but also why recycling is important as well as beneficial to our environment. As the teacher, I have tried to take the idea of recycling and branch it out beyond what students usually think of when they thinking about recycling.

Without knowing why recycling is important, students may not feel the need to recycle, or to encourage others to recycle. That is why at the beginning of this semester, we went over the benefits and positive effects that recycle can have, from the very small things it influences to the large impacts it has on the world.

There are many objects and materials besides papers, plastics, and metals that can be recycled. These other objects or materials people might not be knowledgeable about, in the fact that they are recyclable materials. That is why it is important for us to broaden the knowledge of what kinds of products can be recycled, so every product that can be recycled is being recycled.

The process of recycling is just that, a process. There are certain steps that one must follow when recycling, and it is crucial to know and follow these steps to make sure that recycling is being done properly. Our students were taught these steps to make sure they knew the correct procedure.

Another main goal this semester is leave the students with a better understanding of how they can help their environment and community to recycle. That is why we have also covered in depth the many different places in Kalamazoo where people are able to go to recycle the proper materials in the proper places.

Our Scripts

No worries about this weekend, it is always crazy busy for me too! I started working on my script... I was going to do the big "overall idea" stuff if that works for you? And then you said you were going to do the other more specifics? I will post mine on here as soon as I finish to make sure it sounds okay and to make sure that it will flow together with yours.

Everything...

Yeah, that works! I'll do what each classroom recycles etc. This weekend is kind of crazy for me...I'll be out of town all day saturday, and sunday is kind of busy too. What if we just write out our scripts and post them on here to make sure they flow? I don't know...

PS. Podcast

Hey! I meant to say something about the pod cast...I have never done anything like this before, have you? I definitely like your idea about going over the overall "big idea," and then going over some specifics. Since there is only two of us we will have to fit everything into two pod casts. Is there any time you have this weekend where you would be able to meet up to make sure they flow together?

Recycling At Home

I was thinking if it was alright with you that I was going to have my students do a survey to tell if they recycled at home or not. Then they can go to all the other 2nd grade classrooms and survey those students as well. What do you think, is that alright? Let me know what you wanted to do! I do like the idea about finding out how much of what they recycle in the classroom. I was thinking maybe you could say that they recycled for a week, and at the end of the week, they count up how much of each item they have. Whatever you do I am sure it will be great!

Lesson Plan

Hey Madeline,

I was thinking about doing like a school-wide survey about whether students recycle at home or not (which was one of your ideas as well)...but I think it would be fun to see like how many items were recycled per classroom each week/month, or something like that? I don't know. haha Let me know what you want to do, and I'll do whatever you don't do :)

I'm thinking for the podcast that one of us should tackle the overall idea of the project (what topics we're covering, etc), and the other one should talk in depth about the Virtual Pen Pals idea, and any other specific projects we've done?....I'm still not completely clear on this one, but we could give it a shot.

Lesson Plan 2

Hey Kelly! So I was curious if you had come up with what you were going to do with your lesson plan? I started mine but it's still a a little cloudy... I was thinking something along the lines of having the students collect data on how much of different types of materials they recycle in their school (or classroom)? Or maybe if they recycle at home? What do you think, or did you have any great ideas? :) Let me know as soon as you get a chance!

Google Maps Link

View Recycling - Kalamazoo vs. New Delhi in a larger map

This map will be used by both groups of students (those from Kalamazoo, MI and those from New Delhi, India). The students from both groups will have done research on a number of products, with their research including where these products can be recycled in their city. The students will use the Google Map to indicate where they can do so. They will use markers to show different recycling centers. This will help them to compare differences between the two cities.

Link to Google Document

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=152E2Tt73GbzNRQahQQP2rzUhhNhnf0ytdDtP2uN6qTY

Google Docs/Maps/Moviemaker

I'm going to add some more on google docs about using technology in the project. I'm also going to add some stuff about how they will use google maps, including the idea that the India students will have access to the google map as well.

I need to get started on my MovieMaker thing!

India & Moviemaker

I think India is a good idea too. Let me know what you think about the Google Docs so far. We can keep adding to it. I like what we have for the Google Maps, but I think you  might know more about what we can do with those than I do, so you might have to fill me in!

I was probably going to do the "Places in Kalamazoo to Recycle" if that was alright with you. I think it will be a good branch of our main topic, and a good idea for the movie; detailed but not too in-depth. The process of recycling would be a good one for you! Let me know if you need any ideas. I think you can also cover the surface without going too detailed. Keep me updated.

India!

I definitely think that India is a good way to do it. The students will be able to access technology there, but it is still different enough for our students to be able to compare/contrast with the students from India. Maybe we should have them all pick different products, and eventually they will have a ton of information about the topic.

I'll work on the map portion...I was just starting to look at the "tutorial" for google maps, and I think there will be a lot that we can do with it.

As for the MovieMaker part of the project I think I'm going to do the process of recycling...but a kind of surface level version of it, since the movie shouldn't be too long. Are you still planning on doing places in Kzoo that you can recycle at?

Change in Assignment

Hey Kelly! So I know we talked and I think we both decided that it would probably be best to do something more globally? (Chicago is a no go?) That's probably the best idea since it is supposed to create global and culturally understanding. I was thinking we could do India as long as that was alright with you? Just let me know what you think!

Meeting

Kelly and I are together right now discussing this weeks projects. We have decided what we will do for the first assignment. We are having our pen pals communicate with kids in downtown Chicago on recycling, what their school does for recycling, and what they know about recycling. We are hoping it will turn out alright!

List of Websites

I'm finally done with my lesson plan! It took longer than I thought it would honestly.

My hotlist of websites was:

http://www.edcodisposal.com/video.html

http://www.edcodisposal.com/kids/recycle.html

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/earth/recycle/slide1.htm

http://www.recyclenow.com/what_can_i_do_today/can_it_be_recycled/

And my list of websites for the evaluation was:

http://www.kidsrecyclingzone.com/index.html

http://www.chevroncars.com/learn/wondrous-world/recycling-process

(This one was really good for information on the process of recycling)

http://www.recycleguys.org/guidelines.asp

(This one outlines how to start a recycling program in your school)

Three Websites

Hey! So I finished my lesson plan. I decided to go with having the students do a PowerPoint on the benefits and positive effects of recycling! How are things going with yours? And I have my three websites that I am doing my web evaluations on. I will give them to you to make sure we both don't do the same ones. Let me know if you have any questions! :)

http://earth911.com/recycling/

http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr/recycle.htm

http://www.kalcounty.com/hhw/why.htm

Hot Lists/Lesson Plan

Hey Madeline, I'm planning on working (and hopefully finishing) my lesson plan today! I will post all of my info as soon as I'm done with it...thanks for sharing your links! Did you come up with an activity for your lesson?

PS. Web Evaluations

PS. I am still working on the three web sites for our web site evaluations. Did you see that they have to be different than the three for our Hot List? Just wanted to make sure you knew that! I will have my three by tomorrow and post them on here, to make sure we don't get the same ones! Whenever you find yours, please post them, thanks!

My Hot List

Hey Kelly. I started working on my Lesson Plan. I'm not sure how good it is, this is the first time I have used Task Stream so we will see. How is yours coming? I just wanted to share my Hot List links with you in case you wanted to check them out. There might be something you can use depending on which way you take your lesson plan. Talk to you soon!

http://www.recycling-revolution.com/recycling-benefits.html

http://www.pacebutler.com/blog/what-is-recycling-7-reasons-why-we-should/

http://www.benefits-of-recycling.com/whyisrecyclingimportant.html

Lesson Plan

Yeah, that's perfectly fine Madeline. I'll either do steps to recycling or what is recyclable. I'm going to play with it a little bit and see what I can come up with a better lesson for. I'm leaning more toward steps to recycling, but we'll see. I'll keep you posted!

Lesson Plan Ideas

So we each need to do a lesson plan, hot list, safe web surfing..etc., for this week's assignment. We pick a branch from our concept map and expand on that. Kelly, I didn't know if you had anything in mind that you already wanted to do? I was thinking that I could do benefits of recycling if that was alright with you? Let me know what your ideas are and what you think you might want to do! Thanks.

Concept Map

Madeline, the concept map looks great! Thanks for putting it together. I think these are all really good "branches" to look into for our project!

Concept Map

Concept Map Thoughts

I think those are all really good ideas Kelly! I definitely think we should include ways to recycle as well as how to make recycling easier for people. It is important people are aware of the "resources" at their disposal. We should also include the reasons why recycling is important, like you said, so people know they are doing a good thing for the very environment they live in. I can download the program and do this concept map. If you have any more ideas I can use before tomorrow, or get more specific information, just send it to me and I will add it in. Thanks!

Blog!! :)

Thanks so much for setting this up Madeline! So what do we want to do for our concept map exactly? I was trying to think of things that we could do our project on, and some thoughts I had were things like how to get more people to recycle, how to set up recycling in a school etc...or we could do something bigger like researching the different ways recycling is helpful for the environment and things like that. Let me know what you guys think!

The First Blog Post

Hey guys!

I just figured this thing out and got it set up. Let me know if all looks alright. :) Also, we need to do the concept mapping, so one of us will have to download the program, Inspiration and/or Kidspiration, (but since the free trial only last 30 days we should probably figure out who is doing what when, and how we are going to do that)! Looking forward to a great summer semester.