How I will forever change the way I teach

This course has allowed me to explore various resources that i may have known were out there but simply did not take the time to use them.  After seeing how easy and beneficial they are to incorporate into my teaching i will try very hard to use some of the resources available on the internet and in my community.  It is too easy to get stuck into a pattern and not try different things, however using some of the resources I have found in this class I will make my students more interested in learning and keep them involved in the work.  I had also never blogged before, I think I may just  create a blog for my parents and students where we can share classroom news and celebrate successes.  Overall, I learned a lot from this class and Am glad I was able to tap into some outside resources I may have never taken the opportunity to find!

instructional Plan

Unit Title: A time for change
Description:  a unit of change and life cycles for kindergarten students over a two week time period
Key highlights:  Students will read several books about life cycles such as The carrot seed, the very quick cricket and the very clumsy click beetle.  Students will compare texts, respond to text adn create their own text using technology and pencil and paper.  The students will also get a chance to plant their very own seed and keep a daily journal at home with help from parent tracking the changes of the seed.  We will explore animal life cycles also by watching a video on the Eno board.  We will then collaborate to create our own class presentation/book of a life cycle to watch and read as a class.  Parents will also get a chance to watch when it is uploaded to the class website.
Assessments:  Studnets will engage in preassessments such as KWL charts, journal entries, response logs entry slips.  Post assessment will include exit slips, finished writing peice, journal, and a culminatinig acitivity in which they will draw and write about a life cycle and present to class.